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Sample records for cell stabilizer ketotifen

  1. Anti-Allergic Drugs Tranilast and Ketotifen Dose-Dependently Exert Mast Cell-Stabilizing Properties

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    Asuka Baba

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Anti-allergic drugs, such as tranilast and ketotifen, inhibit the release of chemokines from mast cells. However, we know little about their direct effects on the exocytotic process of mast cells. Since exocytosis in mast cells can be monitored electrophysiologically by changes in the whole-cell membrane capacitance (Cm, the absence of such changes by these drugs indicates their mast cell-stabilizing properties. Methods: Employing the standard patch-clamp whole-cell recording technique in rat peritoneal mast cells, we examined the effects of tranilast and ketotifen on the Cm during exocytosis. Using confocal imaging of a water-soluble fluorescent dye, lucifer yellow, we also examined their effects on the deformation of the plasma membrane. Results: Relatively lower concentrations of tranilast (100, 250 µM and ketotifen (1, 10 µM did not significantly affect the GTP-γ-S-induced increase in the Cm. However, higher concentrations of tranilast (500 µM, 1 mM and ketotifen (50, 100 µM almost totally suppressed the increase in the Cm, and washed out the trapping of the dye on the surface of the mast cells. Compared to tranilast, ketotifen required much lower doses to similarly inhibit the degranulation of mast cells or the increase in the Cm. Conclusions: This study provides electrophysiological evidence for the first time that tranilast and ketotifen dose-dependently inhibit the process of exocytosis, and that ketotifen is more potent than tranilast in stabilizing mast cells. The mast cell-stabilizing properties of these drugs may be attributed to their ability to counteract the plasma membrane deformation in degranulating mast cells.

  2. Interaction of Ketotifen Fumarate with Anhydrous Theophylline in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate interaction between ketotifen fumarate and anhydrous theophylline in aqueous media of various pH. Methods: By using Job's continuous-variation analysis and Ardon's spectrophotomeric methods, the values of stability constants of theophylline with ketotifen ...

  3. Ketotifen, a mast cell blocker improves sperm motility in asthenospermic infertile men

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    Nasrin Saharkhiz

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ketotifen on sperm motility of asthenospermic infertile men. Setting and Design: It is a prospective study designed in vivo. Materials and Methods: In this interventional experimental study, a total of 40 infertile couples with asthenospermic infertility factor undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART cycles were enrolled. The couples were randomly assigned to one of two groups at the starting of the cycle. In control group (n = 20, the men did not receive Ketotifen, while in experiment group (n = 20, the men received oraly ketotifen (1 mg Bid for 2 months. Semen analysis, under optimal circumferences, was obtained prior to initiation of treatment. The second semen analysis was done 2-3 weeks after stopped ketotifen treatment and sperm motility was defined. Clinical pregnancy was identified as the presence of a fetal sac by vaginal ultrasound examination. Statistical Analysis Used: All data are expressed as the mean ± standard error of mean (SEM. t test was used for comparing the data of the control and treated groups. Results: The mean sperm motility increased significantly (from 16.7% to 21.4% after ketotifen treatment (P < 0.001. This sperm motility improvement was more pronounced in the primary infertility cases (P < 0.003. The rate of pregnancy was 12.5% in infertile couples that their men receiving 1 mg/twice a day ketotifen. In 52% of infertile men′s semen, the percentage of sperm motility was increased from 5% to 35% and this sperm motility improvement was also observed in 33% of necrospermia (0% motility cases. Conclusion: These results suggest that ketotifen may represent as a novel therapeutic approach to improve sperm motility in the infertile men with cause of asthenospermia or necrospermia.

  4. Interaction of Ketotifen Fumarate with Anhydrous Theophylline in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP

    Theophylline in Simulated Gastric and Intestinal Media and Effect on ... However, following theophylline interaction with ketotifen, stability constant was < 1 at gastric pH (0.4 and 2.0) ..... from pH as low as stomach acid (pH 0.4 to 3) to as high ...

  5. The effect of ketotifen on inflammatory markers in allergic conjunctivitis: an open, uncontrolled study

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    Gagliardi Julio

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The efficacy and safety of ketotifen eye drop treatment in allergic conjunctivitis (AC management is perfectly known by several studies, but the mechanism of action at the biochemical levels is poorly understood so we decided to perform an open, uncontrolled study in order to investigate the effect of the topical administration of ketotifen fumarate 0.05% on biochemical markers of inflammation on conjunctival cells in patients with AC. Methods Nineteen patients with symptoms and signs of AC (itching, discharge, burning, redness, increase in the watery discharge, swelling and follicles and with a history of allergy were prescribed with two daily instillation of one drop of eyewash ketotifen fumarate 0,05% in both eyes during thirty days. They were studied by measuring clinical and immunologic parameters. Results Ketotifen fumarate treatment significantly reduced the total symptoms and signs score for each patient as well as each symptoms and signs at all time points compared with day 0 (p Conclusion Ketotifen besides the well-known effect in reducing signs and symptoms of AC significantly diminished production of eotaxin and expression of CD29 by epithelial cells in patients with seasonal AC.

  6. Effects of ketotifen on human lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Petrasch, S.; van Tits, L. J.; Motulsky, H. J.; Brodde, O. E.; Michel, M. C.

    1993-01-01

    The effects of the antiasthmatic drug ketotifen (CAS 34580-13-7) on human mononuclear leukocytes were studied in vitro and in vivo. In vitro ketotifen concentration-dependently inhibited mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation. High ketotifen concentrations also inhibited T-lymphocyte mitogen-

  7. Development and Validation of a Stability-Indicating LC-UV Method ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Keywords: Ketotifen, Cetirizine, Stability indicating method, Stressed conditions, Validation. Tropical ... in biological fluids [13] are also reported. Stability indicating HPLC method is reported for ketotifen where drug is ..... paracetamol, cetirizine.

  8. Comparing the effects of ketotifen fumarate eye drops and ketotifen oral pills on symptom severity and quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhavan, Asghar; Karimi-Sari, Hamidreza; Khosravi, Mohammad Hossein; Arefzadeh, Esmaeil; Yavarahmadi, Mohammadhosein

    2015-05-01

    Allergic rhinitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of nasal mucosa. Previous studies have shown the therapeutic effects of ketotifen eye drops on allergic conjunctivitis and rhinitis patients. This study was designed to compare the effects of ketotifen drops and oral ketotifen pills on symptoms and quality of life in allergic rhinitis patients. In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, patients with mild allergic rhinitis who were referred to the allergy clinic of Baqiyatallah Hospital from March to April 2014 were randomly allocated to 2 groups; the first group received ketotifen drops (1 drop every 12 hours) with placebo pills (2 pills daily), and the second group received placebo eye drops with ketotifen pills for 4 weeks. Symptoms (sneezing, runny nose, itching, and nasal obstruction) severity were examined and Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) scores were evaluated in the second and fourth weeks. A total of 140 patients were evaluated in 2 groups. The mean age was 30.33 years. There were no significant differences in demographic data between the groups (p > 0.05). Both groups showed a significant improvement in rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, nasal itching, coughing, sneezing, RQLQ, and nasal smear eosinophil percent compared to baseline amounts (p < 0.05). Improvements were significantly more in the drops group (p < 0.05). Because of the absence of systemic complications in ketotifen eye drops in patients with allergic rhinitis and their easy availability in Iran, using this medication instead of systemic therapies is suggested. Nevertheless, more studies are required to evaluate the long-term effects of using this drug and the recurrence rate of symptoms. © 2015 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

  9. Mast cell stabilization decreases cardiomyocyte and LV function in dogs with isolated mitral regurgitation.

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    Pat, Betty; Killingsworth, Cheryl; Chen, Yuanwen; Gladden, James D; Walcott, Greg; Powell, Pamela C; Denney, Thomas; Gupta, Himanshu; Desai, Ravi; Tillson, Michael; Dillon, A Ray; Dell'italia, Louis J

    2010-09-01

    Mast cells are increased in isolated mitral regurgitation (MR) in the dog and may mediate extracellular matrix loss and left ventricular (LV) dilatation. We tested the hypothesis that mast cell stabilization would attenuate LV remodeling and improve function in the MR dog. MR was induced in adult dogs randomized to no treatment (MR, n = 5) or to the mast cell stabilizer, ketotifen (MR + MCS, n = 4) for 4 months. LV hemodynamics were obtained at baseline and after 4 months of MR and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at sacrifice. MRI-derived, serial, short-axis LV end-diastolic (ED) and end-systolic (ES) volumes, LVED volume/mass ratio, and LV 3-dimensional radius/wall thickness were increased in MR and MR + MCS dogs compared with normal dogs (n = 6) (P < .05). Interstitial collagen was decreased by 30% in both MR and MR + MCS versus normal dogs (P < .05). LV contractility by LV maximum time-varying elastance was significantly depressed in MR and MR + MCS dogs. Furthermore, cardiomyocyte fractional shortening was decreased in MR versus normal dogs and further depressed in MR + MCS dogs (P < .05). In vitro administration of ketotifen to normal cardiomyocytes also significantly decreased fractional shortening and calcium transients. Chronic mast cell stabilization did not attenuate eccentric LV remodeling or collagen loss in MR. However, MCS therapy had a detrimental effect on LV function because of a direct negative inotropic effect on cardiomyocyte function. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Comparison of preservative-free ketotifen fumarate and preserved olopatadine hydrochloride eye drops in the treatment of moderate to severe seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

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    Mortemousque, B; Bourcier, T; Khairallah, M; Messaoud, R; Brignole-Baudouin, F; Renault, D; Rebika, H; Brémond-Gignac, D

    2014-01-01

    To compare preservative-free ketotifen 0.025% ophthalmic solution to olopatadine 0.1% ophthalmic solution in with the treatment of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) in clinical practice. This was a comparative, randomised, investigator-masked, pilot clinical study in adult patients with documented history of SAC and presenting with moderate to severe itching and conjunctival hyperemia. Eligible patients initiated either ketotifen or olopatadine treatment at a dose of one drop twice daily for 28days. The resolution of ocular signs and symptoms was assessed on day 7 and day 28. Itching was also assessed within 15minutes following the first instillation (day 0). Conjunctival impression cytology was performed at each visit to assess the evolution of ICAM-1 expression (day 0, 7 and 28). Seventy-five patients were randomised (ketotifen: 38 patients; olopatadine: 37 patients). At day 28, the composite score for primary criteria (itching, tearing, and conjunctival hyperemia) improved from 6.8±1.2 to 0.9±1.0 in the Ketotifen group, without statistically significant difference between treatment groups (P=0.67). There was no relevant difference between treatment groups in other efficacy parameters, except a trend for a more rapid resolution of conjunctival hyperemia in the Ketotifen group. Both drugs were well tolerated, with a trend for a better tolerability reported by patients on ketotifen compared to those on olopatadine at day 7 (P=0.054). A rapid and comparable improvement in SAC was achieved after 28days of treatment with both preservative-free ketotifen and preserved olopatadine ophthalmic solutions, with a slightly better ocular tolerance with unpreserved ketotifen 0.025% eye drops. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  11. Protective effect of ketotifen and disodium cromoglycate against bronchoconstriction induced by aspirin, benzoic acid or tartrazine in intolerant asthmatics.

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    Wüthrich, B

    1979-01-01

    Oral challenge tests with acetylsalicylic acid, tartrazine or benzoic acid were performed in 7 intolerant asthmatic patients after a 3-day treatment with either orally taken ketotifen (1 mg twice daily) or inhaled disodium cromoglycate (20 mg four times daily) at random. Protection was noted with ketotifen in 5, with DSCG in 3 patients. On the evaluation of the mean percentage of the maximum decline in the forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) only ketotifen afforded significant protection statistically (p less than 0.05). All the intolerant asthmatics studies showed, as an immunological abnormity, a slight, but significant decrease of the C1-inhibitor levels. Moreover, in three out of these the alpha 1-antitrypsin serum values were under the lower normal range.

  12. Transcriptional Profiling Confirms the Therapeutic Effects of Mast Cell Stabilization in a Dengue Disease Model.

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    Morrison, Juliet; Rathore, Abhay P S; Mantri, Chinmay K; Aman, Siti A B; Nishida, Andrew; St John, Ashley L

    2017-09-15

    There are no approved therapeutics for the treatment of dengue disease despite the global prevalence of dengue virus (DENV) and its mosquito vectors. DENV infections can lead to vascular complications, hemorrhage, and shock due to the ability of DENV to infect a variety of immune and nonimmune cell populations. Increasingly, studies have implicated the host response as a major contributor to severe disease. Inflammatory products of various cell types, including responding T cells, mast cells (MCs), and infected monocytes, can contribute to immune pathology. In this study, we show that the host response to DENV infection in immunocompetent mice recapitulates transcriptional changes that have been described in human studies. We found that DENV infection strongly induced metabolic dysregulation, complement signaling, and inflammation. DENV also affected the immune cell content of the spleen and liver, enhancing NK, NKT, and CD8 + T cell activation. The MC-stabilizing drug ketotifen reversed many of these responses without suppressing memory T cell formation and induced additional changes in the transcriptome and immune cell composition of the spleen, consistent with reduced inflammation. This study provides a global transcriptional map of immune activation in DENV target organs of an immunocompetent host and supports the further development of targeted immunomodulatory strategies to treat DENV disease. IMPORTANCE Dengue virus (DENV), which causes febrile illness, is transmitted by mosquito vectors throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Symptoms of DENV infection involve damage to blood vessels and, in rare cases, hemorrhage and shock. Currently, there are no targeted therapies to treat DENV infection, but it is thought that drugs that target the host immune response may be effective in limiting symptoms that result from excessive inflammation. In this study, we measured the host transcriptional response to infection in multiple DENV target organs

  13. Diseño de una formulación de ketotifeno 0,025 % colirio Design of a Ketotifen formula: 0.025 % eyedrops

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    Yenilen Troche Concepción

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available El colirio de ketotifeno se indica para aliviar los signos y síntomas de las conjuntivitis alérgicas, por ser este un potente antihistamínico H1 que muestra cierta capacidad para inhibir la liberación de histamina y otros mediadores en mastocitos. El objetivo del presente trabajo consistió en realizar el desarrollo tecnológico del colirio de ketotifeno 0,025 %, de producción nacional teniendo en cuenta que es un medicamento muy utilizado en la "Operación Milagro", en la cual participa la República de Cuba, para lo que se hace un diseño y los estudios de preformulación. Se estudió además, las especificaciones de calidad de la formulación seleccionada, la estabilidad del producto y el tiempo de vigencia de este. Se realizó el estudio de estabilidad acelerado y por vida de estante, para lo cual se emplearon 3 lotes del producto a escala piloto. El colirio resultó estable física, química y microbiológicamente envasado en frascos de polietileno de baja densidad, por espacio de 12 meses a temperatura ambienteThe Ketotifen eyedrops is prescribed to relieve the signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis due to it is a powerful H1 antihistaminic with certain ability to inhibit the histamine release and other mediators in the case of mast cells. The aim of present paper was to perform the technological development of 0.025 % eyedrops Ketotifen of national production considering that it is a drug very used in the "Operación Milagro" with participation of the Republic of Cuba and with its own design and the pre-formula. Also, we studied the selected formula specifications, the product stability and its expiry date. An accelerated stability study was conducted and by shelf life using 3 batches of pilot scale product. The eyedrops was physically, chemically and microbiologically stable when it is bottling in low-density polyethylene flasks during 12 months at room temperature.

  14. Mast cell stabilization alleviates acute lung injury after orthotopic autologous liver transplantation in rats by downregulating inflammation.

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    Ailan Zhang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Acute lung injury (ALI is one of the most severe complications after orthotopic liver transplantation. Amplified inflammatory response after transplantation contributes to the process of ALI, but the mechanism underlying inflammation activation is not completely understood. We have demonstrated that mast cell stabilization attenuated inflammation and ALI in a rodent intestine ischemia/reperfusion model. We hypothesized that upregulation of inflammation triggered by mast cell activation may be involve in ALI after liver transplantation. METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received orthotopic autologous liver transplantation (OALT and were executed 4, 8, 16, and 24 h after OALT. The rats were pretreated with the mast cell stabilizers cromolyn sodium or ketotifen 15 min before OALT and executed 8 h after OALT. Lung tissues and arterial blood were collected to evaluate lung injury. β-hexosaminidase and mast cell tryptase levels were assessed to determine the activation of mast cells. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α, interleukin (IL-1β and IL-6 in serum and lung tissue were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB p65 translocation was assessed by Western blot. RESULTS: The rats that underwent OALT exhibited severe pulmonary damage with a high wet-to-dry ratio, low partial pressure of oxygen, and low precursor surfactant protein C levels, which corresponded to the significant elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, β-hexosaminidase, and tryptase levels in serum and lung tissues. The severity of ALI progressed and maximized 8 h after OALT. Mast cell stabilization significantly inhibited the activation of mast cells, downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and translocation of NF-κB, and attenuated OALT-induced ALI. CONCLUSIONS: Mast cell activation amplified inflammation and played an important role in the process of post-OALT related ALI.

  15. Development and Validation of a Stability-Indicating LC-UV Method ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Development and Validation of a Stability-Indicating LC-UV Method for Simultaneous Determination of Ketotifen and Cetirizine in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms. ... 5 μm) using an isocratic mobile phase that consisted of acetonitrile and 10 mM disodium hydrogen phosphate buffer (pH 6.5) in a ratio of 45:55 % v/v at a flow ...

  16. Potentiometric Determination of Ketotifen Fumarate in Pharmaceutical Preparations and Urine Using Carbon Paste and PVC Membrane Selective Electrodes

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    Eman Y. Z. Frag

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This study compares between unmodified carbon paste (CPE; the paste has no ion pair and polyvinyl chloride (PVC membrane selective electrodes that were used in potentiometric determination of ketotifen fumarate (KTF, where sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB was used as titrant. The performance characteristics of these sensors were evaluated according to IUPAC recommendations which reveal a fast, stable, and linear response for KTF over the concentration range of 10−7 to 10−2 mol L−1. The electrodes show Nernstian slope value of 52.51±0.20 and 51.51±0.25 mV decade−1 for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes at 30∘C, respectively. The potential is nearly stable over the pH range 3.0–6.0 and 2.0–7.0 for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively. Selectivity coefficient values towards different inorganic cations, sugars, and amino acids reflect high selectivity of the prepared electrodes. The electrodes responses at different temperatures were also studied, and long operational lifetime of 12 and 5 weeks for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively, were found. These are used for determination of ketotifen fumarate using potentiometric titration, calibration, and standard addition methods in pure samples, its pharmaceutical preparations (Zaditen tablets, and biological fluid (urine. The direct potentiometric determination of KTF using the proposed sensors gave recoveries % of 98.97±0.53 and 98.62±0.74 with RSD 1.42 and 0.63% for CPE and PVC membrane selective electrodes, respectively. Validation of the method shows suitability of the proposed sensors for use in quality control assessment of KTF. The obtained results were in a good agreement with those obtained using the reported spectrophotometric method.

  17. Potentiometric determination of ketotifen fumarate in pharmaceutical preparations and urine using carbon paste and PVC membrane selective electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frag, Eman Y Z; Mohamed, Gehad G; Khalil, Mohamed M; Hwehy, Mohammad M A

    2011-01-01

    This study compares between unmodified carbon paste (CPE; the paste has no ion pair) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane selective electrodes that were used in potentiometric determination of ketotifen fumarate (KTF), where sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) was used as titrant. The performance characteristics of these sensors were evaluated according to IUPAC recommendations which reveal a fast, stable, and linear response for KTF over the concentration range of 10(-7) to 10(-2) mol L(-1). The electrodes show Nernstian slope value of 52.51 ± 0.20 and 51.51 ± 0.25 mV decade(-1) for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes at 30°C, respectively. The potential is nearly stable over the pH range 3.0-6.0 and 2.0-7.0 for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively. Selectivity coefficient values towards different inorganic cations, sugars, and amino acids reflect high selectivity of the prepared electrodes. The electrodes responses at different temperatures were also studied, and long operational lifetime of 12 and 5 weeks for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively, were found. These are used for determination of ketotifen fumarate using potentiometric titration, calibration, and standard addition methods in pure samples, its pharmaceutical preparations (Zaditen tablets), and biological fluid (urine). The direct potentiometric determination of KTF using the proposed sensors gave recoveries % of 98.97 ± 0.53 and 98.62 ± 0.74 with RSD 1.42 and 0.63% for CPE and PVC membrane selective electrodes, respectively. Validation of the method shows suitability of the proposed sensors for use in quality control assessment of KTF. The obtained results were in a good agreement with those obtained using the reported spectrophotometric method.

  18. Stabilization Of Apoptotic Cells: Generation Of Zombie Cells

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    José A. Sánchez Alcázar

    2015-08-01

    Stabilization of apoptotic cells can be used for reliable detection and quantification of apoptosis in cultured cells and may allow a safer administration of apoptotic cells in clinical applications. Furthermore, it opens new avenues in the functional reconstruction of apoptotic cells for longer preservation.

  19. Salmeterol versus slow-release theophylline combined with ketotifen in nocturnal asthma: a multicentre trial. French Multicentre Study Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muir, J F; Bertin, L; Georges, D

    1992-11-01

    We wished to assess the efficacy of inhaled salmeterol (SML; 50 micrograms b.i.d.) compared to a combination of slow-release theophylline and ketotifen p.o. (TK; T 300 mg+K 1 mg b.i.d.) for the treatment of nocturnal asthma. Ninety six patients with nocturnal asthma, (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 60-90% of predicted value, reversibility > or = 15%, at least two nocturnal awakenings per week) were eligible for a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy cross-over study (14-day run-in, two successive 28-day treatment periods). Efficacy was assessed as success/failure, success being defined as the complete disappearance of nocturnal symptoms/awakening during the last week of each treatment period. There was a statistically significant difference between SML and TK for this criterion: 46% and 39% success with SML during periods I (first 28-day period) and II (following the cross-over), compared to only 15% and 26% with TK, respectively (p < 0.01). SML was also significantly better for the other criteria (lung function, rescue salbutamol intake during day and night). Side-effects were five times less frequent in SML-treated patients (p < 0.004). Efficacy and tolerance of SML were obviously far better than those of TK in patients with nocturnal asthma.

  20. Stability and degradation mechanisms in organic solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ecker, Bernhard

    2012-04-26

    This thesis deals with stability improvements and the investigation of degradation mechanisms in organic solar cells. Organic solar cells have been in the focus of extensive academic research for over almost two decades and are currently entering the market in small scale applications. For successful large scale applications, next to the improvement of the power conversion efficiency, the stability of organic solar cells has to be increased. This thesis is dedicated to the investigation of novel materials and architectures to study stability-related issues and degradation mechanisms in order to contribute to the basic understanding of the working principles of organic solar cells. Here, impedance spectroscopy, a frequency domain technique, is used to gain information about stability and degradation mechanisms in organic solar cells. In combination with systematic variations in the preparation of solar cells, impedance spectroscopy gives the possibility to differentiate between interface and bulk dominated effects. Additionally, impedance spectroscopy gives access to the dielectric properties of the device, such as capacitance. This offers among other things the opportunity to probe the charge carrier concentration and the density of states. Another powerful way of evaluation is the combination of experimentally obtained impedance spectra with equivalent circuit modelling. The thesis presents results on novel materials and solar cell architectures for efficient hole and electron extraction. This indicates the importance of knowledge over interlayers and interfaces for improving both the efficiency and stability of organic solar cells.

  1. DNA cytoskeleton for stabilizing artificial cells.

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    Kurokawa, Chikako; Fujiwara, Kei; Morita, Masamune; Kawamata, Ibuki; Kawagishi, Yui; Sakai, Atsushi; Murayama, Yoshihiro; Nomura, Shin-Ichiro M; Murata, Satoshi; Takinoue, Masahiro; Yanagisawa, Miho

    2017-07-11

    Cell-sized liposomes and droplets coated with lipid layers have been used as platforms for understanding live cells, constructing artificial cells, and implementing functional biomedical tools such as biosensing platforms and drug delivery systems. However, these systems are very fragile, which results from the absence of cytoskeletons in these systems. Here, we construct an artificial cytoskeleton using DNA nanostructures. The designed DNA oligomers form a Y-shaped nanostructure and connect to each other with their complementary sticky ends to form networks. To undercoat lipid membranes with this DNA network, we used cationic lipids that attract negatively charged DNA. By encapsulating the DNA into the droplets, we successfully created a DNA shell underneath the membrane. The DNA shells increased interfacial tension, elastic modulus, and shear modulus of the droplet surface, consequently stabilizing the lipid droplets. Such drastic changes in stability were detected only when the DNA shell was in the gel phase. Furthermore, we demonstrate that liposomes with the DNA gel shell are substantially tolerant against outer osmotic shock. These results clearly show the DNA gel shell is a stabilizer of the lipid membrane akin to the cytoskeleton in live cells.

  2. Generic selection criteria for safety and patient benefit [V]: Comparing the pharmaceutical properties and patient usability of original and generic nasal spray containing ketotifen fumarate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wada, Yuko; Ami, Shyoko; Nozawa, Mitsuru; Goto, Miho; Shimokawa, Ken-Ichi; Ishii, Fumiyoshi

    The pH, osmotic pressure (cryoscopy), viscosity, squeeze force, spray angle, and spraying frequency of nasal spray containing ketotifen fumarate (1 brand-name product and 8 generic products) were measured. Based on the results of pH measurement, all products were weakly acidic (4.0 to 5.1). For all products, the osmotic pressure ratio to physiological saline was approximately 1. The viscosity of various products ranged from approximately 1.0 to 1.5 mPa·s. The spray angle of drug solution differed among the products: minimum, 46 degrees (Sawai and Fusachol); and maximum, 68.7 degrees (Sekiton). In particular, TOA, Sawai, Fusachol, and TYK showed significantly smaller angles compared to Zaditen (brand-name product). Container properties varied among the products: minimum squeeze force, 19.0 N (Sekiton); and maximum squeeze force, 43.1 N (Sawai). Based on these results, although all the above products are identical in dosage form and active ingredient, the differences in pharmaceutical properties, such as container operations and drug-solution spraying/attachment, may markedly influence patients' subjective opinions.

  3. Effect of Intervention in Mast Cell Function Before Reperfusion on Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats

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    Fei Tong

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Mast cells are sparsely distributed in the kidneys under normal conditions; however, the number of mast cells increases dramatically during renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (RI/RI. When mast cells are stimulated, numerous mediators are released, and under pathological conditions, they produce a wide range of biological effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intervention in mast cell function before reperfusion on RI/RI. Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD rats (n=50 were randomized into five groups: sham group, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R group, cromolyn sodium treatment group (CS+I/R group, ketotifen treatment group (K+I/Rgroup, and compound 48/80 treatment group (C+I/R group. I/R injury was induced by bilateral renal artery and vein occlusion for 45 min followed by 24 h of reperfusion. The agents were intravenously administered 5 min before reperfusion through the tail vein. The serum levels of blood urea nitrogen(BUN, serum creatinine (Scr and histamine and the kidney levels of malondialdehyde (MDA, superoxide dismutase (SOD, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α and interleukin-6 (IL-6 were assessed. The expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1 in renal tissue was also measured. Results: I/R injury resulted in severe renal injury, as demonstrated by a large increase in injury scores; serum levels of BUN, Scr and histamine; and kidney levels of MDA, TNF-α, and IL-6; this was accompanied by reduced SOD activity and upregulated ICAM-1 expression. Treatment with cromolyn sodium or ketotifen markedly alleviated I/R-mediated kidney injury, whereas compound 48/80 further aggravated kidney injury. Conclusion: Intervention in mast cell activity prior to reperfusionhas a strong effect on RI/RI.

  4. Walking stability during cell phone use in healthy adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kao, Pei-Chun; Higginson, Christopher I; Seymour, Kelly; Kamerdze, Morgan; Higginson, Jill S

    2015-05-01

    The number of falls and/or accidental injuries associated with cellular phone use during walking is growing rapidly. Understanding the effects of concurrent cell phone use on human gait may help develop safety guidelines for pedestrians. It was shown previously that older adults had more pronounced dual-task interferences than younger adults when concurrent cognitive task required visual information processing. Thus, cell phone use might have greater impact on walking stability in older than in younger adults. This study examined gait stability and variability during a cell phone dialing task (phone) and two classic cognitive tasks, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Nine older and seven younger healthy adults walked on a treadmill at four different conditions: walking only, PASAT, phone, and SDMT. We computed short-term local divergence exponent (LDE) of the trunk motion (local stability), dynamic margins of stability (MOS), step spatiotemporal measures, and kinematic variability. Older and younger adults had similar values of short-term LDE during all conditions, indicating that local stability was not affected by the dual-task. Compared to walking only, older and younger adults walked with significantly greater average mediolateral MOS during phone and SDMT conditions but significantly less ankle angle variability during all dual-tasks and less knee angle variability during PASAT. The current findings demonstrate that healthy adults may try to control foot placement and joint kinematics during cell phone use or another cognitive task with a visual component to ensure sufficient dynamic margins of stability and maintain local stability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Stabilizing human regulatory T cells for tolerance inducing immunotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xuehui; Koenen, Hans Jpm; Slaats, Jeroen Hr; Joosten, Irma

    2017-08-01

    Many autoimmune diseases develop as a consequence of an altered balance between autoreactive immune cells and suppressive FOXP3 + Treg. Restoring this balance through amplification of Treg represents a promising strategy to treat disease. However, FOXP3 + Treg might become unstable especially under certain inflammatory conditions, and might transform into proinflammatory cytokine-producing cells. The issue of heterogeneity and instability of Treg has caused considerable debate in the field and has important implications for Treg-based immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss how Treg stability is defined and what the molecular mechanisms underlying the maintenance of FOXP3 expression and the regulation of Treg stability are. Also, we elaborate on current strategies used to stabilize human Treg for clinical purposes. This review focuses on human Treg, but considering that cell-intrinsic mechanisms to regulate Treg stability in mice and in humans might be similar, data derived from mice studies are also discussed in this paper.

  6. Cell Factory Stability and Genetic Circuits for Improved Strain Development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rugbjerg, Peter

    . However, all synthetic gene systems -­ including the target metabolic pathways themselves -­ represent a possible fitness burden to the cell and thus constitute a threat to strain stability. In this thesis, several studies served to develop genetic systems for optimizing cell factory development...... systems can challenge the stability of strain designs. A metabolite-­producing Escherichia coli strain was long-­term cultured to study production stability and the dynamic effects of mutations within the cell population. A genetic error landscape of pathway disruptions was identified including particular......Development of new chemical-­‐producing microbial cell factories is an iterative trial-­and-­error process, and to screen candidate cells at high throughput, genetic biosensor systems are appealing. Each biosensor has distinct biological parameters, making modular tuning networks attractive...

  7. Recent progress in stabilizing hybrid perovskites for solar cell applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jianqing; Cai, Xin; Yang, Donghui; Song, Dan; Wang, Jiajia; Jiang, Jinghua; Ma, Aibin; Lv, Shiquan; Hu, Michael Z.; Ni, Chaoying

    2017-07-01

    Hybrid inorganic-organic perovskites have quickly evolved as a promising group of materials for solar cells and optoelectronic applications mainly owing to the inexpensive materials, relatively simple and versatile fabrication and high power conversion efficiency (PCE). The certified energy conversion efficiency for perovskite solar cell (PSC) has reached above 20%, which is compatible to the current best for commercial applications. However, long-term stabilities of the materials and devices remain to be the biggest challenging issue for realistic implementation of the PSCs. This article discusses the key issues related to the stability of perovskite absorbing layer including crystal structural stability, chemical stability under moisture, oxygen, illumination and interface reaction, effects of electron-transporting materials (ETM), hole-transporting materials (HTM), contact electrodes, ion migration and preparation conditions. Towards the end, prospective strategies for improving the stability of PSCs are also briefly discussed and summarized. We focus on recent understanding of the stability of materials and devices and our perspectives about the strategies for the stability improvement.

  8. Stability of solid oxide fuel cell materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armstrong, T.R.; Bates, J.L.; Coffey, G.W.; Pederson, L.R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)] [and others

    1996-08-01

    Chromite interconnection materials in an SOFC are exposed to both highly oxidizing conditions at the cathode and to highly reducing conditions at the anode. Because such conditions could lead to component failure, the authors have evaluated thermal, electrical, chemical, and structural stabilities of these materials as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. The crystal lattice of the chromites was shown to expand for oxygen partial pressures smaller than 10{sup {minus}10} atm, which could lead to cracking and debonding in an SOFC. Highly substituted lanthanum chromite compositions were the most susceptible to lattice expansion; yttrium chromites showed better dimensional stability by more than a factor of two. New chromite compositions were developed that showed little tendency for lattice expansion under strongly reducing conditions, yet provided a good thermal expansion match to other fuel cell components. Use of these new chromite interconnect compositions should improve long-term SOFC performance, particularly for planar cell configurations. Thermodynamic properties of substituted lanthanum manganite cathode compositions have been determined through measurement of electromotive force as a function of temperature. Critical oxygen decomposition pressures for Sr and Ca-substituted lanthanum manganites were established using cells based on a zirconia electrolyte. Strontium oxide and calcium oxide activities in a lanthanum manganite matrix were determined using cells based on strontium fluoride and calcium fluoride electrolytes, respectively. The compositional range of single-phase behavior of these ABO{sub 3}-type perovskites was established as a function of A/B cation ratios and the extent of acceptor doping. Before this work, very little thermodynamic information was in existence for substituted manganite compositions. Such information is needed to predict the long-term stability of solid oxide fuel cell assemblies.

  9. Stabilization of Transfected Cells Expressing Low-Incidence Blood Group Antigens: Novel Methods Facilitating Their Use as Reagent-Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cecilia González

    Full Text Available The identification of erythrocyte antibodies in the serum of patients rely on panels of human red blood cells (RBCs, which coexpress many antigens and are not easily available for low-incidence blood group phenotypes. These problems have been addressed by generating cell lines expressing unique blood group antigens, which may be used as an alternative to human RBCs. However, the use of cell lines implies several drawbacks, like the requirement of cell culture facilities and the high cost of cryopreservation. The application of cell stabilization methods could facilitate their use as reagent cells in clinical laboratories.We generated stably-transfected cells expressing low-incidence blood group antigens (Dia and Lua. High-expresser clones were used to assess the effect of TransFix® treatment and lyophilization as cell preservation methods. Cells were kept at 4°C and cell morphology, membrane permeability and antigenic properties were evaluated at several time-points after treatment.TransFix® addition to cell suspensions allows cell stabilization and proper antigen detection for at least 120 days, despite an increase in membrane permeability and a reduction in antigen expression levels. Lyophilized cells showed minor morphological changes and antigen expression levels were rather conserved at days 1, 15 and 120, indicating a high stability of the freeze-dried product. These stabilized cells have been proved to react specifically with human sera containing alloantibodies.Both stabilization methods allow long-term preservation of the transfected cells antigenic properties and may facilitate their distribution and use as reagent-cells expressing low-incidence antigens, overcoming the limited availability of such rare RBCs.

  10. High stability of benzotriazole and benzodithiophene containing medium band-gap polymer solar cell

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Unay, Hande; dos Reis Benatto, Gisele A.; Beliatis, Michail J.

    2018-01-01

    The improvement of polymer solar cell stability is a challenge for the scientists and has significant implications commercially. In this study, we investigated the stability of a novel P-SBTBDT active material applied in an inverted type solar cell. Detailed stability experiments comprising shelf......-in phase with T50 from 700 to 840 h, with some P-SBTBDT solar cells did not reach T50 in the time span of the test. Degradation tests on the P-SBTBDT solar cells which were carried out under natural solar light indicated that T40 was reached after 840 h. The results of dark, light, damp and dry stability...

  11. Stability and Degradation of Organic and Polymer Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Organic photovoltaics (OPV) are a new generation of solar cells with the potential to offer very short energy pay back times, mechanical flexibility and significantly lower production costs compared to traditional crystalline photovoltaic systems. A weakness of OPV is their comparative instability...... during operation and this is a critical area of research towards the successful development and commercialization of these 3rd generation solar cells. Covering both small molecule and polymer solar cells, Stability and Degradation of Organic and Polymer Solar Cells summarizes the state of the art...... understanding of stability and provides a detailed analysis of the mechanisms by which degradation occurs. Following an introductory chapter which compares different photovoltaic technologies, the book focuses on OPV degradation, discussing the origin and characterization of the instability and describing...

  12. Active Erk Regulates Microtubule Stability in H-ras-Transformed Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rene E. Harrison

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Increasing evidence suggests that activated erk regulates cell functions, at least in part, by mechanisms that do not require gene transcription. Here we show that the map kinase, erk, decorates microtubules (MTs and mitotic spindles in both parental and mutant active rastransfected 10T1 /2 fibroblasts and MCF10A breast epithelial cells. Approximately 20% of total cellular erk decorated MTs in both cell lines. A greater proportion of activated erk was associated with MTs in the presence of mutant active H-ras than in parental cells. Activation of erk by the ras pathway coincided with a decrease in the stability of MT, as detected by a stability marker. The MKK1 inhibitor, PD98059 and transfection of a dominant negative MKK1 blocked ras-induced instability of MTs but did not modify the association of erk with MTs or affect MT stability of the parental cells. These results indicate that the subset of active erk kinase that associates with MTs contributes to their instability in the presence of a mutant active ras. The MT-associated subset of active erk likely contributes to the enhanced invasive and proliferative abilities of cells containing mutant active H-ras.

  13. Stability issues of conjugated polymer / fullerene solar cells from a chemical viewpoint

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hummelen, J.C.; Knol, J.; Sánchez, L.

    2001-01-01

    The efficiency of energy conversion and the stability or lifetime of ‘plastic’ photovoltaic cells, based on conjugated polymer/ fullerene blends, are the two main issues to be improved for this type of devices. The stability of these PV cells depends potentially on a large number of factors. A brief

  14. Thermal Stability-Enhanced and High-Efficiency Planar Perovskite Solar Cells with Interface Passivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Weihai; Xiong, Juan; Jiang, Li; Wang, Jianying; Mei, Tao; Wang, Xianbao; Gu, Haoshuang; Daoud, Walid A; Li, Jinhua

    2017-11-08

    As the electron transport layer (ETL) of perovskite solar cells, oxide semiconductor zinc oxide (ZnO) has been attracting great attention due to its relatively high mobility, optical transparency, low-temperature fabrication, and good environment stability. However, the nature of ZnO will react with the patron on methylamine, which would deteriorate the performance of cells. Although many methods, including high-temperature annealing, doping, and surface modification, have been studied to improve the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells with ZnO ETL, devices remain relatively low in efficiency and stability. Herein, we adopted a novel multistep annealing method to deposit a porous PbI 2 film and improved the quality and uniformity of perovskite films. The cells with ZnO ETL were fabricated at the temperature of perovskite film. Interestingly, the PCE of PCBM-passivated cells could reach nearly 19.1%. To our best knowledge, this is the highest PCE value of ZnO-based perovskite solar cells until now. More importantly, PCBM modification could effectively suppress the decomposition of MAPbI 3 and improve the thermal stability of cells. Therefore, the ZnO is a promising candidate of electron transport material for perovskite solar cells in future applications.

  15. Stability Issues on Perovskite Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing Zhao

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Organo lead halide perovskite materials like methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3 and formamidinium lead iodide (HC(NH22PbI3 show superb opto-electronic properties. Based on these perovskite light absorbers, power conversion efficiencies of the perovskite solar cells employing hole transporting layers have increased from 9.7% to 20.1% within just three years. Thus, it is apparent that perovskite solar cell is a promising next generation photovoltaic technology. However, the unstable nature of perovskite was observed when exposing it to continuous illumination, moisture and high temperature, impeding the commercial development in the long run and thus becoming the main issue that needs to be solved urgently. Here, we discuss the factors affecting instability of perovskite and give some perspectives about further enhancement of stability of perovskite solar cell.

  16. Mast Cell Stabilizers as Host Modulatory Drugs to Prevent and Control Periodontal Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhoom Singh Mehta

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Mast cells are among the first cells to get in-volved in periodontal inflammation. Their numbers have been shown to be in-creased in cases of gingivitis and periodontal disease. The hypothesis: Since mast cell stabilizers like sodium cromogly-cate (SCG and nedocromil sodium (NS have been used in the prophylaxis of bronchial asthma without any significant adverse effects and also the fact that drugs like SCG show significant anti-inflammatory activities, it would be logical to use mast cell stabilizers as host modulating drugs for the treatment and prevention of peri-odontal disease. Evaluation of the hypothesis: Safety and efficacy of both SCG and NS are well documented. So, it will be systemically safe to use in humans. However, oral administration SCG or delivery of the drug by means local irrigation will not be very useful because SCG may not be secreted in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF(as in the case of oral administraion or the drug may get washed out from periodontal pocket due to the constant flow of GCF(as in the case of irrigation. A local or targeted drug delivery of mast cell stabilizers can be used in patients with periodontal disease. Role of mast cells in periodontal disease has been dealt in-depth in many studies and articles. However, limited amount of research has been done on using mast cell stabilizers in the prevention and control of periodontal diseases. More studies are needed to study the efficacy and effective-ness of mast cell stabilizers as an adjunct to phase I therapy in the control of periodontal disease.

  17. Research Update: Strategies for improving the stability of perovskite solar cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Severin N. Habisreutinger

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The power-conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells has soared up to 22.1% earlier this year. Within merely five years, the perovskite solar cell can now compete on efficiency with inorganic thin-film technologies, making it the most promising of the new, emerging photovoltaic solar cell technologies. The next grand challenge is now the aspect of stability. The hydrophilicity and volatility of the organic methylammonium makes the work-horse material methylammonium lead iodide vulnerable to degradation through humidity and heat. Additionally, ultraviolet radiation and oxygen constitute stressors which can deteriorate the device performance. There are two fundamental strategies to increasing the device stability: developing protective layers around the vulnerable perovskite absorber and developing a more resilient perovskite absorber. The most important reports in literature are summarized and analyzed here, letting us conclude that any long-term stability, on par with that of inorganic thin-film technologies, is only possible with a more resilient perovskite incorporated in a highly protective device design.

  18. Analysis of ribosomal RNA stability in dead cells of wine yeast by quantitative PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunyer-Figueres, Merce; Wang, Chunxiao; Mas, Albert

    2018-04-02

    During wine production, some yeasts enter a Viable But Not Culturable (VBNC) state, which may influence the quality and stability of the final wine through remnant metabolic activity or by resuscitation. Culture-independent techniques are used for obtaining an accurate estimation of the number of live cells, and quantitative PCR could be the most accurate technique. As a marker of cell viability, rRNA was evaluated by analyzing its stability in dead cells. The species-specific stability of rRNA was tested in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as well as in three species of non-Saccharomyces yeast (Hanseniaspora uvarum, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Starmerella bacillaris). High temperature and antimicrobial dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) treatments were efficient in lysing the yeast cells. rRNA gene and rRNA (as cDNA) were analyzed over 48 h after cell lysis by quantitative PCR. The results confirmed the stability of rRNA for 48 h after the cell lysis treatments. To sum up, rRNA may not be a good marker of cell viability in the wine yeasts that were tested. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Ultrastructural and some functional changes in tumor cells treated with stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yurchenko, O V; Todor, I N; Khayetsky, I K; Tregubova, N A; Lukianova, N Yu; Chekhun, V F

    2010-12-01

    To study the ultrastructure and some functional indexes of tumor cells treated with stabilized iron nanoparticles in vitro. 3-[4,5dimethylthiazol-2-1]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)-test, electron microscopy, polarography with applying of closed Clark's electrode. It was shown that cultivation of cells with stabilized Fe(3)O(4) leads to intracellular accumulation of ferromagnetic nanoparticles. The most active ferromagnetic uptake by cells has been observed after 24 and 48 h of incubation. The presence of ferromagnetic in cells led to altered mitochondrial structure that caused the decrease of oxygen uptake rate in the cells of all studied lines. Ferromagnetic released from the majority of cells via exocytosis or clasmacytosis after a certain period of time. The number of dead cells or cells with severe damage was moderate, so cytotoxic action of stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles was minimal toward the studied cell lines. the presence of ferromagnetic nanoparticles in culture medium led to alterations in mitochondria ultrastructural organization and decrease of oxygen uptake by mitochondria in sensitive and anticancer-drugs resistant cells.

  20. Assessment of read and write stability for 6T SRAM cell based on charge plasma DLTFET

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anju; Yadav, Shivendra; Sharma, Dheeraj

    2018-03-01

    To overcome the process variations due to random dopant fluctuations (RDFs) and complex annealing techniques a charge plasma based doping less TFET (CP-DLTFET) device has been proposed for designing of 6T SRAM cell. The proposed device also benefited by subthreshold slope, low leakage current, and low power supply. In this paper, to avoid the dependency of stability parameters of SRAM cell to supply voltage (Vdd), here N-curve metrics has been analyzed to determine read and write stability. Because N-curve provides stability analysis in terms of voltage and current as well as it gives combine stability analysis with the facility of an inline tester. Further, analyzing the N-curve metrics for different Vdd, cell ratio, and pull-up ratio assist in designing the configuration of transistors for the better read and write stability. Power metrics of N-curve gives the knowledge about read and write stability instead of using four metrics (SINM, SVNM, WTV, and WTI) of N-curve. Finally, in the 6T CP-DLTFET SRAM cell, read and write stability is tested by the interface trap charges (ITCs). The performance parameter of the 6T CP-DLTFET SRAM cell provides considerable read and write stability with less fabrication complexity.

  1. Cell culture media impact on drug product solution stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purdie, Jennifer L; Kowle, Ronald L; Langland, Amie L; Patel, Chetan N; Ouyang, Anli; Olson, Donald J

    2016-07-08

    To enable subcutaneous administration of monoclonal antibodies, drug product solutions are often needed at high concentrations. A significant risk associated with high drug product concentrations is an increase in aggregate level over the shelf-life dating period. While much work has been done to understand the impact of drug product formulation on aggregation, there is limited understanding of the link between cell culture process conditions and soluble aggregate growth in drug product. During cell culture process development, soluble aggregates are often measured at harvest using cell-free material purified by Protein A chromatography. In the work reported here, cell culture media components were evaluated with respect to their impact on aggregate levels in high concentration solution drug product during accelerated stability studies. Two components, cysteine and ferric ammonium citrate, were found to impact aggregate growth rates in our current media (version 1) leading to the development of new chemically defined media and concentrated feed formulations. The new version of media and associated concentrated feeds (version 2) were evaluated across four cell lines producing recombinant IgG4 monoclonal antibodies and a bispecific antibody. In all four cell lines, the version 2 media reduced aggregate growth over the course of a 12 week accelerated stability study compared with the version 1 media, although the degree to which aggregate growth decreased was cell line dependent. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:998-1008, 2016. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  2. Stability and Degradation of Polymer Solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Norrman, Kion

    The current state-of-the-art allows for roll-to-roll manufacture of polymer solar cells in high volume with stability and efficiency sufficient to grant success in low-energy applications. However, further improvement is needed for the successful application of the devices in real life applications....... This is obtained by detailed knowledge of the degradation mechanisms. Methods to compare and standardize device stability are urgently needed. Methodologies to study failure mechanism that are based on physical processes (e.g. morphological changes) are well-established. However, methodologies to study chemical...... degradation mechanisms are currently scarce. An overview of known degradation mechanisms will be presented and discussed in relation to state-of-the-art methodologies to study failure mechanisms with focus on chemical degradation....

  3. Thermal Stability of Li-Ion Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    ROTH, EMANUEL P.

    1999-01-01

    The thermal stability of Li-ion cells with intercalating carbon anodes and metal oxide cathodes was measured as a function of state of charge and temperature for two advanced cell chemistries. Cells of the 18650 design with Li(sub x)CoO(sub 2) cathodes (commercial SONY cells) and Li(sub x)Ni(sub 0.8)Co(sub 0.2)O(sub 2) cathodes were measured for thermal reactivity in the open circuit cell condition. Accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) was used to measure cell thermal runaway as a function of state of charge (SOC). Microcalorimetry was used to measure the time dependence of heat generating side reactions also as a function of SOC. Components of cells were measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to study the thermal reactivity of the individual electrodes to determine the temperature regimes and conditions of the major thermal reactions. Thermal decomposition of the SEI layer at the anodes was identified as the initiating source for thermal runaway. The cells with Li(sub x)CoO(sub 2) cathodes showed greater sensitivity to SOC and higher accelerating heating rates than seen for the cells with Li(sub x)Ni(sub 0.8)Co(sub 0.2)O(sub 2)cathodes. Lower temperature reactions starting as low as 40 C were also observed that were SOC dependent but not accelerating. These reactions were also measured in the microcalorimeter and observed to decay over time with a power-law dependence and are believed to result in irreversible capacity loss in the cells

  4. 100 °C Thermal Stability of Printable Perovskite Solar Cells Using Porous Carbon Counter Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baranwal, Ajay K; Kanaya, Shusaku; Peiris, T A Nirmal; Mizuta, Gai; Nishina, Tomoya; Kanda, Hiroyuki; Miyasaka, Tsutomu; Segawa, Hiroshi; Ito, Seigo

    2016-09-22

    Many efforts have been made towards improving perovskite (PVK) solar cell stability, but their thermal stability, particularly at 85 °C (IEC 61646 climate chamber tests), remains a challenge. Outdoors, the installed solar cell temperature can reach up to 85 °C, especially in desert regions, providing sufficient motivation to study the effect of temperature stress at or above this temperature (e.g., 100 °C) to confirm the commercial viability of PVK solar cells for industrial companies. In this work, a three-layer printable HTM-free CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 PVK solar cell with a mesoporous carbon back contact and UV-curable sealant was fabricated and tested for thermal stability over 1500 h at 100 °C. Interestingly, the position of the UV-curing glue was found to drastically affect the device stability. The side-sealed cells show high PCE stability and represent a large step toward commercialization of next generation organic-inorganic lead halide PVK solar cells. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Preserved and unpreserved 12 anti-allergic ophthalmic solutions and ocular surface toxicity: in vitro assessment in four cultured corneal and conjunctival epithelial cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayaki, Masahiko; Iwasawa, Atsuo; Yaguchi, Shigeo; Koide, Ryohei

    2010-12-01

    In the present study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of anti-allergic ophthalmic solutions in cultured corneal and conjunctival cells, namely SIRC (rabbit corneal epithelium), BCE C/D-1b (bovine corneal epithelial cells), RC-1 (rabbit corneal epithelium), and Chang (human conjunctival cells). The viability of cell cultures was determined following the exposure of cells to 12 commercially available anti-allergic ophthalmic solutions for varying exposure times and at various dilutions using the MTT and neutral red assays. The cell viability score (CVS) was used to compare the toxicity of different drugs. Based on CVS data, the order of cell viability after exposure to the drugs was Zepelin ≥ Tramelas PF ≥ Cumorol PF ≥ Ketotifen PF ≥ Eyevinal = Fumarton ≥ Cumorol > Intal ≥ Rizaben ≥ Tramelas ≥ Patanol Livostin. In conclusion, cell viability was mostly affected by the concentration of benzalkonium chloride rather than the active component and/or the anti-allergic action of the drug. The CVS was useful in comparing the toxicity of different drugs.

  6. Interchange stability criteria for anisotropic central-cell plasmas in the tandem mirror GAMMA 10

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hojo, Hitoshi; Inutake, Masaaki; Ichimura, Makoto; Katsumata, Ryota; Watanabe, Tsuguhiro.

    1993-05-01

    Flute interchange stability of anisotropic central-cell plasmas in the tandem mirror GAMMA 10 is studied numerically. The stability criteria on the beta value is obtained as a function of axial localization length of the pressure in both central and anchor cells. The temperature anisotropy of the plasma is also discussed. (author)

  7. Walking Stability during Cell Phone Use in Healthy Adults

    OpenAIRE

    Kao, Pei-Chun; Higginson, Christopher I.; Seymour, Kelly; Kamerdze, Morgan; Higginson, Jill S.

    2015-01-01

    The number of falls and/or accidental injuries associated with cellular phone use during walking is growing rapidly. Understanding the effects of concurrent cell phone use on human gait may help develop safety guidelines for pedestrians. It was shown previously that older adults had more pronounced dual-task interferences than younger adults when concurrent cognitive task required visual information processing. Thus, cell phone use might have greater impact on walking stability in older than ...

  8. Quinacrine pretreatment reduces microwave-induced neuronal damage by stabilizing the cell membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Xue-feng; Wu, Yan; Qu, Wen-rui; Fan, Ming; Zhao, Yong-qi

    2018-01-01

    Quinacrine, widely used to treat parasitic diseases, binds to cell membranes. We previously found that quinacrine pretreatment reduced microwave radiation damage in rat hippocampal neurons, but the molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. Considering the thermal effects of microwave radiation and the protective effects of quinacrine on heat damage in cells, we hypothesized that quinacrine would prevent microwave radiation damage to cells in a mechanism associated with cell membrane stability. To test this, we used retinoic acid to induce PC12 cells to differentiate into neuron-like cells. We then pretreated the neurons with quinacrine (20 and 40 mM) and irradiated them with 50 mW/cm2 microwaves for 3 or 6 hours. Flow cytometry, atomic force microscopy and western blot assays revealed that irradiated cells pretreated with quinacrine showed markedly less apoptosis, necrosis, and membrane damage, and greater expression of heat shock protein 70, than cells exposed to microwave irradiation alone. These results suggest that quinacrine stabilizes the neuronal membrane structure by upregulating the expression of heat shock protein 70, thus reducing neuronal injury caused by microwave radiation. PMID:29623929

  9. Enhancing Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells to Moisture by the Facile Hydrophobic Passivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Insung; Jeong, Inyoung; Lee, Jinwoo; Ko, Min Jae; Yong, Kijung

    2015-08-12

    In this study, a novel and facile passivation process for a perovskite solar cell is reported. Poor stability in ambient atmosphere, which is the most critical demerit of a perovskite solar cell, is overcome by a simple passivation process using a hydrophobic polymer layer. Teflon, the hydrophobic polymer, is deposited on the top of a perovskite solar cell by a spin-coating method. With the hydrophobic passivation, the perovskite solar cell shows negligible degradation after a 30 day storage in ambient atmosphere. Suppressed degradation of the perovskite film is proved in various ways: X-ray diffraction, light absorption spectrum, and quartz crystal microbalance. This simple but effective passivation process suggests new kind of approach to enhance stability of perovskite solar cells to moisture.

  10. Vertical ascending electrophoresis of cells with a minimal stabilizing medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omenyi, S. N.; Snyder, R. S.

    1983-01-01

    Vertical fractionation of a mixture of fixed horse and human red blood cells layered over a stabilizing support medium was done to give a valid comparison with proposed space experiments. In particular, the effects of sample thickness and concentration on zone migration rate were investigated. Electrophoretic mobilities of horse and human cells calculated from zone migration rates were compatible with those obtained by microelectrophoresis. Complete cell separation was observed when low power and effective cooling were employed.

  11. The influence of polyol type on cell geometry and the thermal stability of polyurethane foams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prendžov Slobodan J.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine the influence of substituting defined amounts of polyol Voranol 3322 by polyol Voranol CP 1055 on the cell geometry and thermal stability of the synthesized flexible polyurethane foams. The influence of the amount of antipyrene on the cell geometry and their thermal stability was also investigated. The following components were used in the synthesis of the polyurethanes: a mixture of two polyols (Voranol 3322 with the hydroxyl number 47 mg KOH/g, mean molecular mass 3400 and Voranol CP 1055 with the hydroxyl number 156 mg KOH/g, mean molecular mass 1000, toluene discarnate as the isocyanate component, a combination of an organic-metallic compound and a tertiary amine as catalysts, surfactant and water as the coreactant. The thermal stability was determined by thermogravimetric analysis (in a nitrogen atmosphere. The cell geometry was analyzed by optical microscopy. Examination of the cell geometry revealed different cell shapes. The form factor as an indicator of cell deviation from spherical shape increased (more round forms were observed with increasing amount of Voranol CP 1055. The TG examination showed that specimens with 6 and 8 g of Voranol 3322 substituted by Voranol CP 1055 completely degraded at 350 °C, while foams with 10 and 12 g of Voranol 3322 substituted by Voranol CP 1055 displayed lower mass loss at higher temperatures and had residual masses of 46 % and 43 % at 600°C respectively. The addition of antipyrene in an amount of 1% (based on the amount of polyol contributed to improved thermal stability, no visible color change of the specimen tested at 210°C for 40 minutes, and to rounder cell forms. Considering the obtained results it can be concluded that an increase in the amount of Voranol CP 1055 yielded more spherically shaped cells and better thermal stability of the synthesized flexible polyurethane foams. The addition of antipyrene improves the thermal stability and the cell geometry.

  12. Salinity induced changes in cell membrane stability, protein and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    control), 4.7, 9.4 and 14.1 dS m-1 to determine the effect of salt on vegetative growth, relative water content, cell membrane stability, protein and RNA contents in sand culture experiment. Fresh and dry weights of plants, shoots and roots decreased ...

  13. Retinoic Acid Is Essential for Th1 Cell Lineage Stability and Prevents Transition to a Th17 Cell Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Chrysothemis C.; Esterhazy, Daria; Sarde, Aurelien; London, Mariya; Pullabhatla, Venu; Osma-Garcia, Ines; al-Bader, Raya; Ortiz, Carla; Elgueta, Raul; Arno, Matthew; de Rinaldis, Emanuele; Mucida, Daniel; Lord, Graham M.; Noelle, Randolph J.

    2015-01-01

    Summary CD4+ T cells differentiate into phenotypically distinct T helper cells upon antigenic stimulation. Regulation of plasticity between these CD4+ T-cell lineages is critical for immune homeostasis and prevention of autoimmune disease. However, the factors that regulate lineage stability are largely unknown. Here we investigate a role for retinoic acid (RA) in the regulation of lineage stability using T helper 1 (Th1) cells, traditionally considered the most phenotypically stable Th subset. We found that RA, through its receptor RARα, sustains stable expression of Th1 lineage specifying genes, as well as repressing genes that instruct Th17-cell fate. RA signaling is essential for limiting Th1-cell conversion into Th17 effectors and for preventing pathogenic Th17 responses in vivo. Our study identifies RA-RARα as a key component of the regulatory network governing maintenance and plasticity of Th1-cell fate and defines an additional pathway for the development of Th17 cells. PMID:25769610

  14. Oestradiol reduces Liver Receptor Homolog-1 mRNA transcript stability in breast cancer cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lazarus, Kyren A.; Zhao, Zhe; Knower, Kevin C.; To, Sarah Q.; Chand, Ashwini L.; Clyne, Colin D.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •LRH-1 is an orphan nuclear receptor that regulates tumor proliferation. •In breast cancer, high mRNA expression is associated with ER+ status. •In ER−ve cells, despite very low mRNA, we found abundant LRH-1 protein. •Our data show distinctly different LRH-1 protein isoforms in ER− and ER+ breast cancer cells. •This is due to differences in LRH-1 mRNA and protein stability rates. -- Abstract: The expression of orphan nuclear receptor Liver Receptor Homolog-1 (LRH-1) is elevated in breast cancer and promotes proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. LRH-1 expression is regulated by oestrogen (E 2 ), with LRH-1 mRNA transcript levels higher in oestrogen receptor α (ERα) positive (ER+) breast cancer cells compared to ER− cells. However, the presence of LRH-1 protein in ER− cells suggests discordance between mRNA transcript levels and protein expression. To understand this, we investigated the impact of mRNA and protein stability in determining LRH-1 protein levels in breast cancer cells. LRH-1 transcript levels were significantly higher in ER+ versus ER− breast cancer cells lines; however LRH-1 protein was expressed at similar levels. We found LRH-1 mRNA and protein was more stable in ER− compared to ER+ cell lines. The tumor-specific LRH-1 variant isoform, LRH-1v4, which is highly responsive to E 2 , showed increased mRNA stability in ER− versus ER+ cells. In addition, in MCF-7 and T47-D cell lines, LRH-1 total mRNA stability was reduced with E 2 treatment, this effect mediated by ERα. Our data demonstrates that in ER− cells, increased mRNA and protein stability contribute to the abundant protein expression levels. Expression and immunolocalisation of LRH-1 in ER− cells as well as ER− tumors suggests a possible role in the development of ER− tumors. The modulation of LRH-1 bioactivity may therefore be beneficial as a treatment option in both ER− and ER+ breast cancer

  15. Oestradiol reduces Liver Receptor Homolog-1 mRNA transcript stability in breast cancer cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lazarus, Kyren A. [Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratory, Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria 3168 (Australia); Environmental and Biotechnology Centre, Swinburne University, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 (Australia); Zhao, Zhe; Knower, Kevin C. [Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratory, Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria 3168 (Australia); To, Sarah Q. [Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratory, Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria 3168 (Australia); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168 (Australia); Chand, Ashwini L. [Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratory, Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria 3168 (Australia); Clyne, Colin D., E-mail: Colin.clyne@princehenrys.org [Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratory, Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria 3168 (Australia); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168 (Australia)

    2013-08-30

    Highlights: •LRH-1 is an orphan nuclear receptor that regulates tumor proliferation. •In breast cancer, high mRNA expression is associated with ER+ status. •In ER−ve cells, despite very low mRNA, we found abundant LRH-1 protein. •Our data show distinctly different LRH-1 protein isoforms in ER− and ER+ breast cancer cells. •This is due to differences in LRH-1 mRNA and protein stability rates. -- Abstract: The expression of orphan nuclear receptor Liver Receptor Homolog-1 (LRH-1) is elevated in breast cancer and promotes proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. LRH-1 expression is regulated by oestrogen (E{sub 2}), with LRH-1 mRNA transcript levels higher in oestrogen receptor α (ERα) positive (ER+) breast cancer cells compared to ER− cells. However, the presence of LRH-1 protein in ER− cells suggests discordance between mRNA transcript levels and protein expression. To understand this, we investigated the impact of mRNA and protein stability in determining LRH-1 protein levels in breast cancer cells. LRH-1 transcript levels were significantly higher in ER+ versus ER− breast cancer cells lines; however LRH-1 protein was expressed at similar levels. We found LRH-1 mRNA and protein was more stable in ER− compared to ER+ cell lines. The tumor-specific LRH-1 variant isoform, LRH-1v4, which is highly responsive to E{sub 2}, showed increased mRNA stability in ER− versus ER+ cells. In addition, in MCF-7 and T47-D cell lines, LRH-1 total mRNA stability was reduced with E{sub 2} treatment, this effect mediated by ERα. Our data demonstrates that in ER− cells, increased mRNA and protein stability contribute to the abundant protein expression levels. Expression and immunolocalisation of LRH-1 in ER− cells as well as ER− tumors suggests a possible role in the development of ER− tumors. The modulation of LRH-1 bioactivity may therefore be beneficial as a treatment option in both ER− and ER+ breast cancer.

  16. Antioxidant effect of thiazolidine molecules in cell culture media improves stability and performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuschelewski, Jennifer; Schnellbaecher, Alisa; Pering, Sascha; Wehsling, Maria; Zimmer, Aline

    2017-05-01

    The ability of cell culture media components to generate reactive species as well as their sensitivity to oxidative degradation, affects the overall stability of media and the behavior of cells cultured in vitro. This study investigates the influence of thiazolidine molecules, formed from the condensation between cysteine and alpha-ketoacids, on the stability of these complex mixtures and on the performance of cell culture processes aiming to produce therapeutically relevant monoclonal antibodies. Results presented in this study indicate that 2-methyl-1,3-thiazolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid and 2-(2-carboxyethyl)-1,3-thiazolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid, obtained by condensation of cysteine with pyruvate or alpha-ketoglutarate, respectively, are able to stabilize cell culture media formulations, in particular redox sensitive molecules like folic acid, thiamine, l-methionine (met) and l-tryptophan (trp). The use of thiazolidine containing feeds in Chinese hamster ovary fed-batch processes showed prolonged culture duration and increased productivity. This enhanced performance was correlated with lower reactive species generation, extracellularly and intracellularly. Moreover, an anti-oxidative response was triggered via the induction of superoxide dismutase and an increase in the total glutathione pool, the major intracellular antioxidant. In total, the results confirm that cells in vitro are not cultured in an oxidant-free environment, a concept that has to be considered when studying the influence of reactive species in human diseases. Furthermore, this study indicates that thiazolidines are an interesting class of antioxidant molecules, capable of increasing cell culture media stability and process performance. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:759-770, 2017. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  17. Ketotifen Ophthalmic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... class of medications called antihistamines. It works by blocking histamine, a substance in the body that causes ... the remaining fingers of that hand against your face. While looking up, gently squeeze the dropper so ...

  18. PML-RARα stabilized by zinc in human acute promyelocytic leukemia NB4 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Bo; Wang, Jia-Yu; Zhou, Jun-Jie; Zhou, Feng; Cheng, Wei; Liu, Ying-Ting; Wang, Jie; Chen, Xiao; Chen, Dian-Hua; Luo, Lan; Hua, Zi-Chun

    2017-10-01

    Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized and driven by the promyelocytic leukemia protein-retinoic acid receptor alpha (PML-RARα) fusion gene. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of PML-RARα degradation in the treatment against APL. Considering the presence of two zinc fingers in the PML-RARα fusion protein, we explored the function of zinc homeostasis in maintaining PML-RARα stability. We demonstrated for the first time that zinc depletion by its chelator N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) triggered PML-RARα degradation in NB4 APL cells via the proteasome pathway rather than the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. In contrast, autophagy protected TPEN-mediated PML-RARα degradation in NB4 APL cells. We further demonstrated that crosstalk between zinc homeostasis and nitric oxide pathway played a key role in maintaining PML-RARα stability in NB4 APL cells. These results demonstrate that zinc homeostasis is vital for maintaining PML-RARα stability, and zinc depletion by TPEN may be useful as a potential strategy to trigger PML-RARα degradation in APL cells. We also found that TPEN triggered apoptosis of NB4 APL cells in a time-dependent manner. The relationship between PML-RARα degradation and apoptosis triggered by TPEN deserves further study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Film Grain-Size Related Long-Term Stability of Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Chien-Hung; Wu, Chun-Guey

    2016-09-22

    The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the perovskite solar cell is high enough to be commercially viable. The next important issue is the stability of the device. This article discusses the effect of the perovskite grain-size on the long-term stability of inverted perovskite solar cells. Perovskite films composed of various sizes of grains were prepared by controlling the solvent annealing time. The grain-size related stability of the inverted cells was investigated both in ambient atmosphere at relative humidity of approximately 30-40 % and in a nitrogen filled glove box (H 2 Operovskite film having the grain size larger than 1 μm (D-10) decreases less than 10 % with storage in a glove box and less than 15 % when it was stored under an ambient atmosphere for 30 days. However, the cell using the perovskite film composed of small (∼100 nm) perovskite grains (D-0) exhibits complete loss of PCE after storage under the ambient atmosphere for only 15 days and a PCE loss of up to 70 % with storage in the glove box for 30 days. These results suggest that, even under H 2 O-free conditions, the chemical- and thermal-induced production of pin holes at the grain boundaries of the perovskite film could be the reason for long-term instability of inverted perovskite solar cells. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Decreased stability of DNA in cells treated with alkylating agents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frankfurt, O.S. (Cedars Medical Center, Miami, FL (United States))

    1990-12-01

    A modified highly sensitive procedure for the evaluation of DNA damage in individual cells treated with alkylating agents is reported. The new methodology is based on the amplification of single-strandedness in alkylated DNA by heating in the presence of Mg{sup 2+}. Human ovarian carcinoma cells A2780 were treated with nitrogen mustard (HN2), fixed in methanol, and stained with monoclonal antibody (MOAB) F7-26 generated against HN2-treated DNA. Binding of MOAB was measured by flow cytometry with indirect immunofluorescence. Intensive binding of MOAB to control and drug-treated cells was observed after heating in Tris buffer supplemented with MgCl{sub 2}. Thus, the presence of phosphates and MgCl{sub 2} during heating was necessary for the detection of HN2-induced changes in DNA stability. Fluorescence of HN2-treated cells decreased to background levels after treatment with single-strand-specific S{sub 1} nuclease. MOAB F7-26 interacted with single-stranded regions in DNA and did not bind to dsDNA or other cellular antigens. It is suggested that alkylation of guanines decreased the stability of the DNA molecule and increased the access of MOAB F7-26 to deoxycytidines on the opposite DNA strand.

  1. Retinoic acid is essential for Th1 cell lineage stability and prevents transition to a Th17 cell program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Chrysothemis C; Esterhazy, Daria; Sarde, Aurelien; London, Mariya; Pullabhatla, Venu; Osma-Garcia, Ines; Al-Bader, Raya; Ortiz, Carla; Elgueta, Raul; Arno, Matthew; de Rinaldis, Emanuele; Mucida, Daniel; Lord, Graham M; Noelle, Randolph J

    2015-03-17

    CD4(+) T cells differentiate into phenotypically distinct T helper cells upon antigenic stimulation. Regulation of plasticity between these CD4(+) T-cell lineages is critical for immune homeostasis and prevention of autoimmune disease. However, the factors that regulate lineage stability are largely unknown. Here we investigate a role for retinoic acid (RA) in the regulation of lineage stability using T helper 1 (Th1) cells, traditionally considered the most phenotypically stable Th subset. We found that RA, through its receptor RARα, sustains stable expression of Th1 lineage specifying genes, as well as repressing genes that instruct Th17-cell fate. RA signaling is essential for limiting Th1-cell conversion into Th17 effectors and for preventing pathogenic Th17 responses in vivo. Our study identifies RA-RARα as a key component of the regulatory network governing maintenance and plasticity of Th1-cell fate and defines an additional pathway for the development of Th17 cells. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Photo stability Assessment in Amorphous-Silicon Solar Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gandia, J. J.; Carabe, J.; Fabero, F.; Jimenez, R.; Rivero, J. M.

    1999-01-01

    The present status of amorphous-silicon-solar-cell research and development at CIEMAT requires the possibility to characterise the devices prepared from the point of view of their stability against sunlight exposure. Therefore a set of tools providing such a capacity has been developed. Together with an introduction to photovoltaic applications of amorphous silicon and to the photodegradation problem, the present work describes the process of setting up these tools. An indoor controlled photodegradation facility has been designed and built, and a procedure has been developed for the measurement of J-V characterisation in well established conditions. This method is suitable for all kinds of solar cells, even for those for which no model is still available. The photodegradation and characterisation of some cells has allowed to validate both the new testing facility and method. (Author) 14 refs

  3. Estrogen-related receptor α decreases RHOA stability to induce orientated cell migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sailland, Juliette; Tribollet, Violaine; Forcet, Christelle; Billon, Cyrielle; Barenton, Bruno; Carnesecchi, Julie; Bachmann, Alice; Gauthier, Karine Cécile; Yu, Shan; Giguère, Vincent; Chan, Franky L; Vanacker, Jean-Marc

    2014-10-21

    Several physiopathological processes require orientated cellular migration. This phenomenon highly depends on members of the RHO family of GTPases. Both excessive and deficient RHO activity impair directional migration. A tight control is thus exerted on these proteins through the regulation of their activation and of their stability. Here we show that the estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) directly activates the expression of TNFAIP1, the product of which [BTB/POZ domain-containing adapter for Cullin3-mediated RhoA degradation 2 (BACURD2)] regulates RHOA protein turnover. Inactivation of the receptor leads to enhanced RHOA stability and activation. This results in cell disorientation, increased actin network, and inability to form a lamellipodium at the migration edge. As a consequence, directional migration, but not cell motility per se, is impaired in the absence of the receptor, under pathological as well as physiological conditions. Altogether, our results show that the control exerted by ERRα on RHOA stability is required for directional migration.

  4. Role of chromosome stability and telomere length in the production of viable cell lines for somatic cell nuclear transfer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Betts Dean H

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT provides an appealing alternative for the preservation of genetic material in non-domestic and endangered species. An important prerequisite for successful SCNT is the availability of good quality donor cells, as normal embryo development is dependent upon proper reprogramming of the donor genome so that embryonic genes can be appropriately expressed. The characteristics of donor cell lines and their ability to produce embryos by SCNT were evaluated by testing the effects of tissue sample collection (DART biopsy, PUNCH biopsy, post-mortem EAR sample and culture initiation (explant, collagenase digestion techniques. Results Differences in initial sample size based on sample collection technique had an effect on the amount of time necessary for achieving primary confluence and the number of population doublings (PDL produced. Thus, DART and PUNCH biopsies resulted in cultures with decreased lifespans (50 PDL and chromosomally stable (>70% normal cells at 20 PDL cultures produced by post-mortem EAR samples. Chromosome stability was influenced by sample collection technique and was dependent upon the culture's initial telomere length and its rate of shortening over cell passages. Following SCNT, short-lived cultures resulted in significantly lower blastocyst development (≤ 0.9% compared to highly proliferative cultures (11.8%. Chromosome stability and sample collection technique were significant factors in determining blastocyst development outcome. Conclusion These data demonstrate the influence of culture establishment techniques on cell culture characteristics, including the viability, longevity and normality of cells. The identification of a quantifiable marker associated with SCNT embryo developmental potential, chromosome stability, provides a means by which cell culture conditions can be monitored and improved.

  5. Toward Improved Lifetimes of Organic Solar Cells under Thermal Stress: Substrate-Dependent Morphological Stability of PCDTBT:PCBM Films and Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhe; Ho Chiu, Kar; Shahid Ashraf, Raja; Fearn, Sarah; Dattani, Rajeev; Cheng Wong, Him; Tan, Ching-Hong; Wu, Jiaying; Cabral, João T; Durrant, James R

    2015-10-15

    Morphological stability is a key requirement for outdoor operation of organic solar cells. We demonstrate that morphological stability and lifetime of polymer/fullerene based solar cells under thermal stress depend strongly on the substrate interface on which the active layer is deposited. In particular, we find that the stability of benchmark PCDTBT/PCBM solar cells under modest thermal stress is substantially increased in inverted solar cells employing a ZnO substrate compared to conventional devices employing a PSS substrate. This improved stability is observed to correlate with PCBM nucleation at the 50 nm scale, which is shown to be strongly influenced by different substrate interfaces. Employing this approach, we demonstrate remarkable thermal stability for inverted PCDTBT:PC70BM devices on ZnO substrates, with negligible (humidity exposure as widely reported previously, can also demonstrate enhanced morphological stability. As such we show that the choice of suitable substrate interfaces may be a key factor in achieving prolonged lifetimes for organic solar cells under thermal stress conditions.

  6. Improving cell penetration of helical peptides stabilized by N-terminal crosslinked aspartic acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Hui; Jiang, Yanhong; Tian, Yuan; Yang, Dan; Qin, Xuan; Li, Zigang

    2017-01-04

    Cell penetration and nucleus translocation efficiency are important for the cellular activities of peptide therapeutics. For helical peptides stabilized by N-terminal crosslinked aspartic acid, correlations between their penetration efficiency/nucleus translocation and physicochemical properties were studied. An increase in hydrophobicity and isoelectric point will promote cellular uptake and nucleus translocation of stabilized helices.

