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Sample records for multiple cellular mechanisms

  1. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of cadmium carcinogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waisberg, Michael; Joseph, Pius; Hale, Beverley; Beyersmann, Detmar

    2003-01-01

    Cadmium is a heavy metal, which is widely used in industry, affecting human health through occupational and environmental exposure. In mammals, it exerts multiple toxic effects and has been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Cadmium affects cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and other cellular activities. Cd 2+ does not catalyze Fenton-type reactions because it does not accept or donate electrons under physiological conditions, and it is only weakly genotoxic. Hence, indirect mechanisms are implicated in the carcinogenicity of cadmium. In this review multiple mechanisms are discussed, such as modulation of gene expression and signal transduction, interference with enzymes of the cellular antioxidant system and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibition of DNA repair and DNA methylation, role in apoptosis and disruption of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion. Cadmium affects both gene transcription and translation. The major mechanisms of gene induction by cadmium known so far are modulation of cellular signal transduction pathways by enhancement of protein phosphorylation and activation of transcription and translation factors. Cadmium interferes with antioxidant defense mechanisms and stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species, which may act as signaling molecules in the induction of gene expression and apoptosis. The inhibition of DNA repair processes by cadmium represents a mechanism by which cadmium enhances the genotoxicity of other agents and may contribute to the tumor initiation by this metal. The disruption of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion by cadmium probably further stimulates the development of tumors. It becomes clear that there exist multiple mechanisms which contribute to the carcinogenicity of cadmium, although the relative weights of these contributions are difficult to estimate

  2. Modeling the mechanics of cancer: effect of changes in cellular and extra-cellular mechanical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katira, Parag; Bonnecaze, Roger T; Zaman, Muhammad H

    2013-01-01

    Malignant transformation, though primarily driven by genetic mutations in cells, is also accompanied by specific changes in cellular and extra-cellular mechanical properties such as stiffness and adhesivity. As the transformed cells grow into tumors, they interact with their surroundings via physical contacts and the application of forces. These forces can lead to changes in the mechanical regulation of cell fate based on the mechanical properties of the cells and their surrounding environment. A comprehensive understanding of cancer progression requires the study of how specific changes in mechanical properties influences collective cell behavior during tumor growth and metastasis. Here we review some key results from computational models describing the effect of changes in cellular and extra-cellular mechanical properties and identify mechanistic pathways for cancer progression that can be targeted for the prediction, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

  3. Cisplatin resistance: a cellular self-defense mechanism resulting from multiple epigenetic and genetic changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Ding-Wu; Pouliot, Lynn M; Hall, Matthew D; Gottesman, Michael M

    2012-07-01

    Cisplatin is one of the most effective broad-spectrum anticancer drugs. Its effectiveness seems to be due to the unique properties of cisplatin, which enters cells via multiple pathways and forms multiple different DNA-platinum adducts while initiating a cellular self-defense system by activating or silencing a variety of different genes, resulting in dramatic epigenetic and/or genetic alternations. As a result, the development of cisplatin resistance in human cancer cells in vivo and in vitro by necessity stems from bewilderingly complex genetic and epigenetic changes in gene expression and alterations in protein localization. Extensive published evidence has demonstrated that pleiotropic alterations are frequently detected during development of resistance to this toxic metal compound. Changes occur in almost every mechanism supporting cell survival, including cell growth-promoting pathways, apoptosis, developmental pathways, DNA damage repair, and endocytosis. In general, dozens of genes are affected in cisplatin-resistant cells, including pathways involved in copper metabolism as well as transcription pathways that alter the cytoskeleton, change cell surface presentation of proteins, and regulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Decreased accumulation is one of the most common features resulting in cisplatin resistance. This seems to be a consequence of numerous epigenetic and genetic changes leading to the loss of cell-surface binding sites and/or transporters for cisplatin, and decreased fluid phase endocytosis.

  4. Green Virtualization for Multiple Collaborative Cellular Operators

    KAUST Repository

    Farooq, Muhammad Junaid; Ghazzai, Hakim; Yaacoub, Elias; Kadri, Abdullah; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

    2017-01-01

    This paper proposes and investigates a green virtualization framework for infrastructure sharing among multiple cellular operators whose networks are powered by a combination of conventional and renewable sources of energy. Under the proposed

  5. Tuning Cell and Tissue Development by Combining Multiple Mechanical Signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha, Ravi; Verdonschot, Nico; Koopman, Bart; Rouwkema, Jeroen

    2017-10-01

    Mechanical signals offer a promising way to control cell and tissue development. It has been established that cells constantly probe their mechanical microenvironment and employ force feedback mechanisms to modify themselves and when possible, their environment, to reach a homeostatic state. Thus, a correct mechanical microenvironment (external forces and mechanical properties and shapes of cellular surroundings) is necessary for the proper functioning of cells. In vitro or in the case of nonbiological implants in vivo, where cells are in an artificial environment, addition of the adequate mechanical signals can, therefore, enable the cells to function normally as in vivo. Hence, a wide variety of approaches have been developed to apply mechanical stimuli (such as substrate stretch, flow-induced shear stress, substrate stiffness, topography, and modulation of attachment area) to cells in vitro. These approaches have not just revealed the effects of the mechanical signals on cells but also provided ways for probing cellular molecules and structures that can provide a mechanistic understanding of the effects. However, they remain lower in complexity compared with the in vivo conditions, where the cellular mechanical microenvironment is the result of a combination of multiple mechanical signals. Therefore, combinations of mechanical stimuli have also been applied to cells in vitro. These studies have had varying focus-developing novel platforms to apply complex combinations of mechanical stimuli, observing the co-operation/competition between stimuli, combining benefits of multiple stimuli toward an application, or uncovering the underlying mechanisms of their action. In general, they provided new insights that could not have been predicted from previous knowledge. We present here a review of several such studies and the insights gained from them, thereby making a case for such studies to be continued and further developed.

  6. Statistical mechanics of cellular automata

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolfram, S.

    1983-01-01

    Cellular automata are used as simple mathematical models to investigate self-organization in statistical mechanics. A detailed analysis is given of ''elementary'' cellular automata consisting of a sequence of sites with values 0 or 1 on a line, with each site evolving deterministically in discrete time steps according to p definite rules involving the values of its nearest neighbors. With simple initial configurations, the cellular automata either tend to homogeneous states, or generate self-similar patterns with fractal dimensions approx. =1.59 or approx. =1.69. With ''random'' initial configurations, the irreversible character of the cellular automaton evolution leads to several self-organization phenomena. Statistical properties of the structures generated are found to lie in two universality classes, independent of the details of the initial state or the cellular automaton rules. More complicated cellular automata are briefly considered, and connections with dynamical systems theory and the formal theory of computation are discussed

  7. Multiple Export Mechanisms for mRNAs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delaleau, Mildred; Borden, Katherine L. B.

    2015-01-01

    Nuclear mRNA export plays an important role in gene expression. We describe the mechanisms of mRNA export including the importance of mRNP assembly, docking with the nuclear basket of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), transit through the central channel of the NPC and cytoplasmic release. We describe multiple mechanisms of mRNA export including NXF1 and CRM1 mediated pathways. Selective groups of mRNAs can be preferentially transported in order to respond to cellular stimuli. RNAs can be selected based on the presence of specific cis-acting RNA elements and binding of specific adaptor proteins. The role that dysregulation of this process plays in human disease is also discussed. PMID:26343730

  8. Cellular mechanisms of estradiol-mediated sexual differentiation of the brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Christopher L; Schwarz, Jaclyn S; Dean, Shannon L; McCarthy, Margaret M

    2010-09-01

    Gonadal steroids organize the developing brain during a perinatal sensitive period and have enduring consequences for adult behavior. In male rodents testicular androgens are aromatized in neurons to estrogens and initiate multiple distinct cellular processes that ultimately determine the masculine phenotype. Within specific brain regions, overall cell number and dendritic morphology are the principal targets for hormonal organization. Recent advances have been made in elucidating the cellular mechanisms by which the neurological underpinnings of sexually dimorphic physiology and behavior are determined. These include estradiol-mediated prostaglandin synthesis, presynaptic release of glutamate, postsynaptic changes in glutamate receptors and changes in cell adhesion molecules. Sex differences in cell death are mediated by hormonal modulation of survival and death factors such as TNFalpha and Bcl-2/BAX. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Cellular mechanisms of noise-induced hearing loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurabi, Arwa; Keithley, Elizabeth M; Housley, Gary D; Ryan, Allen F; Wong, Ann C-Y

    2017-06-01

    Exposure to intense sound or noise can result in purely temporary threshold shift (TTS), or leave a residual permanent threshold shift (PTS) along with alterations in growth functions of auditory nerve output. Recent research has revealed a number of mechanisms that contribute to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The principle cause of NIHL is damage to cochlear hair cells and associated synaptopathy. Contributions to TTS include reversible damage to hair cell (HC) stereocilia or synapses, while moderate TTS reflects protective purinergic hearing adaptation. PTS represents permanent damage to or loss of HCs and synapses. While the substrates of HC damage are complex, they include the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and the active stimulation of intracellular stress pathways, leading to programmed and/or necrotic cell death. Permanent damage to cochlear neurons can also contribute to the effects of NIHL, in addition to HC damage. These mechanisms have translational potential for pharmacological intervention and provide multiple opportunities to prevent HC damage or to rescue HCs and spiral ganglion neurons that have suffered injury. This paper reviews advances in our understanding of cellular mechanisms that contribute to NIHL and their potential for therapeutic manipulation. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Cellular mechanics and motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hénon, Sylvie; Sykes, Cécile

    2015-10-01

    The term motility defines the movement of a living organism. One widely known example is the motility of sperm cells, or the one of flagellar bacteria. The propulsive element of such organisms is a cilium(or flagellum) that beats. Although cells in our tissues do not have a flagellum in general, they are still able to move, as we will discover in this chapter. In fact, in both cases of movement, with or without a flagellum, cell motility is due to a dynamic re-arrangement of polymers inside the cell. Let us first have a closer look at the propulsion mechanism in the case of a flagellum or a cilium, which is the best known, but also the simplest, and which will help us to define the hydrodynamic general conditions of cell movement. A flagellum is sustained by cellular polymers arranged in semi-flexible bundles and flagellar beating generates cell displacement. These polymers or filaments are part of the cellular skeleton, or "cytoskeleton", which is, in this case, external to the cellular main body of the organism. In fact, bacteria move in a hydrodynamic regime in which viscosity dominates over inertia. The system is thus in a hydrodynamic regime of low Reynolds number (Box 5.1), which is nearly exclusively the case in all cell movements. Bacteria and their propulsion mode by flagella beating are our unicellular ancestors 3.5 billion years ago. Since then, we have evolved to form pluricellular organisms. However, to keep the ability of displacement, to heal our wounds for example, our cells lost their flagellum, since it was not optimal in a dense cell environment: cells are too close to each other to leave enough space for the flagella to accomplish propulsion. The cytoskeleton thus developed inside the cell body to ensure cell shape changes and movement, and also mechanical strength within a tissue. The cytoskeleton of our cells, like the polymers or filaments that sustain the flagellum, is also composed of semi-flexible filaments arranged in bundles, and also in

  11. Cellular phone interference with the operation of mechanical ventilators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Cheryl I; Kacmarek, Robert M; Hampton, Rickey L; Riggi, Vincent; El Masry, Ashraf; Cooper, Jeffrey B; Hurford, William E

    2004-04-01

    To determine whether a cellular phone would interfere with the operation of mechanical ventilators. Laboratory study. University medical center. Fourteen mechanical ventilators. We evaluated change in operation and malfunction of the mechanical ventilators. The cellular phone (Nokia 6120i) was computer controlled, operating at 828.750 MHz analog modulation. It was operated at 16, 40, 100, 250, and 600 mW, 30 cm from the floor and 30, 15, and ventilator. Six of the 14 ventilators tested malfunctioned when a cellular phone at maximum power output was placed ventilating when the cellular phone at maximum power output was placed ventilator. One ventilator doubled the ventilatory rate and another increased the displayed tidal volume from 350 to 1033 mL. In one of the infant ventilators, displayed tidal volume increased from 21 to 100 mL. In another ventilator, the high respiratory rate alarm sounded but the rate had not changed. In a controlled laboratory setting, cellular phones placed in close proximity to some commercially available intensive care ventilators can cause malfunctions, including irrecoverable cessation of ventilation. This is most likely to occur if the cellular phone is or =3 feet from all medical devices. The current electromagnetic compatibility standards for mechanical ventilators are inadequate to prevent malfunction. Manufacturers should ensure that their products are not affected by wireless technology even when placed immediately next to the device.

  12. Mechanisms and circumvention of cellular resistance to cisplatin.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hospers, Geesiena Alberdina Petronella

    1989-01-01

    Cisplatin (CDDP) is an active cytostatic agent. A limitation to its effectiveness initially or appearing during cystatic treatment is the occurrence of resistance. This thesis describes mechanisms wich are responsible for acquired cellular CDDP resistance. To investigate cellular CDDP resistance, a

  13. Prevalence and multiplicity of cutaneous beta papilloma viruses in plucked hairs depend on cellular DNA input.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weissenborn, S J; Neale, R; de Koning, M N C; Waterboer, T; Abeni, D; Bouwes Bavinck, J N; Wieland, U; Pfister, H J

    2009-11-01

    In view of the low loads of beta human papillomaviruses in skin samples, amounts of cellular DNA used in qualitative PCR may become limiting for virus detection and introduce variations in prevalence and multiplicity. This issue was explored within the context of a multicentre study and increasing prevalence and multiplicity was found with increasing input amounts of cellular DNA extracted from hair bulbs. To improve the quality and comparability between different epidemiologic studies ideally equal amounts of cellular DNA should be employed. When cellular DNA input varies this should be clearly taken into account in assessing viral prevalence and multiplicity.

  14. Bioinspired Cellular Structures: Additive Manufacturing and Mechanical Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stampfl, J.; Pettermann, H. E.; Liska, R.

    Biological materials (e.g., wood, trabecular bone, marine skeletons) rely heavily on the use of cellular architecture, which provides several advantages. (1) The resulting structures can bear the variety of "real life" load spectra using a minimum of a given bulk material, featuring engineering lightweight design principles. (2) The inside of the structures is accessible to body fluids which deliver the required nutrients. (3) Furthermore, cellular architectures can grow organically by adding or removing individual struts or by changing the shape of the constituting elements. All these facts make the use of cellular architectures a reasonable choice for nature. Using additive manufacturing technologies (AMT), it is now possible to fabricate such structures for applications in engineering and biomedicine. In this chapter, we present methods that allow the 3D computational analysis of the mechanical properties of cellular structures with open porosity. Various different cellular architectures including disorder are studied. In order to quantify the influence of architecture, the apparent density is always kept constant. Furthermore, it is shown that how new advanced photopolymers can be used to tailor the mechanical and functional properties of the fabricated structures.

  15. Antibody dependent cellular phagocytosis by macrophages is a novel mechanism of action of elotuzumab.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurdi, Ahmed T; Glavey, Siobhan V; Bezman, Natalie A; Jhatakia, Amy; Guerriero, Jennifer L; Manier, Salomon; Moschetta, Michele; Mishima, Yuji; Roccaro, Aldo; Detappe, Alexandre; Liu, Chia-Jen; Sacco, Antonio; Huynh, Daisy; Tai, Yu-Tzu; Robbins, Michael D; Azzi, Jamil; Ghobrial, Irene M

    2018-04-13

    Elotuzumab, a recently approved antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), has been shown to stimulate Fcγ receptor (FcγR)-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by natural killer (NK) cells towards myeloma cells. The modulatory effects of elotuzumab on other effector cells in the tumor microenvironment, however, has not been fully explored. Antibody dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) is a mechanism by which macrophages contribute to anti-tumor potency of monoclonal antibodies. Herein, we studied the NK cell independent effect of elotuzumab on tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) using a xenograft tumor model deficient in NK and adaptive immune cells. We demonstrate significant anti-tumor efficacy of single agent elotuzumab in immunocompromised xenograft models of multiple myeloma, which is in part mediated by Fc-FcγR interaction of elotuzumab with macrophages. Elotuzumab is shown in this study to induce phenotypic activation of macrophages in-vivo and mediates ADCP of myeloma cells though a FcγR dependent manner in-vitro. Together, these findings propose a novel immune mediated mechanism by which elotuzumab exerts anti-myeloma activity and helps to provide rationale for combination therapies that can enhance macrophage activity. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

  16. Cell-Nonautonomous Mechanisms Underlying Cellular and Organismal Aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medkour, Younes; Svistkova, Veronika; Titorenko, Vladimir I

    2016-01-01

    Cell-autonomous mechanisms underlying cellular and organismal aging in evolutionarily distant eukaryotes have been established; these mechanisms regulate longevity-defining processes within a single eukaryotic cell. Recent findings have provided valuable insight into cell-nonautonomous mechanisms modulating cellular and organismal aging in eukaryotes across phyla; these mechanisms involve a transmission of various longevity factors between different cells, tissues, and organisms. Herein, we review such cell-nonautonomous mechanisms of aging in eukaryotes. We discuss the following: (1) how low molecular weight transmissible longevity factors modulate aging and define longevity of cells in yeast populations cultured in liquid media or on solid surfaces, (2) how communications between proteostasis stress networks operating in neurons and nonneuronal somatic tissues define longevity of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans by modulating the rates of aging in different tissues, and (3) how different bacterial species colonizing the gut lumen of C. elegans define nematode longevity by modulating the rate of organismal aging. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Multiplicity of Mathematical Modeling Strategies to Search for Molecular and Cellular Insights into Bacteria Lung Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantone, Martina; Santos, Guido; Wentker, Pia; Lai, Xin; Vera, Julio

    2017-01-01

    Even today two bacterial lung infections, namely pneumonia and tuberculosis, are among the 10 most frequent causes of death worldwide. These infections still lack effective treatments in many developing countries and in immunocompromised populations like infants, elderly people and transplanted patients. The interaction between bacteria and the host is a complex system of interlinked intercellular and the intracellular processes, enriched in regulatory structures like positive and negative feedback loops. Severe pathological condition can emerge when the immune system of the host fails to neutralize the infection. This failure can result in systemic spreading of pathogens or overwhelming immune response followed by a systemic inflammatory response. Mathematical modeling is a promising tool to dissect the complexity underlying pathogenesis of bacterial lung infection at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels, and also at the interfaces among levels. In this article, we introduce mathematical and computational modeling frameworks that can be used for investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying bacterial lung infection. Then, we compile and discuss published results on the modeling of regulatory pathways and cell populations relevant for lung infection and inflammation. Finally, we discuss how to make use of this multiplicity of modeling approaches to open new avenues in the search of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying bacterial infection in the lung.

  18. Multiple Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Action of Lycopene in Cancer Inhibition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Trejo-Solís

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Epidemiological studies suggest that including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in regular dietary intake might prevent and reverse cellular carcinogenesis, reducing the incidence of primary tumours. Bioactive components present in food can simultaneously modulate more than one carcinogenic process, including cancer metabolism, hormonal balance, transcriptional activity, cell-cycle control, apoptosis, inflammation, angiogenesis and metastasis. Some studies have shown an inverse correlation between a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and carotenoids and a low incidence of different types of cancer. Lycopene, the predominant carotenoid found in tomatoes, exhibits a high antioxidant capacity and has been shown to prevent cancer, as evidenced by clinical trials and studies in cell culture and animal models. In vitro studies have shown that lycopene treatment can selectively arrest cell growth and induce apoptosis in cancer cells without affecting normal cells. In vivo studies have revealed that lycopene treatment inhibits tumour growth in the liver, lung, prostate, breast, and colon. Clinical studies have shown that lycopene protects against prostate cancer. One of the main challenges in cancer prevention is the integration of new molecular findings into clinical practice. Thus, the identification of molecular biomarkers associated with lycopene levels is essential for improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying its antineoplastic activity.