  7. Stability of dye-sensitized solar cells under extended thermal stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Surendra K; Ravishankar, Sandheep; Pescetelli, Sara; Agresti, Antonio; Fabregat-Santiago, Francisco; Di Carlo, Aldo

    2017-08-23

    In the last few decades, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) technology has been demonstrated to be a promising candidate for low cost energy production due to cost-effective materials and fabrication processes. Arguably, DSC stability is the biggest challenge for making this technology appealing for industrial exploitation. This work provides further insight into the stability of DSCs by considering specific dye-electrolyte systems characterized by Raman and impedance spectroscopy analysis. In particular, two ruthenium-based dyes, Z907 and Ru505, and two commercially available electrolytes, namely, the high stability electrolyte (HSE) and solvent-free Livion 12 (L-12), were tested. After 4700 h of thermal stress at 85 °C, the least stable device composed of Z907/HSE showed an efficiency degradation rate of ∼14%/1000 h, while the Ru505/L-12 system retained 96% of its initial efficiency by losing ∼1% each 1000 h. The present results show a viable route to stabilize the DSC technology under prolonged annealing conditions complying with the IEC standard requirements.

  8. Sequential bottom-up assembly of mechanically stabilized synthetic cells by microfluidics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Marian; Frohnmayer, Johannes Patrick; Benk, Lucia Theresa; Haller, Barbara; Janiesch, Jan-Willi; Heitkamp, Thomas; Börsch, Michael; Lira, Rafael B.; Dimova, Rumiana; Lipowsky, Reinhard; Bodenschatz, Eberhard; Baret, Jean-Christophe; Vidakovic-Koch, Tanja; Sundmacher, Kai; Platzman, Ilia; Spatz, Joachim P.

    2018-01-01

    Compartments for the spatially and temporally controlled assembly of biological processes are essential towards cellular life. Synthetic mimics of cellular compartments based on lipid-based protocells lack the mechanical and chemical stability to allow their manipulation into a complex and fully functional synthetic cell. Here, we present a high-throughput microfluidic method to generate stable, defined sized liposomes termed `droplet-stabilized giant unilamellar vesicles (dsGUVs)’. The enhanced stability of dsGUVs enables the sequential loading of these compartments with biomolecules, namely purified transmembrane and cytoskeleton proteins by microfluidic pico-injection technology. This constitutes an experimental demonstration of a successful bottom-up assembly of a compartment with contents that would not self-assemble to full functionality when simply mixed together. Following assembly, the stabilizing oil phase and droplet shells are removed to release functional self-supporting protocells to an aqueous phase, enabling them to interact with physiologically relevant matrices.

  9. Regularity, variability and bi-stability in the activity of cerebellar purkinje cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rokni, Dan; Tal, Zohar; Byk, Hananel; Yarom, Yosef

    2009-01-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated that the membrane potential of Purkinje cells is bi-stable and that this phenomenon underlies bi-modal simple spike firing. Membrane potential alternates between a depolarized state, that is associated with spontaneous simple spike firing (up state), and a quiescent hyperpolarized state (down state). A controversy has emerged regarding the relevance of bi-stability to the awake animal, yet recordings made from behaving cat Purkinje cells have demonstrated that at least 50% of the cells exhibit bi-modal firing. The robustness of the phenomenon in vitro or in anaesthetized systems on the one hand, and the controversy regarding its expression in behaving animals on the other hand suggest that state transitions are under neuronal control. Indeed, we have recently demonstrated that synaptic inputs can induce transitions between the states and suggested that the role of granule cell input is to control the states of Purkinje cells rather than increase or decrease firing rate gradually. We have also shown that the state of a Purkinje cell does not only affect its firing but also the waveform of climbing fiber-driven complex spikes and the associated calcium influx. These findings call for a reconsideration of the role of Purkinje cells in cerebellar function. In this manuscript we review the recent findings on Purkinje cell bi-stability and add some analyses of its effect on the regularity and variability of Purkinje cell activity.

  10. Regularity, variabilty and bi-stability in the activity of cerebellar Purkinje cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan Rokni

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Recent studies have demonstrated that the membrane potential of Purkinje cells is bi-stable and that this phenomenon underlies bi-modal simple spike firing. Membrane potential alternates between a depolarized state, that is associated with spontaneous simple spike firing (up state, and a quiescent hyperpolarized state (down state. A controversy has emerged regarding the relevance of bi-stability to the awake animal, yet recordings made from behaving cat Purkinje cells have demonstrated that at least 50% of the cells exhibit bi-modal firing. The robustness of the phenomenon in-vitro or in anaesthetized systems on the one hand, and the controversy regarding its expression in behaving animals on the other hand suggest that state transitions are under neuronal control. Indeed, we have recently demonstrated that synaptic inputs can induce transitions between the states and suggested that the role of granule cell input is to control the states of Purkinje cells rather than increase or decrease firing rate gradually. We have also shown that the state of a Purkinje cell does not only affect its firing but also the waveform of climbing fiber-driven complex spikes and the associated calcium influx. These findings call for a reconsideration of the role of Purkinje cells in cerebellar function. In this manuscript we review the recent findings on Purkinje cell bi-stability and add some analyses of its effect on the regularity and variability of Purkinje cell activity.

  11. The influence of micronutrients in cell culture: a reflection on viability and genomic stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arigony, Ana Lúcia Vargas; de Oliveira, Iuri Marques; Machado, Miriana; Bordin, Diana Lilian; Bergter, Lothar; Prá, Daniel; Henriques, João Antonio Pêgas

    2013-01-01

    Micronutrients, including minerals and vitamins, are indispensable to DNA metabolic pathways and thus are as important for life as macronutrients. Without the proper nutrients, genomic instability compromises homeostasis, leading to chronic diseases and certain types of cancer. Cell-culture media try to mimic the in vivo environment, providing in vitro models used to infer cells' responses to different stimuli. This review summarizes and discusses studies of cell-culture supplementation with micronutrients that can increase cell viability and genomic stability, with a particular focus on previous in vitro experiments. In these studies, the cell-culture media include certain vitamins and minerals at concentrations not equal to the physiological levels. In many common culture media, the sole source of micronutrients is fetal bovine serum (FBS), which contributes to only 5-10% of the media composition. Minimal attention has been dedicated to FBS composition, micronutrients in cell cultures as a whole, or the influence of micronutrients on the viability and genetics of cultured cells. Further studies better evaluating micronutrients' roles at a molecular level and influence on the genomic stability of cells are still needed.

  12. Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) inhibits EGF-induced cell transformation via reduction of cyclin D1 mRNA stability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Jingjie; Ouyang, Weiming; Li, Jingxia; Zhang, Dongyun; Yu, Yonghui; Wang, York; Li, Xuejun; Huang, Chuanshu

    2012-01-01

    Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) inhibiting cancer cell growth has been associated with its downregulation of cyclin D1 protein expression at transcription level or translation level. Here, we have demonstrated that SAHA inhibited EGF-induced Cl41 cell transformation via the decrease of cyclin D1 mRNA stability and induction of G0/G1 growth arrest. We found that SAHA treatment resulted in the dramatic inhibition of EGF-induced cell transformation, cyclin D1 protein expression and induction of G0/G1 growth arrest. Further studies showed that SAHA downregulation of cyclin D1 was only observed with endogenous cyclin D1, but not with reconstitutionally expressed cyclin D1 in the same cells, excluding the possibility of SAHA regulating cyclin D1 at level of protein degradation. Moreover, SAHA inhibited EGF-induced cyclin d1 mRNA level, whereas it did not show any inhibitory effect on cyclin D1 promoter-driven luciferase reporter activity under the same experimental conditions, suggesting that SAHA may decrease cyclin D1 mRNA stability. This notion was supported by the results that treatment of cells with SAHA decreased the half-life of cyclin D1 mRNA from 6.95 h to 2.57 h. Consistent with downregulation of cyclin D1 mRNA stability, SAHA treatment also attenuated HuR expression, which has been well-characterized as a positive regulator of cyclin D1 mRNA stability. Thus, our study identifies a novel mechanism responsible for SAHA inhibiting cell transformation via decreasing cyclin D1 mRNA stability and induction of G0/G1 growth arrest in Cl41 cells. -- Highlights: ► SAHA inhibits cell transformation in Cl41 cells. ► SAHA suppresses Cyclin D1 protein expression. ► SAHA decreases cyclin D1 mRNA stability.

  13. Superior stability for perovskite solar cells with 20% efficiency using vacuum co-evaporation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xuejie; Yang, Dong; Yang, Ruixia; Yang, Bin; Yang, Zhou; Ren, Xiaodong; Zhang, Jian; Niu, Jinzhi; Feng, Jiangshan; Liu, Shengzhong Frank

    2017-08-31

    Chemical composition and film quality are two key figures of merit for large-area high-efficiency perovskite solar cells. To date, all studies on mixed perovskites have used solution-processing, which results in imperfect surface coverage and pin-holes generated during solvent evaporation, execrably influencing the stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells. Herein, we report our development using a vacuum co-evaporation deposition method to fabricate pin-hole-free cesium (Cs)-substituted perovskite films with complete surface coverage. Apart from the simplified procedure, the present method also promises tunable band gap, reduced trap-state density and longer carrier lifetime, leading to solar cell efficiency as high as 20.13%, which is among the highest reported for planar perovskite solar cells. The splendid performance is attributed to superior merits of the Cs-substituted perovskite film including tunable band gap, reduced trap-state density and longer carrier lifetime. Moreover, the Cs-substituted perovskite device without encapsulation exhibits significantly higher stability in ambient air compared with the single-component counterpart. When the Cs-substituted perovskite solar cells are stored in dark for one year, the PCE remains at 19.25%, degrading only 4.37% of the initial efficiency. The excellent stability originates from reduced lattice constant and relaxed strain in perovskite lattice by incorporating Cs cations into the crystal lattice, as demonstrated by the positive peak shifts and reduced peak width in X-ray diffraction analysis.

  14. Forced expression of stabilized c-Fos in dendritic cells reduces cytokine production and immune responses in vivo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoshida, Ryoko; Suzuki, Mayu; Sakaguchi, Ryota; Hasegawa, Eiichi; Kimura, Akihiro; Shichita, Takashi; Sekiya, Takashi [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, Chiyoda-ku 102-0075 (Japan); Shiraishi, Hiroshi [Division of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Saga Medical School, Saga (Japan); Shimoda, Kouji [Department of Laboratory Animal Center, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); Yoshimura, Akihiko, E-mail: yoshimura@a6.keio.jp [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, Chiyoda-ku 102-0075 (Japan)

    2012-06-29

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dendritic cells expressing stabilized c-Fos produced less inflammatory cytokines. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dendritic cells expressing stabilized c-Fos activated T cells less efficiently. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Transgenic mice expressing stabilized c-Fos were resistant to EAE model. -- Abstract: Intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) suppresses innate immunity by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine production by monocytic cells. We have shown that the transcription factor c-Fos is responsible for cAMP-mediated suppression of inflammatory cytokine production, and that c-Fos protein is stabilized by IKK{beta}-mediated phosphorylation. We found that S308 is one of the major phosphorylation sites, and that the S308D mutation prolongs c-Fos halflife. To investigate the role of stabilized c-Fos protein in dendritic cells (DCs) in vivo, we generated CD11c-promoter-deriven c-FosS308D transgenic mice. As expected, bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) from these Tg mice produced smaller amounts of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-{alpha}, IL-12, and IL-23, but higher levels of IL-10, in response to LPS, than those from wild-type (Wt) mice. When T cells were co-cultured with BMDCs from Tg mice, production of Th1 and Th17 cytokines was reduced, although T cell proliferation was not affected. Tg mice demonstrated more resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) than did Wt mice. These data suggest that c-Fos in DCs plays a suppressive role in certain innate and adaptive immune responses.

  15. A new photocrosslinkable oligothiophene for organic solar cells with enhanced stability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lanzi, Massimiliano, E-mail: massimiliano.lanzi@unibo.it [Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna (Italy); Salatelli, Elisabetta; Di-Nicola, Francesco Paolo; Zuppiroli, Luca [Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna (Italy); Pierini, Filippo [Department of Mechanics and Physics of Fluids, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Pawinskiego 5B, 02-106 Warsaw (Poland)

    2017-01-15

    A novel thiophenic tetramer containing a cinnamate group in the side chain with a functionalization degree of 50% is reported. The tetramer was obtained by means of a simple and straightforward procedure involving the functionalization of a p-methoxyphenoxy substituted thiophenic precursor, which led to a soluble product with a good yield. The oligomer was fully characterized from a structural and chemical point of view and employed for the fabrication of small molecule organic solar cells exploiting the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) architecture. The presence of an UV-light sensitive group in the tetramer allowed the photocrosslinking of tetramer/PCBM blends, giving high values of photocurrent and conversion efficiency for the exposed samples. Moreover, the UV-treated devices showed improved stability, even upon heating for three days at 130 °C, thus confirming that photocrosslinking can strongly reduce phase segregation under severe operational conditions. - Graphical abstract: 3D-visualization of a T4CIN/PCBM layer portion. - Highlights: • A photocrosslinkable thiophenic electron-donor oligomer has been synthesized. • It has been characterized and used to prepare BHJ SMO Solar Cells. • Cells electrical performances and thermal stabilities have been evaluated. • A comparison between UV-cured and pristine cells has been made.

  16. A generic interface to reduce the efficiency-stability-cost gap of perovskite solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Yi; Du, Xiaoyan; Scheiner, Simon; McMeekin, David P.; Wang, Zhiping; Li, Ning; Killian, Manuela S.; Chen, Haiwei; Richter, Moses; Levchuk, Ievgen; Schrenker, Nadine; Spiecker, Erdmann; Stubhan, Tobias; Luechinger, Norman A.; Hirsch, Andreas; Schmuki, Patrik; Steinrück, Hans-Peter; Fink, Rainer H.; Halik, Marcus; Snaith, Henry J.; Brabec, Christoph J.

    2017-12-01

    A major bottleneck delaying the further commercialization of thin-film solar cells based on hybrid organohalide lead perovskites is interface loss in state-of-the-art devices. We present a generic interface architecture that combines solution-processed, reliable, and cost-efficient hole-transporting materials without compromising efficiency, stability, or scalability of perovskite solar cells. Tantalum-doped tungsten oxide (Ta-WOx)/conjugated polymer multilayers offer a surprisingly small interface barrier and form quasi-ohmic contacts universally with various scalable conjugated polymers. In a simple device with regular planar architecture and a self-assembled monolayer, Ta-WOx-doped interface-based perovskite solar cells achieve maximum efficiencies of 21.2% and offer more than 1000 hours of light stability. By eliminating additional ionic dopants, these findings open up the entire class of organics as scalable hole-transporting materials for perovskite solar cells.

  17. Differential Nanos 2 protein stability results in selective germ cell accumulation in the sea urchin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oulhen, Nathalie; Wessel, Gary M

    2016-10-01

    Nanos is a translational regulator required for the survival and maintenance of primordial germ cells. In the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Sp), Nanos 2 mRNA is broadly transcribed but accumulates specifically in the small micromere (sMic) lineage, in part because of the 3'UTR element GNARLE leads to turnover in somatic cells but retention in the sMics. Here we found that the Nanos 2 protein is also selectively stabilized; it is initially translated throughout the embryo but turned over in the future somatic cells and retained only in the sMics, the future germ line in this animal. This differential stability of Nanos protein is dependent on the open reading frame (ORF), and is independent of the sumoylation and ubiquitylation pathways. Manipulation of the ORF indicates that 68 amino acids in the N terminus of the Nanos protein are essential for its stability in the sMics whereas a 45 amino acid element adjacent to the zinc fingers targets its degradation. Further, this regulation of Nanos protein is cell autonomous, following formation of the germ line. These results are paradigmatic for the unique presence of Nanos in the germ line by a combination of selective RNA retention, distinctive translational control mechanisms (Oulhen et al., 2013), and now also by defined Nanos protein stability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. ROS-mediated apoptotic cell death in prostate cancer LNCaP cells induced by biosurfactant stabilized CdS quantum dots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Braj R; Singh, Brahma N; Khan, W; Singh, H B; Naqvi, A H

    2012-08-01

    Cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots (QDs) have raised great attention because of their superior optical properties and wide utilization in biological and biomedical studies. However, little is known about the cell death mechanisms of CdS QDs in human cancer cells. This study was designed to investigate the possible mechanisms of apoptosis induced by biosurfactant stabilized CdS QDs (denoted as "bsCdS QDs") in human prostate cancer LNCaP cells. It was also noteworthy that apoptosis correlated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress and chromatin condensation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Results also showed involvement of caspases, Bcl-2 family proteins, heat shock protein 70, and a cell-cycle checkpoint protein p53 in apoptosis induction by bsCdS QDs in LNCaP cells. Moreover, pro-apoptotic protein Bax was upregulated and the anti-apoptotic proteins, survivin and NF-κB were downregulated in bsCdS QDs exposed cells. Protection of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) against ROS clearly suggested the implication of ROS in hyper-activation of apoptosis and cell death. It is encouraging to conclude that biologically stabilized CdS QDs bear the potential of its applications in biomedicine, such as tumor therapy specifically by inducing caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death of human prostate cancer LNCaP cells. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chenais, Nathalie; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques; Le Bail, Pierre-Yves; Labbe, Catherine

    2015-07-01

    The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Survivin counteracts the therapeutic effect of microtubule de-stabilizers by stabilizing tubulin polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsieh Hsing-Pang

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Survivin is a dual function protein. It inhibits the apoptosis of cells by inhibiting caspases, and also promotes cell growth by stabilizing microtubules during mitosis. Over-expression of survivin has been demonstrated to induce drug-resistance to various chemo-therapeutic agents such as cisplatin (DNA damaging agent and paclitaxel (microtubule stabilizer in cancers. However, survivin-induced resistance to microtubule de-stabilizers such as Vinca alkaloids and Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4-related compounds were seldom demonstrated in the past. Furthermore, the question remains as to whether survivin plays a dominant role in processing cytokinesis or inhibiting caspases activity in cells treated with anti-mitotic compounds. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of survivin on the resistance and susceptibility of human cancer cells to microtubule de-stabilizer-induced cell death. Results BPR0L075 is a CA-4 analog that induces microtubule de-polymerization and subsequent caspase-dependent apoptosis. To study the relationship between the expression of survivin and the resistance to microtubule de-stabilizers, a KB-derived BPR0L075-resistant cancer cell line, KB-L30, was generated for this study. Here, we found that survivin was over-expressed in the KB-L30 cells. Down-regulation of survivin by siRNA induced hyper-sensitivity to BPR0L075 in KB cells and partially re-stored sensitivity to BPR0L075 in KB-L30 cells. Western blot analysis revealed that down-regulation of survivin induced microtubule de-stabilization in both KB and KB-L30 cells. However, the same treatment did not enhance the down-stream caspase-3/-7 activities in BPR0L075-treated KB cells. Translocation of a caspase-independent apoptosis-related molecule, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF, from cytoplasm to the nucleus was observed in survivin-targeted KB cells under BPR0L075 treatment. Conclusion In this study, survivin plays an important role in the

  1. Photochemical stability of π-conjugated polymers for polymer solar cells: a rule of thumb

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manceau, Matthieu; Bundgaard, Eva; Carlé, Jon Eggert

    2011-01-01

    A comparative photochemical stability study of a wide range of π-conjugated polymers relevant to polymer solar cells is presented. The behavior of each material has been investigated under simulated sunlight (1 sun, 1000 W m−2, AM 1.5G) and ambient atmosphere. Degradation was monitored during age...... ageing combining UV-visible and infrared spectroscopies. From the comparison of the collected data, the influence of the polymer chemical structure on its stability has been discussed. General rules relative to the polymer structure–stability relationship are proposed....

  2. Heat shock protein 90β stabilizes focal adhesion kinase and enhances cell migration and invasion in breast cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiong, Xiangyang; Wang, Yao; Liu, Chengmei; Lu, Quqin; Liu, Tao; Chen, Guoan; Rao, Hai; Luo, Shiwen

    2014-01-01

    Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) acts as a regulator of cellular signaling and may promote cell spreading, motility, invasion and survival in malignancy. Elevated expression and activity of FAK frequently correlate with tumor cell metastasis and poor prognosis in breast cancer. However, the mechanisms by which the turnover of FAK is regulated remain elusive. Here we report that heat shock protein 90β (HSP90β) interacts with FAK and the middle domain (amino acids 233–620) of HSP90β is mainly responsible for this interaction. Furthermore, we found that HSP90β regulates FAK stability since HSP90β inhibitor 17-AAG triggers FAK ubiquitylation and subsequent proteasome-dependent degradation. Moreover, disrupted FAK-HSP90β interaction induced by 17-AAG contributes to attenuation of tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion. Together, our results reveal how HSP90β regulates FAK stability and identifies a potential therapeutic strategy to breast cancer. - Highlights: • HSP90β protects FAK from degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. • Inhibition of HSP90β or FAK attenuates tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells. • Genetic repression of HSP90β or FAK inhibits tumor cell migration and proliferation. • Inhibition of HSP90β or FAK interferes cell invasion and cytoskeleton

  3. Heat shock protein 90β stabilizes focal adhesion kinase and enhances cell migration and invasion in breast cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiong, Xiangyang [Center for Experimental Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047 (China); Wang, Yao [Center for Experimental Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Liu, Chengmei [State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047 (China); Lu, Quqin [Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Liu, Tao [Center for Experimental Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Chen, Guoan [Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China); Rao, Hai [Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229 (United States); Luo, Shiwen, E-mail: shiwenluo@ncu.edu.cn [Center for Experimental Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006 (China)

    2014-08-01

    Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) acts as a regulator of cellular signaling and may promote cell spreading, motility, invasion and survival in malignancy. Elevated expression and activity of FAK frequently correlate with tumor cell metastasis and poor prognosis in breast cancer. However, the mechanisms by which the turnover of FAK is regulated remain elusive. Here we report that heat shock protein 90β (HSP90β) interacts with FAK and the middle domain (amino acids 233–620) of HSP90β is mainly responsible for this interaction. Furthermore, we found that HSP90β regulates FAK stability since HSP90β inhibitor 17-AAG triggers FAK ubiquitylation and subsequent proteasome-dependent degradation. Moreover, disrupted FAK-HSP90β interaction induced by 17-AAG contributes to attenuation of tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion. Together, our results reveal how HSP90β regulates FAK stability and identifies a potential therapeutic strategy to breast cancer. - Highlights: • HSP90β protects FAK from degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. • Inhibition of HSP90β or FAK attenuates tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells. • Genetic repression of HSP90β or FAK inhibits tumor cell migration and proliferation. • Inhibition of HSP90β or FAK interferes cell invasion and cytoskeleton.

  4. Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chenais, Nathalie; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques; Le Bail, Pierre-Yves; Labbe, Catherine

    2015-01-01

    The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. - Highlights: • Recycled fin explants outgrow cells bearing stable mesenchymal traits. • Cell production and quality is enhanced in the recycled explant culture system. • Fresh fin primary culture is highly variable and loose epithelial traits over time

  5. Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chenais, Nathalie; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques; Le Bail, Pierre-Yves; Labbe, Catherine, E-mail: catherine.labbe@rennes.inra.fr

    2015-07-01

    The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. - Highlights: • Recycled fin explants outgrow cells bearing stable mesenchymal traits. • Cell production and quality is enhanced in the recycled explant culture system. • Fresh fin primary culture is highly variable and loose epithelial traits over time.

  6. Stability of electric characteristics of solar cells for continuous power supply

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stojanović Nebojša M.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the output characteristics of photovoltaic solar cells working in hostile working conditions. Examined cells, produced by different innovative procedures, are available in the market. The goal was to investigate stability of electric characteristics of solar cells, which are used today in photovoltaic solar modules for charging rechargeable batteries which, coupled with batteries, supply various electronic systems such as radio repeaters on mountains tops, airplanes, mobile communication stations and other remote facilities. Charging of rechargeable batteries requires up to 25 % higher voltage compared to nominal output voltage of the battery. This paper presents results of research of solar cells, which also apply to cases in which continuous power supply is required. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 171007

  7. The thermomechanical stability of micro-solid oxide fuel cells fabricated on anodized aluminum oxide membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Chang-Woo; Lee, Jae-Il; Kim, Ki-Bum; Lee, Hae-Weon; Lee, Jong-Ho; Son, Ji-Won

    2012-07-01

    The thermomechanical stability of micro-solid oxide fuel cells (micro-SOFCs) fabricated on an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane template is investigated. The full structure consists of the following layers: AAO membrane (600 nm)/Pt anode/YSZ electrolyte (900 nm)/porous Pt cathode. The utilization of a 600-nm-thick AAO membrane significantly improves the thermomechanical stability due to its well-known honeycomb-shaped nanopore structure. Moreover, the Pt anode layer deposited in between the AAO membrane and the YSZ electrolyte preserves its integrity in terms of maintaining the triple-phase boundary (TPB) and electrical conductivity during high-temperature operation. Both of these results guarantee thermomechanical stability of the micro-SOFC and extend the cell lifetime, which is one of the most critical issues in the fabrication of freestanding membrane-type micro-SOFCs.

  8. Exceptional power density and stability at intermediate temperatures in protonic ceramic fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Sihyuk; Kucharczyk, Chris J.; Liang, Yangang; Zhang, Xiaohang; Takeuchi, Ichiro; Ji, Ho-Il; Haile, Sossina M.

    2018-03-01

    Over the past several years, important strides have been made in demonstrating protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs). Such fuel cells offer the potential of environmentally sustainable and cost-effective electric power generation. However, their power outputs have lagged behind predictions based on their high electrolyte conductivities. Here we overcome PCFC performance and stability challenges by employing a high-activity cathode, PrBa0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5+δ (PBSCF), in combination with a chemically stable electrolyte, BaZr0.4Ce0.4Y0.1Yb0.1O3 (BZCYYb4411). We deposit a thin dense interlayer film of the cathode material onto the electrolyte surface to mitigate contact resistance, an approach which is made possible by the proton permeability of PBSCF. The peak power densities of the resulting fuel cells exceed 500 mW cm-2 at 500 °C, while also offering exceptional, long-term stability under CO2.

  9. Stability of perovskite solar cells on flexible substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tam, Ho Won; Chen, Wei; Liu, Fangzhou; He, Yanling; Leung, Tik Lun; Wang, Yushu; Wong, Man Kwong; Djurišić, Aleksandra B.; Ng, Alan Man Ching; He, Zhubing; Chan, Wai Kin; Tang, Jinyao

    2018-02-01

    Perovskite solar cells are emerging photovoltaic technology with potential for low cost, high efficiency devices. Currently, flexible devices efficiencies over 15% have been achieved. Flexible devices are of significant interest for achieving very low production cost via roll-to-roll processing. However, the stability of perovskite devices remains a significant challenge. Unlike glass substrate which has negligible water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), polymeric flexible film substrates suffer from high moisture permeability. As PET and PEN flexible substrates exhibit higher water permeability then glass, transparent flexible backside encapsulation should be used to maximize light harvesting in perovskite layer while WVTR should be low enough. Wide band gap materials are transparent in the visible spectral range low temperature processable and can be a moisture barrier. For flexible substrates, approaches like atomic layer deposition (ALD) and low temperature solution processing could be used for metal oxide deposition. In this work, ALD SnO2, TiO2, Al2O3 and solution processed spin-on-glass was used as the barrier layer on the polymeric side of indium tin oxide (ITO) coated PEN substrates. The UV-Vis transmission spectra of the prepared substrates were investigated. Perovskite solar cells will be fabricated and stability of the devices were encapsulated with copolymer films on the top side and tested under standard ISOS-L-1 protocol and then compared to the commercial unmodified ITO/PET or ITO/PEN substrates. In addition, devices with copolymer films laminated on both sides successfully surviving more than 300 hours upon continuous AM1.5G illumination were demonstrated.

  10. Impact of the Sea Empress oil spill on lysosomal stability in mussel blood cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernley, P W; Moore, M N; Lowe, D M; Donkin, P; Evans, S

    2000-01-01

    Coastal zones are among the most productive and vulnerable areas on the planet. An example of impact on these fragile environments was shown in the case of the "Sea Empress" oil tanker, which ran aground in the Bristol Channel in 1996, spilling 72,000 tons of "Forties" crude oil. The objective was to investigate the sub-lethal cellular pathology and tissue hydrocarbon contamination in marine mussel populations, 4 months after the initial spill, using the neutral red retention (NRR) assay for lysosomal stability in blood cells. NRR was reduced in mussels, and indicative of cell injury, from the two sites closest to the spill in comparison with more distant and reference sites. Lysosomal stability was inversely correlated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in mussel tissues. Reduced lysosomal stability has previously been shown to contribute to impaired immunocompetence and to autophagic loss of body tissues. The use of this type of technique is discussed in the context of cost-effective, ecotoxicological tools for Integrated Coastal Zone Management.

  11. Impact of the Sea Empress oil spill on lysosomal stability in mussel blood cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernley, P.W.; Lowe, D.M.; Donkin, P.; Evans, S.

    2000-01-01

    Coastal zones are among the most productive and vulnerable areas on the planet. An example of impact on these fragile environments was shown in the case of the Sea Empress oil tanker, which ran aground in the Bristol Channel in 1996, spilling 72,000 tonnes of Forties crude oil. The objective was to investigate the sub-lethal cellular pathology and tissue hydrocarbon contamination in marine mussel populations, 4 months after the initial spill, using the neutral red retention (NRR) assay for lysosomal stability in blood cells. NRR was reduced in mussels, and indicative of cell injury, from the two sites closest to the spill in comparison with more distant and reference sites. Lysosomal stability was inversely correlated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in mussel tissues. Reduced lysosomal stability has previously been shown to contribute to impaired immunocompetence and to autophagic loss of body tissues. The use of this type of technique is discussed in the context of cost-effective, ecotoxicological tools for Integrated Coastal Zone Management. (Author)

  12. Impact of the Sea Empress oil spill on lysosomal stability in mussel blood cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fernley, P.W.; Lowe, D.M.; Donkin, P.; Evans, S. [Plymouth Marine Lab. (United Kingdom). Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences; Moore, M.N. [Plymouth Marine Lab. (United Kingdom). Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences; UNIDO, SES/PEM, Vienna International Centre (Austria)

    2000-07-01

    Coastal zones are among the most productive and vulnerable areas on the planet. An example of impact on these fragile environments was shown in the case of the Sea Empress oil tanker, which ran aground in the Bristol Channel in 1996, spilling 72,000 tonnes of Forties crude oil. The objective was to investigate the sub-lethal cellular pathology and tissue hydrocarbon contamination in marine mussel populations, 4 months after the initial spill, using the neutral red retention (NRR) assay for lysosomal stability in blood cells. NRR was reduced in mussels, and indicative of cell injury, from the two sites closest to the spill in comparison with more distant and reference sites. Lysosomal stability was inversely correlated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in mussel tissues. Reduced lysosomal stability has previously been shown to contribute to impaired immunocompetence and to autophagic loss of body tissues. The use of this type of technique is discussed in the context of cost-effective, ecotoxicological tools for Integrated Coastal Zone Management. (Author)

  13. Degradation and stability of R2R manufactured polymer solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Norrman, Kion; Krebs, Frederik C

    2009-01-01

    Polymer solar cells have many advantages such as light weight, flexibility, environmental friendliness, low thermal budget, low cost and most notably very fast modes of production by printing techniques. Production experiments have shown that it is highly feasible with existing technology to mass...... produce polymer solar cells at a very low cost. We have employed state-of-the-art analytical techniques to address the challenging issues of degradation and stability of R2R manufactured devices. We have specifically studied the relative effect of oxygen and water on the operational devices in regard...

  14. Stability study of cermet-supported solid oxide fuel cells with bi-layered electrolyte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Xinge; Gazzarri, Javier; Robertson, Mark; Deces-Petit, Cyrille [National Research Council, Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, 4250 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Kesler, Olivera [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King' s College Road, Toronto, ON (Canada)

    2008-12-01

    Performance and stability of five cermet-supported button-type solid oxide fuel cells featuring a bi-layered electrolyte (SSZ/SDC), an SSC cathode, and a Ni-SSZ anode, were analyzed using polarization curves, impedance spectroscopy, and post-mortem SEM observation. The cell performance degradation at 650 C in H{sub 2}/air both with and without DC bias conditions was manifested primarily as an increase in polarization resistance, approximately at a rate of 2.3 m{omega} cm{sup 2} h{sup -1} at OCV, suggesting a decrease in electrochemical kinetics as the main phenomenon responsible for the performance decay. In addition, the initial series resistance was about ten times higher than the calculated resistance corresponding to the electrolyte, reflecting a possible inter-reaction between the electrolyte layers that occurred during the sintering stage. In situ and ex situ sintered cathodes showed no obvious difference in cell performance or decay rate. The stability of the cells with and without electrical load was also investigated and no significant influence of DC bias was recorded. Based on the experimental results presented, we preliminarily attribute the performance degradation to electrochemical and microstructural degradation of the cathode. (author)

  15. Stability study of cermet-supported solid oxide fuel cells with bi-layered electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xinge; Gazzarri, Javier; Robertson, Mark; Decès-Petit, Cyrille; Kesler, Olivera

    Performance and stability of five cermet-supported button-type solid oxide fuel cells featuring a bi-layered electrolyte (SSZ/SDC), an SSC cathode, and a Ni-SSZ anode, were analyzed using polarization curves, impedance spectroscopy, and post-mortem SEM observation. The cell performance degradation at 650 °C in H 2/air both with and without DC bias conditions was manifested primarily as an increase in polarization resistance, approximately at a rate of 2.3 mΩ cm 2 h -1 at OCV, suggesting a decrease in electrochemical kinetics as the main phenomenon responsible for the performance decay. In addition, the initial series resistance was about ten times higher than the calculated resistance corresponding to the electrolyte, reflecting a possible inter-reaction between the electrolyte layers that occurred during the sintering stage. In situ and ex situ sintered cathodes showed no obvious difference in cell performance or decay rate. The stability of the cells with and without electrical load was also investigated and no significant influence of DC bias was recorded. Based on the experimental results presented, we preliminarily attribute the performance degradation to electrochemical and microstructural degradation of the cathode.

  16. Stability of Polymer Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Mikkel; Norrman, Kion; Gevorgyan, Suren

    2012-01-01

    Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) evolve in an exponential manner in the two key areas of efficiency and stability. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) has in the last decade been increased by almost a factor of ten approaching 10%. A main concern has been the stability that was previously measured ...

  17. Hydrophobic Polystyrene Passivation Layer for Simultaneously Improved Efficiency and Stability in Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Minghua; Yan, Xiaoqin; Kang, Zhuo; Huan, Yahuan; Li, Yong; Zhang, Ruxiao; Zhang, Yue

    2018-06-06

    The major restraint for the commercialization of the high-performance hybrid metal halide perovskite solar cells is the long-term stability, especially at the infirm interface between the perovskite film and organic charge-transfer layer. Recently, engineering the interface between the perovskite and spiro-OMeTAD becomes an effective strategy to simultaneously improve the efficiency and stability in the perovskite solar cells. In this work, we demonstrated that introducing an interfacial polystyrene layer between the perovskite film and spiro-OMeTAD layer can effectively improve the perovskite solar cells photovoltaic performance. The inserted polystyrene layer can passivate the interface traps and defects effectively and decrease the nonradiative recombination, leading to enhanced photoluminescence intensity and carrier lifetime, without compromising the carrier extraction and transfer. Under the optimized condition, the perovskite solar cells with the polystyrene layer achieve an enhanced average power efficiency of about 19.61% (20.46% of the best efficiency) from about 17.63% with negligible current density-voltage hysteresis. Moreover, the optimized perovskite solar cells with the hydrophobic polystyrene layer can maintain about 85% initial efficiency after 2 months storage in open air conditions without encapsulation.

  18. Active metamaterial: Gain and stability, and microfluidic chip for THz cell spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Qi

    Metamaterials are artificially designed composite materials which can exhibit unique and unusual properties such as the negative refractive index, negative phase velocity, etc. The concept of metamaterials becomes prevalent in the electromagnetic society since the first experimental implementation in the early 2000s. Many fascinated potential applications, e.g. super lens, invisibility cloaking, and novel antennas that are electrically small, have been proposed based on metamaterials. However, most of the applications still remain in theory and are not suitable for practical applications mainly due to the intrinsic loss and narrow bandwidth (large dispersion) determined by the fundamental physics of metamaterials. In this dissertation, we incorporate active gain devices into conventional passive metamaterials to overcome loss and even provide gain. Two types of active gain negative refractive index metamaterials are proposed, designed and experimentally demonstrated, including an active composite left-/right-handed transmission line and an active volumetric metamaterial. In addition, we investigate the non-Foster circuits for broadband matching of electrically small antennas. A rigorous way of analyzing the stability of non-Foster circuits by normalized determinant function is proposed. We study the practical factors that may affect the stability of non-Foster circuits, including the device parasitics, DC biasing, layouts and load impedance. A stable floating negative capacitor is designed, fabricated and tested. Moreover, it is important to resolve the sign of refractive index for active gain media which can be quite challenging. We investigate the analytical solution of a gain slab system, and apply the Nyquist criterion to analyze the stability of a causal gain medium. We then emphasize that the result of frequency domain simulation has to be treated with care. Lastly, this dissertation discusses another interesting topic about THz spectroscopy of live cells

  19. Importance of Fuel Cell Tests for Stability Assessment—Suitability of Titanium Diboride as an Alternative Support Material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina Roth

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Carbon corrosion is a severe issue limiting the long-term stability of carbon-supported catalysts, in particular in the highly dynamic conditions of automotive applications. (Doped oxides have been discussed as suitable alternatives to replace carbon, but often suffer from poor electron conductivity. That is why non-oxide ceramics, such as tungsten carbide and titanium nitride, have been discussed recently. Titanium diboride has also been proposed, due to its promising activity and stability in an aqueous electrochemical cell. In this work, Pt nanoparticles were deposited onto μm-sized TiB2 particles with improved grain size, manufactured into porous gas diffusion electrodes and tested in a realistic polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM fuel cell environment. In contrast to the model studies in an aqueous electrochemical cell, in the presence of oxygen and high potentials at the cathode side of a real fuel cell, TiB2 becomes rapidly oxidized as indicated by intensely colored regions in the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA. Moreover, already the electrode manufacturing process led to the formation of titanium oxides, as shown by X-ray diffraction measurements. This demonstrates that Cyclic Voltammetry (CV measurements in an aqueous electrochemical cell are not sufficient to prove stability of novel materials for fuel cell applications.

  20. SiO2 decoration dramatically enhanced the stability of PtRu electrocatalysts with undetectable deterioration in fuel cell performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xinxin; Xu, Zejun; Yang, Zehui; Xu, Sen; Zhang, Quan; Ling, Ying; Zhang, Yunfeng; Cai, Weiwei

    2018-06-01

    Prevention of Ru dissolution is essential for steady CO tolerance of anodic electrocatalysts in direct methanol fuel cells. Here, we demonstrate a facile way to stabilize Ru atoms by decorating commercial CB/PtRu with SiO2, which shows a six-fold higher stability and similar activity toward a methanol oxidation reaction leading to no discernible degradation in fuel cell performance compared to commercial CB/PtRu electrocatalysts. The higher stability and stable CO tolerance of SiO2-decorated electrocatalysts originate from the SiO2 coating, since Ru atoms are partially ionized during SiO2 decorating, resulting in difficulties in dissolution; while, in the case of commercial CB/PtRu, the dissolved Ru offers active sites for Pt coalescences and CO species resulting in the rapid decay of the electrochemical surface area and fuel cell performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study about the stabilization of Ru atoms by SiO2. The highest stability is obtained for a PtRu electrocatalyst with negligible effect on the electrochemical properties.

  1. Composite cathode based on yttria stabilized bismuth oxide for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia Changrong; Zhang Yuelan; Liu Meilin

    2003-01-01

    Composites consisting of silver and yttria stabilized bismuth oxide (YSB) have been investigated as cathodes for low-temperature honeycomb solid oxide fuel cells with stabilized zirconia as electrolytes. At 600 deg. C, the interfacial polarization resistances of a porous YSB-Ag cathode is about 0.3 Ω cm 2 , more than one order of magnitude smaller than those of other reported cathodes on stabilized zirconia. For example, the interfacial resistances of a traditional YSZ-lanthanum maganites composite cathode is about 11.4 Ω cm 2 at 600 deg. C. Impedance analysis indicated that the performance of an YSB-Ag composite cathode fired at 850 deg. C for 2 h is severely limited by gas transport due to insufficient porosity. The high performance of the YSB-Ag cathodes is very encouraging for developing honeycomb fuel cells to be operated at temperatures below 600 deg. C

  2. Trapped particle stability for the kinetic stabilizer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berk, H. L.; Pratt, J.

    2011-08-01

    A kinetically stabilized axially symmetric tandem mirror (KSTM) uses the momentum flux of low-energy, unconfined particles that sample only the outer end-regions of the mirror plugs, where large favourable field-line curvature exists. The window of operation is determined for achieving magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability with tolerable energy drain from the kinetic stabilizer. Then MHD stable systems are analysed for stability of the trapped particle mode. This mode is characterized by the detachment of the central-cell plasma from the kinetic-stabilizer region without inducing field-line bending. Stability of the trapped particle mode is sensitive to the electron connection between the stabilizer and the end plug. It is found that the stability condition for the trapped particle mode is more constraining than the stability condition for the MHD mode, and it is challenging to satisfy the required power constraint. Furthermore, a severe power drain may arise from the necessary connection of low-energy electrons in the kinetic stabilizer to the central region.

  3. The phenotypic equilibrium of cancer cells: From average-level stability to path-wise convergence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Yuanling; Wang, Yue; Zhou, Da

    2015-12-07

    The phenotypic equilibrium, i.e. heterogeneous population of cancer cells tending to a fixed equilibrium of phenotypic proportions, has received much attention in cancer biology very recently. In the previous literature, some theoretical models were used to predict the experimental phenomena of the phenotypic equilibrium, which were often explained by different concepts of stabilities of the models. Here we present a stochastic multi-phenotype branching model by integrating conventional cellular hierarchy with phenotypic plasticity mechanisms of cancer cells. Based on our model, it is shown that: (i) our model can serve as a framework to unify the previous models for the phenotypic equilibrium, and then harmonizes the different kinds of average-level stabilities proposed in these models; and (ii) path-wise convergence of our model provides a deeper understanding to the phenotypic equilibrium from stochastic point of view. That is, the emergence of the phenotypic equilibrium is rooted in the stochastic nature of (almost) every sample path, the average-level stability just follows from it by averaging stochastic samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. HNRNPLL stabilizes mRNAs for DNA replication proteins and promotes cell cycle progression in colorectal cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakuma, Keiichiro; Sasaki, Eiichi; Kimura, Kenya; Komori, Koji; Shimizu, Yasuhiro; Yatabe, Yasushi; Aoki, Masahiro

    2018-06-05

    HNRNPLL (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L-like), an RNA-binding protein that regulates alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs, has been shown to regulate differentiation of lymphocytes, as well as metastasis of colorectal cancer cells. Here we show that HNRNPLL promotes cell cycle progression and hence proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. Functional annotation analysis of those genes whose expression levels were changed by three-fold or more in RNA sequencing analysis between SW480 cells overexpressing HNRNPLL and those knocked down for HNRNPLL revealed enrichment of DNA replication-related genes by HNRNPLL overexpression. Among 13 genes detected in the DNA replication pathway, PCNA, RFC3, and FEN1 showed reproducible upregulation by HNRNPLL overexpression both at mRNA and protein levels in SW480 and HT29 cells. Importantly, knockdown of any of these genes alone suppressed the proliferation promoting effect induced by HNRNPLL overexpression. RNA-immunoprecipitation assay presented a binding of FLAG-tagged HNRNPLL to mRNA of these genes, and HNRNPLL overexpression significantly suppressed the downregulation of these genes during 12 hours of actinomycin D treatment, suggesting a role of HNRNPLL in mRNA stability. Finally, analysis of a public RNA sequencing dataset of clinical samples suggested a link between overexpression of HNRNPLL and that of PCNA, RFC3, and FEN1. This link was further supported by immunohistochemistry of colorectal cancer clinical samples, whereas expression of CDKN1A, which is known to inhibit the cooperative function of PCNA, RFC3, and FEN1, was negatively associated with HNRNPLL expression. These results indicate that HNRNPLL stabilizes mRNAs encoding regulators of DNA replication and promotes colorectal cancer cell proliferation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  5. Static Magnetic Field Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in Pulp Cells by Affecting Cell Membrane Stability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung-Chih Hsieh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the causes of dental pulpitis is lipopolysaccharide- (LPS- induced inflammatory response. Following pulp tissue inflammation, odontoblasts, dental pulp cells (DPCs, and dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs will activate and repair damaged tissue to maintain homeostasis. However, when LPS infection is too serious, dental repair is impossible and disease may progress to irreversible pulpitis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether static magnetic field (SMF can attenuate inflammatory response of dental pulp cells challenged with LPS. In methodology, dental pulp cells were isolated from extracted teeth. The population of DPSCs in the cultured DPCs was identified by phenotypes and multilineage differentiation. The effects of 0.4 T SMF on DPCs were observed through MTT assay and fluorescent anisotropy assay. Our results showed that the SMF exposure had no effect on surface markers or multilineage differentiation capability. However, SMF exposure increases cell viability by 15%. In addition, SMF increased cell membrane rigidity which is directly related to higher fluorescent anisotropy. In the LPS-challenged condition, DPCs treated with SMF demonstrated a higher tolerance to LPS-induced inflammatory response when compared to untreated controls. According to these results, we suggest that 0.4 T SMF attenuates LPS-induced inflammatory response to DPCs by changing cell membrane stability.

  6. West syndrome associated with administration of a histamine H1 antagonist, oxatomide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamashita, Yushiro; Isagai, Takeo; Seki, Yoshitaka; Ohya, Takashi; Nagamitsu, Shinichiro; Matsuishi, Toyojiro

    2004-01-01

    We report a 4-month-old female infant who developed West syndrome eleven days after administration of a histamine H1 antagonist, oxatomide, for atopic dermatitis. It has been reported that some histamine H1 antagonists induce seizures in epileptic patients. The age, the interval between oxatomide administration, and the onset of West syndrome and its clinical course were similar to two previously reported 3-month-old infants with West syndrome associated with ketotifen administration. We should be cautious in using the histamine H1 antagonists, oxatomide and ketotifen, in young infants because such agents could potentially disturb the anticonvulsive central histaminergic system.

  7. Improved Efficiency and Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells Induced by CO Functionalized Hydrophobic Ammonium-Based Additives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zhifang; Raga, Sonia R; Juarez-Perez, Emilio J; Yao, Xuyang; Jiang, Yan; Ono, Luis K; Ning, Zhijun; Tian, He; Qi, Yabing

    2018-01-01

    Because of the rapid rise of the efficiency, perovskite solar cells are currently considered as the most promising next-generation photovoltaic technology. Much effort has been made to improve the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells. Here, it is demonstrated that the addition of a novel organic cation of 2-(6-bromo-1,3-dioxo-1H-benzo[de]isoquinolin-2(3H)-yl)ethan-1-ammonium iodide (2-NAM), which has strong Lewis acid and base interaction (between CO and Pb) with perovskite, can effectively increase crystalline grain size and reduce charge carrier recombination of the double cation FA 0.83 MA 0.17 PbI 2.51 Br 0.49 perovskite film, thus boosting the efficiency from 17.1 ± 0.8% to 18.6 ± 0.9% for the 0.1 cm 2 cell and from 15.5 ± 0.5% to 16.5 ± 0.6% for the 1.0 cm 2 cell. The champion cell shows efficiencies of 20.0% and 17.6% with active areas of 0.1 and 1.0 cm 2 , respectively. Moreover, the hysteresis behavior is suppressed and the stability is improved. The result provides a promising route to further elevate efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells by the fine tuning of triple organic cations. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Cell Cycle Regulates Nuclear Stability of AID and Determines the Cellular Response to AID.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Quy Le

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available AID (Activation Induced Deaminase deaminates cytosines in DNA to initiate immunoglobulin gene diversification and to reprogram CpG methylation in early development. AID is potentially highly mutagenic, and it causes genomic instability evident as translocations in B cell malignancies. Here we show that AID is cell cycle regulated. By high content screening microscopy, we demonstrate that AID undergoes nuclear degradation more slowly in G1 phase than in S or G2-M phase, and that mutations that affect regulatory phosphorylation or catalytic activity can alter AID stability and abundance. We directly test the role of cell cycle regulation by fusing AID to tags that destabilize nuclear protein outside of G1 or S-G2/M phases. We show that enforced nuclear localization of AID in G1 phase accelerates somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination, and is well-tolerated; while nuclear AID compromises viability in S-G2/M phase cells. We identify AID derivatives that accelerate somatic hypermutation with minimal impact on viability, which will be useful tools for engineering genes and proteins by iterative mutagenesis and selection. Our results further suggest that use of cell cycle tags to regulate nuclear stability may be generally applicable to studying DNA repair and to engineering the genome.

  9. Epigenetic stability, adaptability, and reversibility in human embryonic stem cells

    OpenAIRE

    Tompkins, Joshua D.; Hall, Christine; Chen, Vincent Chang-yi; Li, Arthur Xuejun; Wu, Xiwei; Hsu, David; Couture, Larry A.; Riggs, Arthur D.

    2012-01-01

    The stability of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is of critical importance for both experimental and clinical applications. We find that as an initial response to altered culture conditions, hESCs change their transcription profile for hundreds of genes and their DNA methylation profiles for several genes outside the core pluripotency network. After adaption to conditions of feeder-free defined and/or xeno-free culture systems, expression and DNA methylation profiles are quite stable for a...

  10. Stability studies and degradation analysis of plastic solar cell materials by FTIR spectroscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Neugebauer, H.; Brabec, C.J.; Hummelen, J.C.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Sariciftci, N.S.

    1999-01-01

    Results of controlled degradation experiments performed with the individual components and with the actual mixture used in plastic solar cells are shown. A testing procedure for the stability and for degradation effects under illumination in controlled atmosphere using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy is

  11. Factors influencing the mechanical stability of alginate beads applicable for immunoisolation of mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhujbal, Swapnil V; Paredes-Juarez, Genaro A; Niclou, Simone P; de Vos, Paul

    2014-09-01

    Transplantation of microencapsulated cells has been proposed as a cure for many types of endocrine disorders. Alginate-based microcapsules have been used in many of the feasibility studied addressing cure of the endocrine disorders, and different cancer types. Despite years of intensive research it is still not completely understood which factors have to be controlled and documented for achieving adequate mechanical stability. Here we studied the strength and elasticity of microcapsules of different composition with and without cell load. We compared strength (force) versus elasticity (time) required to compress individual microcapsule to 60% deformation. It is demonstrated that the alginate viscosity, the size of the beads, the alginate type, the gelling time, the storage solution and the cell load are dominant factors in determining the final strength of alginate-based microcapsules while the type of gelling ion, the polyamino acid incubation time, the type of polyamino acid and the culturing time determines the elasticity of the alginate-based microcapsules. Our data underpin the essence of documenting the above mentioned factors in studies on encapsulated cells as mechanical stability is an essential factor in the success and failure of encapsulated grafts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Maternal Nanos-Dependent RNA Stabilization in the Primordial Germ Cells of Drosophila Embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugimori, Seiko; Kumata, Yuji; Kobayashi, Satoru

    2018-01-01

    Nanos (Nos) is an evolutionary conserved protein expressed in the germline of various animal species. In Drosophila, maternal Nos protein is essential for germline development. In the germline progenitors, or the primordial germ cells (PGCs), Nos binds to the 3' UTR of target mRNAs to repress their translation. In contrast to this prevailing role of Nos, here we report that the 3' UTR of CG32425 mRNA mediates Nos-dependent RNA stabilization in PGCs. We found that the level of mRNA expressed from a reporter gene fused to the CG32425 3' UTR was significantly reduced in PGCs lacking maternal Nos (nos PGCs) as compared with normal PGCs. By deleting the CG32425 3' UTR, we identified the region required for mRNA stabilization, which includes Nos-binding sites. In normal embryos, CG32425 mRNA was maternally supplied into PGCs and remained in this cell type during embryogenesis. However, as expected from our reporter assay, the levels of CG32425 mRNA and its protein product expressed in nos PGCs were lower than in normal PGCs. Thus, we propose that Nos protein has dual functions in translational repression and stabilization of specific RNAs to ensure proper germline development. © 2017 Japanese Society of Developmental Biologists.

  13. Thermal conductivity and stability of nano size carbon black filled PDMS: Fuel cell perspective

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Chen, H

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Carbon black filled Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was considered as a prospective bipolar plate material candidate for a Fuel Cell. In this perspective, thermal conductivity and stability of the composites were investigated. Samples with filler weight...

  14. Optimizing P3HT/PCBM/MWCNT films for increased stability in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Vinamrita; Arora, Swati; Arora, Manoj; Sharma, Vishal; Tandon, R.P.

    2014-01-01

    The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the properties of P3HT:PCBM based solar cells has been studied. The concentration of MWCNT was optimized at 0.2% and the concentration of P3HT:PCBM was increased from 20mg/ml to 30mg/ml to obtain highest efficiency. An increase in charge carrier mobility was also observed, which is attributed to high charge transport properties of MWCNT. The active layer was optically stable with respect to absorption, whereas the emission spectra revealed an increase in charge recombination with time. The solar cells doped with MWCNT exhibited increased stability as compared to undoped cells. - Highlights: • MWCNT doped P3HT:PCBM based solar cells are optimized for increased efficiency. • Degradation studies showed that MWCNT stabilizes the cell performance. • Mobility and basic device characteristics decreased with time. • Photoluminescence studies with time showed an increase in charge recombination. • Degradation for devices kept in air is faster as compared to the samples in vacuum

  15. Optimizing P3HT/PCBM/MWCNT films for increased stability in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, Vinamrita [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Arora, Swati, E-mail: drswatia@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110002 (India); Arora, Manoj [Department of Physics, Ramjas College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Sharma, Vishal; Tandon, R.P. [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India)

    2014-08-22

    The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the properties of P3HT:PCBM based solar cells has been studied. The concentration of MWCNT was optimized at 0.2% and the concentration of P3HT:PCBM was increased from 20mg/ml to 30mg/ml to obtain highest efficiency. An increase in charge carrier mobility was also observed, which is attributed to high charge transport properties of MWCNT. The active layer was optically stable with respect to absorption, whereas the emission spectra revealed an increase in charge recombination with time. The solar cells doped with MWCNT exhibited increased stability as compared to undoped cells. - Highlights: • MWCNT doped P3HT:PCBM based solar cells are optimized for increased efficiency. • Degradation studies showed that MWCNT stabilizes the cell performance. • Mobility and basic device characteristics decreased with time. • Photoluminescence studies with time showed an increase in charge recombination. • Degradation for devices kept in air is faster as compared to the samples in vacuum.

  16. Resveratrol production in bioreactor: Assessment of cell physiological states and plasmid segregational stability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margarida S. Afonso

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Resveratrol is a plant secondary metabolite commonly found in peanuts and grapevines with significant health benefits. Recombinant organisms can produce large amounts of resveratrol and, in this work, Escherichia coli BW27784 was used to produce resveratrol in bioreactors while monitoring cell physiology and plasmid stability through flow cytometry and real-time qPCR, respectively. Initially, the influence of culture conditions and precursor addition was evaluated in screening assays and the data gathered was used to perform the bioreactor assays, allowing the production of 160 μg/mL of resveratrol. Cellular physiology and plasmid instability affected the final resveratrol production, with lower viability and plasmid copy numbers associated with lower yields. In sum, this study describes new tools to monitor the bioprocess, evaluating the effect of culture conditions, and its correlation with cell physiology and plasmid segregational stability, in order to define a viable and scalable bioprocess to fulfill the need for larger quantities of resveratrol.

  17. Dye-sensitized solar cells and solar module using polymer electrolytes: Stability and performance investigations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jilian Nei de Freitas

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available We present recent results on solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell research using a polymer electrolyte based on a poly(ethylene oxide derivative. The stability and performance of the devices have been improved by a modification in the method of assembly of the cells and by the addition of plasticizers in the electrolyte. After 30 days of solar irradiation (100 mW cm-2 no changes in the cell's efficiency were observed using this new method. The effect of the active area size on cell performance and the first results obtained for the first solar module composed of 4.5 cm2 solid-state solar cells are also presented.

  18. Stability and bifurcation in a model for the dynamics of stem-like cells in leukemia under treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rǎdulescu, I. R.; Cândea, D.; Halanay, A.

    2012-11-01

    A mathematical model for the dynamics of leukemic cells during treatment is introduced. Delay differential equations are used to model cells' evolution and are based on the Mackey-Glass approach, incorporating Goldie-Coldman law. Since resistance is propagated by cells that have the capacity of self-renewal, a population of stem-like cells is studied. Equilibrium points are calculated and their stability properties are investigated.

  19. Stability of templated and nanoparticles dye-sensitized solar cells: photovoltaic and electrochemical investigation of degradation mechanisms at the photoelectrode interface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dewalque, Jennifer; Nguyen, Ngoc Duy; Colson, Pierre; Krins, Natacha; Cloots, Rudi; Henrist, Catherine

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Highly porous templated TiO 2 films are promising alternative to nanoparticle layers for dye-sensitized solar cell applications. However, the increase of the electron transfer surface could promote detrimental side reactions and accelerate cell degradation upon ageing. Therefore, stability of templated cells under UV exposure, visible light soaking and thermal stress was studied in comparison to nanoparticle cells. -- Highlights: •Stability of templated and nanoparticle dye-sensitized solar cells is compared. •Templated cells are more sensitive to UV degradation than nanoparticle cells. •Templated cells are as stable as nanoparticle cells under light soaking. •Templated cells are more stable than nanoparticle cells under thermal stress. •Templated cells present better overall performances than nanoparticle cells. -- Abstract: A key issue in the commercialization of dye-sensitized solar cells is to maintain high efficiency and long lifetime. As reported in the literature, dye-sensitized solar cells are stable under visible light soaking but thermal stress and UV exposure lead to efficiency degradation. However, all the stability studies published so far have been performed on cells whose TiO 2 electrodes were prepared by tape casting or screen printing of nanoparticle pastes/inks. The present study concerns cells based on highly porous templated TiO 2 electrodes, whose larger surface area could enhance the negative effects of thermal stress, light soaking and UV exposure. The long-term stability of these cells is compared with a classical nanoparticle-based cell using current-voltage measurements (I-V curves) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Due to their higher active interface, templated cells are more sensitive than nanoparticle cells to UV illumination, although this can be easily solved in both cases by the use of a UV filter. The templated cells are as stable as the nanoparticle cells under visible light soaking (UV

  20. Mechanical stability of roll-to-roll printed solar cells under cyclic bending and torsion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Finn, Mickey; Martens, Christian James; Zaretski, Aliaksandr V.

    2018-01-01

    The ability of printed organic solar cells (OSCs) to survive repeated mechanical deformation is critical to large-scale implementation. This paper reports an investigation into the mechanical stability of OSCs through bending and torsion testing of whole printed modules. Two types of modules...

  1. Bioluminescence Detection of Cells Having Stabilized p53 in Response to a Genotoxic Event

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alnawaz Rehemtulla

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Inactivation of p53 is one of the most frequent molecular events in neoplastic transformation. Approximately 60% of all human tumors have mutations in both p53 alleles. Wild-type p53 activity is regulated in large part by the proteosome-dependent degradation of p53, resulting in a short p53 half-life in unstressed and untransformed cells. Activation of p53 by a variety of stimuli, including DNA damage induced by genotoxic drugs or radiation, is accomplished by stabilization of wild-type p53. The stabilized and active p53 can result in either cell-cycle arrest or apoptosis. Surprisingly, the majority of tumor-associated, inactivating p53 mutations also result in p53 accumulation. Thus, constitutive elevation of p53 levels in cells is a reliable measure of p53 inactivation, whereas transiently increased p53 levels reflect a recent genotoxic stress. In order to facilitate noninvasive imaging of p53 accumulation, we here describe the construction of a p53-luciferase fusion protein. Induction of DNA damage in cells expressing the fusion protein resulted in a time-dependent accumulation of the fusion that was noninvasively detected using bioluminescence imaging and validated by Western blot analysis. The p53-Luc protein retains p53 function because its expression in HCT116 cells lacking functional p53 resulted in activation of p21 expression as well as induction of apoptosis in response to a DNA damaging event. Employed in a transgenic animal model, the proposed p53-reporter fusion protein will be useful for studying p53 activation in response to exposure to DNA-damaging carcinogenic agents. It could also be used to study p53 stabilization as a result of inactivating p53 mutations. Such studies will further our understanding of p53's role as the “guardian of the genome” and its function in tumorigenesis.

  2. Effects of Bidens pilosa L. var. radiata SCHERFF treated with enzyme on histamine-induced contraction of guinea pig ileum and on histamine release from mast cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumoto, Takayuki; Horiuchi, Masako; Kamata, Katsuo; Seyama, Yoshiyuki

    2009-06-01

    The medical mechanism against type I allergies is to block the release or production of chemical mediators from mast cells or to block the H(1)-receptor signaling. We previously reported that the anti-allergic action of the dry powder from Bidens pilosa L. var. radiata SCHERFF treated with the enzyme cellulosine (eMMBP) was dependent on the inhibition of histamine release from mast cells. Here, we investigate that the effect of fractions in eMMBP on the histamine-induced contraction in guinea pig ileum and on the release of histamine in rat peritoneal mast cells. The histamine-induced contraction in guinea pig ileum is dose-dependently inhibited by ketotifen, an antagonist of H(1)-receptor. Fractions contained caffeic acid, caffeoylquinic acid and fractions contained flavonoids such as hyperin and isoquercitrin in eMMBP inhibit histamine release from mast cells, but only flavonoids such as hyperin, isoquercitrin and rutin suppress the histamine-induced contraction in guinea pig ileum. Moreover, the histamine-induced contraction was not affected by caffeic acid, however, such contraction was significantly inhibited by rutin. These results suggest that the primary antagonists of H(1)- receptor are different from the components in eMMBP that inhibit histamine release, and that these components participate in the anti-allergic activity of eMMBP.

  3. Toward a High-Stability Coherent Population Trapping Cs Vapor-Cell Atomic Clock Using Autobalanced Ramsey Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdel Hafiz, Moustafa; Coget, Grégoire; Petersen, Michael; Rocher, Cyrus; Guérandel, Stéphane; Zanon-Willette, Thomas; de Clercq, Emeric; Boudot, Rodolphe

    2018-06-01

    Vapor-cell atomic clocks are widely appreciated for their excellent short-term fractional frequency stability and their compactness. However, they are known to suffer on medium and long time scales from significant frequency instabilities, generally attributed to light-induced frequency-shift effects. In order to tackle this limitation, we investigate the application of the recently proposed autobalanced Ramsey (ABR) interrogation protocol onto a pulsed hot-vapor Cs vapor-cell clock based on coherent population trapping (CPT). We demonstrate that the ABR protocol, developed initially to probe the one-photon resonance of quantum optical clocks, can be successfully applied to a two-photon CPT resonance. The applied method, based on the alternation of two successive Ramsey-CPT sequences with unequal free-evolution times and the subsequent management of two interconnected phase and frequency servo loops, is found to allow a relevant reduction of the clock-frequency sensitivity to laser-power variations. This original ABR-CPT approach, combined with the implementation of advanced electronics laser-power stabilization systems, yields the demonstration of a CPT-based Cs vapor-cell clock with a short-term fractional frequency stability at the level of 3.1×10 -13τ-1 /2 , averaging down to the level of 6 ×10-15 at 2000-s integration time. These encouraging performances demonstrate that the use of the ABR interrogation protocol is a promising option towards the development of high-stability CPT-based frequency standards. Such clocks could be attractive candidates in numerous applications including next-generation satellite-based navigation systems, secure communications, instrumentation, or defense systems.

  4. Dental pulp pluripotent-like stem cells (DPPSC), a new stem cell population with chromosomal stability and osteogenic capacity for biomaterials evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Núñez-Toldrà, Raquel; Martínez-Sarrà, Ester; Gil-Recio, Carlos; Carrasco, Miguel Ángel; Al Madhoun, Ashraf; Montori, Sheyla; Atari, Maher

    2017-04-21

    Biomaterials are widely used to regenerate or substitute bone tissue. In order to evaluate their potential use for clinical applications, these need to be tested and evaluated in vitro with cell culture models. Frequently, immortalized osteoblastic cell lines are used in these studies. However, their uncontrolled proliferation rate, phenotypic changes or aberrations in mitotic processes limits their use in long-term investigations. Recently, we described a new pluripotent-like subpopulation of dental pulp stem cells derived from the third molars (DPPSC) that shows genetic stability and shares some pluripotent characteristics with embryonic stem cells. In this study we aim to describe the use of DPPSC to test biomaterials, since we believe that the biomaterial cues will be more critical in order to enhance the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. The capacity of DPPSC to differentiate into osteogenic lineage was compared with human sarcoma osteogenic cell line (SAOS-2). Collagen and titanium were used to assess the cell behavior in commonly used biomaterials. The analyses were performed by flow cytometry, alkaline phosphatase and mineralization stains, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, scanning electron microscopy, Western blot and enzymatic activity. Moreover, the genetic stability was evaluated and compared before and after differentiation by short-comparative genomic hybridization (sCGH). DPPSC showed excellent differentiation into osteogenic lineages expressing bone-related markers similar to SAOS-2. When cells were cultured on biomaterials, DPPSC showed higher initial adhesion levels. Nevertheless, their osteogenic differentiation showed similar trend among both cell types. Interestingly, only DPPSC maintained a normal chromosomal dosage before and after differentiation on 2D monolayer and on biomaterials. Taken together, these results promote the use of DPPSC as a new pluripotent-like cell model to evaluate the biocompatibility and the differentiation

  5. The Importance of Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation for Long Cycle Stability Full-Cell Na-Ion Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xiaolin; Yan, Pengfei; Engelhard, Mark H.; Crawford, Aladsair J.; Viswanathan, Vilayanur V.; Wang, Chong M.; Liu, Jun; Sprenkle, Vincent L.

    2016-07-30

    Na-ion battery, as an alternative high-efficiency and low-cost energy storage device to Li-ion battery, has attracted wide interest for electrical grid and vehicle applications. However, demonstration of a full-cell battery with high energy and long cycle life remains a significant challenge. Here, we investigated the role of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation on both cathodes and anodes and revealed a potential way to achieve long-term stability for Na-ion battery full-cells. Pre-cycling of cathodes and anodes leads to preformation of SEI, and hence mitigates the consumption of Na ions in full-cells. The example full-cell of Na0.44MnO2-hard carbon with pre-cycled and capacity-matched electrodes can deliver a specific capacity of ~116 mAh/g based on Na0.44MnO2 at 1C rate (1C = 120 mA/g). The corresponding specific energy is ~313 Wh/kg. Excellent cycling stability with ~77% capacity retention over 2000 cycles was demonstrated at 2C rate. Our work represents a leap forward in Na-ion battery development.

  6. Wide band gap solar cells with high stabilized performance. Annual technical report, 15 July 1995--15 July 1996

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wronski, C R; Collins, R W; Fujiwara, H [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); and others

    1997-01-01

    This report describes work on an improved understanding of stability in materials and silicon solar cells. Topics include novel intrinsic materials optimization; solar cells optimized for p- and i-layer performance; novel p-type materials; interfaces; and device modeling.

  7. A study on the chemical stability and electrode performance of modified NiO cathodes for molten carbonate fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Seung-Goo; Yoon, Sung Pil; Han, Jonghee; Nam, Suk Woo; Lim, Tae Hoon; Oh, In-Hwan; Hong, Seong-Ahn

    2004-01-01

    The chemical stabilities of modified NiO cathodes doped with 1.5 mol% CoO and 1.5 mol% LiCoO 2 fabricated by a conventional tape casting method were evaluated through the real MCFC single cell operation. The heat-treated samples before oxidation had proper porosities and microstructures for a MCFC cathode. At 150 mA cm -2 in current density, the MCFC single cell using a CoO-doped NiO cathode showed stable cell voltages in the range of 0.833-0.843 V for 1000 h. In contrast, the cell using a LiCoO 2 -doped NiO cathode with a maximum of 0.836 V at 500 h degraded to 0.826 V at 1000 h due to a wet seal breakdown at the cathode side. The amounts of nickel precipitated in the electrolytes of the cells using modified NiO cathodes doped with CoO and LiCoO 2 after the operation for 1000 h were 1.2 and 1.4 wt.%, respectively, which were about 60% lower than that of the standard cells using pure NiO cathodes. The enhanced chemical stability of modified NiO cathodes seems to be attributed to the fact that the presence of cobalt increases the lithium content in the cathodes by converting Ni 2+ to Ni 3+ , resulting in stabilizing the layered crystal structure

  8. Xyloglucan Deficiency Disrupts Microtubule Stability and Cellulose Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis, Altering Cell Growth and Morphogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Chaowen; Zhang, Tian; Zheng, Yunzhen; Cosgrove, Daniel J.; Anderson, Charles T.

    2015-11-02

    Xyloglucan constitutes most of the hemicellulose in eudicot primary cell walls and functions in cell wall structure and mechanics. Although Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) xxt1 xxt2 mutants lacking detectable xyloglucan are viable, they display growth defects that are suggestive of alterations in wall integrity. To probe the mechanisms underlying these defects, we analyzed cellulose arrangement, microtubule patterning and dynamics, microtubule- and wall-integrity-related gene expression, and cellulose biosynthesis in xxt1 xxt2 plants. We found that cellulose is highly aligned in xxt1 xxt2 cell walls, that its three-dimensional distribution is altered, and that microtubule patterning and stability are aberrant in etiolated xxt1 xxt2 hypocotyls. We also found that the expression levels of microtubule-associated genes, such as MAP70-5 and CLASP, and receptor genes, such as HERK1 and WAK1, were changed in xxt1 xxt2 plants and that cellulose synthase motility is reduced in xxt1 xxt2 cells, corresponding with a reduction in cellulose content. Our results indicate that loss of xyloglucan affects both the stability of the microtubule cytoskeleton and the production and patterning of cellulose in primary cell walls. These findings establish, to our knowledge, new links between wall integrity, cytoskeletal dynamics, and wall synthesis in the regulation of plant morphogenesis.

  9. Selection of suitable prodrug candidates for in vivo studies via in vitro studies; the correlation of prodrug stability in between cell culture homogenates and human tissue homogenates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsume, Yasuhiro; Amidon, Gordon L

    2012-01-01

    To determine the correlations/discrepancies of drug stabilities between in the homogenates of human culture cells and of human tissues. Amino acid/dipeptide monoester prodrugs of floxuridine were chosen as the model drugs. The stabilities (half-lives) of floxuridine prodrugs in human tissues (pancreas, liver, and small intestine) homogenates were obtained and compared with ones in cell culture homogenates (AcPC-1, Capan-2, and Caco-2 cells) as well as human liver microsomes. The correlations of prodrug stability in human small bowel tissue homogenate vs. Caco-2 cell homogenate, human liver tissue homogenate vs. human liver microsomes, and human pancreatic tissue homogenate vs. pancreatic cell, AsPC-1 and Capan-2, homogenates were examined. The stabilities of floxuridine prodrugs in human small bowel homogenate exhibited the great correlation to ones in Caco-2 cell homogenate (slope = 1.0-1.3, r2 = 0.79-0.98). The stability of those prodrugs in human pancreas tissue homogenate also exhibited the good correlations to ones in AsPC-1 and Capan-2 cells homogenates (slope = 0.5-0.8, r2 = 0.58-0.79). However, the correlations of prodrug stabilities between in human liver tissue homogenates and in human liver microsomes were weaker than others (slope = 1.3-1.9, r2 = 0.07-0.24). The correlations of drug stabilities in cultured cell homogenates and in human tissue homogenates were compared. Those results exhibited wide range of correlations between in cell homogenate and in human tissue homogenate (r2 = 0.07 - 0.98). Those in vitro studies in cell homogenates would be good tools to predict drug stabilities in vivo and to select drug candidates for further developments. In the series of experiments, 5'-O-D-valyl-floxuridine and 5'-O-L-phenylalanyl-L-tyrosyl-floxuridine would be selected as candidates of oral drug targeting delivery for cancer chemotherapy due to their relatively good stabilities compared to other tested prodrugs.

  10. The stabilization of hypoxia inducible factor modulates differentiation status and inhibits the proliferation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Binó, Lucia; Kučera, Jan; Štefková, Kateřina; Švihálková Šindlerová, Lenka; Lánová, Martina; Kudová, Jana; Kubala, Lukáš; Pacherník, Jiří

    2016-01-25

    Hypoxic conditions are suggested to affect the differentiation status of stem cells (SC), including embryonic stem cells (ESC). Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) is one of the main intracellular molecules responsible for the cellular response to hypoxia. Hypoxia stabilizes HIF by inhibiting the activity of HIF prolyl-hydroxylases (PHD), which are responsible for targeting HIF-alpha subunits for proteosomal degradation. To address the impact of HIF stabilization on the maintenance of the stemness signature of mouse ESC (mESC), we tested the influence of the inhibition of PHDs and hypoxia (1% O2 and 5% O2) on spontaneous ESC differentiation triggered by leukemia inhibitory factor withdrawal for 24 and 48 h. The widely used panhydroxylase inhibitor dimethyloxaloylglycine (DMOG) and PHD inhibitor JNJ-42041935 (JNJ) with suggested higher specificity towards PHDs were employed. Both inhibitors and both levels of hypoxia significantly increased HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha protein levels and HIF transcriptional activity in spontaneously differentiating mESC. This was accompanied by significant downregulation of cell proliferation manifested by the complete inhibition of DNA synthesis and partial arrest in the S phase after 48 h. Further, HIF stabilization enhanced downregulation of the expressions of some pluripotency markers (OCT-4, NANOG, ZFP-42, TNAP) in spontaneously differentiating mESC. However, at the same time, there was also a significant decrease in the expression of some genes selected as markers of cell differentiation (e.g. SOX1, BRACH T, ELF5). In conclusion, the short term stabilization of HIF mediated by the PHD inhibitors JNJ and DMOG and hypoxia did not prevent the spontaneous loss of pluripotency markers in mESC. However, it significantly downregulated the proliferation of these cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. A roll-to-roll process to flexible polymer solar cells: model studies, manufacture and operational stability studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krebs, Frederik C; Gevorgyan, Suren; Alstrup, Jan

    2009-01-01

    An inverted polymer solar cell geometry comprising a total of five layers was optimized using laboratory scale cells and the operational stability was studied under model atmospheres. The device geometry was substrate-ITO-ZnO-(active layer)-PEDOT:PSS-silver with P3HT-PCBM as the active layer. The...

  12. Dual Function Additives: A Small Molecule Crosslinker for Enhanced Efficiency and Stability in Organic Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Rumer, Joseph W.; Ashraf, Raja S.; Eisenmenger, Nancy D.; Huang, Zhenggang; Meager, Iain; Nielsen, Christian B.; Schroeder, Bob C.; Chabinyc, Michael L.; McCulloch, Iain

    2015-01-01

    A bis-azide-based small molecule crosslinker is synthesized and evaluated as both a stabilizing and efficiency-boosting additive in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells. Activated by a noninvasive and scalable solution processing technique, polymer:fullerene blends exhibit improved thermal stability with suppressed polymer skin formation at the cathode and frustrated fullerene aggregation on ageing, with initial efficiency increased from 6% to 7%. © 2015 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Dual Function Additives: A Small Molecule Crosslinker for Enhanced Efficiency and Stability in Organic Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Rumer, Joseph W.

    2015-02-01

    A bis-azide-based small molecule crosslinker is synthesized and evaluated as both a stabilizing and efficiency-boosting additive in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells. Activated by a noninvasive and scalable solution processing technique, polymer:fullerene blends exhibit improved thermal stability with suppressed polymer skin formation at the cathode and frustrated fullerene aggregation on ageing, with initial efficiency increased from 6% to 7%. © 2015 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. The Colloidal Stabilization of Quantum Dots: Towards Manufacturable, Efficient Solution-Processed Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rollny, Lisa

    Understanding colloidal stabilization can influence the design of optoelectronic devices and enable improvements to their performance and stability. For photovoltaics, important characteristics of the active layer material are high conductivity along with a minimum of recombination centers. In order to capitalize on the benefits of solution-processed materials, it is important to minimize the number of processing steps: ideally, to achieve a low-cost solution, materials would be deposited using a single process step compatible with roll-to-roll manufacturing. Prior to this work, the highest-performing colloidal quantum dots (CQD) solar cells have relied on several deposition steps that are repeated in a layer-by-layer (LBL) fashion. The purpose of these process steps has been to remove the long insulating ligands used in synthesis and replace them with short ligands that allow electrical conduction. The large number of steps combined, typically implemented via spin coating, leads to inefficient materials utilization and fails to show a path to a manufacturable solution. In this work, the first CQD solar cells were designed, built, and characterized combining state-of-art performance with scalable manufacture. Firstly, I report the first automated CQD synthesis to result in CQDs that form high-performance CQD solar cells. I analyze the CQD synthesis and by separating it into two phases---nucleation and growth phase---my insights are used to create higher-quality CQDs exhibiting enhanced monodispersity. I then proceed to develop a CQD ink: a CQD solution ready for direct deposition to form a semiconducting film exhibiting low trap state density. In early trials the CQD ink showed only limited power conversion efficiencies of 2%. I designed a new ink strategy, which I term cleavable hemiketal ligands. This novel two-component ligand strategy enables the combination of colloidal stabilization (via this longer two-component ligand) and cleavability (enabling excellent

  15. Perovskite solar cells with CuSCN hole extraction layers yield stabilized efficiencies greater than 20%

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arora, Neha; Dar, M. Ibrahim; Hinderhofer, Alexander; Pellet, Norman; Schreiber, Frank; Zakeeruddin, Shaik Mohammed; Grätzel, Michael

    2017-11-01

    Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with efficiencies greater than 20% have been realized only with expensive organic hole-transporting materials. We demonstrate PSCs that achieve stabilized efficiencies exceeding 20% with copper(I) thiocyanate (CuSCN) as the hole extraction layer. A fast solvent removal method enabled the creation of compact, highly conformal CuSCN layers that facilitate rapid carrier extraction and collection. The PSCs showed high thermal stability under long-term heating, although their operational stability was poor. This instability originated from potential-induced degradation of the CuSCN/Au contact. The addition of a conductive reduced graphene oxide spacer layer between CuSCN and gold allowed PSCs to retain >95% of their initial efficiency after aging at a maximum power point for 1000 hours under full solar intensity at 60°C. Under both continuous full-sun illumination and thermal stress, CuSCN-based devices surpassed the stability of spiro-OMeTAD-based PSCs.

  16. Round-Robin Studies on Roll-Processed ITO-free Organic Tandem Solar Cells Combined with Inter-Laboratory Stability Studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Livi, Francesco; Søndergaard, Roar R.; Andersen, Thomas Rieks

    2015-01-01

    Roll-processed, indium tin oxide (ITO)-free, flexible, organic tandem solar cells and modules have been realized and used in round-robin studies as well as in parallel inter-laboratory stability studies. The tandem cells/modules show no significant difference in comparison to their single...

  17. Frequency stabilization of a 2.05 μm laser using hollow-core fiber CO2 frequency reference cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meras, Patrick; Poberezhskiy, Ilya Y.; Chang, Daniel H.; Spiers, Gary D.

    2010-04-01

    We have designed and built a hollow-core fiber frequency reference cell, filled it with CO2, and used it to demonstrate frequency stabilization of a 2.05 μm Tm:Ho:YLF laser using frequency modulation (FM) spectroscopy technique. The frequency reference cell is housed in a compact and robust hermetic package that contains a several meter long hollow-core photonic crystal fiber optically coupled to index-guiding fibers with a fusion splice on one end and a mechanical splice on the other end. The package has connectorized fiber pigtails and a valve used to evacuate, refill it, or adjust the gas pressure. We have demonstrated laser frequency standard deviation decreasing from >450MHz (free-running) to laser wavelength is of particular interest for spectroscopic instruments due to the presence of many CO2 and H20 absorption lines in its vicinity. To our knowledge, this is the first reported demonstration of laser frequency stabilization at this wavelength using a hollow-core fiber reference cell. This approach enables all-fiber implementation of the optical portion of laser frequency stabilization system, thus making it dramatically more lightweight, compact, and robust than the traditional free-space version that utilizes glass or metal gas cells. It can also provide much longer interaction length of light with gas and does not require any alignment. The demonstrated frequency reference cell is particularly attractive for use in aircraft and space coherent lidar instruments for measuring atmospheric CO2 profile.

  18. Production, characterization and stability of organic solar cell devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gevorgyan, S A

    2010-01-15

    Despite the fact that the field of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) is in a rapid progress, organic solar cells continue taking backstage roll in the growing markets of various solar technologies. The main challenge of the field is to develop devices that would possess all the optimal properties required for efficient, stable and cheap solar cells, i.e. devices that can deliver high photoconversion efficiencies and long lifetimes and can be efficiently produced in large scales using roll-to-roll coating technologies. This dissertation is primarily devoted to the issues of photoconversion efficiency and device lifetimes. In particular, descriptions of some practical approaches for different device designs and processing of active layer for typical small scale OPV devices were presented. The emphasis was put on some optimizing techniques for processing of active layer that can significantly improve the device photoconversion efficiency. The techniques were further applied for manufacturing and characterization of solar cell devices based on various materials. In particular, a number of thermocleavable polymers were studied and devices based on such materials were produced and characterized. The applicability of such materials in photovoltaic devices was shown and further challenges were discussed. Another task of this work was to manufacture and study inverted device structures and compare their properties with normal structure based devices. Device based on both structure were successfully produced with same level of performance in terms of photoconversion efficiency, yet with totally different stability performance. As another task, metal oxides, such as MoO{sub 3} or V{sub 2}O{sub 5} were studied in solar cell devices as buffer layers instead of PEDOT:PSS. Although the device efficiencies obtained with metal oxides were inferior to PEDOT based device, it was shown that such materials can possibly improve the device efficiency if the processing of the layers is

  19. Stability and Hopf bifurcation on a model for HIV infection of CD4{sup +} T cells with delay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Xia [College of Mathematics and Information Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan 464000 (China)], E-mail: xywangxia@163.com; Tao Youde [College of Mathematics and Information Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan 464000 (China); Beijing Institute of Information Control, Beijing 100037 (China); Song Xinyu [College of Mathematics and Information Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan 464000 (China) and Research Institute of Forest Resource Information Techniques, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091 (China)], E-mail: xysong88@163.com

    2009-11-15

    In this paper, a delayed differential equation model that describes HIV infection of CD4{sup +} T cells is considered. The stability of the positive equilibrium and the existence of Hopf bifurcation are investigated. In succession, using the normal form theory and center manifold argument, we derive the explicit formulas which determine the stability, direction and other properties of bifurcating periodic solutions.

  20. Porous Lactose-Modified Chitosan Scaffold for Liver Tissue Engineering: Influence of Galactose Moieties on Cell Attachment and Mechanical Stability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Birong Wang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Galactosylated chitosan (CTS has been widely applied in liver tissue engineering as scaffold. However, the influence of degree of substitution (DS of galactose moieties on cell attachment and mechanical stability is not clear. In this study, we synthesized the lactose-modified chitosan (Lact-CTS with various DS of galactose moieties by Schiff base reaction and reducing action of NaBH4, characterized by FTIR. The DS of Lact-CTS-1, Lact-CTS-2, and Lact-CTS-3 was 19.66%, 48.62%, and 66.21% through the method of potentiometric titration. The cell attachment of hepatocytes on the CTS and Lact-CTS films was enhanced accompanied with the increase of galactose moieties on CTS chain because of the galactose ligand-receptor recognition; however, the mechanical stability of Lact-CTS-3 was reduced contributing to the extravagant hydrophilicity, which was proved using the sessile drop method. Then, the three-dimensional Lact-CTS scaffolds were fabricated by freezing-drying technique. The SEM images revealed the homogeneous pore bearing the favorable connectivity and the pore sizes of scaffolds with majority of 100 μm; however, the extract solution of Lact-CTS-3 scaffold significantly damaged red blood cells by hemolysis assay, indicating that exorbitant DS of Lact-CTS-3 decreased the mechanical stability and increased the toxicity. To sum up, the Lact-CTS-2 with 48.62% of galactose moieties could facilitate the cell attachment and possess great biocompatibility and mechanical stability, indicating that Lact-CTS-2 was a promising material for liver tissue engineering.

  1. StAR Protein Stability in Y1 and Kin-8 Mouse Adrenocortical Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Barbara J; Hudson, Elizabeth A

    2015-03-04

    The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) protein expression is required for cholesterol transport into mitochondria to initiate steroidogenesis in the adrenal and gonads. STAR is synthesized as a 37 kDa precursor protein which is targeted to the mitochondria and imported and processed to an intra-mitochondrial 30 kDa protein. Tropic hormone stimulation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway is the major contributor to the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of STAR synthesis. Many studies have focused on the mechanisms of cAMP-PKA mediated control of STAR synthesis while there are few reports on STAR degradation pathways. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of cAMP-PKA-dependent signaling on STAR protein stability. We have used the cAMP-PKA responsive Y1 mouse adrenocortical cells and the PKA-deficient Kin-8 cells to measure STAR phosphorylation and protein half-life. Western blot analysis and standard radiolabeled pulse-chase experiments were used to determine STAR phosphorylation status and protein half-life, respectively. Our data demonstrate that PKA-dependent STAR phosphorylation does not contribute to 30 kDa STAR protein stability in the mitochondria. We further show that inhibition of the 26S proteasome does not block precursor STAR phosphorylation or steroid production in Y1 cells. These data suggest STAR can maintain function and promote steroidogenesis under conditions of proteasome inhibition.

  2. Enhanced planar perovskite solar cell efficiency and stability using a perovskite/PCBM heterojunction formed in one step.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Long; Chang, Jingjing; Liu, Ziye; Sun, Xu; Lin, Zhenhua; Chen, Dazheng; Zhang, Chunfu; Zhang, Jincheng; Hao, Yue

    2018-02-08

    Perovskite/PCBM heterojunctions are efficient for fabricating perovskite solar cells with high performance and long-term stability. In this study, an efficient perovskite/PCBM heterojunction was formed via conventional sequential deposition and one-step formation processes. Compared with conventional deposition, the one-step process was more facile, and produced a perovskite thin film of substantially improved quality due to fullerene passivation. Moreover, the resulting perovskite/PCBM heterojunction exhibited more efficient carrier transfer and extraction, and reduced carrier recombination. The perovskite solar cell device based on one-step perovskite/PCBM heterojunction formation exhibited a higher maximum PCE of 17.8% compared with that from the conventional method (13.7%). The device also showed exceptional stability, retaining 83% of initial PCE after 60 days of storage under ambient conditions.

  3. EX4 stabilizes and activates Nrf2 via PKCδ, contributing to the prevention of oxidative stress-induced pancreatic beta cell damage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Mi-Hwi; Kim, Eung-Hwi [College of Pharmacy, Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Gachon University, Yeonsu-ku, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Yeonsu-ku, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Hye Seung [Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Dongki [Department of Physiology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Eun-Young, E-mail: parkey@mokpo.ac.kr [College of Pharmacy, Natural Medicine Research Institute, Mokpo National University, Muan-gun, Jeonnam (Korea, Republic of); Jun, Hee-Sook, E-mail: hsjun@gachon.ac.kr [College of Pharmacy, Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Gachon University, Yeonsu-ku, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Yeonsu-ku, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Gachon Medical Research Institute, Gil Hospital, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-01-15

    Oxidative stress in pancreatic beta cells can inhibit insulin secretion and promote apoptotic cell death. Exendin-4 (EX4), a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, can suppress beta cell apoptosis, improve beta cell function and protect against oxidative damage. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms for antioxidative effects of EX4 in pancreatic beta cells. INS-1 cells, a rat insulinoma cell line, were pretreated with EX4 and exposed to palmitate or H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and glutathione and insulin secretion were measured. The mRNA and protein expression levels of antioxidant genes were examined. The level of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), its binding to antioxidant response element (ARE), and its ubiquination in the presence of EX4 were determined. The Nrf2 signaling pathway was determined using rottlerin (protein kinase [PK]Cδ inhibitor), H89 (PKA inhibitor) and LY294002 (phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase [PI3K] inhibitor). EX4 treatment decreased ROS production, recovered cellular glutathione levels and insulin secretion in the presence of oxidative stress in INS-1 cells. The expression levels of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit and heme oxygenase-1 were increased by EX4 treatment. EX4 promoted Nrf2 translocation, ARE binding activity and enhanced stabilization of Nrf2 by inhibition of ubiquitination. Knockdown of Nrf2 abolished the effect of EX4 on increased insulin secretion. Inhibition of PKCδ attenuated Nrf2 translocation and antioxidative gene expression by EX4 treatment. We suggest that EX4 activates and stabilizes Nrf2 through PKCδ activation, contributing to the increase of antioxidant gene expression and consequently improving beta cell function in the presence of oxidative stress. - Highlights: • EX4 protects against oxidative stress-induced pancreatic beta cell dysfunction. • EX4 increases antioxidant gene expression. • Antioxidative effect of EX4 is

  4. EX4 stabilizes and activates Nrf2 via PKCδ, contributing to the prevention of oxidative stress-induced pancreatic beta cell damage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Mi-Hwi; Kim, Eung-Hwi; Jung, Hye Seung; Yang, Dongki; Park, Eun-Young; Jun, Hee-Sook

    2017-01-01

    Oxidative stress in pancreatic beta cells can inhibit insulin secretion and promote apoptotic cell death. Exendin-4 (EX4), a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, can suppress beta cell apoptosis, improve beta cell function and protect against oxidative damage. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms for antioxidative effects of EX4 in pancreatic beta cells. INS-1 cells, a rat insulinoma cell line, were pretreated with EX4 and exposed to palmitate or H 2 O 2 . Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and glutathione and insulin secretion were measured. The mRNA and protein expression levels of antioxidant genes were examined. The level of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), its binding to antioxidant response element (ARE), and its ubiquination in the presence of EX4 were determined. The Nrf2 signaling pathway was determined using rottlerin (protein kinase [PK]Cδ inhibitor), H89 (PKA inhibitor) and LY294002 (phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase [PI3K] inhibitor). EX4 treatment decreased ROS production, recovered cellular glutathione levels and insulin secretion in the presence of oxidative stress in INS-1 cells. The expression levels of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit and heme oxygenase-1 were increased by EX4 treatment. EX4 promoted Nrf2 translocation, ARE binding activity and enhanced stabilization of Nrf2 by inhibition of ubiquitination. Knockdown of Nrf2 abolished the effect of EX4 on increased insulin secretion. Inhibition of PKCδ attenuated Nrf2 translocation and antioxidative gene expression by EX4 treatment. We suggest that EX4 activates and stabilizes Nrf2 through PKCδ activation, contributing to the increase of antioxidant gene expression and consequently improving beta cell function in the presence of oxidative stress. - Highlights: • EX4 protects against oxidative stress-induced pancreatic beta cell dysfunction. • EX4 increases antioxidant gene expression. • Antioxidative effect of EX4 is mediated by

  5. Human papillomavirus-exposed Langerhans cells are activated by stabilized Poly-I:C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Da Silva, Diane M; Woodham, Andrew W; Rijkee, Laurie K; Skeate, Joseph G; Taylor, Julia R; Koopman, Maaike E; Brand, Heike E; Wong, Michael K; McKee, Greg M; Salazar, Andres M; Kast, W Martin

    2015-12-01

    Human papillomaviruses (HPV) establish persistent infections because of evolved immune evasion mechanisms, particularly HPV-mediated suppression of the immune functions of Langerhans cells (LC), the antigen presenting cells of the epithelium. Polyinosinic-polycytidilic acid (Poly-I:C) is broadly immunostimulatory with the ability to enhance APC expression of costimulatory molecules and inflammatory cytokines resulting in T cell activation. Here we investigated the activation of primary human LC derived from peripheral blood monocytes after exposure to HPV16 virus like particles followed by treatment with stabilized Poly-I:C compounds (s-Poly-I:C), and their subsequent induction of HPV16-specific T cells. Our results indicate that HPV16 particles alone were incapable of inducing LC activation as demonstrated by the lack of costimulatory molecules, inflammatory cytokines, chemokine-directed migration, and HPV16-specific CD8 + T cells in vitro . Conversely, s-Poly-I:C caused significant upregulation of costimulatory molecules and induction of chemokine-directed migration of LC that were pre-exposed to HPV16. In HLA-A*0201-positive donors, s-Poly-I:C treatment was able to induce CD8 + T cell immune responses against HPV16-derived peptides. Thus, s-Poly-I:C compounds are attractive for translation into therapeutics in which they could potentially mediate clearance of persistent HPV infection.

  6. IGF-1 has plaque-stabilizing effects in atherosclerosis by altering vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    von der Thüsen, Jan H.; Borensztajn, Keren S.; Moimas, Silvia; van Heiningen, Sandra; Teeling, Peter; van Berkel, Theo J. C.; Biessen, Erik A. L.

    2011-01-01

    Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling is important for the maintenance of plaque stability in atherosclerosis due to its effects on vascular smooth muscle cell (vSMC) phenotype. To investigate this hypothesis, we studied the effects of the highly inflammatory milieu of the atherosclerotic

  7. Tumor associated macrophages protect colon cancer cells from TRAIL-induced apoptosis through IL-1beta-dependent stabilization of Snail in tumor cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pawan Kaler

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available We recently reported that colon tumor cells stimulate macrophages to release IL-1beta, which in turn inactivates GSK3beta and enhances Wnt signaling in colon cancer cells, generating a self-amplifying loop that promotes the growth of tumor cells.Here we describe that macrophages protect HCT116 and Hke-3 colon cancer cells from TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Inactivation of IL-1beta by neutralizing IL-1beta antibody, or silencing of IL-1beta in macrophages inhibited their ability to counter TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Accordingly, IL-1beta was sufficient to inhibit TRAIL-induced apoptosis. TRAIL-induced collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta psi and activation of caspases were prevented by macrophages or by recombinant IL-1beta. Pharmacological inhibition of IL-1beta release from macrophages by vitamin D(3, a potent chemopreventive agent for colorectal cancer, restored the ability of TRAIL to induce apoptosis of tumor cells cultured with macrophages. Macrophages and IL-1beta failed to inhibit TRAIL-induced apoptosis in HCT116 cells expressing dnIkappaB, dnAKT or dnTCF4, confirming that they oppose TRAIL-induced cell death through induction of Wnt signaling in tumor cells. We showed that macrophages and IL-1beta stabilized Snail in tumor cells in an NF-kappaB/Wnt dependent manner and that Snail deficient tumor cells were not protected from TRAIL-induced apoptosis by macrophages or by IL-1beta, demonstrating a crucial role of Snail in the resistance of tumor cells to TRAIL.We have identified a positive feedback loop between tumor cells and macrophages that propagates the growth and promotes the survival of colon cancer cells: tumor cells stimulate macrophages to secrete IL-1beta, which in turn, promotes Wnt signaling and stabilizes Snail in tumor cells, conferring resistance to TRAIL. Vitamin D(3 halts this amplifying loop by interfering with the release of IL-1beta from macrophages. Accordingly, vitamin D(3 sensitizes tumor cells to TRAIL

  8. Stability and Hopf bifurcation in a delayed model for HIV infection of CD4{sup +}T cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cai Liming [Department of Mathematics, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, 464000 Henan (China); Beijing Institute of Information Control, Beijing 100037 (China)], E-mail: lmcai06@yahoo.com.cn; Li Xuezhi [Department of Mathematics, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, 464000 Henan (China)

    2009-10-15

    In this paper, we consider a delayed mathematical model for the interactions of HIV infection and CD4{sup +}T cells. We first investigate the existence and stability of the Equilibria. We then study the effect of the time delay on the stability of the infected equilibrium. Criteria are given to ensure that the infected equilibrium is asymptotically stable for all delay. Moreover, by applying Nyquist criterion, the length of delay is estimated for which stability continues to hold. Finally by using a delay {tau} as a bifurcation parameter, the existence of Hopf bifurcation is also investigated. Numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the analytical results.

  9. IL-6 stabilizes Twist and enhances tumor cell motility in head and neck cancer cells through activation of casein kinase 2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying-Wen Su

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN is the seventh most common cancer worldwide. Unfortunately, the survival of patients with SCCHN has not improved in the last 40 years, and thus new targets for therapy are needed. Recently, elevations in serum level of interleukin 6 (IL-6 and expression of Twist in tumor samples were found to be associated with poor clinical outcomes in multiple types of cancer, including SCCHN. Although Twist has been proposed as a master regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis in cancers, the mechanisms by which Twist levels are regulated post-translationally are not completely understood. Tumor progression is characterized by the involvement of cytokines and growth factors and Twist induction has been connected with a number of these signaling pathways including IL-6. Since many of the effects of IL-6 are mediated through activation of protein phosphorylation cascades, this implies that Twist expression must be under a tight control at the post-translational level in order to respond in a timely manner to external stimuli. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Our data show that IL-6 increases Twist expression via a transcription-independent mechanism in many SCCHN cell lines. Further investigation revealed that IL-6 stabilizes Twist in SCCHN cell lines through casein kinase 2 (CK2 phosphorylation of Twist residues S18 and S20, and that this phosphorylation inhibits degradation of Twist. Twist phosphorylation not only increases its stability but also enhances cell motility. Thus, post-translational modulation of Twist contributes to its tumor-promoting properties. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study shows Twist expression can be regulated at the post-translational level through phosphorylation by CK2, which increases Twist stability in response to IL-6 stimulation. Our findings not only provide novel mechanistic insights into post-translational regulation of Twist but also suggest

  10. Human papillomavirus-exposed Langerhans cells are activated by stabilized Poly-I:C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diane M. Da Silva

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Human papillomaviruses (HPV establish persistent infections because of evolved immune evasion mechanisms, particularly HPV-mediated suppression of the immune functions of Langerhans cells (LC, the antigen presenting cells of the epithelium. Polyinosinic-polycytidilic acid (Poly-I:C is broadly immunostimulatory with the ability to enhance APC expression of costimulatory molecules and inflammatory cytokines resulting in T cell activation. Here we investigated the activation of primary human LC derived from peripheral blood monocytes after exposure to HPV16 virus like particles followed by treatment with stabilized Poly-I:C compounds (s-Poly-I:C, and their subsequent induction of HPV16-specific T cells. Our results indicate that HPV16 particles alone were incapable of inducing LC activation as demonstrated by the lack of costimulatory molecules, inflammatory cytokines, chemokine-directed migration, and HPV16-specific CD8+ T cells in vitro. Conversely, s-Poly-I:C caused significant upregulation of costimulatory molecules and induction of chemokine-directed migration of LC that were pre-exposed to HPV16. In HLA-A*0201-positive donors, s-Poly-I:C treatment was able to induce CD8+ T cell immune responses against HPV16-derived peptides. Thus, s-Poly-I:C compounds are attractive for translation into therapeutics in which they could potentially mediate clearance of persistent HPV infection. Keywords: Papillomavirus, HPV16, Langerhans cells, Immune escape

  11. Design, fabrication and actuation of a MEMS-based image stabilizer for photographic cell phone applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiou, Jin-Chern; Hung, Chen-Chun; Lin, Chun-Ying

    2010-01-01

    This work presents a MEMS-based image stabilizer applied for anti-shaking function in photographic cell phones. The proposed stabilizer is designed as a two-axis decoupling XY stage 1.4 × 1.4 × 0.1 mm 3 in size, and adequately strong to suspend an image sensor for anti-shaking photographic function. This stabilizer is fabricated by complex fabrication processes, including inductively coupled plasma (ICP) processes and flip-chip bonding technique. Based on the special designs of a hollow handle layer and a corresponding wire-bonding assisted holder, electrical signals of the suspended image sensor can be successfully sent out with 32 signal springs without incurring damage during wire-bonding packaging. The longest calculated traveling distance of the stabilizer is 25 µm which is sufficient to resolve the anti-shaking problem in a three-megapixel image sensor. Accordingly, the applied voltage for the 25 µm moving distance is 38 V. Moreover, the resonant frequency of the actuating device with the image sensor is 1.123 kHz.

  12. A comparative study of fluorine substituents for enhanced stability of flexible and ITO-free high-performance polymer solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carlé, Jon Eggert; Helgesen, Martin; Zawacka, Natalia Klaudia

    2014-01-01

    lifetime in flexible large area roll-coated bulk heterojunction solar cells. The two polymer series have different side chains on the BDT unit, namely 2-hexyldecyloxy (BDTHDO) (P1-P3) or 2-hexyldecylthiophene (BDT THD) (P4-P6). The photochemical stability clearly shows that the stability enhances along...... with the number of fluorine atoms incorporated on the polymer backbone. Fabrication of the polymer solar cells based on the materials was carried out in ambient atmosphere on a roll coating/printing machine employing flexible and indium-tin-oxide-free plastic substrates. Solar cells based on the P4-P6 series...... in the performance followed by a much slower decay rate, still retaining 40-55% of their initial performance after 250 h of testing under ISOS-L-1 conditions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc....

  13. Study on copper oxide stability in photoelectrochemical cell composed of nanostructured TiO2 and CuxO electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juodkazytė, J.; Šebeka, B.; Savickaja, I.; Jagminas, A.; Jasulaitienė, V.; Selskis, A.; Kovger, J.; Mack, P.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Performance of Ti|TiO 2 | 0.1 M KOH |Cu x O|Cu photoelectrochemical cell is investigated. • Recrystallization of nanostructured Cu x O layer during photoelectrolysis is observed. • Comprehensive analysis of possible photoelectrochemical reactions is presented. • Factors influencing stability of Cu/Cu x O photocathode are discussed. • An important role of H 2 O 2 in operation of PEC is revealed. - Abstract: In the present study the performance of photoelectrochemical cell composed of nanostructurized Cu x O and TiO 2 photoelectrodes short-circuited in side by side configuration in 0.1 M KOH is investigated with the purpose to test the stability of Cu/Cu x O photocathode. The techniques employed are X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and voltammetry. Comprehensive analysis of possible electrochemical reactions, involving participation of photogenerated charge carriers is presented. Recrystallization of Cu x O layer accompanied by the change in photocathode color is found to occur during the photoelectrolysis. The influence of structural factors, the potential of conjugated electrodes and hydrogen peroxide, which forms as intermediate during photoelectrolysis, on the balance of cathodic reactions and stability of operation of Ti|TiO 2 | 0.1 M KOH | Cu x O|Cu photoelectrochemical cell is discussed

  14. Effect of growth media on cell envelope composition and nitrile hydratase stability in Rhodococcus rhodochrous strain DAP 96253.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Trudy-Ann; Crow, Sidney A; Pierce, George E

    2012-11-01

    Rhodococcus is an important industrial microorganism that possesses diverse metabolic capabilities; it also has a cell envelope, composed of an outer layer of mycolic acids and glycolipids. Selected Rhodococcus species when induced are capable of transforming nitriles to the corresponding amide by the enzyme nitrile hydratase (NHase), and subsequently to the corresponding acid via an amidase. This nitrile biochemistry has generated interest in using the rhodococci as biocatalysts. It was hypothesized that altering sugars in the growth medium might impact cell envelope components and have effects on NHase. When the primary carbon source in growth media was changed from glucose to fructose, maltose, or maltodextrin, the NHase activity increased. Cells grown in the presence of maltose and maltodextrin showed the highest activities against propionitrile, 197 and 202 units/mg cdw, respectively. Stability of NHase was also affected as cells grown in the presence of maltose and maltodextrin retained more NHase activity at 55 °C (45 and 23 %, respectively) than cells grown in the presence of glucose or fructose (19 and 10 %, respectively). Supplementation of trehalose in the growth media resulted in increased NHase stability at 55 °C, as cells grown in the presence of glucose retained 40 % NHase activity as opposed to 19 % without the presence of trehalose. Changes in cell envelope components, such mycolic acids and glycolipids, were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), respectively. Changing sugars and the addition of inducing components for NHase, such as cobalt and urea in growth media, resulted in changes in mycolic acid profiles. Mycolic acid content increased 5 times when cobalt and urea were added to media with glucose. Glycolipids levels were also affected by the changes in sugars and addition of inducing components. This research demonstrates that carbohydrate selection impacts NHase activity and

  15. Mechanical stability of the cell nucleus: roles played by the cytoskeleton in nuclear deformation and strain recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xian; Liu, Haijiao; Zhu, Min; Cao, Changhong; Xu, Zhensong; Tsatskis, Yonit; Lau, Kimberly; Kuok, Chikin; Filleter, Tobin; McNeill, Helen; Simmons, Craig A; Hopyan, Sevan; Sun, Yu

    2018-05-18

    Extracellular forces transmitted through the cytoskeleton can deform the cell nucleus. Large nuclear deformation increases the risk of disrupting the nuclear envelope's integrity and causing DNA damage. Mechanical stability of the nucleus defines its capability of maintaining nuclear shape by minimizing nuclear deformation and recovering strain when deformed. Understanding the deformation and recovery behavior of the nucleus requires characterization of nuclear viscoelastic properties. Here, we quantified the decoupled viscoelastic parameters of the cell membrane, cytoskeleton, and the nucleus. The results indicate that the cytoskeleton enhances nuclear mechanical stability by lowering the effective deformability of the nucleus while maintaining nuclear sensitivity to mechanical stimuli. Additionally, the cytoskeleton decreases the strain energy release rate of the nucleus and might thus prevent shape change-induced structural damage to chromatin. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  16. Identification of cytoskeleton-associated proteins essential for lysosomal stability and survival of human cancer cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Groth-Pedersen, Line; Aits, Sonja; Corcelle-Termeau, Elisabeth

    2012-01-01

    Microtubule-disturbing drugs inhibit lysosomal trafficking and induce lysosomal membrane permeabilization followed by cathepsin-dependent cell death. To identify specific trafficking-related proteins that control cell survival and lysosomal stability, we screened a molecular motor siRNA library...... in human MCF7 breast cancer cells. SiRNAs targeting four kinesins (KIF11/Eg5, KIF20A, KIF21A, KIF25), myosin 1G (MYO1G), myosin heavy chain 1 (MYH1) and tropomyosin 2 (TPM2) were identified as effective inducers of non-apoptotic cell death. The cell death induced by KIF11, KIF21A, KIF25, MYH1 or TPM2 si......), increased dextran accumulation (KIF20A), or reduced autophagic flux (MYO1G, MYH1). Importantly, all seven siRNAs also killed human cervix cancer (HeLa) and osteosarcoma (U-2-OS) cells and sensitized cancer cells to other lysosome-destabilizing treatments, i.e. photo-oxidation, siramesine, etoposide...

  17. Stability and Performance of Oxygen Electrodes for Reversible Solid Oxide Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Railsback, Justin Gary

    Worldwide, governments are beginning to take action to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions in order to mitigate the extent of global climate change. The largest fraction of global CO2 emission comes from electrical power generation, which is rapidly being converted to wind and solar installations. The intermittent nature of renewable resources requires that large scale energy storage be implemented to ensure grid stability. Pumped hydro storage is currently the only technology available for large scale energy storage; however, pumped hydro remains geographically confined and susceptible to seasonal fluctuations and offers limited discharge hours. Recent system level models predict that reversible solid oxide cells may be a competitive solution, but two key advancements are required to realize the technology: low cell resistance (cell resistance, and when a cell is operated in electrolysis the oxygen electrode is known to degrade quickly. This work focuses on both aspects of the oxygen electrode. A Pr2NiO4 based electrode is developed that has improved phase stability and good polarization resistance ( 0.1 O•cm2 at 650 °C). The electrode is prepared by wet chemical impregnation (infiltration) of Pr2NiO4 precursors into a La0.9Sr 0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O3 scaffold. Electrochemical data for a number cells is presented and the number of infiltrations is optimized. Preliminary life tests and x-ray data are presented. Pressurization of the oxygen electrode is predicted to decrease its polarization resistance and pressurization of the reversible solid oxide cell system is desirable to achieve high round-trip efficiency. The electrochemical performance of mixed electronic-ionic conducting electrodes has not been reported above 1 atm. Four candidate electrodes are examined under pressurization up to 10 atm: Pr2NiO4 infiltrated La0.9Sr0.1 Ga0.8Mg0.2O3, Sm0.5Sr 0.5CoO3 infiltrated Ce0.9Gd0.1O 2, single phase La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe 0.8O3, and single phase Nd2NiO4. The role of the ion

  18. Cabazitaxel-induced stabilization of microtubules enhances radiosensitivity in ovarian cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles eKunos

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Up to 40% of women with ovarian cancer have short disease-free intervals due to molecular mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance. New therapeutic strategies are sought. Ovarian cancers are sensitive to radiochemotherapy. The taxane cabazitaxel (XRP6258, Jevtana promotes tubulin assembly and stabilizes microtubules against depolymerization in cells, acting similarly in mechanism to paclitaxel. Here, sequences of cabazitaxel-radiation co-administration are tested for drug-alone cytotoxicity and optimal radiosensitization.Methods: SKOV3, OVCAR3, and TOV-112D ovarian cancer cells were administered cabazitaxel 24 h before (first, 18 h before (second, together (third, or 24 h after (fourth a single radiation dose, and then, investigated by clonogenic assay and flow cytometric assays. Radiation dose-cell survival data were fitted by two-stage multivariate analyses of variance. High content flow cytometry partitioned cabazitaxel effects into G2-phase versus M-phase events by DNA content, cyclin A2, and phospho-S10-histone H3 (PHH3. Paclitaxel served as a comparator. Findings: Cabazitaxel cytotoxicity and radiosensitization were dose dependent. Cabazitaxel added 24 h before radiation was the most lethal schedule. DNA content measurements by flow cytometry showed that cabazitaxel-treated cells accumulated in the radiosensitive G2/M 4C DNA complement compartment. Cytometry also showed that surviving cabazitaxel-induced cell cycle arrested cells resolve the arrest by entering 4C or by 8C DNA complement cell cycles.Interpretation: The radiosensitizing effect of cabazitaxel was schedule dependent, due to cell cycle redistribution, and best when cabazitaxel was given 24 h before radiation. Clinical trials of administering both cabazitaxel and radiation should be explored in women with chemoresistant ovarian cancer. Funding: Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and Sanofi-Aventis

  19. Curcumin-loaded lipid nanocarrier for improving bioavailability, stability and cytotoxicity against malignant glioma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Anil; Ahuja, Alka; Ali, Javed; Baboota, Sanjula

    2016-01-01

    In the present study, Curcumin (CU)-loaded nanocarrier (NC) such as nanoemulsion (NE) was developed with the objective of increasing its cytotoxicity and bioavailability through lymphatic transport by enhancing its solubility and intestinal permeability. Based on the area obtained in pseudoternary phase diagram, various % combination of Labrafac Lipophile WL 1349, Solutol HS 15, Transcutol HP and distilled water were selected. Formulations which passed physical stability studies were selected for further studies such as globule size, zeta potential, in vitro release, ex vivo permeation, in vitro lipolysis studies, bioavailability studies and cytotoxicity against glioblastoma cells (U-87). The optimized NC (NE-SB1) had small average globule diameter of 67 ± 6 nm with zeta potential of -37 ± 2.5 mv which indicated long-term dispersion stability. During in vitro lipolysis study, the digestion rate of medium chain triglycerides increased with decreased globule diameter. Statistically significant difference was found in AUC0-inf of NC formulation (p < 0.05) compared to CU suspension. The relative bioavailability of NC was found 11.88 ± 0.47 with respect to CU suspension. During cytotoxicity studies, IC50 of CU solution on U87 cells was found 24.23 µM, while for the NE- SB1 it was 16.41 µM. The optimized formulation was found to be stable during 6 months of accelerated stability. The overall results revealed that the CU-loaded NC is a very effective approach for enhancing the oral absorption of poorly water-soluble drug CU and have great potential for future clinical application.

  20. Stability of zinc phthalocyanine and fullerene C{sub 60} organic solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lessmann, Rudolf

    2010-05-10

    Organic solar cells promise electricity generation at very low cost, and higher installation flexibility as compared to inorganic solar cells. The lower cost is achieved by cheaper semiconductors and easier manufacturing processes. The flexibility is naturally given by these ultra-thin, amorphous layers. Also the power conversion efficiency can be high enough for many applications. The organic molecules have to withstand the constant excitation by photons, transport of energy in form of excitons and charge. A small but significant amount of these photons has energy over the absorption gap, the excess of energy must be released without breaking the molecular bonds. In consequence, the solar cells can also heat up to temperatures at above 80 C. The objective of this work is to answer the question if the small molecules organic solar cells can be stable enough to operate under a very long time. The stability of organic doped layers in an organic solar cell is also addressed. This work starts with a general introduction followed by the description of the experimental procedures. The aging experiments of the solar cell were done with a self developed equipment. The fabrication of this equipment (a set of measurement boxes) was necessary to maintain the conditions, under which a solar cell can be aged, as constant as possible. The measurement boxes were used to control the electrical load of the cell, its temperature, the illumination intensity, and its electric connection to the I vs. V measurement equipment. A software package was also developed to control the equipment and to facilitate the work and visualization of the high volume of collected data. The model solar cells chosen for the aging experiments were donor-acceptor heterojunctions devices formed with the well-known materials C{sub 60} and ZnPc. Two basic different structures were analyzed, because they offered reasonable performance and potentially long lifetime: the flat heterojunction (FHJ) and the mixed

  1. Critical analysis of stability and performance of organometal halide perovskite solar cells via various fabrication method (Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suhaimi Suriati

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Organometal halide perovskite solar cells (Omh-PSCs have attracted attention due to its unique electrical and optical properties. Ideally, the Omh-PSCs should remain free from degradation under normal operating conditions for several years, preferably tens of years. In order to produce high power conversion efficiency with low potential of degradation, different fabrication methods have been developed. The reported stability of perovskite films can vary significantly and reported to decay substantially up to 20% of its original performance. A thorough understanding of fabrication process upon the stability of the device is regarded as crucial to pave the way for future endeavors. This review summarized and highlighted the recent research of fabrication methods that gave an impact to the stability of perovskite devices.

  2. Stability characterization and modeling of robust distributed benthic microbial fuel cell (DBMFC) system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karra, Udayarka; Huang, Guoxian; Umaz, Ridvan; Tenaglier, Christopher; Wang, Lei; Li, Baikun

    2013-09-01

    A novel and robust distributed benthic microbial fuel cell (DBMFC) was developed to address the energy supply issues for oceanographic sensor network applications, especially under scouring and bioturbation by aquatic life. Multi-anode/cathode configuration was employed in the DBMFC system for enhanced robustness and stability in the harsh ocean environment. The results showed that the DBMFC system achieved peak power and current densities of 190mW/m(2) and 125mA/m(2) respectively. Stability characterization tests indicated the DBMFC with multiple anodes achieved higher power generation over the systems with single anode. A computational model that integrated physical, electrochemical and biological factors of MFCs was developed to validate the overall performance of the DBMFC system. The model simulation well corresponded with the experimental results, and confirmed the hypothesis that using a multi anode/cathode MFC configuration results in reliable and robust power generation. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Activity and Stability of Dispersed Multi Metallic Pt-based Catalysts for CO Tolerance in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Anodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassan, Ayaz; Ticianelli, Edson A

    2018-01-01

    Studies aiming at improving the activity and stability of dispersed W and Mo containing Pt catalysts for the CO tolerance in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) anodes are revised for the following catalyst systems: (1) a carbon supported PtMo electrocatalyst submitted to heat treatments; (2) Pt and PtMo nanoparticles deposited on carbon-supported molybdenum carbides (Mo2C/C); (3) ternary and quaternary materials formed by PtMoFe/C, PtMoRu/C and PtMoRuFe/C and; (4) Pt nanoparticles supported on tungsten carbide/carbon catalysts and its parallel evaluation with carbon supported PtW catalyst. The heat-treated (600 oC) Pt-Mo/C catalyst showed higher hydrogen oxidation activity in the absence and in the presence of CO and better stability, compared to all other Mo-containing catalysts. PtMoRuFe, PtMoFe, PtMoRu supported on carbon and Pt supported on Mo2C/C exhibited similar CO tolerances but better stability, as compared to as-prepared PtMo supported on carbon. Among the tungsten-based catalysts, tungsten carbide supported Pt catalyst showed reasonable performance and reliable stability in comparison to simple carbon supported PtW catalyst, though an uneven level of catalytic activity towards H2 oxidation in presence of CO is observed for the former as compared to Mo containing catalyst. However, a small dissolution of Mo, Ru, Fe and W from the anodes and their migration toward cathodes during the cell operation is observed. These results indicate that the fuel cell performance and stability has been improved but not yet totally resolved.

  4. Activity and Stability of Dispersed Multi Metallic Pt-based Catalysts for CO Tolerance in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Anodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AYAZ HASSAN

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Studies aiming at improving the activity and stability of dispersed W and Mo containing Pt catalysts for the CO tolerance in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC anodes are revised for the following catalyst systems: (1 a carbon supported PtMo electrocatalyst submitted to heat treatments; (2 Pt and PtMo nanoparticles deposited on carbon-supported molybdenum carbides (Mo2C/C; (3 ternary and quaternary materials formed by PtMoFe/C, PtMoRu/C and PtMoRuFe/C and; (4 Pt nanoparticles supported on tungsten carbide/carbon catalysts and its parallel evaluation with carbon supported PtW catalyst. The heat-treated (600 oC Pt-Mo/C catalyst showed higher hydrogen oxidation activity in the absence and in the presence of CO and better stability, compared to all other Mo-containing catalysts. PtMoRuFe, PtMoFe, PtMoRu supported on carbon and Pt supported on Mo2C/C exhibited similar CO tolerances but better stability, as compared to as-prepared PtMo supported on carbon. Among the tungsten-based catalysts, tungsten carbide supported Pt catalyst showed reasonable performance and reliable stability in comparison to simple carbon supported PtW catalyst, though an uneven level of catalytic activity towards H2 oxidation in presence of CO is observed for the former as compared to Mo containing catalyst. However, a small dissolution of Mo, Ru, Fe and W from the anodes and their migration toward cathodes during the cell operation is observed. These results indicate that the fuel cell performance and stability has been improved but not yet totally resolved.

  5. Stabilization of Nrf2 protein by D3T provides protection against ethanol-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Dong

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have demonstrated that maternal ethanol exposure induces a moderate increase in Nrf2 protein expression in mouse embryos. Pretreatment with the Nrf2 inducer, 3H-1, 2-dithiole-3-thione (D3T, significantly increases the Nrf2 protein levels and prevents apoptosis in ethanol-exposed embryos. The present study, using PC12 cells, was designed to determine whether increased Nrf2 stability is a mechanism by which D3T enhances Nrf2 activation and subsequent antioxidant protection. Ethanol and D3T treatment resulted in a significant accumulation of Nrf2 protein in PC 12 cells. CHX chase analysis has shown that ethanol treatment delayed the degradation of Nrf2 protein in PC12 cells. A significantly greater decrease in Nrf2 protein degradation was observed in the cells treated with D3T alone or with both ethanol and D3T. In addition, D3T treatment significantly reduced ethanol-induced apoptosis. These results demonstrate that the stabilization of Nrf2 protein by D3T confers protection against ethanol-induced apoptosis.

  6. Loss and stabilization of resistance to aminopterin in mouse cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Safronov, V.V.; Kapitsa, O.S.; Sapegina, M.B.; Gorodetskii, S.I.

    1986-01-01

    Using step-wise selection, lines of mouse L-cells were obtained (clones B-82, TK-), resistance to aminopterin (AP) of which exceeds resistance of parental cells by 10 3 -5 x 10 4 times. Increased resistance is the result of amplification of the gene for dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), which was established according to increase in enzyme activity by 15-120 times and by cytogenetic methods. Development and disappearance of resistance to AP was studied and karyological analysis of lines obtained was conducted. Two types of karylogical changes were revealed: the presence of double microchromosomes (DM) and of a marker chromosome having homogeneously staining regions (HSR). The localization of the DHFR and HSR genes was demonstrated using in situ hybridization. At early stages of the development of resistance and for a long time, an extrachromosomal localization of amplified genes in the structure of DM, which determine unstable resistance to toxin, is fundamental. The possibility was demonstrated of the long-term existence of cells in which DM and HSR are present simultaneously. Change in number of copies of the DHFR gene in lines of such cells occurs through change in the number of DM, while size and localization of HSR are constant in different conditions of cell culturing. The presence of HSR determines stable resistance to AP. Data were obtained in support of an intermediate relative stabilization of resistance, which is caused by temporary insertion of copies of the DHFR gene into other sections of chromosomes, in addition to HSR dispersed variously through the genome

  7. Wild-type EGFR Is Stabilized by Direct Interaction with HSP90 in Cancer Cells and Tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aarif Ahsan

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR has been targeted for inhibition using tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, with improvement in outcome in subsets of patients with head and neck, lung, and colorectal carcinomas. We have previously found that EGFR stability plays a key role in cell survival after chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90 is known to stabilize mutant EGFR and ErbB2, but its role in cancers with wild-type (WT WT-EGFR is unclear. In this report, we demonstrate that fully mature, membrane-bound WT-EGFR interacts with HSP90 independent of ErbB2. Further, the HSP90 inhibitors geldanamycin (GA and AT13387 cause a decrease in WT-EGFR in cultured head and neck cancer cells. This decrease results from a significantly reduced half-life of WT-EGFR. WT-EGFR was also lost in head and neck xenograft specimens after treatment with AT13387 under conditions that inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival of the mice. Our findings demonstrate that WT-EGFR is a client protein of HSP90 and that their interaction is critical for maintaining both the stability of the receptor as well as the growth of EGFR-dependent cancers. Furthermore, these findings support the search for specific agents that disrupt HSP90's ability to act as an EGFR chaperone.

  8. High Harvest Yield, High Expansion, and Phenotype Stability of CD146 Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Whole Primitive Human Umbilical Cord Tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca C. Schugar

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Human umbilical cord blood is an excellent primitive source of noncontroversial stem cells for treatment of hematologic disorders; meanwhile, new stem cell candidates in the umbilical cord (UC tissue could provide therapeutic cells for nonhematologic disorders. We show novel in situ characterization to identify and localize a panel of some markers expressed by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs; CD44, CD105, CD73, CD90 and CD146 in the UC. We describe enzymatic isolation and purification methods of different UC cell populations that do not require manual separation of the vessels and stroma of the coiled, helical-like UC tissue. Unique quantitation of in situ cell frequency and stromal cell counts upon harvest illustrate the potential to obtain high numerical yields with these methods. UC stromal cells can differentiate to the osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages and, under specific culturing conditions, they exhibit high expandability with unique long-term stability of their phenotype. The remarkable stability of the phenotype represents a novel finding for human MSCs, from any source, and supports the use of these cells as highly accessible stromal cells for both basic studies and potentially therapeutic applications such as allogeneic clinical use for musculoskeletal disorders.

  9. Study of tape casting of Yttria stabilized zirconia for apply in solid oxide fuel cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santana, Leonardo de Paulo

    2008-01-01

    The hydrogen economy has been risen as new option for supply the growing global demand for energy. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device able to use hydrogen as a energy source. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission is very low so it is ecologically friendly, once energy is produced by a reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. The production of energy from hydrogen fuelled devices can be done even in small unities and in a distributed way. It can bring energy for isolated communities, where traditional energy distribution systems can not be reached. A fuel cell is composed essentially of 3 components: anode, cathode and the electrolyte. In present days, there are many materials proposed for use as electrolyte in fuel cells. Among then, Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is the most studied and effectively used in solid oxide fuel cell. Tape casting technology is a cheap, simple and efficient way to cast ceramics slurries in laminates thick enough to be used as components for fuel cells. Considering theses aspects, in this work, ceramic thin film forming was studied using tape casting technology with raw materials prepared from Brazilian zircon ores. It is described in literature that ceramic slurries are generally made from powders with low surface area (often between 0,5 to 10m 2 /g), and the powders used in this study had larger surface area (often between 40 to 80m 2 /g). The use of zeta potential is indicated to study the stability of a suspension of ceramic powders. However, for suspensions with large concentration of solid, it is also necessary to determine the flow curve, because in these conditions, the double electric layer formed during the stabilization of suspensions can be compressed. In the rheological properties study, calcined ceramic powders were classified using a set of ABNT series screens and separated and retained by the de mesh 60 screen. Flow curve of suspension was determined in aqueous suspensions of these powders. For tape casting processing, a binder

  10. The Influence of Stabilized Deconjugated Ursodeoxycholic Acid on Polymer-Hydrogel System of Transplantable NIT-1 Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mooranian, Armin; Negrulj, Rebecca; Al-Salami, Hani

    2016-05-01

    The encapsulation of pancreatic β-cells in biocompatible matrix has generated great interest in diabetes treatment. Our work has shown improved microcapsules when incorporating the bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), in terms of morphology and cell viability although cell survival remained low. Thus, the study aimed at incorporating the polyelectrolytes polyallylamine (PAA) and poly-l-ornithine (PLO), with the polymer sodium alginate (SA) and the hydrogel ultrasonic gel (USG) with UDCA and examined cell viability and functionality post microencapsulation. Microcapsules without (control) and with UDCA (test) were produced using 1% PLO, 2.5% PAA, 1.8% SA and 4.5% USG. Pancreatic β-cells were microencapsulated and the microcapsules' morphology, surface components, cellular and bile acid distribution, osmotic and mechanical stability as well as biocompatibilities, insulin production, bioenergetics and the inflammatory response were tested. Incorporation of UDCA at 4% into a PLO-PAA-SA formulation system increased cell survival (p acid UDCA (4%) has good potential in cell transplantation and diabetes treatment.

  11. Akt: A Double-Edged Sword in Cell Proliferation and Genome Stability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naihan Xu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The Akt family of serine/threonine protein kinases are key regulators of multiple aspects of cell behaviour, including proliferation, survival, metabolism, and tumorigenesis. Growth-factor-activated Akt signalling promotes progression through normal, unperturbed cell cycles by acting on diverse downstream factors involved in controlling the G1/S and G2/M transitions. Remarkably, several recent studies have also implicated Akt in modulating DNA damage responses and genome stability. High Akt activity can suppress ATR/Chk1 signalling and homologous recombination repair (HRR via direct phosphorylation of Chk1 or TopBP1 or, indirectly, by inhibiting recruitment of double-strand break (DSB resection factors, such as RPA, Brca1, and Rad51, to sites of damage. Loss of checkpoint and/or HRR proficiency is therefore a potential cause of genomic instability in tumor cells with high Akt. Conversely, Akt is activated by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs in a DNA-PK- or ATM/ATR-dependent manner and in some circumstances can contribute to radioresistance by stimulating DNA repair by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ. Akt therefore modifies both the response to and repair of genotoxic damage in complex ways that are likely to have important consequences for the therapy of tumors with deregulation of the PI3K-Akt-PTEN pathway.

  12. Edge sealing for low cost stability enhancement of roll-to-roll processed flexible polymer solar cell modules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tanenbaum, David M.; Dam, Henrik Friis; Rösch, R.

    2012-01-01

    Fully roll-to-roll processed polymer solar cell modules were prepared, characterized, and laminated. Cell modules were cut from the roll and matched pairs were selected, one module with exposed cut edges, the other laminated again with the same materials and adhesive sealing fully around the cut...... edges. The edge sealing rim was 10 mm wide. Cell modules were characterized by periodic measurements of IV curves over extended periods in a variety of conditions, as well as by a variety of spatial imaging techniques. Data show significant stability benefits of the edge sealing process. The results...

  13. Response of normal stem cells to ionizing radiation: A balance between homeostasis and genomic stability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harfouche, G.; Martin, M.T.

    2010-01-01

    Stem cells have been described in most adult tissues, where they play a key role in maintaining tissue homeostasis. As they self-renew throughout life, accumulating genetic anomalies can compromise their genomic integrity and potentially give rise to cancer. Stem cells (SCs) may thus be a major target of radiation carcinogenesis. In addition, unrepaired genotoxic damage may cause cell death and stem cell pool depletion, impairing lineage functionality and accelerating aging. Developments in SC biology enabled the characterization of the responses of stem cells to genotoxic stress and their role in tissue damage. We here examine how these cells react to ionizing radiation (IR), and more specifically their radiosensitivity, stress signaling and DNA repair. We first review embryonic SCs, as a paradigm of primitive pluri-potent cells, then three adult tissues, bone marrow, skin and intestine, capable of long-term regeneration and at high risk for acute radiation syndromes and long-term carcinogenesis. We discuss IR disruption of the fine balance between maintenance of tissue homeostasis and genomic stability. We show that stem cell radiosensitivity does not follow a unique model, but differs notably according to the turnover rates of the tissues. (authors)

  14. The biochemical characterization, stabilization studies and the antiproliferative effect of bromelain against B16F10 murine melanoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    São Paulo Barretto Miranda, Íngara Keisle; Fontes Suzart Miranda, Anderson; Souza, Fernanda Vidigal Duarte; Vannier-Santos, Marcos André; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho; Pepe, Iuri Muniz; Rodowanski, Ivanoé João; Ferreira, Katiúcia Tícila de Souza Eduvirgens; Mendes Souza Vaz, Luciano; de Assis, Sandra Aparecida

    2017-06-01

    The current study aims to extract bromelain from different parts (stem, crown, peels, pulp and leaves) of Ananas comosus var. comosus AGB 772; to determine of optimum pH and temperature; to test bromelain stability in disodium EDTA and sodium benzoate, and to investigate its pharmacological activity on B16F10 murine melanoma cells in vitro. The highest enzymatic activity was found in bromelain extracted from the pulp and peel. The optimum bromelain pH among all studied pineapple parts was 6.0. The optimum temperature was above 50 °C in all bromelain extracts. The fluorescence analysis confirmed the stability of bromelain in the presence of EDTA and sodium benzoate. Bromelain was pharmacologically active against B16F10 melanoma cells and it was possible verifying approximately 100% inhibition of tumor cell proliferation in vitro. Since bromelain activity was found in different parts of pineapple plants, pineapple residues from the food industry may be used for bromelain extraction.

  15. Stability and performance improvement of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack by laser perforation of gas diffusion layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gerteisen, Dietmar; Sadeler, Christian [Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Department of Energy Technology, Heidenhofstrasse 2, 79110 Freiburg (Germany)

    2010-08-15

    The performance and stability of a hydrogen-driven polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack (6-cell PEFC stack) are investigated with regard to pore flooding within the gas diffusion layers (GDLs). Two short stacks with various GDLs (Toray TGP-H-060 untreated and laser-perforated) were characterized at different operating conditions by several characterization techniques such as constant current load, polarization curve, chronoamperometry and chronovoltammetry. The experimental results reveal that the perforation of the cathode GDLs improves the water transport in the porous media and thus the performance as well as the stability of the operating stack in medium and high current density range. A reduced pore flooding is verified when using the customized laser-perforated GDLs. The GDL perforation has a huge potential to balance the inhomogeneous in-plane saturation conditions between the inlet and outlet area of the cell and to compensate to a certain degree the effects of temperature distribution within a stack regarding the water management. (author)

  16. Stability and performance improvement of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack by laser perforation of gas diffusion layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerteisen, Dietmar; Sadeler, Christian

    The performance and stability of a hydrogen-driven polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack (6-cell PEFC stack) are investigated with regard to pore flooding within the gas diffusion layers (GDLs). Two short stacks with various GDLs (Toray TGP-H-060 untreated and laser-perforated) were characterized at different operating conditions by several characterization techniques such as constant current load, polarization curve, chronoamperometry and chronovoltammetry. The experimental results reveal that the perforation of the cathode GDLs improves the water transport in the porous media and thus the performance as well as the stability of the operating stack in medium and high current density range. A reduced pore flooding is verified when using the customized laser-perforated GDLs. The GDL perforation has a huge potential to balance the inhomogeneous in-plane saturation conditions between the inlet and outlet area of the cell and to compensate to a certain degree the effects of temperature distribution within a stack regarding the water management.

  17. Stability enhancement of P3HT:PCBM polymer solar cells using thermally evaporated MoO3 anode buffer layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameen, M. Yoosuf; Shamjid, P.; Abhijith, T.; Radhakrishnan, Thulasi; Reddy, V. S.

    2018-02-01

    Polymer solar cells have been fabricated with thermally evaporated MoO3 as anode buffer layer (ABL). The stability of MoO3 and PEDOT:PSS based devices was examined under different test conditions. The MoO3 based device exhibited a slightly better efficiency and significantly higher stability compared to PEDOT:PSS based device. At a relative humidity of 45% the unencapsulated PEDOT:PSS based device degraded completely within 96 h. On the other hand, MoO3 based device retained more than 60% of its initial efficiency after 96 h. The reason behind stability enhancement was investigated by measuring time-evolution of reflectance and hole-current. Experimental results revealed that the stability enhancement for MoO3 based device originates from the reduction in degradation of anode/active layer interface.

  18. Fed-batch bioreactor performance and cell line stability evaluation of the artificial chromosome expression technology expressing an IgG1 in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Combs, Rodney G; Yu, Erwin; Roe, Susanna; Piatchek, Michele Bailey; Jones, Heather L; Mott, John; Kennard, Malcolm L; Goosney, Danika L; Monteith, Diane

    2011-01-01

    The artificial chromosome expression (ACE) technology system uses an engineered artificial chromosome containing multiple site-specific recombination acceptor sites for the rapid and efficient construction of stable cell lines. The construction of Chinese hamster ovary(CHO) cell lines expressing an IgG1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) using the ACE system has been previously described (Kennard et al., Biotechnol Bioeng. 2009;104:540-553). To further demonstrate the manufacturing feasibility of the ACE system, four CHO cell lines expressing the human IgG1 MAb 4A1 were evaluated in batch and fed-batch shake flasks and in a 2-L fed-batch bioreactor. The batch shake flasks achieved titers between 0.7 and 1.1 g/L, whereas the fed-batch shake flask process improved titers to 2.5–3.0 g/L. The lead 4A1 ACE cell line achieved titers of 4.0 g/L with an average specific productivity of 40 pg/(cell day) when cultured in a non optimized 2-L fed-batch bioreactor using a completely chemically defined process. Generational stability characterization of the lead 4A1-expressing cell line demonstrated that the cell line was stable for up to 75 days in culture. Product quality attributes of the 4A1 MAb produced by the ACE system during the stability evaluation period were unchanged and also comparable to existing expression technologies such as the CHO-dhfr system. The results of this evaluation demonstrate that a clonal, stable MAb-expressing CHO cell line can be produced using ACE technology that performs competitively using a chemically defined fed-batch bioreactor process with comparable product quality attributes to cell lines generated by existing technologies.

  19. [Biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether by stabilized immobilized Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1 cells and its biodegradation kinetics analysis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Zhuo-wei; Fu, Ling-xiao; Jiang, Yi-feng; Chen, Jian-meng; Zhang, Rong

    2011-05-01

    Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1, which is capable of degrading methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) , was immobilized in calcium alginate gel beads. Several methods were explored to increase the strength of these gel beads. The central composite design analysis indicated that the introduction of 0.2 mol x L(-1) Ca2+ into the crosslinking solution, 1.38 mmol x L(-1) Ca2+ into the growth medium and 0.1% polyethyleneimine (PEI) as the chemical crosslinking agent could increase the stability of the Ca-alginate gel beads with no loss of biodegradation activity. The stabilized immobilized cells could be used 400 h continuously with no breakage and no bioactivity loss. Examination of scanning electron microscope demonstrated that a membrane surrounding the gel beads was formed and the cells could grow and breed well in the stabilized calcium alginate gel beads. Kinetic analysis of the gel bead-degradation indicated that the rate-limiting step was biochemical process instead of intraparticle diffusion process. The diameter of 3 mm affected the biodegradability less while high concentration of PEI induced much more serious mass transfer restraint.

  20. Fabrication of Yttria stabilized zirconia thin films on poroussubstrates for fuel cell applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leming, Andres [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2003-06-16

    A process for the deposition of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films, on porous substrates, has been developed. These films have possible applications as electrolyte membranes in fuel cells. The films were deposited from colloidal suspensions through the vacuum infiltration technique. Films were deposited on both fully sintered and partially sintered substrates. A critical cracking thickness for the films was identified and strategies are presented to overcome this barrier. Green film density was also examined, and a method for improving green density by changing suspension pH and surfactant was developed. A dependence of film density on film thickness was observed, and materials interactions are suggested as a possible cause. Non-shorted YSZ films were obtained on co-fired substrates, and a cathode supported solid oxide fuel cell was constructed and characterized.

  1. Performance and stability of P3HT/PCBM bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yumnam, Nivedita; Bom, Sidhant; Wagner, Veit [School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    Organic photovoltaic cells are promising candidates for large-area, low-cost production of solar cells. However, the low stability in conjunction with their medium performance is one of the major drawbacks in comparison to their inorganic counterparts. In this investigation environmental conditions for degradation of bulk heterojunction P3HT/PCBM solar cells are systematically analyzed over a period of one week. Devices were prepared by spin coating from different compositions of P3HT and PCBM in Chlorobenzene (C{sub 6}H{sub 5}Cl). Performance parameters, efficiency and I-V characteristics were determined in a N{sub 2} glove box showing optimized efficiency for a 1:1 ratio. Degradation behavior in N{sub 2} atmosphere, vacuum and solvent-enriched atmosphere (Chlorobenzene) showed best results for vacuum stored solar cells while for solvent-enriched atmosphere rapid degradation was observed. Remarkable degradation (open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current reduced to 90% and 60% after one week) was also found for N{sub 2} atmosphere of the glove box used for the solar cell production. Residual solvent vapor left dispersed in the atmosphere of the glovebox after the spin coating process is identified as an important parameter of this degradation.

  2. Stability of Control Networks in Autonomous Homeostatic Regulation of Stem Cell Lineages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komarova, Natalia L; van den Driessche, P

    2018-05-01

    Design principles of biological networks have been studied extensively in the context of protein-protein interaction networks, metabolic networks, and regulatory (transcriptional) networks. Here we consider regulation networks that occur on larger scales, namely the cell-to-cell signaling networks that connect groups of cells in multicellular organisms. These are the feedback loops that orchestrate the complex dynamics of cell fate decisions and are necessary for the maintenance of homeostasis in stem cell lineages. We focus on "minimal" networks that are those that have the smallest possible numbers of controls. For such minimal networks, the number of controls must be equal to the number of compartments, and the reducibility/irreducibility of the network (whether or not it can be split into smaller independent sub-networks) is defined by a matrix comprised of the cell number increments induced by each of the controlled processes in each of the compartments. Using the formalism of digraphs, we show that in two-compartment lineages, reducible systems must contain two 1-cycles, and irreducible systems one 1-cycle and one 2-cycle; stability follows from the signs of the controls and does not require magnitude restrictions. In three-compartment systems, irreducible digraphs have a tree structure or have one 3-cycle and at least two more shorter cycles, at least one of which is a 1-cycle. With further work and proper biological validation, our results may serve as a first step toward an understanding of ways in which these networks become dysregulated in cancer.

  3. New Low-Bandgap Materials with Good Stabilities and Efficiencies Comparable to P3HT in R2R-Coated Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Roar; Manceau, Matthieu; Jørgensen, Mikkel

    2012-01-01

    Roll-to-roll coated organic solar cells of two new polymers processed in ambient conditions show good photochemical stabilities, and their efficiencies are comparable to similar roll-to-roll coated P3HT cells. Optimal blend compositions are achieved by the use of differentially pumped slot die...

  4. IGF-1 Has Plaque-Stabilizing Effects in Atherosclerosis by Altering Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype

    Science.gov (United States)

    von der Thüsen, Jan H.; Borensztajn, Keren S.; Moimas, Silvia; van Heiningen, Sandra; Teeling, Peter; van Berkel, Theo J.C.; Biessen, Erik A.L.

    2011-01-01

    Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling is important for the maintenance of plaque stability in atherosclerosis due to its effects on vascular smooth muscle cell (vSMC) phenotype. To investigate this hypothesis, we studied the effects of the highly inflammatory milieu of the atherosclerotic plaque on IGF-1 signaling and stability-related phenotypic parameters of murine vSMCs in vitro, and the effects of IGF-1 supplementation on plaque phenotype in an atherosclerotic mouse model. M1-polarized, macrophage-conditioned medium inhibited IGF-1 signaling by ablating IGF-1 and increasing IGF-binding protein 3, increased vSMC apoptosis, and decreased proliferation. Expression of α-actin and col3a1 genes was strongly attenuated by macrophage-conditioned medium, whereas expression of matrix-degrading enzymes was increased. Importantly, all of these effects could be corrected by supplementation with IGF-1. In vivo, treatment with the stable IGF-1 analog Long R3 IGF-1 in apolipoprotein E knockout mice reduced stenosis and core size, and doubled cap/core ratio in early atherosclerosis. In advanced plaques, Long R3 IGF-1 increased the vSMC content of the plaque by more than twofold and significantly reduced the rate of intraplaque hemorrhage. We believe that IGF-1 in atherosclerotic plaques may have a role in preventing plaque instability, not only by modulating smooth muscle cell turnover, but also by altering smooth muscle cell phenotype. PMID:21281823

  5. Funneled potential and flux landscapes dictate the stabilities of both the states and the flow: Fission yeast cell cycle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaosheng Luo

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Using fission yeast cell cycle as an example, we uncovered that the non-equilibrium network dynamics and global properties are determined by two essential features: the potential landscape and the flux landscape. These two landscapes can be quantified through the decomposition of the dynamics into the detailed balance preserving part and detailed balance breaking non-equilibrium part. While the funneled potential landscape is often crucial for the stability of the single attractor networks, we have uncovered that the funneled flux landscape is crucial for the emergence and maintenance of the stable limit cycle oscillation flow. This provides a new interpretation of the origin for the limit cycle oscillations: There are many cycles and loops existed flowing through the state space and forming the flux landscapes, each cycle with a probability flux going through the loop. The limit cycle emerges when a loop stands out and carries significantly more probability flux than other loops. We explore how robustness ratio (RR as the gap or steepness versus averaged variations or roughness of the landscape, quantifying the degrees of the funneling of the underlying potential and flux landscapes. We state that these two landscapes complement each other with one crucial for stabilities of states on the cycle and the other crucial for the stability of the flow along the cycle. The flux is directly related to the speed of the cell cycle. This allows us to identify the key factors and structure elements of the networks in determining the stability, speed and robustness of the fission yeast cell cycle oscillations. We see that the non-equilibriumness characterized by the degree of detailed balance breaking from the energy pump quantified by the flux is the cause of the energy dissipation for initiating and sustaining the replications essential for the origin and evolution of life. Regulating the cell cycle speed is crucial for designing the prevention and curing

  6. Extracellular ascorbate stabilization as a result of transplasma electron transfer in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos-Ocaña, C; Navas, P; Crane, F L; Córdoba, F

    1995-12-01

    The presence of yeast cells in the incubation medium prevents the oxidation of ascrobate catalyzed by copper ions. Ethanol increases ascorbate retention. Pyrazole, an alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor, prevents ascorbate stabilization by cells. Chelation of copper ions does not account for stabilization, since oxidation rates with broken or boiled cells or conditioned media are similar to control rates in the absence of cells. Protoplast integrity is needed to reach optimal values of stabilization. Chloroquine, a known inhibitor of plasma membrane redox systems, inhibits the ascorbate stabilization, the inhibition being partially reversed by coenzyme Q6. Chloroquine does not inhibit ferricyanide reduction. Growth of yeast in iron-deficient media to increase ferric ion reductase activity also increases the stabilization. In conclusion, extracellular ascorbate stabilization by yeast cells can reflect a coenzyme Q dependent transplasmalemma electron transfer which uses NADH as electron donor. Iron deficiency increases the ascorbate stabilization but the transmembrane ferricyanide reduction system can act independently of ascorbate stabilization.

  7. A study on stability and medical implications for a complex delay model for CML with cell competition and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rădulescu, I R; Cândea, D; Halanay, A

    2014-12-21

    We study a mathematical model describing the dynamics of leukemic and normal cell populations (stem-like and differentiated) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). This model is a system of four delay differential equations incorporating three types of cell division. The competition between normal and leukemic stem cell populations for the common microenvironment is taken into consideration. The stability of one steady state is investigated. The results are discussed via their medical interpretation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Isorhapontigenin (ISO) inhibited cell transformation by inducing G0/G1 phase arrest via increasing MKP-1 mRNA Stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Guangxun; Chen, Liang; Li, Jingxia; Zhang, Dongyun; Fang, Yong; Huang, Haishan; Chen, Xiequn; Huang, Chuanshu

    2014-05-15

    The cancer chemopreventive property of Chinese herb new isolate isorhapontigenin (ISO) and mechanisms underlying its activity have never been explored. Here we demonstrated that ISO treatment with various concentrations for 3 weeks could dramatically inhibit TPA/EGF-induced cell transformation of Cl41 cells in Soft Agar assay, whereas co-incubation of cells with ISO at the same concentrations could elicit G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest without redundant cytotoxic effects on non-transformed cells. Further studies showed that ISO treatment resulted in cyclin D1 downregulation in dose- and time-dependent manner. Our results indicated that ISO regulated cyclin D1 at transcription level via targeting JNK/C-Jun/AP-1 activation. Moreover, we found that ISO-inhibited JNK/C-Jun/AP-1 activation was mediated by both upregulation of MKP-1 expression through increasing its mRNA stability and deactivating MKK7. Most importantly, MKP-1 knockdown could attenuate ISO-mediated suppression of JNK/C-Jun activation and cyclin D1 expression, as well as G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and cell transformation inhibition, while ectopic expression of FLAG-cyclin D1 T286A mutant also reversed ISO-induced G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest and inhibition of cell transformation. Our results demonstrated that ISO is a promising chemopreventive agent via upregulating mkp-1 mRNA stability, which is distinct from its cancer therapeutic effect with downregulation of XIAP and cyclin D1 expression.

  9. Improving thermal stability and efficacy of BCNU in treating glioma cells using PAA-functionalized graphene oxide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu YJ

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Yu-Jen Lu1,2,#, Hung-Wei Yang1,#, Sheng-Che Hung3, Chiung-Yin Huang2, Shin-Ming Li4, Chen-Chi M Ma4, Pin-Yuan Chen2, Hong-Chieh Tsai2, Kuo-Chen Wei2, Jyh-Ping Chen1 1Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kwei-San, Taoyuan, Taiwan; 2Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kwei-San, Taoyuan, Taiwan; 3Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan#These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl-1-nitrosourea (BCNU, a commercial chemotherapeutic drug for treating malignant brain tumors, has poor thermal stability and a short half-life. Immobilization of BCNU on a nanocarrier might increase the thermal stability of BCNU and extend its half-life.Methods: Nanosized graphene oxide (GO could be modified by polyacrylic acid (PAA to improve the aqueous solubility and increase the cell penetration efficacy of the nanocarrier. PAA–GO intended as a drug carrier for BCNU was prepared and characterized in this study. The size and thickness of PAA–GO was investigated by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, and the presence of PAA functional groups was confirmed by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. BCNU was conjugated to PAA–GO by covalent binding for specific killing of cancer cells, which could also enhance the thermal stability of the drug.Results: Single layer PAA–GO (about 1.9 nm with a lateral width as small as 36 nm was successfully prepared. The optimum drug immobilization condition was by reacting 0.5 mg PAA–GO with 0.4 mg BCNU, and the drug-loading capacity and residual drug activity were 198 µg BCNU/mg PAA–GO and 70%, respectively. This nanocarrier significantly prolonged the half-life of bound BCNU from 19 to 43 hours compared with free drug and showed efficient intracellular

  10. Dual-axis vapor cell for simultaneous laser frequency stabilization on disparate optical transitions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayakumar, Anupriya; Plotkin-Swing, Benjamin; Jamison, Alan O.; Gupta, Subhadeep

    2015-07-01

    We have developed a dual-axis ytterbium (Yb) vapor cell and used it to simultaneously address the two laser cooling transitions in Yb at wavelengths 399 nm and 556 nm, featuring the disparate linewidths of 2π × 29 MHz and 2π × 182 KHz, respectively. By utilizing different optical paths for the two wavelengths, we simultaneously obtain comparable optical densities suitable for saturated absorption spectroscopy for both the transitions and keep both the lasers frequency stabilized over several hours. We demonstrate that by appropriate control of the cell temperature profile, two atomic transitions differing in relative strength across a large range of over three orders of magnitude can be simultaneously addressed, making the device adaptable to a variety of spectroscopic needs. We also show that our observations can be understood with a simple theoretical model of the Yb vapor.

  11. Dual-axis vapor cell for simultaneous laser frequency stabilization on disparate optical transitions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jayakumar, Anupriya, E-mail: anupriya@uw.edu; Plotkin-Swing, Benjamin; Jamison, Alan O.; Gupta, Subhadeep [Department of Physics, University of Washington, P.O. Box 351560, Seattle, Washington 98195-1560 (United States)

    2015-07-15

    We have developed a dual-axis ytterbium (Yb) vapor cell and used it to simultaneously address the two laser cooling transitions in Yb at wavelengths 399 nm and 556 nm, featuring the disparate linewidths of 2π × 29 MHz and 2π × 182 KHz, respectively. By utilizing different optical paths for the two wavelengths, we simultaneously obtain comparable optical densities suitable for saturated absorption spectroscopy for both the transitions and keep both the lasers frequency stabilized over several hours. We demonstrate that by appropriate control of the cell temperature profile, two atomic transitions differing in relative strength across a large range of over three orders of magnitude can be simultaneously addressed, making the device adaptable to a variety of spectroscopic needs. We also show that our observations can be understood with a simple theoretical model of the Yb vapor.

  12. Native and enzymatically modified wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) endogenous lipids in bread making: a focus on gas cell stabilization mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerits, Lien R; Pareyt, Bram; Masure, Hanne G; Delcour, Jan A

    2015-04-01

    Lipopan F and Lecitase Ultra lipases were used in straight dough bread making to study how wheat lipids affect bread loaf volume (LV) and crumb structure setting. Lipase effects on LV were dose and dough piece weight dependent. The bread quality improving mechanisms exerted by endogenous lipids were studied in terms of gluten network strengthening, which indirectly stabilizes gas cells, and in terms of direct interfacial gas cell stabilization. Unlike diacetyl tartaric esters of mono- and diacylglycerols (DATEM, used as control), lipase use did not impact dough extensibility. The effect on dough extensibility was therefore related to its lipid composition at the start of mixing. Both lipases and DATEM strongly increase the levels of polar lipids in dough liquor and their availability for and potential accumulation at gas cell interfaces. Lipases form lysolipids that emulsify other lipids. We speculate that DATEM competes with (endogenous) polar lipids for interacting with gluten proteins. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Using Dark Field X-Ray Microscopy To Study In-Operando Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Electrolyte Supported Solid Oxide Cell

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sierra, J. X.; Poulsen, H. F.; Jørgensen, P. S.

    Dark Field X-Ray Microscopy is a promising technique to study the structure of materials in nanometer length scale. In combination with x-ray diffraction technique, the microstructure evolution of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia electrolyte based solid oxide cell was studied running at extreme operating...