  19. Taming the sphinx: Mechanisms of cellular sphingolipid homeostasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, D K; Fröhlich, F; Farese, R V; Walther, T C

    2016-08-01

    Sphingolipids are important structural membrane components of eukaryotic cells, and potent signaling molecules. As such, their levels must be maintained to optimize cellular functions in different cellular membranes. Here, we review the current knowledge of homeostatic sphingolipid regulation. We describe recent studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that have provided insights into how cells sense changes in sphingolipid levels in the plasma membrane and acutely regulate sphingolipid biosynthesis by altering signaling pathways. We also discuss how cellular trafficking has emerged as an important determinant of sphingolipid homeostasis. Finally, we highlight areas where work is still needed to elucidate the mechanisms of sphingolipid regulation and the physiological functions of such regulatory networks, especially in mammalian cells. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The cellular lipid landscape edited by Tim P. Levine and Anant K. Menon. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Symposium on molecular and cellular mechanisms of mutagenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    These proceedings contain abstracts only of the 21 papers presented at the Sympsoium. The papers dealt with molecular mechanisms of mutagenesis and cellular responses to chemical and physical mutagenic agents

  1. Kinetic theory approach to modeling of cellular repair mechanisms under genome stress.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinpeng Qi

    Full Text Available Under acute perturbations from outer environment, a normal cell can trigger cellular self-defense mechanism in response to genome stress. To investigate the kinetics of cellular self-repair process at single cell level further, a model of DNA damage generating and repair is proposed under acute Ion Radiation (IR by using mathematical framework of kinetic theory of active particles (KTAP. Firstly, we focus on illustrating the profile of Cellular Repair System (CRS instituted by two sub-populations, each of which is made up of the active particles with different discrete states. Then, we implement the mathematical framework of cellular self-repair mechanism, and illustrate the dynamic processes of Double Strand Breaks (DSBs and Repair Protein (RP generating, DSB-protein complexes (DSBCs synthesizing, and toxins accumulating. Finally, we roughly analyze the capability of cellular self-repair mechanism, cellular activity of transferring DNA damage, and genome stability, especially the different fates of a certain cell before and after the time thresholds of IR perturbations that a cell can tolerate maximally under different IR perturbation circumstances.

  2. Kinetic theory approach to modeling of cellular repair mechanisms under genome stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Jinpeng; Ding, Yongsheng; Zhu, Ying; Wu, Yizhi

    2011-01-01

    Under acute perturbations from outer environment, a normal cell can trigger cellular self-defense mechanism in response to genome stress. To investigate the kinetics of cellular self-repair process at single cell level further, a model of DNA damage generating and repair is proposed under acute Ion Radiation (IR) by using mathematical framework of kinetic theory of active particles (KTAP). Firstly, we focus on illustrating the profile of Cellular Repair System (CRS) instituted by two sub-populations, each of which is made up of the active particles with different discrete states. Then, we implement the mathematical framework of cellular self-repair mechanism, and illustrate the dynamic processes of Double Strand Breaks (DSBs) and Repair Protein (RP) generating, DSB-protein complexes (DSBCs) synthesizing, and toxins accumulating. Finally, we roughly analyze the capability of cellular self-repair mechanism, cellular activity of transferring DNA damage, and genome stability, especially the different fates of a certain cell before and after the time thresholds of IR perturbations that a cell can tolerate maximally under different IR perturbation circumstances.

  3. Symposium on molecular and cellular mechanisms of mutagenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1981-01-01

    These proceedings contain abstracts only of the 21 papers presented at the Sympsoium. The papers dealt with molecular mechanisms of mutagenesis and cellular responses to chemical and physical mutagenic agents. (ERB)

  4. Cellular Mechanisms of Somatic Stem Cell Aging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Yunjoon

    2014-01-01

    Tissue homeostasis and regenerative capacity rely on rare populations of somatic stem cells endowed with the potential to self-renew and differentiate. During aging, many tissues show a decline in regenerative potential coupled with a loss of stem cell function. Cells including somatic stem cells have evolved a series of checks and balances to sense and repair cellular damage to maximize tissue function. However, during aging the mechanisms that protect normal cell function begin to fail. In this review, we will discuss how common cellular mechanisms that maintain tissue fidelity and organismal lifespan impact somatic stem cell function. We will highlight context-dependent changes and commonalities that define aging, by focusing on three age-sensitive stem cell compartments: blood, neural, and muscle. Understanding the interaction between extrinsic regulators and intrinsic effectors that operate within different stem cell compartments is likely to have important implications for identifying strategies to improve health span and treat age-related degenerative diseases. PMID:24439814

  5. Cellular automata and statistical mechanical models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rujan, P.

    1987-01-01

    The authors elaborate on the analogy between the transfer matrix of usual lattice models and the master equation describing the time development of cellular automata. Transient and stationary properties of probabilistic automata are linked to surface and bulk properties, respectively, of restricted statistical mechanical systems. It is demonstrated that methods of statistical physics can be successfully used to describe the dynamic and the stationary behavior of such automata. Some exact results are derived, including duality transformations, exact mappings, disorder, and linear solutions. Many examples are worked out in detail to demonstrate how to use statistical physics in order to construct cellular automata with desired properties. This approach is considered to be a first step toward the design of fully parallel, probabilistic systems whose computational abilities rely on the cooperative behavior of their components

  6. Dynamics and mechanisms of quantum dot nanoparticle cellular uptake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Telford William G

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The rapid growth of the nanotechnology industry and the wide application of various nanomaterials have raised concerns over their impact on the environment and human health. Yet little is known about the mechanism of cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of nanoparticles. An array of nanomaterials has recently been introduced into cancer research promising for remarkable improvements in diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Among them, quantum dots (QDs distinguish themselves in offering many intrinsic photophysical properties that are desirable for targeted imaging and drug delivery. Results We explored the kinetics and mechanism of cellular uptake of QDs with different surface coatings in two human mammary cells. Using fluorescence microscopy and laser scanning cytometry (LSC, we found that both MCF-7 and MCF-10A cells internalized large amount of QD655-COOH, but the percentage of endocytosing cells is slightly higher in MCF-7 cell line than in MCF-10A cell line. Live cell fluorescent imaging showed that QD cellular uptake increases with time over 40 h of incubation. Staining cells with dyes specific to various intracellular organelles indicated that QDs were localized in lysosomes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM images suggested a potential pathway for QD cellular uptake mechanism involving three major stages: endocytosis, sequestration in early endosomes, and translocation to later endosomes or lysosomes. No cytotoxicity was observed in cells incubated with 0.8 nM of QDs for a period of 72 h. Conclusions The findings presented here provide information on the mechanism of QD endocytosis that could be exploited to reduce non-specific targeting, thereby improving specific targeting of QDs in cancer diagnosis and treatment applications. These findings are also important in understanding the cytotoxicity of nanomaterials and in emphasizing the importance of strict environmental control of nanoparticles.

  7. The Green Function cellular method and its relation to multiple scattering theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butler, W.H.; Zhang, X.G.; Gonis, A.

    1992-01-01

    This paper investigates techniques for solving the wave equation which are based on the idea of obtaining exact local solutions within each potential cell, which are then joined to form a global solution. The authors derive full potential multiple scattering theory (MST) from the Lippmann-Schwinger equation and show that it as well as a closely related cellular method are techniques of this type. This cellular method appears to have all of the advantages of MST and the added advantage of having a secular matrix with only nearest neighbor interactions. Since this cellular method is easily linearized one can rigorously reduce electronic structure calculation to the problem of solving a nearest neighbor tight-binding problem

  8. A Model of How Different Biology Experts Explain Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Caleb M.; Anderson, Trevor R.; Pelaez, Nancy J.

    2015-01-01

    Constructing explanations is an essential skill for all science learners. The goal of this project was to model the key components of expert explanation of molecular and cellular mechanisms. As such, we asked: What is an appropriate model of the components of explanation used by biology experts to explain molecular and cellular mechanisms? Do…

  9. Cellular dynamical mechanisms for encoding the time and place of events along spatiotemporal trajectories in episodic memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasselmo, Michael E; Giocomo, Lisa M; Brandon, Mark P; Yoshida, Motoharu

    2010-12-31

    Understanding the mechanisms of episodic memory requires linking behavioral data and lesion effects to data on the dynamics of cellular membrane potentials and population interactions within brain regions. Linking behavior to specific membrane channels and neurochemicals has implications for therapeutic applications. Lesions of the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and subcortical nuclei impair episodic memory function in humans and animals, and unit recording data from these regions in behaving animals indicate episodic memory processes. Intracellular recording in these regions demonstrates specific cellular properties including resonance, membrane potential oscillations and bistable persistent spiking that could underlie the encoding and retrieval of episodic trajectories. A model presented here shows how intrinsic dynamical properties of neurons could mediate the encoding of episodic memories as complex spatiotemporal trajectories. The dynamics of neurons allow encoding and retrieval of unique episodic trajectories in multiple continuous dimensions including temporal intervals, personal location, the spatial coordinates and sensory features of perceived objects and generated actions, and associations between these elements. The model also addresses how cellular dynamics could underlie unit firing data suggesting mechanisms for coding continuous dimensions of space, time, sensation and action. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Design and implementation of a novel mechanical testing system for cellular solids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazarian, Ara; Stauber, Martin; Müller, Ralph

    2005-05-01

    Cellular solids constitute an important class of engineering materials encompassing both man-made and natural constructs. Materials such as wood, cork, coral, and cancellous bone are examples of cellular solids. The structural analysis of cellular solid failure has been limited to 2D sections to illustrate global fracture patterns. Due to the inherent destructiveness of 2D methods, dynamic assessment of fracture progression has not been possible. Image-guided failure assessment (IGFA), a noninvasive technique to analyze 3D progressive bone failure, has been developed utilizing stepwise microcompression in combination with time-lapsed microcomputed tomographic imaging (microCT). This method allows for the assessment of fracture progression in the plastic region, where much of the structural deformation/energy absorption is encountered in a cellular solid. Therefore, the goal of this project was to design and fabricate a novel micromechanical testing system to validate the effectiveness of the stepwise IGFA technique compared to classical continuous mechanical testing, using a variety of engineered and natural cellular solids. In our analysis, we found stepwise compression to be a valid approach for IGFA with high precision and accuracy comparable to classical continuous testing. Therefore, this approach complements the conventional mechanical testing methods by providing visual insight into the failure propagation mechanisms of cellular solids. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Cellular mechanisms of nociception in the frog

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kuffler, D. P.; Lyfenko, Alla; Vyklický st., Ladislav; Vlachová, Viktorie

    2002-01-01

    Roč. 88, č. 4 (2002), s. 1843-1850 ISSN 0022-3077 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA305/00/1639; GA MŠk LN00B122 Grant - others:NATO(XX) Grant 977062 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922 Keywords : cellular mechanisms of nociception * frog Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 3.743, year: 2002

  12. Thymocyte migration: an affair of multiple cellular interactions?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Savino W.

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Cell migration is a crucial event in the general process of thymocyte differentiation. The cellular interactions involved in the control of this migration are beginning to be defined. At least chemokines and extracellular matrix proteins appear to be part of the game. Cells of the thymic microenvironment produce these two groups of molecules, whereas developing thymocytes express the corresponding receptors. Moreover, although chemokines and extracellular matrix can drive thymocyte migration per se, a combined role for these molecules appears to contribute to the resulting migration patterns of thymocytes in their various stages of differentiation. The dynamics of chemokine and extracellular matrix production and degradation is not yet well understood. However, matrix metalloproteinases are likely to play a role in the breakdown of intrathymic extracellular matrix contents. Thus, the physiological migration of thymocytes should be envisioned as a resulting vector of multiple, simultaneous and/or sequential stimuli involving chemokines, adhesive and de-adhesive extracellular matrix proteins, as well as matrix metalloproteinases. Accordingly, it is conceivable that any pathological change in any of these loops may result in the alteration of normal thymocyte migration. This seems to be the case in murine infection by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease. A better knowledge of the physiological mechanisms governing thymocyte migration will provide new clues for designing therapeutic strategies targeting developing T cells.

  13. Osmosensory mechanisms in cellular and systemic volume regulation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Stine Helene Falsig; Kapus, András; Hoffmann, Else K

    2011-01-01

    Perturbations of cellular and systemic osmolarity severely challenge the function of all organisms and are consequently regulated very tightly. Here we outline current evidence on how cells sense volume perturbations, with particular focus on mechanisms relevant to the kidneys and to extracellular...

  14. Genomic interrogation of mechanism(s) underlying cellular responses to toxicants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amin, Rupesh P.; Hamadeh, Hisham K.; Bushel, Pierre R.; Bennett, Lee; Afshari, Cynthia A.; Paules, Richard S.

    2002-01-01

    Assessment of the impact of xenobiotic exposure on human health and disease progression is complex. Knowledge of mode(s) of action, including mechanism(s) contributing to toxicity and disease progression, is valuable for evaluating compounds. Toxicogenomics, the subdiscipline which merges genomics with toxicology, holds the promise to contributing significantly toward the goal of elucidating mechanism(s) by studying genome-wide effects of xenobiotics. Global gene expression profiling, revolutionized by microarray technology and a crucial aspect of a toxicogenomic study, allows measuring transcriptional modulation of thousands of genes following exposure to a xenobiotic. We use our results from previous studies on compounds representing two different classes of xenobiotics (barbiturate and peroxisome proliferator) to discuss the application of computational approaches for analyzing microarray data to elucidate mechanism(s) underlying cellular responses to toxicants. In particular, our laboratory demonstrated that chemical-specific patterns of gene expression can be revealed using cDNA microarrays. Transcript profiling provides discrimination between classes of toxicants, as well as, genome-wide insight into mechanism(s) of toxicity and disease progression. Ultimately, the expectation is that novel approaches for predicting xenobiotic toxicity in humans will emerge from such information

  15. Endocytic vesicle rupture is a conserved mechanism of cellular invasion by amyloid proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flavin, William P; Bousset, Luc; Green, Zachary C; Chu, Yaping; Skarpathiotis, Stratos; Chaney, Michael J; Kordower, Jeffrey H; Melki, Ronald; Campbell, Edward M

    2017-10-01

    Numerous pathological amyloid proteins spread from cell to cell during neurodegenerative disease, facilitating the propagation of cellular pathology and disease progression. Understanding the mechanism by which disease-associated amyloid protein assemblies enter target cells and induce cellular dysfunction is, therefore, key to understanding the progressive nature of such neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we utilized an imaging-based assay to monitor the ability of disease-associated amyloid assemblies to rupture intracellular vesicles following endocytosis. We observe that the ability to induce vesicle rupture is a common feature of α-synuclein (α-syn) assemblies, as assemblies derived from WT or familial disease-associated mutant α-syn all exhibited the ability to induce vesicle rupture. Similarly, different conformational strains of WT α-syn assemblies, but not monomeric or oligomeric forms, efficiently induced vesicle rupture following endocytosis. The ability to induce vesicle rupture was not specific to α-syn, as amyloid assemblies of tau and huntingtin Exon1 with pathologic polyglutamine repeats also exhibited the ability to induce vesicle rupture. We also observe that vesicles ruptured by α-syn are positive for the autophagic marker LC3 and can accumulate and fuse into large, intracellular structures resembling Lewy bodies in vitro. Finally, we show that the same markers of vesicle rupture surround Lewy bodies in brain sections from PD patients. These data underscore the importance of this conserved endocytic vesicle rupture event as a damaging mechanism of cellular invasion by amyloid assemblies of multiple neurodegenerative disease-associated proteins, and suggest that proteinaceous inclusions such as Lewy bodies form as a consequence of continued fusion of autophagic vesicles in cells unable to degrade ruptured vesicles and their amyloid contents.

  16. Multiple repair pathways mediate cellular tolerance to resveratrol-induced DNA damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ying; Wu, Xiaohua; Hu, Xiaoqing; Chen, Ziyuan; Liu, Hao; Takeda, Shunichi; Qing, Yong

    2017-08-01

    Resveratrol (RSV) has been reported to exert health benefits for the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including cancer. The anticancer mechanisms of RSV seem to be complex and may be associated with genotoxic potential. To better understand the genotoxic mechanisms, we used wild-type (WT) and a panel of isogenic DNA-repair deficient DT40 cell lines to identify the DNA damage effects and molecular mechanisms of cellular tolerance to RSV. Our results showed that RSV induced significant formation of γ-H2AX foci and chromosome aberrations (CAs) in WT cells, suggesting direct DNA damage effects. Comparing the survival of WT with isogenic DNA-repair deficient DT40 cell lines demonstrated that single strand break repair (SSBR) deficient cell lines of Parp1 -/- , base excision repair (BER) deficient cell lines of Polβ -/- , homologous recombination (HR) mutants of Brca1 -/- and Brca2 -/- and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) mutants of Rev3 -/- and Rad18 -/- were more sensitive to RSV. The sensitivities of cells were associated with enhanced DNA damage comparing the accumulation of γ-H2AX foci and number of CAs of isogenic DNA-repair deficient DT40 cell lines with WT cells. These results clearly demonstrated that RSV-induced DNA damage in DT40 cells, and multiple repair pathways including BER, SSBR, HR and TLS, play critical roles in response to RSV- induced genotoxicity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Aspirin acetylates multiple cellular proteins in HCT-116 colon cancer cells: Identification of novel targets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marimuthu, Srinivasan; Chivukula, Raghavender S V; Alfonso, Lloyd F; Moridani, Majid; Hagen, Fred K; Bhat, G Jayarama

    2011-11-01

    Epidemiological and clinical observations provide consistent evidence that regular intake of aspirin may effectively inhibit the occurrence of epithelial tumors; however, the molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. In the present study, we determined the ability of aspirin to acetylate and post-translationally modify cellular proteins in HCT-116 human colon cancer cells to understand the potential mechanisms by which it may exerts anti-cancer effects. Using anti-acetyl lysine antibodies, here we demonstrate that aspirin causes the acetylation of multiple proteins whose molecular weight ranged from 20 to 200 kDa. The identity of these proteins was determined, using immuno-affinity purification, mass spectrometry and immuno-blotting. A total of 33 cellular proteins were potential targets of aspirin-mediated acetylation, while 16 were identified as common to both the control and aspirin-treated samples. These include enzymes of glycolytic pathway, cytoskeleton proteins, histones, ribosomal and mitochondrial proteins. The glycolytic enzymes which were identified include aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, enolase, pyruvate kinase M2, and lactate dehydrogenase A and B chains. Immunoblotting experiment showed that aspirin also acetylated glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and transketolase, both enzymes of pentose phosphate pathway involved in ribonucleotide biosynthesis. In vitro assays of these enzymes revealed that aspirin did not affect pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activity; however, it decreased glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase activity. Similar results were also observed in HT-29 human colon cancer cells. Selective inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase may represent an important mechanism by which aspirin may exert its anti-cancer effects through inhibition of ribonucleotide synthesis.

  18. Cellular mechanisms within the juxtaglomerular apparatus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Briggs, J P; Skøtt, O; Schnermann, J

    1990-01-01

    Cl concentration at the macular densa. This change also results in inhibition of secretion of renin. The macula densa has a unique location near the terminal end of the thick ascending limb, where NaCl concentration is highly flow dependent. The cellular mechanisms by which changes in tubular fluid NaCl produce...... vasoconstriction and inhibition of renin secretion are unknown, but the anatomy of the juxtaglomerular apparatus strongly suggests that such responses may be mediated by the extraglomerular mesangial cells located in the polar cushion underlying the macula densa. Recent evidence suggests that interstitial chloride...