  14. Spatial Atmospheric Pressure Atomic Layer Deposition of Tin Oxide as an Impermeable Electron Extraction Layer for Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Thermal Stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Lukas; Brinkmann, Kai O; Malerczyk, Jessica; Rogalla, Detlef; Becker, Tim; Theirich, Detlef; Shutsko, Ivan; Görrn, Patrick; Riedl, Thomas

    2018-02-14

    Despite the notable success of hybrid halide perovskite-based solar cells, their long-term stability is still a key-issue. Aside from optimizing the photoactive perovskite, the cell design states a powerful lever to improve stability under various stress conditions. Dedicated electrically conductive diffusion barriers inside the cell stack, that counteract the ingress of moisture and prevent the migration of corrosive halogen species, can substantially improve ambient and thermal stability. Although atomic layer deposition (ALD) is excellently suited to prepare such functional layers, ALD suffers from the requirement of vacuum and only allows for a very limited throughput. Here, we demonstrate for the first time spatial ALD-grown SnO x at atmospheric pressure as impermeable electron extraction layers for perovskite solar cells. We achieve optical transmittance and electrical conductivity similar to those in SnO x grown by conventional vacuum-based ALD. A low deposition temperature of 80 °C and a high substrate speed of 2.4 m min -1 yield SnO x layers with a low water vapor transmission rate of ∼10 -4 gm -2 day -1 (at 60 °C/60% RH). Thereby, in perovskite solar cells, dense hybrid Al:ZnO/SnO x electron extraction layers are created that are the key for stable cell characteristics beyond 1000 h in ambient air and over 3000 h at 60 °C. Most notably, our work of introducing spatial ALD at atmospheric pressure paves the way to the future roll-to-roll manufacturing of stable perovskite solar cells.

  15. Interface engineering of perovskite solar cells with multifunctional polymer interlayer toward improved performance and stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Li-Bo; Su, Pei-Yang; Liu, Jun-Min; Huang, Jian-Feng; Chen, Yi-Fan; Qin, Su; Guo, Jing; Xu, Yao-Wei; Su, Cheng-Yong

    2018-02-01

    This work proposes a new perovskite solar cell structure by inserting a polymer interlayer between perovskite and hole transporting material (HTM) to minimize the interface losses via interface engineering. The multifunctional interlayers improve the photovoltaic efficiency and device stability by shielding perovskite from moisture, suppressing charge combination, and promoting hole transport. The five different polymer layers are utilized to investigate the relationships of polymer structure, layer morphology and cell performance systematically. It is found that a reliable power conversion efficiency exceeding 19.0% is realized based on P3HT/spiro-OMeTAD composite structure, surpassing that of pure spiro-OMeTAD (15.0%). Moreover, the device with P3HT interlayer shows more brilliant long-term stability than that without interlayer when exposed into moisture. The enhanced device performance based on P3HT interlayer compared with the other polymers can be ascribed to the long hydrophobic alkyl chains and the small molecule monomers of P3HT, which contribute to self-assembly of the polymers into insulating layers and formation of the efficient π-π stacking in polymer/spiro-OMeTAD interface simultaneously. This study provides a practical route for the integration of a new class of easily-accessible, solution-processed interfacial polymer materials for high-performance and long-time stable PSC.

  16. The mast cell stabilizer sodium cromoglycate reduces histamine release and status epilepticus-induced neuronal damage in the rat hippocampus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valle-Dorado, María Guadalupe; Santana-Gómez, César Emmanuel; Orozco-Suárez, Sandra Adela; Rocha, Luisa

    2015-05-01

    Experiments were designed to evaluate changes in the histamine release, mast cell number and neuronal damage in hippocampus induced by status epilepticus. We also evaluated if sodium cromoglycate, a stabilizer of mast cells with a possible stabilizing effect on the membrane of neurons, was able to prevent the release of histamine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate during the status epilepticus. During microdialysis experiments, rats were treated with saline (SS-SE) or sodium cromoglycate (CG-SE) and 30 min later received the administration of pilocarpine to induce status epilepticus. Twenty-four hours after the status epilepticus, the brains were used to determine the neuronal damage and the number of mast cells in hippocampus. During the status epilepticus, SS-SE group showed an enhanced release of histamine (138.5%, p = 0.005), GABA (331 ± 91%, p ≤ 0.001) and glutamate (467%, p ≤ 0.001), even after diazepam administration. One day after the status epilepticus, SS-SE group demonstrated increased number of mast cells in Stratum pyramidale of CA1 (88%, p status epilepticus (p = 0.048), absence of wet-dog shakes, reduced histamine (but not GABA and glutamate) release, lower number of mast cells (p = 0.008) and reduced neuronal damage in hippocampus. Our data revealed that histamine, possibly from mast cells, is released in hippocampus during the status epilepticus. This effect may be involved in the subsequent neuronal damage and is diminished with sodium cromoglycate pretreatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. The Function of TiO2 with Respect to Sensitizer Stability in Nanocrystalline Dye Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Barkschat

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Dyes of characteristically different composition have been tested with respect to long-term stability in operating standardized dye sensitized cells during a time period of up to 3600 hours. Selective solar illumination, the use of graded filters, and imaging of photocurrents revealed that degradation is linked to the density of photocurrent passed. Photoelectrochemical degradation was observed with all sensitizers investigated. Sensitization was less efficient and sensitizers were less photostable with nanostructured ZnO compared to nanostructured TiO2. The best performance was confirmed for cis-RuII(dcbpyH22(NCS2 on TiO2. However, it was 7–10 times less stable under other identical conditions on ZnO. Stability is favored by carboxylate anchoring and metal-centred electron transfer. In presence of TiO2, it is enhanced by formation of a stabilizing charge-transfer complex between oxidized Ru dye and back-bonding interfacial Ti3+ states. This is considered to be the main reason for the ongoing use of expensive Ru complexes in combination with TiO2. The local surface chemistry of the nanocrystalline TiO2 turned out to be a crucial factor for sensitizer stability and requires further investigation.

  18. A specific role for the ZipA protein in cell division: stabilization of the FtsZ protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pazos, Manuel; Natale, Paolo; Vicente, Miguel

    2013-02-01

    In Escherichia coli, the cell division protein FtsZ is anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane by the action of the bitopic membrane protein ZipA and the cytoplasmic protein FtsA. Although the presence of both ZipA and FtsA is strictly indispensable for cell division, an FtsA gain-of-function mutant FtsA* (R286W) can bypass the ZipA requirement for cell division. This observation casts doubts on the role of ZipA and its need for cell division. Maxicells are nucleoid-free bacterial cells used as a whole cell in vitro system to probe protein-protein interactions without the need of protein purification. We show that ZipA protects FtsZ from the ClpXP-directed degradation observed in E. coli maxicells and that ZipA-stabilized FtsZ forms membrane-attached spiral-like structures in the bacterial cytoplasm. The overproduction of the FtsZ-binding ZipA domain is sufficient to protect FtsZ from degradation, whereas other C-terminal ZipA partial deletions lacking it are not. Individual overproduction of the proto-ring component FtsA or its gain-of-function mutant FtsA* does not result in FtsZ protection. Overproduction of FtsA or FtsA* together with ZipA does not interfere with the FtsZ protection. Moreover, neither FtsA nor FtsA* protects FtsZ when overproduced together with ZipA mutants lacking the FZB domain. We propose that ZipA protects FtsZ from degradation by ClpP by making the FtsZ site of interaction unavailable to the ClpX moiety of the ClpXP protease. This role cannot be replaced by either FtsA or FtsA*, suggesting a unique function for ZipA in proto-ring stability.

  19. Engineering the Activity and Stability of Pt-Alloy Cathode Fuel-Cell Electrocatalysts by Tuning the Pt-Pt Distance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Escribano, Maria Escudero; Malacrida, Paolo; Vej-Hansen, Ulrik Grønbjerg

    2014-01-01

    for enhancing the cathode activity is to alloy Pt with transition metals [1-2]. However, alloys of Pt and late transition metals are typically unstable under fuel-cell conditions. Herein, we present experimental and theoretical studies showing the trends in activity and stability of novel cathode catalysts...

  20. APTO-253 Stabilizes G-quadruplex DNA, Inhibits MYC Expression, and Induces DNA Damage in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Local, Andrea; Zhang, Hongying; Benbatoul, Khalid D; Folger, Peter; Sheng, Xia; Tsai, Cheng-Yu; Howell, Stephen B; Rice, William G

    2018-06-01

    APTO-253 is a phase I clinical stage small molecule that selectively induces CDKN1A (p21), promotes G 0 -G 1 cell-cycle arrest, and triggers apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells without producing myelosuppression in various animal species and humans. Differential gene expression analysis identified a pharmacodynamic effect on MYC expression, as well as induction of DNA repair and stress response pathways. APTO-253 was found to elicit a concentration- and time-dependent reduction in MYC mRNA expression and protein levels. Gene ontogeny and structural informatic analyses suggested a mechanism involving G-quadruplex (G4) stabilization. Intracellular pharmacokinetic studies in AML cells revealed that APTO-253 is converted intracellularly from a monomer to a ferrous complex [Fe(253) 3 ]. FRET assays demonstrated that both monomeric APTO-253 and Fe(253) 3 stabilize G4 structures from telomeres, MYC, and KIT promoters but do not bind to non-G4 double-stranded DNA. Although APTO-253 exerts a host of mechanistic sequelae, the effect of APTO-253 on MYC expression and its downstream target genes, on cell-cycle arrest, DNA damage, and stress responses can be explained by the action of Fe(253) 3 and APTO-253 on G-quadruplex DNA motifs. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(6); 1177-86. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

  1. Heterostructured TiO2/NiTiO3 Nanorod Arrays for Inorganic Sensitized Solar Cells with Significantly Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance and Stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yue-Ying; Wang, Jian-Gan; Sun, Huan-Huan; Wei, Bingqing

    2018-04-11

    Organic dyes used in the conventional dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) suffer from poor light stability and high cost. In this work, we demonstrate a new inorganic sensitized solar cell based on ordered one-dimensional semiconductor nanorod arrays of TiO 2 /NiTiO 3 (NTO) heterostructures prepared via a facile two-step hydrothermal approach. The semiconductor heterostructure arrays are highly desirable and promising for DSSCs because of their direct charge transport capability and slow charge recombination rate. The low-cost NTO inorganic semiconductor possesses an appropriate band gap that matches well with TiO 2 , which behaves like a "dye" to enable efficient light harvesting and fast electron-hole separation. The solar cells constructed by the ordered TiO 2 /NTO heterostructure photoanodes show a significantly improved power conversion efficiency, high fill factor, and more promising, outstanding life stability. The present work will open up an avenue to design heterostructured inorganics for high-performance solar cells.

  2. Flexible high power-per-weight perovskite solar cells with chromium oxide-metal contacts for improved stability in air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaltenbrunner, Martin; Adam, Getachew; Głowacki, Eric Daniel; Drack, Michael; Schwödiauer, Reinhard; Leonat, Lucia; Apaydin, Dogukan Hazar; Groiss, Heiko; Scharber, Markus Clark; White, Matthew Schuette; Sariciftci, Niyazi Serdar; Bauer, Siegfried

    2015-10-01

    Photovoltaic technology requires light-absorbing materials that are highly efficient, lightweight, low cost and stable during operation. Organolead halide perovskites constitute a highly promising class of materials, but suffer limited stability under ambient conditions without heavy and costly encapsulation. Here, we report ultrathin (3 μm), highly flexible perovskite solar cells with stabilized 12% efficiency and a power-per-weight as high as 23 W g-1. To facilitate air-stable operation, we introduce a chromium oxide-chromium interlayer that effectively protects the metal top contacts from reactions with the perovskite. The use of a transparent polymer electrode treated with dimethylsulphoxide as the bottom layer allows the deposition--from solution at low temperature--of pinhole-free perovskite films at high yield on arbitrary substrates, including thin plastic foils. These ultra-lightweight solar cells are successfully used to power aviation models. Potential future applications include unmanned aerial vehicles--from airplanes to quadcopters and weather balloons--for environmental and industrial monitoring, rescue and emergency response, and tactical security applications.

  3. HTLV-1 tax stabilizes MCL-1 via TRAF6-dependent K63-linked polyubiquitination to promote cell survival and transformation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Young Bong Choi

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1 Tax protein hijacks the host ubiquitin machinery to activate IκB kinases (IKKs and NF-κB and promote cell survival; however, the key ubiquitinated factors downstream of Tax involved in cell transformation are unknown. Using mass spectrometry, we undertook an unbiased proteome-wide quantitative survey of cellular proteins modified by ubiquitin in the presence of Tax or a Tax mutant impaired in IKK activation. Tax induced the ubiquitination of 22 cellular proteins, including the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family member MCL-1, in an IKK-dependent manner. Tax was found to promote the nondegradative lysine 63 (K63-linked polyubiquitination of MCL-1 that was dependent on the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF6 and the IKK complex. Tax interacted with and activated TRAF6, and triggered its mitochondrial localization, where it conjugated four carboxyl-terminal lysine residues of MCL-1 with K63-linked polyubiquitin chains, which stabilized and protected MCL-1 from genotoxic stress-induced degradation. TRAF6 and MCL-1 played essential roles in the survival of HTLV-1 transformed cells and the immortalization of primary T cells by HTLV-1. Therefore, K63-linked polyubiquitination represents a novel regulatory mechanism controlling MCL-1 stability that has been usurped by a viral oncogene to precipitate cell survival and transformation.

  4. HTLV-1 Tax Stabilizes MCL-1 via TRAF6-Dependent K63-Linked Polyubiquitination to Promote Cell Survival and Transformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Young Bong; Harhaj, Edward William

    2014-01-01

    The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax protein hijacks the host ubiquitin machinery to activate IκB kinases (IKKs) and NF-κB and promote cell survival; however, the key ubiquitinated factors downstream of Tax involved in cell transformation are unknown. Using mass spectrometry, we undertook an unbiased proteome-wide quantitative survey of cellular proteins modified by ubiquitin in the presence of Tax or a Tax mutant impaired in IKK activation. Tax induced the ubiquitination of 22 cellular proteins, including the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family member MCL-1, in an IKK-dependent manner. Tax was found to promote the nondegradative lysine 63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination of MCL-1 that was dependent on the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF6 and the IKK complex. Tax interacted with and activated TRAF6, and triggered its mitochondrial localization, where it conjugated four carboxyl-terminal lysine residues of MCL-1 with K63-linked polyubiquitin chains, which stabilized and protected MCL-1 from genotoxic stress-induced degradation. TRAF6 and MCL-1 played essential roles in the survival of HTLV-1 transformed cells and the immortalization of primary T cells by HTLV-1. Therefore, K63-linked polyubiquitination represents a novel regulatory mechanism controlling MCL-1 stability that has been usurped by a viral oncogene to precipitate cell survival and transformation. PMID:25340740

  5. Evaluation of the thermal stability of a novel strain of live-attenuated mumps vaccine (RS-12 strain) lyophilized in different stabilizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamil, Razieh Kamali; Taqavian, Mohammad; Sadigh, Zohreh-Azita; Shahkarami, Mohammad-Kazem; Esna-Ashari, Fatemeh; Hamkar, Rasool; Hosseini, Seyedeh-Marzieh; Hatami, Alireza

    2014-04-01

    The stability of live-attenuated viral vaccines is important for immunization efficacy. Here, the thermostabilities of lyophilized live-attenuated mumps vaccine formulations in two different stabilizers, a trehalose dihydrate-based stabilizer and a stabilizer containing sucrose, human serum albumin and sorbitol were investigated using accelerated stability tests at 4°C, 25°C and 37°C at time points between 4h (every 4h for the first 24h) and 1 week. Even under the harshest storage conditions of 37°C for 1 week, the 50% cell culture infective dose (CCID50) determined from titrations in Vero cells dropped by less than 10-fold using each stabilizer formulation and thus complied with the World Health Organization's requirements for the potency of live-attenuated mumps vaccines. However, as the half-life of the RS-12 strain mumps virus infectivity was lengthened substantially at elevated temperatures using the trehalose dihydrate (TD)-based stabilizer, this stabilizer is recommended for vaccine use. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Triple-junction thin-film silicon solar cell fabricated on periodically textured substrate with a stabilized efficiency of 13.6%

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sai, Hitoshi; Matsui, Takuya; Koida, Takashi; Matsubara, Koji; Kondo, Michio; Sugiyama, Shuichiro; Katayama, Hirotaka; Takeuchi, Yoshiaki; Yoshida, Isao

    2015-05-01

    We report a high-efficiency triple-junction thin-film silicon solar cell fabricated with the so-called substrate configuration. It was verified whether the design criteria for developing single-junction microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) solar cells are applicable to multijunction solar cells. Furthermore, a notably high short-circuit current density of 32.9 mA/cm2 was achieved in a single-junction μc-Si:H cell fabricated on a periodically textured substrate with a high-mobility front transparent contacting layer. These technologies were also combined into a-Si:H/μc-Si:H/μc-Si:H triple-junction cells, and a world record stabilized efficiency of 13.6% was achieved.

  7. Interaction of Freshwater Diatom with Gold Nanoparticles: Adsorption, Assimilation, and Stabilization by Cell Exometabolites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aridane G. González

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The rising concern about the potential toxicity of synthetic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs in aquatic environments requires a rigorous estimation of physico-chemical parameters of reactions between AuNPs and major freshwater microorganisms. This study addresses the interaction of 10-nm size, positively charged AuNPs with periphytic freshwater diatoms (Eolimna minima. The adsorption experiments on viable cells were performed in 10 mM NaCl and 5 mM NaCl + 5 mM NaHCO3 solution at a variable pH (3–10, at an AuNPs concentration from 1 µg/L to 10,000 µg/L, and an exposure time from a few minutes to 55 days. Three types of experiments, adsorption as a function of time (kinetics, pH-dependent adsorption edge, and constant-pH “Langmuirian” type isotherms, were conducted. In addition, long-term interactions (days to weeks of live diatoms (under light and in the darkness were performed. The adsorption was maximal at a pH from 3 to 6 and sizably decreased at a pH of 6 to 10. Results of adsorption experiments were modeled using a second order kinetic model, a Linear Programming Model, Freundlich isotherm, and a ligand binding equation for one site competition. The adsorption of AuNPs(+ most likely occurred on negatively-charged surface sites of diatom cell walls such as carboxylates or phosphorylates, similar to previously studied metal cations. Under light exposure, the AuNPs were stabilized in aqueous solution in the presence of live cells, probably due to the production of exometabolites by diatoms. The adsorbed amount of AuNPs decreased after several days of reaction, suggesting some AuNPs desorption. In the darkness, the adsorption and assimilation were stronger than under light. Overall, the behavior of positively charged AuNPs at the diatom–aqueous solution interface is similar to that of metal cations, but the affinity of aqueous AuNPs to cell exometabolites is higher, which leads to the stabilization of nanoparticles in solution in the

  8. Ionic liquids and ionic liquid acids with high temperature stability for fuel cell and other high temperature applications, method of making and cell employing same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angell, C Austen [Mesa, AZ; Xu, Wu [Broadview Heights, OH; Belieres, Jean-Philippe [Chandler, AZ; Yoshizawa, Masahiro [Tokyo, JP

    2011-01-11

    Disclosed are developments in high temperature fuel cells including ionic liquids with high temperature stability and the storage of inorganic acids as di-anion salts of low volatility. The formation of ionically conducting liquids of this type having conductivities of unprecedented magnitude for non-aqueous systems is described. The stability of the di-anion configuration is shown to play a role in the high performance of the non-corrosive proton-transfer ionic liquids as high temperature fuel cell electrolytes. Performance of simple H.sub.2(g) electrolyte/O.sub.2(g) fuel cells with the new electrolytes is described. Superior performance both at ambient temperature and temperatures up to and above 200.degree. C. are achieved. Both neutral proton transfer salts and the acid salts with HSO.sup.-.sub.4 anions, give good results, the bisulphate case being particularly good at low temperatures and very high temperatures. The performance of all electrolytes is improved by the addition of a small amount of involatile base of pK.sub.a value intermediate between those of the acid and base that make the bulk electrolyte. The preferred case is the imidazole-doped ethylammonium hydrogensulfate which yields behavior superior in all respects to that of the industry standard phosphoric acid electrolyte.

  9. Biochemical Stability Analysis of Nano Scaled Contrast Agents Used in Biomolecular Imaging Detection of Tumor Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jennifer; Kyung, Richard

    Imaging contrast agents are materials used to improve the visibility of internal body structures in the imaging process. Many agents that are used for contrast enhancement are now studied empirically and computationally by researchers. Among various imaging techniques, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a major diagnostic tool in many clinical specialties due to its non-invasive characteristic and its safeness in regards to ionizing radiation exposure. Recently, researchers have prepared aqueous fullerene nanoparticles using electrochemical methods. In this paper, computational simulations of thermodynamic stabilities of nano scaled contrast agents that can be used in biomolecular imaging detection of tumor cells are presented using nanomaterials such as fluorescent functionalized fullerenes. In addition, the stability and safety of different types of contrast agents composed of metal oxide a, b, and c are tested in the imaging process. Through analysis of the computational simulations, the stabilities of the contrast agents, determined by optimized energies of the conformations, are presented. The resulting numerical data are compared. In addition, Density Functional Theory (DFT) is used in order to model the electron properties of the compound.

  10. Production, secretion, and stability of human secreted alkaline phosphatase in tobacco NT1 cell suspension cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becerra-Arteaga, Alejandro; Mason, Hugh S; Shuler, Michael L

    2006-01-01

    Tobacco NT1 cell suspension cultures secreting active human secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) were generated for the first time as a model system to study recombinant protein production, secretion, and stability in plant cell cultures. The SEAP gene encodes a secreted form of the human placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP). During batch culture, the highest level of active SEAP in the culture medium (0.4 U/mL, corresponding to approximately 27 mg/L) was observed at the end of the exponential growth phase. Although the level of active SEAP decreased during the stationary phase, the activity loss did not appear to be due to SEAP degradation (based on Western blots) but due to SEAP denaturation. The protein-stabilizing agents polyvinylpirrolidone (PVP) and bacitracin were added extracellularly to test for their ability to reduce the loss of SEAP activity during the stationary phase. Bacitracin (100 mg/L) was the most effective treatment at sustaining activity levels for up to 17 days post-subculture. Commercially available human placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) was used to probe the mechanism of SEAP deactivation. Experiments with PLAP in sterile and conditioned medium corroborated the denaturation of SEAP by factors generated by cell growth and not due to simple proteolysis. We also show for the first time that the factors promoting activity loss are heat labile at 95 degrees C but not at 70 degrees C, and they are not inactivated after a 5 day incubation period under normal culture conditions (27 degrees C). In addition, there were no significant changes in pH or redox potential when comparing sterile and cell-free conditioned medium during PLAP incubation, indicating that these factors were unimportant.

  11. Polydatin (PD) inhibits IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mice by stabilizing mast cells through modulating Ca2+ mobilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Meichun; Li, Jianjie; Lv, Jingzhang; Mo, Xucheng; Yang, Chengbin; Chen, Xiangdong; Liu, Zhigang; Liu, Jie

    2012-01-01

    Mast cells play a key role in the pathogenesis of asthma and are a promising target for therapeutic intervention in asthma. This study investigated the effects of polydatin (PD), a resveratrol glucoside, on mast cell degranulation upon cross-linking of the high-affinity IgE receptors (FcεRI), as well as the anti-allergic activity of PD in vivo. Herein, we demonstrated that PD treatment for 30 min suppressed FcεRI-mediated mast cell degranulation in a dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, PD significantly decreased FcεRI-mediated Ca 2+ increase in mast cells. The suppressive effects of PD on FcεRI-mediated Ca 2+ increase were largely inhibited by using LaCl 3 to block the Ca 2+ release-activated Ca 2+ channels (CRACs). Furthermore, PD significantly inhibited Ca 2+ entry through CRACs evoked by thapsigargin (TG). Knocking down protein expression of Orai1, the pore-forming subunit of CRACs, significantly decreased PD suppression of FcεRI-induced intracellular Ca 2+ influx and mast cell degranulation. In a mouse model of mast cell-dependent passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), in vivo PD administration suppressed mast cell degranulation and inhibited anaphylaxis. Taken together, our data indicate that PD stabilizes mast cells by suppressing FcεRI-induced Ca 2+ mobilization mainly through inhibiting Ca 2+ entry via CRACs, thus exerting a protective effect against PCA. -- Highlights: ► Polydatin can prevent the pathogenesis of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mice. ► Polydatin stabilizes mast cells by decreasing FcεRI-mediated degranulation. ► Polydatin suppresses Ca 2+ entry through CRAC channels in mast cells.

  12. Rare sugar D-allose induces specific up-regulation of TXNIP and subsequent G1 cell cycle arrest in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by stabilization of p27kip1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Fuminori; Takata, Maki; Kamitori, Kazuyo; Nonaka, Machiko; Dong, Youyi; Sui, Li; Tokuda, Masaaki

    2008-02-01

    'Rare sugars' are defined as monosaccharides that exist in nature but are only present in limited quantities. The development of mass production method of rare sugars revealed some interesting physiological effects of these on animal cells, but the mechanisms have not been well studied. We examined the effect of D-allose on the proliferation of cancer cells and the underlying molecular mechanism of the action. The HuH-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells were treated with various monosaccharides for 48 h and D-allose was shown to inhibit cell growth by 40% in a dose-dependent manner. D-allose induced G1 cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis. The microarray analysis revealed that D-allose significantly up-regulated thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) gene expression, which is often suppressed in tumor cells and western blot analysis confirmed its increase at protein level. The overexpression of TXNIP also induced G1 cell cycle arrest. Analysis of cell cycle regulatory genes showed p27kip1, a key regulator of G1/S cell cycle transition, to be increased at the protein but not the transcriptional level. Protein interaction between TXNIP and jab1, and p27kip1 and jab1, was observed, suggesting stabilization of p27kip1 protein by the competitive inhibition of jab1-mediated nuclear export of p27kip1 by TXNIP. In addition, increased interaction and nuclear localization of TXNIP and p27kip1 were apparent after D-allose treatment. Our findings surprisingly suggest that D-allose, a simple monosaccharide, may act as a novel anticancer agent via unique TXNIP induction and p27kip1 protein stabilization.

  13. Consensus stability testing protocols for organic photovoltaic materials and devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reese, Matthew O.; Gevorgyan, Suren; Jørgensen, Mikkel

    2011-01-01

    Procedures for testing organic solar cell devices and modules with respect to stability and operational lifetime are described. The descriptions represent a consensus of the discussion and conclusions reached during the first 3 years of the international summit on OPV stability (ISOS). The proced......Procedures for testing organic solar cell devices and modules with respect to stability and operational lifetime are described. The descriptions represent a consensus of the discussion and conclusions reached during the first 3 years of the international summit on OPV stability (ISOS...

  14. USP22 acts as an oncogene by regulating the stability of cyclooxygenase-2 in non-small cell lung cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Haibo [Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Tian, Yue [Institute of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853 (China); Yang, Yang; Hu, Fengqing; Xie, Xiao; Mei, Ju [Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Ding, Fangbao, E-mail: drnail@sina.com [Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200092 (China)

    2015-05-08

    The histone ubiquitin hydrolase ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22) is an epigenetic modifier and an oncogene that is upregulated in many types of cancer. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), aberrant expression of USP22 is a predictor of poor survival, as is high expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Despite its oncogenic role, few substrates of USP22 have been identified and its mechanism of action in cancer remains unclear. Here, we identified COX-2 as a direct substrate of USP22 and showed that its levels are modulated by USP22 mediated deubiquitination. Silencing of USP22 downregulated COX-2, decreased its half-life, and inhibited lung carcinoma cell proliferation by directly interacting with and modulating the stability and activity of COX-2 through the regulation of its ubiquitination status. The findings of the present study suggest a potential mechanism underlying the oncogenic role of USP22 mediated by the modulation of the stability and activity of COX-2. - Highlights: • USP22 interacts with COX-2. • USP22 deubiquitinates and stabilizes COX-2. • USP22 is required for COX-2-mediated upregulation of prostaglandin E2.

  15. Cross-linked aromatic cationic polymer electrolytes with enhanced stability for high temperature fuel cell applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Wenjia; Zhao, Chengji; Yang, Jingshuai

    2012-01-01

    Diamine-cross-linked membranes were prepared from cross-linkable poly(arylene ether ketone) containing pendant cationic quaternary ammonium group (QPAEK) solution by a facile and general thermal curing method using 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane with rigid framework and 1,6-diaminohexane with flexible...... anchoring of the molecule. Combining the excellent thermal stability, the addition of a small amount of diamines enhanced both the chemical and mechanical stability and the phosphoric acid doping (PA) ability of membranes. Fuel cell performance based on impregnated cross-linked membranes have been...... successfully operated at temperatures up to 120 °C and 180 °C with unhumidified hydrogen and air under ambient pressure, the maximum performance of diamine-cross-linked membrane is observed at 180 °C with a current density of 1.06 A cm−2 and the peak power density of 323 mW cm−2. The results also indicate...

  16. Stabilizing Agents for Drug Nanocrystals: Effect on Bioavailability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annika Tuomela

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Drug nanocrystals are a versatile option for drug delivery purposes, and while the number of poorly soluble drug materials is all the time increasing, more research in this area is performed. Drug nanocrystals have a simple structure—a solid drug core is surrounded by a layer of stabilizing agent. However, despite the considerably simple structure, the selection of an appropriate stabilizer for a certain drug can be challenging. Mostly, the stabilizer selection is based purely on the requirement of physical stability, e.g., maintaining the nanosized particle size as long as possible after the formation of drug nanocrystals. However, it is also worth taking into account that stabilizer can affect the bioavailability in the final formulation via interactions with cells and cell layers. In addition, formation of nanocrystals is only one process step, and for the final formulation, more excipients are often added to the composition. The role of the stabilizers in the final formulation can be more than only stabilizing the nanocrystal particle size. A good example is the stabilizer’s role as cryoprotectant during freeze drying. In this review, the stabilizing effect, role of stabilizers in final nanocrystalline formulations, challenges in reaching in vitro–in vivo correlation with nanocrystalline products, and stabilizers’ effect on higher bioavailability are discussed.

  17. Involvement of the Cdc42 pathway in CFTR post-translational turnover and in its plasma membrane stability in airway epithelial cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romain Ferru-Clément

    Full Text Available Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR is a chloride channel that is expressed on the apical plasma membrane (PM of epithelial cells. The most common deleterious allele encodes a trafficking-defective mutant protein undergoing endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD and presenting lower PM stability. In this study, we investigated the involvement of the Cdc42 pathway in CFTR turnover and trafficking in a human bronchiolar epithelial cell line (CFBE41o- expressing wild-type CFTR. Cdc42 is a small GTPase of the Rho family that fulfils numerous cell functions, one of which is endocytosis and recycling process via actin cytoskeleton remodelling. When we treated cells with chemical inhibitors such as ML141 against Cdc42 and wiskostatin against the downstream effector N-WASP, we observed that CFTR channel activity was inhibited, in correlation with a decrease in CFTR amount at the cell surface and an increase in dynamin-dependent CFTR endocytosis. Anchoring of CFTR to the cortical cytoskeleton was then presumably impaired by actin disorganization. When we performed siRNA-mediated depletion of Cdc42, actin polymerization was not impacted, but we observed actin-independent consequences upon CFTR. Total and PM CFTR amounts were increased, resulting in greater activation of CFTR. Pulse-chase experiments showed that while CFTR degradation was slowed, CFTR maturation through the Golgi apparatus remained unaffected. In addition, we observed increased stability of CFTR in PM and reduction of its endocytosis. This study highlights the involvement of the Cdc42 pathway at several levels of CFTR biogenesis and trafficking: (i Cdc42 is implicated in the first steps of CFTR biosynthesis and processing; (ii it contributes to the stability of CFTR in PM via its anchoring to cortical actin; (iii it promotes CFTR endocytosis and presumably its sorting toward lysosomal degradation.

  18. Photocharge accumulation and recombination in perovskite solar cells regarding device performance and stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yusheng; Li, Yiming; Shi, Jiangjian; Li, Hongshi; Zhang, Huiyin; Wu, Jionghua; Li, Dongmei; Luo, Yanhong; Wu, Huijue; Meng, Qingbo

    2018-01-01

    Photocharge accumulation and recombination in perovskite solar cells have been systematically investigated in this paper by electrochemical spectroscopy and transient photocurrent/photovoltage methods. It is found that the non-equilibrium photocharges stored in the selective charge transport layers follow a backward recombination mechanism. That is, the photocharges are first captured by the interface defects corresponding to the fast photovoltage decay, while the bulk charge recombination instead of the diffusion process dominates the slow photovoltage decay process. Further investigation reveals that the device degradation preferentially takes place at the interface under working conditions, which thus can confirm the importance of interface engineering to enhance the device stability.

  19. Attention Induced Gain Stabilization in Broad and Narrow-Spiking Cells in the Frontal Eye-Field of Macaque Monkeys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandt, Christian; Dasilva, Miguel; Gotthardt, Sascha; Chicharro, Daniel; Panzeri, Stefano; Distler, Claudia

    2016-01-01

    Top-down attention increases coding abilities by altering firing rates and rate variability. In the frontal eye field (FEF), a key area enabling top-down attention, attention induced firing rate changes are profound, but its effect on different cell types is unknown. Moreover, FEF is the only cortical area investigated in which attention does not affect rate variability, as assessed by the Fano factor, suggesting that task engagement affects cortical state nonuniformly. We show that putative interneurons in FEF of Macaca mulatta show stronger attentional rate modulation than putative pyramidal cells. Partitioning rate variability reveals that both cell types reduce rate variability with attention, but more strongly so in narrow-spiking cells. The effects are captured by a model in which attention stabilizes neuronal excitability, thereby reducing the expansive nonlinearity that links firing rate and variance. These results show that the effect of attention on different cell classes and different coding properties are consistent across the cortical hierarchy, acting through increased and stabilized neuronal excitability. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cortical processing is critically modulated by attention. A key feature of this influence is a modulation of “cortical state,” resulting in increased neuronal excitability and resilience of the network against perturbations, lower rate variability, and an increased signal-to-noise ratio. In the frontal eye field (FEF), an area assumed to control spatial attention in human and nonhuman primates, firing rate changes with attention occur, but rate variability, quantified by the Fano factor, appears to be unaffected by attention. Using recently developed analysis tools and models to quantify attention effects on narrow- and broad-spiking cell activity, we show that attention alters cortical state strongly in the FEF, demonstrating that its effect on the neuronal network is consistent across the cortical hierarchy. PMID

  20. Study of a silicon photodetector thermal stabilization using a Peltier cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foschi, E.; Levi, G.; Quadrani, L.; Sbarra, C.; Guandalini, C.; Zuffa, M.; Sbarra, C.

    2007-01-01

    In recent years a new type of silicon photon detection device (SiPM) has been developed by many groups. These devices have strong advantages in comparison to normal photomultipliers tubes (PMT) but, being made by an array of avalanche photo diodes operated in Geiger mode, are much more sensitive to temperature changes than standard PMTs. Typical SiPM gain, in fact, varies from 3 to 5 percent per Celsius degree. In space environment, where operative temperature can change from -40 deg.C to 50 deg.C, a definitive temperature stabilization is needed. In order to use SiPMs in space we have developed a thermoelectric model of a Peltier cell that allows us to simulate the final detector circuit assembly predicting the operative temperatures and the adsorbed powers. The characteristics of the model and the obtained results are shown. (authors)

  1. Flexible ITO-free organic solar cells applying aqueous solution-processed V2O5 hole transport layer: An outdoor stability study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Anderson S. Lima

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Solution processable semiconductor oxides have opened a new paradigm for the enhancement of the lifetime of thin film solar cells. Their fabrication by low-cost and environmentally friendly solution-processable methods makes them ideal barrier (hole and electron transport layers. In this work, we fabricate flexible ITO-free organic solar cells (OPV by printing methods applying an aqueous solution-processed V2O5 as the hole transport layer (HTL and compared them to devices applying PEDOT:PSS. The transparent conducting electrode was PET/Ag/PEDOT/ZnO, and the OPV configuration was PET/Ag/PEDOT/ZnO/P3HT:PC60BM/HTL/Ag. Outdoor stability analyses carried out for more than 900 h revealed higher stability for devices fabricated with the aqueous solution-processed V2O5.

  2. Polydatin (PD) inhibits IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mice by stabilizing mast cells through modulating Ca{sup 2+} mobilization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuan, Meichun [Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060 (China); Department of Physiology, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan (China); Li, Jianjie [State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease for Allergy at Shengzhen University, Shenzhen 518060 (China); Lv, Jingzhang [Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Shenzhen 518045 (China); Mo, Xucheng; Yang, Chengbin [State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease for Allergy at Shengzhen University, Shenzhen 518060 (China); Chen, Xiangdong [Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060 (China); Liu, Zhigang [State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease for Allergy at Shengzhen University, Shenzhen 518060 (China); Liu, Jie, E-mail: ljljz@yahoo.com [Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060 (China)

    2012-11-01

    Mast cells play a key role in the pathogenesis of asthma and are a promising target for therapeutic intervention in asthma. This study investigated the effects of polydatin (PD), a resveratrol glucoside, on mast cell degranulation upon cross-linking of the high-affinity IgE receptors (FcεRI), as well as the anti-allergic activity of PD in vivo. Herein, we demonstrated that PD treatment for 30 min suppressed FcεRI-mediated mast cell degranulation in a dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, PD significantly decreased FcεRI-mediated Ca{sup 2+} increase in mast cells. The suppressive effects of PD on FcεRI-mediated Ca{sup 2+} increase were largely inhibited by using LaCl{sub 3} to block the Ca{sup 2+} release-activated Ca{sup 2+} channels (CRACs). Furthermore, PD significantly inhibited Ca{sup 2+} entry through CRACs evoked by thapsigargin (TG). Knocking down protein expression of Orai1, the pore-forming subunit of CRACs, significantly decreased PD suppression of FcεRI-induced intracellular Ca{sup 2+} influx and mast cell degranulation. In a mouse model of mast cell-dependent passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), in vivo PD administration suppressed mast cell degranulation and inhibited anaphylaxis. Taken together, our data indicate that PD stabilizes mast cells by suppressing FcεRI-induced Ca{sup 2+} mobilization mainly through inhibiting Ca{sup 2+} entry via CRACs, thus exerting a protective effect against PCA. -- Highlights: ► Polydatin can prevent the pathogenesis of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mice. ► Polydatin stabilizes mast cells by decreasing FcεRI-mediated degranulation. ► Polydatin suppresses Ca{sup 2+} entry through CRAC channels in mast cells.

  3. ARTEMIS stabilizes the genome and modulates proliferative responses in multipotent mesenchymal cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tompkins Kathleen

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Unrepaired DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs cause chromosomal rearrangements, loss of genetic information, neoplastic transformation or cell death. The nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ pathway, catalyzing sequence-independent direct rejoining of DSBs, is a crucial mechanism for repairing both stochastically occurring and developmentally programmed DSBs. In lymphocytes, NHEJ is critical for both development and genome stability. NHEJ defects lead to severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID and lymphoid cancer predisposition in both mice and humans. While NHEJ has been thoroughly investigated in lymphocytes, the importance of NHEJ in other cell types, especially with regard to tumor suppression, is less well documented. We previously reported evidence that the NHEJ pathway functions to suppress a range of nonlymphoid tumor types, including various classes of sarcomas, by unknown mechanisms. Results Here we investigate roles for the NHEJ factor ARTEMIS in multipotent mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSCs, as putative sarcomagenic cells of origin. We demonstrate a key role for ARTEMIS in sarcoma suppression in a sensitized mouse tumor model. In this context, we found that ARTEMIS deficiency led to chromosomal damage but, paradoxically, enhanced resistance and proliferative potential in primary MSCs subjected to various stresses. Gene expression analysis revealed abnormally regulated stress response, cell proliferation, and signal transduction pathways in ARTEMIS-defective MSCs. Finally, we identified candidate regulatory genes that may, in part, mediate a stress-resistant, hyperproliferative phenotype in preneoplastic ARTEMIS-deficient MSCs. Conclusions Our discoveries suggest that Art prevents genome damage and restrains proliferation in MSCs exposed to various stress stimuli. We propose that deficiency leads to a preneoplastic state in primary MSCs and is associated with aberrant proliferative control and cellular stress

  4. Dual-Function Au@Y2O3:Eu3+ Smart Film for Enhanced Power Conversion Efficiency and Long-Term Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Chang Woo; Eom, Tae Young; Yang, In Seok; Kim, Byung Su; Lee, Wan In; Kang, Yong Soo; Kang, Young Soo

    2017-07-28

    In the present study, a dual-functional smart film combining the effects of wavelength conversion and amplification of the converted wave by the localized surface plasmon resonance has been investigated for a perovskite solar cell. This dual-functional film, composed of Au nanoparticles coated on the surface of Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ phosphor (Au@Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ ) nanoparticle monolayer, enhances the solar energy conversion efficiency to electrical energy and long-term stability of photovoltaic cells. Coupling between the Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ phosphor monolayer and ultraviolet solar light induces the latter to be converted into visible light with a quantum yield above 80%. Concurrently, the Au nanoparticle monolayer on the phosphor nanoparticle monolayer amplifies the converted visible light by up to 170%. This synergy leads to an increased solar light energy conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells. Simultaneously, the dual-function film suppresses the photodegradation of perovskite by UV light, resulting in long-term stability. Introducing the hybrid smart Au@Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ film in perovskite solar cells increases their overall solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency to 16.1% and enhances long-term stability, as compared to the value of 15.2% for standard perovskite solar cells. The synergism between the wavelength conversion effect of the phosphor nanoparticle monolayer and the wave amplification by the localized surface plasmon resonance of the Au nanoparticle monolayer in a perovskite solar cell is comparatively investigated, providing a viable strategy of broadening the solar spectrum utilization.

  5. Enhanced thermal stability of a polymer solar cell blend induced by electron beam irradiation in the transmission electron microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bäcke, Olof; Lindqvist, Camilla; de Zerio Mendaza, Amaia Diaz; Gustafsson, Stefan; Wang, Ergang; Andersson, Mats R; Müller, Christian; Kristiansen, Per Magnus; Olsson, Eva

    2017-05-01

    We show by in situ microscopy that the effects of electron beam irradiation during transmission electron microscopy can be used to lock microstructural features and enhance the structural thermal stability of a nanostructured polymer:fullerene blend. Polymer:fullerene bulk-heterojunction thin films show great promise for use as active layers in organic solar cells but their low thermal stability is a hindrance. Lack of thermal stability complicates manufacturing and influences the lifetime of devices. To investigate how electron irradiation affects the thermal stability of polymer:fullerene films, a model bulk-heterojunction film based on a thiophene-quinoxaline copolymer and a fullerene derivative was heat-treated in-situ in a transmission electron microscope. In areas of the film that exposed to the electron beam the nanostructure of the film remained stable, while the nanostructure in areas not exposed to the electron beam underwent large phase separation and nucleation of fullerene crystals. UV-vis spectroscopy shows that the polymer:fullerene films are stable for electron doses up to 2000kGy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Nucleolin and YB-1 are required for JNK-mediated interleukin-2 mRNA stabilization during T-cell activation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, C Y; Gherzi, R; Andersen, Jens S.

    2000-01-01

    Regulated mRNA turnover is a highly important process, but its mechanism is poorly understood. Using interleukin-2 (IL-2) mRNA as a model, we described a role for the JNK-signaling pathway in stabilization of IL-2 mRNA during T-cell activation, acting via a JNK response element (JRE) in the 5' un...

  7. Environmental assessment of different strategies for production of stabilized yeast

    OpenAIRE

    Monclus, Vincent; Pénicaud, Caroline; Perret, Bruno; Fonseca, Fernanda

    2016-01-01

    Yeast are widely used for producing fermented (bread, beer...) and health benefit (probiotics) products. The production of stable and active yeast involves fermentation, concentration, protection, drying (stabilization) and storage. During the stabilization and storage steps, the cells face numerous stress which may deteriorate functional properties and cause cell death. Different strategies can be used to preserve cell survival, such as changing growth medium for fermentation or adapting pro...

  8. Far off-resonance laser frequency stabilization using multipass cells in Faraday rotation spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quan, Wei; Li, Yang; Li, Rujie; Shang, Huining; Fang, Zishan; Qin, Jie; Wan, Shuangai

    2016-04-01

    We propose a far off-resonance laser frequency stabilization method by using multipass cells in Rb Faraday rotation spectroscopy. Based on the detuning equation, if multipass cells with several meters optical path length are used in the conventional Faraday spectroscopy, the detuning of the lock point can be extended much further from the alkali metal resonance. A plate beam splitter was used to generate two different Faraday signals at the same time. The transmitted optical path length was L=50  mm and the reflected optical path length was 2L=100  mm. When the optical path length doubled, the detuning of the lock points moved further away from the atomic resonance. The temperature dependence of the detuning of the lock point was also analyzed. A temperature-insensitive lock point was found near resonance when the cell temperature was between 110°C and 130°C. We achieved an rms fluctuation of 0.9 MHz/23 h at a detuning of 0.5 GHz. A frequency drift of 16 MHz/h at a detuning of -5.6  GHz and 4 MHz/h at a detuning of -5.2  GHz were also obtained for the transmitted and reflected light Faraday signal.

  9. Performance and stability of low-cost dye-sensitized solar cell based crude and pre-concentrated anthocyanins: Combined experimental and DFT/TDDFT study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaiamornnugool, Phrompak; Tontapha, Sarawut; Phatchana, Ratchanee; Ratchapolthavisin, Nattawat; Kanokmedhakul, Somdej; Sang-aroon, Wichien; Amornkitbamrung, Vittaya

    2017-01-01

    The low cost DSSCs utilized by crude and pre-concentrated anthocyanins extracted from six anthocyanin-rich samples including mangosteen pericarp, roselle, red cabbage, Thai berry, black rice and blue pea were fabricated. Their photo-to-current conversion efficiencies and stability were examined. Pre-concentrated extracts were obtained by solid phase extraction (SPE) using C18 cartridge. The results obviously showed that all pre-concentrated extracts performed on photovoltaic performances in DSSCs better than crude extracts except for mangosteen pericarp. The DSSC sensitized by pre-concentrated anthocyanin from roselle and red cabbage showed maximum current efficiency η = 0.71% while DSSC sensitized by crude anthocyanin from mangosteen pericarp reached maximum efficiency η = 0.97%. In addition, pre-concentrated extract based cells possess more stability than those of crude extract based cells. This indicates that pre-concentration of anthocyanin via SPE method is very effective for DSSCs based on good photovoltaic performance and stability. The DFT/TDDFT calculations of electronic and photoelectrochemical properties of the major anthocyanins found in the samples are employed to support the experimental results.

  10. Stability, accumulation and cytotoxicity of an albumin-cisplatin adduct

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Charlotte; Tastesen, Hanne Sørup; Gammelgaard, Bente

    2010-01-01

    The accumulation and cytotoxicity of a 10 µmol L¿¹ equimolar human serum albumin-cisplatin adduct (HSA-Pt) was investigated in suspension Ehrlich Ascites Tumor Cells (EATC) and adherent Ehrlich Lettré Ascites Cells (Lettré). HSA-Pt did not induce apoptosis nor was it taken up by the cells to any......-Pt and cisplatin were not stable in RPMI-1640 with 10% serum. The stability was determined using size exclusion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SEC-ICP-MS) and after 4 h new platinum peaks were observed. These findings indicate that before conducting cell experiments, the stability...

  11. Effect of Nb2O5 doping on improving the thermo-mechanical stability of sealing interfaces for solid oxide fuel cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qi; Du, Xinhang; Tan, Shengwei; Tang, Dian; Chen, Kongfa; Zhang, Teng

    2017-07-13

    Nb 2 O 5 is added to a borosilicate sealing system to improve the thermo-mechanical stability of the sealing interface between the glass and Fe-Cr metallic interconnect (Crofer 22APU) in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The thermo-mechanical stability of the glass/metal interface is evaluated experimentally as well as by using a finite element analysis (FEA) method. The sealing glass doped with 4 mol.% Nb 2 O 5 shows the best thermo-mechanical stability, and the sealing couple of Crofer 22APU/glass/GDC (Gd 0.2 Ce 0.8 O 1.9 ) remains intact after 50 thermal cycles. In addition, all sealing couples show good joining after being held at 750 °C for 1000 h. Moreover, the possible mechanism on the thermo-mechanical stability of sealing interface is investigated in terms of stress-based and energy-based perspectives.

  12. Stable algorithms for magnetotomography of fuel cells; Stabile Algorithmen fuer die Magnetotomographie an Brennstoffzellen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wannert, Martin

    2010-07-01

    For optimum fuel cell operation, the power distribution must be as homogeneous as possible. It is therefore important for research, diagnosis and maintenance to be able to measure the power distribution inside a fuel cell. The book presents a non-invasive measuring method that reconstructs the internal power distribution from the magnetic field outside the fuel cell. Reconstruction algorithms are developed and tested for stability. The algorithms comprise a certain prior knowledge of the real power distribution; on the other hand, the magnetic field is split up numerically into different part-fields in order to reduce the complexity of the problem. [German] Um einen optimalen Brennstoffzellenbetrieb zu gewaehrleisten, ist es notwendig, eine moeglichst homogene Stromverteilung sicher zu stellen. Daher ist es aus Forschungs-, Diagnose- und Wartungszwecken von Interesse, die Stromverteilung in einer Zelle messen zu koennen. In diesem Buch wird ein nicht-invasives Messverfahren vorgestellt, das aus dem Magnetfeld ausserhalb der Brennstoffzelle die innere Stromverteilung rekonstruiert. Dabei werden Rekonstruktionsalgorithmen entwickelt und auf ihre Stabilitaet hin analysiert. Die Algorithmen beinhalten zum einen ein gewisses Vorwissen ueber die wahre Stromverteilung, zum anderen wird zuerst das Magnetfeld numerisch in unterschiedliche Teilfelder aufgespaltet, um so die Komplexitaet des Problems zu reduzieren.

  13. A Review on Current Status of Stability and Knowledge on Liquid Electrolyte-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frédéric Sauvage

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this review is to gather the current background in materials development and provide the reader with an accurate image of today’s knowledge regarding the stability of dye-sensitized solar cells. This contribution highlights the literature from the 1970s to the present day on nanostructured TiO2, dye, Pt counter electrode, and liquid electrolyte for which this review is focused on.

  14. Serum Proteins Enhance Dispersion Stability and Influence the Cytotoxicity and Dosimetry of ZnO Nanoparticles in Suspension and Adherent Cancer Cell Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anders, Catherine B.; Chess, Jordan J.; Wingett, Denise G.; Punnoose, Alex

    2015-11-01

    Agglomeration and sedimentation of nanoparticles (NPs) within biological solutions is a major limitation in their use in many downstream applications. It has been proposed that serum proteins associate with the NP surface to form a protein corona that limits agglomeration and sedimentation. Here, we investigate the effect of fetal bovine serum (FBS) proteins on the dispersion stability, dosimetry, and NP-induced cytotoxicity of cationic zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) synthesized via forced hydrolysis with a core size of 10 nm. Two different in vitro cell culture models, suspension and adherent, were evaluated by comparing a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) nZnO dispersion (nZnO/PBS) and an FBS-stabilized PBS nZnO dispersion (nZnO - FBS/PBS). Surface interactions of FBS on nZnO were analyzed via spectroscopic and optical techniques. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the adsorption of negatively charged protein components on the cationic nZnO surface through the disappearance of surfaced-adsorbed carboxyl functional groups and the subsequent detection of vibrational modes associated with the protein backbone of FBS-associated proteins. Further confirmation of these interactions was noted in the isoelectric point shift of the nZnO from the characteristic pH of 9.5 to a pH of 6.1. In nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions, the FBS reduced agglomeration and sedimentation behaviors to impart long-term improvements (>24 h) to the nZnO dispersion stability. Furthermore, mathematical dosimetry models indicate that nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions had consistent NP deposition patterns over time unlike unstable nZnO/PBS dispersions. In suspension cell models, the stable nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in a ~33 % increase in the NP-induced cytotoxicity for both Jurkat leukemic and Hut-78 lymphoma cancer cells. In contrast, the nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in 49 and 71 % reductions in the cytotoxicity observed towards the adherent breast (T-47D) and prostate

  15. Serum Proteins Enhance Dispersion Stability and Influence the Cytotoxicity and Dosimetry of ZnO Nanoparticles in Suspension and Adherent Cancer Cell Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anders, Catherine B; Chess, Jordan J; Wingett, Denise G; Punnoose, Alex

    2015-12-01

    Agglomeration and sedimentation of nanoparticles (NPs) within biological solutions is a major limitation in their use in many downstream applications. It has been proposed that serum proteins associate with the NP surface to form a protein corona that limits agglomeration and sedimentation. Here, we investigate the effect of fetal bovine serum (FBS) proteins on the dispersion stability, dosimetry, and NP-induced cytotoxicity of cationic zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) synthesized via forced hydrolysis with a core size of 10 nm. Two different in vitro cell culture models, suspension and adherent, were evaluated by comparing a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) nZnO dispersion (nZnO/PBS) and an FBS-stabilized PBS nZnO dispersion (nZnO - FBS/PBS). Surface interactions of FBS on nZnO were analyzed via spectroscopic and optical techniques. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the adsorption of negatively charged protein components on the cationic nZnO surface through the disappearance of surfaced-adsorbed carboxyl functional groups and the subsequent detection of vibrational modes associated with the protein backbone of FBS-associated proteins. Further confirmation of these interactions was noted in the isoelectric point shift of the nZnO from the characteristic pH of 9.5 to a pH of 6.1. In nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions, the FBS reduced agglomeration and sedimentation behaviors to impart long-term improvements (>24 h) to the nZnO dispersion stability. Furthermore, mathematical dosimetry models indicate that nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions had consistent NP deposition patterns over time unlike unstable nZnO/PBS dispersions. In suspension cell models, the stable nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in a ~33 % increase in the NP-induced cytotoxicity for both Jurkat leukemic and Hut-78 lymphoma cancer cells. In contrast, the nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in 49 and 71 % reductions in the cytotoxicity observed towards the adherent breast (T-47D) and prostate

  16. Effect of okra cell wall and polysaccharide on physical properties and stability of ice cream.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuennan, Pilapa; Sajjaanantakul, Tanaboon; Goff, H Douglas

    2014-08-01

    Stabilizers are used in ice cream to increase mix viscosity, promote smooth texture, and improve frozen stability. In this study, the effects of varying concentrations (0.00%, 0.15%, 0.30%, and 0.45%) of okra cell wall (OKW) and its corresponding water-soluble polysaccharide (OKP) on the physical characteristics of ice cream were determined. Ice cream mix viscosity was measured as well as overrun, meltdown, and consumer acceptability. Ice recrystallization was determined after ice cream was subjected to temperature cycling in the range of -10 to -20 °C for 10 cycles. Mix viscosity increased significantly as the concentrations of OKW and OKP increased. The addition of either OKW or OKP at 0.15% to 0.45% significantly improved the melting resistance of ice cream. OKW and OKP at 0.15% did not affect sensory perception score for flavor, texture, and overall liking of the ice cream. OKW and OKP (0.15%) reduced ice crystal growth to 107% and 87%, respectively, as compared to 132% for the control (0.00%). Thus, our results suggested the potential use of OKW and OKP at 0.15% as a stabilizer to control ice cream quality and retard ice recrystallization. OKP, however, at 0.15% exhibited greater effect on viscosity increase and on ice recrystallization inhibition than OKW. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  17. The Antibacterial Cell Division Inhibitor PC190723 Is an FtsZ Polymer-stabilizing Agent That Induces Filament Assembly and Condensation*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andreu, José M.; Schaffner-Barbero, Claudia; Huecas, Sonia; Alonso, Dulce; Lopez-Rodriguez, María L.; Ruiz-Avila, Laura B.; Núñez-Ramírez, Rafael; Llorca, Oscar; Martín-Galiano, Antonio J.

    2010-01-01

    Cell division protein FtsZ can form single-stranded filaments with a cooperative behavior by self-switching assembly. Subsequent condensation and bending of FtsZ filaments are important for the formation and constriction of the cytokinetic ring. PC190723 is an effective bactericidal cell division inhibitor that targets FtsZ in the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and does not affect Escherichia coli cells, which apparently binds to a zone equivalent to the binding site of the antitumor drug taxol in tubulin (Haydon, D. J., Stokes, N. R., Ure, R., Galbraith, G., Bennett, J. M., Brown, D. R., Baker, P. J., Barynin, V. V., Rice, D. W., Sedelnikova, S. E., Heal, J. R., Sheridan, J. M., Aiwale, S. T., Chauhan, P. K., Srivastava, A., Taneja, A., Collins, I., Errington, J., and Czaplewski, L. G. (2008) Science 312, 1673–1675). We have found that the benzamide derivative PC190723 is an FtsZ polymer-stabilizing agent. PC190723 induced nucleated assembly of Bs-FtsZ into single-stranded coiled protofilaments and polymorphic condensates, including bundles, coils, and toroids, whose formation could be modulated with different solution conditions. Under conditions for reversible assembly of Bs-FtsZ, PC190723 binding reduced the GTPase activity and induced the formation of straight bundles and ribbons, which was also observed with Sa-FtsZ but not with nonsusceptible Ec-FtsZ. The fragment 2,6-difluoro-3-methoxybenzamide also induced Bs-FtsZ bundling. We propose that polymer stabilization by PC190723 suppresses in vivo FtsZ polymer dynamics and bacterial division. The biochemical action of PC190723 on FtsZ parallels that of the microtubule-stabilizing agent taxol on the eukaryotic structural homologue tubulin. Both taxol and PC190723 stabilize polymers against disassembly by preferential binding to each assembled protein. It is yet to be investigated whether both ligands target structurally related assembly switches. PMID:20212044

  18. Differential stability of host mRNAs in Friend erythroleukemia cells infected with herpes simplex virus type 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mayman, B.A.; Nishioka, Y.

    1985-01-01

    The consequences of herpes simplex virus type 1 infection on cellular macromolecules were investigated in Friend erythroleukemia cells. The patterns of protein synthesis, examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, demonstrated that by 4 h postinfection the synthesis of many host proteins, with the exception of histones, was inhibited. Examination of the steady-state level of histone H3 mRNA by molecular hybridization of total RNA to a cloned mouse histone H3 complementary DNA probe demonstrated that the ratio of histone H3 mRNA to total RNA remained unchanged for the first 4 h postinfection. In contrast, the steady-state levels of globin and actin mRNAs decreased progressively at early intervals postinfection. Studies on RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei demonstrated that the transcription of the histone H3 gene was inhibited to approximately the same extent as that of actin gene. It was concluded that the stabilization of preexisting histone H3 mRNA was responsible for the persistence of H3 mRNA and histone protein synthesis in herpes simplex virus type 1-infected Friend erythroleukemia cells. The possible mechanisms influencing the differential stability of host mRNAs during the course of productive infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 are discussed

  19. Crosslinked Remote-Doped Hole-Extracting Contacts Enhance Stability under Accelerated Lifetime Testing in Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jixian; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Comin, Riccardo; Gong, Xiwen; Walters, Grant; Liu, Min; Kanjanaboos, Pongsakorn; Lan, Xinzheng; Sargent, Edward H

    2016-04-13

    A crosslinked hole-extracting electrical contact is reported, which simultaneously improves the stability and lowers the hysteresis of perovskite solar cells. Polymerizable monomers and crosslinking processes are developed to obviate in situ degradation of the under lying perovskite. The crosslinked material is band-aligned with perovskite. The required free carrier density is induced by a high-work-function metal oxide layer atop the device, following a remote-doping strategy. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. OPTIMIZATION OF THE CATHODE LONG-TERM STABILITY IN MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELLS: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AND MATHEMATICAL MODELING

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dr. Ralph E. White; Dr. Branko N. Popov

    2002-04-01

    The dissolution of NiO cathodes during cell operation is a limiting factor to the successful commercialization of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). Lithium cobalt oxide coating onto the porous nickel electrode has been adopted to modify the conventional MCFC cathode which is believed to increase the stability of the cathodes in the carbonate melt. The material used for surface modification should possess thermodynamic stability in the molten carbonate and also should be electro catalytically active for MCFC reactions. Two approaches have been adopted to get a stable cathode material. First approach is the use of LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2}, a commercially available lithium battery cathode material and the second is the use of tape cast electrodes prepared from cobalt coated nickel powders. The morphology and the structure of LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2} and tape cast Co coated nickel powder electrodes were studied using scanning electron microscopy and X-Ray diffraction studies respectively. The electrochemical performance of the two materials was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization studies. A three phase homogeneous model was developed to simulate the performance of the molten carbonate fuel cell cathode. The homogeneous model is based on volume averaging of different variables in the three phases over a small volume element. The model gives a good fit to the experimental data. The model has been used to analyze MCFC cathode performance under a wide range of operating conditions.

  1. Zr-doped TiO2 nanoparticles synthesized via a sol-gel route and their application in dye-sensitized solar cells for thermo-stabilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasche, Anastasia; Grohe, Bernd; Mittler, Silvia; Charpentier, Paul A.

    2017-06-01

    Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are regarded as one of the most promising solar cells amongst third-generation photovoltaic technologies, particularly due to their low cost, easy preparation, and minor environmental impact compared to earlier-generation devices. However, they have been challenged by thermal energy losses and low cell efficiencies. This work examined the incorporation of zirconium (Zr) into the crystal lattice of titania nanoparticles (nTiO2) for subsequent fabrication into the photo anode of the DSSCs. The results showed that Zr doping of nTiO2 inhibited the anatase-rutile phase transition. Higher calcination temperatures gave increased titania crystallinity, and stabilized the nTiO2 aggregate pore structure and specific surface area, consequently improving the DSSC device performance. A doping concentration of 5 mol % Zr into the nTiO2 demonstrated the best resistance against thermal degradation, achieving an optimized retention of specific surface area. Solar simulation confirmed the results, indicating better heat stability, although lowering the DSSC efficiencies.

  2. Film thickness and chemical processing effects on the stability of cadmium telluride solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albin, D.S.; Demtsu, S.H.; McMahon, T.J.

    2006-01-01

    The performance and stability of CdS/CdTe solar cells as a function of layer thickness, back contact etch, and oxygen during the CdCl 2 anneal was determined. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the statistical significance of various first order effects and interactions. With stress, all devices showed a reduction in open-circuit voltage (V oc ) and fill factor (FF) characteristic of increased recombination. Devices using thinner CdS were vulnerable to shunt formation. Oxygen during the CdCl 2 anneal minimizes this effect. A thermodynamic model involving the formation of Cu-oxide is presented to explain the latter

  3. Autonomous informational stability in connective tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, R A

    1992-02-01

    No coherent theories currently explain connective tissue stability (i.e. 'memory') as well as spatial and temporal adaptability in the face of continual flux of its constituents. Furthermore, explanations of stability based exclusively upon DNA raise certain inherent problems, particularly with the spatial concordance of somatic tissues. As an alternative explanation, it is hypothesized that while connective tissue cells produce extracellular protein precursors through DNA-dependent processes, the assembly, location, orientation and configuration of the extracellular macromolecules as well as their degree of cell attachment depend primarily upon local micro-environmental conditions and/or self-organization rather than strictly cellular processes. The resulting extracellular matrix (ECM) serves as a time- and spatially-variable filter about each cell to afford a relatively consistent micro-environment for all similar cells, regardless of the more variable macro-environment. By insuring a consistent set of signals to the cell, the filter provides a non-genetic memory complementary to genetic memory. The half-lives of constituent molecules define the duration of the filter, allowing the filter to adapt to new environmental demands, yet to maintain a consistent milieu for the cell. The cell/matrix construct permits local, self-optimizing, non-deterministic tissue autonomy obviating the need to postulate certain intricate mechanisms coordinating spatial morphology and temporal behavior.

  4. Stabilizing nanostructured solid oxide fuel cell cathode with atomic layer deposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Yunhui; Palacio, Diego; Song, Xueyan; Patel, Rajankumar L; Liang, Xinhua; Zhao, Xuan; Goodenough, John B; Huang, Kevin

    2013-09-11

    We demonstrate that the highly active but unstable nanostructured intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell cathode, La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ (LSCo), can retain its high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity with exceptional stability for 4000 h at 700 °C by overcoating its surfaces with a conformal layer of nanoscale ZrO2 films through atomic layer deposition (ALD). The benefits from the presence of the nanoscale ALD-ZrO2 overcoats are remarkable: a factor of 19 and 18 reduction in polarization area-specific resistance and degradation rate over the pristine sample, respectively. The unique multifunctionality of the ALD-derived nanoscaled ZrO2 overcoats, that is, possessing porosity for O2 access to LSCo, conducting both electrons and oxide-ions, confining thermal growth of LSCo nanoparticles, and suppressing surface Sr-segregation is deemed the key enabler for the observed stable and active nanostructured cathode.

  5. Enhanced thermal stability of a polymer solar cell blend induced by electron beam irradiation in the transmission electron microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bäcke, Olof, E-mail: obacke@chalmers.se [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Lindqvist, Camilla; Diaz de Zerio Mendaza, Amaia [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Gustafsson, Stefan [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Wang, Ergang; Andersson, Mats R.; Müller, Christian [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Kristiansen, Per Magnus [Institute of Polymer Nanotechnology (INKA), FHNW University of Applied Science and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 5210 Windisch (Switzerland); Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Olsson, Eva, E-mail: eva.olsson@chalmers.se [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden)

    2017-05-15

    We show by in situ microscopy that the effects of electron beam irradiation during transmission electron microscopy can be used to lock microstructural features and enhance the structural thermal stability of a nanostructured polymer:fullerene blend. Polymer:fullerene bulk-heterojunction thin films show great promise for use as active layers in organic solar cells but their low thermal stability is a hindrance. Lack of thermal stability complicates manufacturing and influences the lifetime of devices. To investigate how electron irradiation affects the thermal stability of polymer:fullerene films, a model bulk-heterojunction film based on a thiophene-quinoxaline copolymer and a fullerene derivative was heat-treated in-situ in a transmission electron microscope. In areas of the film that exposed to the electron beam the nanostructure of the film remained stable, while the nanostructure in areas not exposed to the electron beam underwent large phase separation and nucleation of fullerene crystals. UV–vis spectroscopy shows that the polymer:fullerene films are stable for electron doses up to 2000 kGy. - Highlights: • Thermal stability of a polymer: fullerne blend is increased using electron irradiation. • Using in-situ transmission electron microscopy the nanostructure is studied. • Electron irradiation stops phase separation between the polymer and fullerene. • Electron irradiation quenches the formation and nucleation of fullerene crystals.

  6. Thermal stability and phase transformation in fully indium oxide (InO{sub 1.5}) stabilized zirconia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Piva, R.H., E-mail: honorato.piva@ua.pt; Piva, D.H.; Morelli, M.R.

    2017-01-15

    Indium oxide (InO{sub 1.5}) stabilized zirconia (InSZ) is an attractive material as electrolyte, or electrode, in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and as corrosion resistant top coat in thermal barrier coatings. However, little is known about the phase stability of cubic InSZ at temperatures that simulate the conditions in an operating SOFC or turbine. This article provides an investigation of the phase stability and phase transformations in cubic InSZ after heat treatments at 800, 1000, and 1200 °C for periods up to 2000 h. The results revealed that cubic InSZ is not stable during annealing at 1000 and 1200 °C, owing to a fast destabilization of the initial cubic phase to tetragonal, and eventually to monoclinic (c → t → m). The c → t → m transition in InSZ is intimately associated with the indium volatilization. On the other hand, cubic InSZ remained stable for 2000 h at 800 °C, although the partial formation of the tetragonal phase was observed along with a 0.25% contraction in the unit cell volume of the cubic phase, caused by short-range ordering. These results demonstrate that technological applications of cubic InSZ are restricted to temperatures at which the volatilization of the InO{sub 1.5} stabilizer does not occur. - Highlights: •Phase stability of fully InO{sub 1.5} stabilized zirconia (cubic InSZ) was evaluated. •Cubic InSZ is instable at temperatures ≥ 1000 °C, owing to the cubic-to-tetragonal-to-monoclinic destabilization. •Cubic InSZ undergoes the cubic-to-tetragonal transformation at ~ 800 °C. •Owing to the low phase stability, applications of cubic InSZ in TBCs or SOFCs are restricted.

  7. Brassinosteroids regulate pavement cell growth by mediating BIN2-induced microtubule stabilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiaolei; Yang, Qin; Wang, Yuan; Wang, Linhai; Fu, Ying; Wang, Xuelu

    2018-02-23

    Brassinosteroids (BRs), a group of plant steroid hormones, play important roles in regulating plant development. The cytoskeleton also affects key developmental processes and a deficiency in BR biosynthesis or signaling leads to abnormal phenotypes similar to those of microtubule-defective mutants. However, how BRs regulate microtubule and cell morphology remains unknown. Here, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we identified tubulin proteins that interact with Arabidopsis BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2), a negative regulator of BR responses in plants. In vitro and in vivo pull-down assays confirmed that BIN2 interacts with tubulin proteins. High-speed co-sedimentation assays demonstrated that BIN2 also binds microtubules. The Arabidopsis genome also encodes two BIN2 homologs, BIN2-LIKE 1 (BIL1) and BIL2, which function redundantly with BIN2. In the bin2-3 bil1 bil2 triple mutant, cortical microtubules were more sensitive to treatment with the microtubule-disrupting drug oryzalin than in wild-type, whereas in the BIN2 gain-of-function mutant bin2-1, cortical microtubules were insensitive to oryzalin treatment. These results provide important insight into how BR regulates plant pavement cell and leaf growth by mediating the stabilization of microtubules by BIN2.

  8. ASK1 regulates the survival of neuroblastoma cells by interacting with TLX and stabilizing HIF-1α.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobhan, Praveen K; Zhai, Qiwei; Green, Lydia C; Hansford, Loen M; Funa, Keiko

    2017-01-01

    Elevated expression of TLX (also called as NR2E1) in neuroblastoma (NB) correlates with unfavorable prognosis, and TLX is required for self-renewal of NB cells. Knockdown of TLX has been shown to reduce the NB sphere-forming ability. ASK1 (MAP3K5) and TLX expression are both enhanced in SP (side population) NB and patient-derived primary NB sphere cell lines, but the majority of non-SP NB lines express lower ASK1 expression. We found that ASK1 phosphorylated and stabilized TLX, which led induction of HIF-1α, and its downstream VEGF-A in an Akt dependent manner. In depleting ASK1 upon hypoxia, TLX decreased and the apoptosis ratio of NB cells was enhanced, while low-ASK1-expressing NB cell lines were refractory in TUNEL assay by using flow cytometry. Interestingly, primary NB spheres cell lines express only high levels of active pASK1Thr-838 but the established cell lines expressed inhibitory pASK1Ser-966, and both could be targeted by ASK1 depletion. We report a novel pro-survival role of ASK1 in the tumorigenic NB cell populations, which may be applied as a therapeutic target, inducing apoptosis specifically in cancer stem cells. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Roles of POLD4, smallest subunit of DNA polymerase {delta}, in nuclear structures and genomic stability of human cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Qin Miao [Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya (Japan); Akashi, Tomohiro [Division of Molecular Mycology and Medicine, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya (Japan); Masuda, Yuji; Kamiya, Kenji [Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553 (Japan); Takahashi, Takashi [Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya (Japan); Suzuki, Motoshi, E-mail: msuzuki@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp [Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya (Japan)

    2010-01-01

    Mammalian DNA polymerase {delta} (pol {delta}) is essential for DNA replication, though the functions of this smallest subunit of POLD4 have been elusive. We investigated pol {delta} activities in vitro and found that it was less active in the absence of POLD4, irrespective of the presence of the accessory protein PCNA. shRNA-mediated reduction of POLD4 resulted in a marked decrease in colony formation activity by Calu6, ACC-LC-319, and PC-10 cells. We also found that POLD4 reduction was associated with an increased population of karyomere-like cells, which may be an indication of DNA replication stress and/or DNA damage. The karyomere-like cells retained an ability to progress through the cell cycle, suggesting that POLD4 reduction induces modest genomic instability, while allowing cells to grow until DNA damage reaches an intolerant level. Our results indicate that POLD4 is required for the in vitro pol {delta} activity, and that it functions in cell proliferation and maintenance of genomic stability of human cells.

  10. Roles of POLD4, smallest subunit of DNA polymerase δ, in nuclear structures and genomic stability of human cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Qin Miao; Akashi, Tomohiro; Masuda, Yuji; Kamiya, Kenji; Takahashi, Takashi; Suzuki, Motoshi

    2010-01-01

    Mammalian DNA polymerase δ (pol δ) is essential for DNA replication, though the functions of this smallest subunit of POLD4 have been elusive. We investigated pol δ activities in vitro and found that it was less active in the absence of POLD4, irrespective of the presence of the accessory protein PCNA. shRNA-mediated reduction of POLD4 resulted in a marked decrease in colony formation activity by Calu6, ACC-LC-319, and PC-10 cells. We also found that POLD4 reduction was associated with an increased population of karyomere-like cells, which may be an indication of DNA replication stress and/or DNA damage. The karyomere-like cells retained an ability to progress through the cell cycle, suggesting that POLD4 reduction induces modest genomic instability, while allowing cells to grow until DNA damage reaches an intolerant level. Our results indicate that POLD4 is required for the in vitro pol δ activity, and that it functions in cell proliferation and maintenance of genomic stability of human cells.

  11. Nanoparticle core stability and surface functionalization drive the mTOR signaling pathway in hepatocellular cell lines

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lunova, Mariia; Prokhorov, Andriy; Jirsa, M.; Hof, Martin; Olžyńska, Agnieszka; Jurkiewicz, Piotr; Kubinová, Šárka; Lunov, Oleg; Dejneka, Alexandr

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 7, Nov (2017), s. 1-16, č. článku 16049. ISSN 2045-2322 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LO1409; GA MŠk LM2015088 Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) Fellowship J. E. Purkyně Institutional support: RVO:68378271 ; RVO:61388955 Keywords : nanoparticle core stability * surface functionalization drive * mTOR signaling pathway * hepatocellular cell lines Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics; CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry (UFCH-W) OBOR OECD: Biophysics; Physical chemistry (UFCH-W) Impact factor: 4.259, year: 2016

  12. A Cell Culture Approach to Optimized Human Corneal Endothelial Cell Function

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartakova, Alena; Kuzmenko, Olga; Alvarez-Delfin, Karen; Kunzevitzky, Noelia J.; Goldberg, Jeffrey L.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose Cell-based therapies to replace corneal endothelium depend on culture methods to optimize human corneal endothelial cell (HCEC) function and minimize endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EnMT). Here we explore contribution of low-mitogenic media on stabilization of phenotypes in vitro that mimic those of HCECs in vivo. Methods HCECs were isolated from cadaveric donor corneas and expanded in vitro, comparing continuous presence of exogenous growth factors (“proliferative media”) to media without those factors (“stabilizing media”). Identity based on canonical morphology and expression of surface marker CD56, and function based on formation of tight junction barriers measured by trans-endothelial electrical resistance assays (TEER) were assessed. Results Primary HCECs cultured in proliferative media underwent EnMT after three to four passages, becoming increasingly fibroblastic. Stabilizing the cells before each passage by switching them to a media low in mitogenic growth factors and serum preserved canonical morphology and yielded a higher number of cells. HCECs cultured in stabilizing media increased both expression of the identity marker CD56 and also tight junction monolayer integrity compared to cells cultured without stabilization. Conclusions HCECs isolated from donor corneas and expanded in vitro with a low-mitogenic media stabilizing step before each passage demonstrate more canonical structural and functional features and defer EnMT, increasing the number of passages and total canonical cell yield. This approach may facilitate development of HCEC-based cell therapies. PMID:29625488

  13. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 2-substituted-2,3,4,9-tetrahydrospiro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid derivatives as first-in-class mast cell stabilizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Jatinder; Shah, Ramanpreet; Singh, Dhandeep; Jaggi, Amteshwar S; Singh, Nirmal

    2018-05-01

    Mast cell degranulation plays a momentous role in myriad diseases like asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis, and conjunctivitis as well as anaphylactic shock; hence, there is an unmet need for developing new mast cells stabilizers. The reported mast cell stabilizers have a heterocyclic moiety and an acidic group. Furthermore, the role of tryptophan in suppression of mast cell activation is established. Hence, we prepared constrained analogs of tryptophan, which are derivatives of 2,3,4,9-tetrahydrospiro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid, and evaluated them for ex vivo inhibition of compound 48/80-induced mast degranulation activity. By comparing IC 50 (μM) values with that of the standard drug sodium cromoglycate (IC 50  = 0.489 ± 0.003 μM), compounds with bulky groups like heptyl (compound 9; IC 50  = 0.389 ± 0.015 μM) and octyl (compound 10; IC 50  = 0.354 ± 0.023 μM) were found to be of similar potency as sodium cromoglycate. Furthermore, the polar group-containing compounds like the chloropropyl (compound 16; IC 50  = 0.382 ± 0.083 μM) and benzoyl derivative (compound 14; IC 50  = 00.469 ± 0.032 μM) were also found to be of similar potency as sodium cromoglycate. This is a seminal study of spiro-β-carboline mast cell stabilization having a wider scope in mast cell research; yet, the mechanism of action remains elusive. © 2018 Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft.

  14. OPTIMIZATION OF THE CATHODE LONG-TERM STABILITY IN MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELLS: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AND MATHEMATICAL MODELING

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dr. Ralph E. White; Dr. Branko N. Popov

    2001-10-01

    The dissolution of NiO cathodes during cell operation is a limiting factor to the successful commercialization of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). Lithium cobalt oxide coating onto the porous nickel electrode has been adopted to modify the conventional MCFC cathode which is believed to increase the stability of the cathodes in the carbonate melt. The material used for surface modification should possess thermodynamic stability in the molten carbonate and also should be electro catalytically active for MCFC reactions. Lithium Cobalt oxide was coated on Ni cathode by a sol-gel coating. The morphology and the LiCoO{sub 2} formation of LiCoO{sub 2} coated NiO was studied using scanning electron microscopy and X-Ray diffraction studies respectively. The electrochemical performance lithium cobalt oxide coated NiO cathodes were investigated with open circuit potential measurement and current-potential polarization studies. These results were compared to that of bare NiO. Dissolution of nickel into the molten carbonate melt was less in case of lithium cobalt oxide coated nickel cathodes. LiCoO{sub 2} coated on the surface prevents the dissolution of Ni in the melt and thereby stabilizes the cathode. Finally, lithium cobalt oxide coated nickel shows similar polarization characteristics as nickel oxide. Conventional theoretical models for the molten carbonate fuel cell cathode are based on the thin film agglomerate model. The principal deficiency of the agglomerate model, apart from the simplified pore structure assumed, is the lack of measured values for film thickness and agglomerate radius. Both these parameters cannot be estimated appropriately. Attempts to estimate the thickness of the film vary by two orders of magnitude. To avoid these problems a new three phase homogeneous model has been developed using the volume averaging technique. The model considers the potential and current variation in both liquid and solid phases. Using this approach, volume averaged

  15. A high content, high throughput cellular thermal stability assay for measuring drug-target engagement in living cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massey, Andrew J

    2018-01-01

    Determining and understanding drug target engagement is critical for drug discovery. This can be challenging within living cells as selective readouts are often unavailable. Here we describe a novel method for measuring target engagement in living cells based on the principle of altered protein thermal stabilization / destabilization in response to ligand binding. This assay (HCIF-CETSA) utilizes high content, high throughput single cell immunofluorescent detection to determine target protein levels following heating of adherent cells in a 96 well plate format. We have used target engagement of Chk1 by potent small molecule inhibitors to validate the assay. Target engagement measured by this method was subsequently compared to target engagement measured by two alternative methods (autophosphorylation and CETSA). The HCIF-CETSA method appeared robust and a good correlation in target engagement measured by this method and CETSA for the selective Chk1 inhibitor V158411 was observed. However, these EC50 values were 23- and 12-fold greater than the autophosphorylation IC50. The described method is therefore a valuable advance in the CETSA method allowing the high throughput determination of target engagement in adherent cells.

  16. Improvement of the long term stability in the high temperature solid oxide fuel cell using functional layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brueckner, B.; Guenther, C.; Ruckdaeschel, R. [Siemens AG, Erlangen (Germany)] [and others

    1996-12-31

    In the planar Siemens design of the solid oxide fuel cell a metallic interconnector is used to seperate the ceramic single cells. A disadvantage of the metallic bipolar plate which consists of a chromium alloy is the formation of high volatile Cr-oxides and hydroxides at the surface at the cathode side. The reaction products evaporate and are reduced at the cathode/electrolyte interface to form new crystalline phases. This process gives rise to long term cell degradation. Protective coatings might be successful in preventing the chromium oxide evaporation. The required properties of the protective layers are (I) high electrical conductivity, (II) similar coefficients of thermal expansion to the bipolar plate (III), chemical compatibility to the bipolar plate and cathode material, (IV) a low diffusion coefficient of Cr and (V) chemical stability up to 1223K under oxygen atmosphere. Furthermore, during operation at 1223K an electrical contact between the metallic plate and the electrodes has to be maintained. This problem could be solved using ceramic layer between the metallic plate and the single cells.

  17. Nitric oxide stress and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase impair β-cell sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2b activity and protein stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, X; Kono, T; Evans-Molina, C

    2015-06-18

    The sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase 2b (SERCA2b) pump maintains a steep Ca(2+) concentration gradient between the cytosol and ER lumen in the pancreatic β-cell, and the integrity of this gradient has a central role in regulated insulin production and secretion, maintenance of ER function and β-cell survival. We have previously demonstrated loss of β-cell SERCA2b expression under diabetic conditions. To define the mechanisms underlying this, INS-1 cells and rat islets were treated with the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) combined with or without cycloheximide or actinomycin D. IL-1β treatment led to increased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene and protein expression, which occurred concurrently with the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). IL-1β led to decreased SERCA2b mRNA and protein expression, whereas time-course experiments revealed a reduction in protein half-life with no change in mRNA stability. Moreover, SERCA2b protein but not mRNA levels were rescued by treatment with the NOS inhibitor l-NMMA (NG-monomethyl L-arginine), whereas the NO donor SNAP (S-nitroso-N-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine) and the AMPK activator AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide) recapitulated the effects of IL-1β on SERCA2b protein stability. Similarly, IL-1β-induced reductions in SERCA2b expression were rescued by pharmacological inhibition of AMPK with compound C or by transduction of a dominant-negative form of AMPK, whereas β-cell death was prevented in parallel. Finally, to determine a functional relationship between NO and AMPK signaling and SERCA2b activity, fura-2/AM (fura-2-acetoxymethylester) Ca(2+) imaging experiments were performed in INS-1 cells. Consistent with observed changes in SERCA2b expression, IL-1β, SNAP and AICAR increased cytosolic Ca(2+) and decreased ER Ca(2+) levels, suggesting congruent modulation of SERCA activity under these conditions. In aggregate, these results show that SERCA2b

  18. A cell-based MHC stabilization assay for the detection of peptide binding to the canine classical class I molecule, DLA-88.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Peter; Holmes, Jennifer C; Gojanovich, Gregory S; Hess, Paul R

    2012-12-15

    Identifying immunodominant CTL epitopes is essential for studying CD8+ T-cell responses in populations, but remains difficult, as peptides within antigens typically are too numerous for all to be synthesized and screened. Instead, to facilitate discovery, in silico scanning of proteins for sequences that match the motif, or binding preferences, of the restricting MHC class I allele - the largest determinant of immunodominance - can be used to predict likely candidates. The high false positive rate with this analysis ideally requires binding confirmation, which is obtained routinely by an assay using cell lines such as RMA-S that have defective transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) machinery, and consequently, few surface class I molecules. The stabilization and resultant increased life-span of peptide-MHC complexes on the cell surface by the addition of true binders validates their identity. To determine whether a similar assay could be developed for dogs, we transfected a prevalent class I allele, DLA-88*50801, into RMA-S. In the BARC3 clone, the recombinant heavy chain was associated with murine β2-microglobulin, and importantly, could differentiate motif-matched and -mismatched peptides by surface MHC stabilization. This work demonstrates the potential to use RMA-S cells transfected with canine alleles as a tool for CTL epitope discovery in this species. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Chitosan Stabilized Gold-Folate-Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) Nanoplexes Facilitate Efficient Gene Delivery in Hepatic and Breast Cancer Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akinyelu, Jude; Singh, Moganavelli

    2018-07-01

    The biodegradable polymer, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) is a popular polymer of choice in many nanotherapeutic studies. Herein, we report on the synthesis and evaluation of four chitosan stabilized poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles with and without coating with gold, and the targeting ligand, folic acid, as potential non-viral gene delivery vectors. The poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles were synthesized via nanoprecipitation/solvent evaporation method in conjunction with the surface functionalizing folic acid and chitosan. The physiochemical properties (morphology, particle size, zeta potential, folic acid/chitosan presence, DNA binding), and biological properties (nuclease protection, in vitro cytotoxicity and transfection potential in human kidney, hepatocellular carcinoma and breast adenocarcinoma cells), of all four gene bound nanoparticles were evaluated. Gel retardation assays confirmed that all the nanoparticles were able to successfully bind the reporter plasmid, pCMV-luc DNA at varying weight ratios. The gold-folate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoplexes with the highest binding efficiency (w/w ratio 4:1), best protected the plasmid DNA as evidenced from the nuclease protection assays. Furthermore, these nanoplexes presented as spherical particles with an average particle size of 199.4 nm and zeta potential of 35.7 mV. Folic acid and chitosan functionalization of the nanoparticles was confirmed by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. All nanoplexes maintained over 90% cell viability in all cell lines investigated. Interestingly, the gold-folate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoplexes showed a greater transgene activity in the hepatic and breast cancer cells compared to the other nanocomplexes in the same cell lines. The favorable size, colloidal stability, low cytotoxicity, significant transgene expression, and nuclease protection ability in vitro, all provide support for the use of gold

  20. The Influence of Conjugated Polymer Side Chain Manipulation on the Efficiency and Stability of Polymer Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heckler, Ilona Maria; Kesters, Jurgen; Defour, Maxime

    2016-01-01

    ]thiazole (TzTz) acceptor units, were selected toward effective device scalability by roll-coating. The influence of the partial exchange (5% or 10%) of the solubilizing 2-hexyldecyloxy by alternative 2-phenylethoxy groups on efficiency and stability was investigated. With an increasing 2-phenylethoxy ratio...... studies under constant sun irradiance showed a diminishing initial degradation rate for the BT-based devices upon including the alternative side chains, whereas the (more stable) TzTz-based devices degraded at a faster rate from the start of the experiment upon partly exchanging the side chains. No clear......The stability of polymer solar cells (PSCs) can be influenced by the introduction of particular moieties on the conjugated polymer side chains. In this study, two series of donor-acceptor copolymers, based on bis(thienyl)dialkoxybenzene donor and benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BT) or thiazolo[5,4-d...

  1. Apoptosis inducer NGFI-B is degraded by the proteasome and stabilized by treatment with EGF

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strom, Bjorn O. [Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1068 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo (Norway); Paulsen, Ragnhild E., E-mail: r.e.paulsen@farmasi.uio.no [Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1068 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo (Norway)

    2012-01-27

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NGFI-B is a molecular target for some anti-cancer drugs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NGFI-B turnover may be important for their anti-cancer action. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NGFI-B is degraded by the proteasome. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NGFI-B is stabilized by treatment with EGF. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mimicking the EGF-induced phosphorylation also stabilizes the protein. -- Abstract: NGFI-B is a nuclear receptor and immediate early gene that is upregulated in many different tumour cell lines. As it is involved in cell death and survival, it has been suggested as a target for anti-cancer drugs. The protein level of NGFI-B is important for its functions and may be regulated through induction or stabilization. NGFI-B protein stability was studied using the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide in CV1 cells transiently transfected with NGFI-B. Inhibiting the proteasome with MG132 stabilized NGFI-B, indicating that the proteasome is responsible for break-down of NGFI-B, as it is for many nuclear receptors. In order to determine regions responsible for the break-down of NGFI-B two N-terminal regions with high PEST-scores were deleted. Deletion of amino acids 122-195 containing a PEST-sequence which includes an ERK2 phosphorylation target, gave a more stable protein. In addition, treatment of the cells with the ERK2 activator EGF increased the stability of wild type NGFI-B. We then tested whether a mutation at threonine 142 influenced the stability of NGFI-B. We found that the phosphorylation-mimicking mutant NGFI-B T142E had an increased stability, while the non-phosphorylable mutant (T142A) showed similar stability to the wild type. Thus, EGF-stimulation of cells may be a mechanism for priming the cells for effects of NGFI-B by increasing its stability.

  2. The Influence of Conjugated Polymer Side Chain Manipulation on the Efficiency and Stability of Polymer Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heckler, Ilona M; Kesters, Jurgen; Defour, Maxime; Madsen, Morten V; Penxten, Huguette; D'Haen, Jan; Van Mele, Bruno; Maes, Wouter; Bundgaard, Eva

    2016-03-09

    The stability of polymer solar cells (PSCs) can be influenced by the introduction of particular moieties on the conjugated polymer side chains. In this study, two series of donor-acceptor copolymers, based on bis(thienyl)dialkoxybenzene donor and benzo[ c ][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BT) or thiazolo[5,4- d ]thiazole (TzTz) acceptor units, were selected toward effective device scalability by roll-coating. The influence of the partial exchange (5% or 10%) of the solubilizing 2-hexyldecyloxy by alternative 2-phenylethoxy groups on efficiency and stability was investigated. With an increasing 2-phenylethoxy ratio, a decrease in solar cell efficiency was observed for the BT-based series, whereas the efficiencies for the devices based on the TzTz polymers remained approximately the same. The photochemical degradation rate for PSCs based on the TzTz polymers decreased with an increasing 2-phenylethoxy ratio. Lifetime studies under constant sun irradiance showed a diminishing initial degradation rate for the BT-based devices upon including the alternative side chains, whereas the (more stable) TzTz-based devices degraded at a faster rate from the start of the experiment upon partly exchanging the side chains. No clear trends in the degradation behavior, linked to the copolymer structural changes, could be established at this point, evidencing the complex interplay of events determining PSCs' lifetime.

  3. The Influence of Conjugated Polymer Side Chain Manipulation on the Efficiency and Stability of Polymer Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilona M. Heckler

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The stability of polymer solar cells (PSCs can be influenced by the introduction of particular moieties on the conjugated polymer side chains. In this study, two series of donor-acceptor copolymers, based on bis(thienyldialkoxybenzene donor and benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BT or thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (TzTz acceptor units, were selected toward effective device scalability by roll-coating. The influence of the partial exchange (5% or 10% of the solubilizing 2-hexyldecyloxy by alternative 2-phenylethoxy groups on efficiency and stability was investigated. With an increasing 2-phenylethoxy ratio, a decrease in solar cell efficiency was observed for the BT-based series, whereas the efficiencies for the devices based on the TzTz polymers remained approximately the same. The photochemical degradation rate for PSCs based on the TzTz polymers decreased with an increasing 2-phenylethoxy ratio. Lifetime studies under constant sun irradiance showed a diminishing initial degradation rate for the BT-based devices upon including the alternative side chains, whereas the (more stable TzTz-based devices degraded at a faster rate from the start of the experiment upon partly exchanging the side chains. No clear trends in the degradation behavior, linked to the copolymer structural changes, could be established at this point, evidencing the complex interplay of events determining PSCs’ lifetime.

  4. Effect of Stabilization on Morphology Polystyrene and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Thermoplastic Foams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mozafar Mokhtari Motameni Shirvan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Microcellular thermoplastic foams can be usually produced in a one-step batch system using a physical foaming agent which is dissolved in a polymer system under specific pressure and temperature, higher than the critical condition of solvent and the glass transition temperature of polymer and solvent mixture. By application of a sudden pressure drop the foam structure is formed through stages of nucleation, growth and coalescence. After pressure drop, if the foam temperature is reduced below the glass transition of the gas-polymer mixture, the cells stop growing which results in a foam with stabilized morphology. This stabilization stage has not been thoroughly focused in previous studies. In this work, polystyrene as a polymer system and supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent were used at 18.5 MPa pressure and different temperatures. The stabilization process took place within milliseconds and helped to a better understanding of cellular structure in thermoplastic foams. In this mechanism, the nucleation takes place in the phase transition of solvent molecules at supercritical state to the gas state and the formation of very small nuclei containing gas molecules between polymer chains. The energy originated from the nuclei growth is in competition with the elastic energy of polymer chains, and the predominance of one type of energy over another determines the final cell size. The results showed that the effect of stabilization process on the structure of the foam depended on the foaming temperature. Stabilization at 110°C resulted in a 50% cell size reduction and a 60% cell density promotion, while at lower temperatures, the stabilization led to greater cell size and reduced cell density.

  5. Stability and sealing of PEC solar cells; Stabilitet og forsegling af PEC solceller

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lauritzen, H.

    2009-06-15

    A requirement for success of the DSC technology on the market for building-integrated PV is visually attractive DSC panels holding a lifetime comparable to alternative facade materials and delivering electricity at reasonable prices. This project concerns the stability and durability of the DSC panel as these are decisive factors for the lifetime of the panels and the price of the produced electricity. The largest challenge of the DSC sealing is the high-performing well-documented - but also aggressive and volatile - iodine/triiodide electrolyte. The heat-sensitive Ru-dyes represent another challenge, as the dye should not be exposed to temperatures above approx. 100 deg. C during the sealing process. Despite the fact that less aggressive electrolytes and more stable dyes are highly focused R and D tasks, the work in the actual project has been carried out according to a 'worst case' strategy, i.e. the search has been for a sealing which is compatible with the iodine/triiodide electrolyte and the Ru-dyes. The rationale behind this strategy is the demanding lifetime requirement s for building-integrated products, which requires the ultimate sealing. In addition to the focus on the DSC sealing, work has been dedicated to the development of a more encapsulation-friendly electrolyte, in which the electrolyte's volatile component has been replaced by an ionic liquid. The ultimate result of the project is an improved polymer edge sealing for DSC cells. The sealant is - contrary to Surlyn and Bynel - stable in contact with the aggressive iodine/ triiodide electrolyte. The sealing is formed by lamination at elevated temperature and under controlled conditions. The robustness and capacity of the sealing process need to be further improved in order to fulfill the laboratories ambitions with regard to volume production of DSC cells and modules. Furthermore should the new sealing be compared both stability-wise and cost-wise with the lead-free solder glass

  6. Core/Shell Structured TiO2/CdS Electrode to Enhance the Light Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Insung; Baek, Minki; Yong, Kijung

    2015-12-23

    In this work, enhanced light stability of perovskite solar cell (PSC) achieved by the introduction of a core/shell-structured CdS/TiO2 electrode and the related mechanism are reported. By a simple solution-based process (SILAR), a uniform CdS shell was coated onto the surface of a TiO2 layer, suppressing the activation of intrinsic trap sites originating from the oxygen vacancies of the TiO2 layer. As a result, the proposed CdS-PSC exhibited highly improved light stability, maintaining nearly 80% of the initial efficiency after 12 h of full sunlight illumination. From the X-ray diffraction analyses, it is suggested that the degradation of the efficiency of PSC during illumination occurs regardless of the decomposition of the perovskite absorber. Considering the light-soaking profiles of the encapsulated cells and the OCVD characteristics, it is likely that the CdS shell had efficiently suppressed the undesirable electron kinetics, such as trapping at the surface defects of the TiO2 and preventing the resultant charge losses by recombination. This study suggests that further complementary research on various effective methods for passivation of the TiO2 layer would be highly meaningful, leading to insight into the fabrication of PSCs stable to UV-light for a long time.

  7. Elevated O-GlcNAcylation stabilizes FOXM1 by its reduced degradation through GSK-3β inactivation in a human gastric carcinoma cell line, MKN45 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inoue, Yosuke; Moriwaki, Kazumasa; Ueda, Yasuhiro; Takeuchi, Toshihisa; Higuchi, Kazuhide; Asahi, Michio

    2018-01-08

    O-GlcNAcylation is a dynamic post-translational modification of cytonuclear proteins for intracellular signaling. Elevated O-GlcNAcylation is a general feature of cancer and contributes to cancer progression, and recent studies indicate the contribution to increasing incidence of various types of cancer in diabetic patients. However, the role of O-GlcNAcylation in tumor progression is not fully elucidated. Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1), a master mitotic transcription factor, has been implicated in all major hallmarks of cancer, and is wildly expressed in solid tumors. Given that FOXM1 expression was reported to be elevated in gastric cancer, we examined the effect of high glucose or an inhibitor of O-GlcNAc hydrolase, Thiamet G (TMG), on FOXM1 protein expression in a human gastric cancer cell line, MKN45 cells, and confirmed that FOXM1 protein level and the cell proliferation were upregulated. To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which FOXM1 protein expression is regulated by O-GlcNAcylation, the effect of high glucose and TMG on FOXM1 ubiquitination was examined in MKN45 cells. As a result, the ubiquitination and degradation of FOXM1 protein were both suppressed by high glucose and TMG treatment. However, the O-GlcNAcylation was not detected on FOXM1 but not on GSK-3β. High glucose and TMG treatment increased phospho-serine 9 GSK-3β, an inactive form, and the degradation of FOXM1 protein was suppressed by treatment of GSK-3β inhibitors in MKN45 cells. Taken together, we suggest that high glucose and elevated O-GlcNAcylation stabilize FOXM1 protein by its reduced degradation via GSK-3β inactivation in MKN45 cells, suggesting that the higher risk of gastric cancer in diabetic patients could be partially due to O-GlcNAcylation-mediated FOXM1 stabilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Shelf life stability comparison in air for solution processed pristine PDPP3T polymer and doped spiro-OMeTAD as hole transport layer for perovskite solar cell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashish Dubey

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This data in brief includes forward and reverse scanned current density–voltage (J–V characteristics of perovskite solar cells with PDPP3T and spiro-OMeTAD as HTL, stability testing conditions of perovskite solar cell shelf life in air for both PDPP3T and spiro-OMeTAD as HTL as per the description in Ref. [1], and individual J–V performance parameters acquired with increasing time exposed in ambient air are shown for both type of devices using PDPP3T and spiro-OMeTAD as HTL. The data collected in this study compares the device stability with time for both PDPP3T and spiro-OMeTAD based perovskite solar cells and is directly related to our research article “solution processed pristine PDPP3T polymer as hole transport layer for efficient perovskite solar cells with slower degradation” [2].

  9. Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) Stabilizes Nascent Blood Vessels*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobo, Sarah Melissa P.; Kazlauskas, Andrius

    2015-01-01

    Here we report that VEGF-A and IGF-1 differ in their ability to stabilize newly formed blood vessels and endothelial cell tubes. Although VEGF-A failed to support an enduring vascular response, IGF-1 stabilized neovessels generated from primary endothelial cells derived from various vascular beds and mouse retinal explants. In these experimental systems, destabilization/regression was driven by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). Because previous studies have established that Erk antagonizes LPA-mediated regression, we considered whether Erk was an essential component of IGF-dependent stabilization. Indeed, IGF-1 lost its ability to stabilize neovessels when the Erk pathway was inhibited pharmacologically. Furthermore, stabilization was associated with prolonged Erk activity. In the presence of IGF-1, Erk activity persisted longer than in the presence of VEGF or LPA alone. These studies reveal that VEGF and IGF-1 can have distinct inputs in the angiogenic process. In contrast to VEGF, IGF-1 stabilizes neovessels, which is dependent on Erk activity and associated with prolonged activation. PMID:25564613

  10. Plasmid stability in dried cells of the desert cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis and its potential for GFP imaging of survivors on Earth and in space.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Billi, Daniela

    2012-06-01

    Two GFP-based plasmids, namely pTTQ18-GFP-pDU1(mini) and pDUCA7-GFP, of about 7 kbp and 15 kbp respectively, able to replicate in Chroococcidiopsis sp. CCMEE 029 and CCMEE 123, were developed. Both plasmids were maintained in Chroococcidiopsis cells after 18 months of dry storage as demonstrated by colony PCR, plasmid restriction analysis, GFP imaging and colony-forming ability under selection of dried transformants; thus suggesting that strategies employed by this cyanobacterium to stabilize dried chromosomal DNA, must have protected plasmid DNA. The suitability of pDU1(mini)-plasmid for GFP tagging in Chroococcidiopsis was investigated by using the RecA homolog of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. After 2 months of dry storage, the presence of dried cells with a GFP-RecA(Syn) distribution resembling that of hydrated cells, supported its capability of preventing desiccation-induced genome damage, whereas the rewetted cells with filamentous GFP-RecA(Syn) structures revealed sub-lethal DNA damage. The long-term stability of plasmid DNA in dried Chroococcidiopsis has implication for space research, for example when investigating the recovery of dried cells after Martian and space simulations or when developing life support systems based on phototrophs with genetically enhanced stress tolerance and stored in the dry state for prolonged periods.

  11. Existence and stability of periodic solutions of an impulsive differential equation and application to CD8 T-cell differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girel, Simon; Crauste, Fabien

    2018-06-01

    Unequal partitioning of the molecular content at cell division has been shown to be a source of heterogeneity in a cell population. We propose to model this phenomenon with the help of a scalar, nonlinear impulsive differential equation (IDE). To study the effect of molecular partitioning at cell division on the effector/memory cell-fate decision in a CD8 T-cell lineage, we study an IDE describing the concentration of the protein Tbet in a CD8 T-cell, where impulses are associated to cell division. We discuss how the degree of asymmetry of molecular partitioning can affect the process of cell differentiation and the phenotypical heterogeneity of a cell population. We show that a moderate degree of asymmetry is necessary and sufficient to observe irreversible differentiation. We consider, in a second part, a general autonomous IDE with fixed times of impulse and a specific form of impulse function. We establish properties of the solutions of that equation, most of them obtained under the hypothesis that impulses occur periodically. In particular, we show how to investigate the existence of periodic solutions and their stability by studying the flow of an autonomous differential equation. Then we apply those properties to prove the results presented in the first part.

  12. Non-covalent interaction between dietary stilbenoids and human serum albumin: Structure-affinity relationship, and its influence on the stability, free radical scavenging activity and cell uptake of stilbenoids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Hui; Jia, Xueping; Shi, Jian; Xiao, Jianbo; Chen, Xiaoqing

    2016-07-01

    Dietary stilbenoids are associated with many benefits for human health, which depend on their bioavailability and bioaccessibility. The stilbenoid-human serum albumin (HSA) interactions are investigated to explore the structure-affinity relationship and influence on the stability, free radical scavenging activity and cell uptake of stilbenoids. The structure-affinity relationship of the stilbenoids-HSA interaction was found as: (1) the methoxylation enhanced the affinity, (2) an additional hydroxyl group increases the affinity and (3) the glycosylation significantly weakened the affinity. HSA obviously masked the free radical scavenging potential of stilbenoids. The stabilities of stilbenoids in different medium were determined as: HSA solution>human plasma>Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. It appears that the milk enhanced the cell uptake of stilbenoids with multi-hydroxyl groups and weakened the cell uptake of stilbenoids with methoxyl group on EA.hy 926 endothelial cells. The stilbenoids are hardly absorbed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells in the presence of milk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Citrobacter amalonaticus phytase on the cell surface of Pichia pastoris exhibits high pH stability as a promising potential feed supplement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Cheng; Lin, Ying; Huang, Yuanyuan; Liu, Xiaoxiao; Liang, Shuli

    2014-01-01

    Phytase expressed and anchored on the cell surface of Pichia pastoris avoids the expensive and time-consuming steps of protein purification and separation. Furthermore, yeast cells with anchored phytase can be used as a whole-cell biocatalyst. In this study, the phytase gene of Citrobacter amalonaticus was fused with the Pichia pastoris glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored glycoprotein homologue GCW61. Phytase exposed on the cell surface exhibits a high activity of 6413.5 U/g, with an optimal temperature of 60°C. In contrast to secreted phytase, which has an optimal pH of 5.0, phytase presented on the cell surface is characterized by an optimal pH of 3.0. Moreover, our data demonstrate that phytase anchored on the cell surface exhibits higher pH stability than its secreted counterpart. Interestingly, our in vitro digestion experiments demonstrate that phytase attached to the cell surface is a more efficient enzyme than secreted phytase.

  14. Stabilized efficiency of stacked a-Si solar cell; Sekisogata a-Si taiyo denchi no anteika koritsu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takahisa, K; Kojima, T; Nakamura, K; Koyanagi, T; Yanagisawa, T [Electrotechnical Laboratory, Tsukuba (Japan)

    1997-11-25

    Different types of tests combining light and temperature were carried out in a laboratory on predicting long-term performance of stacked amorphous silicon solar cells. Cell terminals were left open, xenon was used as an irradiation light source, and cell temperature was controlled within {+-} 2 degC of the setting. The result of the experiment may be summarized as follows: with regard to the deterioration characteristics, the speed in which the efficiency changes reached a maximum within 10 hours, and thereafter the change has slowed down gradually in the case of temperature at 50 degC; in the case of 25 degC, the maximization is reached between 500 and 1000 hours; the stabilization efficiency turns out to be a pessimistic value according to the saturated value derived from an experimental expression, hence the value would have to be expressed by specifying cell temperatures, light intensities and elapsed time; the minimum value of seasonal variation may be estimated at about 85% as a pessimistic value; for recovery characteristics, the saturated value for the recovery tends to become lower as the lower the value immediately before the recovery; and if the light intensity is varied, the deterioration characteristic shifts to that at an individual light intensity. 4 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.

  15. Three caveats for linear stability theory: Rayleigh-Benard convection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenside, H.S.

    1984-06-01

    Recent theories and experiments challenge the applicability of linear stability theory near the onset of buoyancy-driven (Rayleigh-Benard) convection. This stability theory, based on small perturbations of infinite parallel rolls, is found to miss several important features of the convective flow. The reason is that the lateral boundaries have a profound influence on the possible wave numbers and flow patterns even for the largest cells studied. Also, the nonlinear growth of incoherent unstable modes distorts the rolls, leading to a spatially disordered and sometimes temporally nonperiodic flow. Finally, the relation of the skewed varicose instability to the onset of turbulence (nonperiodic time dependence) is examined. Linear stability theory may not suffice to predict the onset of time dependence in large cells close to threshold

  16. Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Arene Ru(II Complexes Induce Tumor Cell Apoptosis Through Selectively Binding and Stabilizing bcl-2 G-Quadruplex DNA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanhua Chen

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available A series of arene Ru(II complexes coordinated with phenanthroimidazole derivatives, [(η6-C6H6Ru(lCl]Cl(1b L = p-ClPIP = 2-(4-Chlorophenylimidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 2b L = m-ClPIP = 2-(3-Chlorophenylimidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 3b L = p-NPIP = 2-(4-Nitrophenylimidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 4b L = m-NPIP = 2-(3-Nitrophenyl imidazole [4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline were synthesized in yields of 89.9%–92.7% under conditions of microwave irradiation heating for 30 min to liberate four arene Ru(II complexes (1b, 2b, 3b, 4b. The anti-tumor activity of 1b against various tumor cells was evaluated by MTT assay. The results indicated that this complex blocked the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells with an IC50 of 16.59 μM. Flow cytometric analysis showed that apoptosis of A549 cells was observed following treatment with 1b. Furthermore, the in vitro DNA-binding behaviors that were confirmed by spectroscopy indicated that 1b could selectively bind and stabilize bcl-2 G-quadruplex DNA to induce apoptosis of A549 cells. Therefore, the synthesized 1b has impressive bcl-2 G-quadruplex DNA-binding and stabilizing activities with potential applications in cancer chemotherapy.

  17. Effect of antiaggregants on the in vitro viability, cell count and stability of abalone (Haliotis iris) haemocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grandiosa, Roffi; Bouwman, Mai-Louise; Young, Tim; Mérien, Fabrice; Alfaro, Andrea C

    2018-07-01

    The ability to successfully prepare and preserve haemocyte cells for microscopy and flow cytometry is critical for the investigation of animal immune systems. In this study, we observed the total cell count, in vitro viability and stability of New Zealand black-footed abalone (Haliotis iris) haemocytes with different antiaggregants and handling protocols. Haemocyte stability was evaluated by direct observation of haemocytes under the microscope and calculating the aggregation index. Haemocyte counts and viability were measured via flow cytometry and tested for the effect of different antiaggregants (Alsever's solution at three concentrations, and specialised blood collection tubes containing lithium heparin and K 2 EDTA) at different temperatures and storage times. Results showed that Alsever's solution is an effective antiaggregant at haemolymph:antiaggregant dilution ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3. Lithium heparin was ineffective as an antiaggregant, whereas K 2 EDTA was similarly as effective as Alsever's solution. The influence of different mixing techniques (vortex, pipetting and flipping) were subsequently tested using the K 2 EDTA Microtainer ® tubes, revealing that proper mixing should be performed immediately. High cell viability can be achieved by mixing samples by either 10 s of vortexing (1000 rpm), 10 times pipetting or 20 times flipping. The in vitro storage of abalone haemocytes in AS and K 2 EDTA as antiaggregants at ambient room temperature was highly effective for up to 24 h (75-85% viability; 0.05-0.15 aggregation index) and is recommended for haemocyte studies in H. iris. Utilization of K 2 EDTA Microtainer ® tubes were advantageous since they are more cost effective compared to Alsever's solution, and samples can be prepared more efficiently. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. The KRAB Zinc Finger Protein Roma/Zfp157 Is a Critical Regulator of Cell-Cycle Progression and Genomic Stability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa L.F. Ho

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Regulation of DNA replication and cell division is essential for tissue growth and maintenance of genomic integrity and is particularly important in tissues that undergo continuous regeneration such as mammary glands. We have previously shown that disruption of the KRAB-domain zinc finger protein Roma/Zfp157 results in hyperproliferation of mammary epithelial cells (MECs during pregnancy. Here, we delineate the mechanism by which Roma engenders this phenotype. Ablation of Roma in MECs leads to unscheduled proliferation, replication stress, DNA damage, and genomic instability. Furthermore, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs depleted for Roma exhibit downregulation of p21Cip1 and geminin and have accelerated replication fork velocities, which is accompanied by a high rate of mitotic errors and polyploidy. In contrast, overexpression of Roma in MECs halts cell-cycle progression, whereas siRNA-mediated p21Cip1 knockdown ameliorates, in part, this phenotype. Thus, Roma is an essential regulator of the cell cycle and is required to maintain genomic stability.

  19. Intravenous administration of stabilized antisense lipid particles (SALP) leads to activation and expansion of liver natural killer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bramson, J L; Bodner, C A; Johnson, J; Semple, S; Hope, M J

    2000-06-01

    Stabilized antisense lipid particles (SALP) have been developed for the systemic delivery of oligonucleotides. The impact of intravenous SALP administration was measured with respect to activation of natural killer (NK) and NK1.1+ T (NKT) cells in the livers of immunocompetent mice. Treatment with a SALP containing a highly mitogenic oligonucleotide (INX-6295) generated an increase in NK cytolytic activity and cell number within the liver but did not appear to affect the number of hepatic NKT cells or their cytolytic activity. The same results were observed after intravenous administration of the mitogenic oligonucleotide alone. Interestingly, treatment with a SALP containing a weakly mitogenic oligonucleotide (INX-6300) also activated the liver NK cells, whereas the oligonucleotide alone was unable to elicit these effects. The NK stimulatory activity of a SALP containing INX-6300 required both lipid and oligonucleotide components. These results demonstrate that in addition to modifying the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of intravenously administered oligonucleotides, SALP possess immunostimulatory activity independent of oligonucleotide mitogenicity, which can serve as an adjuvant to antisense therapies for cancer.

  20. Stability of Anthocyanin Sensitized TiO2 Photoelectrochemical (PEC ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Solar cells fabricated from these electrodes gave overall conversion efficiencies of 3.16% for delphinidin purple and 2.97% for C35D. RuL dye sensitized solar cell gave 4.84%. The cells\\' stability performance in terms of photovoltage was found to drop with time of exposure. However the cells still exhibited I-V characteristics ...

  1. Emotional stability, anxiety, and natural killer activity under examination stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borella, P; Bargellini, A; Rovesti, S; Pinelli, M; Vivoli, R; Solfrini, V; Vivoli, G

    1999-08-01

    This study was performed to evaluate the relation between a stable personality trait, a mood state and immune response to an examination stress. A self-reported measure of emotional stability (BFQ-ES scale) was obtained in a sample (n = 39) randomly selected from 277 cadets; this personality trait was also investigated by completing a neuroticism scale (Eysenck personality inventory) and a trait-anxiety scale (STAI). Natural killer (NK) cell activity was measured at baseline, long before the examination time and the examination day. The state-anxiety scale evaluated the response to the stressful stimulus. Taking subjects all together, the academic task did not result in significant modification over baseline in NK cell activity. Subjects were then divided into three groups based on emotional stability and state-anxiety scores: high emotional stability/low anxiety, medium, and low emotional stability/high anxiety. Examination stress induced significant increases in NK cell activity in the high emotional stability/low anxiety group, no effect in the medium group, and significant decreases in the low emotional stability/high anxiety group. The repeated-measure ANOVA revealed a significant interaction of group x period (baseline vs. examination) for both lytic units and percent cytolysis. The results did not change after introducing coffee and smoking habits as covariates. Our findings suggest that the state-anxiety acts in concert with a stable personality trait to modulate NK response in healthy subjects exposed to a psychological naturalistic stress. The relation between anxiety and poor immune control has been already described, whereas the ability of emotional stability to associate with an immunoenhancement has not yet reported. The peculiarity of our population, a very homogeneous and healthy group for life style and habits, can have highlighted the role of emotional stability, and may account for the difference with other studies.

  2. On the Properties and Long-Term Stability of Infiltrated Lanthanum Cobalt Nickelates (LCN) in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiebach, Wolff-Ragnar; Zielke, Philipp; Veltzé, Sune

    2017-01-01

    Infiltration as a fabrication method for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) electrodes is offering significant improvements in cell performance at reduced materials and fabrication costs, especially when combined with co-sintering. However, important questions regarding the long-term performance...... and microstructural stability remain unanswered. Here, we present the results of a three-year project, where large footprint anode-supported SOFCs with a co-sintered cathode backbone and infiltrated La0.95Co0.4Ni0.6O3 (LCN) cathodes were developed and thoroughly characterized. The initial long-term performance...... in the electrode properties using SEM, BET area, and in-plane conductivity measurements. Finally, the mechanical properties of co-sintered cathode backbone cells were determined in four-point bending tests carried out both at room temperature and at 800°C in air. Based on these results, degradation mechanisms were...

  3. BAG3 directly stabilizes Hexokinase 2 mRNA and promotes aerobic glycolysis in pancreatic cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Ming-Xin; Li, Si; Yao, Han-Bing; Li, Chao; Wang, Jia-Mei; Sun, Jia; Li, Xin-Yu; Meng, Xiao-Na; Wang, Hua-Qin

    2017-12-04

    Aerobic glycolysis, a phenomenon known historically as the Warburg effect, is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. In this study, we characterized the role of BAG3 in aerobic glycolysis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and its molecular mechanisms. Our data show that aberrant expression of BAG3 significantly contributes to the reprogramming of glucose metabolism in PDAC cells. Mechanistically, BAG3 increased Hexokinase 2 (HK2) expression, the first key enzyme involved in glycolysis, at the posttranscriptional level. BAG3 interacted with HK2 mRNA, and the degree of BAG3 expression altered recruitment of the RNA-binding proteins Roquin and IMP3 to the HK2 mRNA. BAG3 knockdown destabilized HK2 mRNA via promotion of Roquin recruitment, whereas BAG3 overexpression stabilized HK2 mRNA via promotion of IMP3 recruitment. Collectively, our results show that BAG3 promotes reprogramming of glucose metabolism via interaction with HK2 mRNA in PDAC cells, suggesting that BAG3 may be a potential target in the aerobic glycolysis pathway for developing novel anticancer agents. © 2017 An et al.

  4. The role of glycosylation and domain interactions in the thermal stability of human angiotensin-converting enzyme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neill, Hester G; Redelinghuys, Pierre; Schwager, Sylva L U; Sturrock, Edward D

    2008-09-01

    The N and C domains of somatic angiotensin-converting enzyme (sACE) differ in terms of their substrate specificity, inhibitor profiling, chloride dependency and thermal stability. The C domain is thermally less stable than sACE or the N domain. Since both domains are heavily glycosylated, the effect of glycosylation on their thermal stability was investigated by assessing their catalytic and physicochemical properties. Testis ACE (tACE) expressed in mammalian cells, mammalian cells in the presence of a glucosidase inhibitor and insect cells yielded proteins with altered catalytic and physicochemical properties, indicating that the more complex glycans confer greater thermal stabilization. Furthermore, a decrease in tACE and N-domain N-glycans using site-directed mutagenesis decreased their thermal stability, suggesting that certain N-glycans have an important effect on the protein's thermodynamic properties. Evaluation of the thermal stability of sACE domain swopover and domain duplication mutants, together with sACE expressed in insect cells, showed that the C domain contained in sACE is less dependent on glycosylation for thermal stabilization than a single C domain, indicating that stabilizing interactions between the two domains contribute to the thermal stability of sACE and are decreased in a C-domain-duplicating mutant.

  5. Telomere stability and telomerase in mesenchymal stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Serakinci, Nedime; Graakjaer, Jesper; Kølvrå, Steen

    2008-01-01

    Telomeres are repetitive genetic material that cap and thereby protect the ends of chromosomes. Each time a cell divides, telomeres get shorter. Telomere length is mainly maintained by telomerase. This enzyme is present in high concentrations in the embryonic stem cells and in fast growing...... embryonic cells, and declines with age. It is still unclear to what extent there is telomerase in adult stem cells, but since these are the founder cells of cells of all the tissues in the body, understanding the telomere dynamics and expression of telomerase in adult stem cells is very important....... In the present communication we focus on telomere expression and telomere length in stem cells, with a special focus on mesenchymal stem cells. We consider different mechanisms by which stem cells can maintain telomeres and also focus on the dynamics of telomere length in mesenchymal stem cells, both the overall...

  6. Hydrogen Bonding and Stability of Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Perovskites

    KAUST Repository

    El-Mellouhi, Fedwa

    2016-09-08

    In the past few years, the efficiency of solar cells based on hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites has exceeded the level needed for commercialization. However, existing perovskites solar cells (PSCs) suffer from several intrinsic instabilities, which prevent them from reaching industrial maturity, and stabilizing PSCs has become a critically important problem. Here we propose to stabilize PSCs chemically by strengthening the interactions between the organic cation and inorganic anion of the perovskite framework. In particular, we show that replacing the methylammonium cation with alternative protonated cations allows an increase in the stability of the perovskite by forming strong hydrogen bonds with the halide anions. This interaction also provides opportunities for tuning the electronic states near the bandgap. These mechanisms should have a universal character in different hybrid organic–inorganic framework materials that are widely used.

  7. Hydrogen Bonding and Stability of Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Perovskites

    KAUST Repository

    El-Mellouhi, Fedwa; Marzouk, Asma; Bentria, El Tayeb; Rashkeev, Sergey N.; Kais, Sabre; Alharbi, Fahhad H.

    2016-01-01

    In the past few years, the efficiency of solar cells based on hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites has exceeded the level needed for commercialization. However, existing perovskites solar cells (PSCs) suffer from several intrinsic instabilities, which prevent them from reaching industrial maturity, and stabilizing PSCs has become a critically important problem. Here we propose to stabilize PSCs chemically by strengthening the interactions between the organic cation and inorganic anion of the perovskite framework. In particular, we show that replacing the methylammonium cation with alternative protonated cations allows an increase in the stability of the perovskite by forming strong hydrogen bonds with the halide anions. This interaction also provides opportunities for tuning the electronic states near the bandgap. These mechanisms should have a universal character in different hybrid organic–inorganic framework materials that are widely used.

  8. The influence of lysosomal stability of silver nanomaterials on their toxicity to human cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setyawati, Magdiel Inggrid; Yuan, Xun; Xie, Jianping; Leong, David Tai

    2014-08-01

    How silver nanomaterials (Ag NMs) could induce toxicity has been debated heatedly by many researchers. We utilized Ag nanoclusters (Ag NCs) with the same size and ligand protection but different core surface speciation. Ag(+)-rich NCs (Ag(+)-R NCs) and their counterpart, the reduced Ag(0)-rich NCs (Ag(0)-R NCs) are synthesized to represent possible dichotomous stages in silver nanomaterial degradation process. Here we show Ag(0)-R NCs induce higher cellular toxicity when compared to Ag(+)-R NCs. This cellular toxicity is brought about via the modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells as a result of the more rapid release of Ag species from Ag(0)-R NCs and subsequent oxidation into Ag(+) in the lysosomal compartment. The weaker Ag(0)-R bond greatly potentiated the release of Ag species in the acidic and enzymatic processes within the lysosomes. Since lysosomes are absent in bacteria, increasing silver nanomaterials stability may lower toxicity in mammalian cells whilst not reducing their efficacy to fight bacteria; this redesign can result in a safer silver nanomaterial. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. SG2NA enhances cancer cell survival by stabilizing DJ-1 and thus activating Akt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tanti, Goutam Kumar, E-mail: goutamjnu@hotmail.com; Pandey, Shweta; Goswami, Shyamal K.

    2015-08-07

    SG2NA in association with striatin and zinedin forms a striatin family of WD-40 repeat proteins. This family of proteins functions as scaffold in different signal transduction pathways. They also act as a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A. We have shown that SG2NA which evolved first in the metazoan evolution among the striatin family members expresses different isoforms generated out of alternative splicing. We have also shown that SG2NA protects cells from oxidative stress by recruiting DJ-1 and Akt to mitochondria and membrane in the post-mitotic neuronal cells. DJ-1 is both cancer and Parkinson's disease related protein. In the present study we have shown that SG2NA protects DJ-1 from proteasomal degradation in cancer cells. Hence, downregulation of SG2NA reduces DJ-1/Akt colocalization in cancer cells resulting in the reduction of anchorage dependent and independent growth. Thus SG2NA enhances cancer cell survival. Reactive oxygen species enhances SG2NA, DJ-1 and Akt trimerization. Removal of the reactive oxygen species by N-acetyl-cysteine thus reduces cancer cell growth. - Highlights: • Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play potential role in cancer cell proliferation. • It enhances the association between DJ-1 and Akt mediated by SG2NA. • In cancer cells SG2NA stabilizes DJ-1 by inhibiting it from proteosomal degradation. • DJ-1 then activates Akt and cancer cells get their property of enhanced proliferation by sustained activation of Akt. • Further study on this field could lead to new target for cancer therapy.

  10. SG2NA enhances cancer cell survival by stabilizing DJ-1 and thus activating Akt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanti, Goutam Kumar; Pandey, Shweta; Goswami, Shyamal K.

    2015-01-01

    SG2NA in association with striatin and zinedin forms a striatin family of WD-40 repeat proteins. This family of proteins functions as scaffold in different signal transduction pathways. They also act as a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A. We have shown that SG2NA which evolved first in the metazoan evolution among the striatin family members expresses different isoforms generated out of alternative splicing. We have also shown that SG2NA protects cells from oxidative stress by recruiting DJ-1 and Akt to mitochondria and membrane in the post-mitotic neuronal cells. DJ-1 is both cancer and Parkinson's disease related protein. In the present study we have shown that SG2NA protects DJ-1 from proteasomal degradation in cancer cells. Hence, downregulation of SG2NA reduces DJ-1/Akt colocalization in cancer cells resulting in the reduction of anchorage dependent and independent growth. Thus SG2NA enhances cancer cell survival. Reactive oxygen species enhances SG2NA, DJ-1 and Akt trimerization. Removal of the reactive oxygen species by N-acetyl-cysteine thus reduces cancer cell growth. - Highlights: • Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play potential role in cancer cell proliferation. • It enhances the association between DJ-1 and Akt mediated by SG2NA. • In cancer cells SG2NA stabilizes DJ-1 by inhibiting it from proteosomal degradation. • DJ-1 then activates Akt and cancer cells get their property of enhanced proliferation by sustained activation of Akt. • Further study on this field could lead to new target for cancer therapy

  11. Beclin 1 and UVRAG confer protection from radiation-induced DNA damage and maintain centrosome stability in colorectal cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jae Myung Park

    Full Text Available Beclin 1 interacts with UV-irradiation-resistance-associated gene (UVRAG to form core complexes that induce autophagy. While cells with defective autophagy are prone to genomic instability that contributes to tumorigenesis, it is unknown whether Beclin1 or UVRAG can regulate the DNA damage/repair response to cancer treatment in established tumor cells. We found that siRNA knockdown of Beclin 1 or UVRAG can increase radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks (DSBs, shown by pATM and γH2Ax, and promote colorectal cancer cell death. Furthermore, knockdown of Beclin 1, UVRAG or ATG5 increased the percentage of irradiated cells with nuclear foci expressing 53BP1, a marker of nonhomologous end joining but not RAD51 (homologous recombination, compared to control siRNA. Beclin 1 siRNA was shown to attenuate UVRAG expression. Cells with a UVRAG deletion mutant defective in Beclin 1 binding showed increased radiation-induced DSBs and cell death compared to cells with ectopic wild-type UVRAG. Knockdown of Beclin 1 or UVRAG, but not ATG5, resulted in a significant increase in centrosome number (γ-tubulin staining in irradiated cells compared to control siRNA. Taken together, these data indicate that Beclin 1 and UVRAG confer protection against radiation-induced DNA DSBs and may maintain centrosome stability in established tumor cells.

  12. Improvement of high voltage cycling performance and thermal stability of lithium-ion cells by use of a thiophene additive

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Ki-Soo; Sun, Yang-Kook; Kim, Dong-Won [Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seungdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea); Noh, Jaegeun [Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Seungdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea); Song, Kwang Soup [Advanced Medical Device Center, Korea Electrotechnology, Research Institute, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do 426-170 (Korea)

    2009-10-15

    This study demonstrates that the addition of thiophene improves the cycle life of lithium-ion cells at high voltage. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results suggest that addition of thiophene significantly suppresses the increase of the charge transfer resistance that occurs during cycling up to high voltage. Differential scanning calorimetric studies showed that the thermal stability of fully charged LiCoO{sub 2} cathode was also enhanced in the presence of thiophene. (author)

  13. Performance of molten carbonate fuel cells with the electrolyte molded at low pressure (3) The stability of anode microlayers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sonai, Atsuo; Suzuki, Nobukazu; Murata, Kenji; Shirogami, Tamotsu

    1987-01-01

    It is known that an addition of organic binder to the electrolyte layer which composes a fuel cell enables to produce a large plate of electrolyte even in low temperature and low pressure conditions. However, when the binder is volatilized, bores remain making poor performance as a sepa-rator plate of the reacting gas. In order to prevent the gas permeation, it is necessary to combine a double layered electrode with microporous layers on the electrode surface ajacent to the electrolyte layer. In this study, stability of microporous layers of the anode electrode was examined, and it was found that the microporous layers made by sintering Ni-powders was unstable and dissoluted, but the impregnation of such second element as Chromium oxide, Yttrium oxide, Aluminum oxide into the layer improved the stability. (10 figs, 1 tab, 6 refs)

  14. Reprogramming suppresses premature senescence phenotypes of Werner syndrome cells and maintains chromosomal stability over long-term culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimamoto, Akira; Kagawa, Harunobu; Zensho, Kazumasa; Sera, Yukihiro; Kazuki, Yasuhiro; Osaki, Mitsuhiko; Oshimura, Mitsuo; Ishigaki, Yasuhito; Hamasaki, Kanya; Kodama, Yoshiaki; Yuasa, Shinsuke; Fukuda, Keiichi; Hirashima, Kyotaro; Seimiya, Hiroyuki; Koyama, Hirofumi; Shimizu, Takahiko; Takemoto, Minoru; Yokote, Koutaro; Goto, Makoto; Tahara, Hidetoshi

    2014-01-01

    Werner syndrome (WS) is a premature aging disorder characterized by chromosomal instability and cancer predisposition. Mutations in WRN are responsible for the disease and cause telomere dysfunction, resulting in accelerated aging. Recent studies have revealed that cells from WS patients can be successfully reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In the present study, we describe the effects of long-term culture on WS iPSCs, which acquired and maintained infinite proliferative potential for self-renewal over 2 years. After long-term cultures, WS iPSCs exhibited stable undifferentiated states and differentiation capacity, and premature upregulation of senescence-associated genes in WS cells was completely suppressed in WS iPSCs despite WRN deficiency. WS iPSCs also showed recapitulation of the phenotypes during differentiation. Furthermore, karyotype analysis indicated that WS iPSCs were stable, and half of the descendant clones had chromosomal profiles that were similar to those of parental cells. These unexpected properties might be achieved by induced expression of endogenous telomerase gene during reprogramming, which trigger telomerase reactivation leading to suppression of both replicative senescence and telomere dysfunction in WS cells. These findings demonstrated that reprogramming suppressed premature senescence phenotypes in WS cells and WS iPSCs could lead to chromosomal stability over the long term. WS iPSCs will provide opportunities to identify affected lineages in WS and to develop a new strategy for the treatment of WS.

  15. Reprogramming suppresses premature senescence phenotypes of Werner syndrome cells and maintains chromosomal stability over long-term culture.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akira Shimamoto

    Full Text Available Werner syndrome (WS is a premature aging disorder characterized by chromosomal instability and cancer predisposition. Mutations in WRN are responsible for the disease and cause telomere dysfunction, resulting in accelerated aging. Recent studies have revealed that cells from WS patients can be successfully reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs. In the present study, we describe the effects of long-term culture on WS iPSCs, which acquired and maintained infinite proliferative potential for self-renewal over 2 years. After long-term cultures, WS iPSCs exhibited stable undifferentiated states and differentiation capacity, and premature upregulation of senescence-associated genes in WS cells was completely suppressed in WS iPSCs despite WRN deficiency. WS iPSCs also showed recapitulation of the phenotypes during differentiation. Furthermore, karyotype analysis indicated that WS iPSCs were stable, and half of the descendant clones had chromosomal profiles that were similar to those of parental cells. These unexpected properties might be achieved by induced expression of endogenous telomerase gene during reprogramming, which trigger telomerase reactivation leading to suppression of both replicative senescence and telomere dysfunction in WS cells. These findings demonstrated that reprogramming suppressed premature senescence phenotypes in WS cells and WS iPSCs could lead to chromosomal stability over the long term. WS iPSCs will provide opportunities to identify affected lineages in WS and to develop a new strategy for the treatment of WS.

  16. Clinical Effects of Stabilized Stannous Fluoride Dentifrice in Reducing Plaque Microbial Virulence I: Microbiological and Receptor Cell Findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klukowska, Malgorzata; Haught, John Christian; Xie, Sancai; Circello, Ben; Tansky, Cheryl S; Khambe, Deepa; Huggins, Tom; White, Donald J

    2017-06-01

    Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) and lipoteichoic acids (LTAs), or bacterial endotoxins, bind with Toll-like receptors (TLRs) that are expressed on host cells of the periodontium, thereby contributing to the periodontal pathogenicity of oral bacteria. Stannous fluoride (SnF2), an antibacterial fluoride that treats and controls gingivitis, has been shown to react with lipophilic domains/anionic charges in LPS and LTA. The effects of bacterial species and dental plaque on toll receptors can be studied using genetically engineered cell lines containing linked toll receptors on their surfaces. This randomized, examiner-blinded study examined the clinical effects of stabilized SnF2 dentifrice intervention on gingivitis and dental plaque virulence in populations exhibiting high and low levels of clinical gingivitis. Recruited populations were evaluated for gingival inflammation (MGI) and gingival bleeding (GBI) at baseline and assigned into two cohorts of 20 each, those with high (GBI > 20 sites) and low (GBI plaque at both healthy (no bleeding, PD = 2 mm), as well as clinically diseased sites (bleeding, PD = 3-4 mm), and then provided with an intervention hygiene product including a stabilized SnF2 dentifrice and a new soft bristle manual toothbrush. Following two and four weeks of assigned dentifrice use, participants returned for a re-evaluation of gingival inflammation and bleeding and repeat samplings of dental plaque. Plaque samples were analyzed by anaerobic culturing of gram negative anaerobes (GNA), as well as by incubation of subgingival sampled plaques with TLR4 transfected HEK293 cells, where gene expression was assessed by measurement of a SEAP alkaline phosphatase reporter as a marker of toll receptor activation. Clinical assessments showed statistically significant reductions in MGI (24-26%) and GBI (42-53%) gingivitis in both diseased and healthy cohorts following four weeks of dentifrice intervention. For all clinical examinations, MGI and bleeding sites were

  17. The role of zinc in genomic stability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharif, Razinah; Thomas, Philip; Zalewski, Peter; Fenech, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element required for maintaining both optimal human health and genomic stability. Zn plays a critical role in the regulation of DNA repair mechanisms, cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis involving the action of various transcriptional factors and DNA or RNA polymerases. Zn is an essential cofactor or structural component for important antioxidant defence proteins and DNA repair enzymes such as Cu/Zn SOD, OGG1, APE and PARP and may also affect activities of enzymes such as BHMT and MTR involved in methylation reactions in the folate-methionine cycle. This review focuses on the role of Zn in the maintenance of genome integrity and the effects of deficiency or excess on genomic stability events and cell death.

  18. The Acinar Cage: Basement Membranes Determine Molecule Exchange and Mechanical Stability of Human Breast Cell Acini.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aljona Gaiko-Shcherbak

    Full Text Available The biophysical properties of the basement membrane that surrounds human breast glands are poorly understood, but are thought to be decisive for normal organ function and malignancy. Here, we characterize the breast gland basement membrane with a focus on molecule permeation and mechanical stability, both crucial for organ function. We used well-established and nature-mimicking MCF10A acini as 3D cell model for human breast glands, with ether low- or highly-developed basement membrane scaffolds. Semi-quantitative dextran tracer (3 to 40 kDa experiments allowed us to investigate the basement membrane scaffold as a molecule diffusion barrier in human breast acini in vitro. We demonstrated that molecule permeation correlated positively with macromolecule size and intriguingly also with basement membrane development state, revealing a pore size of at least 9 nm. Notably, an intact collagen IV mesh proved to be essential for this permeation function. Furthermore, we performed ultra-sensitive atomic force microscopy to quantify the response of native breast acini and of decellularized basement membrane shells against mechanical indentation. We found a clear correlation between increasing acinar force resistance and basement membrane formation stage. Most important native acini with highly-developed basement membranes as well as cell-free basement membrane shells could both withstand physiologically relevant loads (≤ 20 nN without loss of structural integrity. In contrast, low-developed basement membranes were significantly softer and more fragile. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the key role of the basement membrane as conductor of acinar molecule influx and mechanical stability of human breast glands, which are fundamental for normal organ function.

  19. Comparing the short and long term stability of biodegradable, ceramic and cation exchange membranes in microbial fuel cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winfield, Jonathan; Chambers, Lily D; Rossiter, Jonathan; Ieropoulos, Ioannis

    2013-11-01

    The long and short-term stability of two porous dependent ion exchange materials; starch-based compostable bags (BioBag) and ceramic, were compared to commercially available cation exchange membrane (CEM) in microbial fuel cells. Using bi-directional polarisation methods, CEM exhibited power overshoot during the forward sweep followed by significant power decline over the reverse sweep (38%). The porous membranes displayed no power overshoot with comparably smaller drops in power during the reverse sweep (ceramic 8%, BioBag 5.5%). The total internal resistance at maximum power increased by 64% for CEM compared to 4% (ceramic) and 6% (BioBag). Under fixed external resistive loads, CEM exhibited steeper pH reductions than the porous membranes. Despite its limited lifetime, the BioBag proved an efficient material for a stable microbial environment until failing after 8 months, due to natural degradation. These findings highlight porous separators as ideal candidates for advancing MFC technology in terms of cost and operation stability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Stability of CIGS Solar Cells and Component Materials Evaluated by a Step-Stress Accelerated Degradation Test Method: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pern, F. J.; Noufi, R.

    2012-10-01

    A step-stress accelerated degradation testing (SSADT) method was employed for the first time to evaluate the stability of CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) solar cells and device component materials in four Al-framed test structures encapsulated with an edge sealant and three kinds of backsheet or moisture barrier film for moisture ingress control. The SSADT exposure used a 15oC and then a 15% relative humidity (RH) increment step, beginning from 40oC/40%RH (T/RH = 40/40) to 85oC/70%RH (85/70) as of the moment. The voluminous data acquired and processed as of total DH = 3956 h with 85/70 = 704 h produced the following results. The best CIGS solar cells in sample Set-1 with a moisture-permeable TPT backsheet showed essentially identical I-V degradation trend regardless of the Al-doped ZnO (AZO) layer thickness ranging from standard 0.12 μm to 0.50 μm on the cells. No clear 'stepwise' feature in the I-V parameter degradation curves corresponding to the SSADT T/RH/time profile was observed. Irregularity in I-V performance degradation pattern was observed with some cells showing early degradation at low T/RH < 55/55 and some showing large Voc, FF, and efficiency degradation due to increased series Rs (ohm-cm2) at T/RH ≥ 70/70. Results of (electrochemical) impedance spectroscopy (ECIS) analysis indicate degradation of the CIGS solar cells corresponded to increased series resistance Rs (ohm) and degraded parallel (minority carrier diffusion/recombination) resistance Rp, capacitance C, overall time constant Rp*C, and 'capacitor quality' factor (CPE-P), which were related to the cells? p-n junction properties. Heating at 85/70 appeared to benefit the CIGS solar cells as indicated by the largely recovered CPE-P factor. Device component materials, Mo on soda lime glass (Mo/SLG), bilayer ZnO (BZO), AlNi grid contact, and CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG in test structures with TPT showed notable to significant degradation at T/RH ≥ 70/70. At T/RH = 85/70, substantial blistering of

  1. Reconsidering figures of merit for performance and stability of perovskite photovoltaics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Khenkin, M. V.; Anoop, K. M.; Visoly-Fisher, Iris

    2018-01-01

    The development of hybrid organic–inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) that combine high performance and operational stability is vital for implementing this technology. Recently, reversible improvement and degradation of PSC efficiency have been reported under illumination–darkness cyc......The development of hybrid organic–inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) that combine high performance and operational stability is vital for implementing this technology. Recently, reversible improvement and degradation of PSC efficiency have been reported under illumination......-term irreversible degradation and the reversible diurnal efficiency variation and does not depend on the type of process prevailing in a given perovskite cell....

  2. Preconditioning mesenchymal stem cells with the mood stabilizers lithium and valproic acid enhances therapeutic efficacy in a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linares, Gabriel R; Chiu, Chi-Tso; Scheuing, Lisa; Leng, Yan; Liao, Hsiao-Mei; Maric, Dragan; Chuang, De-Maw

    2016-07-01

    Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG repeat expansions in the huntingtin gene. Although, stem cell-based therapy has emerged as a potential treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, limitations remain, including optimizing delivery to the brain and donor cell loss after transplantation. One strategy to boost cell survival and efficacy is to precondition cells before transplantation. Because the neuroprotective actions of the mood stabilizers lithium and valproic acid (VPA) induce multiple pro-survival signaling pathways, we hypothesized that preconditioning bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with lithium and VPA prior to intranasal delivery to the brain would enhance their therapeutic efficacy, and thereby facilitate functional recovery in N171-82Q HD transgenic mice. MSCs were treated in the presence or absence of combined lithium and VPA, and were then delivered by brain-targeted single intranasal administration to eight-week old HD mice. Histological analysis confirmed the presence of MSCs in the brain. Open-field test revealed that ambulatory distance and mean velocity were significantly improved in HD mice that received preconditioned MSCs, compared to HD vehicle-control and HD mice transplanted with non-preconditioned MSCs. Greater benefits on motor function were observed in HD mice given preconditioned MSCs, while HD mice treated with non-preconditioned MSCs showed no functional benefits. Moreover, preconditioned MSCs reduced striatal neuronal loss and huntingtin aggregates in HD mice. Gene expression profiling of preconditioned MSCs revealed a robust increase in expression of genes involved in trophic effects, antioxidant, anti-apoptosis, cytokine/chemokine receptor, migration, mitochondrial energy metabolism, and stress response signaling pathways. Consistent with this finding, preconditioned MSCs demonstrated increased survival after transplantation into the brain compared to non-preconditioned cells

  3. Bacterial Quorum Sensing Stabilizes Cooperation by Optimizing Growth Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruger, Eric L; Waters, Christopher M

    2016-11-15

    Communication has been suggested as a mechanism to stabilize cooperation. In bacteria, chemical communication, termed quorum sensing (QS), has been hypothesized to fill this role, and extracellular public goods are often induced by QS at high cell densities. Here we show, with the bacterium Vibrio harveyi, that QS provides strong resistance against invasion of a QS defector strain by maximizing the cellular growth rate at low cell densities while achieving maximum productivity through protease upregulation at high cell densities. In contrast, QS mutants that act as defectors or unconditional cooperators maximize either the growth rate or the growth yield, respectively, and thus are less fit than the wild-type QS strain. Our findings provide experimental evidence that regulation mediated by microbial communication can optimize growth strategies and stabilize cooperative phenotypes by preventing defector invasion, even under well-mixed conditions. This effect is due to a combination of responsiveness to environmental conditions provided by QS, lowering of competitive costs when QS is not induced, and pleiotropic constraints imposed on defectors that do not perform QS. Cooperation is a fundamental problem for evolutionary biology to explain. Conditional participation through phenotypic plasticity driven by communication is a potential solution to this dilemma. Thus, among bacteria, QS has been proposed to be a proximate stabilizing mechanism for cooperative behaviors. Here, we empirically demonstrate that QS in V. harveyi prevents cheating and subsequent invasion by nonproducing defectors by maximizing the growth rate at low cell densities and the growth yield at high cell densities, whereas an unconditional cooperator is rapidly driven to extinction by defectors. Our findings provide experimental evidence that QS regulation prevents the invasion of cooperative populations by QS defectors even under unstructured conditions, and they strongly support the role of

  4. Study of the stability of packaging and storage conditions of human mesenchymal stem cell for intra-arterial clinical application in patient with critical limb ischemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gálvez-Martín, Patricia; Hmadcha, Abdelkrim; Soria, Bernat; Calpena-Campmany, Ana C; Clares-Naveros, Beatriz

    2014-04-01

    Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In this study, we developed and characterized an intra-arterial cell suspension containing human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) for the treatment of CLI. Equally, the stability of cells was studied in order to evaluate the optimal conditions of storage that guarantee the viability from cell processing to the administration phase. Effects of various factors, including excipients, storage temperature and time were evaluated to analyze the survival of hMSCs in the finished medicinal product. The viability of hMSCs in different packaging media was studied for 60 h at 4 °C. The best medium to maintain hMSCs viability was then selected to test storage conditions (4, 8, 25 and 37 °C; 60 h). The results showed that at 4 °C the viability was maintained above 80% for 48 h, at 8 °C decreased slightly, whereas at room temperature and 37 °C decreased drastically. Its biocompatibility was assessed by cell morphology and cell viability assays. During stability study, the stored cells did not show any change in their phenotypic or genotypic characteristics and physicochemical properties remained constant, the ability to differentiate into adipocytes and osteocytes and sterility requirements were also unaltered. Finally, our paper proposes a packing media composed of albumin 20%, glucose 5% and Ringer's lactate at a concentration of 1×10(6) cells/mL, which must be stored at 4 °C as the most suitable to maintain cell viability (>80%) and without altering their characteristics for more than 48 h. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Cross-correlation enhanced stability in a tumor cell growth model with immune surveillance driven by cross-correlated noises

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeng Chunhua; Zhou Xiaofeng; Tao Shufen

    2009-01-01

    The transient properties of a tumor cell growth model with immune surveillance driven by cross-correlated multiplicative and additive noises are investigated. The explicit expression of extinction rate from the state of a stable tumor to the state of extinction is obtained. Based on the numerical computations, we find the following: (i) the intensity of multiplicative noise D and the intensity of additive noise α enhance the extinction rate for the case of λ ≤ 0 (i.e. λ denotes cross-correlation intensity between two noises), but for the case of λ > 0, a critical noise intensity D or α exists at which the extinction rate is the smallest; D and α at first weaken the extinction rate and then enhance it. (ii) The immune rate β and the cross-correlation intensity λ play opposite roles on the extinction rate, i.e. β enhances the extinction rate of the tumor cell, while λ weakens the extinction rate of the tumor cell. Namely, the immune rate can enhance the extinction of the tumor cell and the cross-correlation between two noises can enhance stability of the cancer state.

  6. Light and Electrically Induced Phase Segregation and Its Impact on the Stability of Quadruple Cation High Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duong, The; Mulmudi, Hemant Kumar; Wu, YiLiang; Fu, Xiao; Shen, Heping; Peng, Jun; Wu, Nandi; Nguyen, Hieu T; Macdonald, Daniel; Lockrey, Mark; White, Thomas P; Weber, Klaus; Catchpole, Kylie

    2017-08-16

    Perovskite material with a bandgap of 1.7-1.8 eV is highly desirable for the top cell in a tandem configuration with a lower bandgap bottom cell, such as a silicon cell. This can be achieved by alloying iodide and bromide anions, but light-induced phase-segregation phenomena are often observed in perovskite films of this kind, with implications for solar cell efficiency. Here, we investigate light-induced phase segregation inside quadruple-cation perovskite material in a complete cell structure and find that the magnitude of this phenomenon is dependent on the operating condition of the solar cell. Under short-circuit and even maximum power point conditions, phase segregation is found to be negligible compared to the magnitude of segregation under open-circuit conditions. In accordance with the finding, perovskite cells based on quadruple-cation perovskite with 1.73 eV bandgap retain 94% of the original efficiency after 12 h operation at the maximum power point, while the cell only retains 82% of the original efficiency after 12 h operation at the open-circuit condition. This result highlights the need to have standard methods including light/dark and bias condition for testing the stability of perovskite solar cells. Additionally, phase segregation is observed when the cell was forward biased at 1.2 V in the dark, which indicates that photoexcitation is not required to induce phase segregation.

  7. Numerical experiments on unstructured PIC stability.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Day, David Minot

    2011-04-01

    Particle-In-Cell (PIC) is a method for plasmas simulation. Particles are pushed with Verlet time integration. Fields are modeled using finite differences on a tensor product mesh (cells). The Unstructured PIC methods studied here use instead finite element discretizations on unstructured (simplicial) meshes. PIC is constrained by stability limits (upper bounds) on mesh and time step sizes. Numerical evidence (2D) and analysis will be presented showing that similar bounds constrain unstructured PIC.

  8. Characterization of the stability and bio-functionality of tethered proteins on bioengineered scaffolds: implications for stem cell biology and tissue repair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ting-Yi; Bruggeman, Kiara A F; Sheean, Rebecca K; Turner, Bradley J; Nisbet, David R; Parish, Clare L

    2014-05-23

    Various engineering applications have been utilized to deliver molecules and compounds in both innate and biological settings. In the context of biological applications, the timely delivery of molecules can be critical for cellular and organ function. As such, previous studies have demonstrated the superiority of long-term protein delivery, by way of protein tethering onto bioengineered scaffolds, compared with conventional delivery of soluble protein in vitro and in vivo. Despite such benefits little knowledge exists regarding the stability, release kinetics, longevity, activation of intracellular pathway, and functionality of these proteins over time. By way of example, here we examined the stability, degradation and functionality of a protein, glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), which is known to influence neuronal survival, differentiation, and neurite morphogenesis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) revealed that GDNF, covalently tethered onto polycaprolactone (PCL) electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds, remained present on the scaffold surface for 120 days, with no evidence of protein leaching or degradation. The tethered GDNF protein remained functional and capable of activating downstream signaling cascades, as revealed by its capacity to phosphorylate intracellular Erk in a neural cell line. Furthermore, immobilization of GDNF protein promoted cell survival and differentiation in culture at both 3 and 7 days, further validating prolonged functionality of the protein, well beyond the minutes to hours timeframe observed for soluble proteins under the same culture conditions. This study provides important evidence of the stability and functionality kinetics of tethered molecules. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  9. Enhanced life of proton exchange membrane fuel cell catalysts using perfluorosulfonic acid stabilized carbon support

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Niancai; Mu Shichun; Chen Xiaojing; Lv Haifeng; Pan Mu; Edwards, Peter P.

    2011-01-01

    We report a new and simple solution to increase life of Pt/C catalysts using the proton-conducting polymer (perfluorosulfonic acid, PFSA) stabilized carbon support (denoted these catalysts as Pt/NFC catalysts) as compared to conventional Pt/C catalysts commonly used in PEM fuel cells. A high catalytic activity of the catalyst is observed by both CV (cyclic voltammetry) and ORR (oxygen reduction reaction) measurements. Especially, our own catalysts have a 60% better life as compared to Pt/C under electrochemically accelerated durability test conditions. The loss rate of electrochemical active area (ECA) for Pt/NFC catalysts is only 0.007 m 2 g -1 cycle -1 , compared to a value of 0.011 m 2 g -1 cycle -1 for Pt/C.