  19. A Channel Allocation Mechanism for Cellular Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chi-Hua Chen

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available In cellular networks, call blocking causes lower customer satisfaction and economic loss. Therefore, the channel allocation for call block avoidance is an important issue. This study proposes a mechanism that considers the real-time traffic information (e.g., traffic flow and vehicle speed and the user behavior (e.g., call inter-arrival time and call holding time to analyze the adaptable number of communication calls in the specific cell for channel allocation. In experiments about call block probabilities (CBP, this study simulated two cases that are the situations of the whole day and traffic accident. The simulation results show that all CBPs in the scenario of whole day are less than 21.5% by using the proposed mechanism, which is better than using the static channel allocation (SCA mechanism. Moreover, all CBPs in the scenario of traffic accidents are less than 16.5% by using the proposed mechanism, which is better than using the SCA mechanism. Therefore, the proposed mechanism can decrease the number of CBPs effectively.

  20. Differential and Cooperative Cell Adhesion Regulates Cellular Pattern in Sensory Epithelia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Togashi, Hideru

    2016-01-01

    Animal tissues are composed of multiple cell types arranged in complex and elaborate patterns. In sensory epithelia, including the auditory epithelium and olfactory epithelium, different types of cells are arranged in unique mosaic patterns. These mosaic patterns are evolutionarily conserved, and are thought to be important for hearing and olfaction. Recent progress has provided accumulating evidence that the cellular pattern formation in epithelia involves cell rearrangements, movements, and shape changes. These morphogenetic processes are largely mediated by intercellular adhesion systems. Differential adhesion and cortical tension have been proposed to promote cell rearrangements. Many different types of cells in tissues express various types of cell adhesion molecules. Although cooperative mechanisms between multiple adhesive systems are likely to contribute to the production of complex cell patterns, our current understanding of the cooperative roles between multiple adhesion systems is insufficient to entirely explain the complex mechanisms underlying cellular patterning. Recent studies have revealed that nectins, in cooperation with cadherins, are crucial for the mosaic cellular patterning in sensory organs. The nectin and cadherin systems are interacted with one another, and these interactions provide cells with differential adhesive affinities for complex cellular pattern formations in sensory epithelia, which cannot be achieved by a single mechanism.

  1. Multiple-channel detection of cellular activities by ion-sensitive transistors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machida, Satoru; Shimada, Hideto; Motoyama, Yumi

    2018-04-01

    An ion-sensitive field-effect transistor to record cellular activities was demonstrated. This field-effect transistor (bio transistor) includes cultured cells on the gate insulator instead of gate electrode. The bio transistor converts a change in potential underneath the cells into variation of the drain current when ion channels open. The bio transistor has high detection sensitivity to even minute variations in potential utilizing a subthreshold swing region. To open ion channels, a reagent solution (acetylcholine) was added to a human-originating cell cultured on the bio transistor. The drain current was successfully decreased with the addition of acetylcholine. Moreover, we attempted to detect the opening of ion channels using a multiple-channel measurement circuit containing several bio transistors. As a consequence, the drain current distinctly decreased only after the addition of acetylcholine. We confirmed that this measurement system including bio transistors enables to observation of cellular activities sensitively and simultaneously.

  2. Size effects in the mechanical behavior of cellular materials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tekoglu, C; Onck, PR

    Effective mechanical properties of cellular materials depend strongly on the specimen size to the cell size ratio. Experimental studies performed on aluminium foams show that under uniaxial compression, the stiffness of these materials falls below the corresponding bulk value, when the ratio of the

  3. Active Cellular Mechanics and its Consequences for Animal Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noll, Nicholas B.

    A central goal of developmental biology is to understand how an organism shapes itself, a process referred to as morphogenesis. While the molecular components critical to determining the initial body plan have been well characterized, the control of the subsequent dynamics of cellular rearrangements which ultimately shape the organism are far less understood. A major roadblock to a more complete picture of morphogenesis is the inability to measure tissue-scale mechanics throughout development and thus answer fundamental questions: How is the mechanical state of the cell regulated by local protein expression and global pattering? In what way does stress feedback onto the larger developmental program? In this dissertation, we begin to approach these questions through the introduction and analysis of a multi-scale model of epithelial mechanics which explicitly connects cytoskeletal protein activity to tissue-level stress. In Chapter 2, we introduce the discrete Active Tension Network (ATN) model of cellular mechanics. ATNs are tissues that satisfy two primary assumptions: that the mechanical balance of cells is dominated by cortical tension and that myosin actively remodels the actin cytoskeleton in a stress-dependent manner. Remarkably, the interplay of these features allows for angle-preserving, i.e. 'isogonal', dilations or contractions of local cell geometry that do not generate stress. Asymptotically this model is stabilized provided there is mechanical feedback on expression of myosin within the cell; we take this to be a strong prediction to be tested. The ATN model exposes a fundamental connection between equilibrium cell geometry and its underlying force network. In Chapter 3, we relax the tension-net approximation and demonstrate that at equilibrium, epithelial tissues with non-uniform pressure have non-trivial geometric constraints that imply the network is described by a weighted `dual' triangulation. We show that the dual triangulation encodes all

  4. The linearity of quantum mechanics from the perspective of Hamiltonian cellular automata

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Enrico Fermi, Università di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa (Italy))" data-affiliation=" (Dipartimento di Fisica Enrico Fermi, Università di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa (Italy))" >Elze, Hans-Thomas

    2014-01-01

    We discuss the action principle and resulting Hamiltonian equations of motion for a class of integer-valued cellular automata introduced recently [1]. Employing sampling theory, these deterministic finite-difference equations are mapped reversibly on continuum equations describing a set of bandwidth limited harmonic oscillators. They represent the Schrödinger equation. However, modifications reflecting the bandwidth limit are incorporated, i.e., the presence of a time (or length) scale. When this discreteness scale is taken to zero, the usual results are obtained. Thus, the linearity of quantum mechanics can be traced to the postulated action principle of such cellular automata and its conservation laws to discrete ones. The cellular automaton conservation laws are in one-to-one correspondence with those of the related quantum mechanical model, while admissible symmetries are not.

  5. The imperative for controlled mechanical stresses in unraveling cellular mechanisms of mechanotransduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sorkin Adam M

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In vitro mechanotransduction studies are designed to elucidate cell behavior in response to a well-defined mechanical signal that is imparted to cultured cells, e.g. through fluid flow. Typically, flow rates are calculated based on a parallel plate flow assumption, to achieve a targeted cellular shear stress. This study evaluates the performance of specific flow/perfusion chambers in imparting the targeted stress at the cellular level. Methods To evaluate how well actual flow chambers meet their target stresses (set for 1 and 10 dyn/cm2 for this study at a cellular level, computational models were developed to calculate flow velocity components and imparted shear stresses for a given pressure gradient. Computational predictions were validated with micro-particle image velocimetry (μPIV experiments. Results Based on these computational and experimental studies, as few as 66% of cells seeded along the midplane of commonly implemented flow/perfusion chambers are subjected to stresses within ±10% of the target stress. In addition, flow velocities and shear stresses imparted through fluid drag vary as a function of location within each chamber. Hence, not only a limited number of cells are exposed to target stress levels within each chamber, but also neighboring cells may experience different flow regimes. Finally, flow regimes are highly dependent on flow chamber geometry, resulting in significant variation in magnitudes and spatial distributions of stress between chambers. Conclusion The results of this study challenge the basic premise of in vitro mechanotransduction studies, i.e. that a controlled flow regime is applied to impart a defined mechanical stimulus to cells. These results also underscore the fact that data from studies in which different chambers are utilized can not be compared, even if the target stress regimes are comparable.

  6. Cellular Mechanisms of Action of Drug Abuse on Olfactory Neurons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Heinbockel

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Cannabinoids (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol are the active ingredient of marijuana (cannabis which is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the USA. In addition to being known and used as recreational drugs, cannabinoids are produced endogenously by neurons in the brain (endocannabinoids and serve as important signaling molecules in the nervous system and the rest of the body. Cannabinoids have been implicated in bodily processes both in health and disease. Recent pharmacological and physiological experiments have described novel aspects of classic brain signaling mechanisms or revealed unknown mechanisms of cellular communication involving the endocannabinoid system. While several forms of signaling have been described for endocannabinoids, the most distinguishing feature of endocannabinoids is their ability to act as retrograde messengers in neural circuits. Neurons in the main olfactory bulb express high levels of cannabinoid receptors. Here, we describe the cellular mechanisms and function of this novel brain signaling system in regulating neural activity at synapses in olfactory circuits. Results from basic research have the potential to provide the groundwork for translating the neurobiology of drug abuse to the realm of the pharmacotherapeutic treatment of addiction, specifically marijuana substance use disorder.

  7. Cellular Transport Mechanisms of Cytotoxic Metallodrugs: An Overview beyond Cisplatin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Spreckelmeyer

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The field of medicinal inorganic chemistry has grown consistently during the past 50 years; however, metal-containing coordination compounds represent only a minor proportion of drugs currently on the market, indicating that research in this area has not yet been thoroughly realized. Although platinum-based drugs as cancer chemotherapeutic agents have been widely studied, exact knowledge of the mechanisms governing their accumulation in cells is still lacking. However, evidence suggests active uptake and efflux mechanisms are involved; this may be involved also in other experimental metal coordination and organometallic compounds with promising antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo, such as ruthenium and gold compounds. Such knowledge would be necessary to elucidate the balance between activity and toxicity profiles of metal compounds. In this review, we present an overview of the information available on the cellular accumulation of Pt compounds from in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies, as well as a summary of reports on the possible accumulation mechanisms for different families of experimental anticancer metal complexes (e.g., Ru Au and Ir. Finally, we discuss the need for rationalization of the investigational approaches available to study metallodrug cellular transport.

  8. Pathogenesis of thyroid autoimmune disease: the role of cellular mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos-Leví, Ana Maria; Marazuela, Mónica

    2016-10-01

    Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and Graves' disease (GD) are two very common organ-specific autoimmune diseases which are characterized by circulating antibodies and lymphocyte infiltration. Although humoral and cellular mechanisms have been classically considered separately in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD), recent research suggests a close reciprocal relationship between these two immune pathways. Several B- and T-cell activation pathways through antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and cytokine production lead to specific differentiation of T helper (Th) and T regulatory (Treg) cells. This review will focus on the cellular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of AITD. Specifically, it will provide reasons for discarding the traditional simplistic dichotomous view of the T helper type 1 and 2 pathways (Th1/Th2) and will focus on the role of the recently characterized T cells, Treg and Th17 lymphocytes, as well as B lymphocytes and APCs, especially dendritic cells (DCs). Copyright © 2016 SEEN. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  9. Investigating the effects of ABC transporter-based acquired drug resistance mechanisms at the cellular and tissue scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Cong; Krishnan, J; Xu, Xiao Yun

    2013-03-01

    In this paper we systematically investigate the effects of acquired drug resistance at the cellular and tissue scale, with a specific focus on ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter-based mechanisms and contrast this with other representative intracellular resistance mechanisms. This is done by developing in silico models wherein the drug resistance mechanism is overlaid on a coarse-grained description of apoptosis; these cellular models are coupled with interstitial drug transport, allowing for a transparent examination of the effect of acquired drug resistances at the tissue level. While ABC transporter-mediated resistance mechanisms counteract drug effect at the cellular level, its tissue-level effect is more complicated, revealing unexpected trends in tissue response as drug stimuli are systematically varied. Qualitatively different behaviour is observed in other drug resistance mechanisms. Overall the paper (i) provides insight into the tissue level functioning of a particular resistance mechanism, (ii) shows that this is very different from other resistance mechanisms of an apparently similar type, and (iii) demonstrates a concrete instance of how the functioning of a negative feedback based cellular adaptive mechanism can have unexpected higher scale effects.

  10. The role of focal adhesion kinase in the regulation of cellular mechanical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mierke, Claudia Tanja

    2013-01-01

    The regulation of mechanical properties is necessary for cell invasion into connective tissue or intra- and extravasation through the endothelium of blood or lymph vessels. Cell invasion is important for the regulation of many healthy processes such as immune response reactions and wound healing. In addition, cell invasion plays a role in disease-related processes such as tumor metastasis and autoimmune responses. Until now the role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in regulating mechanical properties of cells and its impact on cell invasion efficiency is still not well known. Thus, this review focuses on mechanical properties regulated by FAK in comparison to the mechano-regulating protein vinculin. Moreover, it points out the connection between cancer cell invasion and metastasis and FAK by showing that FAK regulates cellular mechanical properties required for cellular motility. Furthermore, it sheds light on the indirect interaction of FAK with vinculin by binding to paxillin, which then impairs the binding of paxillin to vinculin. In addition, this review emphasizes whether FAK fulfills regulatory functions similar to vinculin. In particular, it discusses the differences and the similarities between FAK and vinculin in regulating the biomechanical properties of cells. Finally, this paper highlights that both focal adhesion proteins, vinculin and FAK, synergize their functions to regulate the mechanical properties of cells such as stiffness and contractile forces. Subsequently, these mechanical properties determine cellular invasiveness into tissues and provide a source sink for future drug developments to inhibit excessive cell invasion and hence, metastases formation. (paper)

  11. The role of focal adhesion kinase in the regulation of cellular mechanical properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mierke, Claudia Tanja

    2013-12-01

    The regulation of mechanical properties is necessary for cell invasion into connective tissue or intra- and extravasation through the endothelium of blood or lymph vessels. Cell invasion is important for the regulation of many healthy processes such as immune response reactions and wound healing. In addition, cell invasion plays a role in disease-related processes such as tumor metastasis and autoimmune responses. Until now the role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in regulating mechanical properties of cells and its impact on cell invasion efficiency is still not well known. Thus, this review focuses on mechanical properties regulated by FAK in comparison to the mechano-regulating protein vinculin. Moreover, it points out the connection between cancer cell invasion and metastasis and FAK by showing that FAK regulates cellular mechanical properties required for cellular motility. Furthermore, it sheds light on the indirect interaction of FAK with vinculin by binding to paxillin, which then impairs the binding of paxillin to vinculin. In addition, this review emphasizes whether FAK fulfills regulatory functions similar to vinculin. In particular, it discusses the differences and the similarities between FAK and vinculin in regulating the biomechanical properties of cells. Finally, this paper highlights that both focal adhesion proteins, vinculin and FAK, synergize their functions to regulate the mechanical properties of cells such as stiffness and contractile forces. Subsequently, these mechanical properties determine cellular invasiveness into tissues and provide a source sink for future drug developments to inhibit excessive cell invasion and hence, metastases formation.

  12. Mechanisms of cellular invasion by intracellular parasites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Dawn M; Oghumu, Steve; Gupta, Gaurav; McGwire, Bradford S; Drew, Mark E; Satoskar, Abhay R

    2014-04-01

    Numerous disease-causing parasites must invade host cells in order to prosper. Collectively, such pathogens are responsible for a staggering amount of human sickness and death throughout the world. Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, and malaria are neglected diseases and therefore are linked to socio-economical and geographical factors, affecting well-over half the world's population. Such obligate intracellular parasites have co-evolved with humans to establish a complexity of specific molecular parasite-host cell interactions, forming the basis of the parasite's cellular tropism. They make use of such interactions to invade host cells as a means to migrate through various tissues, to evade the host immune system, and to undergo intracellular replication. These cellular migration and invasion events are absolutely essential for the completion of the lifecycles of these parasites and lead to their for disease pathogenesis. This review is an overview of the molecular mechanisms of protozoan parasite invasion of host cells and discussion of therapeutic strategies, which could be developed by targeting these invasion pathways. Specifically, we focus on four species of protozoan parasites Leishmania, Trypanosoma cruzi, Plasmodium, and Toxoplasma, which are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality.

  13. Mechanisms and cellular functions of intramembrane proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urban, Siniša

    2013-12-01

    The turn of the millennium coincided with the branding of a fundamentally different class of enzyme - proteases that reside immersed inside the membrane. This new field was the convergence of completely separate lines of research focused on cholesterol homeostasis, Alzheimer's disease, and developmental genetics. None intended their ultimate path, but soon became a richly-integrated fabric for an entirely new field: regulated intramembrane proteolysis. Our aim in this Special Issue is to focus on the ancient and nearly ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze this unexpected yet important reaction. The pace of progress has been dramatic, resulting in a rapidly-expanding universe of known cellular functions, and a paradigm shift in the biochemical understanding of these once heretical enzymes. More recently, the first therapeutic successes have been attained by targeting an intramembrane protease. We consider these advances and identify oncoming opportunities in four parts: growing spectra of cellular roles, insights into biochemical mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, and newly-emerging topics. Recent studies also expose challenges for the future, including non-linear relationships between substrate identification and physiological functions, and the need for potent and specific, not broad-class, inhibitors. © 2013.

  14. MIMO Communication for Cellular Networks

    CERN Document Server

    Huang, Howard; Venkatesan, Sivarama

    2012-01-01

    As the theoretical foundations of multiple-antenna techniques evolve and as these multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques become essential for providing high data rates in wireless systems, there is a growing need to understand the performance limits of MIMO in practical networks. To address this need, MIMO Communication for Cellular Networks presents a systematic description of MIMO technology classes and a framework for MIMO system design that takes into account the essential physical-layer features of practical cellular networks. In contrast to works that focus on the theoretical performance of abstract MIMO channels, MIMO Communication for Cellular Networks emphasizes the practical performance of realistic MIMO systems. A unified set of system simulation results highlights relative performance gains of different MIMO techniques and provides insights into how best to use multiple antennas in cellular networks under various conditions. MIMO Communication for Cellular Networks describes single-user,...

  15. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of metformin: an overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viollet, Benoit; Guigas, Bruno; Sanz Garcia, Nieves; Leclerc, Jocelyne; Foretz, Marc; Andreelli, Fabrizio

    2012-01-01

    Considerable efforts have been made since the 1950s to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of metformin, a potent antihyperglycemic agent now recommended as the first line oral therapy for type 2 diabetes (T2D). The main effect of this drug from the biguanide family is to acutely decrease hepatic glucose production, mostly through a mild and transient inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory-chain complex 1. In addition, the resulting decrease in hepatic energy status activates the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular metabolic sensor, providing a generally accepted mechanism for metformin action on hepatic gluconeogenic program. The demonstration that the respiratory-chain complex 1, but not AMPK, is the primary target of metformin was recently strengthened by showing that the metabolic effect of the drug is preserved in liver-specific AMPK-deficient mice. Beyond its effect on glucose metabolism, metformin was reported to restore ovarian function in polycystic ovary syndrome, reduce fatty liver and to lower microvascular and macrovascular complications associated with T2D. Its use was also recently suggested as an adjuvant treatment for cancer or gestational diabetes, and for the prevention in pre-diabetic populations. These emerging new therapeutic areas for metformin will be reviewed together with recent data from pharmacogenetic studies linking genetic variations to drug response, a promising new step towards personalized medicine in the treatment of T2D. PMID:22117616

  16. Neuromodulation of hypoglossal motoneurons: cellular and developmental mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayliss, D A; Viana, F; Talley, E M; Berger, A J

    1997-11-01

    Hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs) in the caudal brainstem have a respiratory-related activity pattern and contribute to control of upper airway resistance. In this review, we focus primarily on signalling mechanisms utilized by neurotransmitters to enhance HM excitability. In particular, we consider: (1) the membrane depolarization induced by a number of different putative transmitters [thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE)]; and (2) the inhibition of a calcium-dependent spike after hyperpolarization (AHP) by 5-HT and its effect on firing behavior. Potential functional consequences on HM behavior of these different neurotransmitter effects is discussed. In addition, we describe postnatal changes in transmitter effects and suggest potential cellular mechanisms to explain those developmental changes. Most of the data discussed are derived from in vitro electrophysiological recordings performed in preparations from neonatal and adult rats.

  17. Cellular studies and interaction mechanisms of extremely low frequency fields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liburdy, Robert P.