  10. A cell-compatible PEO–PPO–PEO (Pluronic®)-based hydrogel stabilized through secondary structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng, Sydney; Lin, Ji-Yu; Cheng, Ming-Huei; Wu, Chih-Wei; Chu, I-Ming

    2016-01-01

    Pluronic F-127 (PF127) is a thermosensitive polymer that has been widely recognized as a potential candidate for various bio-applications. However, in hydrogel form, its rapid disintegration and inhospitality toward cells have significantly limited its usage. As a means to increase the integrity and cell compatibility of a PF127 hydrogel, we propose the introduction of stabilizing secondary structures to the gel network by the addition of secondary structure-forming oligo-alanine and oligo-phenylalanine. Results indicate that increasing the oligo(peptides) attached to PF127 led to a significant decrease in the gelation concentration and temperature. A selected oligo(peptide)-modified PF127 was capable of forming a stable hydrogel network at 5% and suffered only 20% weight loss after 7 days of incubation in media. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed comparably more interconnected morphology in modified hydrogels which may be attributed to the presence of secondary structures, as verified by circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) provided insights into the extensive interactions at the micelle core, which is the key to altered gelation behavior. Furthermore, modified hydrogels maintained structural integrity within culturing media and supported the proliferation of encapsulated chondrocytes. In addition, in vivo residence time was extended to well beyond 2 weeks after oligo(peptide) modification, thereby broadening the application scope of the PF127 hydrogel to encompass long-term drug delivery and cell culturing. - Highlights: • Modification of Pluronic-F127 with oligo(peptides) decreased gelation concentration and prolonged residence time in vitro and in vivo. • Oligo(peptide)-modified Pluronic-F127 exhibited critical gelation concentration as low as 5%. • Cells encapsulated within 5% oligo(peptide)-modified hydrogel proliferated within a period of 7 days. • Oligo

  11. A cell-compatible PEO–PPO–PEO (Pluronic®)-based hydrogel stabilized through secondary structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peng, Sydney; Lin, Ji-Yu [Deparment of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Cheng, Ming-Huei [Division of Microsurgery Reconstructive Microsurgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Center for Tissue Engineering, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Wu, Chih-Wei, E-mail: drwu.jerry@gmail.com [Division of Microsurgery Reconstructive Microsurgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Center for Tissue Engineering, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Chu, I-Ming, E-mail: chuiming456@gmail.com [Deparment of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)

    2016-12-01

    Pluronic F-127 (PF127) is a thermosensitive polymer that has been widely recognized as a potential candidate for various bio-applications. However, in hydrogel form, its rapid disintegration and inhospitality toward cells have significantly limited its usage. As a means to increase the integrity and cell compatibility of a PF127 hydrogel, we propose the introduction of stabilizing secondary structures to the gel network by the addition of secondary structure-forming oligo-alanine and oligo-phenylalanine. Results indicate that increasing the oligo(peptides) attached to PF127 led to a significant decrease in the gelation concentration and temperature. A selected oligo(peptide)-modified PF127 was capable of forming a stable hydrogel network at 5% and suffered only 20% weight loss after 7 days of incubation in media. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed comparably more interconnected morphology in modified hydrogels which may be attributed to the presence of secondary structures, as verified by circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) provided insights into the extensive interactions at the micelle core, which is the key to altered gelation behavior. Furthermore, modified hydrogels maintained structural integrity within culturing media and supported the proliferation of encapsulated chondrocytes. In addition, in vivo residence time was extended to well beyond 2 weeks after oligo(peptide) modification, thereby broadening the application scope of the PF127 hydrogel to encompass long-term drug delivery and cell culturing. - Highlights: • Modification of Pluronic-F127 with oligo(peptides) decreased gelation concentration and prolonged residence time in vitro and in vivo. • Oligo(peptide)-modified Pluronic-F127 exhibited critical gelation concentration as low as 5%. • Cells encapsulated within 5% oligo(peptide)-modified hydrogel proliferated within a period of 7 days. • Oligo

  12. Strength and stability of microbial plugs in porous media

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sarkar, A.K. [NIPER/BDM-Oklahoma, Inc., Bartlesville, OK (United States); Sharma, M.M.; Georgiou, G. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

    1995-12-31

    Mobility reduction induced by the growth and metabolism of bacteria in high-permeability layers of heterogeneous reservoirs is an economically attractive technique to improve sweep efficiency. This paper describes an experimental study conducted in sandpacks using an injected bacterium to investigate the strength and stability of microbial plugs in porous media. Successful convective transport of bacteria is important for achieving sufficient initial bacteria distribution. The chemotactic and diffusive fluxes are probably not significant even under static conditions. Mobility reduction depends upon the initial cell concentrations and increase in cell mass. For single or multiple static or dynamic growth techniques, permeability reduction was approximately 70% of the original permeability. The stability of these microbial plugs to increases in pressure gradient and changes in cell physiology in a nutrient-depleted environment needs to be improved.

  13. Stable amorphous semiconductors for solar cells. Final report; Stabile amorphe Halbleiterfilme fuer Solarzellen. Schlussbericht

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fuhs, W.; Lips, K.; Mell, H.; Stachowitz, R.; Will, S.; Ulber, I.

    1997-12-31

    This study was founded on the preceding projects. The main objective was the preparation and characterization of stable amorphous silicon films (a-Si:H) by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). For this purpose the deposition conditions were varied in a wide range. The main effort was on the change of the reactor geometry and the increase of the substrate temperature to values beyond 250 C. Comparative studies of the film stability were carried out using different degradation techniques. The electronic and structural properties of the films were investigated with the aim to find correlations between the stability and other film properties. Information on the defect density was obtained from electron spin resonance (ESR), photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS) and photocurrent spectroscopy (CPM). The influence of native and light-induced defects on the recombination kinetics was studied using both films and solar cells. The techniques mainly used for that were steady-state and frequency-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy (FRS) and electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR). The results of these studies were published in international journals and presented at international conferences. (orig.) [Deutsch] Das Vorhaben baute auf den vorangegangenen Projekten auf. Wichtigstes Ziel war die Herstellung und Charakterisierung stabiler amorpher Siliziumfilme (a-Si:H) durch Plasmadeposition. Dazu wurden die Depositionsbedingungen in einem weiten Bereich variiert. Im Vordergrund standen dabei die Aenderung der Reaktorgeometrie und die Erhoehung der Substrattemperatur auf Werte oberhalb von 250 C. Die Stabilitaet der Filme wurde mit verschiedenen Degradationsverfahren vergleichend geprueft. Die Filme wurden hinsichtlich ihrer elektronischen und strukturellen Eigenschaften mit dem Ziel untersucht, einen Zusammenhang zwischen der Stabilitaet und anderen Probeneigenschaften aufzufinden. Als Messverfahren fuer die Defektdichte standen

  14. Effect of substrate storage conditions on the stability of “Smart” films used for mammalian cell applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bluestein, Blake M.; Reed, Jamie A.; Canavan, Heather E., E-mail: Canavan@unm.edu

    2017-01-15

    Highlights: • pNIPAM can be deposited onto a surface using plasma polymerization or spin coating. • Storage conditions can affect both surfaces although thermoresponse is maintained. • spNIPAM surfaces delaminate over time, regardless of storage conditions. • Delamination will affect cell attachment/detachment, resulting in limited attachment. • ppNIPAM surfaces are more stable, regardless of storage conditions. - Abstract: When poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (pNIPAM) is tethered to a surface, it can induce the spontaneous release of a sheet of mammalian cells. The release of cells is a result of the reversible phase transition the polymer undergoes at its lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Many techniques are used for the deposition of pNIPAM onto cell culture substrates. Previously, we compared two methods of deposition (plasma polymerization, and co-deposition with a sol-gel). We proved that although both were technically appropriate for obtaining thermoresponsive pNIPAM films, the surfaces that were co-deposited with a sol-gel caused some disruption in cell activity. The variation of cell behavior could be due to the delamination of pNIPAM films leaching toxic chemicals into solution. In this work, we assessed the stability of these pNIPAM films by manipulating the storage conditions and analyzing the surface chemistry using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements over the amount of time required to obtain confluent cell sheets. From XPS, we demonstrated that ppNIPAM (plasma polymerized NIPAM) films remains stable across all storage conditions while sol-gel deposition show large deviations after 48 h of storage. Cell response of the deposited films was assessed by investigating the cytotoxicity and biocompatibility. The 37 °C and high humidity storage affects sol-gel deposited films, inhibiting normal cell growth and proper thermoresponse of the film. Surface chemistry, thermoresponse and cell growth remained

  15. Base Stability of Aminocyclopropeniums

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-11-01

    PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) US Army Research Laboratory Weapons and Materials Research Directorate (ATTN: RDRL-WMM-G) 2800 Powder...Mill Road Adelphi, MD 20783-1138 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER ARL-TR-8204 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES...fuel cells to test their utility in anion exchange membranes. While the aminocyclopropeniums showed poor base stability, the cyclopropenium cation

  16. Identification of new SSR markers linked to leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits in wheat under water stressed condition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barakat, Mohamed N; Saleh, Mohamed; Al-Doss, Abdullah A; Moustafa, Khaled A; Elshafei, Adel A; Al-Qurainy, Fahed H

    2015-03-01

    Segregating F4 families from the cross between drought sensitive (Yecora Rojo) and drought tolerant (Pavon 76) genotypes were made to identify SSR markers linked to leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under water-stressed condition and to map quantitative trait locus (QTL) for the three physiological traits. The parents and 150 F4 families were evaluated phenotypically for drought tolerance using two irrigation treatments (2500 and 7500 m3/ha). Using 400 SSR primers tested for polymorphism in testing parental and F4 families genotypes, the results revealed that QTL for leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits were associated with 12, 5 and 12 SSR markers, respectively and explained phenotypic variation ranged from 6 to 42%. The SSR markers for physiological traits had genetic distances ranged from 12.5 to 25.5 cM. These SSR markers can be further used in breeding programs for drought tolerance in wheat.

  17. Evaluation of antioxidant capacity and membrane stabilizing ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Both the leaf and root of C. adenocaulis were extracted with 70% ethanol to yield the ... ELE and ERE were able to protect red blood cell (RBC) membrane against ... antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid peroxidation, membrane stabilization.

  18. Genome Stability Pathways in Head and Neck Cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glenn Jenkins

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Genomic instability underlies the transformation of host cells toward malignancy, promotes development of invasion and metastasis and shapes the response of established cancer to treatment. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of genomic stability in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC, with an emphasis on DNA repair pathways. HNSCC is characterized by distinct profiles in genome stability between similarly staged cancers that are reflected in risk, treatment response and outcomes. Defective DNA repair generates chromosomal derangement that can cause subsequent alterations in gene expression, and is a hallmark of progression toward carcinoma. Variable functionality of an increasing spectrum of repair gene polymorphisms is associated with increased cancer risk, while aetiological factors such as human papillomavirus, tobacco and alcohol induce significantly different behaviour in induced malignancy, underpinned by differences in genomic stability. Targeted inhibition of signalling receptors has proven to be a clinically-validated therapy, and protein expression of other DNA repair and signalling molecules associated with cancer behaviour could potentially provide a more refined clinical model for prognosis and treatment prediction. Development and expansion of current genomic stability models is furthering our understanding of HNSCC pathophysiology and uncovering new, promising treatment strategies.

  19. Genome Stability Pathways in Head and Neck Cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Byrne, Kenneth J.; Panizza, Benedict; Richard, Derek J.

    2013-01-01

    Genomic instability underlies the transformation of host cells toward malignancy, promotes development of invasion and metastasis and shapes the response of established cancer to treatment. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of genomic stability in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC), with an emphasis on DNA repair pathways. HNSCC is characterized by distinct profiles in genome stability between similarly staged cancers that are reflected in risk, treatment response and outcomes. Defective DNA repair generates chromosomal derangement that can cause subsequent alterations in gene expression, and is a hallmark of progression toward carcinoma. Variable functionality of an increasing spectrum of repair gene polymorphisms is associated with increased cancer risk, while aetiological factors such as human papillomavirus, tobacco and alcohol induce significantly different behaviour in induced malignancy, underpinned by differences in genomic stability. Targeted inhibition of signalling receptors has proven to be a clinically-validated therapy, and protein expression of other DNA repair and signalling molecules associated with cancer behaviour could potentially provide a more refined clinical model for prognosis and treatment prediction. Development and expansion of current genomic stability models is furthering our understanding of HNSCC pathophysiology and uncovering new, promising treatment strategies. PMID:24364026

  20. Array-level stability enhancement of 50 nm AlxOy ReRAM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwasaki, Tomoko Ogura; Ning, Sheyang; Yamazawa, Hiroki; Takeuchi, Ken

    2015-12-01

    ReRAM's low voltage and low current programmability are attractive features to solve the scaling issues of conventional floating gate Flash. However, read instability in ReRAM is a critical issue, due to random telegraph noise (RTN), sensitivity to disturb and retention. In this work, the array-level characteristics of read stability in 50 nm AlxOy ReRAM are investigated and a circuit technique to improve stability is proposed and evaluated. First, in order to quantitatively assess memory cell stability, a method of stability characterization is defined. Next, based on this methodology, a proposal to improve read stability, called ;stability check loop; is evaluated. The stability check loop is a stability verification procedure, by which, instability improvement of 7×, and read error rate improvement of 40% are obtained.

  1. Prevention of Posttraumatic Contractures with Ketotifen (PERK)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    Disability Arm, Shoulder, Hand; Oxford Elbow Score; radiographs; reoperation 2 – 52 weeks post-randomization. Military Benefit and Clinical Impact: A...disengagement from the project for more than three months, or a 25 percent reduction in his or her time devoted to the project. d. The inclusion of direct...FINAL_OES_English_UK_Sample-1 Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire Case Report Forms, 1.0, July 24, 2017 PERK II Protocol V1.0 20170731, 1.0

  2. Thermally reactive Thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole based copolymers for high photochemical stability in polymer solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Helgesen, Martin; Vesterager Madsen, Morten; Andreasen, Birgitta

    2011-01-01

    New thermally reactive copolymers based on dithienylthiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (DTZ) and silolodithiophene (SDT) have been synthesized and explored in bulk heterojunction solar cells as mixtures with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). In thin films the polymers had optical band gaps...... in the range of 1.64-1.80 eV. For solubility the polymers have incorporated alkyl groups on the SDT unit and thermally removable ester groups on the DTZ unit that can be eliminated around 200 °C for improved photochemical stability in thin films. The bulkiness of the alkyl chains on the SDT unit proved...... to be very significant in terms of photovoltaic performance of the polymer:PCBM solar cells. Polymers based on 4,4-dihexyl-4H-silolo[3,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene reached power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 1.45% but changing the alkyl groups to more bulky ethylhexyl chains reduced the PCE to 1.17%. More...

  3. Stability of eosin-5'-maleimide dye used in flow cytometric analysis for red cell membrane disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehra, Simmi; Tyagi, Neetu; Dorwal, Pranav; Pande, Amit; Jain, Dharmendra; Sachdev, Ritesh; Raina, Vimarsh

    2015-06-01

    The eosin-5'-maleimide (EMA) binding test using flow cytometry is a common method to measure reduced mean channel fluorescence (MCF) of EMA-labeled red blood cells (RBCs) from patients with red cell membrane disorders. The basic principle of the EMA-RBC binding test involves the covalent binding of EMA to lysine-430 on the first extracellular loop of band 3 protein. In the present study, the MCF of EMA was analyzed for samples derived from 12 healthy volunteers (controls) to determine the stability (i.e., the percentage decrease in fluorescence) of EMA over a period of 1 year. Comparison of periodical MCF readings over time, that is, at 2-month intervals, showed that there were no significant changes in mean channel fluorescence for up to 6 months; however, there was a significant decrease in MCF at 8 months. For optimal dye utilization, EMA remained stable only for up to 6 months. Therefore, we recommend reconstitution of the dye every 6 months when implementing this test and storage at -80℃ in dark conditions.

  4. Deposition of yttria stabilized zirconia layer for solid oxide fuel cell by chemical vapor infiltration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    John, John T.; Dubey, Vivekanand; Kain, Vivekanand; Dey, Gautham Kumar; Prakash, Deep

    2011-01-01

    Free energy associated with a chemical reaction can be converted into electricity, if we can split the reaction into an anodic reaction and a cathodic reaction and carry out the reactions in an electrochemical cell using electrodes that will catalyze the reactions. We also have to use a suitable electrolyte, that serves to isolate the chemical species in the two compartments from getting mixed directly but allow an ion produced in one of the reactions to proceed to the other side and complete the reaction. For this reason cracks and porosity are not tolerated in the electrolyte. First generation solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) uses yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) as the electrolyte. In spite of the fact that several solid electrolytes with higher conductivities at lower temperature are being investigated and developed, 8 mol% yttria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) is considered to be the most favored electrolyte for the SOFC today. The electrolyte should be present as a thin, impervious layer of uniform thickness with good adherence, chemical and mechanical stability, in between the porous cathode and anode. Efforts to produce the 8YSZ coatings on porous lanthanum strontium manganite tubes by electrochemical vapor deposition (ECVD) have met with unexpected difficulties such as impurity pick up and chemical and mechanical instability of the LSM tubes in the ECVD environment. It was also difficult to keep the chemical composition of the YSZ coating at exactly 8 mol% Yttria in zirconia and to control the coating thickness in tight control. These problems were overcome by a two step deposition process where a YSZ layer of required thickness was produced by electrophoretic coating from an acetyl acetone bath at a voltage of 30-300V DC and sintered at 1300 deg C. The resulting porous YSZ layer was made impervious by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) by the reaction between a mixture of vapors of YCl 3 and ZrCl 4 and steam at 1300 deg C as in the case of ECVD for a short

  5. Sequential interactions of silver-silica nanocomposite (Ag-SiO2 NC) with cell wall, metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multiple antibiotic-resistant bacterium

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Anas, A.; Jiya, J.; Rameez, M.J.; Anand, P.B.; Anantharaman, M.R.; Nair, S.

    The study was carried out to understand the effect of silver–silica nanocomposite (Ag-SiO sub(2)NC) on the cell wall integrity, metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multiple drug-resistant bacterium. Bacterial sensitivity...

  6. Sequential interactions of silver-silica nanocomposite (Ag-SiO2NC) with cell wall, metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multiple antibiotic-resistant bacterium

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Anas, A.; Jiya, J.; Rameez, M.J.; Anand, P.B.; Anantharaman, M.R.; Nair, S.

    The study was carried out to understand the effect of silver-silica nanocomposite (Ag-SiO sub(2)NC) on the cell wall integrity, metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multiple drug-resistant bacterium Bacterial sensitivity...

  7. Taxol crystals can masquerade as stabilized microtubules.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margit Foss

    Full Text Available Taxol is a potent anti-mitotic drug used in chemotherapy, angioplastic stents, and cell biology research. By binding and stabilizing microtubules, Taxol inhibits their dynamics, crucial for cell division, motility, and survival. The drug has also been reported to induce formation of asters and bundles composed of stabilized microtubules. Surprisingly, at commonly used concentrations, Taxol forms crystals that rapidly bind fluorescent tubulin subunits, generating structures with an uncanny resemblance to microtubule asters and bundles. Kinetic and topological considerations suggest that tubulin subunits, rather than microtubules, bind the crystals. This sequestration of tubulin from the subunit pool would be expected to shift the equilibrium of free to polymerized tubulin to disfavor assembly. Our results imply that some previously reported Taxol-induced asters or bundles could include or be composed of tubulin-decorated Taxol crystals. Thus, reevaluation of certain morphological, chemical, and physical properties of Taxol-treated microtubules may be necessary. Moreover, our findings suggest a novel mechanism for chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity in non-dividing cells, with far-reaching medical implications.

  8. Stabilization of collagen nanofibers with l-lysine improves the ability of carbodiimide cross-linked amniotic membranes to preserve limbal epithelial progenitor cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lai JY

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Jui-Yang Lai,1–3 Pei-Ran Wang,1 Li-Jyuan Luo,1 Si-Tan Chen1 1Institute of Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering, 2Biomedical Engineering Research Center, 3Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of ChinaAbstract: To overcome the drawbacks associated with limited cross-linking efficiency of carbodiimide modified amniotic membrane, this study investigated the use of L-lysine as an additional amino acid bridge to enhance the stability of a nanofibrous tissue matrix for a limbal epithelial cell culture platform. Results of ninhydrin assays and zeta potential measurements showed that the amount of positively charged amino acid residues incorporated into the tissue collagen chains is highly correlated with the L-lysine -pretreated concentration. The cross-linked structure and hydrophilicity of amniotic membrane scaffolding materials affected by the lysine molecular bridging effects were determined. With an increase in the L-lysine-pretreated concentration from 1 to 30 mM, the cross-linking density was significantly increased and water content was markedly decreased. The variations in resistance to thermal denaturation and enzymatic degradation were in accordance with the number of cross-links per unit mass of amniotic membrane, indicating L-lysine-modulated stabilization of collagen molecules. It was also noteworthy that the carbodiimide cross-linked tissue samples prepared using a relatively high L-lysine-pretreated concentration (ie, 30 mM appeared to have decreased light transmittance and biocompatibility, probably due to the influence of a large nanofiber size and a high charge density. The rise in stemness gene and protein expression levels was dependent on improved cross-link formation, suggesting the crucial role of amino acid bridges in constructing suitable scaffolds to preserve limbal progenitor cells. It is concluded that mild to moderate pretreatment conditions (ie, 3–10 mM L-lysine can

  9. OPTIMIZATION OF THE CATHODE LONG TERM STABILITY IN MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELLS: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AND MATHEMATICAL MODELING

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anand Durairajan; Bala Haran; Branko N. Popov; Ralph E. White

    2000-05-01

    The cathode materials for molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) must have low dissolution rate, high structural strength and good electrical conductivity. Currently available cathodes are made of lithiated NiO which have acceptable structural strength and conductivity. However a study carried out by Orfeld et al. and Shores et al. indicated that the nickel cathodes dissolved, then precipitated and reformed as dendrites across the electrolyte matrix. This results in a decrease in cell utilization and eventually leads to shorting of the cell. The solubility of NiO was found to depend upon the acidity/basicity of the melt (basicity is directly proportional to log P{sub CO2}), carbonate composition, H{sub 2}O partial pressure and temperature. Urushibata et al. found that the dissolution of the cathode is a primary life limiting constraint of MCFCs, particularly in pressurized operation. With currently available NiO cathodes, the goal of 40,000 hours for the lifetime of MCFC appears achievable with cell operation at atmospheric pressure. However, the cell life at 10 atm and higher cell pressures is in the range between 5,000 to 10,000 hours. The overall objective of this research is to develop a superior cathode for MCFC's with improved catalytic ability, enhanced corrosion resistance with low ohmic losses, improved electronic conductivity. We also plan to understand the corrosion processes occurring at the cathode/molten carbonate interface. The following cathode materials will be subjected to detailed electrochemical, performance, structural and corrosion studies. (i) Passivated NiO alloys using chemical treatment with yttrium ion implantation and anodic yttrium molybdate treatment; (ii) Novel composite materials based on NiO and nanosized Ce, Yt, Mo; (iii) Co doped LiNiO{sub 2} LiNiO{sub 2} doped with 10 to 20% Co (LiCo{sub 0.2}NiO{sub 2}) and NiO cathodes; and (iv) CoO as a replacement for NiO. Passivation treatments will inhibit corrosion and increase the

  10. Stability of polymer encapsulated quantum dots in cell culture media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ojea-Jiménez, I; Piella, J; Puntes, V; Nguyen, T-L; Bestetti, A; Ryan, A D

    2013-01-01

    The unique optical properties of Quantum Dots have attracted a great interest to use these nanomaterials in diverse biological applications. The synthesis of QDs by methods from the literature permits one to obtain nanocrystals coated by hydrophobic alkyl coordinating ligands and soluble in most of the cases in organic solvents. The ideal biocompatible QD must be homogeneously dispersed and colloidally stable in aqueous solvents, exhibit pH and salt stability, show low levels of nonspecific binding to biological components, maintain a high quantum yield, and have a small hydrodynamic diameter. Polymer encapsulation represents an excellent scaffold on which to build additional biological function, allowing for a wide range of grafting approaches for biological ligands. As these QD are functionalized with poly(ethylene)glycol (PEG) derivatives on their surface, they show long term stability without any significant change in the optical properties, and they are also highly stable in the most common buffer solutions such as Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS) or borate. However, as biological studies are normally done in more complex biological media which contain a mixture of amino acids, salts, glucose and vitamins, it is essential to determine the stability of our synthesized QDs under these conditions before tackling biological studies.

  11. Enhanced life of proton exchange membrane fuel cell catalysts using perfluorosulfonic acid stabilized carbon support

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cheng Niancai [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 430070 (China); Mu Shichun, E-mail: msc@whut.edu.c [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 430070 (China); Department of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX1 3QR (United Kingdom); Chen Xiaojing; Lv Haifeng; Pan Mu [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 430070 (China); Edwards, Peter P. [Department of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX1 3QR (United Kingdom)

    2011-02-01

    We report a new and simple solution to increase life of Pt/C catalysts using the proton-conducting polymer (perfluorosulfonic acid, PFSA) stabilized carbon support (denoted these catalysts as Pt/NFC catalysts) as compared to conventional Pt/C catalysts commonly used in PEM fuel cells. A high catalytic activity of the catalyst is observed by both CV (cyclic voltammetry) and ORR (oxygen reduction reaction) measurements. Especially, our own catalysts have a 60% better life as compared to Pt/C under electrochemically accelerated durability test conditions. The loss rate of electrochemical active area (ECA) for Pt/NFC catalysts is only 0.007 m{sup 2} g{sup -1} cycle{sup -1}, compared to a value of 0.011 m{sup 2} g{sup -1} cycle{sup -1} for Pt/C.

  12. Intensity and frequency stabilization of a laser diode by simultaneously controlling its temperature and current

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Weiwei; Hu, Zhaohui; Wang, Jing; Zhou, Binquan

    2017-10-01

    Nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope (NMRG) detects the angular velocity of the vehicle utilizing the interaction between the laser beam and the alkali metal atoms along with the noble gas atoms in the alkali vapor cell. In order to reach high precision inertial measurement target, semiconductor laser in NMRG should have good intensity and frequency stability. Generally, laser intensity and frequency are stabilized separately. In this paper, a new method to stabilize laser intensity and frequency simultaneously with double-loop feedback control is presented. Laser intensity is stabilized to the setpoint value by feedback control of laser diode's temperature. Laser frequency is stabilized to the Doppler absorption peak by feedback control of laser diode's current. The feedback control of current is a quick loop, hence the laser frequency stabilize quickly. The feedback control of temperature is a slow loop, hence the laser intensity stabilize slowly. With the feedback control of current and temperature, the laser intensity and frequency are stabilized finally. Additionally, the dependence of laser intensity and frequency on laser diode's current and temperature are analyzed, which contributes to choose suitable operating range for the laser diode. The advantage of our method is that the alkali vapor cell used for stabilizing laser frequency is the same one as the cell used for NMRG to operate, which helps to miniaturize the size of NMRG prototype. In an 8-hour continuous measurement, the long-term stability of laser intensity and frequency increased by two orders of magnitude and one order of magnitude respectively.

  13. Testing the ability of non-methylamine osmolytes present in kidney cells to counteract the deleterious effects of urea on structure, stability and function of proteins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheeza Khan

    Full Text Available Human kidney cells are under constant urea stress due to its urine concentrating mechanism. It is believed that the deleterious effect of urea is counteracted by methylamine osmolytes (glycine betaine and glycerophosphocholine present in kidney cells. A question arises: Do the stabilizing osmolytes, non-methylamines (myo-inositol, sorbitol and taurine present in the kidney cells also counteract the deleterious effects of urea? To answer this question, we have measured structure, thermodynamic stability (ΔG D (o and functional activity parameters (K m and k cat of different model proteins in the presence of various concentrations of urea and each non-methylamine osmolyte alone and in combination. We observed that (i for each protein myo-inositol provides perfect counteraction at 1∶2 ([myo-inositol]:[urea] ratio, (ii any concentration of sorbitol fails to refold urea denatured proteins if it is six times less than that of urea, and (iii taurine regulates perfect counteraction in a protein specific manner; 1.5∶2.0, 1.2∶2.0 and 1.0∶2.0 ([taurine]:[urea] ratios for RNase-A, lysozyme and α-lactalbumin, respectively.

  14. Characterization of Goat Milk Hydrolyzed by Cell Envelope Proteinases from Lactobacillus plantarum LP69: Proteolytic System Optimization, Bioactivity, and Storage Stability Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guowei Shu

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Despite the widespread application of lactic acid bacterium in dairy production through its contribution to acidification, development of sensorial properties, and health-promoting effects, relatively little information is available on the cell envelope proteinases (CEPs of Lactobacillus plantarum, especially on the proteolytic system and the production of bioactivity peptides. In this study, CEPs from a novel L. plantarum LP69 were involved in goat milk hydrolysis and generated a product with high activity that showed a degree of hydrolysis of 15.68 ± 0.74%, Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme (ACE-inhibitory rate of 83.25 ± 1.05%, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH radical scavenging rate of 64.91 ± 1.27%, and hydroxyl radical scavenging rate of 89.17 ± 1.13%. The optimized hydrolysis conditions were time of 4.5 h, temperature of 41 °C, initial pH of 8.5, and enzyme to substrate ratio (E/S of 12% (w/w by orthogonal experiments. Application of a stabilizer greatly promoted milk stability. A well-designed stabilizer consists of 0.05% carrageenan, 0.15% gellan gum, and 0.15% sucrose esters, which significantly raised the milk stability coefficient, R, from 70.67% to 98.57%. The storage stability of milk was evaluated during 84 days at room temperature or 4 °C. Our study depicts the contribution of CEPs from L. plantarum LP69 in goat milk, exploring a new way for the development of a functional milk product.

  15. Avisalmvac: evaluation studies of stability and toxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Botus,

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available In Pasteur Institute laboratories there was developed AVISALMVAC, a vaccine against avian Salmonella, a biological product that contains S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium bacterin, with oil adjuvant. This paper presents the results of the studies regarding the stability and toxicity evaluation of this vaccine stored under conditions recommended by the manufacturer (2-80C at the end of the period of validity. The vaccine stability was assessed by serological and histopathological analysis of samples from SPF chickens vaccinated with the product at the end of the period of validity. The study of Avisalmvac toxicity was carried out by inoculation of the product or its components on Vero cell monolayer, and the effects were microscopically recorded or by MTT test, applied at 6 days post-inoculation. Antibody titers recorded at 2 and 3 weeks post vaccination demonstrated the vaccine ability (used after an year since manufacture to induce synthesis of specific antibodies and therefore, the product stability was proven. Histopathological examinations carried out on samples taken at 18 days post vaccinationfrom the vaccination site (skeletal muscle and skin and spleen, did not show any lesions associated to vaccination with Avisalmvac. The cytotoxicity analysis made by inoculating the vaccine or its components on Vero cell monolayer and the microscopic examination did not record visible cytopathic effects for any vaccine dilutions or vaccine components. The cell metabolism evaluation by MTT assay made at 6 days after vaccine/vaccine components inoculation on Vero monolayer, shown the ability of the vaccine and oil adjuvant to stimulate cell metabolism, and a certain degree of toxicity / inhibition of dehydrogenase metabolism associated to one of emulsifier but at dilutions higher than those used in the vaccine formula.

  16. Theory, Investigation and Stability of Cathode Electrocatalytic Activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ding, Dong; Liu, Mingfei; Lai, Samson; Blinn, Kevin; Liu, Meilin

    2012-09-30

    The main objective of this project is to systematically characterize the surface composition, morphology, and electro-catalytic properties of catalysts coated on LSCF, aiming to establish the scientific basis for rational design of high-performance cathodes by combining a porous backbone (such as LSCF) with a thin catalyst coating. The understanding gained will help us to optimize the composition and morphology of the catalyst layer and microstructure of the LSCF backbone for better performance. More specifically, the technical objectives include: (1) to characterize the surface composition, morphology, and electro-catalytic properties of catalysts coated on LSCF; (2) to characterize the microscopic details and stability of the LSCF-catalyst (e.g., LSM) interfaces; (3) to establish the scientific basis for rational design of high-performance cathodes by combining a porous backbone (such as LSCF) with a thin catalyst coating; and (4) to demonstrate that the performance and stability of porous LSCF cathodes can be enhanced by the application of a thin-film coating of LSM through a solution infiltration process in small homemade button cells and in commercially available cells of larger dimension. We have successfully developed dense, conformal LSM films with desired structure, composition, morphology, and thickness on the LSCF surfaces by two different infiltration processes: a non-aqueous and a water-based sol-gel process. It is demonstrated that the activity and stability of LSCF cathodes can be improved by the introduction of a thin-film LSM coating through an infiltration process. Surface and interface of the LSM-coated LSCF cathode were systematically characterized using advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. TEM observation suggests that a layer of La and Sr oxide was formed on LSCF surfaces after annealing. With LSM infiltration, in contrast, we no longer observe such La/Sr oxide layer on the LSM-coated LSCF samples after annealing under similar

  17. Comparative study of a novel application of automated HR HPV assay and stability in a previously untested Preservative media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morel, Mike E; McBride, Simon E; Gomez, Maria P

    2017-12-01

    The suitability and stability of cervical cells in Novaprep media (NHQ) for certain HPV assays is unknown. We evaluated the accuracy of an automated HPV assay (Abbott RealTime HR HPV) for cervical cells prepared in NHQ and NHQ with a pre-treatment to mimic a worst case clinical use, compared to the assay manufacturers media; repeatability and reproducibility of HPV results and the stability of detectable HPV in NHQ over time compared to CE marked liquid based cytology preservatives. Cell lines were used to simulate patient samples. Cells stored in NHQ produced accurate, repeatable and reproducible results. Stability in NHQ was comparable to the best performing LBC, with at least 7 months' stability at 18-25°C, 2-8°C, -20°C and -80°C; and at least 3 months' stability at 40°C. Similar results were obtained for pre-treated NHQ except only 3.5 months' stability at 18-25°C. Cell line samples in all media and concentrations tested were detected appropriately by the assay. Based on this first stage validation analytical study, cervical cells stored in NHQ are suitable for the Realtime HPV assay. There should be no reservations for inclusion of NHQ in any further validation and clinical performance evaluation of this assay. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Mutations in DONSON disrupt replication fork stability and cause microcephalic dwarfism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, John J; Bicknell, Louise S; Carroll, Paula; Higgs, Martin R; Shaheen, Ranad; Murray, Jennie E; Papadopoulos, Dimitrios K; Leitch, Andrea; Murina, Olga; Tarnauskaitė, Žygimantė; Wessel, Sarah R; Zlatanou, Anastasia; Vernet, Audrey; von Kriegsheim, Alex; Mottram, Rachel M A; Logan, Clare V; Bye, Hannah; Li, Yun; Brean, Alexander; Maddirevula, Sateesh; Challis, Rachel C; Skouloudaki, Kassiani; Almoisheer, Agaadir; Alsaif, Hessa S; Amar, Ariella; Prescott, Natalie J; Bober, Michael B; Duker, Angela; Faqeih, Eissa; Seidahmed, Mohammed Zain; Al Tala, Saeed; Alswaid, Abdulrahman; Ahmed, Saleem; Al-Aama, Jumana Yousuf; Altmüller, Janine; Al Balwi, Mohammed; Brady, Angela F; Chessa, Luciana; Cox, Helen; Fischetto, Rita; Heller, Raoul; Henderson, Bertram D; Hobson, Emma; Nürnberg, Peter; Percin, E Ferda; Peron, Angela; Spaccini, Luigina; Quigley, Alan J; Thakur, Seema; Wise, Carol A; Yoon, Grace; Alnemer, Maha; Tomancak, Pavel; Yigit, Gökhan; Taylor, A Malcolm R; Reijns, Martin A M; Simpson, Michael A; Cortez, David; Alkuraya, Fowzan S; Mathew, Christopher G; Jackson, Andrew P; Stewart, Grant S

    2017-04-01

    To ensure efficient genome duplication, cells have evolved numerous factors that promote unperturbed DNA replication and protect, repair and restart damaged forks. Here we identify downstream neighbor of SON (DONSON) as a novel fork protection factor and report biallelic DONSON mutations in 29 individuals with microcephalic dwarfism. We demonstrate that DONSON is a replisome component that stabilizes forks during genome replication. Loss of DONSON leads to severe replication-associated DNA damage arising from nucleolytic cleavage of stalled replication forks. Furthermore, ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR)-dependent signaling in response to replication stress is impaired in DONSON-deficient cells, resulting in decreased checkpoint activity and the potentiation of chromosomal instability. Hypomorphic mutations in DONSON substantially reduce DONSON protein levels and impair fork stability in cells from patients, consistent with defective DNA replication underlying the disease phenotype. In summary, we have identified mutations in DONSON as a common cause of microcephalic dwarfism and established DONSON as a critical replication fork protein required for mammalian DNA replication and genome stability.

  19. Fluidic origami with embedded pressure dependent multi-stability: a plant inspired innovation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Suyi; Wang, K W

    2015-10-06

    Inspired by the impulsive movements in plants, this research investigates the physics of a novel fluidic origami concept for its pressure-dependent multi-stability. In this innovation, fluid-filled tubular cells are synthesized by integrating different Miura-Ori sheets into a three-dimensional topological system, where the internal pressures are strategically controlled similar to the motor cells in plants. Fluidic origami incorporates two crucial physiological features observed in nature: one is distributed, pressurized cellular organization, and the other is embedded multi-stability. For a single fluidic origami cell, two stable folding configurations can coexist due to the nonlinear relationships among folding, crease material deformation and internal volume change. When multiple origami cells are integrated, additional multi-stability characteristics could occur via the interactions between pressurized cells. Changes in the fluid pressure can tailor the existence and shapes of these stable folding configurations. As a result, fluidic origami can switch between being mono-stable, bistable and multi-stable with pressure control, and provide a rapid 'snap-through' type of shape change based on the similar principles as in plants. The outcomes of this research could lead to the development of new adaptive materials or structures, and provide insights for future plant physiology studies at the cellular level. © 2015 The Author(s).

  20. ATM signaling and genomic stability in response to DNA damage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lavin, Martin F.; Birrell, Geoff; Chen, Philip; Kozlov, Sergei; Scott, Shaun; Gueven, Nuri

    2005-01-01

    DNA double strand breaks represent the most threatening lesion to the integrity of the genome in cells exposed to ionizing radiation and radiomimetic chemicals. Those breaks are recognized, signaled to cell cycle checkpoints and repaired by protein complexes. The product of the gene (ATM) mutated in the human genetic disorder ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) plays a central role in the recognition and signaling of DNA damage. ATM is one of an ever growing number of proteins which when mutated compromise the stability of the genome and predispose to tumour development. Mechanisms for recognising double strand breaks in DNA, maintaining genome stability and minimizing risk of cancer are discussed

  1. Performance and stability of Pd nanostructures in an alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrera-Cerritos, R.; Fuentes-Ramírez, R.; Cuevas-Muñiz, F. M.; Ledesma-García, J.; Arriaga, L. G.

    2014-12-01

    Pd nanopolyhedral, nanobar and nanorod particles were synthesised using the polyol process and evaluated as anodes in a direct ethanol fuel cell. The materials were physico-chemically characterised by high-resolution transmission electronic microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of the operation parameters (i.e., temperature and fuel ethanol concentration) on the maximum power density (MPD) and open circuit voltage (OCV) was investigated. In addition, a stability test was performed by applying three current density steps for fifty cycles. The OCV values increased as the temperature increased for all of the catalysts at low ethanol concentration. Although the MPD increased with temperature for all of the catalyst independent of the ethanol concentration, the effect of the temperature on the MPD for each Pd structure results in different slopes due to the different crystal faces. Finally, a loss of electro-catalytic activity after fifty cycles was observed in all of the catalysts evaluated, which may be in response to morphological changes in the nanostructures.

  2. Gallic acid-capped gold nanoparticles inhibit EGF-induced MMP-9 expression through suppression of p300 stabilization and NFκB/c-Jun activation in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Ying-Jung; Lee, Yuan-Chin; Huang, Chia-Hui; Chang, Long-Sen

    2016-01-01

    Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are highly invasive and have a higher rate of distant metastasis. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays a crucial role in EGF/EGFR-mediated malignant progression and metastasis of TNBCs. Various studies have revealed that treatment with gallic acid down-regulates MMP-9 expression in cancer cells, and that conjugation of phytochemical compounds with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) increases the anti-tumor activity of the phytochemical compounds. Thus, the effect of gallic acid-capped AuNPs (GA-AuNPs) on MMP-9 expression in EGF-treated TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells was analyzed in the present study. The so-called green synthesis of AuNPs by means of gallic acid was performed at pH 10, and the resulting GA-AuNPs had spherical shape with an average diameter of approximately 50 nm. GA-AuNPs notably suppressed migration and invasion of EGF-treated cells, and inhibited EGF-induced MMP-9 up-regulation. GA-AuNPs abrogated EGF-induced Akt/p65 and ERK/c-Jun phosphorylation, leading to down-regulation of MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression in EGF-treated cells. Meanwhile, EGF-induced p300 stabilization was found to be involved in MMP-9 expression, whereas GA-AuNPs inhibited the EGF-promoted stability of the p300 protein. Although GA-AuNPs and gallic acid suppressed EGF-induced MMP-9 up-regulation via the same signaling pathway, the effective concentration of gallic acid was approximately 100-fold higher than that of GA-AuNPs for inhibition of MMP-9 expression in EGF-treated cells to a similar extent. Collectively, our data indicate that, in comparison with gallic acid, GA-AuNPs have a superior ability to inhibit EGF/EGFR-mediated MMP-9 expression in TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells. Our findings also point to a way to improve the anti-tumor activity of gallic acid. - Highlights: • Gallic acid-capped gold nanoparticles inhibit EGF-induced MMP-9 expression. • EGF-induced MMP-9 expression via p300 stabilization and NFκB/c-Jun activation. • Gallic acid

  3. Gallic acid-capped gold nanoparticles inhibit EGF-induced MMP-9 expression through suppression of p300 stabilization and NFκB/c-Jun activation in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Ying-Jung; Lee, Yuan-Chin; Huang, Chia-Hui [Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan (China); Chang, Long-Sen, E-mail: lschang@mail.nsysu.edu.tw [Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan (China); Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan (China)

    2016-11-01

    Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are highly invasive and have a higher rate of distant metastasis. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays a crucial role in EGF/EGFR-mediated malignant progression and metastasis of TNBCs. Various studies have revealed that treatment with gallic acid down-regulates MMP-9 expression in cancer cells, and that conjugation of phytochemical compounds with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) increases the anti-tumor activity of the phytochemical compounds. Thus, the effect of gallic acid-capped AuNPs (GA-AuNPs) on MMP-9 expression in EGF-treated TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells was analyzed in the present study. The so-called green synthesis of AuNPs by means of gallic acid was performed at pH 10, and the resulting GA-AuNPs had spherical shape with an average diameter of approximately 50 nm. GA-AuNPs notably suppressed migration and invasion of EGF-treated cells, and inhibited EGF-induced MMP-9 up-regulation. GA-AuNPs abrogated EGF-induced Akt/p65 and ERK/c-Jun phosphorylation, leading to down-regulation of MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression in EGF-treated cells. Meanwhile, EGF-induced p300 stabilization was found to be involved in MMP-9 expression, whereas GA-AuNPs inhibited the EGF-promoted stability of the p300 protein. Although GA-AuNPs and gallic acid suppressed EGF-induced MMP-9 up-regulation via the same signaling pathway, the effective concentration of gallic acid was approximately 100-fold higher than that of GA-AuNPs for inhibition of MMP-9 expression in EGF-treated cells to a similar extent. Collectively, our data indicate that, in comparison with gallic acid, GA-AuNPs have a superior ability to inhibit EGF/EGFR-mediated MMP-9 expression in TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells. Our findings also point to a way to improve the anti-tumor activity of gallic acid. - Highlights: • Gallic acid-capped gold nanoparticles inhibit EGF-induced MMP-9 expression. • EGF-induced MMP-9 expression via p300 stabilization and NFκB/c-Jun activation. • Gallic acid

  4. Application of sol gel spin coated yttria-stabilized zirconia layers for the improvement of solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes produced by atmospheric plasma spraying

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rose, Lars [University of British Columbia, Department of Materials Engineering, 309-6350 Stores Road, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4 (Canada); National Research Council, Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, 4250 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1W5 (Canada); Kesler, Olivera [National Research Council, Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, 4250 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1W5 (Canada); University of British Columbia, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4 (Canada); Tang, Zhaolin; Burgess, Alan [Northwest Mettech Corp., 467 Mountain Hwy, North Vancouver, British Columbia, V7J 2L3 (Canada)

    2007-05-15

    Due to its high thermal stability and purely oxide ionic conductivity, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is the most commonly used electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Standard electrolyte fabrication techniques for planar SOFCs involve wet ceramic techniques such as tape-casting or screen printing, requiring sintering steps at temperatures above 1300 C. Plasma spraying (PS) may provide a more rapid and cost efficient method to produce SOFCs without sintering. High-temperature sintering requires long processing times and can lead to oxidation of metal alloys used as mechanical supports, or to detrimental interreactions between the electrolyte and adjacent electrode layers. This study investigates the use of spin coated sol gel derived YSZ precursor solutions to fill the pores present in plasma sprayed YSZ layers, and to enhance the surface area for reaction at the electrolyte-cathode interface, without the use of high-temperature firing steps. The effects of different plasma conditions and sol concentrations and solid loadings on the gas permeability and fuel cell performance have been investigated. (author)

  5. A comparison of the functionality and in vivo phenotypic stability of cartilaginous tissues engineered from different stem cell sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinardell, Tatiana; Sheehy, Eamon J; Buckley, Conor T; Kelly, Daniel J

    2012-06-01

    Joint-derived stem cells are a promising alternative cell source for cartilage repair therapies that may overcome many of the problems associated with the use of primary chondrocytes (CCs). The objective of this study was to compare the in vitro functionality and in vivo phenotypic stability of cartilaginous tissues engineered using bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) and joint tissue-derived stem cells following encapsulation in agarose hydrogels. Culture-expanded BMSCs, fat pad-derived stem cells (FPSCs), and synovial membrane-derived stem cells (SDSCs) were encapsulated in agarose and maintained in a chondrogenic medium supplemented with transforming growth factor-β3. After 21 days of culture, constructs were either implanted subcutaneously into the back of nude mice for an additional 28 days or maintained for a similar period in vitro in either chondrogenic or hypertrophic media formulations. After 49 days of in vitro culture in chondrogenic media, SDSC constructs accumulated the highest levels of sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) (∼2.8% w/w) and collagen (∼1.8% w/w) and were mechanically stiffer than constructs engineered using other cell types. After subcutaneous implantation in nude mice, sGAG content significantly decreased for all stem cell-seeded constructs, while no significant change was observed in the control constructs engineered using primary CCs, indicating that the in vitro chondrocyte-like phenotype generated in all stem cell-seeded agarose constructs was transient. FPSCs and SDSCs appeared to undergo fibrous dedifferentiation or resorption, as evident from increased collagen type I staining and a dramatic loss in sGAG content. BMSCs followed a more endochondral pathway with increased type X collagen expression and mineralization of the engineered tissue. In conclusion, while joint tissue-derived stem cells possess a strong intrinsic chondrogenic capacity, further studies are needed to identify the factors that will lead to the generation

  6. Bacteriophage enzymes for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections: Stability and stabilization of the enzyme lysing Streptococcus pyogenes cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klyachko, N. L.; Dmitrieva, N. F.; Eshchina, A. S.; Ignatenko, O. V.; Filatova, L. Y.; Rainina, Evguenia I.; Kazarov, A. K.; Levashov, A. V.

    2008-06-01

    Recombinant, phage associated lytic enzyme Ply C capable to lyse streptococci of groups A and C was stabilized in the variety of the micelles containing compositions to improve the stability of the enzyme for further application in medicine. It was shown that, in the micellar polyelectrolyte composition M16, the enzyme retained its activity for 2 months; while in a buffer solution under the same conditions ((pH 6.3, room temperature), it completely lost its activity in 2 days

  7. The Role of Stress Proteins in Cell Stabilization: A Perspective from an Extremophile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trent, Jonathan

    2001-01-01

    The existence of organisms that live at near boiling temperatures is living proof that all of the complex biochemical machinery of life can be adapted to function under these harsh conditions. The purpose of our research is to elucidate the role of a group of proteins known as heat shock proteins or HSP60s in this adaptation to high temperatures. HSP60s are found in all organisms and they are among the most highly conserved proteins known. We are investigating HSP60s in an organism growing at 80 C and pH 2.0 (Sulfolobus shibatae). This organism produces three closely-related HSP60 proteins, referred to as HSP60 alpha, beta, and gamma. Our DOE-funded research during the last two years has focused on clarifying the role of FiSP60 alpha and beta. These are among the two most abundant proteins in S. shibatae grown at high temperatures and significantly increase in abundance when the cells are exposed to near-lethal temperatures. We have demonstrated that these proteins protect the cells from lethal temperatures by stabilizing their membranes. During this last year we have been studying gamma, which was discovered by genome sequence analysis but nothing was known about its function. We have determined that gamma is only expressed at low temperatures. that it interacts with alpha and beta, and that it influences their ability to form higher-order structures critical to their function. We propose that gamma modulates HSP60 function at low temperatures.

  8. Effects of Annealing Conditions on Mixed Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells and Their Thermal Stability Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Haifeng; Zhang, Jincheng; Zhang, Chunfu; Chang, Jingjing; Lin, Zhenhua; Chen, Dazheng; Xi, He; Hao, Yue

    2017-07-21

    In this work, efficient mixed organic cation and mixed halide (MA 0.7 FA 0.3 Pb(I 0.9 Br 0.1 )₃) perovskite solar cells are demonstrated by optimizing annealing conditions. AFM, XRD and PL measurements show that there is a better perovskite film quality for the annealing condition at 100 °C for 30 min. The corresponding device exhibits an optimized PCE of 16.76% with V OC of 1.02 V, J SC of 21.55 mA/cm² and FF of 76.27%. More importantly, the mixed lead halide perovskite MA 0.7 FA 0.3 Pb(I 0.9 Br 0.1 )₃ can significantly increase the thermal stability of perovskite film. After being heated at 80 °C for 24 h, the PCE of the MA 0.7 FA 0.3 Pb(I 0.9 Br 0.1 )₃ device still remains at 70.00% of its initial value, which is much better than the control MAPbI₃ device, where only 46.50% of its initial value could be preserved. We also successfully fabricated high-performance flexible mixed lead halide perovskite solar cells based on PEN substrates.

  9. Synthesis and evaluation of modified chalcone based p53 stabilizing agents

    KAUST Repository

    Iftikhar, Sunniya; Khan, Sardraz; Bilal, Aishah; Manzoor, Safia; Abdullah, Muhammad; Emwas, Abdul-Hamid M.; Sioud, Salim; Gao, Xin; Chotana, Ghayoor Abbas; Faisal, Amir; Saleem, Rahman Shah Zaib

    2017-01-01

    Tumor suppressor protein p53 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death in response to various cellular stresses thereby preventing cancer development. Activation and stabilization of p53 through small organic molecules is, therefore, an attractive approach for the treatment of cancers retaining wild-type p53. In this context, a series of nineteen chalcones with various substitution patterns of functional groups including chloro, fluoro, methoxy, nitro, benzyloxy, 4-methyl benzyloxy was prepared using Claisen-Schmidt condensation. The compounds were characterized using NMR, HRMS, IR and melting points. Evaluation of synthesized compounds against human colorectal (HCT116) and breast (Cal-51) cancer cell lines revealed potent antiproliferative activities. Nine compounds displayed GI50 values in the low micromolar to submicromolar range; for example (E)-1-phenyl-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (SSE14108) showed GI50 of 0.473 ± 0.043 µM against HCT116 cells. Further analysis of these compounds revealed that (E)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (SSE14105) and (E)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (SSE14106) caused rapid (4 and 8-hour post-treatment) accumulation of p53 in HCT116 cells similar to its induction by positive control, Nutlin-3. Such activities were absent in 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propiophenone (SSE14106H2) demonstrating the importance of conjugated ketone for antiproliferative and p53 stabilizing activity of the chalcones. We further evaluated p53 levels in the presence of cycloheximide (CHX) and the results showed that the p53 stabilization was regulated at post-translational level through blockage of its degradation. These chalcones can, therefore, act as fragment leads for further structure optimization to obtain more potent p53 stabilizing agents with enhanced anti-proliferative activities.

  10. Synthesis and evaluation of modified chalcone based p53 stabilizing agents

    KAUST Repository

    Iftikhar, Sunniya

    2017-07-15

    Tumor suppressor protein p53 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death in response to various cellular stresses thereby preventing cancer development. Activation and stabilization of p53 through small organic molecules is, therefore, an attractive approach for the treatment of cancers retaining wild-type p53. In this context, a series of nineteen chalcones with various substitution patterns of functional groups including chloro, fluoro, methoxy, nitro, benzyloxy, 4-methyl benzyloxy was prepared using Claisen-Schmidt condensation. The compounds were characterized using NMR, HRMS, IR and melting points. Evaluation of synthesized compounds against human colorectal (HCT116) and breast (Cal-51) cancer cell lines revealed potent antiproliferative activities. Nine compounds displayed GI50 values in the low micromolar to submicromolar range; for example (E)-1-phenyl-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (SSE14108) showed GI50 of 0.473 ± 0.043 µM against HCT116 cells. Further analysis of these compounds revealed that (E)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (SSE14105) and (E)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (SSE14106) caused rapid (4 and 8-hour post-treatment) accumulation of p53 in HCT116 cells similar to its induction by positive control, Nutlin-3. Such activities were absent in 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propiophenone (SSE14106H2) demonstrating the importance of conjugated ketone for antiproliferative and p53 stabilizing activity of the chalcones. We further evaluated p53 levels in the presence of cycloheximide (CHX) and the results showed that the p53 stabilization was regulated at post-translational level through blockage of its degradation. These chalcones can, therefore, act as fragment leads for further structure optimization to obtain more potent p53 stabilizing agents with enhanced anti-proliferative activities.

  11. Expression, stabilization and purification of membrane proteins via diverse protein synthesis systems and detergents involving cell-free associated with self-assembly peptide surfactants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xuan; Dong, Shuangshuang; Zheng, Jie; Li, Duanhua; Li, Feng; Luo, Zhongli

    2014-01-01

    G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in regulating most of physiological actions and metabolism in the bodies, which have become most frequently addressed therapeutic targets for various disorders and diseases. Purified GPCR-based drug discoveries have become routine that approaches to structural study, novel biophysical and biochemical function analyses. However, several bottlenecks that GPCR-directed drugs need to conquer the problems including overexpression, solubilization, and purification as well as stabilization. The breakthroughs are to obtain efficient protein yield and stabilize their functional conformation which are both urgently requiring of effective protein synthesis system methods and optimal surfactants. Cell-free protein synthesis system is superior to the high yields and post-translation modifications, and early signs of self-assembly peptide detergents also emerged to superiority in purification of membrane proteins. We herein focus several predominant protein synthesis systems and surfactants involving the novel peptide detergents, and uncover the advantages of cell-free protein synthesis system with self-assembling peptide detergents in purification of functional GPCRs. This review is useful to further study in membrane proteins as well as the new drug exploration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Solution processed transition metal oxide anode buffer layers for efficiency and stability enhancement of polymer solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameen, M. Yoosuf; Shamjid, P.; Abhijith, T.; Reddy, V. S.

    2018-01-01

    Polymer solar cells were fabricated with solution-processed transition metal oxides, MoO3 and V2O5 as anode buffer layers (ABLs). The optimized device with V2O5 ABL exhibited considerably higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to the devices based on MoO3 and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) ABLs. The space charge limited current measurements and impedance spectroscopy results of hole-only devices revealed that V2O5 provided a very low charge transfer resistance and high hole mobility, facilitating efficient hole transfer from the active layer to the ITO anode. More importantly, incorporation of V2O5 as ABL resulted in substantial improvement in device stability compared to MoO3 and PEDOT:PSS based devices. Unencapsulated PEDOT:PSS-based devices stored at a relative humidity of 45% have shown complete failure within 96 h. Whereas, MoO3 and V2O5 based devices stored in similar conditions retained 22% and 80% of their initial PCEs after 96 h. Significantly higher stability of the V2O5-based device is ascribed to the reduction in degradation of the anode/active layer interface, as evident from the electrical measurements.

  13. Effect of the Side Chains and Anode Material on Thermal Stability and Performance of Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells Using DPP(TBFu2 Derivatives as Donor Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Kovalenko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available An optimized fabrication of bulk-heterojunction solar cells (BHJ SCs based on previously reported diketopyrrolopyrrole donor, ethyl-hexylated DPP(TBFu2, as well as two new DPP(TBFu2 derivatives with ethyl-hexyl acetate and diethyl acetal solubilizing side-chains and PC60BM as an acceptor is demonstrated. Slow gradual annealing of the solar cell causing the effective donor-acceptor reorganization, and as a result higher power conversion efficiency (PCE, is described. By replacing a hole transporting layer PEDOT:PSS with MoO3 we obtained higher PCE values as well as higher thermal stability of the anode contact interface. DPP(TBFu2 derivative containing ethyl-hexyl acetate solubilizing side-chains possessed the best as-cast self-assembly and high crystallinity. However, the presence of ethyl-hexyl acetate and diethyl acetal electrophilic side-chains stabilizes HOMO energy of isolated DPP(TBFu2 donors with respect to the ethyl-hexylated one, according to cyclic voltammetry.

  14. Pooled human platelet lysate versus fetal bovine serum-investigating the proliferation rate, chromosome stability and angiogenic potential of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells intended for clinical use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trojahn Kølle, Stig-Frederik; Oliveri, Roberto S; Glovinski, Peter V; Kirchhoff, Maria; Mathiasen, Anders Bruun; Elberg, Jens Jørgen; Andersen, Peter Stemann; Drzewiecki, Krzysztof Tadeusz; Fischer-Nielsen, Anne

    2013-09-01

    Because of an increasing focus on the use of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in clinical trials, the culture conditions for these cells are being optimized. We compared the proliferation rates and chromosomal stability of ASCs that had been cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) supplemented with either pooled human platelet lysate (pHPL) or clinical-grade fetal bovine serum (FBS) (DMEM(pHPL) versus DMEM(FBS)). ASCs from four healthy donors were cultured in either DMEM(pHPL) or DMEM(FBS), and the population doubling time (PDT) was calculated. ASCs from two of the donors were expanded in DMEM(pHPL) or DMEM(FBS) and cultured for the final week before harvesting with or without the addition of vascular endothelial growth factor. We assessed the chromosomal stability (through the use of array comparative genomic hybridization), the expression of ASC and endothelial surface markers and the differentiation and angiogenic potential of these cells. The ASCs that were cultured in pHPL exhibited a significantly shorter PDT of 29.6 h (95% confidence interval, 22.3-41.9 h) compared with those cultured in FBS, for which the PDT was 123.9 h (95% confidence interval, 95.6-176.2 h). Comparative genomic hybridization analyses revealed no chromosomal aberrations. Cell differentiation, capillary structure formation and cell-surface marker expression were generally unaffected by the type of medium supplement that was used or by the addition of vascular endothelial growth factor. We observed that the use of pHPL as a growth supplement for ASCs facilitated a significantly higher proliferation rate compared with FBS without compromising genomic stability or differentiation capacity. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Stability Analysis of Nonlinear Time–Delayed Systems with Application to Biological Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kruthika H.A.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we analyse the local stability of a gene-regulatory network and immunotherapy for cancer modelled as nonlinear time-delay systems. A numerically generated kernel, using the sum-of-squares decomposition of multivariate polynomials, is used in the construction of an appropriate Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional for stability analysis of the networks around an equilibrium point. This analysis translates to verifying equivalent LMI conditions. A delay-independent asymptotic stability of a second-order model of a gene regulatory network, taking into consideration multiple commensurate delays, is established. In the case of cancer immunotherapy, a predator–prey type model is adopted to describe the dynamics with cancer cells and immune cells contributing to the predator–prey population, respectively. A delay-dependent asymptotic stability of the cancer-free equilibrium point is proved. Apart from the system and control point of view, in the case of gene-regulatory networks such stability analysis of dynamics aids mimicking gene networks synthetically using integrated circuits like neurochips learnt from biological neural networks, and in the case of cancer immunotherapy it helps determine the long-term outcome of therapy and thus aids oncologists in deciding upon the right approach.

  16. Pooled human platelet lysate versus fetal bovine serum—investigating the proliferation rate, chromosome stability and angiogenic potential of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells intended for clinical use

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trojahn Kølle, Stig-Frederik; Oliveri, Roberto S; Glovinski, Peter V

    2013-01-01

    Because of an increasing focus on the use of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in clinical trials, the culture conditions for these cells are being optimized. We compared the proliferation rates and chromosomal stability of ASCs that had been cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) ......) supplemented with either pooled human platelet lysate (pHPL) or clinical-grade fetal bovine serum (FBS) (DMEM(pHPL) versus DMEM(FBS))....

  17. Critical Role of Crystalline Anisotropy in the Stability of Cellular Array Structures in Directional Solidification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kopczynski, P.; Rappel, W.; Karma, A.

    1996-01-01

    We calculate numerically the full Floquet-Bloch stability spectrum of cellular array structures in a symmetric model of directional solidification. Our results demonstrate that crystalline anisotropy critically influences the stability of these structures. Without anisotropy, the stability balloon of cells in the plane of wave number and velocity closes near the onset of morphological instability. With a finite, but even small, amount of anisotropy this balloon remains open and a band of stable solutions persists for higher velocities into a deep cell regime. The width of the balloon depends critically on the anisotropy strength. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

  18. Comparative study of a novel application of automated HR HPV assay and stability in a previously untested Preservative media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mike E. Morel

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: The suitability and stability of cervical cells in Novaprep media (NHQ for certain HPV assays is unknown. Methods: We evaluated the accuracy of an automated HPV assay (Abbott RealTime HR HPV for cervical cells prepared in NHQ and NHQ with a pre-treatment to mimic a worst case clinical use, compared to the assay manufacturers media; repeatability and reproducibility of HPV results and the stability of detectable HPV in NHQ over time compared to CE marked liquid based cytology preservatives. Cell lines were used to simulate patient samples. Results: Cells stored in NHQ produced accurate, repeatable and reproducible results. Stability in NHQ was comparable to the best performing LBC, with at least 7 months’ stability at 18–25 °C, 2–8 °C, −20 °C and −80 °C; and at least 3 months’ stability at 40 °C. Similar results were obtained for pre-treated NHQ except only 3.5 months’ stability at 18–25 °C. Cell line samples in all media and concentrations tested were detected appropriately by the assay. Conclusions: Based on this first stage validation analytical study, cervical cells stored in NHQ are suitable for the Realtime HPV assay. There should be no reservations for inclusion of NHQ in any further validation and clinical performance evaluation of this assay. Keywords: HPV, Preservative, Sample stability, Automated HR HPV assay

  19. Low-molecular-weight fucoidan and high-stability fucoxanthin from brown seaweed exert prebiotics and anti-inflammatory activities in Caco-2 cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pai-An Hwang

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of low-molecular-weight fucoidan (LMF and high-stability fucoxanthin (HS-Fucox in a lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory Caco-2 cell line co-culture with B. lactis. Methods: We used various methods such as transepithelial resistance (TER assay, cytokine secretion assay, and tight junction protein mRNA expression assay to examine LMF and HS-Fucox anti-inflammatory properties. Results: LMF and HS-Fucox activated probiotic growth and reduced the inflammation of the intestinal epithelial cells. Moreover, the combination of LMFHS-Fucox dramatically enhanced the intestinal epithelial barrier and immune function against the lipopolysaccharide effect by inhibiting IL-1β and TNF-α and promoting IL-10 and IFN-γ. Conclusion: These findings suggested that LMF and HS-Fucox, alone or in combination, could be the potential natural compounds to enhance the immune system and have an anti-inflammatory effect on the intestinal cells.

  20. Revealing the influence of Cyano in Anchoring Groups of Organic Dyes on Adsorption Stability and Photovoltaic Properties for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wei-Chieh; Nachimuthu, Santhanamoorthi; Jiang, Jyh-Chiang

    2017-07-10

    Determining an ideal adsorption configuration for a dye on the semiconductor surface is an important task in improving the overall efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. Here, we present a detailed investigation of different adsorption configurations of designed model dyes on TiO 2 anatase (101) surface using first principles methods. Particularly, we aimed to investigate the influence of cyano group in the anchoring part of dye on its adsorption stability and the overall photovoltaic properties such as open circuit voltage, electron injection ability to the surface. Our results indicate that the inclusion of cyano group increases the stability of adsorption only when it adsorbs via CN with the surface and it decreases the photovoltaic properties when it does not involve in binding. In addition, we also considered full dyes based on the results of model dyes and investigated the different strength of acceptor abilities on stability and electron injection ability. Among the various adsorption configurations considered here, the bidentate bridging mode (A3) is more appropriate one which has higher electron injection ability, larger V OC value and more importantly it has higher dye loading on the surface.

  1. Biocompatible transferrin-conjugated sodium hexametaphosphate-stabilized gold nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, cytotoxicity and cellular uptake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parab, Harshala J; Huang, Jing-Hong; Liu, Ru-Shi; Lai, Tsung-Ching; Jan, Yi-Hua; Wang, Jui-Ling; Hsiao, Michael; Chen, Chung-Hsuan; Hwu, Yeu-Kuang; Tsai, Din Ping; Chuang, Shih-Yi; Pang, Jong-Hwei S

    2011-01-01

    The feasibility of using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for biomedical applications has led to considerable interest in the development of novel synthetic protocols and surface modification strategies for AuNPs to produce biocompatible molecular probes. This investigation is, to our knowledge, the first to elucidate the synthesis and characterization of sodium hexametaphosphate (HMP)-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au-HMP) in an aqueous medium. The role of HMP, a food additive, as a polymeric stabilizing and protecting agent for AuNPs is elucidated. The surface modification of Au-HMP nanoparticles was carried out using polyethylene glycol and transferrin to produce molecular probes for possible clinical applications. In vitro cell viability studies performed using as-synthesized Au-HMP nanoparticles and their surface-modified counterparts reveal the biocompatibility of the nanoparticles. The transferrin-conjugated nanoparticles have significantly higher cellular uptake in J5 cells (liver cancer cells) than control cells (oral mucosa fibroblast cells), as determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This study demonstrates the possibility of using an inexpensive and non-toxic food additive, HMP, as a stabilizer in the large-scale generation of biocompatible and monodispersed AuNPs, which may have future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

  2. Biocompatible transferrin-conjugated sodium hexametaphosphate-stabilized gold nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, cytotoxicity and cellular uptake

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parab, Harshala J; Huang, Jing-Hong; Liu, Ru-Shi [Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Lai, Tsung-Ching; Jan, Yi-Hua; Wang, Jui-Ling; Hsiao, Michael; Chen, Chung-Hsuan [Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan (China); Hwu, Yeu-Kuang [Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan (China); Tsai, Din Ping [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Chuang, Shih-Yi; Pang, Jong-Hwei S, E-mail: rsliu@ntu.edu.tw, E-mail: mhsiao@gate.sinica.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan (China)

    2011-09-30

    The feasibility of using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for biomedical applications has led to considerable interest in the development of novel synthetic protocols and surface modification strategies for AuNPs to produce biocompatible molecular probes. This investigation is, to our knowledge, the first to elucidate the synthesis and characterization of sodium hexametaphosphate (HMP)-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au-HMP) in an aqueous medium. The role of HMP, a food additive, as a polymeric stabilizing and protecting agent for AuNPs is elucidated. The surface modification of Au-HMP nanoparticles was carried out using polyethylene glycol and transferrin to produce molecular probes for possible clinical applications. In vitro cell viability studies performed using as-synthesized Au-HMP nanoparticles and their surface-modified counterparts reveal the biocompatibility of the nanoparticles. The transferrin-conjugated nanoparticles have significantly higher cellular uptake in J5 cells (liver cancer cells) than control cells (oral mucosa fibroblast cells), as determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This study demonstrates the possibility of using an inexpensive and non-toxic food additive, HMP, as a stabilizer in the large-scale generation of biocompatible and monodispersed AuNPs, which may have future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

  3. Cyclin G2 is a centrosome-associated nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein that influences microtubule stability and induces a p53-dependent cell cycle arrest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arachchige Don, Aruni S.; Dallapiazza, Robert F.; Bennin, David A.; Brake, Tiffany; Cowan, Colleen E.; Horne, Mary C.

    2006-01-01

    Cyclin G2 is an atypical cyclin that associates with active protein phosphatase 2A. Cyclin G2 gene expression correlates with cell cycle inhibition; it is significantly upregulated in response to DNA damage and diverse growth inhibitory stimuli, but repressed by mitogenic signals. Ectopic expression of cyclin G2 promotes cell cycle arrest, cyclin dependent kinase 2 inhibition and the formation of aberrant nuclei [Bennin, D. A., Don, A. S., Brake, T., McKenzie, J. L., Rosenbaum, H., Ortiz, L., DePaoli-Roach, A. A., and Horne, M. C. (2002). Cyclin G2 associates with protein phosphatase 2A catalytic and regulatory B' subunits in active complexes and induces nuclear aberrations and a G 1 /S-phase cell cycle arrest. J Biol Chem 277, 27449-67]. Here we report that endogenous cyclin G2 copurifies with centrosomes and microtubules (MT) and that ectopic G2 expression alters microtubule stability. We find exogenous and endogenous cyclin G2 present at microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) where it colocalizes with centrosomal markers in a variety of cell lines. We previously reported that cyclin G2 forms complexes with active protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and colocalizes with PP2A in a detergent-resistant compartment. We now show that cyclin G2 and PP2A colocalize at MTOCs in transfected cells and that the endogenous proteins copurify with isolated centrosomes. Displacement of the endogenous centrosomal scaffolding protein AKAP450 that anchors PP2A at the centrosome resulted in the depletion of centrosomal cyclin G2. We find that ectopic expression of cyclin G2 induces microtubule bundling and resistance to depolymerization, inhibition of polymer regrowth from MTOCs and a p53-dependent cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, we determined that a 100 amino acid carboxy-terminal region of cyclin G2 is sufficient to both direct GFP localization to centrosomes and induce cell cycle inhibition. Colocalization of endogenous cyclin G2 with only one of two GFP-centrin-tagged centrioles, the

  4. Fast Crystallization and improved Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells with Zn 2 SnO 4 Electron Transporting Layer: Interface Matters

    KAUST Repository

    Bera, Ashok

    2015-12-03

    Here we report that mesoporous ternary oxide Zn2SnO4 can significantly promotes the crystallization of hybrid perovskite layers and serves as an efficient electron transporting material in perovskite solar cells. Such devices exhibit an energy conversion efficiency of 13.34%, which is even higher than that achieved with the commonly used TiO2 in the similar experimental conditions (9.1%). Simple one-step spin coating of CH3NH3PbI3−xClx on Zn2SnO4 is found to lead to rapidly crystalized bilayer perovskite structure without any solvent engineering. Furthermore, ultrafast transient absorption measurement reveals efficient charge transfer at the Zn2SnO4/perovskite interface. Most importantly, solar cells with Zn2SnO4 as the electron-transporting material exhibit negligible electrical hysteresis and exceptionally high stability without encapsulation for over one month. Besides underscoring Zn2SnO4 as a highly promising electron transporting material for perovskite solar cells, our results demonstrate the significant role of interfaces on improving the perovskite crystallization and photovoltaic performance.

  5. Plutonium inventories for stabilization and stabilized materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, A.K.

    1996-05-01

    The objective of the breakout session was to identify characteristics of materials containing plutonium, the need to stabilize these materials for storage, and plans to accomplish the stabilization activities. All current stabilization activities are driven by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 94-1 (May 26, 1994) and by the recently completed Plutonium ES&H Vulnerability Assessment (DOE-EH-0415). The Implementation Plan for accomplishing stabilization of plutonium-bearing residues in response to the Recommendation and the Assessment was published by DOE on February 28, 1995. This Implementation Plan (IP) commits to stabilizing problem materials within 3 years, and stabilizing all other materials within 8 years. The IP identifies approximately 20 metric tons of plutonium requiring stabilization and/or repackaging. A further breakdown shows this material to consist of 8.5 metric tons of plutonium metal and alloys, 5.5 metric tons of plutonium as oxide, and 6 metric tons of plutonium as residues. Stabilization of the metal and oxide categories containing greater than 50 weight percent plutonium is covered by DOE Standard {open_quotes}Criteria for Safe Storage of Plutonium Metals and Oxides{close_quotes} December, 1994 (DOE-STD-3013-94). This standard establishes criteria for safe storage of stabilized plutonium metals and oxides for up to 50 years. Each of the DOE sites and contractors with large plutonium inventories has either started or is preparing to start stabilization activities to meet these criteria.

  6. Nonlinear stability of m=1 flute mode in a nonparaxial open plasma device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lanskij, I.M.; Stupakov, G.V.

    1991-01-01

    Plasma flute stability as to high shifts under strong effects of ion Larmor finite radius conditions is studied. System consisting of long axisymmetric paraxial mirror device with stabilizing cells at its edges is considered. Variation of plasma energy as to its shift as a whole is calculated. It is shown, that depending on stabilizer type the force bringing plasma back in equilibrium state with shift growth may both increase and decrease

  7. Formation of contractile networks and fibers in the medial cell cortex through myosin-II turnover, contraction, and stress-stabilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Wei; Wei, Ming-Tzo; Ou-Yang, H Daniel; Jedlicka, Sabrina S; Vavylonis, Dimitrios

    2015-01-01

    The morphology of adhered cells depends crucially on the formation of a contractile meshwork of parallel and cross-linked fibers along the contacting surface. The motor activity and minifilament assembly of non-muscle myosin-II is an important component of cortical cytoskeletal remodeling during mechanosensing. We used experiments and computational modeling to study cortical myosin-II dynamics in adhered cells. Confocal microscopy was used to image the medial cell cortex of HeLa cells stably expressing myosin regulatory light chain tagged with GFP (MRLC-GFP). The distribution of MRLC-GFP fibers and focal adhesions was classified into three types of network morphologies. Time-lapse movies show: myosin foci appearance and disappearance; aligning and contraction; stabilization upon alignment. Addition of blebbistatin, which perturbs myosin motor activity, leads to a reorganization of the cortical networks and to a reduction of contractile motions. We quantified the kinetics of contraction, disassembly and reassembly of myosin networks using spatio-temporal image correlation spectroscopy (STICS). Coarse-grained numerical simulations include bipolar minifilaments that contract and align through specified interactions as basic elements. After assuming that minifilament turnover decreases with increasing contractile stress, the simulations reproduce stress-dependent fiber formation in between focal adhesions above a threshold myosin concentration. The STICS correlation function in simulations matches the function measured in experiments. This study provides a framework to help interpret how different cortical myosin remodeling kinetics may contribute to different cell shape and rigidity depending on substrate stiffness. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Cell context-dependent dual effects of EFEMP1 stabilizes subpopulation equilibrium in responding to changes of in vivo growth environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yuanjie; Ke, Chao; Ru, Ning; Chen, Yumay; Yu, Liping; Siegel, Eric R; Linskey, Mark E; Wang, Ping; Zhou, Yi-Hong

    2015-10-13

    Conflicting functions of EFEMP1 in cancer have been reported. Using two syngeneic glioma cell lines (U251 and U251-NS) carrying two different principal cell subpopulations that express high or low EGFR, and that are able to interconvert via mis-segregation of chromosome 7 (Chr7), we studied EFEMP1's cell-context-dependent functions in regulating subpopulation equilibrium, here defined by the percentage of cells carrying different copies of Chr7. We found that EFEMP1 attenuated levels of EGFR and cellular respiration in high-EGFR-expressing cells, but increased levels of NOTCH1, MMP2, cell invasiveness, and both oxidative phosphorylation and glycolytic respiration in low-EGFR-expressing cells. Consistently, EFEMP1 suppressed intracranial xenograft formation in U251 and promoted its formation in U251-NS. Interestingly, subpopulation equilibria in xenografts of U251-NS without EFEMP1 overexpression were responsive to inoculum size (1, 10 and 100 thousand cells), which may change the tumor-onset environment. It was not observed in xenografts of U251-NS with EFEMP1 overexpression. The anti-EGFR function of EFEMP1 suppressed acceleration of growth of U251-NS, but not the subpopulation equilibrium, when serially passed under a different (serum-containing adherent) culture condition. Overall, the data suggest that the orthotopic environment of the brain tumor supports EFEMP1 in carrying out both its anti-EGFR and pro-invasive/cancer stem cell-transforming functions in the two glioma cell subpopulations during formation of a single tumor, where EFEMP1 stabilizes the subpopulation equilibrium in response to alterations of the growth environment. This finding implies that EFEMP1 may restrain cancer plasticity in coping with ever-changing tumor microenvironments and/or therapeutic-intervention stresses.

  9. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Stabilize Atherosclerotic Vulnerable Plaque by Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shuang-shuang; Hu, Si-wang; Zhang, Qing-hua; Xia, Ai-xiang; Jiang, Zhi-xin; Chen, Xiao-min

    2015-01-01

    that NF-κB and MMP expression was reduced in the MSC and SP groups compared to the VP group. Cell apoptosis decreased significantly in both the MSC and SP groups in comparison to the VP group. TSG-6 mRNA and protein expression were higher in the plaques of the MSC group compared to the VP and SP groups. Our study results suggest that MSC transplantation can effectively stabilize vulnerable plaques in atherosclerotic rabbits. This may potentially offer a new clinical application of MSC in atherosclerosis.

  10. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Stabilize Atherosclerotic Vulnerable Plaque by Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuang-shuang Wang

    revealed that NF-κB and MMP expression was reduced in the MSC and SP groups compared to the VP group. Cell apoptosis decreased significantly in both the MSC and SP groups in comparison to the VP group. TSG-6 mRNA and protein expression were higher in the plaques of the MSC group compared to the VP and SP groups.Our study results suggest that MSC transplantation can effectively stabilize vulnerable plaques in atherosclerotic rabbits. This may potentially offer a new clinical application of MSC in atherosclerosis.

  11. High-stability Ti{sup 4+} precursor for the TiO{sub 2} compact layer of dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yi, Qinghua; Cong, Shan; Wang, Hao; Wang, Yun; Dai, Xiao; Zhao, Jie; Sun, Yinghui; Lou, Yanhui; Zou, Guifu, E-mail: zouguifu@suda.edu.cn

    2015-11-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We developed an aqueous polymer-assisted deposition method to improve the chemical stability of the TiCl{sub 4} aqueous solution. • The Ti{sup 4+} is encapsulated by the polymer can maintain their initial performances for several months. • The film is dense, smooth and uniform, preparing by this method. • The power conversion efficiency of the DSSC based on P-TiO{sub 2} compact film is about 12.5% higher than that based on H-TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: A compact layer (blocking layer) can effectively block the direct contact between the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate and electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The TiCl{sub 4} hydrolysis has been widely adopted for preparing the TiO{sub 2} compact layer (H-TiO{sub 2}). However, the TiCl{sub 4} aqueous solution is unstable for its high reactivity. To improve the chemical stability of TiCl{sub 4} aqueous solution, the Ti{sup 4+} is encapsulated by the polymer, polyethyleneimine (PEI). Experimentals show that the Ti-PEI precursor solution can maintain their initial performances for several months. The resulting TiO{sub 2} film (P-TiO{sub 2}) grown by the Ti-PEI precursor is dense, smooth and uniform without any visible and detectable cracks or voids. The P-TiO{sub 2} compact layer is even denser than the H-TiO{sub 2} compact layer, suggesting reducing the electron recombination and prolonging the electron lifetime in dye-sensitized solar cells. Indeed, the electron lifetime of the DSSC based on the P-TiO{sub 2} is 13.15 ms, which is longer than the 10.83 ms based on H-TiO{sub 2}. Meanwhile, the power conversion efficiency of the DSSC based on P-TiO{sub 2} compact film is about 12.5% higher than that based on H-TiO{sub 2}. Therefore, this encapsulation technology can not only improve the stability of the metal ions solution but also meet a large-scale fabrication demand of the TiO{sub 2} compact layer in future DSSCs.

  12. Langerhans cells from women with cervical precancerous lesions become functionally responsive against human papillomavirus after activation with stabilized Poly-I:C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Da Silva, Diane M; Woodham, Andrew W; Skeate, Joseph G; Rijkee, Laurie K; Taylor, Julia R; Brand, Heike E; Muderspach, Laila I; Roman, Lynda D; Yessaian, Annie A; Pham, Huyen Q; Matsuo, Koji; Lin, Yvonne G; McKee, Greg M; Salazar, Andres M; Kast, W Martin

    2015-12-01

    Human papillomavirus (HPV)-mediated suppression of Langerhans cell (LC) function can lead to persistent infection and development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Women with HPV-induced high-grade CIN2/3 have not mounted an effective immune response against HPV, yet it is unknown if LC-mediated T cell activation from such women is functionally impaired against HPV. We investigated the functional activation of in vitro generated LC and their ability to induce HPV16-specific T cells from CIN2/3 patients after exposure to HPV16 followed by treatment with stabilized Poly-I:C (s-Poly-I:C). LC from patients exposed to HPV16 demonstrated a lack of costimulatory molecule expression, inflammatory cytokine secretion, and chemokine-directed migration. Conversely, s-Poly-I:C caused significant phenotypic and functional activation of HPV16-exposed LC, which resulted in de novo generation of HPV16-specific CD8(+) T cells. Our results highlight that LC of women with a history of persistent HPV infection can present HPV antigens and are capable of inducing an adaptive T cell immune response when given the proper stimulus, suggesting that s-Poly-I:C compounds may be attractive immunomodulators for LC-mediated clearance of persistent HPV infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Printable luminescent down shifter for enhancing efficiency and stability of organic photovoltaics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kettle, J.; Bristow, N.; Gethin, D.T.

    2016-01-01

    monitoring, using a 16-cell monolithically connected OPV module. By applying the LDS layer, a ~5% relative enhancement in photocurrent is observed for both sets of devices. More significantly, indoor light soaking tests on single cell devices without encapsulation showed an 850% enhancement in the measured...... half-life (T50%). The OPV modules were encapsulated and tested for outdoor stability over a 70 day period in the Negev desert, Israel. The modules made with the LDS filter are shown to match the stability of those made with a commercial UV filter and outperform the modules with no filter applied...

  14. Solar cell power source system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shimizu, Yoichi; Toma, Kunio; Fukuwa, Shinji

    1988-05-14

    This invention aims to supply a power source system with stable power output by reducing the power loss due to switching in the voltage stabilization even when the power source is a solar cell with frequent voltage variation. For this purpose, in a solar cell power source system consisting of a solar cell, a storage battery, a switching regulator placed between the storage cell and the load, and a load, arrangement was made that, by judging the input voltage from the storage battery, switch-acting the transistor of the switching regulator, if the input voltage is higher than the specified voltage; is the input voltage is lower than the specified voltage, the transistor is put in a full-on state. By this, the supply voltage can be stabilized even when the voltage fluctuates, and system gets more efficient as the switching loss decreases in the voltage stabilizing means. (1 fig)

  15. Thermal precipitation fluorescence assay for protein stability screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Junping; Huang, Bo; Wang, Xianping; Zhang, Xuejun C

    2011-09-01

    A simple and reliable method of protein stability assessment is desirable for high throughput expression screening of recombinant proteins. Here we described an assay termed thermal precipitation fluorescence (TPF) which can be used to compare thermal stabilities of recombinant protein samples directly from cell lysate supernatants. In this assay, target membrane proteins are expressed as recombinant fusions with a green fluorescence protein tag and solubilized with detergent, and the fluorescence signals are used to report the quantity of the fusion proteins in the soluble fraction of the cell lysate. After applying a heat shock, insoluble protein aggregates are removed by centrifugation. Subsequently, the amount of remaining protein in the supernatant is quantified by in-gel fluorescence analysis and compared to samples without a heat shock treatment. Over 60 recombinant membrane proteins from Escherichia coli were subject to this screening in the presence and absence of a few commonly used detergents, and the results were analyzed. Because no sophisticated protein purification is required, this TPF technique is suitable to high throughput expression screening of recombinant membrane proteins as well as soluble ones and can be used to prioritize target proteins based on their thermal stabilities for subsequent large scale expression and structural studies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Stabilization of heavy metals in municipal sewage sludge by freeze-thaw treatment with a blend of diatomite, FeSO4, and Ca(OH)2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jing; Fu, Rongbing; Xu, Zhen

    2017-08-01

    In this work, the effects of diatomite with 15% FeSO 4 •7H 2 O and 7.5% Ca(OH) 2 on sludge stabilization were investigated using batch leaching tests. The influence of cell rupture caused by freezing and thawing on stabilization was also evaluated. The results indicated that the optimal diatomite percentage was 2%. Cell rupture by freezing and thawing reduced heavy metal leachability, followed by cell death and decrease of organic groups. The concentration of heavy metals in sludge leachate increased after cell rupture, indicating that the heavy metal leachability was reduced after freezing and thawings. Moreover, the stabilization effects were generally improved after freezing and thawing. As compared with the stabilization of the original sludge, the unstable fractions decreased and the residual fractions of the heavy metals increased in the stabilized sludge after cell rupture. This study developed a method to stabilize heavy metals in municipal sewage sludge. Diatomite combined with FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O and Ca(OH) 2 improved the treatment of sewage sludge contaminated by heavy metals. Cell lysis by freeze-thaw treatment reduced the risk of leaching heavy metals caused by cell death and decreased major organic groups in the sludge.

  17. Electrochemical stability of subnanometer Pt clusters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quinson, Jonathan; Röefzaad, Melanie; Deiana, Davide

    2018-01-01

    In the present work, the degradation of size-selected Pt nanoclusters is studied under electrochemical conditions. This model catalyst mimics carbon supported Pt nanoclusters and nanoparticles typically employed in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Insight into the early stage...... of degradation is given by high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In contrast to common assumptions, it is demonstrated that even extremely small Pt clusters exhibit a remarkable stability under electrochemical...... - is observed. In light of the findings reported, developing highly-dispersed subnanometer Pt clusters as catalyst for PEMFCs is a realistic approach provided the operation conditions are suitably adjusted. Furthermore, mitigation strategies to improve the stability of few-atoms catalyst under electrochemical...

  18. Two dynamin-like proteins stabilize FtsZ rings during Streptomyces sporulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlimpert, Susan; Wasserstrom, Sebastian; Chandra, Govind; Bibb, Maureen J; Findlay, Kim C; Flärdh, Klas; Buttner, Mark J

    2017-07-25

    During sporulation, the filamentous bacteria Streptomyces undergo a massive cell division event in which the synthesis of ladders of sporulation septa convert multigenomic hyphae into chains of unigenomic spores. This process requires cytokinetic Z-rings formed by the bacterial tubulin homolog FtsZ, and the stabilization of the newly formed Z-rings is crucial for completion of septum synthesis. Here we show that two dynamin-like proteins, DynA and DynB, play critical roles in this process. Dynamins are a family of large, multidomain GTPases involved in key cellular processes in eukaryotes, including vesicle trafficking and organelle division. Many bacterial genomes encode dynamin-like proteins, but the biological function of these proteins has remained largely enigmatic. Using a cell biological approach, we show that the two Streptomyces dynamins specifically localize to sporulation septa in an FtsZ-dependent manner. Moreover, dynamin mutants have a cell division defect due to the decreased stability of sporulation-specific Z-rings, as demonstrated by kymographs derived from time-lapse images of FtsZ ladder formation. This defect causes the premature disassembly of individual Z-rings, leading to the frequent abortion of septum synthesis, which in turn results in the production of long spore-like compartments with multiple chromosomes. Two-hybrid analysis revealed that the dynamins are part of the cell division machinery and that they mediate their effects on Z-ring stability during developmentally controlled cell division via a network of protein-protein interactions involving DynA, DynB, FtsZ, SepF, SepF2, and the FtsZ-positioning protein SsgB.

  19. Impact of cell shape on cell migration behavior on elastic substrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong Yuan; Ji Baohua

    2013-01-01

    Cell shape is known to have profound effects on a number of cell behaviors. In this paper we have studied its role in cell migration through modeling the effect of cell shape on the cell traction force distribution, the traction force dependent stability of cell adhesion and the matrix rigidity dependent traction force formation. To quantify the driving force of cell migration, a new parameter called the motility factor, that takes account of the effect of cell shape, matrix rigidity and dynamic stability of cell adhesion, is proposed. We showed that the motility factor depends on the matrix rigidity in a biphasic manner, which is consistent with the experimental observations of the biphasic dependence of cell migration speed on the matrix rigidity. We showed that the cell shape plays a pivotal role in the cell migration behavior by regulating the traction force at the cell front and rear. The larger the cell polarity, the larger the motility factor is. The keratocyte-like shape has a larger motility factor than the fibroblast-like shape, which explains why keratocyte has a much higher migration speed. The motility factor might be an appropriate parameter for a quantitative description of the driving force of cell migration. (paper)

  20. Heat shock modulates the subcellular localization, stability, and activity of HIPK2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Upadhyay, Mamta; Bhadauriya, Pratibha; Ganesh, Subramaniam

    2016-01-01

    The homeodomain-interacting protein kinase-2 (HIPK2) is a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase and is involved in transcriptional regulation. HIPK2 is a highly unstable protein, and is kept at a low level under normal physiological conditions. However, exposure of cells to physiological stress – such as hypoxia, oxidative stress, or UV damage – is known to stabilize HIPK2, leading to the HIPK2-dependent activation of p53 and the cell death pathway. Therefore HIPK2 is also known as a stress kinase and as a stress-activated pro-apoptotic factor. We demonstrate here that exposure of cells to heat shock results in the stabilization of HIPK2 and the stabilization is mediated via K63-linked ubiquitination. Intriguingly, a sub-lethal heat shock (42 °C, 1 h) results in the cytoplasmic localization of HIPK2, while a lethal heat shock (45 °C, 1 h) results in its nuclear localization. Cells exposed to the lethal heat shock showed significantly higher levels of the p53 activity than those exposed to the sub-lethal thermal stress, suggesting that both the level and the nuclear localization are essential for the pro-apoptotic activity of HIPK2 and that the lethal heat shock could retain the HIPK2 in the nucleus to promote the cell death. Taken together our study underscores the importance of HIPK2 in stress mediated cell death, and that the HIPK2 is a generic stress kinase that gets activated by diverse set of physiological stressors.

  1. Heat shock modulates the subcellular localization, stability, and activity of HIPK2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Upadhyay, Mamta; Bhadauriya, Pratibha; Ganesh, Subramaniam, E-mail: sganesh@iitk.ac.in

    2016-04-15

    The homeodomain-interacting protein kinase-2 (HIPK2) is a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase and is involved in transcriptional regulation. HIPK2 is a highly unstable protein, and is kept at a low level under normal physiological conditions. However, exposure of cells to physiological stress – such as hypoxia, oxidative stress, or UV damage – is known to stabilize HIPK2, leading to the HIPK2-dependent activation of p53 and the cell death pathway. Therefore HIPK2 is also known as a stress kinase and as a stress-activated pro-apoptotic factor. We demonstrate here that exposure of cells to heat shock results in the stabilization of HIPK2 and the stabilization is mediated via K63-linked ubiquitination. Intriguingly, a sub-lethal heat shock (42 °C, 1 h) results in the cytoplasmic localization of HIPK2, while a lethal heat shock (45 °C, 1 h) results in its nuclear localization. Cells exposed to the lethal heat shock showed significantly higher levels of the p53 activity than those exposed to the sub-lethal thermal stress, suggesting that both the level and the nuclear localization are essential for the pro-apoptotic activity of HIPK2 and that the lethal heat shock could retain the HIPK2 in the nucleus to promote the cell death. Taken together our study underscores the importance of HIPK2 in stress mediated cell death, and that the HIPK2 is a generic stress kinase that gets activated by diverse set of physiological stressors.

  2. Improving the storage stability of Bifidobacterium breve in low pH fruit juice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saarela, M; Alakomi, H L; Mättö, J; Ahonen, A M; Puhakka, A; Tynkkynen, S

    2011-09-01

    Bifidobacterial food applications are limited since bifidobacteria are sensitive to e.g. acidic conditions prevalent in many food matrices. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a low pH selection step alone or combined to UV mutagenesis could improve the viability of an acid sensitive Bifidobacterium strain, B. breve 99, in low pH food matrices. Furthermore, the potential of carriers and an oat fibre preparation to further improve the stability was studied. The best performing low pH tolerant variants in the present study were generated by UV-mutagenesis with 70-700μJ/cm(2) followed by incubation in growth medium at pH 4.5. The most promising variants regarding the low pH tolerance showed, in repeated tests with cells grown without pH control, about one Log-value better survival in pH 3.8 fruit juice after one week storage at 4°C compared to wild-type B. breve 99. Cells grown with pH control, PDX formulated and then frozen showed poorer viability in low pH fruit juice than cells grown with no pH control. For frozen concentrates pH 3.8 was too stressful and no or small differences between the variants and the wild-type strain were seen. The differences detected at pH 3.8 with the cells grown without pH control were also seen with the frozen concentrates at pH 4.5. Some improvement in the stability could be achieved by using a combination of trehalose, vitamin C and PDX as a freezing carrier material, whereas a significant improvement in the stability was seen when oat fibre was added into the fruit juice together with the frozen cells. Due to the initial very poor fruit juice tolerance of B. breve 99 the obtained improvement in the stability was not enough for commercial applications. However, the same methods could be applied to initially better performing strains to further improve their stability in the fruit juice. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Molecular laser stabilization for LISA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halloin, Hubert; Acef, Ouali; Argence, Berengere; Jeannin, Olivier; Prat, Pierre; de Vismes, Eden; Plagnol, Eric; Brillet, Alain; Mondin, Linda; Berthon, Jacques; Turazza, Oscar

    2017-11-01

    The expected performance of LISA relies on two main technical challenges: the ability for the spacecrafts to precisely follow the free-flying masses and the outstanding precision of the phase shift measurement. This latter constraint requires frequency stabilized lasers and efficient numerical algorithms to account for the redundant, delayed noise propagation, thus cancelling laser phase noise by many orders of magnitude (TDI methods). Recently involved in the technical developments for LISA, the goal of our team at APC (France) is to contribute on these two subjects: frequency reference for laser stabilization and benchtop simulation of the interferometer. In the present design of LISA, two stages of laser stabilization are used (not accounting for the "post-processed" TDI algorithm): laser pre-stabilization on a frequency reference and lock on the ultra stable distance between spacecrafts (arm-locking). While the foreseen (and deeply studied) laser reference consists of a Fabry-Perot cavity, other techniques may be suitable for LISA or future metrology missions. In particular, locking to a molecular reference (namely iodine in the case of the LISA Nd:YAG laser) is an interesting alternative. It offers the required performance with very good long-term stability (absolute frequency reference) though the reference can be slightly tuned to account for arm-locking. This technique is currently being investigated by our team and optimized for LISA (compactness, vacuum compatibility, ease of use and initialization, etc.). A collaboration with a French laboratory (the SYRTE) had been started aiming to study a second improved technique consisting in inserting the iodine cell in a Fabry-Perot cavity. Ongoing results and prospects to increase the performance of the system are presented in the present article.

  4. An input-to-state stability approach to verify almost global stability of a synchronous-machine-infinite-bus system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schiffer, Johannes; Efimov, Denis; Ortega, Romeo; Barabanov, Nikita

    2017-08-13

    Conditions for almost global stability of an operating point of a realistic model of a synchronous generator with constant field current connected to an infinite bus are derived. The analysis is conducted by employing the recently proposed concept of input-to-state stability (ISS)-Leonov functions, which is an extension of the powerful cell structure principle developed by Leonov and Noldus to the ISS framework. Compared with the original ideas of Leonov and Noldus, the ISS-Leonov approach has the advantage of providing additional robustness guarantees. The efficiency of the derived sufficient conditions is illustrated via numerical experiments.This article is part of the themed issue 'Energy management: flexibility, risk and optimization'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  5. Photovoltaic performance and stability of fullerene/cerium oxide double electron transport layer superior to single one in p-i-n perovskite solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Zhou; Li, Shu-Hui; Wu, Bao-Shan; Wang, Xin; Wang, Lu-Yao; Wang, Tan; Liu, Hao-Ran; Zhang, Mei-Lin; Yun, Da-Qin; Deng, Lin-Long; Xie, Su-Yuan; Huang, Rong-Bin; Zheng, Lan-Sun

    2018-06-01

    Interface engineering that involves in the metal cathodes and the electron transport layers (ETLs) facilitates the simultaneous improvement of device performances and stability in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, low-temperature solution-processed cerium oxide (CeOx) films are prepared by a facile sol-gel method and employed as the interface layers between [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) and an Ag back contact to form PC61BM/CeOx double ETLs. The introduction of CeOx enables electron extraction to the Ag electrode and protects the underlying perovskite layer and thus improves the device performance and stability of the p-i-n PSCs. The p-i-n PSCs with double PC61BM/CeOx ETLs demonstrate a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.35%, which is superior to those of the devices with either PC61BM or CeOx single ETLs. Moreover, PC61BM/CeOx devices exhibit excellent stability in light soaking, which is mainly due to the chemically stable CeOx interlayer. The results indicate that CeOx is a promising interface modification layer for stable high-efficiency PSCs.

  6. Absolute frequency shifts of iodine cells for laser stabilization

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lazar, Josef; Hrabina, Jan; Jedlička, Petr; Číp, Ondřej

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 46, č. 5 (2009), s. 450-456 ISSN 0026-1394 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA200650504; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06007; GA MŠk 2C06012; GA AV ČR KAN311610701; GA MPO 2A-1TP1/127; GA MPO FT-TA3/133 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20650511 Keywords : laser stabilization * Nd :YAG laser Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 1.634, year: 2009

  7. Colloidal stability of silver nanoparticles in biologically relevant conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacCuspie, Robert I.

    2011-01-01

    Understanding the colloidal stability of nanoparticles (NPs) plays a key role in phenomenological interpretation of toxicological experiments, particularly if single NPs or their aggregates or agglomerates determine the dominant experimental result. This report examines a variety of instrumental techniques for surveying the colloidal stability of aqueous suspensions of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), including atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and colorimetry. It was found that colorimetry can adequately determine the concentration of single AgNPs that remained in solution if morphological information about agglomerates is not required. The colloidal stability of AgNPs with various surface capping agents and in various solvents ranging from cell culture media to different electrolytes of several concentrations, and in different pH conditions was determined. It was found that biocompatible bulky capping agents, such as bovine serum albumin or starch, that provided steric colloidal stabilization, as opposed to purely electrostatic stabilization such as with citrate AgNPs, provided better retention of single AgNPs in solution over a variety of conditions for up to 64 h of observation.

  8. Constricted nanowire with stabilized magnetic domain wall

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sbiaa, R.; Al Bahri, M.

    2016-01-01

    Domain wall (DW)-based magnetic memory offers the possibility for increasing the storage capacity. However, stability of DW remains the major drawback of this scheme. In this letter, we propose a stepped nanowire for pinning DW in a desirable position. From micromagnetic simulation, the proposed design applied to in-plane magnetic anisotropy materials shows that by adjusting the nanowire step size and its width it is possible to stabilize DW for a desirable current density range. In contrast, only a movement of DW could be seen for conventional nanowire. An extension to a multi-stepped nanowire could be used for multi-bit per cell magnetic memory. - Highlights: • A stepped nanowire is proposed to pin domain wall in desired position. • The new structure can be made by a simple off set of two single nanowires. • The critical current for moving domain wall from one state to the other could be tuned by adjusting the geometry of the device. • The device could be used for multi-bit per cell memory by extending the steps in the device.

  9. Resveratrol efficiently improves pulmonary function via stabilizing mast cells in a rat intestinal injury model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaolei; Zhao, Weicheng; Hu, Dan; Han, Xue; Wang, Hanbin; Yang, Jianyu; Xu, Yang; Li, Yuantao; Yao, Weifeng; Chen, Chaojin

    2017-09-15

    Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (IIR) leads to acute lung injury (ALI) distally by aggravating pulmonary oxidative stress. Resveratrol is effective in attenuating ALI through its antioxidant capacity. This study aimed to determine the effects of resveratrol on IIR-induced ALI and to explore the role of mast cells (MCs) activation in a rat model of IIR. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to IIR by occluding the superior mesenteric artery for 60min followed by 4-hour reperfusion. Resveratrol was intraperitoneally injected at a dose of 15mg/kg for 5days before IIR. MCs stabilizer/inhibitor cromolyn sodium and degranulator compound 48/80 were used to explore the interaction between resveratrol and MCs. Lung tissues were collected for pathological detection and MCs staining. Pulmonary protein expression of surfactant protein-C (SP-C), tryptase, p47 phox and gp91 phox (two NADPH oxidase subunits), ICAM-1(intercellular adhesion molecule-1) and P-selectin were detected. The levels of oxidative stress markers (SOD, MDA, H 2 O 2 and MPO) and β-hexosaminidase were also measured. At the end of IIR, lung injury was significantly increased and was associated with decreased expression of SP-C and increased lung oxidative stress. Increased inflammation as well as activation of MCs was also observed in the lungs after IIR. All these changes were prevented or reversed by resveratrol pretreatment or MCs inhibition with cromolyn sodium. However, these protective effects of resveratrol or cromolyn sodium were reduced by MCs degranulator compound 48/80. These findings reveal that resveratrol attenuates IIR-induced ALI by reducing NADPH oxidase protein expression and inflammation through stabilizing MCs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Bevacizumab inhibits proliferation of choroidal endothelial cells by regulation of the cell cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rusovici, Raluca; Patel, Chirag J; Chalam, Kakarla V

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate cell cycle changes in choroidal endothelial cells treated with varying doses of bevacizumab in the presence of a range of concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Bevacizumab, a drug widely used in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, choroidal neovascularization, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, neutralizes all isoforms of VEGF. However, the effect of intravitreal administration of bevacizumab on the choroidal endothelial cell cycle has not been established. Monkey choroidal endothelial (RF/6A) cells were treated with VEGF 50 ng/mL and escalating doses of bevacizumab 0.1-2 mg/mL for 72 hours. Cell cycle changes in response to bevacizumab were analyzed by flow cytometry and propidium iodide staining. Cell proliferation was measured using the WST-1 assay. Morphological changes were recorded by bright field cell microscopy. Bevacizumab inhibited proliferation of choroidal endothelial cells by stabilization of the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase. Cell cycle analysis of VEGF-enriched choroidal endothelial cells revealed a predominant increase in the G2/M population (21.84%, P, 0.01) and a decrease in the G0/G1 phase population (55.08%, P, 0.01). Addition of escalating doses of bevacizumab stabilized VEGF-enriched cells in the G0/G1 phase (55.08%, 54.49%, 56.3%, and 64% [P, 0.01]) and arrested proliferation by inhibiting the G2/M phase (21.84%, 21.46%, 20.59%, 20.94%, and 16.1% [P, 0.01]). The increase in G0/G1 subpopulation in VEGF-enriched and bevacizumab-treated cells compared with VEGF-enriched cells alone was dose-dependent. Bevacizumab arrests proliferation of VEGF-enriched choroidal endothelial cells by stabilizing the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase and inhibiting the G2/M phase in a dose-dependent fashion.

  11. Stability enhancement of an atomic force microscope for long-term force measurement including cantilever modification for whole cell deformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weafer, P. P.; McGarry, J. P.; van Es, M. H.; Kilpatrick, J. I.; Ronan, W.; Nolan, D. R.; Jarvis, S. P.

    2012-09-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is widely used in the study of both morphology and mechanical properties of living cells under physiologically relevant conditions. However, quantitative experiments on timescales of minutes to hours are generally limited by thermal drift in the instrument, particularly in the vertical (z) direction. In addition, we demonstrate the necessity to remove all air-liquid interfaces within the system for measurements in liquid environments, which may otherwise result in perturbations in the measured deflection. These effects severely limit the use of AFM as a practical tool for the study of long-term cell behavior, where precise knowledge of the tip-sample distance is a crucial requirement. Here we present a readily implementable, cost effective method of minimizing z-drift and liquid instabilities by utilizing active temperature control combined with a customized fluid cell system. Long-term whole cell mechanical measurements were performed using this stabilized AFM by attaching a large sphere to a cantilever in order to approximate a parallel plate system. An extensive examination of the effects of sphere attachment on AFM data is presented. Profiling of cantilever bending during substrate indentation revealed that the optical lever assumption of free ended cantilevering is inappropriate when sphere constraining occurs, which applies an additional torque to the cantilevers "free" end. Here we present the steps required to accurately determine force-indentation measurements for such a scenario. Combining these readily implementable modifications, we demonstrate the ability to investigate long-term whole cell mechanics by performing strain controlled cyclic deformation of single osteoblasts.

  12. Electroactive mesoporous yttria stabilized zirconia containing platinum or nickel oxide nanoclusters: a new class of solid oxide fuel cell electrode materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mamak, M.; Coombs, N.; Ozin, G.A. [Toronto Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Chemistry

    2001-02-01

    The electroactivity of surfactant-templated mesoporous yttria stabilized zirconia, containing nanoclusters of platinum or nickel oxide, is explored by alternating current (AC) complex impedance spectroscopy. The observed oxygen ion and mixed oxygen ion-electron charge-transport behavior for these materials, compared to the sintered-densified non-porous crystalline versions, is ascribed to the unique integration of mesoporosity and nanocrystallinity within the binary and ternary solid solution microstructure. These attributes inspire interest in this new class of materials as candidates for the development of improved performance solid oxide fuel cell electrodes. (orig.)

  13. Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Functional Endothelial Cells in Scalable Suspension Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth Olmer

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Endothelial cells (ECs are involved in a variety of cellular responses. As multifunctional components of vascular structures, endothelial (progenitor cells have been utilized in cellular therapies and are required as an important cellular component of engineered tissue constructs and in vitro disease models. Although primary ECs from different sources are readily isolated and expanded, cell quantity and quality in terms of functionality and karyotype stability is limited. ECs derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs represent an alternative and potentially superior cell source, but traditional culture approaches and 2D differentiation protocols hardly allow for production of large cell numbers. Aiming at the production of ECs, we have developed a robust approach for efficient endothelial differentiation of hiPSCs in scalable suspension culture. The established protocol results in relevant numbers of ECs for regenerative approaches and industrial applications that show in vitro proliferation capacity and a high degree of chromosomal stability. : In this article, U. Martin and colleagues show the generation of hiPSC endothelial cells in scalable cultures in up to 100 mL culture volume. The generated ECs show in vitro proliferation capacity and a high degree of chromosomal stability after in vitro expansion. The established protocol allows to generate hiPSC-derived ECs in relevant numbers for regenerative approaches. Keywords: hiPSC differentiation, endothelial cells, scalable culture

  14. Stability of the Tonks–Langmuir discharge pre-sheath

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tskhakaya, D. D. [Fusion@ÖAW, Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10, 1040 Vienna (Austria); Kos, L. [LECAD Laboratory, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Tskhakaya, D. [Fusion@ÖAW, Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10, 1040 Vienna (Austria); Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria)

    2016-03-15

    The article formulates the stability problem of the plasma sheath in the Tonks–Langmuir discharge. Using the kinetic description of the ion gas, i.e., the stability of the potential shape in the quasi-neutral pre-sheath regarding the high and low frequency, the perturbations are investigated. The electrons are assumed to be Maxwell–Boltzmann distributed. Regarding high-frequency perturbations, the pre-sheath is shown to be stable. The stability problem regarding low-frequency perturbations can be reduced to an analysis of the “diffusion like” equation, which results in the instability of the potential distribution in the pre-sheath. By means of the Particle in Cell simulations, also the nonlinear stage of low frequency oscillations is investigated. Comparing the figure obtained with the figure for linear stage, one can find obvious similarity in the spatial-temporal behavior of the potential.

  15. Improving the long-term stability of PBDTTPD polymer solar cells through material purification aimed at removing organic impurities

    KAUST Repository

    Mateker, William R.; Douglas, Jessica D.; Cabanetos, Clement; Sachs-Quintana, I. T.; Bartelt, Jonathan A.; Hoke, Eric T.; El Labban, Abdulrahman; Beaujuge, Pierre; Frechet, Jean; McGehee, Michael D.

    2013-01-01

    While bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells fabricated from high M n PBDTTPD achieve power conversion efficiencies (PCE) as high as 7.3%, the short-circuit current density (JSC) of these devices can drop by 20% after seven days of storage in the dark and under inert conditions. This degradation is characterized by the appearance of S-shape features in the reverse bias region of current-voltage (J-V) curves that increase in amplitude over time. Conversely, BHJ solar cells fabricated from low Mn PBDTTPD do not develop S-shaped J-V curves. However, S-shapes identical to those observed in high Mn PBDTTPD solar cells can be induced in low M n devices through intentional contamination with the TPD monomer. Furthermore, when high Mn PBDTTPD is purified via size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to reduce the content of low molecular weight species, the JSC of polymer devices is significantly more stable over time. After 111 days of storage in the dark under inert conditions, the J-V curves do not develop S-shapes and the JSC degrades by only 6%. The S-shape degradation feature, symptomatic of low device lifetimes, appears to be linked to the presence of low molecular weight contaminants, which may be trapped within samples of high Mn polymer that have not been purified by SEC. Although these impurities do not affect initial device PCE, they significantly reduce device lifetime, and solar cell stability is improved by increasing the purity of the polymer materials. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  16. Association of Stability Parameters and Yield Stability of Sesame ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Association of Stability Parameters and Yield Stability of Sesame ( Sesamum ... Information on phenotypic stability is useful for the selection of crop varieties as well as for ... as an alternative to parametric stability measurements is important.

  17. Preparation and Stability of Inorganic Solidified Foam for Preventing Coal Fires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Botao Qin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Inorganic solidified foam (ISF is a novel material for preventing coal fires. This paper presents the preparation process and working principle of main installations. Besides, aqueous foam with expansion ratio of 28 and 30 min drainage rate of 13% was prepared. Stability of foam fluid was studied in terms of stability coefficient, by varying water-slurry ratio, fly ash replacement ratio of cement, and aqueous foam volume alternatively. Light microscope was utilized to analyze the dynamic change of bubble wall of foam fluid and stability principle was proposed. In order to further enhance the stability of ISF, different dosage of calcium fluoroaluminate was added to ISF specimens whose stability coefficient was tested and change of hydration products was detected by scanning electron microscope (SEM. The outcomes indicated that calcium fluoroaluminate could enhance the stability coefficient of ISF and compact hydration products formed in cell wall of ISF; naturally, the stability principle of ISF was proved right. Based on above-mentioned experimental contents, ISF with stability coefficient of 95% and foam expansion ratio of 5 was prepared, which could sufficiently satisfy field process requirements on plugging air leakage and thermal insulation.

  18. Electrochemical performance and stability of Ni1-xCox-based cermet anode for direct methane-fuelled solid oxide fuel cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicharee Wongsawatgul

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Carbon deposition on Ni-based anode is well-known as a major barrier for the practical use and commercialization of hydrocarbon-fuelled solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs. In this work, Co alloying in Ni-YSZ was studied as an alternative anode material for using CH4 as a fuel. The Ni-YSZ and Ni-Co alloyed-YSZ were prepared by the traditional impregnation method without further mixing processes. After sintering and reduction in H2 atmosphere, the introduced Co can completely dissolved into the Ni lattice and changed the morphology with an increase in the Ni-YSZ grain size and showed a better uniform microstructure. The Co alloying also enhanced the electrochemical performance under CH4 fuel by reducing the resistance and anodic overvoltage. Moreover, the Co addition enhanced the stability of the cell with CH4 a constant load current of 80 mA for 60 h. This performance related to the carbon deposition on the anode surface. The Co alloying showed a high efficiency to suppress the carbon deposition and improved the electrochemical performance of an SOFC cell operating under CH4 fuel.

  19. Metal ion-specific thermal stability of bacterial S-Layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drobot, Bjoern; Raff, Johannes [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Div. Biogeochemistry; Fahmy, Karim [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Div. Biophysics

    2016-07-01

    Many bacteria are covered by a surface layer (S-layer), i.e., a para-crystalline two-dimensional array of proteins which control cell shape, act as molecular sieves and have potential applications as radionuclide-binding material for bioremediation of polluted areas. Knowledge and control of the metal-dependent stability of the purified proteins is required for their technical application. Here, we have explored by differential scanning calorimetry the thermal stability of the S-layer protein slp-B53 from Lysinibacillus sphaericus, a Gram-positive bacterium isolated from a uranium mining waste pile [1].

  20. Theory for the stability and regulation of epigenetic landscapes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Micheelsen, Mille A; Mitarai, Namiko; Sneppen, Kim; Dodd, Ian B

    2010-01-01

    Cells can often choose among several stably heritable phenotypes. Examples are the expressions of genes in eukaryotic cells where long chromosomal regions can adopt persistent and heritable silenced or active states that may be associated with positive feedback in dynamic modification of nucleosomes. We generalize this mechanism in terms of bistability associated with valleys in an epigenetic landscape. A transfer matrix method was used to rigorously follow the system through the disruptive process of cell division. This combined treatment of noisy dynamics both between and during cell division provides an efficient way to calculate the stability of alternative states in a broad range of epigenetic systems

  1. Enhanced stability of solid oxide fuel cells by employing a modified cathode-interlayer interface with a dense La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ thin film

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Vero, Jeffrey C.; Develos-Bagarinao, Katherine; Kishimoto, Haruo; Ishiyama, Tomohiro; Yamaji, Katsuhiko; Horita, Teruhisa; Yokokawa, Harumi

    2018-02-01

    In La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF) cathode/Gd-doped ceria (GDC)/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-electrolyte based solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), one of the key issues affecting performance and long-term stability is the apparent deactivation of LSCF cathode by the presence of secondary phases such as SrZrO3 at the interfaces. Herein, we report that by modifying the cathode-interlayer interface with a dense LSCF thin film, the severe cation interdiffusion is suppressed especially the fast gas or surface diffusion of Sr into adjacent GDC-interlayer/YSZ-electrolyte resulting in the significant reduction of SrZrO3 formation at the interfaces improving cell stability. In order to understand the present results, the interface chemistry is carefully considered and discussed. The results show that modification of cathode-interlayer interfaces is an important strategy for improving the lifetime of SOFCs.

  2. Computation of the stability derivatives via CFD and the sensitivity equations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Guo-Dong; Ren, Yu-Xin

    2011-04-01

    The method to calculate the aerodynamic stability derivates of aircrafts by using the sensitivity equations is extended to flows with shock waves in this paper. Using the newly developed second-order cell-centered finite volume scheme on the unstructured-grid, the unsteady Euler equations and sensitivity equations are solved simultaneously in a non-inertial frame of reference, so that the aerodynamic stability derivatives can be calculated for aircrafts with complex geometries. Based on the numerical results, behavior of the aerodynamic sensitivity parameters near the shock wave is discussed. Furthermore, the stability derivatives are analyzed for supersonic and hypersonic flows. The numerical results of the stability derivatives are found in good agreement with theoretical results for supersonic flows, and variations of the aerodynamic force and moment predicted by the stability derivatives are very close to those obtained by CFD simulation for both supersonic and hypersonic flows.

  3. Efficient MRI labeling of endothelial progenitor cells: design of thiolated surface stabilized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahnaz, Gul; Kremser, Christian; Reinisch, Andreas; Vetter, Anja; Laffleur, Flavia; Rahmat, Deni; Iqbal, Javed; Dünnhaupt, Sarah; Salvenmoser, Willi; Tessadri, Richard; Griesser, Ulrich; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2013-11-01

    The aim of this study was to design thiolated surface stabilized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (TSS-SPIONs) for efficient internalization with high MRI sensitivity. TSS-SPIONs were developed by chelation between thiolated chitosan-thioglycolic acid (chitosan-TGA) hydrogel and iron ions (Fe(2+)/Fe(3+)). Likely, unmodified chitosan hydrogel SPIONs (UC-SPIONs) and uncoated SPIONs were used as control. Moreover, TSS-SPIONs were investigated regarding to their iron core size, hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential, iron contents, molar relaxivities (r1 and r2), and cellular internalization. TSS-SPIONs demonstrated an iron oxide core diameter (crystallite size by XRD) of 3.1 ± 0.02 nm, a hydrodynamic diameter of 94 ± 20 nm, a zeta potential of +21 ± 5 mV, and an iron content of 3.6 ± 0.9 mg/mL. In addition, internalization of TSS-SPIONs into human endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) from umbilical cord blood was more than threefold and 17-fold higher in contrast to UC-SPIONs and SPIONs, respectively. With twofold lower incubation iron concentration of TSS-SPIONs, more than threefold higher internalization was achieved as compared to Resovist®. Also, cell viability of more than 90% was observed in the presence of TSS-SPIONs after 24h. The molar MR relaxivities (r2) value at 1.5 T was threefold higher than that of Resovist® and demonstrated that TSS-SPIONs have the potential as very effective T2 contrast-enhancement agent. According to these findings, TSS-SPIONs with efficient internalization, lower cytotoxicity, and high MRI sensitivity seem to be promising for cell tracking. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Study of alpha hemoglobin stabilizing protein expression in patients with β thalassemia and sickle cell anemia and its impact on clinical severity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmoud, Hanan Mohamed; Shoeib, Ahmed Al-Saiid Hamed; Abd El Ghany, Shereen Mohamed; Reda, Marwa Mohamed; Ragab, Iman Ahmed

    2015-12-01

    The α hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP) binds α-Hb and prevents its precipitation limiting free α-Hb toxicities. Our aim was to study AHSP expression in β thalassemia syndromes in relation to their clinical severity and to compare it with its level in sickle cell anemia. We compared patients with β-thalassemia (n=37) (β-thalassemia major (BTM) (n=19) and β-thalassemia intermedia (BTI) (n=18)) with 12 patients with sickle cell anemia as regards clinical severity, age at presentation, transfusion dependency, mean pre-transfusion hemoglobin level, use of hydroxyurea and AHSP expression by real time quantitative PCR. Median (and IQR) AHSP expression was significantly higher in patients with sickle cell anemia 2275 (3898) compared to thalassemia 283 (718), P=0.001, with no significant difference between BTM and BTI (P=0.346). It was also significantly higher in non-transfusion dependent patients with β thalassemia (NTDT) compared to transfusion dependent ones (P=0.019), and in patients on hydroxyurea therapy (Psickle cell anemia versus thalassemia, with no significant difference between BTM and BTI. Expression was higher in patients with NTDT and on hydroxyurea therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Modelling and finite-time stability analysis of psoriasis pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oza, Harshal B.; Pandey, Rakesh; Roper, Daniel; Al-Nuaimi, Yusur; Spurgeon, Sarah K.; Goodfellow, Marc

    2017-08-01

    A new systems model of psoriasis is presented and analysed from the perspective of control theory. Cytokines are treated as actuators to the plant model that govern the cell population under the reasonable assumption that cytokine dynamics are faster than the cell population dynamics. The analysis of various equilibria is undertaken based on singular perturbation theory. Finite-time stability and stabilisation have been studied in various engineering applications where the principal paradigm uses non-Lipschitz functions of the states. A comprehensive study of the finite-time stability properties of the proposed psoriasis dynamics is carried out. It is demonstrated that the dynamics are finite-time convergent to certain equilibrium points rather than asymptotically or exponentially convergent. This feature of finite-time convergence motivates the development of a modified version of the Michaelis-Menten function, frequently used in biology. This framework is used to model cytokines as fast finite-time actuators.

  6. Influence of Temperature on the Colloidal Stability of Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticles in Cell Culture Media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zyuzin, Mikhail V; Honold, Tobias; Carregal-Romero, Susana; Kantner, Karsten; Karg, Matthias; Parak, Wolfgang J

    2016-04-06

    The temperature-dependence of the hydrodynamic diameter and colloidal stability of gold-polymer core-shell particles with temperature-sensitive (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)) and temperature-insensitive shells (polyallylaminine hydrochloride/polystyrensulfonate, poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride)-graft-dodecyl) are investigated in various aqueous media. The data demonstrate that for all nanoparticle agglomeration, i.e., increase in effective nanoparticle size, the presence of salts or proteins in the dispersion media has to be taken into account. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) coated nanoparticles show a reversible temperature-dependent increase in size above the volume phase transition of the polymer shell when they are dispersed in phosphate buffered saline or in media containing protein. In contrast, the nanoparticles coated with temperature-insensitive polymers show a time-dependent increase in size in phosphate buffered saline or in medium containing protein. This is due to time-dependent agglomeration, which is particularly strong in phosphate buffered saline, and induces a time-dependent, irreversible increase in the hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoparticles. This demonstrates that one has to distinguish between temperature- and time-induced agglomerations. Since the size of nanoparticles regulates their uptake by cells, temperature-dependent uptake of thermosensitive and non-thermosensitive nanoparticles by cells lines is compared. No temperature-specific difference between both types of nanoparticles could be observed. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Ketotifeno: un antialérgico efectivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Coronel Carbajal

    2001-03-01

    Full Text Available El ketotifeno es un medicamento ampliamente usado en el tratamiento de las enfermedades alérgicas, pero con discrepancias respecto a su efectividad. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo en una muestra de 87 pacientes en las edades comprendidas entre 6 meses y 15 años, en el Hospital General Docente «Armando Enrique Cardoso» en el período comprendido entre noviembre de 1998 y enero del 2000. El objetivo fue evaluar la efectividad del ketotifeno en el tratamiento de las enfermedades alérgicas, así como reconocer sus principales efectos colaterales y el tiempo en aparecer la mejoría clínica. Los resultados obtenidos al aplicar un formulario se presentan en 5 tablas y se expresan en tanto por cientos. Se llegaron a las siguientes conclusiones: el ketotifeno resultó efectivo en el 72,6 % de los pacientes, en el 71,3 %, este medicamento fue efectivo en la prevención de las exacerbaciones de asma bronquial, sólo el 25,2 % manifestó algún efecto adverso y el tiempo promedio en notar el control fue entre 4 y 8 semanas en el 58,7 % de los pacientes.Ketotifen is a drug that is widely used in the treatment of allergic diseases, but there are discrepancies in relation to its effectiveness. A descriptive study of a sample of 87 patients between 6 months old and and 15 years old was conducted at "Armando Enrique Cardoso" General Teaching Hospital from November, 1998, to January, 2000, aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of ketotifen in the treatment of allergic diseases as well as to recognize its main side effects and the moment when the clinical improvement begins. The results obtained after applying a formulary are shown in 5 tables and are expressed in percentage. The following conclusions were reached: ketotifen proved to be effective in 72.6 % of the patients, this drug was effective in the prevention of aggravations of bronchial asthma in 71.3 %, only 25.2 % suffered from some adverse effect and the average time to control the disease was

  8. On the stability of shear-Alfven vortices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jovanovic, D.; Horton, W.

    1993-08-01

    Linear stability of shear-Alfven vortices is studied analytically using the Lyapunov method. Instability is demonstrated for vortices belonging to the drift mode, which is a generalization of the standard Hasegawa-Mima vortex to the case of large parallel phase velocities. In the case of the convective-cell mode, short perpendicular-wavelength perturbations are stable for a broad class of vortices. Eventually, instability of convective-cell vortices may occur on the perpendicular scale comparable with the vortex size, but it is followed by a simultaneous excitation of coherent structures with better localization than the original vortex

  9. Thermal stability and modeling of lithium ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botte, Gerardine Gabriela

    2000-10-01

    First-principles mathematical models were developed to examine the effect of the lithium-lithium ion interactions inside the anode particles on the performance of a lithium foil cell. Two different models were developed: the chemical potential model (CPM) that includes the lithium-lithium ion interactions inside the anode particles and the diffusion model (DIM) that does not include the interactions. Significant differences in the thermal and electrochemical performance of the cell were observed between the two approaches. The temperature of the cell predicted by the DFM is higher than the one predicted by the CPM at a given capacity. The discharge time of the cell predicted by the DFM is shorter than the one predicted by the CPM. The results indicate that the cell needs to be modeled using the CPM approach especially at high discharge rates. An evaluation of the numerical techniques, control volume formulation (CVF) and finite difference method (FDM), used for the models was performed. It is shown that the truncation error is the same for both methods when the boundary conditions are of the Dirichlet type, the system of equations are linear and represented in Cartesian coordinates. A new technique to analyze the accuracy of the methods is presented. The only disadvantage of the FDM is that it failed to conserve mass for a small number of nodes when both boundary conditions include a derivative term whereas the CVF did conserve mass for these cases. However, for a large number of nodes the FDM provides mass conservation. It is important to note that the CVF has only (DeltaX) order of accuracy for a Neumann type boundary condition whereas the FDM has (DeltaX) 2 order. The second topic of this dissertation presents a study of the thermal stability of LiPF6 EC:EMC electrolyte for lithium ion batteries. A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used to perform the study of the electrolyte. For first time, the effect of different variables on its thermal stability

  10. Cu/sub x/S-CdS thin film solar cells - aftertreatment and stability. Cu/sub x/S-CdS Duennschicht-Solarzellen - Untersuchungen ueber die Nachbehandlung und die Stabilitaet

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pfisterer, F

    1987-02-19

    The performance of Cu/sub x/S-CdS thin film solar cells can be improved significantly by a secondary treatment of the Cu layer. The physical mechanisms underlying the aftertreatment process were investigated both experimentally and theoretically. A historical review is followed by an outline of the technology and theory of these solar cells (material properties, process engineering, photovoltaic properties) and a description of Cu aftertreatment and H glowing (experimental set-up, surface potential shift, electron beam scanning). Capacity measurements in this type of thin film cell are described (space charge profile, electrolytic decomposition, copper depletion between the contact web). Aftertreatment of the copper layer enhances the solar cell efficiency, stability, and productivity, makes the immersion process less tedious, and corrects the stoichiometry. (HWJ).

  11. Effects of additives on thermal stability of Li ion cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doughty, Daniel H.; Roth, E. Peter; Crafts, Chris C.; Nagasubramanian, G.; Henriksen, Gary; Amine, Khalil

    Li ion cells are being developed for high-power applications in hybrid electric vehicles, because these cells offer superior combination of power and energy density over current cell chemistries. Cells using this chemistry are proposed for battery systems in both internal combustion engine and fuel cell-powered hybrid electric vehicles. However, the safety of these cells needs to be understood and improved for eventual widespread commercial applications. The thermal-abuse response of Li ion cells has been improved by the incorporation of more stable anode carbons and electrolyte additives. Electrolyte solutions containing vinyl ethylene carbonate (VEC), triphenyl phosphate (TPP), tris(trifluoroethyl)phosphate (TFP) as well as some proprietary flame-retardant additives were evaluated. Test cells in the 18,650 configuration were built at Sandia National Laboratories using new stable electrode materials and electrolyte additives. A special test fixture was designed to allow determination of self-generated cell heating during a thermal ramp profile. The flammability of vented gas and expelled electrolyte was studied using a novel arrangement of a spark generator placed near the cell to ignite vent gas if a flammable gas mixture was present. Flammability of vent gas was somewhat reduced by the presence of certain additives. Accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) was also used to characterize 18,650-size test cell heat and gas generation. Gas composition was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and was found to consist of CO 2, H 2, CO, methane, ethane, ethylene and small amounts of C1-C4 organic molecules.

  12. Disodium cromoglycate, a mast-cell stabilizer, alters postradiation regional cerebral blood flow in primates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cockerham, L.G.; Doyle, T.F.; Pautler, E.L.; Hampton, J.D.

    1986-01-01

    Early transient incapacitation (ETI) is the complete cessation of performance during the first 30 min after radiation exposure, and performance decrement (PD) is a reduction in performance at the same time. Supralethal doses of radiation have been shown to produce a marked decrease in regional cerebral blood flow in primates concurrent with systemic hypotension and a dramatic release of mast-cell histamine. In an attempt to elucidate mechanisms underlying the radiation-induced ETI/PD phenomena and the postradiation decrease in cerebral blood flow, primates were given the mast-cell stabilizers disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) or BRL 22321 before exposure to 100 Gy whole-body gamma radiation. Hypothalamic and cortical blood flows were measured by hydrogen clearance, before and after radiation exposure. Systemic blood pressures were determined simultaneously. The data indicated that DSCG was successful in diminishing postradiation decrease in cerebral blood flow. Irradiated animals pretreated with DSCG, showed only a 10% decrease in hypothalamic blood flow 60 min postradiation, while untreated, irradiated animals showed a 57% decrease. The cortical blood flow of DSCG treated, irradiated animals showed a triphasic response, with a decrease of 38% at 10 min postradiation, then a rise to 1% below baseline at 20 min, followed by a fall to 42% below baseline by 50 min postradiation. In contrast, the untreated, irradiated animals showed a steady decrease in cortical blood flow to 79% below baseline by 50 min postradiation. There was no significant difference in blood-pressure response between the treated and untreated, irradiated animals. Systemic blood pressure showed a 60% decrease at 10 min postradiation, falling to a 71% decrease by 60 min

  13. Stability of HAMLET--a kinetically trapped alpha-lactalbumin oleic acid complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fast, Jonas; Mossberg, Ann-Kristin; Svanborg, Catharina; Linse, Sara

    2005-02-01

    The stability toward thermal and urea denaturation was measured for HAMLET (human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells) and alpha-lactalbumin, using circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as differential scanning calorimetry. Under all conditions examined, HAMLET appears to have the same or lower stability than alpha-lactalbumin. The largest difference is seen for thermal denaturation of the calcium free (apo) forms, where the temperature at the transition midpoint is 15 degrees C lower for apo HAMLET than for apo alpha-lactalbumin. The difference becomes progressively smaller as the calcium concentration increases. Denaturation of HAMLET was found to be irreversible. Samples of HAMLET that have been renatured after denaturation have lost the specific biological activity toward tumor cells. Three lines of evidence indicate that HAMLET is a kinetic trap: (1) It has lower stability than alpha-lactalbumin, although it is a complex of alpha-lactalbumin and oleic acid; (2) its denaturation is irreversible and HAMLET is lost after denaturation; (3) formation of HAMLET requires a specific conversion protocol.

  14. Correlation of structural stability with functional remodeling of high-density lipoproteins: the importance of being disordered.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guha, Madhumita; Gao, Xuan; Jayaraman, Shobini; Gursky, Olga

    2008-11-04

    High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are protein-lipid assemblies that remove excess cell cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis. HDLs are stabilized by kinetic barriers that decelerate protein dissociation and lipoprotein fusion. We propose that similar barriers modulate metabolic remodeling of plasma HDLs; hence, changes in particle composition that destabilize HDLs and accelerate their denaturation may accelerate their metabolic remodeling. To test this notion, we correlate existing reports on HDL-mediated cell cholesterol efflux and esterification, which are obligatory early steps in cholesterol removal, with our kinetic studies of HDL stability. The results support our hypothesis and show that factors accelerating cholesterol efflux and esterification in model discoidal lipoproteins (including reduced protein size, reduced fatty acyl chain length, and/or increased level of cis unsaturation) destabilize lipoproteins and accelerate their fusion and apolipoprotein dissociation. Oxidation studies of plasma spherical HDLs show a similar trend: mild oxidation by Cu(2+) or OCl(-) accelerates cell cholesterol efflux, protein dissociation, and HDL fusion, while extensive oxidation inhibits these reactions. Consequently, moderate destabilization may be beneficial for HDL functions by facilitating insertion of cholesterol and lipophilic enzymes, promoting dissociation of lipid-poor apolipoproteins, which are primary acceptors of cell cholesterol, and thereby accelerating HDL metabolism. Therefore, HDL stability must be delicately balanced to maintain the structural integrity of the lipoprotein assembly and ensure structural specificity necessary for interactions of HDL with its metabolic partners, while facilitating rapid HDL remodeling and turnover at key junctures of cholesterol transport. The inverse correlation between HDL stability and remodeling illustrates the functional importance of structural disorder in macromolecular assemblies stabilized by kinetic barriers.

  15. Perovskite Solar Cell Stability Workshop: Quick Look Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-08-12

    AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or...Eg); can be nearly ideal either as a single material cells and for tandem cells c. High open-circuit voltages (VOC) over 1 eV d. Low bandgap...chemistries h. Low cost chemical precursors i. High abundance of the elements in the Earth j. Ability to fabricate will using room temperature

  16. Study on the chemical stability of catalyst counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells using a simple X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy-based method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Dong-Jin; Kim, Jungmin; Chung, Jongwon; Park, SungHoon; Baek, WoonJoong; Kim, Yongsu; Kim, Seongheon; Kwon, Young-Nam; Chung, JaeGwan; Kyoung, Yongkoo; Kim, Ki-Hong; Heo, Sung

    2014-12-01

    Since the chemical/electrical stability and catalytic activity are essential conditions for catalyst counter electrodes (CCEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), a simple dipping method is employed for evaluating the chemical stability of CCE candidates in an iodine-based liquid electrolyte (I-electrolyte). The chemical stabilities and transition mechanisms of the CCEs are successfully analyzed by studying the chemical transitions in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) core levels after dipping in the I-electrolyte. All films including the Pt film undergo degradation depending on the type of material. While dipping in the I-electrolyte, Cu and Au films scarcely dissolves as their respective metal sulfides, and the Al film gradually loss its metallic properties owing to Al2O3 growth. On the other hand, a previously unknown transition mechanism of organic conducting CCEs is determined based on the proposed method. Compared to the other metal films, the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and multi wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/PEDOT:PSS films undergo an entirely unique transition mechanism, which results from the chemical adsorption of organic molecules onto PEDOT:PSS molecules in the I-electrolyte. Consequently, these chemical structure transitions correspond well to the degrees of alternation in the electrical properties of DSSCs with all the investigated CCEs.

  17. Development of a Synthetic Switch to Control Protein Stability in Eukaryotic Cells with Light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taxis, Christof

    2017-01-01

    In eukaryotic cells, virtually all regulatory processes are influenced by proteolysis. Thus, synthetic control of protein stability is a powerful approach to influence cellular behavior. To achieve this, selected target proteins are modified with a conditional degradation sequence (degron) that responds to a distinct signal. For development of a synthetic degron, an appropriate sensor domain is fused with a degron such that activity of the degron is under control of the sensor. This chapter describes the development of a light-activated, synthetic degron in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This photosensitive degron module is composed of the light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) 2 photoreceptor domain of Arabidopsis thaliana phototropin 1 and a degron derived from murine ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Excitation of the photoreceptor with blue light induces a conformational change that leads to exposure and activation of the degron. Subsequently, the protein is targeted for degradation by the proteasome. Here, the strategy for degron module development and optimization is described in detail together with experimental aspects, which were pivotal for successful implementation of light-controlled proteolysis. The engineering of the photosensitive degron (psd) module may well serve as a blueprint for future development of sophisticated synthetic switches.

  18. Double-stabilized neurotensin analogues as potential radiopharmaceuticals for NTR-positive tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Garayoa, Elisa; Maes, Veronique; Bläuenstein, Peter; Blanc, Alain; Hohn, Alexander; Tourwé, Dirk; Schubiger, P August

    2006-05-01

    Overexpression of neurotensin (NT) receptors in exocrine pancreatic cancer and other neuroendocrine cancers make them interesting targets for tumor imaging and therapy. Modifications at the cleavage bonds 8-9 and 11-12 led to the synthesis of NT-XII, NT-XIII and NT-XVIII, three new stabilized analogues. (NalphaHis)Ac was coupled to the N-terminus for labeling with [(99m)Tc]-tricarbonyl. Stability was tested in vitro in human plasma and HT-29 cells. Binding to NT1 receptors and internalization/efflux were analyzed in intact HT-29 cells. Biodistribution studies were performed in nude mice bearing HT-29 xenografts. All analogues were very stable in human plasma, with half-lives of 20-21 days. Degradation in HT-29 cells was more rapid (t(1/2) of 6.5, 5 and 2.5 h for NT-XII, NT-XIII and NT-XVIII, respectively). They also showed high affinity and specificity for NT1 receptors. Bound activity was rapidly internalized at 37 degrees C. The pattern of externalization was different. NT-XII was released more slowly than NT-XIII and NT-XVIII (half of the activity still inside the cells after 24 h). Bigger differences were found in the biodistribution studies. NT-XII showed the highest tumor uptake as well as the best tumor to nontumor ratios. The modifications introduced in NT(8-13) increased plasma stability, maintaining unaffected the in vitro binding properties. The best biodistribution corresponded to NT-XII, which shows to be a good candidate for NT1 receptors overexpressing tumors. First clinical trials are ongoing.

  19. Ligand-Stabilized Reduced-Dimensionality Perovskites

    KAUST Repository

    Quan, Li Na; Yuan, Mingjian; Comin, Riccardo; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Beauregard, Eric M.; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Buin, Andrei; Kirmani, Ahmad R.; Zhao, Kui; Amassian, Aram; Kim, Dong Ha; Sargent, Edward H.

    2016-01-01

    Metal halide perovskites have rapidly advanced thin film photovoltaic performance; as a result, the materials’ observed instabilities urgently require a solution. Using density functional theory (DFT), we show that a low energy of formation, exacerbated in the presence of humidity, explains the propensity of perovskites to decompose back into their precursors. We find, also using DFT, that intercalation of phenylethylammonium between perovskite layers introduces quantitatively appreciable van der Waals interactions; and these drive an increased formation energy and should therefore improve material stability. Here we report the reduced-dimensionality (quasi-2D) perovskite films that exhibit improved stability while retaining the high performance of conventional three-dimensional perovskites. Continuous tuning of the dimensionality, as assessed using photophysical studies, is achieved by the choice of stoichiometry in materials synthesis. We achieved the first certified hysteresis-free solar power conversion in a planar perovskite solar cell, obtaining a 15.3% certified PCE, and observe greatly improved performance longevity.

  20. Ligand-Stabilized Reduced-Dimensionality Perovskites

    KAUST Repository

    Quan, Li Na

    2016-02-03

    Metal halide perovskites have rapidly advanced thin film photovoltaic performance; as a result, the materials’ observed instabilities urgently require a solution. Using density functional theory (DFT), we show that a low energy of formation, exacerbated in the presence of humidity, explains the propensity of perovskites to decompose back into their precursors. We find, also using DFT, that intercalation of phenylethylammonium between perovskite layers introduces quantitatively appreciable van der Waals interactions; and these drive an increased formation energy and should therefore improve material stability. Here we report the reduced-dimensionality (quasi-2D) perovskite films that exhibit improved stability while retaining the high performance of conventional three-dimensional perovskites. Continuous tuning of the dimensionality, as assessed using photophysical studies, is achieved by the choice of stoichiometry in materials synthesis. We achieved the first certified hysteresis-free solar power conversion in a planar perovskite solar cell, obtaining a 15.3% certified PCE, and observe greatly improved performance longevity.

  1. OTUD5 regulates p53 stability by deubiquitinating p53.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judong Luo

    Full Text Available The p53 tumour suppressor protein is a transcription factor that prevents oncogenic progression by activating the expression of apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest genes in stressed cells. The stability of p53 is tightly regulated by ubiquitin-dependent degradation, driven mainly by its negative regulators ubiquitin ligase MDM2.In this study, we have identified OTUD5 as a DUB that interacts with and deubiquitinates p53. OTUD5 forms a direct complex with p53 and controls level of ubiquitination. The function of OTUD5 is required to allow the rapid activation of p53-dependent transcription and a p53-dependent apoptosis in response to DNA damage stress.As a novel deubiquitinating enzyme for p53, OTUD5 is required for the stabilization and the activation of a p53 response.

  2. Cell-free DNA in a three-dimensional spheroid cell culture model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aucamp, Janine; Calitz, Carlemi; Bronkhorst, Abel J.

    2017-01-01

    Background Investigating the biological functions of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is limited by the interference of vast numbers of putative sources and causes of DNA release into circulation. Utilization of three-dimensional (3D) spheroid cell cultures, models with characteristics closer to the in vivo...... cultures can serve as effective, simplified in vivo-simulating “closed-circuit” models since putative sources of cfDNA are limited to only the targeted cells. In addition, cfDNA can also serve as an alternative or auxiliary marker for tracking spheroid growth, development and culture stability. Biological...... significance 3D cell cultures can be used to translate “closed-circuit” in vitro model research into data that is relevant for in vivo studies and clinical applications. In turn, the utilization of cfDNA during 3D culture research can optimize sample collection without affecting the stability of the growth...

  3. Cable Stability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bottura, L [European Organization for Nuclear Research, Geneva (Switzerland)

    2014-07-01

    Superconductor stability is at the core of the design of any successful cable and magnet application. This chapter reviews the initial understanding of the stability mechanism, and reviews matters of importance for stability such as the nature and magnitude of the perturbation spectrum and the cooling mechanisms. Various stability strategies are studied, providing criteria that depend on the desired design and operating conditions.

  4. Islands of conformational stability for filopodia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D Robert Daniels

    Full Text Available Filopodia are long, thin protrusions formed when bundles of fibers grow outwardly from a cell surface while remaining closed in a membrane tube. We study the subtle issue of the mechanical stability of such filopodia and how this depends on the deformation of the membrane that arises when the fiber bundle adopts a helical configuration. We calculate the ground state conformation of such filopodia, taking into account the steric interaction between the membrane and the enclosed semiflexible fiber bundle. For typical filopodia we find that a minimum number of fibers is required for filopodium stability. Our calculation elucidates how experimentally observed filopodia can obviate the classical Euler buckling condition and remain stable up to several tens of μm. We briefly discuss how experimental observation of the results obtained in this work for the helical-like deformations of enclosing membrane tubes in filopodia could possibly be observed in the acrosomal reactions of the sea cucumber Thyone, and the horseshoe crab Limulus. Any realistic future theories for filopodium stability are likely to rely on an accurate treatment of such steric effects, as analysed in this work.

  5. Regulation of ARE-mRNA Stability by Cellular Signaling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damgaard, Christian Kroun; Lykke-Andersen, Jens

    2013-01-01

    but as a response to different cellular cues they can become either stabilized, allowing expression of a given gene, or further destabilized to silence their expression. These tightly regulated mRNAs include many that encode growth factors, proto-oncogenes, cytokines, and cell cycle regulators. Failure to properly...

  6. Replication fork stability confers chemoresistance in BRCA-deficient cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chaudhuri, Arnab Ray; Callen, Elsa; Ding, Xia

    2016-01-01

    /4 complex protein, PTIP, protects Brca1/2-deficient cells from DNA damage and rescues the lethality of Brca2-deficient embryonic stem cells. However, PTIP deficiency does not restore homologous recombination activity at double-strand breaks. Instead, its absence inhibits the recruitment of the MRE11......Cells deficient in the Brca1 and Brca2 genes have reduced capacity to repair DNA double-strand breaks by homologous recombination and consequently are hypersensitive to DNA-damaging agents, including cisplatin and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. Here we show that loss of the MLL3...... nuclease to stalled replication forks, which in turn protects nascent DNA strands from extensive degradation. More generally, acquisition of PARP inhibitors and cisplatin resistance is associated with replication fork protection in Brca2-deficient tumour cells that do not develop Brca2 reversion mutations...

  7. Vinyl Monomers Double as UV Stabilizers: 179th ACS Meeting Houston.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chemical and Engineering News, 1980

    1980-01-01

    Synthesis and polymerization of vinyl monomers that double as stabilizers against degradation of plastics by ultraviolet light has been accomplished. Potential applications include protection of photovoltaic cells in solar power plants. (Author/RE)

  8. The stress protein BAG3 stabilizes Mcl-1 protein and promotes survival of cancer cells and resistance to antagonist ABT-737.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boiani, Mariana; Daniel, Cristina; Liu, Xueyuan; Hogarty, Michael D; Marnett, Lawrence J

    2013-03-08

    Members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins are important inhibitors of apoptosis in human cancer and are targets for novel anticancer agents such as the Bcl-2 antagonists, ABT-263 (Navitoclax), and its analog ABT-737. Unlike Bcl-2, Mcl-1 is not antagonized by ABT-263 or ABT-737 and is considered to be a major factor in resistance. Also, Mcl-1 exhibits differential regulation when compared with other Bcl-2 family members and is a target for anticancer drug discovery. Here, we demonstrate that BAG3, an Hsp70 co-chaperone, protects Mcl-1 from proteasomal degradation, thereby promoting its antiapoptotic activity. Using neuroblastoma cell lines, with a defined Bcl-2 family dependence, we found that BAG3 expression correlated with Mcl-1 dependence and ABT-737 resistance. RNA silencing of BAG3 led to a marked reduction in Mcl-1 protein levels and overcame ABT-737 resistance in Mcl-1-dependent cells. In ABT-737-resistant cells, Mcl-1 co-immunoprecipitated with BAG3, and loss of Mcl-1 after BAG3 silencing was prevented by proteasome inhibition. BAG3 and Mcl-1 were co-expressed in a panel of diverse cancer cell lines resistant to ABT-737. Silencing BAG3 reduced Mcl-1 protein levels and overcame ABT-737 resistance in several of the cell lines, including triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB231) and androgen receptor-negative prostate cancer (PC3) cells. These studies identify BAG3-mediated Mcl-1 stabilization as a potential target for cancer drug discovery.

  9. The Stress Protein BAG3 Stabilizes Mcl-1 Protein and Promotes Survival of Cancer Cells and Resistance to Antagonist ABT-737*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boiani, Mariana; Daniel, Cristina; Liu, Xueyuan; Hogarty, Michael D.; Marnett, Lawrence J.

    2013-01-01

    Members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins are important inhibitors of apoptosis in human cancer and are targets for novel anticancer agents such as the Bcl-2 antagonists, ABT-263 (Navitoclax), and its analog ABT-737. Unlike Bcl-2, Mcl-1 is not antagonized by ABT-263 or ABT-737 and is considered to be a major factor in resistance. Also, Mcl-1 exhibits differential regulation when compared with other Bcl-2 family members and is a target for anticancer drug discovery. Here, we demonstrate that BAG3, an Hsp70 co-chaperone, protects Mcl-1 from proteasomal degradation, thereby promoting its antiapoptotic activity. Using neuroblastoma cell lines, with a defined Bcl-2 family dependence, we found that BAG3 expression correlated with Mcl-1 dependence and ABT-737 resistance. RNA silencing of BAG3 led to a marked reduction in Mcl-1 protein levels and overcame ABT-737 resistance in Mcl-1-dependent cells. In ABT-737-resistant cells, Mcl-1 co-immunoprecipitated with BAG3, and loss of Mcl-1 after BAG3 silencing was prevented by proteasome inhibition. BAG3 and Mcl-1 were co-expressed in a panel of diverse cancer cell lines resistant to ABT-737. Silencing BAG3 reduced Mcl-1 protein levels and overcame ABT-737 resistance in several of the cell lines, including triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB231) and androgen receptor-negative prostate cancer (PC3) cells. These studies identify BAG3-mediated Mcl-1 stabilization as a potential target for cancer drug discovery. PMID:23341456

  10. Poly(4-Vinylpyridine)-Based Interfacial Passivation to Enhance Voltage and Moisture Stability of Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhary, Bhumika; Kulkarni, Ashish; Jena, Ajay Kumar; Ikegami, Masashi; Udagawa, Yosuke; Kunugita, Hideyuki; Ema, Kazuhiro; Miyasaka, Tsutomu

    2017-06-09

    It is well known that the surface trap states and electronic disorders in the solution-processed CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite film affect the solar cell performance significantly and moisture sensitivity of photoactive perovskite material limits its practical applications. Herein, we show the surface modification of a perovskite film with a solution-processable hydrophobic polymer (poly(4-vinylpyridine), PVP), which passivates the undercoordinated lead (Pb) atoms (on the surface of perovskite) by its pyridine Lewis base side chains and thereby eliminates surface-trap states and non-radiative recombination. Moreover, it acts as an electron barrier between the perovskite and hole-transport layer (HTL) to reduce interfacial charge recombination, which led to improvement in open-circuit voltage (V oc ) by 120 to 160 mV whereas the standard cell fabricated in same conditions showed V oc as low as 0.9 V owing to dominating interfacial recombination processes. Consequently, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) increased by 3 to 5 % in the polymer-modified devices (PCE=15 %) with V oc more than 1.05 V and hysteresis-less J-V curves. Advantageously, hydrophobicity of the polymer chain was found to protect the perovskite surface from moisture and improved stability of the non-encapsulated cells, which retained their device performance up to 30 days of exposure to open atmosphere (50 % humidity). © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Control of locomotor stability in stabilizing and destabilizing environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Mengnan/Mary; Brown, Geoffrey; Gordon, Keith E

    2017-06-01

    To develop effective interventions targeting locomotor stability, it is crucial to understand how people control and modify gait in response to changes in stabilization requirements. Our purpose was to examine how individuals with and without incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) control lateral stability in haptic walking environments that increase or decrease stabilization demands. We hypothesized that people would adapt to walking in a predictable, stabilizing viscous force field and unpredictable destabilizing force field by increasing and decreasing feedforward control of lateral stability, respectively. Adaptations in feedforward control were measured using after-effects when fields were removed. Both groups significantly (pfeedforward adaptions to increase control of lateral stability. In contrast, in the destabilizing field, non-impaired subjects increased movement variability (p0.05). When the destabilizing field was removed, increases in movement variability persisted (pfeedforward decreases in resistance to perturbations. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Stabilization of chromosomes by DNA intercalators for flow karyotyping and identification by banding of isolated chromosomes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aten, J. A.; Buys, C. H.; van der Veen, A. Y.; Mesa, J. R.; Yu, L. C.; Gray, J. W.; Osinga, J.; Stap, J.

    1987-01-01

    A number of structurally unrelated DNA intercalators have been studied as stabilizers of mitotic chromosomes during isolation from rodent and human metaphase cells. Seven out of the nine intercalators tested were found to be useful as chromosome stabilizing agents. Chromosome suspensions prepared in

  13. Kinesin expands and stabilizes the GDP-microtubule lattice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peet, Daniel R.; Burroughs, Nigel J.; Cross, Robert A.

    2018-05-01

    Kinesin-1 is a nanoscale molecular motor that walks towards the fast-growing (plus) ends of microtubules, hauling molecular cargo to specific reaction sites in cells. Kinesin-driven transport is central to the self-organization of eukaryotic cells and shows great promise as a tool for nano-engineering1. Recent work hints that kinesin may also play a role in modulating the stability of its microtubule track, both in vitro2,3 and in vivo4, but the results are conflicting5-7 and the mechanisms are unclear. Here, we report a new dimension to the kinesin-microtubule interaction, whereby strong-binding state (adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-bound and apo) kinesin-1 motor domains inhibit the shrinkage of guanosine diphosphate (GDP) microtubules by up to two orders of magnitude and expand their lattice spacing by 1.6%. Our data reveal an unexpected mechanism by which the mechanochemical cycles of kinesin and tubulin interlock, and so allow motile kinesins to influence the structure, stability and mechanics of their microtubule track.

  14. Stability of Dry Probiotic Bacteria in Relation to the Cellular Membrane and Genomic DNA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Marie-Louise Rittermann W

    powders to infant formula and functional foods, e.g. cereal and chocolate bars. Part of production of the probiotic product often includes freeze-drying of the probiotic bacteria. Drying is necessary in the preparation of dry powders, and to increase shelf life of the product at ambient temperatures....... Freeze-drying and storage of probiotic bacteria can, however, also have a negative effect on cell stability. It is important to understand the processes, which can lead to loss of cell stability during dry storage in order to develop more stable probiotic products. The purpose of the present PhD thesis...