    1995-01-01

    Worldwide interest in the biological effects of ELF (extremely low frequency, level is to identify cellular responses to ELF fields, to develop a dose threshold for such interactions, and with such information to formulate and test appropriate interaction mechanisms. This review is selective and will discuss the most recent cellular studies directed at these goals which relate to power line, sinusoidal ELF fields. In these studies an interaction site at the cell membrane is by consensus a likely candidate, since changes in ion transport, ligand-receptor events such as antibody binding, and G protein activation have been reported. These changes strongly indicate that signal transduction (ST) can be influenced. Also, ELF fields are reported to influence enzyme activation, gene expression, protein synthesis, and cell proliferation, which are triggered by earlier ST events at the cell membrane. The concept of ELF fields altering early cell membrane events and thereby influencing intracellular cell function via the ST cascade is perhaps the most plausible biological framework currently being investigated for understanding ELF effects on cells. For example, the consequence of an increase due to ELF fields in mitogenesis, the final endpoint of the ST cascade, is an overall increase in the probability of mutagenesis and consequently cancer, according to the Ames epigenetic model of carcinogenesis. Consistent with this epigenetic mechanism and the ST pathway to carcinogenesis is recent evidence that ELF fields can alter breast cancer cell proliferation and can act as a copromoter in vitro. The most important dosimetric question being addressed currently is whether the electric (E) or the magnetic (B) field, or if combinations of static B and time-varying B fields represent an exposure metric for the cell. This question relates directly to understanding fundamental interaction mechanisms and to the development of a rationale for ELF dose threshold guidelines. The weight of

  18. Probabilistic cellular automata: Some statistical mechanical considerations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lebowitz, J.L.; Maes, C.; Speer, E.R.

    1990-01-01

    Spin systems evolving in continuous or discrete time under the action of stochastic dynamics are used to model phenomena as diverse as the structure of alloys and the functioning of neural networks. While in some cases the dynamics are secondary, designed to produce a specific stationary measure whose properties one is interested in studying, there are other cases in which the only available information is the dynamical rule. Prime examples of the former are computer simulations, via Glauber dynamics, of equilibrium Gibbs measures with a specified interaction potential. Examples of the latter include various types of majority rule dynamics used as models for pattern recognition and for error-tolerant computations. The present note discusses ways in which techniques found useful in equilibrium statistical mechanics can be applied to a particular class of models of the latter types. These are cellular automata with noise: systems in which the spins are updated stochastically at integer times, simultaneously at all sites of some regular lattice. These models were first investigated in detail in the Soviet literature of the late sixties and early seventies. They are now generally referred to as Stochastic or Probabilistic Cellular Automata (PCA), and may be considered to include deterministic automata (CA) as special limits. 16 refs., 3 figs

  19. Cellular and molecular mechanisms coordinating pancreas development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastidas-Ponce, Aimée; Scheibner, Katharina; Lickert, Heiko; Bakhti, Mostafa

    2017-08-15

    The pancreas is an endoderm-derived glandular organ that participates in the regulation of systemic glucose metabolism and food digestion through the function of its endocrine and exocrine compartments, respectively. While intensive research has explored the signaling pathways and transcriptional programs that govern pancreas development, much remains to be discovered regarding the cellular processes that orchestrate pancreas morphogenesis. Here, we discuss the developmental mechanisms and principles that are known to underlie pancreas development, from induction and lineage formation to morphogenesis and organogenesis. Elucidating such principles will help to identify novel candidate disease genes and unravel the pathogenesis of pancreas-related diseases, such as diabetes, pancreatitis and cancer. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  20. Postischemic revascularization: from cellular and molecular mechanisms to clinical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvestre, Jean-Sébastien; Smadja, David M; Lévy, Bernard I

    2013-10-01

    After the onset of ischemia, cardiac or skeletal muscle undergoes a continuum of molecular, cellular, and extracellular responses that determine the function and the remodeling of the ischemic tissue. Hypoxia-related pathways, immunoinflammatory balance, circulating or local vascular progenitor cells, as well as changes in hemodynamical forces within vascular wall trigger all the processes regulating vascular homeostasis, including vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, arteriogenesis, and collateral growth, which act in concert to establish a functional vascular network in ischemic zones. In patients with ischemic diseases, most of the cellular (mainly those involving bone marrow-derived cells and local stem/progenitor cells) and molecular mechanisms involved in the activation of vessel growth and vascular remodeling are markedly impaired by the deleterious microenvironment characterized by fibrosis, inflammation, hypoperfusion, and inhibition of endogenous angiogenic and regenerative programs. Furthermore, cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, and aging, constitute a deleterious macroenvironment that participates to the abrogation of postischemic revascularization and tissue regeneration observed in these patient populations. Thus stimulation of vessel growth and/or remodeling has emerged as a new therapeutic option in patients with ischemic diseases. Many strategies of therapeutic revascularization, based on the administration of growth factors or stem/progenitor cells from diverse sources, have been proposed and are currently tested in patients with peripheral arterial disease or cardiac diseases. This review provides an overview from our current knowledge regarding molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in postischemic revascularization, as well as advances in the clinical application of such strategies of therapeutic revascularization.

  1. The Role of Instabilities on the Mechanical Response of Cellular Solids and Structures

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Kyriakides, S

    1997-01-01

    .... The relatively regular and periodic microstructure of these two-dimensional materials makes them excellent models for studying the mechanisms that govern the compressive response of cellular materials...

  2. Determination of the mechanical properties of solid and cellular polymeric dosage forms by diametral compression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaesi, Aron H; Saka, Nannaji

    2016-07-25

    At present, the immediate-release solid dosage forms, such as the oral tablets and capsules, are granular solids. They release drug rapidly and have adequate mechanical properties, but their manufacture is fraught with difficulties inherent in processing particulate matter. Such difficulties, however, could be overcome by liquid-based processing. Therefore, we have recently introduced polymeric cellular (i.e., highly porous) dosage forms prepared from a melt process. Experiments have shown that upon immersion in a dissolution medium, the cellular dosage forms with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as excipient and with predominantly open-cell topology disintegrate by exfoliation, thus enabling rapid drug release. If the volume fraction of voids of the open-cell structures is too large, however, their mechanical strength is adversely affected. At present, the common method for determining the tensile strength of brittle, solid dosage forms (such as select granular forms) is the diametral compression test. In this study, the theory of diametral compression is first refined to demonstrate that the relevant mechanical properties of ductile and cellular solids (i.e., the elastic modulus and the yield strength) can also be extracted from this test. Diametral compression experiments are then conducted on PEG-based solid and cellular dosage forms. It is found that the elastic modulus and yield strength of the open-cell structures are about an order of magnitude smaller than those of the non-porous solids, but still are substantially greater than the stiffness and strength requirements for handling the dosage forms manually. This work thus demonstrates that melt-processed polymeric cellular dosage forms that release drug rapidly can be designed and manufactured to have adequate mechanical properties. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Tissue organization by cadherin adhesion molecules: dynamic molecular and cellular mechanisms of morphogenetic regulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niessen, Carien M.; Leckband, Deborah; Yap, Alpha S.

    2013-01-01

    This review addresses the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cadherin-based tissue morphogenesis. Tissue physiology is profoundly influenced by the distinctive organizations of cells in organs and tissues. In metazoa, adhesion receptors of the classical cadherin family play important roles in establishing and maintaining such tissue organization. Indeed, it is apparent that cadherins participate in a range of morphogenetic events that range from support of tissue integrity to dynamic cellular rearrangements. A comprehensive understanding of cadherin-based morphogenesis must then define the molecular and cellular mechanisms that support these distinct cadherin biologies. Here we focus on four key mechanistic elements: the molecular basis for adhesion through cadherin ectodomains; the regulation of cadherin expression at the cell surface; cooperation between cadherins and the actin cytoskeleton; and regulation by cell signaling. We discuss current progress and outline issues for further research in these fields. PMID:21527735

  4. Cellular packing, mechanical stress and the evolution of multicellularity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobeen, Shane; Pentz, Jennifer T.; Graba, Elyes C.; Brandys, Colin G.; Ratcliff, William C.; Yunker, Peter J.

    2018-03-01

    The evolution of multicellularity set the stage for sustained increases in organismal complexity1-5. However, a fundamental aspect of this transition remains largely unknown: how do simple clusters of cells evolve increased size when confronted by forces capable of breaking intracellular bonds? Here we show that multicellular snowflake yeast clusters6-8 fracture due to crowding-induced mechanical stress. Over seven weeks ( 291 generations) of daily selection for large size, snowflake clusters evolve to increase their radius 1.7-fold by reducing the accumulation of internal stress. During this period, cells within the clusters evolve to be more elongated, concomitant with a decrease in the cellular volume fraction of the clusters. The associated increase in free space reduces the internal stress caused by cellular growth, thus delaying fracture and increasing cluster size. This work demonstrates how readily natural selection finds simple, physical solutions to spatial constraints that limit the evolution of group size—a fundamental step in the evolution of multicellularity.

  5. The Effects of Chronological Age on the Cellular Mechanics of Human Dermal Fibroblasts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Z.; Hung, V.; Kambhampati, S.; Ge, S. R.; Rafailovich, M.; Ghosh, K.; Clark, R.; Liu, Y. J.; Nakamura, T.; Shu, X. Z.; Prestwich, G.

    2006-03-01

    It is often observed that older people display diminished wound healing abilities. Understanding of this phenomenon is important for many in vivo applications of tissue engineering. In this study, the cell mechanics of dermal fibroblasts from 25, 40 and 84 years old female subjects were compared. These cells were cultured on functionalized hyaluronic acid hydrogel substrates which emulated physiological conditions in dermal tissue. The deformation of the substrate caused by cellular traction forces was detected by tracing the displacement of fluorescent beads embedded in the substrate using Digital Image Speckle Correlation. Then cellular traction forces were quantitatively determined by Finite Element Method in a linear elastic model with a high spatial resolution. These results were correlated with auxiliary measurements of substrate modulus, cell modulus and migration. We found that with increasing age, the magnitude of the cellular traction forces diminished. Similarly, the ability of the cells to adapt to changes in the mechanical properties of their environment and migrate was also impaired. The interrelationship between these factors and wound healing will be discussed. This work is supported by NSF- MRSEC program.

  6. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of tight junction dysfunction in the irritable bowel syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Peng; Yao, Jianning; Wang, Chunfeng; Zhang, Lianfeng; Kong, Wuming

    2015-09-01

    The pathophysiological mechanisms of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorders, are complex and have not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of tight junction (TJ) dysfunction in IBS. Intestinal tissues of IBS and non‑IBS patients were examined to observe cellular changes by cell chemical tracer electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and intestinal claudin‑1 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry, western blot analysis and fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Compared with the control group, TJ broadening and the tracer extravasation phenomenon were observed in the diarrhea‑predominant IBS group, and a greater number of neuroendocrine cells and mast cells filled with high‑density particles in the endocrine package pulp as well as a certain extent of vacuolization were present. The expression of claudin‑1 in diarrhea‑predominant IBS patients was decreased, while it was increased in constipation‑predominant IBS patients. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that changes in cellular structure and claudin‑1 levels were associated with Tjs in IBS.

  7. Green Virtualization for Multiple Collaborative Cellular Operators

    KAUST Repository

    Farooq, Muhammad Junaid

    2017-06-05

    This paper proposes and investigates a green virtualization framework for infrastructure sharing among multiple cellular operators whose networks are powered by a combination of conventional and renewable sources of energy. Under the proposed framework, the virtual network formed by unifying radio access infrastructures of all operators is optimized for minimum energy consumption by deactivating base stations (BSs) with low traffic loads. The users initially associated to those BSs are off-loaded to neighboring active ones. A fairness criterion for collaboration based on roaming prices is introduced to cover the additional energy costs incurred by host operators. The framework also ensures that any collaborating operator is not negatively affected by its participation in the proposed virtualization. A multi-objective linear programming problem is formulated to achieve energy and cost efficiency of the networks\\' operation by identifying the set of inter-operator roaming prices. For the case when collaboration among all operators is infeasible due to profitability, capacity, or power constraints, an iterative algorithm is proposed to determine the groups of operators that can viably collaborate. Results show significant energy savings using the proposed virtualization as compared to the standalone case. Moreover, collaborative operators exploiting locally generated renewable energy are rewarded more than traditional ones.

  8. Natural agents: cellular and molecular mechanisms of photoprotection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afaq, Farrukh

    2011-04-15

    The skin is the largest organ of the body that produces a flexible and self-repairing barrier and protects the body from most common potentially harmful physical, environmental, and biological insults. Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one of the major environmental insults to the skin and causes multi-tiered cellular and molecular events eventually leading to skin cancer. The past decade has seen a surge in the incidence of skin cancer due to changes in life style patterns that have led to a significant increase in the amount of UV radiation that people receive. Reducing excessive exposure to UV radiation is desirable; nevertheless this approach is not easy to implement. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel strategies to reduce the adverse biological effects of UV radiation on the skin. A wide variety of natural agents have been reported to possess substantial skin photoprotective effects. Numerous preclinical and clinical studies have elucidated that natural agents act by several cellular and molecular mechanisms to delay or prevent skin cancer. In this review article, we have summarized and discussed some of the selected natural agents for skin photoprotection. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Cisplatin as an Anti-Tumor Drug: Cellular Mechanisms of Activity, Drug Resistance and Induced Side Effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Florea, Ana-Maria; Büsselberg, Dietrich

    2011-01-01

    Platinum complexes are clinically used as adjuvant therapy of cancers aiming to induce tumor cell death. Depending on cell type and concentration, cisplatin induces cytotoxicity, e.g., by interference with transcription and/or DNA replication mechanisms. Additionally, cisplatin damages tumors via induction of apoptosis, mediated by the activation of various signal transduction pathways, including calcium signaling, death receptor signaling, and the activation of mitochondrial pathways. Unfortunately, neither cytotoxicity nor apoptosis are exclusively induced in cancer cells, thus, cisplatin might also lead to diverse side-effects such as neuro- and/or renal-toxicity or bone marrow-suppression. Moreover, the binding of cisplatin to proteins and enzymes may modulate its biochemical mechanism of action. While a combination-chemotherapy with cisplatin is a cornerstone for the treatment of multiple cancers, the challenge is that cancer cells could become cisplatin-resistant. Numerous mechanisms of cisplatin resistance were described including changes in cellular uptake, drug efflux, increased detoxification, inhibition of apoptosis and increased DNA repair. To minimize cisplatin resistance, combinatorial therapies were developed and have proven more effective to defeat cancers. Thus, understanding of the biochemical mechanisms triggered by cisplatin in tumor cells may lead to the design of more efficient platinum derivates (or other drugs) and might provide new therapeutic strategies and reduce side effects

  10. Cisplatin as an Anti-Tumor Drug: Cellular Mechanisms of Activity, Drug Resistance and Induced Side Effects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Florea, Ana-Maria [Department of Neuropathology, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf (Germany); Büsselberg, Dietrich, E-mail: dib2015@qatar-med.cornell.edu [Weil Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Qatar Foundation-Education City, P.O. Box 24144, Doha (Qatar)

    2011-03-15

    Platinum complexes are clinically used as adjuvant therapy of cancers aiming to induce tumor cell death. Depending on cell type and concentration, cisplatin induces cytotoxicity, e.g., by interference with transcription and/or DNA replication mechanisms. Additionally, cisplatin damages tumors via induction of apoptosis, mediated by the activation of various signal transduction pathways, including calcium signaling, death receptor signaling, and the activation of mitochondrial pathways. Unfortunately, neither cytotoxicity nor apoptosis are exclusively induced in cancer cells, thus, cisplatin might also lead to diverse side-effects such as neuro- and/or renal-toxicity or bone marrow-suppression. Moreover, the binding of cisplatin to proteins and enzymes may modulate its biochemical mechanism of action. While a combination-chemotherapy with cisplatin is a cornerstone for the treatment of multiple cancers, the challenge is that cancer cells could become cisplatin-resistant. Numerous mechanisms of cisplatin resistance were described including changes in cellular uptake, drug efflux, increased detoxification, inhibition of apoptosis and increased DNA repair. To minimize cisplatin resistance, combinatorial therapies were developed and have proven more effective to defeat cancers. Thus, understanding of the biochemical mechanisms triggered by cisplatin in tumor cells may lead to the design of more efficient platinum derivates (or other drugs) and might provide new therapeutic strategies and reduce side effects.

  11. Resveratrol Inhibition of Cellular Respiration: New Paradigm for an Old Mechanism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Alberto Madrigal-Perez

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene, RSV has emerged as an important molecule in the biomedical area. This is due to its antioxidant and health benefits exerted in mammals. Nonetheless, early studies have also demonstrated its toxic properties toward plant-pathogenic fungi of this phytochemical. Both effects appear to be opposed and caused by different molecular mechanisms. However, the inhibition of cellular respiration is a hypothesis that might explain both toxic and beneficial properties of resveratrol, since this phytochemical: (1 decreases the production of energy of plant-pathogenic organisms, which prevents their proliferation; (2 increases adenosine monophosphate/adenosine diphosphate (AMP/ADP ratio that can lead to AMP protein kinase (AMPK activation, which is related to its health effects, and (3 increases the reactive oxygen species generation by the inhibition of electron transport. This pro-oxidant effect induces expression of antioxidant enzymes as a mechanism to counteract oxidative stress. In this review, evidence is discussed that supports the hypothesis that cellular respiration is the main target of resveratrol.

  12. A Model of How Different Biology Experts Explain Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Caleb M.; Anderson, Trevor R.; Pelaez, Nancy J.

    2015-01-01

    Constructing explanations is an essential skill for all science learners. The goal of this project was to model the key components of expert explanation of molecular and cellular mechanisms. As such, we asked: What is an appropriate model of the components of explanation used by biology experts to explain molecular and cellular mechanisms? Do explanations made by experts from different biology subdisciplines at a university support the validity of this model? Guided by the modeling framework of R. S. Justi and J. K. Gilbert, the validity of an initial model was tested by asking seven biologists to explain a molecular mechanism of their choice. Data were collected from interviews, artifacts, and drawings, and then subjected to thematic analysis. We found that biologists explained the specific activities and organization of entities of the mechanism. In addition, they contextualized explanations according to their biological and social significance; integrated explanations with methods, instruments, and measurements; and used analogies and narrated stories. The derived methods, analogies, context, and how themes informed the development of our final MACH model of mechanistic explanations. Future research will test the potential of the MACH model as a guiding framework for instruction to enhance the quality of student explanations. PMID:25999313

  13. Effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of human cancer cells investigated by atomic force microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Mi; Liu, LianQing; Xi, Ning; Wang, YueChao; Xiao, XiuBin; Zhang, WeiJing

    2015-09-01

    Cell mechanics plays an important role in cellular physiological activities. Recent studies have shown that cellular mechanical properties are novel biomarkers for indicating the cell states. In this article, temperature-controllable atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to quantitatively investigate the effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of human cancer cells. First, AFM indenting experiments were performed on six types of human cells to investigate the changes of cellular Young's modulus at different temperatures and the results showed that the mechanical responses to the changes of temperature were variable for different types of cancer cells. Second, AFM imaging experiments were performed to observe the morphological changes in living cells at different temperatures and the results showed the significant changes of cell morphology caused by the alterations of temperature. Finally, by co-culturing human cancer cells with human immune cells, the mechanical and morphological changes in cancer cells were investigated. The results showed that the co-culture of cancer cells and immune cells could cause the distinct mechanical changes in cancer cells, but no significant morphological differences were observed. The experimental results improved our understanding of the effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of cancer cells.