  15. Ion Migration in Organometal Trihalide Perovskite and Its Impact on Photovoltaic Efficiency and Stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Yongbo; Huang, Jinsong

    2016-02-16

    Organometal trihalide perovskites (OTPs) are emerging as very promising photovoltaic materials because the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of OTP solar cells quickly rises and now rivals with that of single crystal silicon solar cells after only five-years research. Their prospects to replace silicon photovoltaics to reduce the cost of renewable clean energy are boosted by the low-temperature solution processing as well as the very low-cost raw materials and relative insensitivity to defects. The flexibility, semitransparency, and vivid colors of perovskite solar cells are attractive for niche applications such as built-in photovoltaics and portable lightweight chargers. However, the low stability of current hybrid perovskite solar cells remains a serious issue to be solved before their broad application. Among all those factors that affect the stability of perovskite solar cells, ion migration in OTPs may be intrinsic and cannot be taken away by device encapsulation. The presence of ion migration has received broad attention after the report of photocurrent hysteresis in OTP based solar cells. As suggested by much direct and indirect experimental evidence, the ion migration is speculated to be the origin or an important contributing factor for many observed unusual phenomenon in OTP materials and devices, such as current-voltage hysteresis, switchable photovoltaic effect, giant dielectric constant, diminished transistor behavior at room temperature, photoinduced phase separation, photoinduced self-poling effect, and electrical-field driven reversible conversion between lead iodide (PbI2) and methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3). Undoubtedly thorough insight into the ion-migration mechanism is highly desired for the development of OTP based devices to improve intrinsic stability in the dark and under illumination. In this Account, we critically review the recent progress in understanding the fundamental science on ion migration in OTP based solar cells. We look

  16. Ankyrin G expression is associated with androgen receptor stability, invasiveness, and lethal outcome in prostate cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tingting; Abou-Ouf, Hatem; Hegazy, Samar A; Alshalalfa, Mohammed; Stoletov, Konstantin; Lewis, John; Donnelly, Bryan; Bismar, Tarek A

    2016-12-01

    Ankyrin G (ANK3) is a member of the Ankyrin family, which functions to provide cellular stability by anchoring the cytoskeleton to the plasma membrane. Deregulation of ANK3 expression has been observed in multiple human cancers but its mechanism remains unknown. ANK3 expression in relation to disease progression and patients' outcome was investigated in two cohorts of prostate cancer (PCA). Mechanistic studies were carried out in vitro and in vivo using several PCA cell lines and the avian embryo model. Silencing ANK3 resulted in significant reduction of cell proliferation through an AR-independent mechanism. Decreased ANK3 expression delayed S phase to G2/M cell cycle transition and reduced the expression of cyclins A and B. However, cells with knocked-down ANK3 exhibited significant increase in cell invasion through an AR-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, we found that ANK3 is a regulator of AR protein stability. ANK3 knockdown also promoted cancer cell invasion and extravasations in vivo using the avian embryo model (p cancer tissues was correlated with better cancer-specific survival of PCA patients (p = 0.012). Silencing ANK3 results in significant reduction of cell proliferation through an AR-independent mechanism. ANK3 knockdown results in significant increase in cell invasion through an AR-dependent mechanism. ANK3 is a regulator of AR protein stability. ANK3 knockdown also promotes cancer cell invasion and extravasation in vivo using the avian embryo model.

  17. Stability and toxicity of ZnO quantum dots: Interplay between nanoparticles and bacteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bellanger, Xavier, E-mail: xavier.bellanger@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine and CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour l’Environnement (LCPME), UMR 7564, 15 Avenue du Charmois, 54500 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy (France); Billard, Patrick, E-mail: patrick.billard@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine and CNRS, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), UMR 7360, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy (France); Schneider, Raphaël, E-mail: raphael.schneider@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine and CNRS, Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés (LRGP), UMR 7274, 1 rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy Cedex (France); Balan, Lavinia, E-mail: lavinia.balan@uha.fr [Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), UMR 7361, CNRS, 15 rue Jean Starcky, 68093 Mulhouse (France); Merlin, Christophe, E-mail: christophe.merlin@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine and CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour l’Environnement (LCPME), UMR 7564, 15 Avenue du Charmois, 54500 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy (France)

    2015-02-11

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Dilution of aminosilane-capped ZnO QDs dramatically increases their dissolution. • Bacteria limit Zn{sup 2+} leakage from ZnO QDs in a physiological-dependent process. • Implementation of biosensors for assessing free metal promotes QDs instability. • Dialysis combined to ICP allows studying QDs stability without prior dilution. - Abstract: The toxicity of quantum dots (QDs) has been commonly attributed to the release of metal ions from the core as well as to the production of reactive oxygen species. However, the information related to the stability of the nanoparticles are relatively scarce although this parameter may strongly influence their toxicity. The stability of aminosilane-capped ZnO QDs, here used as model nanoparticles, was investigated by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and whole cell biosensors using a dialysis setup to separate the QDs from the leaked Zn{sup 2+} ions. The integrity of the ZnO QDs appeared strongly affected by their dilution in aqueous medium, whereas the nanoparticles were slightly stabilized by bacteria. Our results demonstrate some inadequacy between the implementation and use of whole cell biosensors, and the monitoring of metal release from QDs.

  18. Small cell ovarian carcinoma: genomic stability and responsiveness to therapeutics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamwell, Lisa F; Gambaro, Karen; Merziotis, Maria; Crane, Colleen; Arcand, Suzanna L; Bourada, Valerie; Davis, Christopher; Squire, Jeremy A; Huntsman, David G; Tonin, Patricia N; Vanderhyden, Barbara C

    2013-02-21

    The biology of small cell ovarian carcinoma of the hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT), which is a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer, is poorly understood. Tumourigenicity, in vitro growth characteristics, genetic and genomic anomalies, and sensitivity to standard and novel chemotherapeutic treatments were investigated in the unique SCCOHT cell line, BIN-67, to provide further insight in the biology of this rare type of ovarian cancer. The tumourigenic potential of BIN-67 cells was determined and the tumours formed in a xenograft model was compared to human SCCOHT. DNA sequencing, spectral karyotyping and high density SNP array analysis was performed. The sensitivity of the BIN-67 cells to standard chemotherapeutic agents and to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and the JX-594 vaccinia virus was tested. BIN-67 cells were capable of forming spheroids in hanging drop cultures. When xenografted into immunodeficient mice, BIN-67 cells developed into tumours that reflected the hypercalcemia and histology of human SCCOHT, notably intense expression of WT-1 and vimentin, and lack of expression of inhibin. Somatic mutations in TP53 and the most common activating mutations in KRAS and BRAF were not found in BIN-67 cells by DNA sequencing. Spectral karyotyping revealed a largely normal diploid karyotype (in greater than 95% of cells) with a visibly shorter chromosome 20 contig. High density SNP array analysis also revealed few genomic anomalies in BIN-67 cells, which included loss of heterozygosity of an estimated 16.7 Mb interval on chromosome 20. SNP array analyses of four SCCOHT samples also indicated a low frequency of genomic anomalies in the majority of cases. Although resistant to platinum chemotherapeutic drugs, BIN-67 cell viability in vitro was reduced by > 75% after infection with oncolytic viruses. These results show that SCCOHT differs from high-grade serous carcinomas by exhibiting few chromosomal anomalies and lacking TP53 mutations. Although BIN-67 cells are

  19. Long-Term Stability of Anode-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with a Co-Sintered Cathode Backbone and Infiltrated La0.95Co0.4Ni0.6O3 (LCN) Electro-Catalyst

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Küngas, Rainer; Veltzé, Sune; Ovtar, Simona

    2016-01-01

    Infiltration is a fabrication method that is offering potentially significant improvements in cell performance at reduced materials and fabrication costs, especially when combined with co-sintering. However, important questions regarding the long-term performance and microstructural stability of ...

  20. Relation Between the Cell Volume and the Cell Cycle Dynamics in Mammalian cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magno, A.C.G.; Oliveira, I.L.; Hauck, J.V.S.

    2016-01-01

    The main goal of this work is to add and analyze an equation that represents the volume in a dynamical model of the mammalian cell cycle proposed by Gérard and Goldbeter (2011) [1]. The cell division occurs when the cyclinB/Cdkl complex is totally degraded (Tyson and Novak, 2011)[2] and it reaches a minimum value. At this point, the cell is divided into two newborn daughter cells and each one will contain the half of the cytoplasmic content of the mother cell. The equations of our base model are only valid if the cell volume, where the reactions occur, is constant. Whether the cell volume is not constant, that is, the rate of change of its volume with respect to time is explicitly taken into account in the mathematical model, then the equations of the original model are no longer valid. Therefore, every equations were modified from the mass conservation principle for considering a volume that changes with time. Through this approach, the cell volume affects all model variables. Two different dynamic simulation methods were accomplished: deterministic and stochastic. In the stochastic simulation, the volume affects every model's parameters which have molar unit, whereas in the deterministic one, it is incorporated into the differential equations. In deterministic simulation, the biochemical species may be in concentration units, while in stochastic simulation such species must be converted to number of molecules which are directly proportional to the cell volume. In an effort to understand the influence of the new equation a stability analysis was performed. This elucidates how the growth factor impacts the stability of the model's limit cycles. In conclusion, a more precise model, in comparison to the base model, was created for the cell cycle as it now takes into consideration the cell volume variation (paper)

  1. Organic Redox Species in Aqueous Flow Batteries: Redox Potentials, Chemical Stability and Solubility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedege, Kristina; Dražević, Emil; Konya, Denes; Bentien, Anders

    2016-01-01

    Organic molecules are currently investigated as redox species for aqueous low-cost redox flow batteries (RFBs). The envisioned features of using organic redox species are low cost and increased flexibility with respect to tailoring redox potential and solubility from molecular engineering of side groups on the organic redox-active species. In this paper 33, mainly quinone-based, compounds are studied experimentially in terms of pH dependent redox potential, solubility and stability, combined with single cell battery RFB tests on selected redox pairs. Data shows that both the solubility and redox potential are determined by the position of the side groups and only to a small extent by the number of side groups. Additionally, the chemical stability and possible degradation mechanisms leading to capacity loss over time are discussed. The main challenge for the development of all-organic RFBs is to identify a redox pair for the positive side with sufficiently high stability and redox potential that enables battery cell potentials above 1 V. PMID:27966605

  2. Organic Redox Species in Aqueous Flow Batteries: Redox Potentials, Chemical Stability and Solubility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedege, Kristina; Dražević, Emil; Konya, Denes; Bentien, Anders

    2016-12-01

    Organic molecules are currently investigated as redox species for aqueous low-cost redox flow batteries (RFBs). The envisioned features of using organic redox species are low cost and increased flexibility with respect to tailoring redox potential and solubility from molecular engineering of side groups on the organic redox-active species. In this paper 33, mainly quinone-based, compounds are studied experimentially in terms of pH dependent redox potential, solubility and stability, combined with single cell battery RFB tests on selected redox pairs. Data shows that both the solubility and redox potential are determined by the position of the side groups and only to a small extent by the number of side groups. Additionally, the chemical stability and possible degradation mechanisms leading to capacity loss over time are discussed. The main challenge for the development of all-organic RFBs is to identify a redox pair for the positive side with sufficiently high stability and redox potential that enables battery cell potentials above 1 V.

  3. Graphene oxide stabilized by PLA-PEG copolymers for the controlled delivery of paclitaxel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelopoulou, A; Voulgari, E; Diamanti, E K; Gournis, D; Avgoustakis, K

    2015-06-01

    To investigate the application of water-dispersible poly(lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) copolymers for the stabilization of graphene oxide (GO) aqueous dispersions and the feasibility of using the PLA-PEG stabilized GO as a delivery system for the potent anticancer agent paclitaxel. A modified Staudenmaier method was applied to synthesize graphene oxide (GO). Diblock PLA-PEG copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of dl-lactide in the presence of monomethoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG). Probe sonication in the presence of PLA-PEG copolymers was applied in order to reduce the hydrodynamic diameter of GO to the nano-size range according to dynamic light scattering (DLS) and obtain nano-graphene oxide (NGO) composites with PLA-PEG. The composites were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and DLS. The colloidal stability of the composites was evaluated by recording the size of the composite particles with time and the resistance of composites to aggregation induced by increasing concentrations of NaCl. The composites were loaded with paclitaxel and the in vitro release profile was determined. The cytotoxicity of composites against A549 human lung cancer cells in culture was evaluated by flow cytometry. The uptake of FITC-labeled NGO/PLA-PEG by A549 cells was also estimated with flow cytometry and visualized with fluorescence microscopy. The average hydrodynamic diameter of NGO/PLA-PEG according to DLS ranged between 455 and 534 nm, depending on the molecular weight and proportion of PLA-PEG in the composites. NGO/PLA-PEG exhibited high colloidal stability on storage and in the presence of high concentrations of NaCl (far exceeding physiological concentrations). Paclitaxel was effectively loaded in the composites and released by a highly sustained fashion. Drug release could be regulated by the molecular weight of the PLA-PEG copolymer and its proportion in the composite. The paclitaxel

  4. The HSOB GAIA: a cryogenic high stability cesic optical bench for missions requiring sub-nanometric optical stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courteau, Pascal; Poupinet, Anne; Kroedel, Mathias; Sarri, Giuseppe

    2017-11-01

    Global astrometry, very demanding in term of stability, requires extremely stable material for optical bench. CeSiC developed by ECM and Alcatel Alenia Space for mirrors and high stability structures, offers the best compromise in term of structural strength, stability and very high lightweight capability, with characteristics leading to be insensitive to thermo-elastic at cryogenic T°. The HSOB GAIA study realised by Alcatel Alenia Space under ESA contract aimed to design, develop and test a full scale representative High Stability Optical Bench in CeSiC. The bench has been equipped with SAGEIS-CSO laser metrology system MOUSE1, Michelson interferometer composed of integrated optics with a nm resolution. The HSOB bench has been submitted to an homogeneous T° step under vacuum to characterise the homothetic behaviour of its two arms. The quite negligible inter-arms differential measured with a nm range reproducibility, demonstrates that a complete 3D structure in CeSiC has the same CTE homogeneity as characterisation samples, fully in line with the GAIA need (1pm at 120K). This participates to the demonstration that CeSiC properties at cryogenic T° is fully appropriate to the manufacturing of complex highly stable optical structures. This successful study confirms ECM and Alcatel Alenia Space ability to define and manufacture monolithic lightweight highly stable optical structures, based on inner cells triangular design made only possible by the unique CeSiC manufacturing process.

  5. Procedures and practices for evaluating thin-film solar cell stability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roesch, R; Faber, T; von Hauff, E.L.; Brown, T. M.; Lira-Cantu, M.; Hoppe, H.

    2015-01-01

    During the last few decades, and in some cases only the last few years, novel thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies such as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), organic solar cells (OPV), and, more recently, perovskite-based solar cells (PSC) have been growing in maturity with respect to device

  6. Increased polyamines alter chromatin and stabilize autoantigens in autoimmune diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wesley H. Brooks

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Polyamines are small cations with unique combinations of charge and length that give them many putative interactions in cells. Polyamines are essential since they are involved in replication, transcription, translation, and stabilization of macro-molecular complexes. However, polyamine synthesis competes with cellular methylation for S-adenosylmethionine, the methyl donor. Also, polyamine degradation can generate reactive molecules like acrolein. Therefore, polyamine levels are tightly controlled. This control may be compromised in autoimmune diseases since elevated polyamine levels are seen in autoimmune diseases. Here a hypothesis is presented explaining how polyamines can stabilize autoantigens. In addition, the hypothesis explains how polyamines can inappropriately activate enzymes involved in NETosis, a process in which chromatin is modified and extruded from cells as extracellular traps that bind pathogens during an immune response. This polyamine-induced enzymatic activity can lead to an increase in NETosis resulting in release of autoantigenic material and tissue damage.

  7. Stability of the octameric structure affects plasminogen-binding capacity of streptococcal enolase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda J Cork

    Full Text Available Group A Streptococcus (GAS is a human pathogen that has the potential to cause invasive disease by binding and activating human plasmin(ogen. Streptococcal surface enolase (SEN is an octameric α-enolase that is localized at the GAS cell surface. In addition to its glycolytic role inside the cell, SEN functions as a receptor for plasmin(ogen on the bacterial surface, but the understanding of the molecular basis of plasmin(ogen binding is limited. In this study, we determined the crystal and solution structures of GAS SEN and characterized the increased plasminogen binding by two SEN mutants. The plasminogen binding ability of SENK312A and SENK362A is ~2- and ~3.4-fold greater than for the wild-type protein. A combination of thermal stability assays, native mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography approaches shows that increased plasminogen binding ability correlates with decreased stability of the octamer. We propose that decreased stability of the octameric structure facilitates the access of plasmin(ogen to its binding sites, leading to more efficient plasmin(ogen binding and activation.

  8. Double-stabilized neurotensin analogues as potential radiopharmaceuticals for NTR-positive tumors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia-Garayoa, Elisa [Center for Radiopharmaceutical Science, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)]. E-mail: elisa.garcia@psi.ch; Maes, Veronique [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Organic Chemistry, B-1050 Brussel (Belgium); Blaeuenstein, Peter [Center for Radiopharmaceutical Science, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Blanc, Alain [Center for Radiopharmaceutical Science, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Hohn, Alexander [Center for Radiopharmaceutical Science, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Tourwe, Dirk [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Organic Chemistry, B-1050 Brussel (Belgium); Schubiger, P. August [Center for Radiopharmaceutical Science, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)

    2006-05-15

    Introduction: Overexpression of neurotensin (NT) receptors in exocrine pancreatic cancer and other neuroendocrine cancers make them interesting targets for tumor imaging and therapy. Modifications at the cleavage bonds 8-9 and 11-12 led to the synthesis of NT-XII, NT-XIII and NT-XVIII, three new stabilized analogues. (N{alpha}His)Ac was coupled to the N-terminus for labeling with [{sup 99m}Tc]-tricarbonyl. Methods: Stability was tested in vitro in human plasma and HT-29 cells. Binding to NT1 receptors and internalization/efflux were analyzed in intact HT-29 cells. Biodistribution studies were performed in nude mice bearing HT-29 xenografts. Results: All analogues were very stable in human plasma, with half-lives of 20-21 days. Degradation in HT-29 cells was more rapid (t {sub 1/2} of 6.5, 5 and 2.5 h for NT-XII, NT-XIII and NT-XVIII, respectively). They also showed high affinity and specificity for NT1 receptors. Bound activity was rapidly internalized at 37{sup o}C. The pattern of externalization was different. NT-XII was released more slowly than NT-XIII and NT-XVIII (half of the activity still inside the cells after 24 h). Bigger differences were found in the biodistribution studies. NT-XII showed the highest tumor uptake as well as the best tumor to nontumor ratios. Conclusion: The modifications introduced in NT(8-13) increased plasma stability, maintaining unaffected the in vitro binding properties. The best biodistribution corresponded to NT-XII, which shows to be a good candidate for NT1 receptors overexpressing tumors. First clinical trials are ongoing.

  9. Double-stabilized neurotensin analogues as potential radiopharmaceuticals for NTR-positive tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia-Garayoa, Elisa; Maes, Veronique; Blaeuenstein, Peter; Blanc, Alain; Hohn, Alexander; Tourwe, Dirk; Schubiger, P. August

    2006-01-01

    Introduction: Overexpression of neurotensin (NT) receptors in exocrine pancreatic cancer and other neuroendocrine cancers make them interesting targets for tumor imaging and therapy. Modifications at the cleavage bonds 8-9 and 11-12 led to the synthesis of NT-XII, NT-XIII and NT-XVIII, three new stabilized analogues. (NαHis)Ac was coupled to the N-terminus for labeling with [ 99m Tc]-tricarbonyl. Methods: Stability was tested in vitro in human plasma and HT-29 cells. Binding to NT1 receptors and internalization/efflux were analyzed in intact HT-29 cells. Biodistribution studies were performed in nude mice bearing HT-29 xenografts. Results: All analogues were very stable in human plasma, with half-lives of 20-21 days. Degradation in HT-29 cells was more rapid (t 1/2 of 6.5, 5 and 2.5 h for NT-XII, NT-XIII and NT-XVIII, respectively). They also showed high affinity and specificity for NT1 receptors. Bound activity was rapidly internalized at 37 o C. The pattern of externalization was different. NT-XII was released more slowly than NT-XIII and NT-XVIII (half of the activity still inside the cells after 24 h). Bigger differences were found in the biodistribution studies. NT-XII showed the highest tumor uptake as well as the best tumor to nontumor ratios. Conclusion: The modifications introduced in NT(8-13) increased plasma stability, maintaining unaffected the in vitro binding properties. The best biodistribution corresponded to NT-XII, which shows to be a good candidate for NT1 receptors overexpressing tumors. First clinical trials are ongoing

  10. KEY INTERACTIONS FOR CLATHRIN COAT STABILITY

    Science.gov (United States)

    Böcking, Till; Aguet, Francois; Rapoport, Iris; Banzhaf, Manuel; Yu, Anan; Zeeh, Jean Christophe; Kirchhausen, Tom

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY Clathrin-coated vesicles are major carriers of vesicular traffic in eukaryotic cells. This endocytic pathway relies on cycles of clathrin coat assembly and Hsc70-mediated disassembly. Here we identify histidine residues as major determinants of lattice assembly and stability. They are located at the invariant interface between the proximal and distal segments of clathrin heavy chains, in triskelions centered on two adjacent vertices of the coated-vesicle lattice. Mutation of these histidine to glutamine alters the pH dependence of coat stability. We then describe single-particle fluorescence imaging experiments in which we follow the effect of these histidine mutations on susceptibility to Hsc70-dependent uncoating. Coats destabilized by these mutations require fewer Hsc70 molecules to initiate disassembly as predicted by a model in which Hsc70 traps conformational distortions during the auxilin- and Hsc70:ATP-mediated uncoating reaction. PMID:24815030

  11. A relation between Liapunov stability, non-wanderingness and Poisson stability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, K.H.

    1985-07-01

    In this work, some of the relations among Liapunov stability, non-wanderingness and Poisson stability are considered. In particular it is shown that for a non-wandering point in a set, positive (resp. negative) Liapunov stability in that set implies positive (resp. negative) Poisson stability in the same set. (author)

  12. Persistent inhibition of pore-based cell migration by sub-toxic doses of miuraenamide, an actin filament stabilizer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moser, Christina; Rüdiger, Daniel; Förster, Florian; von Blume, Julia; Yu, Peng; Kuster, Bernhard; Kazmaier, Uli; Vollmar, Angelika M; Zahler, Stefan

    2017-11-27

    Opposed to tubulin-binding agents, actin-binding small molecules have not yet become part of clinical tumor treatment, most likely due to the fear of general cytotoxicity. Addressing this problem, we investigated the long-term efficacy of sub-toxic doses of miuraenamide, an actin filament stabilizing natural compound, on tumor cell (SKOV3) migration. No cytotoxic effects or persistent morphological changes occurred at a concentration of miuraenamide of 20 nM. After 72 h treatment with this concentration, nuclear stiffness was increased, causing reduced migration through pores in a Boyden chamber, while cell migration and chemotaxis per se were unaltered. A concomitant time-resolved proteomic approach showed down regulation of a protein cluster after 56 h treatment. This cluster correlated best with the Wnt signaling pathway. A further analysis of the actin associated MRTF/SRF signaling showed a surprising reduction of SRF-regulated proteins. In contrast to acute effects of actin-binding compounds on actin at high concentrations, long-term low-dose treatment elicits much more subtle but still functionally relevant changes beyond simple destruction of the cytoskeleton. These range from biophysical parameters to regulation of protein expression, and may help to better understand the complex biology of actin, as well as to initiate alternative regimes for the testing of actin-targeting drugs.

  13. Regulation of Human γδ T Cells by BTN3A1 Protein Stability and ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David A. Rhodes

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Activation of human Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells by “phosphoantigens” (pAg, the microbial metabolite (E-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMB-PP and the endogenous isoprenoid intermediate isopentenyl pyrophosphate, requires expression of butyrophilin BTN3A molecules by presenting cells. However, the precise mechanism of activation of Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells by BTN3A molecules remains elusive. It is not clear what conformation of the three BTN3A isoforms transmits activation signals nor how externally delivered pAg accesses the cytosolic B30.2 domain of BTN3A1. To approach these problems, we studied two HLA haplo-identical HeLa cell lines, termed HeLa-L and HeLa-M, which showed marked differences in pAg-dependent stimulation of Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells. Levels of IFN-γ secretion by Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells were profoundly increased by pAg loading, or by binding of the pan-BTN3A specific agonist antibody CD277 20.1, in HeLa-M compared to HeLa-L cells. IL-2 production from a murine hybridoma T cell line expressing human Vγ9/Vδ2 T cell receptor (TCR transgenes confirmed that the differential responsiveness to HeLa-L and HeLa-M was TCR dependent. By tissue typing, both HeLa lines were shown to be genetically identical and full-length transcripts of the three BTN3A isoforms were detected in equal abundance with no sequence variation. Expression of BTN3A and interacting molecules, such as periplakin or RhoB, did not account for the functional variation between HeLa-L and HeLa-M cells. Instead, the data implicate a checkpoint controlling BTN3A1 stability and protein trafficking, acting at an early time point in its maturation. In addition, plasma membrane profiling was used to identify proteins upregulated in HMB-PP-treated HeLa-M. ABCG2, a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC transporter family was the most significant candidate, which crucially showed reduced expression in HeLa-L. Expression of a subset of ABC transporters, including ABCA1 and ABCG1, correlated

  14. Regulation of Human γδ T Cells by BTN3A1 Protein Stability and ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhodes, David A.; Chen, Hung-Chang; Williamson, James C.; Hill, Alfred; Yuan, Jack; Smith, Sam; Rhodes, Harriet; Trowsdale, John; Lehner, Paul J.; Herrmann, Thomas; Eberl, Matthias

    2018-01-01

    Activation of human Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells by “phosphoantigens” (pAg), the microbial metabolite (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMB-PP) and the endogenous isoprenoid intermediate isopentenyl pyrophosphate, requires expression of butyrophilin BTN3A molecules by presenting cells. However, the precise mechanism of activation of Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells by BTN3A molecules remains elusive. It is not clear what conformation of the three BTN3A isoforms transmits activation signals nor how externally delivered pAg accesses the cytosolic B30.2 domain of BTN3A1. To approach these problems, we studied two HLA haplo-identical HeLa cell lines, termed HeLa-L and HeLa-M, which showed marked differences in pAg-dependent stimulation of Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells. Levels of IFN-γ secretion by Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells were profoundly increased by pAg loading, or by binding of the pan-BTN3A specific agonist antibody CD277 20.1, in HeLa-M compared to HeLa-L cells. IL-2 production from a murine hybridoma T cell line expressing human Vγ9/Vδ2 T cell receptor (TCR) transgenes confirmed that the differential responsiveness to HeLa-L and HeLa-M was TCR dependent. By tissue typing, both HeLa lines were shown to be genetically identical and full-length transcripts of the three BTN3A isoforms were detected in equal abundance with no sequence variation. Expression of BTN3A and interacting molecules, such as periplakin or RhoB, did not account for the functional variation between HeLa-L and HeLa-M cells. Instead, the data implicate a checkpoint controlling BTN3A1 stability and protein trafficking, acting at an early time point in its maturation. In addition, plasma membrane profiling was used to identify proteins upregulated in HMB-PP-treated HeLa-M. ABCG2, a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family was the most significant candidate, which crucially showed reduced expression in HeLa-L. Expression of a subset of ABC transporters, including ABCA1 and ABCG1, correlated with

  15. Synthesis, processing and characterization of the solid oxide half-cells cathode/electrolyte of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite/Yttria-stabilized zirconia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiba, Rubens

    2010-01-01

    The ceramic films of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) and strontium doped lanthanum manganite/Yttria-stabilized zirconia (LSM/YSZ) are used as cathodes of the high temperature solid oxide fuel cells (HTSOFC). These porous ceramic films had been deposited on the YSZ dense ceramic substrate, used as electrolyte, structural component of the module, thus conferring a configuration of half-cell called auto-support. The study of the half-cell it is basic, therefore in the interface cathode/electrolyte occurs the oxygen reduction reaction, consequently influencing in the performance of the HTSOFC. In this direction, the present work contributes for the processing of thin films, using the wet powder spraying technique, adopted for the conformation of the ceramic films for allowing the attainment of porous layers with thicknesses varied in the order of micrometers. The LSM powders were synthesized by the citrate technique and the LSM/YSZ powders synthesized by the solid mixture technique. In the stage of formation were prepared organic suspensions of LSM and LSM/YSZ fed by gravity in a manual aerograph. For the formation of the YSZ substrate was used a hydraulic uniaxial press. The attainment of solid oxide half-cells cathode/electrolyte was possible of crystalline structures hexagonal for phase LSM and cubic for phase YSZ. The half-cells micrographs show that the YSZ substrate is dense, enough to be used as solid electrolyte, and the LSM and LSM/YSZ films are presented porous with approximately 30 μm of thickness and good adherence between the cathodes and the electrolyte. The presence of composite cathode between the LSM cathode and YSZ substrate, presented an increase in the electrochemical performance in the oxygen reduction reaction. (author)

  16. Characterization of Thin Films for Polymer Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tromholt, Thomas

    , but a large number of additional degradation mechanisms are introduced. Consequently, research in the stability of polymer solar cells is impractical since the extensive timeframe of stability testing reduces the pace of the research. This thesis reports the first results on the response of polymer solar...... cells to concentrated light, both in terms of performance as well as stability. Additionally, concentrated light was used to study some of the mechanisms governing solar cells operation, which are dominant when currents are very high as a consequence of high photon flux. The response in terms......The field of polymer solar cells has undergone an extensive development in recent years after the invention of semiconducting polymers in 1991. Efficiencies have gradually increased to above 10 %, and high throughput processing methods such as roll-to-roll coating allow for production of thousands...

  17. Effect of heat treatment on stability of gold particle modified carbon supported Pt-Ru anode catalysts for a direct methanol fuel cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xiaowei; Liu Juanying; Huang Qinghong; Vogel, Walter; Akins, Daniel L.; Yang Hui

    2010-01-01

    Carbon supported Au-PtRu (Au-PtRu/C) catalysts were prepared as the anodic catalysts for the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The procedure involved simple deposition of Au particles on a commercial Pt-Ru/C catalyst, followed by heat treatment of the resultant composite catalyst at 125, 175 and 200 o C in a N 2 atmosphere. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) measurements indicated that the Au nanoparticles were attached to the surface of the Pt-Ru nanoparticles. We found that the electrocatalytic activity and stability of the Au-PtRu/C catalysts for methanol oxidation is better than that of the PtRu/C catalyst. An enhanced stability of the electrocatalyst is observed and attributable to the promotion of CO oxidation by the Au nanoparticles adsorbed onto the Pt-Ru particles, by weakening the adsorption of CO, which can strongly adsorb to and poison Pt catalyst. XPS results show that Au-PtRu/C catalysts with heat treatment lead to surface segregation of Pt metal and an increase in the oxidation state of Ru, which militates against the dissolution of Ru. We additionally find that Au-PtRu/C catalysts heat-treated at 175 o C exhibit the highest electrocatalytic stability among the catalysts prepared by heat treatment: this observation is explained as due to the attainment of the highest relative concentration of gold and the highest oxidation state of Ru oxides for the catalyst pretreated at this temperature.

  18. Stability of distributed MPC in an intersection scenario

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sprodowski, T.; Pannek, J.

    2015-11-01

    The research topic of autonomous cars and the communication among them has attained much attention in the last years and is developing quickly. Among others, this research area spans fields such as image recognition, mathematical control theory, communication networks, and sensor fusion. We consider an intersection scenario where we divide the shared road space in different cells. These cells form a grid. The cars are modelled as an autonomous multi-agent system based on the Distributed Model Predictive Control algorithm (DMPC). We prove that the overall system reaches stability using Optimal Control for each multi-agent and demonstrate that by numerical results.

  19. Utilize Cementitious High Carbon Fly Ash (CHCFA) to Stabilize Cold In-Place Recycled (CIR) Asphalt Pavement as Base Coarse

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wen, Haifang; Li, Xiaojun; Edil, Tuncer; O' Donnell, Jonathan; Danda, Swapna

    2011-02-05

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of cementitious high carbon fly ash (CHCFA) stabilized recycled asphalt pavement as a base course material in a real world setting. Three test road cells were built at MnROAD facility in Minnesota. These cells have the same asphalt surface layers, subbases, and subgrades, but three different base courses: conventional crushed aggregates, untreated recycled pavement materials (RPM), and CHCFA stabilized RPM materials. During and after the construction of the three cells, laboratory and field tests were carried out to characterize the material properties. The test results were used in the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) to predict the pavement performance. Based on the performance prediction, the life cycle analyses of cost, energy consumption, and greenhouse gasses were performed. The leaching impacts of these three types of base materials were compared. The laboratory and field tests showed that fly ash stabilized RPM had higher modulus than crushed aggregate and RPM did. Based on the MEPDG performance prediction, the service life of the Cell 79 containing fly ash stabilized RPM, is 23.5 years, which is about twice the service life (11 years) of the Cell 77 with RPM base, and about three times the service life (7.5 years) of the Cell 78 with crushed aggregate base. The life cycle analysis indicated that the usage of the fly ash stabilized RPM as the base of the flexible pavement can significantly reduce the life cycle cost, the energy consumption, the greenhouse gases emission. Concentrations of many trace elements, particularly those with relatively low water quality standards, diminish over time as water flows through the pavement profile. For many elements, concentrations below US water drinking water quality standards are attained at the bottom of the pavement profile within 2-4 pore volumes of flow.

  20. Physicochemical Properties of Whey-Protein-Stabilized Astaxanthin Nanodispersion and Its Transport via a Caco-2 Monolayer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Xue; Zhao, Changhui; Lu, Jing; Guo, Mingruo

    2018-02-14

    Astaxanthin nanodispersion was prepared using whey protein isolate (WPI) and polymerized whey protein (PWP) through an emulsification-evaporation technique. The physicochemical properties of the astaxanthin nanodispersion were evaluated, and the transport of astaxanthin was assessed using a Caco-2 cell monolayer model. The astaxanthin nanodispersions stabilized by WPI and PWP (2.5%, w/w) had a small particle size (121 ± 4.9 and 80.4 ± 5.9 nm, respectively), negative ζ potential (-19.3 ± 1.5 and -35.0 ± 2.2 mV, respectively), and high encapsulation efficiency (92.1 ± 2.9 and 93.5 ± 2.4%, respectively). Differential scanning calorimetry curves indicated that amorphous astaxanthin existed in both astaxanthin nanodispersions. Whey-protein-stabilized astaxanthin nanodispersion showed resistance to pepsin digestion but readily released astaxanthin after trypsin digestion. The nanodispersions showed no cytotoxicity to Caco-2 cells at a protein concentration below 10 mg/mL. WPI- and PWP-stabilized nanodispersions improved the apparent permeability coefficient (P app ) of Caco-2 cells to astaxanthin by 10.3- and 16.1-fold, respectively. The results indicated that whey-protein-stabilized nanodispersion is a good vehicle to deliver lipophilic bioactive compounds, such as astaxanthin, and to improve their bioavailability.

  1. THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF PRICE STABILITY AS PART OF THE FINANCIAL STABILITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena RĂDULESCU

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Currently there are many authors who consider that the only objective of the central bank should be the price stability and between the respective objective and financial stability there is incompatibility. As far we are concerned, we subscribe the idea that between price stability and financial stability there are complementarities. And a strong argument in the favour of this position is also historical. Actually, many older or newer facts show that banking crises were often caused by the unfavourable macroeconomic situation coupled with the bad macroeconomic policies carried by the authorities. But, a monetary policy that aims the price stability reduces this risk. The truth is that the central banks have a series of tools that allow them to act for achieving both the objective of price stability, and that of the stability of financial sector. Although the financial stability is not, usually, an explicit objective for the modern central bank, the systematic financial instability can cancel their performances in achieving their major final objective: the price stability. Being that, because of the need that it creates to inject additional liquidity into the banking system, a crisis of the banking sector may directly affect the monetary stability. Here the mentioned complementarities arise between price stability and financial stability, although the achievement of the first does not necessarily involve the assurance of the last.

  2. Broadband Light Absorption and Efficient Charge Separation Using a Light Scattering Layer with Mixed Cavities for High-Performance Perovskite Photovoltaic Cells with Stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Byeong Cheul; Park, Jung Hyo; Lee, Dong Ki; Tsvetkov, Nikolai; Ock, Ilwoo; Choi, Kyung Min; Kang, Jeung Ku

    2017-08-01

    CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 is one of the promising light sensitizers for perovskite photovoltaic cells, but a thick layer is required to enhance light absorption in the long-wavelength regime ranging from PbI 2 absorption edge (500 nm) to its optical band-gap edge (780 nm) in visible light. Meanwhile, the thick perovskite layer suppresses visible-light absorption in the short wavelengths below 500 nm and charge extraction capability of electron-hole pairs produced upon light absorption. Herein, we find that a new light scattering layer with the mixed cavities of sizes in 100 and 200 nm between transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide and mesoporous titanium dioxide electron transport layer enables full absorption of short-wavelength photons (λ cell with a light scattering layer of mixed cavities is stabilized due to suppressed charge accumulation. Consequently, this work provides a new route to realize broadband light harvesting of visible light for high-performance perovskite photovoltaic cells. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Stabilization and functionalization of iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amstad, Esther; Textor, Marcus; Reimhult, Erik

    2011-07-01

    Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are used in a rapidly expanding number of research and practical applications in the biomedical field, including magnetic cell labeling separation and tracking, for therapeutic purposes in hyperthermia and drug delivery, and for diagnostic purposes, e.g., as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. These applications require good NP stability at physiological conditions, close control over NP size and controlled surface presentation of functionalities. This review is focused on different aspects of the stability of superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs, from its practical definition to its implementation by molecular design of the dispersant shell around the iron oxide core and further on to its influence on the magnetic properties of the superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs. Special attention is given to the selection of molecular anchors for the dispersant shell, because of their importance to ensure colloidal and functional stability of sterically stabilized superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs. We further detail how dispersants have been optimized to gain close control over iron oxide NP stability, size and functionalities by independently considering the influences of anchors and the attached sterically repulsive polymer brushes. A critical evaluation of different strategies to stabilize and functionalize core-shell superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs as well as a brief introduction to characterization methods to compare those strategies is given.Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are used in a rapidly expanding number of research and practical applications in the biomedical field, including magnetic cell labeling separation and tracking, for therapeutic purposes in hyperthermia and drug delivery, and for diagnostic purposes, e.g., as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. These applications require good NP stability at physiological conditions, close control over NP size and controlled surface

  4. Tristetraprolin regulation of interleukin 23 mRNA stability prevents a spontaneous inflammatory disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molle, Céline; Zhang, Tong; Ysebrant de Lendonck, Laure; Gueydan, Cyril; Andrianne, Mathieu; Sherer, Félicie; Van Simaeys, Gaetan; Blackshear, Perry J; Leo, Oberdan; Goriely, Stanislas

    2013-08-26

    Interleukin (IL) 12 and IL23 are two related heterodimeric cytokines produced by antigen-presenting cells. The balance between these two cytokines plays a crucial role in the control of Th1/Th17 responses and autoimmune inflammation. Most studies focused on their transcriptional regulation. Herein, we explored the role of the adenine and uridine-rich element (ARE)-binding protein tristetraprolin (TTP) in influencing mRNA stability of IL12p35, IL12/23p40, and IL23p19 subunits. LPS-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) from TTP(-/-) mice produced normal levels of IL12/23p40. Production of IL12p70 was modestly increased in these conditions. In contrast, we observed a strong impact of TTP on IL23 production and IL23p19 mRNA stability through several AREs in the 3' untranslated region. TTP(-/-) mice spontaneously develop an inflammatory syndrome characterized by cachexia, myeloid hyperplasia, dermatitis, and erosive arthritis. We observed IL23p19 expression within skin lesions associated with exacerbated IL17A and IL22 production by infiltrating γδ T cells and draining lymph node CD4 T cells. We demonstrate that the clinical and immunological parameters associated with TTP deficiency were completely dependent on the IL23-IL17A axis. We conclude that tight control of IL23 mRNA stability by TTP is critical to avoid severe inflammation.

  5. SiO2 stabilized Pt/C cathode catalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Tong; Du Chunyu; Liu Chuntao; Yin Geping; Shi Pengfei

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes the preparation of SiO 2 stabilized Pt/C catalyst (SiO 2 /Pt/C) by the hydrolysis of alkoxysilane, and examines the possibility that the SiO 2 /Pt/C is used as a durable cathode catalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). TEM and XRD results revealed that the hydrolysis of alkoxysilane did not significantly change the morphology and crystalline structure of Pt particles. The SiO 2 /Pt/C catalyst exhibited higher durability than the Pt/C one, due to the facts that the silica layers covered were beneficial for reducing the Pt aggregation and dissolution as well as increasing the corrosion resistance of supports, although the benefit of silica covering was lower than the case of Pt/CNT catalyst. Also, it was observed that the activity of the SiO 2 /Pt/C catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction was somewhat reduced compared to the Pt/C one after the silica covering. This reduction was partially due to the low oxygen kinetics as revealed by the rotating-disk-electrode measurement. Silica covering by hydrolysis of only 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane is able to achieve a good balance between the durability and activity, leading to SiO 2 /Pt/C as a promising cathode catalyst for PEMFCs.

  6. Materials for high temperature solid oxide fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singhal, S.C.

    1987-01-01

    High temperature solid oxide fuel cells show great promise for economical production of electricity. These cells are based upon the ability of stabilized zirconia to operate as an oxygen ion conductor at elevated temperatures. The design of the tubular solid oxide fuel cell being pursued at Westinghouse is illustrated. The cell uses a calcia-stabilized zironcia porous support tube, which acts both as a structural member onto which the other cell components are fabricated in the form of thin layers, and as a functional member to allow the passage, via its porosity, of air (or oxygen) to the air electrode. This paper summarizes the materials and fabrication processes for the various cell components

  7. Long-term stability of sodium caseinate-stabilized nanoemulsions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yerramilli, Manispuritha; Ghosh, Supratim

    2017-01-01

    Oil-in-water (5 wt%) nanoemulsions were prepared with different concentration (2.5-10 wt%) of sodium caseinate as a sole emulsifier and their long-term storage stability was investigated for 6 months. Previous studies associated with sodium caseinate looked only into nanoemulsion formation; hence the challenges with long-term stability were not addressed. All nanoemulsions displayed an average droplet size sodium caseinate-stabilized nanoemulsions.

  8. Degradation of CIGS solar cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Theelen, M.J.

    2015-01-01

    Thin film CIGS solar cells and individual layers within these solar cells have been tested in order to assess their long term stability. Alongside with the execution of standard tests, in which elevated temperatures and humidity levels are used, the solar cells have also been exposed to a

  9. Stabilization of enzymes against thermal stress and freeze-drying by mannosylglycerate

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramos, A.; Raven, N.; Sharp, R.J.; Bartolucci, S.; Rossi, M.; Cannio, R.; Lebbink, J.; Oost, van der J.; Vos, de W.M.; Santos, H.

    1997-01-01

    2-O-(beta)-Mannosylglycerate, a solute that accumulates in some (hyper)thermophilic organisms, was purified from Pyrococcus furiosus cells, and its effect on enzyme stabilization in vitro was assessed. Enzymes from hyperthermophilic, thermophilic, and mesophilic sources were examined. The

  10. Reconsidering figures of merit for performance and stability of perovskite photovoltaics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Khenkin, M. V.; Anoop, K. M.; Galagan, Y.

    2018-01-01

    The development of hybrid organic–inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) that combine high performance and operational stability is vital for implementing this technology. Recently, reversible improvement and degradation of PSC efficiency have been reported under illumination–darkness cyc...

  11. Olopatadine Suppresses the Migration of THP-1 Monocytes Induced by S100A12 Protein

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Olopatadine hydrochloride (olopatadine is an antiallergic drug with histamine H 1 receptor antagonistic activity. Recently, olopatadine has been shown to bind to S100A12 which is a member of the S100 family of calcium-binding proteins, and exerts multiple proinflammatory activities including chemotaxis for monocytes and neutrophils. In this study, we examined the possibility that the interaction of olopatadine with S100A12 inhibits the proinflammatory effects of S100A12. Pretreatment of olopatadine with S100A12 reduced migration of THP-1, a monocyte cell line, induced by S100A12 alone, but did not affect recombinant human regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES-induced migration. Amlexanox, which also binds to S100A12, inhibited the THP-1 migration induced by S100A12. However, ketotifen, another histamine H 1 receptor antagonist, had little effect on the activity of S100A12. These results suggest that olopatadine has a new mechanism of action, that is, suppression of the function of S100A12, in addition to histamine H 1 receptor antagonistic activity.

  12. Extracellular facile biosynthesis, characterization and stability of gold nanoparticles by Bacillus licheniformis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Sneha; Vidyarthi, Ambarish Sharan; Nigam, Vinod Kumar; Dev, Abhimanyu

    2014-02-01

    The development of a reliable, eco-friendly process for synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has gained impetus in recent years to counter the drawbacks of chemical and physical methods. This study illustrates simple, green synthesis of AuNPs in vitro using cell lysate supernatant (CLS) of non-pathogenic bacteria and to investigate its potential antimicrobial activity. Gold nanoparticles were synthesized by the reduction of precursor AuCl4- ions using the CLS of Bacillus licheniformis at 37°C upon 24 h of incubation. The nanoparticles were characterized for their morphology, particle size, optical absorption, zeta potential, and stability. Further the antimicrobial activity was assayed using cup-plate method. The process of biosynthesis was extracellular and the gold ions were reduced to stable nanogold of average size 38 nm. However, upon storage of AuNPs for longer duration at room temperature stability was influenced in terms of increase in particle size and decrease in zeta potential with respect to as synthesized nanoparticles. SEM micrographs revealed the spherical shape of AuNPs and EDX analysis confirmed the presence of gold in the sample. Also clear zone of inhibition was observed against Bacilllus subtilis MTCC 8364, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 7925, and Escherichia coli MTCC 1698 confirming the antimicrobial activity of AuNPs. The bioprocess under study was simple and less time consuming as compared to other methods as the need for harvesting AuNPs from within the microbial cells via downstream process will be eliminated. Nanoparticles exhibited good stability even in absence of external stabilizing agents. AuNPs showed good antimicrobial activity against several Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria. The extracellular biosynthesis from CLS may serve as a suitable alternative for large scale synthesis of gold nanoparticles in vitro. The synthesis from lysed bacterial cell strongly suggests that exposure of microbial whole cells to the

  13. Superconducting energy stabilizer with charging and discharging DC-DC converters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, S.H.; Kostecki, E.L.; DeWinkel, C.C.

    1992-01-01

    This patent describes a superconducting energy stabilizer having multiple load connections and employing DC-DC conversion for storing energy in a superconducting inductive energy storage device having a first end and a second end, and for releasing the stored energy from the superconducting inductive energy storage device to a load or loads or to a utility or an industrial electrical distribution system, the superconducting energy stabilizer having multiple load connections and employing DC-DC conversion. It comprises: energy storage cell means for supplying energy to the load, discharging DC-DC converter means for releasing energy from the superconducting inductive energy storage device to the energy storage cell means, the discharging DC-DC converter means having input terminals, output terminals, and a discharging control line means for carrying signals controlling the operation of the discharging DC-DC converter means, one of the input terminals of the discharging DC-DC converter means coupled to the first end of the superconducting energy storage device

  14. Curcuma mangga-Mediated Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles: Characterization, Stability, Cytotoxicity, and Blood Compatibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiing Yee Foo

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The utilization of toxic chemicals as reducing and stabilizing agents in the preparation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs has increased in vivo toxicity and thus limited its application in clinical settings. Herein, we propose an alternative method of preparing highly stable AuNPs, where non-toxic Curcuma mangga (CM extract was used as a single reducing and stabilizing agent to overcome the aforementioned constraints. The morphological images enunciated that the homogeneously dispersed AuNPs exhibited spherical morphology with an average particle diameter of 15.6 nm. Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR and cyclic voltammetry analysis demonstrated that carbonyl groups of terpenoids in CM extract played an important role in the formation and stabilization of AuNPs. Green-synthesized AuNPs were found to have good stability in physiological media after 24 h of dispersion. The AuNPs were also cytocompatible with human colon fibroblast cell (CCD-18Co and human lung fibroblast cell (MRC-5. Hemocompatibility tests revealed that the AuNPs were blood-compatible, with less than 10% of hemolysis without any aggregation of erythrocytes. The current study suggests potential in employing a CM-extract-based method in the preparation of AuNPs for anticancer diagnosis and therapy.

  15. Carbon-Based CsPbBr3 Perovskite Solar Cells: All-Ambient Processes and High Thermal Stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Xiaowen; Li, Weiping; Zhu, Liqun; Liu, Huicong; Geng, Huifang; Xiang, Sisi; Liu, Jiaming; Chen, Haining

    2016-12-14

    The device instability has been an important issue for hybrid organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). This work intends to address this issue by exploiting inorganic perovskite (CsPbBr 3 ) as light absorber, accompanied by replacing organic hole transport materials (HTM) and the metal electrode with a carbon electrode. All the fabrication processes (including those for CsPbBr 3 and the carbon electrode) in the PSCs are conducted in ambient atmosphere. Through a systematical optimization on the fabrication processes of CsPbBr 3 film, carbon-based PSCs (C-PSCs) obtained the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of about 5.0%, a relatively high value for inorganic perovskite-based PSCs. More importantly, after storage for 250 h at 80 °C, only 11.7% loss in PCE is observed for CsPbBr 3 C-PSCs, significantly lower than that for popular CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 C-PSCs (59.0%) and other reported PSCs, which indicated a promising thermal stability of CsPbBr 3 C-PSCs.

  16. Hsp70 stabilizes lysosomes and reverts Niemann-Pick disease-associated lysosomal pathology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirkegaard, Thomas; Roth, Anke G; Petersen, Nikolaj H T

    2010-01-01

    Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is an evolutionarily highly conserved molecular chaperone that promotes the survival of stressed cells by inhibiting lysosomal membrane permeabilization, a hallmark of stress-induced cell death. Clues to its molecular mechanism of action may lay in the recently...... reported stress- and cancer-associated translocation of a small portion of Hsp70 to the lysosomal compartment. Here we show that Hsp70 stabilizes lysosomes by binding to an endolysosomal anionic phospholipid bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP), an essential co-factor for lysosomal sphingomyelin metabolism......-is also associated with a marked decrease in lysosomal stability, and this phenotype can be effectively corrected by treatment with recombinant Hsp70. Taken together, these data open exciting possibilities for the development of new treatments for lysosomal storage disorders and cancer with compounds...

  17. DFT study of stabilization effects on N-doped graphene for ORR catalysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reda, Mateusz; Hansen, Heine Anton; Vegge, Tejs

    2018-01-01

    Noble metal free catalysts, such as N-doped graphene, have drawn a lot of attention as a promising replacement for platinum in low temperature fuel cells. Computational prediction of catalytic activity requires accurate description of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) intermediates adsorption...... energies. Two stabilizing effects, immanently present in experimental ORR setups with basal plane N-doped graphene catalyst, are studied systematically by means of density functional theory. Distant nitrogen with no adsorbates on neighboring carbon atoms selectively stabilizes *O and *O2 adsorbates. Water...... solvation stabilizes all ORR intermediates, having a greater impact on *O and *O2, than on *OH and *OOH, in contrast to metal and oxide catalysts. Synergistic stabilization of *O caused by both effects reaches remarkably a high value of 1.5 eV for nitrogen concentrations above 4.2% N. Such a strong effect...

  18. Zirconia stabilized by Y and Mn: A microstructural characterization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Appel, Charlotte Clausen

    1995-01-01

    Cubic stabilized ZrO(2) with 8 mol% Y(2)O(3) (YSZ) is commonly used as an electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). One of the most promising cathode materials is La, Sr-manganite (LSM). During manufacture and operation of the SOFC, Mn diffuses from the LSM into YSZ. The structural changes ca...

  19. Low levels of the AhR in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-derived lung cells increases COX-2 protein by altering mRNA stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zago, Michela; Sheridan, Jared A; Traboulsi, Hussein; Hecht, Emelia; Zhang, Yelu; Guerrina, Necola; Matthews, Jason; Nair, Parameswaran; Eidelman, David H; Hamid, Qutayba; Baglole, Carolyn J

    2017-01-01

    Heightened inflammation, including expression of COX-2, is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that is reduced in COPD-derived lung fibroblasts. The AhR also suppresses COX-2 in response to cigarette smoke, the main risk factor for COPD, by destabilizing the Cox-2 transcript by mechanisms that may involve the regulation of microRNA (miRNA). Whether reduced AhR expression is responsible for heightened COX-2 in COPD is not known. Here, we investigated the expression of COX-2 as well as the expression of miR-146a, a miRNA known to regulate COX-2 levels, in primary lung fibroblasts derived from non-smokers (Normal) and smokers (At Risk) with and without COPD. To confirm the involvement of the AhR, AhR knock-down via siRNA in Normal lung fibroblasts and MLE-12 cells was employed as were A549-AhRko cells. Basal expression of COX-2 protein was higher in COPD lung fibroblasts compared to Normal or Smoker fibroblasts but there was no difference in Cox-2 mRNA. Knockdown of AhR in lung structural cells increased COX-2 protein by stabilizing the Cox-2 transcript. There was less induction of miR-146a in COPD-derived lung fibroblasts but this was not due to the AhR. Instead, we found that RelB, an NF-κB protein, was required for transcriptional induction of both Cox-2 and miR-146a. Therefore, we conclude that the AhR controls COX-2 protein via mRNA stability by a mechanism independent of miR-146a. Low levels of the AhR may therefore contribute to the heightened inflammation common in COPD patients.

  20. Exploiting sequence and stability information for directing nanobody stability engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunz, Patrick; Flock, Tilman; Soler, Nicolas; Zaiss, Moritz; Vincke, Cécile; Sterckx, Yann; Kastelic, Damjana; Muyldermans, Serge; Hoheisel, Jörg D

    2017-09-01

    Variable domains of camelid heavy-chain antibodies, commonly named nanobodies, have high biotechnological potential. In view of their broad range of applications in research, diagnostics and therapy, engineering their stability is of particular interest. One important aspect is the improvement of thermostability, because it can have immediate effects on conformational stability, protease resistance and aggregation propensity of the protein. We analyzed the sequences and thermostabilities of 78 purified nanobody binders. From this data, potentially stabilizing amino acid variations were identified and studied experimentally. Some mutations improved the stability of nanobodies by up to 6.1°C, with an average of 2.3°C across eight modified nanobodies. The stabilizing mechanism involves an improvement of both conformational stability and aggregation behavior, explaining the variable degree of stabilization in individual molecules. In some instances, variations predicted to be stabilizing actually led to thermal destabilization of the proteins. The reasons for this contradiction between prediction and experiment were investigated. The results reveal a mutational strategy to improve the biophysical behavior of nanobody binders and indicate a species-specificity of nanobody architecture. This study illustrates the potential and limitations of engineering nanobody thermostability by merging sequence information with stability data, an aspect that is becoming increasingly important with the recent development of high-throughput biophysical methods. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Cell-cell transmission of VSV-G pseudotyped lentivector particles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amy M Skinner

    Full Text Available Many replicating viruses, including HIV-1 and HTLV-1, are efficiently transmitted from the cell surface of actively infected cells upon contact with bystander cells. In a previous study, we reported the prolonged cell surface retention of VSV-G replication-deficient pseudotyped lentivector prior to endocytic entry. However, the competing kinetics of cell surface versus dissociation, neutralization or direct transfer to other cells have received comparatively little attention. Here we demonstrate that the relative efficiency of cell-cell surface transmission can outpace "cell-free" transduction at limiting vector input. This coincides with the prolonged half-life of cell bound vector but occurs, unlike HTLV-1, without evidence for particle aggregation. These studies suggest that cell-surface attachment stabilizes particles and alters neutralization kinetics. Our experiments provide novel insight into the underexplored cell-cell transmission of pseudotyped particles.

  2. Enhancement of the chemical stability in confined δ-Bi2O3

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sanna, Simone; Esposito, Vincenzo; Andreasen, Jens Wenzel

    2015-01-01

    Bismuth-oxide-based materials are the building blocks for modern ferroelectrics1, multiferroics2, gas sensors3, light photocatalysts4 and fuel cells5,6. Although the cubic fluorite δ-phase of bismuth oxide (δ-Bi2O3) exhibits the highest conductivity of known solid-state oxygen ion conductors5, its...... instability prevents use at low temperature7–10. Here we demonstrate the possibility of stabilizing δ-Bi2O3 using highly coherent interfaces of alternating layers of Er2O3-stabilized δ-Bi2O3 and Gd2O3-doped CeO2. Remarkably, an exceptionally high chemical stability in reducing conditions and redox cycles...

  3. The Effects of Molecular Crowding on the Structure and Stability of G-Quadruplexes with an Abasic Site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujimoto, Takeshi; Nakano, Shu-ichi; Miyoshi, Daisuke; Sugimoto, Naoki

    2011-01-01

    Both cellular environmental factors and chemical modifications critically affect the properties of nucleic acids. However, the structure and stability of DNA containing abasic sites under cell-mimicking molecular crowding conditions remain unclear. Here, we investigated the molecular crowding effects on the structure and stability of the G-quadruplexes including a single abasic site. Structural analysis by circular dichroism showed that molecular crowding by PEG200 did not affect the topology of the G-quadruplex structure with or without an abasic site. Thermodynamic analysis further demonstrated that the degree of stabilization of the G-quadruplex by molecular crowding decreased with substitution of an abasic site for a single guanine. Notably, we found that the molecular crowding effects on the enthalpy change for G-quadruplex formation had a linear relationship with the abasic site effects depending on its position. These results are useful for predicting the structure and stability of G-quadruplexes with abasic sites in the cell-mimicking conditions. PMID:21949901

  4. hSSB1 associates with and promotes stability of the BLM helicase

    OpenAIRE

    O'BYRNE, KEN

    2017-01-01

    Background Maintenance of genome stability is critical in human cells. Mutations in or loss of genome stability pathways can lead to a number of pathologies including cancer. hSSB1 is a critical DNA repair protein functioning in the repair and signalling of stalled DNA replication forks, double strand DNA breaks and oxidised DNA lesions. The BLM helicase is central to the repair of both collapsed DNA replication forks and double strand DNA breaks by homologous recombination. Results In this s...

  5. Stability analysis and stabilization strategies for linear supply chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagatani, Takashi; Helbing, Dirk

    2004-04-01

    Due to delays in the adaptation of production or delivery rates, supply chains can be dynamically unstable with respect to perturbations in the consumption rate, which is known as “bull-whip effect”. Here, we study several conceivable production strategies to stabilize supply chains, which is expressed by different specifications of the management function controlling the production speed in dependence of the stock levels. In particular, we will investigate, whether the reaction to stock levels of other producers or suppliers has a stabilizing effect. We will also demonstrate that the anticipation of future stock levels can stabilize the supply system, given the forecast horizon τ is long enough. To show this, we derive linear stability conditions and carry out simulations for different control strategies. The results indicate that the linear stability analysis is a helpful tool for the judgement of the stabilization effect, although unexpected deviations can occur in the non-linear regime. There are also signs of phase transitions and chaotic behavior, but this remains to be investigated more thoroughly in the future.

  6. Adherens junction distribution mechanisms during cell-cell contact elongation in Drosophila.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabrielle Goldenberg

    Full Text Available During Drosophila gastrulation, amnioserosa (AS cells flatten and spread as an epithelial sheet. We used AS morphogenesis as a model to investigate how adherens junctions (AJs distribute along elongating cell-cell contacts in vivo. As the contacts elongated, total AJ protein levels increased along their length. However, genetically blocking this AJ addition indicated that it was not essential for maintaining AJ continuity. Implicating other remodeling mechanisms, AJ photobleaching revealed non-directional lateral mobility of AJs along the elongating contacts, as well as local AJ removal from the membranes. Actin stabilization with jasplakinolide reduced AJ redistribution, and live imaging of myosin II along elongating contacts revealed fragmented, expanding and contracting actomyosin networks, suggesting a mechanism for lateral AJ mobility. Actin stabilization also increased total AJ levels, suggesting an inhibition of AJ removal. Implicating AJ removal by endocytosis, clathrin endocytic machinery accumulated at AJs. However, dynamin disruption had no apparent effect on AJs, suggesting the involvement of redundant or dynamin-independent mechanisms. Overall, we propose that new synthesis, lateral diffusion, and endocytosis play overlapping roles to populate elongating cell-cell contacts with evenly distributed AJs in this in vivo system.

  7. Electrochemical characterization of platinum nanoparticles stabilized by amines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramirez-Meneses, E.; Dominguez-Crespo, M.A.; Montiel-Palma, V.; Chavez-Herrera, V.H.; Gomez, E.; Hernandez-Tapia, G.

    2009-01-01

    In this work we present the synthesis by Chaudret approach of Pt nanoparticles stabilized by primary amine (-NH 2 ) compounds. Their electrochemical performance as cathodes in low temperature polymer electrolite fuel cells on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is also presented. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the samples show Pt nanostructures with particle size varying from 10 to 100 nm depending on the kind of the stabilizer used during the catalyst preparation. In some cases well-dispersed isolated platinum nanoparticles were observed. The activity of the dispersed catalysts (Pt/C) with respect to the ORR was investigated using steady state polarization measurements. The kinetic parameters showed that although no significant differences between the Tafel slopes of the Pt catalysts exist, transfer coefficients and exchange current densities show higher activities when the Pt nanoparticles were stabilized by tert-butylamine (TBA). The performance with respect to the ORR of the Pt/C catalyst on vulcan carbon substrate is active and comparable to that reported in the literature for state-of-art electrocatalysts.

  8. Stability of solid oxide fuel cell materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armstrong, T.R.; Bates, J.L.; Chick, L.A. [Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

    1996-04-01

    Interconnection materials in a solid oxide fuel cell are exposed to both highly oxidizing conditions at the cathode and to highly reducing conditions at the anode. The thermal expansion characteristics of substituted lanthanum and yttrium chromite interconnect materials were evaluated by dilatometry as a function of oxygen partial pressures from 1 atm to 10{sup -18} atm, controlled using a carbon dioxide/hydrogen buffer.

  9. CDI Systems Are Stably Maintained by a Cell-Contact Mediated Surveillance Mechanism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zachary C Ruhe

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI systems are widespread amongst Gram-negative bacteria where they play important roles in inter-cellular competition and biofilm formation. CDI+ bacteria use cell-surface CdiA proteins to bind neighboring bacteria and deliver C-terminal toxin domains. CDI+ cells also express CdiI immunity proteins that specifically neutralize toxins delivered from adjacent siblings. Genomic analyses indicate that cdi loci are commonly found on plasmids and genomic islands, suggesting that these Type 5 secretion systems are spread through horizontal gene transfer. Here, we examine whether CDI toxin and immunity activities serve to stabilize mobile genetic elements using a minimal F plasmid that fails to partition properly during cell division. This F plasmid is lost from Escherichia coli populations within 50 cell generations, but is maintained in ~60% of the cells after 100 generations when the plasmid carries the cdi gene cluster from E. coli strain EC93. By contrast, the ccdAB "plasmid addiction" module normally found on F exerts only a modest stabilizing effect. cdi-dependent plasmid stabilization requires the BamA receptor for CdiA, suggesting that plasmid-free daughter cells are inhibited by siblings that retain the CDI+ plasmid. In support of this model, the CDI+ F plasmid is lost rapidly from cells that carry an additional cdiI immunity gene on a separate plasmid. These results indicate that plasmid stabilization occurs through elimination of non-immune cells arising in the population via plasmid loss. Thus, genetic stabilization reflects a strong selection for immunity to CDI. After long-term passage for more than 300 generations, CDI+ plasmids acquire mutations that increase copy number and result in 100% carriage in the population. Together, these results show that CDI stabilizes genetic elements through a toxin-mediated surveillance mechanism in which cells that lose the CDI system are detected and eliminated by

  10. Evidence for the role of histaminergic pathways in neuroprotective mechanism of ischemic postconditioning in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Indresh; Kumar, Amit; Jaggi, Amteshwar S; Singh, Nirmal

    2017-08-01

    The present study has been designed to investigate the possible role of histaminergic pathway in neuroprotective mechanism of ischemic postconditioning (iPoCo). Bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCAO) for 12 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h was employed to produce I/R-induced cerebral injury in National Institutes of Health mice mice. iPoCo involving three episodes of carotid artery occlusion and reperfusion of 10 sec each was instituted immediately after BCAO just before prolonged reperfusion. Cerebral infarct size was measured using triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Memory was evaluated using Morris water maze test. Rotarod test, inclined beam-walking test, and neurological severity score (NSS) were performed to assess motor incoordination and sensorimotor abilities. Brain acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity, brain myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, brain thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS), and glutathione level (GSH) were also estimated. BCAO produced a significant rise in cerebral infarct size and NSS along with impairment of memory and motor coordination and biochemical alteration (↑AChE, ↑MPO ↓GSH, and ↑TBARS). iPoCo attenuated the deleterious effect of BCAO on infarct size, memory, NSS, motor coordination, and biochemical markers. Pretreatment of carnosine (a histamine [HA] precursor) potentiated the neuroprotective effects of iPoCo, whereas pretreatment of ketotifen (HA H1 receptor blocker and mast cell stabilizer) abolished the protective effects of iPoCo as well as that of carnosine on iPoCo. It may be concluded that neuroprotective effect of iPoCo probably involves activation of histaminergic pathways. © 2017 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

  11. STABILIZATION OF TEMPERATURE REGIMES WHILE SYNTHESIZING DIAMOND POWDERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. I. Dudiak

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper considers peculiar features of artificial diamond powder synthesis process and also direct and indirect methods for temperature measurement in a reaction cell of high-pressure apparatus. Differences in temperature regimes of diamond synthesis associated with time fixation of strain and heating power have been analyzed in the paper. The paper  reveals their impracticability.Theoretical methodology for temperature correction in the reaction cell has been proposed in the paper. An algorithm controlling cell material heating has been developed on the basis of a microcontroller and it makes it possible to stabilize temperature in the reaction mixture that permits to improve quality and strength characteristics of the obtained diamond powders. The paper contains a graphic interpretation of calculation results with the help of the proposed algorithm. 

  12. Understanding decay resistance, dimensional stability and strength changes in heat treated and acetylated wood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roger M. Rowell; Rebecca E. Ibach; James McSweeny; Thomas Nilsson

    2009-01-01

    Reductions in hygroscopicity, increased dimensional stability and decay resistance of heat-treated wood depend on decomposition of a large portion of the hemicelluloses in the wood cell wall. In theory, these hemicelluloses are converted to small organic molecules, water and volatile furan-type intermediates that can polymerize in the cell wall. Reductions in...

  13. Regulation of mIκBNS stability through PEST-mediated degradation by proteasome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Koog Chan; Jeong, Jiyeong; Kim, Keun Il, E-mail: kikim@sookmyung.ac.kr

    2014-01-24

    Highlights: • mIκBNS is degraded rapidly by proteasome without ubiquitylation. • N-terminal PEST sequence is responsible for the unstable nature of mIκBNS. • PEST sequence is not critical for nuclear localization of mIκBNS. • There is single bona fide NLS at the C-terminus of mIκBNS. - Abstract: Negative regulatory proteins in a cytokine signaling play a critical role in restricting unwanted excess activation of the signaling pathway. At the same time, negative regulatory proteins need to be removed rapidly from cells to respond properly to the next incoming signal. A nuclear IκB protein called IκBNS is known to inhibit a subset of NF-κB target genes upon its expression by NF-κB activation. Here, we show a mechanism to control the stability of mIκBNS which might be important for cells to prepare the next round signaling. We found that mIκBNS is a short-lived protein of which the stability is controlled by proteasome, independent of ubiquitylation process. We identified that the N-terminal PEST sequence in mIκBNS was critical for the regulation of stability.

  14. Stability of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells: A literature review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Theelen, M.; Daume, F.

    2016-01-01

    As Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) technology matures to production on an industrial scale, its long-term stability becomes increasingly important: The electric yield and thus the revenue of a PV system depend on both the initial conversion efficiency as well as its development over time.

  15. Oridonin stabilizes retinoic acid receptor alpha through ROS-activated NF-κB signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yang; Wei, Wei; Zhang, Nan; Yu, Qing; Xu, Wen-Bin; Yu, Wen-Jun; Chen, Guo-Qiang; Wu, Ying-Li; Yan, Hua

    2015-04-10

    Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) plays an essential role in the regulation of many biological processes, such as hematopoietic cell differentiation, while abnormal RARα function contributes to the pathogenesis of certain diseases including cancers, especially acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Recently, oridonin, a natural diterpenoid isolated from Rabdosia rubescens, was demonstrated to regulate RARα by increasing its protein level. However, the underlying molecular mechanism for this action has not been fully elucidated. In the APL cell line, NB4, the effect of oridonin on RARα protein was analyzed by western blot and real-time quantitative RT-PCR analyses. Flow cytometry was performed to detect intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The association between nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and the effect of oridonin was assessed using specific inhibitors, shRNA gene knockdown, and immunofluorescence assays. In addition, primary leukemia cells were treated with oridonin and analyzed by western blot in this study. RARα possesses transcriptional activity in the presence of its ligand, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). Oridonin remarkably stabilized the RARα protein, which retained transcriptional activity. Oridonin also moderately increased intracellular ROS levels, while pretreatment with the ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), dramatically abrogated RARα stabilization by oridonin. More intriguingly, direct exposure to low concentrations of H2O2 also increased RARα protein but not mRNA levels, suggesting a role for ROS in oridonin stabilization of RARα protein. Further investigations showed that NAC antagonized oridonin-induced activation of NF-κB signaling, while the NF-κB signaling inhibitor, Bay 11-7082, effectively blocked the oridonin increase in RARα protein levels. In line with this, over-expression of IκΒα (A32/36), a super-repressor form of IκΒα, or NF-κB-p65 knockdown inhibited oridonin or H2O2-induced

  16. E2F1 and E2F2 induction in response to DNA damage preserves genomic stability in neuronal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castillo, Daniela S; Campalans, Anna; Belluscio, Laura M; Carcagno, Abel L; Radicella, J Pablo; Cánepa, Eduardo T; Pregi, Nicolás

    2015-01-01

    E2F transcription factors regulate a wide range of biological processes, including the cellular response to DNA damage. In the present study, we examined whether E2F family members are transcriptionally induced following treatment with several genotoxic agents, and have a role on the cell DNA damage response. We show a novel mechanism, conserved among diverse species, in which E2F1 and E2F2, the latter specifically in neuronal cells, are transcriptionally induced after DNA damage. This upregulation leads to increased E2F1 and E2F2 protein levels as a consequence of de novo protein synthesis. Ectopic expression of these E2Fs in neuronal cells reduces the level of DNA damage following genotoxic treatment, while ablation of E2F1 and E2F2 leads to the accumulation of DNA lesions and increased apoptotic response. Cell viability and DNA repair capability in response to DNA damage induction are also reduced by the E2F1 and E2F2 deficiencies. Finally, E2F1 and E2F2 accumulate at sites of oxidative and UV-induced DNA damage, and interact with γH2AX DNA repair factor. As previously reported for E2F1, E2F2 promotes Rad51 foci formation, interacts with GCN5 acetyltransferase and induces histone acetylation following genotoxic insult. The results presented here unveil a new mechanism involving E2F1 and E2F2 in the maintenance of genomic stability in response to DNA damage in neuronal cells.

  17. Evaluation of emulsifier stability of biosurfactant produced by Saccharomyces lipolytica CCT-0913

    OpenAIRE

    Lima,Álvaro Silva; Alegre,Ranulfo Monte

    2009-01-01

    Surface-active compounds of biological origin are widely used for many industries (cosmetic, food, petrochemical). The Saccharomyces lipolytica CCT-0913 was able to grow and produce a biosurfactant on 5% (v/v) diesel-oil at pH 5.0 and 32ºC. The cell-free broth emulsified and stabilized the oil-in-water emulsion through a first order kinetics. The results showed that the initial pH value and temperature influenced the emulsifier stability (ES), which was the time when oil was separated. The bi...

  18. Aircraft nonlinear stability analysis and multidimensional stability region estimation under icing conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liang QU

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Icing is one of the crucial factors that could pose great threat to flight safety, and thus research on stability and stability region of aircraft safety under icing conditions is significant for control and flight. Nonlinear dynamical equations and models of aerodynamic coefficients of an aircraft are set up in this paper to study the stability and stability region of the aircraft under an icing condition. Firstly, the equilibrium points of the iced aircraft system are calculated and analyzed based on the theory of differential equation stability. Secondly, according to the correlation theory about equilibrium points and the stability region, this paper estimates the multidimensional stability region of the aircraft, based on which the stability regions before and after icing are compared. Finally, the results are confirmed by the time history analysis. The results can give a reference for stability analysis and envelope protection of the nonlinear system of an iced aircraft.

  19. Electrical and stability performance of anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells with strontium- and magnesium-doped lanthanum gallate thin electrolyte

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Weimin; Liu Jiang; Zhang Yaohui

    2008-01-01

    Anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) comprising NiO-samarium-doped ceria (SDC) (Sm 0.2 Ce 0.8 O 1.9 ) composite anode, thin tri-layer electrolyte, and La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.8 Fe 0.2 O 3 (LSCF)-La 0.9 Sr 0.1 Ga 0.8 Mg 0.2 O 3-δ (LSGM) composite cathode were fabricated. The thin tri-layer consisting of an 11-μm thick LSGM electrolyte layer and a 12-μm thick La 0.4 Ce 0.6 O 1.8 (LDC) layer on each side of the LSGM was prepared by centrifugal casting and co-firing technique. The performance of the cells operated with humidified H 2 as fuel and ambient air as oxidant showed a maximum power density of 1.23 W cm -2 at 800 deg. C. A stability test of about 100 h was carried out and some deterioration of output power was observed, while the open circuit voltage (OCV) kept unchanged. Impedance measurements showed that both the electrolyte ohmic resistance and the electrode polarization increased with time and the latter dominated the degradation

  20. Tumor protein D52 expression is post-transcriptionally regulated by T-cell intercellular antigen (TIA) 1 and TIA-related protein via mRNA stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motohashi, Hiromi; Mukudai, Yoshiki; Ito, Chihiro; Kato, Kosuke; Shimane, Toshikazu; Kondo, Seiji; Shirota, Tatsuo

    2017-05-04

    Although tumor protein D52 (TPD52) family proteins were first identified nearly 20 years ago, their molecular regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the post-transcriptional regulation of TPD52 family genes. An RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay showed the potential binding ability of TPD52 family mRNAs to several RNA-binding proteins, and an RNA degradation assay revealed that TPD52 is subject to more prominent post-transcriptional regulation than are TPD53 and TPD54. We subsequently focused on the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of TPD52 as a cis -acting element in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Several deletion mutants of the 3'-UTR of TPD52 mRNA were constructed and ligated to the 3'-end of a reporter green fluorescence protein gene. An RNA degradation assay revealed that a minimal cis -acting region, located in the 78-280 region of the 5'-proximal region of the 3'-UTR, stabilized the reporter mRNA. Biotin pull-down and RIP assays revealed specific binding of the region to T-cell intracellular antigen 1 (TIA-1) and TIA-1-related protein (TIAR). Knockdown of TIA-1/TIAR decreased not only the expression, but also the stability of TPD52 mRNA; it also decreased the expression and stability of the reporter gene ligated to the 3'-end of the 78-280 fragment. Stimulation of transforming growth factor-β and epidermal growth factor decreased the binding ability of these factors, resulting in decreased mRNA stability. These results indicate that the 78-280 fragment and TIA-1/TIAR concordantly contribute to mRNA stability as a cis -acting element and trans -acting factor(s), respectively. Thus, we here report the specific interactions between these elements in the post-transcriptional regulation of the TPD52 gene. © 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.