  14. Mechanical sensitivity of Piezo1 ion channels can be tuned by cellular membrane tension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Amanda H; Grandl, Jörg

    2015-01-01

    Piezo1 ion channels mediate the conversion of mechanical forces into electrical signals and are critical for responsiveness to touch in metazoans. The apparent mechanical sensitivity of Piezo1 varies substantially across cellular environments, stimulating methods and protocols, raising the fundamental questions of what precise physical stimulus activates the channel and how its stimulus sensitivity is regulated. Here, we measured Piezo1 currents evoked by membrane stretch in three patch configurations, while simultaneously visualizing and measuring membrane geometry. Building on this approach, we developed protocols to minimize resting membrane curvature and tension prior to probing Piezo1 activity. We find that Piezo1 responds to lateral membrane tension with exquisite sensitivity as compared to other mechanically activated channels and that resting tension can drive channel inactivation, thereby tuning overall mechanical sensitivity of Piezo1. Our results explain how Piezo1 can function efficiently and with adaptable sensitivity as a sensor of mechanical stimulation in diverse cellular contexts. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12088.001 PMID:26646186

  15. On the effects of geometry, defects, and material asymmetry on the mechanical response of shape memory alloy cellular lattice structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ravari, M R Karamooz; Kadkhodaei, M; Ghaei, A; Esfahani, S Nasr; Andani, M Taheri; Elahinia, M; Karaca, H

    2016-01-01

    Shape memory alloy (such as NiTi) cellular lattice structures are a new class of advanced materials with many potential applications. The cost of fabrication of these structures however is high. It is therefore necessary to develop modeling methods to predict the functional behavior of these alloys before fabrication. The main aim of the present study is to assess the effects of geometry, microstructural imperfections and material asymmetric response of dense shape memory alloys on the mechanical response of cellular structures. To this end, several cellular and dense NiTi samples are fabricated using a selective laser melting process. Both cellular and dense specimens were tested in compression in order to obtain their stress–strain response. For modeling purposes, a three -dimensional (3D) constitutive model based on microplane theory which is able to describe the material asymmetry was employed. Five finite element models based on unit cell and multi-cell methods were generated to predict the mechanical response of cellular lattices. The results show the considerable effects of the microstructural imperfections on the mechanical response of the cellular lattice structures. The asymmetric material response of the bulk material also affects the mechanical response of the corresponding cellular structure. (paper)

  16. The emergence of extracellular matrix mechanics and cell traction forces as important regulators of cellular self-organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Checa, Sara; Rausch, Manuel K; Petersen, Ansgar; Kuhl, Ellen; Duda, Georg N

    2015-01-01

    Physical cues play a fundamental role in a wide range of biological processes, such as embryogenesis, wound healing, tumour invasion and connective tissue morphogenesis. Although it is well known that during these processes, cells continuously interact with the local extracellular matrix (ECM) through cell traction forces, the role of these mechanical interactions on large scale cellular and matrix organization remains largely unknown. In this study, we use a simple theoretical model to investigate cellular and matrix organization as a result of mechanical feedback signals between cells and the surrounding ECM. The model includes bi-directional coupling through cellular traction forces to deform the ECM and through matrix deformation to trigger cellular migration. In addition, we incorporate the mechanical contribution of matrix fibres and their reorganization by the cells. We show that a group of contractile cells will self-polarize at a large scale, even in homogeneous environments. In addition, our simulations mimic the experimentally observed alignment of cells in the direction of maximum stiffness and the building up of tension as a consequence of cell and fibre reorganization. Moreover, we demonstrate that cellular organization is tightly linked to the mechanical feedback loop between cells and matrix. Cells with a preference for stiff environments have a tendency to form chains, while cells with a tendency for soft environments tend to form clusters. The model presented here illustrates the potential of simple physical cues and their impact on cellular self-organization. It can be used in applications where cell-matrix interactions play a key role, such as in the design of tissue engineering scaffolds and to gain a basic understanding of pattern formation in organogenesis or tissue regeneration.

  17. Cellular, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms in non-associative conditioning: implications for pain and memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahn, Elizabeth J; Guzman-Karlsson, Mikael C; David Sweatt, J

    2013-10-01

    Sensitization is a form of non-associative conditioning in which amplification of behavioral responses can occur following presentation of an aversive or noxious stimulus. Understanding the cellular and molecular underpinnings of sensitization has been an overarching theme spanning the field of learning and memory as well as that of pain research. In this review we examine how sensitization, both in the context of learning as well as pain processing, shares evolutionarily conserved behavioral, cellular/synaptic, and epigenetic mechanisms across phyla. First, we characterize the behavioral phenomenon of sensitization both in invertebrates and vertebrates. Particular emphasis is placed on long-term sensitization (LTS) of withdrawal reflexes in Aplysia following aversive stimulation or injury, although additional invertebrate models are also covered. In the context of vertebrates, sensitization of mammalian hyperarousal in a model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as mammalian models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain is characterized. Second, we investigate the cellular and synaptic mechanisms underlying these behaviors. We focus our discussion on serotonin-mediated long-term facilitation (LTF) and axotomy-mediated long-term hyperexcitability (LTH) in reduced Aplysia systems, as well as mammalian spinal plasticity mechanisms of central sensitization. Third, we explore recent evidence implicating epigenetic mechanisms in learning- and pain-related sensitization. This review illustrates the fundamental and functional overlay of the learning and memory field with the pain field which argues for homologous persistent plasticity mechanisms in response to sensitizing stimuli or injury across phyla. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Progressive multiple sclerosis: from pathogenic mechanisms to treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correale, Jorge; Gaitán, María I; Ysrraelit, María C; Fiol, Marcela P

    2017-03-01

    During the past decades, better understanding of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis disease mechanisms have led to the development of several disease-modifying therapies, reducing relapse rates and severity, through immune system modulation or suppression. In contrast, current therapeutic options for progressive multiple sclerosis remain comparatively disappointing and challenging. One possible explanation is a lack of understanding of pathogenic mechanisms driving progressive multiple sclerosis. Furthermore, diagnosis is usually retrospective, based on history of gradual neurological worsening with or without occasional relapses, minor remissions or plateaus. In addition, imaging methods as well as biomarkers are not well established. Magnetic resonance imaging studies in progressive multiple sclerosis show decreased blood-brain barrier permeability, probably reflecting compartmentalization of inflammation behind a relatively intact blood-brain barrier. Interestingly, a spectrum of inflammatory cell types infiltrates the leptomeninges during subpial cortical demyelination. Indeed, recent magnetic resonance imaging studies show leptomeningeal contrast enhancement in subjects with progressive multiple sclerosis, possibly representing an in vivo marker of inflammation associated to subpial demyelination. Treatments for progressive disease depend on underlying mechanisms causing central nervous system damage. Immunity sheltered behind an intact blood-brain barrier, energy failure, and membrane channel dysfunction may be key processes in progressive disease. Interfering with these mechanisms may provide neuroprotection and prevent disability progression, while potentially restoring activity and conduction along damaged axons by repairing myelin. Although most previous clinical trials in progressive multiple sclerosis have yielded disappointing results, important lessons have been learnt, improving the design of novel ones. This review discusses mechanisms involved

  19. The application of multiple biophysical cues to engineer functional neocartilage for treatment of osteoarthritis. Part I: cellular response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brady, Mariea A; Waldman, Stephen D; Ethier, C Ross

    2015-02-01

    Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex disease of the joint for which current treatments are unsatisfactory, thus motivating development of tissue engineering (TE)-based therapies. To date, TE strategies have had some success, developing replacement tissue constructs with biochemical properties approaching that of native cartilage. However, poor biomechanical properties and limited postimplantation integration with surrounding tissue are major shortcomings that need to be addressed. Functional tissue engineering strategies that apply physiologically relevant biophysical cues provide a platform to improve TE constructs before implantation. In the previous decade, new experimental and theoretical findings in cartilage biomechanics and electromechanics have emerged, resulting in an increased understanding of the complex interplay of multiple biophysical cues in the extracellular matrix of the tissue. The effect of biophysical stimulation on cartilage, and the resulting chondrocyte-mediated biosynthesis, remodeling, degradation, and repair, has, therefore, been extensively explored by the TE community. This article compares and contrasts the cellular response of chondrocytes to multiple biophysical stimuli, and may be read in conjunction with its companion paper that compares and contrasts the subsequent intracellular signal transduction cascades. Mechanical, magnetic, and electrical stimuli promote proliferation, differentiation, and maturation of chondrocytes within established dose parameters or "biological windows." This knowledge will provide a framework for ongoing studies incorporating multiple biophysical cues in TE functional neocartilage for treatment of OA.

  20. Mechanisms of multiple production processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dremin, I.M.

    1977-01-01

    Theoretical approaches to multiple production processes are discussed. A large number of models proceeds from the notion about common excited system produced by colliding hadrons. This class of models includes the hydrodynamical, statistical, thermodynamical and statistical bootstrap models. Sometimes the production process is due to excitation and decay of two colliding particles. The fragmentation bremsstrahlung and inelastic diffraction models belong to this group. The largest group of models describes the multiple production process as a result of formation of many excited centers. The typical example is the multiperipheral model. An interesting direction is given by the attempts to interrelate the mechanism of multiple production with internal structure of particles that is with their constituents (C-group)'-quarks, gluons, etc. Besides the models there are phenomenological (p group) attempts to connect different features of multiple production. Experimental data indicate the existence of leading and pionization particles thus giving an evidence for applications of different models. The data about increase of total and inclusive cross sections, the behaviour of the mean multiplicity and correlations at high energies provide a clue for further development of multiple production theory

  1. The Role of Mechanical Force in Molecular and Cellular during Orthodontic Tooth Movement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ida Bagus Narmada

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Application of mechanical force on abnormally positioned tooth, cause changes in tooth location and transmitted to the bone ia the periodontal ligament (PDL produce orthodontic tooth movement. This force application is further way that remodeling in the area occurs. In order to develop biological strategies for enhancing this movement of teeth in bone, the underlying mechanisms of bone resorption and apposition should be understood in detail. Analysis of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF may be a good means of examining the on going molecular and cellular process associated with gingival and bone turnover during orthodontic tooth movement. If it could be possible to biologically monitor and predict the outcome of orthodontic force, then the appliance management could be based on dividual tissue response and the effectiveness of the treatment could be improved and understanding their biology is critical to finding ways to modify bone biology to move teeth faster. The present article reviewed a short introduction to some mayors advanced mechanical force in molecular and cellular biology during orthodontic tooth movement.DOI: 10.14693/jdi.v15i3.30

  2. The biocompatibility of fluorescent nanodiamonds and their mechanism of cellular uptake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaijayanthimala, Vairakkannu; Tzeng, Yan-Kai; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Li, Chung-Leung

    2009-01-01

    The labeling of cells with fluorescent nanoparticles is promising for various biomedical applications. The objective of this study is to evaluate the biocompatibility and the mechanism of the cellular uptake of fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) in cancer cells (HeLa) and pre-adipocytes (3T3-L1). With flow cytometry and the use of a battery of metabolic and cytoskeletal inhibitors, we found that the mechanism of the FND uptake in both cells is by energy-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In addition, the surface charge of FND influences its cellular uptake, as the uptake of poly-L-lysine-coated FNDs is better than that of oxidative-acid-purified FNDs at the same concentration in regular medium with or without serum. We also confirm that the proliferative potential of FND-treated and untreated cells does not exhibit any significant differences when measured at bulk cultures, and more stringently at clonal cell density. Further biocompatibility studies indicate that the in vitro differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and 489-2 osteoprogenitors is not affected by the FND treatment. Our results show that FNDs are biocompatible and ideal candidates for potential applications in human stem cell research.

  3. The biocompatibility of fluorescent nanodiamonds and their mechanism of cellular uptake

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vaijayanthimala, Vairakkannu; Tzeng, Yan-Kai; Chang, Huan-Cheng [Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Li, Chung-Leung, E-mail: hcchang@po.sinica.edu.t, E-mail: chungL@gate.sinica.edu.t [Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan (China)

    2009-10-21

    The labeling of cells with fluorescent nanoparticles is promising for various biomedical applications. The objective of this study is to evaluate the biocompatibility and the mechanism of the cellular uptake of fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) in cancer cells (HeLa) and pre-adipocytes (3T3-L1). With flow cytometry and the use of a battery of metabolic and cytoskeletal inhibitors, we found that the mechanism of the FND uptake in both cells is by energy-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In addition, the surface charge of FND influences its cellular uptake, as the uptake of poly-L-lysine-coated FNDs is better than that of oxidative-acid-purified FNDs at the same concentration in regular medium with or without serum. We also confirm that the proliferative potential of FND-treated and untreated cells does not exhibit any significant differences when measured at bulk cultures, and more stringently at clonal cell density. Further biocompatibility studies indicate that the in vitro differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and 489-2 osteoprogenitors is not affected by the FND treatment. Our results show that FNDs are biocompatible and ideal candidates for potential applications in human stem cell research.

  4. Frequency-dependent micromechanics of cellularized biopolymer networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Chris; Kim, Jihan; McIntyre, David; Sun, Bo

    Mechanical interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) influence many cellular behaviors such as growth, differentiation, and migration. These are dynamic processes in which the cells actively remodel the ECM. Reconstituted collagen gel is a common model ECM for studying cell-ECM interactions in vitro because collagen is the most abundant component of mammalian ECM and gives the ECM its material stiffness. We embed micron-sized particles in collagen and use holographic optical tweezers to apply forces to the particles in multiple directions and over a range of frequencies up to 10 Hz. We calculate the local compliance and show that it is dependent on both the direction and frequency of the applied force. Performing the same measurement on many particles allows us to characterize the spatial inhomogeneity of the mechanical properties and shows that the compliance decreases at higher frequencies. Performing these measurements on cell-populated collagen gels shows that cellular remodeling of the ECM changes the mechanical properties of the collagen and we investigate whether this change is dependent on the local strain and distance from nearby cells.

  5. Plants-Derived Neuroprotective Agents: Cutting the Cycle of Cell Death through Multiple Mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taiwo Olayemi Elufioye

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Neuroprotection is the preservation of the structure and function of neurons from insults arising from cellular injuries induced by a variety of agents or neurodegenerative diseases (NDs. The various NDs including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases as well as amyotropic lateral sclerosis affect millions of people around the world with the main risk factor being advancing age. Each of these diseases affects specific neurons and/or regions in the brain and involves characteristic pathological and molecular features. Hence, several in vitro and in vivo study models specific to each disease have been employed to study NDs with the aim of understanding their underlying mechanisms and identifying new therapeutic strategies. Of the most prevalent drug development efforts employed in the past few decades, mechanisms implicated in the accumulation of protein-based deposits, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and certain neurotransmitter deficits such as acetylcholine and dopamine have been scrutinized in great detail. In this review, we presented classical examples of plant-derived neuroprotective agents by highlighting their structural class and specific mechanisms of action. Many of these natural products that have shown therapeutic efficacies appear to be working through the above-mentioned key multiple mechanisms of action.

  6. The agglomeration state of nanoparticles can influence the mechanism of their cellular internalisation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halamoda-Kenzaoui, Blanka; Ceridono, Mara; Urbán, Patricia; Bogni, Alessia; Ponti, Jessica; Gioria, Sabrina; Kinsner-Ovaskainen, Agnieszka

    2017-06-26

    Significant progress of nanotechnology, including in particular biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, has resulted in a high number of studies describing the biological effects of nanomaterials. Moreover, a determination of so-called "critical quality attributes", that is specific physicochemical properties of nanomaterials triggering the observed biological response, has been recognised as crucial for the evaluation and design of novel safe and efficacious therapeutics. In the context of in vitro studies, a thorough physicochemical characterisation of nanoparticles (NPs), also in the biological medium, is necessary to allow a correlation with a cellular response. Following this concept, we examined whether the main and frequently reported characteristics of NPs such as size and the agglomeration state can influence the level and the mechanism of NP cellular internalization. We employed fluorescently-labelled 30 and 80 nm silicon dioxide NPs, both in agglomerated and non-agglomerated form. Using flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, the inhibitors of endocytosis and gene silencing we determined the most probable routes of cellular uptake for each form of tested silica NPs. We observed differences in cellular uptake depending on the size and the agglomeration state of NPs. Caveolae-mediated endocytosis was implicated particularly in the internalisation of well dispersed silica NPs but with an increase of the agglomeration state of NPs a combination of endocytic pathways with a predominant role of macropinocytosis was noted. We demonstrated that the agglomeration state of NPs is an important factor influencing the level of cell uptake and the mechanism of endocytosis of silica NPs.

  7. Relative Contributions of Various Cellular Mechanisms to Loss of Algae during Cnidarian Bleaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bieri, Tamaki; Onishi, Masayuki; Xiang, Tingting; Grossman, Arthur R; Pringle, John R

    2016-01-01

    When exposed to stress such as high seawater temperature, corals and other cnidarians can bleach due to loss of symbiotic algae from the host tissue and/or loss of pigments from the algae. Although the environmental conditions that trigger bleaching are reasonably well known, its cellular and molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Previous studies have reported the occurrence of at least four different cellular mechanisms for the loss of symbiotic algae from the host tissue: in situ degradation of algae, exocytic release of algae from the host, detachment of host cells containing algae, and death of host cells containing algae. The relative contributions of these several mechanisms to bleaching remain unclear, and it is also not known whether these relative contributions change in animals subjected to different types and/or durations of stresses. In this study, we used a clonal population of the small sea anemone Aiptasia, exposed individuals to various precisely controlled stress conditions, and quantitatively assessed the several possible bleaching mechanisms in parallel. Under all stress conditions tested, except for acute cold shock at 4°C, expulsion of intact algae from the host cells appeared to be by far the predominant mechanism of bleaching. During acute cold shock, in situ degradation of algae and host-cell detachment also became quantitatively significant, and the algae released under these conditions appeared to be severely damaged.

  8. Relative Contributions of Various Cellular Mechanisms to Loss of Algae during Cnidarian Bleaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bieri, Tamaki; Onishi, Masayuki; Xiang, Tingting; Grossman, Arthur R.; Pringle, John R

    2016-01-01

    When exposed to stress such as high seawater temperature, corals and other cnidarians can bleach due to loss of symbiotic algae from the host tissue and/or loss of pigments from the algae. Although the environmental conditions that trigger bleaching are reasonably well known, its cellular and molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Previous studies have reported the occurrence of at least four different cellular mechanisms for the loss of symbiotic algae from the host tissue: in situ degradation of algae, exocytic release of algae from the host, detachment of host cells containing algae, and death of host cells containing algae. The relative contributions of these several mechanisms to bleaching remain unclear, and it is also not known whether these relative contributions change in animals subjected to different types and/or durations of stresses. In this study, we used a clonal population of the small sea anemone Aiptasia, exposed individuals to various precisely controlled stress conditions, and quantitatively assessed the several possible bleaching mechanisms in parallel. Under all stress conditions tested, except for acute cold shock at 4°C, expulsion of intact algae from the host cells appeared to be by far the predominant mechanism of bleaching. During acute cold shock, in situ degradation of algae and host-cell detachment also became quantitatively significant, and the algae released under these conditions appeared to be severely damaged. PMID:27119147

  9. Left ventricular remodeling in the post-infarction heart: a review of cellular, molecular mechanisms, and therapeutic modalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajarsa, Jason J; Kloner, Robert A

    2011-01-01

    As more patients survive myocardial infarctions, the incidence of heart failure increases. After an infarction, the human heart undergoes a series of structural changes, which are governed by cellular and molecular mechanisms in a pathological metamorphosis termed "remodeling." This review will discuss the current developments in our understanding of these molecular and cellular events in remodeling and the various pharmacological, cellular and device therapies used to treat, and potentially retard, this condition. Specifically, this paper will examine the neurohormonal activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and its molecular effects on the heart. The emerging understanding of the extra-cellular matrix and the various active molecules within it, such as the matrix metalloproteinases, elicits new appreciation for their role in cardiac remodeling and as possible future therapeutic targets. Cell therapy with stem cells is another recent therapy with great potential in improving post-infarcted hearts. Lastly, the cellular and molecular effects of left ventricular assist devices on remodeling will be reviewed. Our increasing knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac remodeling enables us not only to better understand how our more successful therapies, like angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, work, but also to explore new therapies of the future.

  10. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of muscle atrophy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Bonaldo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Skeletal muscle is a plastic organ that is maintained by multiple pathways regulating cell and protein turnover. During muscle atrophy, proteolytic systems are activated, and contractile proteins and organelles are removed, resulting in the shrinkage of muscle fibers. Excessive loss of muscle mass is associated with poor prognosis in several diseases, including myopathies and muscular dystrophies, as well as in systemic disorders such as cancer, diabetes, sepsis and heart failure. Muscle loss also occurs during aging. In this paper, we review the key mechanisms that regulate the turnover of contractile proteins and organelles in muscle tissue, and discuss how impairments in these mechanisms can contribute to muscle atrophy. We also discuss how protein synthesis and degradation are coordinately regulated by signaling pathways that are influenced by mechanical stress, physical activity, and the availability of nutrients and growth factors. Understanding how these pathways regulate muscle mass will provide new therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy in metabolic and neuromuscular diseases.

  11. Cerebriform intradermal nevus presenting as cutis verticis gyrata with multiple cellular blue nevus over the body: A rare occurrence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Somenath Sarkar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Cutis verticis gyrata is a rare skin condition characterized by swelling of scalp resembling the surface of the brain. Various conditions, like cerebriform intradermal nevus (CIN, may give rise to this clinical entity. Moreover, its association with cellular blue nevus is extremely rare and has not been reported so far. Here, we report a 28-year-old male with a huge cerebriform swelling covering the occipital lobe along with multiple nodules all over the body. Histology of the scalp swelling showed solitary or clusters of nevus cells in the dermis and from the body lesions showed features of cellular blue nevus. The diagnosis of CIN with cellular blue nevus was confirmed

  12. Cellular entry of ebola virus involves uptake by a macropinocytosis-like mechanism and subsequent trafficking through early and late endosomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad F Saeed

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV, a highly pathogenic zoonotic virus, poses serious public health, ecological and potential bioterrorism threats. Currently no specific therapy or vaccine is available. Virus entry is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. However, current knowledge of the ZEBOV entry mechanism is limited. While it is known that ZEBOV enters cells through endocytosis, which of the cellular endocytic mechanisms used remains unclear. Previous studies have produced differing outcomes, indicating potential involvement of multiple routes but many of these studies were performed using noninfectious surrogate systems such as pseudotyped retroviral particles, which may not accurately recapitulate the entry characteristics of the morphologically distinct wild type virus. Here we used replication-competent infectious ZEBOV as well as morphologically similar virus-like particles in specific infection and entry assays to demonstrate that in HEK293T and Vero cells internalization of ZEBOV is independent of clathrin, caveolae, and dynamin. Instead the uptake mechanism has features of macropinocytosis. The binding of virus to cells appears to directly stimulate fluid phase uptake as well as localized actin polymerization. Inhibition of key regulators of macropinocytosis including Pak1 and CtBP/BARS as well as treatment with the drug EIPA, which affects macropinosome formation, resulted in significant reduction in ZEBOV entry and infection. It is also shown that following internalization, the virus enters the endolysosomal pathway and is trafficked through early and late endosomes, but the exact site of membrane fusion and nucleocapsid penetration in the cytoplasm remains unclear. This study identifies the route for ZEBOV entry and identifies the key cellular factors required for the uptake of this filamentous virus. The findings greatly expand our understanding of the ZEBOV entry mechanism that can be applied to development of new

  13. Poxviruses Utilize Multiple Strategies to Inhibit Apoptosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichols, Daniel Brian; De Martini, William; Cottrell, Jessica

    2017-01-01

    Cells have multiple means to induce apoptosis in response to viral infection. Poxviruses must prevent activation of cellular apoptosis to ensure successful replication. These viruses devote a substantial portion of their genome to immune evasion. Many of these immune evasion products expressed during infection antagonize cellular apoptotic pathways. Poxvirus products target multiple points in both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, thereby mitigating apoptosis during infection. Interestingly, recent evidence indicates that poxviruses also hijack cellular means of eliminating apoptotic bodies as a means to spread cell to cell through a process called apoptotic mimicry. Poxviruses are the causative agent of many human and veterinary diseases. Further, there is substantial interest in developing these viruses as vectors for a variety of uses including vaccine delivery and as oncolytic viruses to treat certain human cancers. Therefore, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms through which poxviruses regulate the cellular apoptotic pathways remains a top research priority. In this review, we consider anti-apoptotic strategies of poxviruses focusing on three relevant poxvirus genera: Orthopoxvirus, Molluscipoxvirus, and Leporipoxvirus. All three genera express multiple products to inhibit both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways with many of these products required for virulence. PMID:28786952

  14. Cellular blebs: pressure-driven, axisymmetric, membrane protrusions

    KAUST Repository

    Woolley, Thomas E.

    2013-07-16

    Blebs are cellular protrusions that are used by cells for multiple purposes including locomotion. A mechanical model for the problem of pressure-driven blebs based on force and moment balances of an axisymmetric shell model is proposed. The formation of a bleb is initiated by weakening the shell over a small region, and the deformation of the cellular membrane from the cortex is obtained during inflation. However, simply weakening the shell leads to an area increase of more than 4 %, which is physically unrealistic. Thus, the model is extended to include a reconfiguration process that allows large blebs to form with small increases in area. It is observed that both geometric and biomechanical constraints are important in this process. In particular, it is shown that although blebs are driven by a pressure difference across the cellular membrane, it is not the limiting factor in determining bleb size. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

  15. DMPD: Anti-inflammatory actions of PPAR ligands: new insights on cellular andmolecular mechanisms. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 17981503 Anti-inflammatory actions of PPAR ligands: new insights on cellular andmol...) (.html) (.csml) Show Anti-inflammatory actions of PPAR ligands: new insights on cellular andmolecular mech...anisms. PubmedID 17981503 Title Anti-inflammatory actions of PPAR ligands: new insight

  16. Cellular and molecular investigations of the adhesion and mechanics of Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eskhan, Asma Omar

    Atomic force microscopy has been used to quantify the adherence and mechanical properties of an array of L. monocytogenes strains and their surface biopolymers. First, eight L. monocytogenes strains that represented the two major lineages of the species were compared for their adherence and mechanics at cellular and molecular levels. Our results indicated that strains of lineage' II were characterized by higher adhesion and Young's moduli, longer and more rigid surface biopolymers and lower specific and nonspecific forces when compared to lineage' I strains. Additionally, adherence and mechanical properties of eight L. monocytogenes epidemic and environmental strains were probed. Our results pointed to that environmental and epidemic strains representative of a given lineage were similar in their adherence and mechanical properties when investigated at a cellular level. However, when the molecular properties of the strains were considered, epidemic strains were characterized by higher specific and nonspecific forces, shorter, denser and more flexible biopolymers compared to environmental strains. Second, the role of environmental pH conditions of growth on the adhesion and mechanics of a pathogenic L. monocytogenes EGDe was investigated. Our results pointed to a transition in the adhesion energies for cells cultured at pH 7. In addition, when the types of molecular forces that govern the adhesion were quantified using Poisson statistical approach and using a new proposed method, specific hydrogen-bond energies dominated the bacterial adhesion process. Such a finding is instrumental to researchers designing methods to control bacterial adhesion. Similarly, bacterial cells underwent a transition in their mechanical properties. We have shown that cells cultured at pH 7 were the most rigid compared to those cultured in lower or higher pH conditions of growth. Due to transitions observed in adherence and mechanics when cells were cultured at pH 7, we hypothesized that

  17. Introduction of transplantation tolerance after total lymphoid irradiation: cellular mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strober, S.; King, D.P.; Gottlieb, M.; Hoppe, R.T.; Kaplan, H.S.

    1981-01-01

    High-dose fractionated total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) is a safe, routine regimen used to treat patients with lymphoid malignancies. Although few side effects are associated with the regimen, a profound suppression of cell-mediated immunity is observed for several years after therapy, as judged by both in vivo and in vitro assays. A profound immunosuppression has also been observed in mice and rats given TLI. Recently, we have achieved similar results using TLI in nonmatched bone marrow transplantation in outbred dogs. The experimental work in animals and underlying cellular mechanisms are reviewed here

  18. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular response to biophysical cues using synthetic biology approaches

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Denning, Denise; Roos, Wouter H

    2016-01-01

    The use of synthetic surfaces and materials to influence and study cell behavior has vastly progressed our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in cellular response to physicochemical and biophysical cues. Reconstituting cytoskeletal proteins and interfacing them with a

  19. Biomechanics of cellular solids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Lorna J

    2005-03-01

    Materials with a cellular structure are widespread in nature and include wood, cork, plant parenchyma and trabecular bone. Natural cellular materials are often mechanically efficient: the honeycomb-like microstructure of wood, for instance, gives it an exceptionally high performance index for resisting bending and buckling. Here we review the mechanics of a wide range of natural cellular materials and examine their role in lightweight natural sandwich structures (e.g. iris leaves) and natural tubular structures (e.g. plant stems or animal quills). We also describe two examples of engineered biomaterials with a cellular structure, designed to replace or regenerate tissue in the body.

  20. Human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 knockdown tunes cellular mechanics through epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeonju Lee

    Full Text Available We report cell mechanical changes in response to alteration of expression of the human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 (hENT1, a most abundant and widely distributed plasma membrane nucleoside transporter in human cells and/or tissues. Modulation of hENT1 expression level altered the stiffness of pancreatic cancer Capan-1 and Panc 03.27 cells, which was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM and correlated to microfluidic platform. The hENT1 knockdown induced reduction of cellular stiffness in both of cells up to 70%. In addition, cellular phenotypic changes such as cell morphology, migration, and expression level of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT markers were observed after hENT1 knockdown. Cells with suppressed hENT1 became elongated, migrated faster, and had reduced E-cadherin and elevated N-cadherin compared to parental cells which are consistent with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. Those cellular phenotypic changes closely correlated with changes in cellular stiffness. This study suggests that hENT1 expression level affects cellular phenotype and cell elastic behavior can be a physical biomarker for quantify hENT1 expression and detect phenotypic shift. Furthermore, cell mechanics can be a critical tool in detecting disease progression and response to therapy.

  1. Shared molecular and cellular mechanisms of premature ageing and ageing-associated diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubben, Nard; Misteli, Tom

    2017-10-01

    Ageing is the predominant risk factor for many common diseases. Human premature ageing diseases are powerful model systems to identify and characterize cellular mechanisms that underpin physiological ageing. Their study also leads to a better understanding of the causes, drivers and potential therapeutic strategies of common diseases associated with ageing, including neurological disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Using the rare premature ageing disorder Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome as a paradigm, we discuss here the shared mechanisms between premature ageing and ageing-associated diseases, including defects in genetic, epigenetic and metabolic pathways; mitochondrial and protein homeostasis; cell cycle; and stem cell-regenerative capacity.

  2. Global Rebalancing of Cellular Resources by Pleiotropic Point Mutations Illustrates a Multi-scale Mechanism of Adaptive Evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Utrilla, José; O'Brien, Edward J.; Chen, Ke

    2016-01-01

    Pleiotropic regulatory mutations affect diverse cellular processes, posing a challenge to our understanding of genotype-phenotype relationships across multiple biological scales. Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) allows for such mutations to be found and characterized in the context of clear se...

  3. Neural and Cellular Mechanisms of Fear and Extinction Memory Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orsini, Caitlin A.; Maren, Stephen

    2012-01-01

    Over the course of natural history, countless animal species have evolved adaptive behavioral systems to cope with dangerous situations and promote survival. Emotional memories are central to these defense systems because they are rapidly acquired and prepare organisms for future threat. Unfortunately, the persistence and intrusion of memories of fearful experiences are quite common and can lead to pathogenic conditions, such as anxiety and phobias. Over the course of the last thirty years, neuroscientists and psychologists alike have attempted to understand the mechanisms by which the brain encodes and maintains these aversive memories. Of equal interest, though, is the neurobiology of extinction memory formation as this may shape current therapeutic techniques. Here we review the extant literature on the neurobiology of fear and extinction memory formation, with a strong focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. PMID:22230704

  4. Predicting cellular growth from gene expression signatures.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edoardo M Airoldi

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Maintaining balanced growth in a changing environment is a fundamental systems-level challenge for cellular physiology, particularly in microorganisms. While the complete set of regulatory and functional pathways supporting growth and cellular proliferation are not yet known, portions of them are well understood. In particular, cellular proliferation is governed by mechanisms that are highly conserved from unicellular to multicellular organisms, and the disruption of these processes in metazoans is a major factor in the development of cancer. In this paper, we develop statistical methodology to identify quantitative aspects of the regulatory mechanisms underlying cellular proliferation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We find that the expression levels of a small set of genes can be exploited to predict the instantaneous growth rate of any cellular culture with high accuracy. The predictions obtained in this fashion are robust to changing biological conditions, experimental methods, and technological platforms. The proposed model is also effective in predicting growth rates for the related yeast Saccharomyces bayanus and the highly diverged yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, suggesting that the underlying regulatory signature is conserved across a wide range of unicellular evolution. We investigate the biological significance of the gene expression signature that the predictions are based upon from multiple perspectives: by perturbing the regulatory network through the Ras/PKA pathway, observing strong upregulation of growth rate even in the absence of appropriate nutrients, and discovering putative transcription factor binding sites, observing enrichment in growth-correlated genes. More broadly, the proposed methodology enables biological insights about growth at an instantaneous time scale, inaccessible by direct experimental methods. Data and tools enabling others to apply our methods are available at http://function.princeton.edu/growthrate.

  5. Rapid construction of mechanically- confined multi- cellular structures using dendrimeric intercellular linker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mo, Xuejun; Li, Qiushi; Yi Lui, Lena Wai; Zheng, Baixue; Kang, Chiang Huen; Nugraha, Bramasta; Yue, Zhilian; Jia, Rui Rui; Fu, Hong Xia; Choudhury, Deepak; Arooz, Talha; Yan, Jie; Lim, Chwee Teck; Shen, Shali; Hong Tan, Choon; Yu, Hanry

    2010-10-01

    Tissue constructs that mimic the in vivo cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions are especially useful for applications involving the cell- dense and matrix- poor internal organs. Rapid and precise arrangement of cells into functional tissue constructs remains a challenge in tissue engineering. We demonstrate rapid assembly of C3A cells into multi- cell structures using a dendrimeric intercellular linker. The linker is composed of oleyl- polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivatives conjugated to a 16 arms- polypropylenimine hexadecaamine (DAB) dendrimer. The positively charged multivalent dendrimer concentrates the linker onto the negatively charged cell surface to facilitate efficient insertion of the hydrophobic oleyl groups into the cellular membrane. Bringing linker- treated cells into close proximity to each other via mechanical means such as centrifugation and micromanipulation enables their rapid assembly into multi- cellular structures within minutes. The cells exhibit high levels of viability, proliferation, three- dimensional (3D) cell morphology and other functions in the constructs. We constructed defined multi- cellular structures such as rings, sheets or branching rods that can serve as potential tissue building blocks to be further assembled into complex 3D tissue constructs for biomedical applications. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of hexavalent chromium-induced lung cancer: an updated perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbano, A M; Ferreira, L M R; Alpoim, M C

    2012-03-01

    For over a century, chromium (Cr) has found widespread industrial and commercial use, namely as a pigment, in the production of stainless steel and in chrome plating. The adverse health effects to the skin and respiratory tract of prolonged exposure to Cr have been known or suspected for a long time, but it was much more recently that the toxicity of this element was unequivocally attributed to its hexavalent state. Based on the combined results of extensive epidemiological studies, animal carcinogenicity studies and several types of other relevant data, authoritative regulatory agencies have found sufficient evidence to classify hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] compounds as encountered in the chromate production, chromate pigment production and chromium plating industries as carcinogenic to humans. Crucial for the development of novel strategies to prevent, detect and/or treat Cr(VI)-induced cancers is a detailed knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these pathologies. Unfortunately, in spite of a considerable research effort, crucial facets of these mechanisms remain essentially unknown. This review is intended to provide a concise, integrated and critical perspective of the current state of knowledge concerning multiple aspects of Cr(VI) carcinogenesis. It will present recent theories of Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis and will include aspects not traditionally covered in other reviews, such as the possible involvement of the energy metabolism in this process. A brief discussion on the models that have been used in the studies of Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenicity will also be included, due to the impact of this parameter on the relevance of the results obtained.

  7. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of aortic stenosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yetkin, Ertan; Waltenberger, Johannes

    2009-06-12

    Calcific aortic stenosis is the most common cause of aortic valve replacement in developed countries, and this condition increases in prevalence with advancing age. The fibrotic thickening and calcification are common eventual endpoint in both non-rheumatic calcific and rheumatic aortic stenoses. New observations in human aortic valves support the hypothesis that degenerative valvular aortic stenosis is the result of active bone formation in the aortic valve, which may be mediated through a process of osteoblast-like differentiation in these tissues. Additionally histopathologic evidence suggests that early lesions in aortic valves are not just a disease process secondary to aging, but an active cellular process that follows the classical "response to injury hypothesis" similar to the situation in atherosclerosis. Although there are similarities with the risk factor and as well as with the process of atherogenesis, not all the patients with coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis have calcific aortic stenosis. This review mainly focuses on the potential vascular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of aortic valve stenosis. Namely extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis, inflammation, and eventually osteoblast-like differentiation resulting in bone formation have been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of calcific aortic stenosis. Several mediators related to underlying mechanisms, including growth factors especially transforming growth factor-beta1 and vascular endothelial growth factors, angiogenesis, cathepsin enzymes, adhesion molecules, bone regulatory proteins and matrix metalloproteinases have been demonstrated, however the target to be attacked is not defined yet.

  8. Cellular compartments cause multistability and allow cells to process more information

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Harrington, Heather A; Feliu, Elisenda; Wiuf, Carsten

    2013-01-01

    recent developments from dynamical systems and chemical reaction network theory to identify and characterize the key-role of the spatial organization of eukaryotic cells in cellular information processing. In particular, the existence of distinct compartments plays a pivotal role in whether a system...... is capable of multistationarity (multiple response states), and is thus directly linked to the amount of information that the signaling molecules can represent in the nucleus. Multistationarity provides a mechanism for switching between different response states in cell signaling systems and enables multiple...

  9. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of the age-dependency of opioid analgesia and tolerance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao Jing

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The age-dependency of opioid analgesia and tolerance has been noticed in both clinical observation and laboratory studies. Evidence shows that many molecular and cellular events that play essential roles in opioid analgesia and tolerance are actually age-dependent. For example, the expression and functions of endogenous opioid peptides, multiple types of opioid receptors, G protein subunits that couple to opioid receptors, and regulators of G protein signaling (RGS proteins change with development and age. Other signaling systems that are critical to opioid tolerance development, such as N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA receptors, also undergo age-related changes. It is plausible that the age-dependent expression and functions of molecules within and related to the opioid signaling pathways, as well as age-dependent cellular activity such as agonist-induced opioid receptor internalization and desensitization, eventually lead to significant age-dependent changes in opioid analgesia and tolerance development.

  10. Multiscale evaluation of cellular adhesion alteration and cytoskeleton remodeling by magnetic bead twisting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isabey, Daniel; Pelle, Gabriel; André Dias, Sofia; Bottier, Mathieu; Nguyen, Ngoc-Minh; Filoche, Marcel; Louis, Bruno

    2016-08-01

    Cellular adhesion forces depend on local biological conditions meaning that adhesion characterization must be performed while preserving cellular integrity. We presently postulate that magnetic bead twisting provides an appropriate stress, i.e., basically a clamp, for assessment in living cells of both cellular adhesion and mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton. A global dissociation rate obeying a Bell-type model was used to determine the natural dissociation rate ([Formula: see text]) and a reference stress ([Formula: see text]). These adhesion parameters were determined in parallel to the mechanical properties for a variety of biological conditions in which either adhesion or cytoskeleton was selectively weakened or strengthened by changing successively ligand concentration, actin polymerization level (by treating with cytochalasin D), level of exerted stress (by increasing magnetic torque), and cell environment (by using rigid and soft 3D matrices). On the whole, this multiscale evaluation of the cellular and molecular responses to a controlled stress reveals an evolution which is consistent with stochastic multiple bond theories and with literature results obtained with other molecular techniques. Present results confirm the validity of the proposed bead-twisting approach for its capability to probe cellular and molecular responses in a variety of biological conditions.

  11. Wireless Cellular Mobile Communications

    OpenAIRE

    Zalud, V.

    2002-01-01

    In this article is briefly reviewed the history of wireless cellular mobile communications, examined the progress in current second generation (2G) cellular standards and discussed their migration to the third generation (3G). The European 2G cellular standard GSM and its evolution phases GPRS and EDGE are described somewhat in detail. The third generation standard UMTS taking up on GSM/GPRS core network and equipped with a new advanced access network on the basis of code division multiple ac...

  12. A Novel Algorithm for Efficient Downlink Packet Scheduling for Multiple-Component-Carrier Cellular Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yao-Liang Chung

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The simultaneous aggregation of multiple component carriers (CCs for use by a base station constitutes one of the more promising strategies for providing substantially enhanced bandwidths for packet transmissions in 4th and 5th generation cellular systems. To the best of our knowledge, however, few previous studies have undertaken a thorough investigation of various performance aspects of the use of a simple yet effective packet scheduling algorithm in which multiple CCs are aggregated for transmission in such systems. Consequently, the present study presents an efficient packet scheduling algorithm designed on the basis of the proportional fair criterion for use in multiple-CC systems for downlink transmission. The proposed algorithm includes a focus on providing simultaneous transmission support for both real-time (RT and non-RT traffic. This algorithm can, when applied with sufficiently efficient designs, provide adequate utilization of spectrum resources for the purposes of transmissions, while also improving energy efficiency to some extent. According to simulation results, the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of system throughput, mean delay, and fairness constitute substantial improvements over those of an algorithm in which the CCs are used independently instead of being aggregated.

  13. Oxidative Damage and Cellular Defense Mechanisms in Sea Urchin Models of Aging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Colin; Anderson, Arielle; Lortie, Mae; Parsons, Rachel; Bodnar, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    The free radical or oxidative stress theory of aging proposes that the accumulation of oxidative cellular damage is a major contributor to the aging process and a key determinant of species longevity. This study investigates the oxidative stress theory in a novel model for aging research, the sea urchin. Sea urchins present a unique model for the study of aging due to the existence of species with tremendously different natural life spans including some species with extraordinary longevity and negligible senescence. Cellular oxidative damage, antioxidant capacity and proteasome enzyme activities were measured in the tissues of three sea urchin species: short-lived Lytechinus variegatus, long-lived Strongylocentrotus franciscanus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus which has an intermediate lifespan. Levels of protein carbonyls and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) measured in tissues (muscle, nerve, esophagus, gonad, coelomocytes, ampullae) and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) measured in cell-free coelomic fluid showed no general increase with age. The fluorescent age-pigment lipofuscin measured in muscle, nerve and esophagus, increased with age however it appeared to be predominantly extracellular. Antioxidant mechanisms (total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase) and proteasome enzyme activities were maintained with age. In some instances, levels of oxidative damage were lower and antioxidant activity higher in cells or tissues of the long-lived species compared to the short-lived species, however further studies are required to determine the relationship between oxidative damage and longevity in these animals. Consistent with the predictions of the oxidative stress theory of aging, the results suggest that negligible senescence is accompanied by a lack of accumulation of cellular oxidative damage with age and maintenance of antioxidant capacity and proteasome enzyme activities may be important mechanisms to mitigate damage. PMID:23707327

  14. Cucurbitacin IIb exhibits anti-inflammatory activity through modulating multiple cellular behaviors of mouse lymphocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yao Wang

    Full Text Available Cucurbitacin IIb (CuIIb is one of the major active compounds in Hemsleyadine tablets which have been used for clinical treatment of bacillary dysentery, enteritis and acute tonsilitis. However, its action mechanism has not been completely understood. This study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory activity of CuIIb and its underlying mechanism in mitogen-activated lymphocytes isolated from mouse mesenteric lymph nodes. The results showed that CuIIb inhibited the proliferation of concanavalin A (Con A-activated lymphocytes in a time- and dose-dependent manner. CuIIb treatment arrested their cell cycle in S and G2/M phases probably due to the disruption of the actin cytoskeleton and the modulation of p27(Kip1 and cyclin levels. Moreover, the surface expression of activation markers CD69 and CD25 on Con A-activated CD3(+ T lymphocytes was suppressed by CuIIb treatment. Both Con A- and phorbol ester plus ionomycin-induced expression of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-6 proteins was attenuated upon exposure to CuIIb. Mechanistically, CuIIb treatment suppressed the phosphorylation of JNK and Erk1/2 but not p38 in Con A-activated lymphocytes. Although CuIIb unexpectedly enhanced the phosphorylation of IκB and NF-κB (p65, it blocked the nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65. In support of this, CuIIb significantly decreased the mRNA levels of IκBα and TNF-α, two target genes of NF-κB, in Con A-activated lymphocytes. In addition, CuIIb downregulated Con A-induced STAT3 phosphorylation and increased cell apoptosis. Collectively, these results suggest that CuIIb exhibits its anti-inflammatory activity through modulating multiple cellular behaviors and signaling pathways, leading to the suppression of the adaptive immune response.

  15. Three-dimensional detonation cellular structures in rectangular ducts using an improved CESE scheme

    KAUST Repository

    Shen, Yang

    2016-11-01

    The three-dimensional premixed H2-O2 detonation propagation in rectangular ducts is simulated using an in-house parallel detonation code based on the second-order space–time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) scheme. The simulation reproduces three typical cellular structures by setting appropriate cross-sectional size and initial perturbation in square tubes. As the cross-sectional size decreases, critical cellular structures transforming the rectangular or diagonal mode into the spinning mode are obtained and discussed in the perspective of phase variation as well as decreasing of triple point lines. Furthermore, multiple cellular structures are observed through examples with typical aspect ratios. Utilizing the visualization of detailed three-dimensional structures, their formation mechanism is further analyzed.

  16. Three-dimensional detonation cellular structures in rectangular ducts using an improved CESE scheme

    KAUST Repository

    Shen, Yang; Shen, Hua; Liu, Kai Xin; Chen, Pu; Zhang, De Liang

    2016-01-01

    The three-dimensional premixed H2-O2 detonation propagation in rectangular ducts is simulated using an in-house parallel detonation code based on the second-order space–time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) scheme. The simulation reproduces three typical cellular structures by setting appropriate cross-sectional size and initial perturbation in square tubes. As the cross-sectional size decreases, critical cellular structures transforming the rectangular or diagonal mode into the spinning mode are obtained and discussed in the perspective of phase variation as well as decreasing of triple point lines. Furthermore, multiple cellular structures are observed through examples with typical aspect ratios. Utilizing the visualization of detailed three-dimensional structures, their formation mechanism is further analyzed.

  17. Cellular Reparative Mechanisms of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Retinal Diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Suet Lee Shirley; Kumar, Suresh; Mok, Pooi Ling

    2017-07-28

    The use of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been reported as promising for the treatment of numerous degenerative disorders including the eye. In retinal degenerative diseases, MSCs exhibit the potential to regenerate into retinal neurons and retinal pigmented epithelial cells in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Delivery of MSCs was found to improve retinal morphology and function and delay retinal degeneration. In this review, we revisit the therapeutic role of MSCs in the diseased eye. Furthermore, we reveal the possible cellular mechanisms and identify the associated signaling pathways of MSCs in reversing the pathological conditions of various ocular disorders such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Current stem cell treatment can be dispensed as an independent cell treatment format or with the combination of other approaches. Hence, the improvement of the treatment strategy is largely subjected by our understanding of MSCs mechanism of action.

  18. Mitochondrial and cellular mechanisms for managing lipid excess

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel A Aon

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Current scientific debates center on the impact of lipids and mitochondrial function on diverse aspects of human health, nutrition and disease, among them the association of lipotoxicity with the onset of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, and with heart dysfunction in obesity and diabetes. Mitochondria play a fundamental role in aging and in prevalent acute or chronic diseases. Lipids are main mitochondrial fuels however these molecules can also behave as uncouplers and inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation. Knowledge about the functional composition of these contradictory effects and their impact on mitochondrial-cellular energetics/redox status is incomplete.Cells store fatty acids (FAs as triacylglycerol and package them into cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs. New emerging data shows the LD as a highly dynamic storage pool of FAs that can be used for energy reserve. Lipid excess packaging into LDs can be seen as an adaptive response to fulfilling energy supply without hindering mitochondrial or cellular redox status and keeping low concentration of lipotoxic intermediates.Herein we review the mechanisms of action and utilization of lipids by mitochondria reported in liver, heart and skeletal muscle under relevant physiological situations, e.g. exercise. We report on perilipins, a family of proteins that associate with LDs in response to loading of cells with lipids. Evidence showing that in addition to physical contact, mitochondria and LDs exhibit metabolic interactions is presented and discussed. A hypothetical model of channeled lipid utilization by mitochondria is proposed. Direct delivery and channeled processing of lipids in mitochondria could represent a reliable and efficient way to maintain ROS within levels compatible with signaling while ensuring robust and reliable energy supply.

  19. A Novel Power-Saving Transmission Scheme for Multiple-Component-Carrier Cellular Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yao-Liang Chung

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available As mobile data traffic levels have increased exponentially, resulting in rising energy costs in recent years, the demand for and development of green communication technologies has resulted in various energy-saving designs for cellular systems. At the same time, recent technological advances have allowed multiple component carriers (CCs to be simultaneously utilized in a base station (BS, a development that has made the energy consumption of BSs a matter of increasing concern. To help address this concern, herein we propose a novel scheme aimed at efficiently minimizing the power consumption of BS transceivers during transmission, while still ensuring good service quality and fairness for users. Specifically, the scheme utilizes the dynamic activation/deactivation of CCs during data transmission to increase power usage efficiency. To test its effectiveness, the proposed scheme was applied to a model consisting of a BS with orthogonal frequency division multiple access-based CCs in a downlink transmission environment. The results indicated that, given periods of relatively light traffic loads, the total power consumption of the proposed scheme is significantly lower than that of schemes in which all the CCs of a BS are constantly activated, suggesting the scheme’s potential for reducing both energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions.

  20. Characterizing cellular mechanical phenotypes with mechano-node-pore sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Junghyun; Han, Sewoon; Lei, Andy; Miyano, Masaru; Bloom, Jessica; Srivastava, Vasudha; Stampfer, Martha M.; Gartner, Zev J.; LaBarge, Mark A.; Sohn, Lydia L.

    2018-01-01

    The mechanical properties of cells change with their differentiation, chronological age, and malignant progression. Consequently, these properties may be useful label-free biomarkers of various functional or clinically relevant cell states. Here, we demonstrate mechano-node-pore sensing (mechano-NPS), a multi-parametric single-cell-analysis method that utilizes a four-terminal measurement of the current across a microfluidic channel to quantify simultaneously cell diameter, resistance to compressive deformation, transverse deformation under constant strain, and recovery time after deformation. We define a new parameter, the whole-cell deformability index (wCDI), which provides a quantitative mechanical metric of the resistance to compressive deformation that can be used to discriminate among different cell types. The wCDI and the transverse deformation under constant strain show malignant MCF-7 and A549 cell lines are mechanically distinct from non-malignant, MCF-10A and BEAS-2B cell lines, and distinguishes between cells treated or untreated with cytoskeleton-perturbing small molecules. We categorize cell recovery time, ΔTr, as instantaneous (ΔTr ~ 0 ms), transient (ΔTr ≤ 40ms), or prolonged (ΔTr > 40ms), and show that the composition of recovery types, which is a consequence of changes in cytoskeletal organization, correlates with cellular transformation. Through the wCDI and cell-recovery time, mechano-NPS discriminates between sub-lineages of normal primary human mammary epithelial cells with accuracy comparable to flow cytometry, but without antibody labeling. Mechano-NPS identifies mechanical phenotypes that distinguishes lineage, chronological age, and stage of malignant progression in human epithelial cells. PMID:29780657

  1. Simultaneous Measurement of Multiple Mechanical Properties of Single Cells Using AFM by Indentation and Vibration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chuang; Shi, Jialin; Wang, Wenxue; Xi, Ning; Wang, Yuechao; Liu, Lianqing

    2017-12-01

    The mechanical properties of cells, which are the main characteristics determining their physical performance and physiological functions, have been actively studied in the fields of cytobiology and biomedical engineering and for the development of medicines. In this study, an indentation-vibration-based method is proposed to simultaneously measure the mechanical properties of cells in situ, including cellular mass (m), elasticity (k), and viscosity (c). The proposed measurement method is implemented based on the principle of forced vibration stimulated by simple harmonic force using an atomic force microscope (AFM) system integrated with a piezoelectric transducer as the substrate vibrator. The corresponding theoretical model containing the three mechanical properties is derived and used to perform simulations and calculations. Living and fixed human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells were subjected to indentation and vibration to measure and compare their mechanical parameters and verify the proposed approach. The results that the fixed sample cells are more viscous and elastic than the living sample cells and the measured mechanical properties of cell are consistent within, but not outside of the central region of the cell, are in accordance with the previous studies. This work provides an approach to simultaneous measurement of the multiple mechanical properties of single cells using an integrated AFM system based on the principle force vibration and thickness-corrected Hertz model. This study should contribute to progress in biomedical engineering, cytobiology, medicine, early diagnosis, specific therapy and cell-powered robots.

  2. Lysosomal Re-acidification Prevents Lysosphingolipid-Induced Lysosomal Impairment and Cellular Toxicity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher J Folts

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs are severe and untreatable, and mechanisms underlying cellular dysfunction are poorly understood. We found that toxic lipids relevant to three different LSDs disrupt multiple lysosomal and other cellular functions. Unbiased drug discovery revealed several structurally distinct protective compounds, approved for other uses, that prevent lysosomal and cellular toxicities of these lipids. Toxic lipids and protective agents show unexpected convergence on control of lysosomal pH and re-acidification as a critical component of toxicity and protection. In twitcher mice (a model of Krabbe disease [KD], a central nervous system (CNS-penetrant protective agent rescued myelin and oligodendrocyte (OL progenitors, improved motor behavior, and extended lifespan. Our studies reveal shared principles relevant to several LSDs, in which diverse cellular and biochemical disruptions appear to be secondary to disruption of lysosomal pH regulation by specific lipids. These studies also provide novel protective strategies that confer therapeutic benefits in a mouse model of a severe LSD.

  3. Cellular Mechanisms of Liver Regeneration and Cell-Based Therapies of Liver Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irina V. Kholodenko

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The emerging field of regenerative medicine offers innovative methods of cell therapy and tissue/organ engineering as a novel approach to liver disease treatment. The ultimate scientific foundation of both cell therapy of liver diseases and liver tissue and organ engineering is delivered by the in-depth studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver regeneration. The cellular mechanisms of the homeostatic and injury-induced liver regeneration are unique. Restoration of the mass of liver parenchyma is achieved by compensatory hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the differentiated parenchymal cells, hepatocytes, while expansion and differentiation of the resident stem/progenitor cells play a minor or negligible role. Participation of blood-borne cells of the bone marrow origin in liver parenchyma regeneration has been proven but does not exceed 1-2% of newly formed hepatocytes. Liver regeneration is activated spontaneously after injury and can be further stimulated by cell therapy with hepatocytes, hematopoietic stem cells, or mesenchymal stem cells. Further studies aimed at improving the outcomes of cell therapy of liver diseases are underway. In case of liver failure, transplantation of engineered liver can become the best option in the foreseeable future. Engineering of a transplantable liver or its major part is an enormous challenge, but rapid progress in induced pluripotency, tissue engineering, and bioprinting research shows that it may be doable.

  4. Differential Polymer Structure Tunes Mechanism of Cellular Uptake and Transfection Routes of Poly(β-amino ester) Polyplexes in Human Breast Cancer Cells

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Jayoung; Sunshine, Joel C.; Green, Jordan J.

    2013-01-01

    Successful gene delivery with non-viral particles has several barriers, including cellular uptake, endosomal escape, and nuclear transport. Understanding the mechanisms behind these steps is critical to enhancing the effectiveness of gene delivery. Polyplexes formed with poly(β-amino ester)s (PBAEs) have been shown to effectively transfer DNA to various cell types, but the mechanism of their cellular uptake has not been identified. This is the first study to evaluate the uptake mechanism of P...

  5. Multi-layer composite mechanical modeling for the inhomogeneous biofilm mechanical behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoling; Han, Jingshi; Li, Kui; Wang, Guoqing; Hao, Mudong

    2016-08-01

    Experiments showed that bacterial biofilms are heterogeneous, for example, the density, the diffusion coefficient, and mechanical properties of the biofilm are different along the biofilm thickness. In this paper, we establish a multi-layer composite model to describe the biofilm mechanical inhomogeneity based on unified multiple-component cellular automaton (UMCCA) model. By using our model, we develop finite element simulation procedure for biofilm tension experiment. The failure limit and biofilm extension displacement obtained from our model agree well with experimental measurements. This method provides an alternative theory to study the mechanical inhomogeneity in biological materials.

  6. Three-dimensional detonation cellular structures in rectangular ducts using an improved CESE scheme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen Yang; Liu Kai-Xin; Chen Pu; Shen Hua; Zhang De-Liang

    2016-01-01

    The three-dimensional premixed H 2 -O 2 detonation propagation in rectangular ducts is simulated using an in-house parallel detonation code based on the second-order space–time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) scheme. The simulation reproduces three typical cellular structures by setting appropriate cross-sectional size and initial perturbation in square tubes. As the cross-sectional size decreases, critical cellular structures transforming the rectangular or diagonal mode into the spinning mode are obtained and discussed in the perspective of phase variation as well as decreasing of triple point lines. Furthermore, multiple cellular structures are observed through examples with typical aspect ratios. Utilizing the visualization of detailed three-dimensional structures, their formation mechanism is further analyzed. (paper)

  7. Antiviral and Inflammatory Cellular Signaling Associated with Enterovirus 71 Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuefei Jin

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Enterovirus 71 (EV71 infection has become a major threat to global public health, especially in infants and young children. Epidemiological studies have indicated that EV71 infection is responsible for severe and even fatal cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD. Accumulated evidence indicates that EV71 infection triggers a plethora of interactive signaling pathways, resulting in host immune evasion and inflammatory response. This review mainly covers the effects of EV71 infection on major antiviral and inflammatory cellular signal pathways. EV71 can activate cellular signaling networks including multiple cell surface and intracellular receptors, intracellular kinases, calcium flux, and transcription factors that regulate antiviral innate immunity and inflammatory response. Cellular signaling plays a critical role in the regulation of host innate immune and inflammatory pathogenesis. Elucidation of antiviral and inflammatory cellular signaling pathways initiated by EV71 will not only help uncover the potential mechanisms of EV71 infection-induced pathogenesis, but will also provide clues for the design of therapeutic strategies against EV71 infection.

  8. In vitro kinetic studies on the mechanism of oxygen-dependent cellular uptake of copper radiopharmaceuticals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holland, Jason P; Bell, Stephen G; Wong, Luet-Lok; Dilworth, Jonathan R [Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA (United Kingdom); Giansiracusa, Jeffrey H [Department of Mathematics, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, 24-29 St Giles' , Oxford, OX1 3LB (United Kingdom)], E-mail: hollanj3@mskcc.org, E-mail: jasonpholland@gmail.com

    2009-04-07

    The development of hypoxia-selective radiopharmaceuticals for use as therapeutic and/or imaging agents is of vital importance for both early identification and treatment of cancer and in the design of new drugs. Radiotracers based on copper for use in positron emission tomography have received great attention due to the successful application of copper(II) bis(thiosemicarbazonato) complexes, such as [{sup 60/62/64}Cu(II)ATSM] and [{sup 60/62/64}Cu(II)PTSM], as markers for tumour hypoxia and blood perfusion, respectively. Recent work has led to the proposal of a revised mechanism of hypoxia-selective cellular uptake and retention of [Cu(II)ATSM]. The work presented here describes non-steady-state kinetic simulations in which the reported pO{sub 2}-dependent in vitro cellular uptake and retention of [{sup 64}Cu(II)ATSM] in EMT6 murine carcinoma cells has been modelled by using the revised mechanistic scheme. Non-steady-state (NSS) kinetic analysis reveals that the model is in very good agreement with the reported experimental data with a root-mean-squared error of less than 6% between the simulated and experimental cellular uptake profiles. Estimated rate constants are derived for the cellular uptake and washout (k{sub 1} = 9.8 {+-} 0.59 x 10{sup -4} s{sup -1} and k{sub 2} = 2.9 {+-} 0.17 x 10{sup -3} s{sup -1}), intracellular reduction (k{sub 3} = 5.2 {+-} 0.31 x 10{sup -2} s{sup -1}), reoxidation (k{sub 4} = 2.2 {+-} 0.13 mol{sup -1} dm{sup 3} s{sup -1}) and proton-mediated ligand dissociation (k{sub 5} = 9.0 {+-} 0.54 x 10{sup -5} s{sup -1}). Previous mechanisms focused on the reduction and reoxidation steps. However, the data suggest that the origins of hypoxia-selective retention may reside with the stability of the copper(I) anion with respect to protonation and ligand dissociation. In vitro kinetic studies using the nicotimamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-dependent ferredoxin reductase enzyme PuR isolated from the bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris have

  9. Hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling: cellular and molecular mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stenmark, Kurt R; Fagan, Karen A; Frid, Maria G

    2006-09-29

    Chronic hypoxic exposure induces changes in the structure of pulmonary arteries, as well as in the biochemical and functional phenotypes of each of the vascular cell types, from the hilum of the lung to the most peripheral vessels in the alveolar wall. The magnitude and the specific profile of the changes depend on the species, sex, and the developmental stage at which the exposure to hypoxia occurred. Further, hypoxia-induced changes are site specific, such that the remodeling process in the large vessels differs from that in the smallest vessels. The cellular and molecular mechanisms vary and depend on the cellular composition of vessels at particular sites along the longitudinal axis of the pulmonary vasculature, as well as on local environmental factors. Each of the resident vascular cell types (ie, endothelial, smooth muscle, adventitial fibroblast) undergo site- and time-dependent alterations in proliferation, matrix protein production, expression of growth factors, cytokines, and receptors, and each resident cell type plays a specific role in the overall remodeling response. In addition, hypoxic exposure induces an inflammatory response within the vessel wall, and the recruited circulating progenitor cells contribute significantly to the structural remodeling and persistent vasoconstriction of the pulmonary circulation. The possibility exists that the lung or lung vessels also contain resident progenitor cells that participate in the remodeling process. Thus the hypoxia-induced remodeling of the pulmonary circulation is a highly complex process where numerous interactive events must be taken into account as we search for newer, more effective therapeutic interventions. This review provides perspectives on each of the aforementioned areas.

  10. Selfish cellular networks and the evolution of complex organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kourilsky, Philippe

    2012-03-01

    Human gametogenesis takes years and involves many cellular divisions, particularly in males. Consequently, gametogenesis provides the opportunity to acquire multiple de novo mutations. A significant portion of these is likely to impact the cellular networks linking genes, proteins, RNA and metabolites, which constitute the functional units of cells. A wealth of literature shows that these individual cellular networks are complex, robust and evolvable. To some extent, they are able to monitor their own performance, and display sufficient autonomy to be termed "selfish". Their robustness is linked to quality control mechanisms which are embedded in and act upon the individual networks, thereby providing a basis for selection during gametogenesis. These selective processes are equally likely to affect cellular functions that are not gamete-specific, and the evolution of the most complex organisms, including man, is therefore likely to occur via two pathways: essential housekeeping functions would be regulated and evolve during gametogenesis within the parents before being transmitted to their progeny, while classical selection would operate on other traits of the organisms that shape their fitness with respect to the environment. Copyright © 2012 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Structural-mechanical model of wax crystal networks—a mesoscale cellular solid approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyazaki, Yukihiro; Marangoni, Alejandro G

    2014-01-01

    Mineral waxes are widely used materials in industrial applications; however, the relationship between structure and mechanical properties is poorly understood. In this work, mineral wax-oil networks were characterized as closed-cell cellular solids, and differences in their mechanical response predicted from structural data. The systems studied included straight-chain paraffin wax (SW)-oil mixtures and polyethylene wax (PW)-oil mixtures. Analysis of cryogenic-SEM images of wax-oil networks allowed for the determination of the length (l) and thickness (t) of the wax cell walls as a function of wax mass fraction (Φ). A linear relationship between t/l and Φ (t/l ∼ Φ 0.89 ) suggested that wax-oil networks were cellular solids of the closed-cell type. However, the scaling behavior of the elastic modulus with the volume fraction of solids did not agree with theoretical predictions, yielding the same scaling exponent, μ = 0.84, for both waxes. This scaling exponent obtained from mechanical measurements could be predicted from the scaling behavior of the effective wax cell size as a function of wax mass fraction in oil obtained by cryogenic scanning electron microscopy. Microscopy studies allowed us to propose that wax-oil networks are structured as an ensemble of close-packed spherical cells filled with oil, and that it is the links between cells that yield under simple uniaxial compression. Thus, the Young’s moduli for the links between cells in SW and PW wax systems could be estimated as E L (SW) = 2.76 × 10 9 Pa and E L (PW) = 1.64 × 10 9 Pa, respectively. The structural parameter responsible for the observed differences in the mechanical strength between the two wax-oil systems is the size of the cells. Polyethylene wax has much smaller cell sizes than the straight chain wax and thus displays a higher Young’s modulus and yield stress. (papers)

  12. Ciona intestinalis notochord as a new model to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of tubulogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denker, Elsa; Jiang, Di

    2012-05-01

    Biological tubes are a prevalent structural design across living organisms. They provide essential functions during the development and adult life of an organism. Increasing progress has been made recently in delineating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying tubulogenesis. This review aims to introduce ascidian notochord morphogenesis as an interesting model system to study the cell biology of tube formation, to a wider cell and developmental biology community. We present fundamental morphological and cellular events involved in notochord morphogenesis, compare and contrast them with other more established tubulogenesis model systems, and point out some unique features, including bipolarity of the notochord cells, and using cell shape changes and cell rearrangement to connect lumens. We highlight some initial findings in the molecular mechanisms of notochord morphogenesis. Based on these findings, we present intriguing problems and put forth hypotheses that can be addressed in future studies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. An examination of adaptive cellular protective mechanisms using a multi-stage carcinogenesis model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schollnberger, H.; Stewart, R. D.; Mitchel, R. E. J.; Hofmann, W.

    2004-01-01

    A multi-stage cancer model that describes the putative rate-limiting steps in carcinogenesis was developed and used to investigate the potential impact on lung cancer incidence of the hormesis mechanisms suggested by Feinendegen and Pollycove. In this deterministic cancer model, radiation and endogenous processes damage the DNA of target cells in the lung. Some fraction of the misrepaired our unrepaired DNA damage induces genomic instability and, ultimately, leads to the accumulation of malignant cells. The model accounts for cell birth and death processes. Ita also includes a rate of malignant transformation and a lag period for tumour formation. Cellular defence mechanisms are incorporated into the model by postulating dose and dose rate dependent radical scavenging. The accuracy of DNA damage repair also depends on dose and dose rate. Sensitivity studies were conducted to identify critical model inputs and to help define the shapes of the cumulative lung cancer incidence curves that may arise when dose and dose rate dependent cellular defence mechanisms are incorporated into a multi-stage cancer model. For lung cancer, both linear no-threshold (LNT) and non-LNT shaped responses can be obtained. The reported studied clearly show that it is critical to know whether or not and to what extent multiply damaged DNA sites are formed by endogenous processes. Model inputs that give rise to U-shaped responses are consistent with an effective cumulative lung cancer incidence threshold that may be as high as 300 mGy (4 mGy per year for 75 years). (Author) 11 refs

  14. [Russian/German contacts in discussion on cellular mechanisms of aging and lifespan (author's transl)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duplenko, J K

    1980-01-01

    This is a brief review of the discussions which took place in natural literature at the end of XIX, and the beginning of XX century concerning the problems of cellular mechanism of aging, animal lifespan, death of metazoa and immortality of protozoa. The participation of German and Russian natural scientists in the discussion of cardinal gerontological questions is specially considered. The close relationship between the gerontological conceptions and the evolutionary ideas is emphasized. The author has established historical continuity of the above conceptions and modern evolutionary approaches to the predetermination of species' lifespan and mechanisms of aging.

  15. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of alcohol-induced osteopenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Zhenhua; Liu, Yao; Liu, Yitong; Chen, Hui; Shi, Songtao; Liu, Yi

    2017-12-01

    Alcoholic beverages are widely consumed, resulting in a staggering economic cost in different social and cultural settings. Types of alcohol consumption vary from light occasional to heavy, binge drinking, and chronic alcohol abuse at all ages. In general, heavy alcohol consumption is widely recognized as a major epidemiological risk factor for chronic diseases and is detrimental to many organs and tissues, including bones. Indeed, recent findings demonstrate that alcohol has a dose-dependent toxic effect in promoting imbalanced bone remodeling. This imbalance eventually results in osteopenia, an established risk factor for osteoporosis. Decreased bone mass and strength are major hallmarks of osteopenia, which is predominantly attributed not only to inhibition of bone synthesis but also to increased bone resorption through direct and indirect pathways. In this review, we present knowledge to elucidate the epidemiology, potential pathogenesis, and major molecular mechanisms and cellular effects that underlie alcoholism-induced bone loss in osteopenia. Novel therapeutic targets for correcting alcohol-induced osteopenia are also reviewed, such as modulation of proinflammatory cytokines and Wnt and mTOR signaling and the application of new drugs.

  16. Biochemical and cellular mechanisms of low-dose effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feinendegen, L.E.; Booz, J.; Muehlensiepen, H.

    1988-01-01

    The question of health effects from small radiation doses remains open. Individual cells, when being hit by single elemental doses - in low-dose irradiation - react acutely and temporarily by altering control of enzyme activity, as is demonstrated for the case of thymidine kinase. This response is not constant in that it provides a temporary protection of enzyme activity against a second irradiation, by a mechanism likely to be via improved detoxification of intracellular radicals. It must be considered that in the low-dose region radiation may also exert protection against other challenges involving radicals, causing a net beneficial effect by temporarily shielding the hit cell against radicals produced by metabolism. Since molecular alterations leading to late effects are considered a consequence of the initial cellular response, late effects from small radiation doses do not necessarily adhere to a linear dose-effect relationship. The reality of the linear relationship between the risk of late effects from high doses to small doses is an assumption, for setting dose limits, but it must not be taken for predicting health detriment from low doses. (author)

  17. Mechanical characterization of disordered and anisotropic cellular monolayers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nestor-Bergmann, Alexander; Johns, Emma; Woolner, Sarah; Jensen, Oliver E.

    2018-05-01

    We consider a cellular monolayer, described using a vertex-based model, for which cells form a spatially disordered array of convex polygons that tile the plane. Equilibrium cell configurations are assumed to minimize a global energy defined in terms of cell areas and perimeters; energy is dissipated via dynamic area and length changes, as well as cell neighbor exchanges. The model captures our observations of an epithelium from a Xenopus embryo showing that uniaxial stretching induces spatial ordering, with cells under net tension (compression) tending to align with (against) the direction of stretch, but with the stress remaining heterogeneous at the single-cell level. We use the vertex model to derive the linearized relation between tissue-level stress, strain, and strain rate about a deformed base state, which can be used to characterize the tissue's anisotropic mechanical properties; expressions for viscoelastic tissue moduli are given as direct sums over cells. When the base state is isotropic, the model predicts that tissue properties can be tuned to a regime with high elastic shear resistance but low resistance to area changes, or vice versa.

  18. Structural requirements for the assembly of LINC complexes and their function in cellular mechanical stiffness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stewart-Hutchinson, P.J.; Hale, Christopher M.; Wirtz, Denis; Hodzic, Didier

    2008-01-01

    The evolutionary-conserved interactions between KASH and SUN domain-containing proteins within the perinuclear space establish physical connections, called LINC complexes, between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton. Here, we show that the KASH domains of Nesprins 1, 2 and 3 interact promiscuously with luminal domains of Sun1 and Sun2. These constructs disrupt endogenous LINC complexes as indicated by the displacement of endogenous Nesprins from the nuclear envelope. We also provide evidence that KASH domains most probably fit a pocket provided by SUN domains and that post-translational modifications are dispensable for that interaction. We demonstrate that the disruption of endogenous LINC complexes affect cellular mechanical stiffness to an extent that compares to the loss of mechanical stiffness previously reported in embryonic fibroblasts derived from mouse lacking A-type lamins, a mouse model of muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies. These findings support a model whereby physical connections between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton are mediated by interactions between diverse combinations of Sun proteins and Nesprins through their respective evolutionary-conserved domains. Furthermore, they emphasize, for the first time, the relevance of LINC complexes in cellular mechanical stiffness suggesting a possible involvement of their disruption in various laminopathies, a group of human diseases linked to mutations of A-type lamins

  19. Disruptive environmental chemicals and cellular mechanisms that confer resistance to cell death.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanan, Kannan Badri; Ali, Manaf; Barclay, Barry J; Cheng, Qiang Shawn; D'Abronzo, Leandro; Dornetshuber-Fleiss, Rita; Ghosh, Paramita M; Gonzalez Guzman, Michael J; Lee, Tae-Jin; Leung, Po Sing; Li, Lin; Luanpitpong, Suidjit; Ratovitski, Edward; Rojanasakul, Yon; Romano, Maria Fiammetta; Romano, Simona; Sinha, Ranjeet K; Yedjou, Clement; Al-Mulla, Fahd; Al-Temaimi, Rabeah; Amedei, Amedeo; Brown, Dustin G; Ryan, Elizabeth P; Colacci, Annamaria; Hamid, Roslida A; Mondello, Chiara; Raju, Jayadev; Salem, Hosni K; Woodrick, Jordan; Scovassi, A Ivana; Singh, Neetu; Vaccari, Monica; Roy, Rabindra; Forte, Stefano; Memeo, Lorenzo; Kim, Seo Yun; Bisson, William H; Lowe, Leroy; Park, Hyun Ho

    2015-06-01

    Cell death is a process of dying within biological cells that are ceasing to function. This process is essential in regulating organism development, tissue homeostasis, and to eliminate cells in the body that are irreparably damaged. In general, dysfunction in normal cellular death is tightly linked to cancer progression. Specifically, the up-regulation of pro-survival factors, including oncogenic factors and antiapoptotic signaling pathways, and the down-regulation of pro-apoptotic factors, including tumor suppressive factors, confers resistance to cell death in tumor cells, which supports the emergence of a fully immortalized cellular phenotype. This review considers the potential relevance of ubiquitous environmental chemical exposures that have been shown to disrupt key pathways and mechanisms associated with this sort of dysfunction. Specifically, bisphenol A, chlorothalonil, dibutyl phthalate, dichlorvos, lindane, linuron, methoxychlor and oxyfluorfen are discussed as prototypical chemical disruptors; as their effects relate to resistance to cell death, as constituents within environmental mixtures and as potential contributors to environmental carcinogenesis. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. The Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Immuno-suppression by Human Type 1 Regulatory T cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia eGregori

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available The immuno-regulatory mechanisms of IL-10-producing type 1 regulatory T (Tr1 cells have been widely studied over the years. However, several recent discoveries have shed new light on the cellular and molecular mechanisms that human Tr1 cells use to control immune responses and induce tolerance. In this review we outline the well-known and newly discovered regulatory properties of human Tr1 cells and provide an in-depth comparison of the known suppressor mechanisms of Tr1 cells with FOXP3+ Treg. We also highlight the role that Tr1 cells play in promoting and maintaining tolerance in autoimmunity, allergy, and transplantation.

  1. Cellular La protein shields nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viral leader RNA from RIG-I and enhances virus growth by diverse mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bitko, Vira; Musiyenko, Alla; Bayfield, Mark A; Maraia, Richard J; Barik, Sailen

    2008-08-01

    The La antigen (SS-B) associates with a wide variety of cellular and viral RNAs to affect gene expression in multiple systems. We show that La is the major cellular protein found to be associated with the abundant 44-nucleotide viral leader RNA (leRNA) early after infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a nonsegmented negative-strand RNA virus. Consistent with this, La redistributes from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in RSV-infected cells. Upon RNA interference knockdown of La, leRNA is redirected to associate with the RNA-binding protein RIG-I, a known activator of interferon (IFN) gene expression, and this is accompanied by the early induction of IFN mRNA. These results suggest that La shields leRNA from RIG-I, abrogating the early viral activation of type I IFN. We mapped the leRNA binding function to RNA recognition motif 1 of La and showed that while wild-type La greatly enhanced RSV growth, a La mutant defective in RSV leRNA binding also did not support RSV growth. Comparative studies of RSV and Sendai virus and the use of IFN-negative Vero cells indicated that La supports the growth of nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses by both IFN suppression and a potentially novel IFN-independent mechanism.

  2. Use of Computational Modeling to Evaluate Hypotheses About the Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Bystander Effects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Yuchao; Conolly, Rory B; Andersen, Melvin E.

    2006-11-21

    This report describes the development of a computational systems biology approach to evaluate the hypotheses of molecular and cellular mechanisms of adaptive response to low dose ionizing radiation. Our concept is that computational models of signaling pathways can be developed and linked to biologically based dose response models to evaluate the underlying molecular mechanisms which lead to adaptive response. For development of quantitatively accurate, predictive models, it will be necessary to describe tissues consisting of multiple cell types where the different types each contribute in their own way to the overall function of the tissue. Such a model will probably need to incorporate not only cell type-specific data but also spatial information on the architecture of the tissue and on intercellular signaling. The scope of the current model was more limited. Data obtained in a number of different biological systems were synthesized to describe a chimeric, “average” population cell. Biochemical signaling pathways involved in sensing of DNA damage and in the activation of cell cycle checkpoint controls and the apoptotic path were also included. As with any computational modeling effort, it was necessary to develop these simplified initial descriptions (models) that can be iteratively refined. This preliminary model is a starting point which, with time, can evolve to a level of refinement where large amounts of detailed biological information are synthesized and a capability for robust predictions of dose- and time-response behaviors is obtained.

  3. Relation of murine thoracic aortic structural and cellular changes with aging to passive and active mechanical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheeler, Jason B; Mukherjee, Rupak; Stroud, Robert E; Jones, Jeffrey A; Ikonomidis, John S

    2015-02-25

    Maintenance of the structure and mechanical properties of the thoracic aorta contributes to aortic function and is dependent on the composition of the extracellular matrix and the cellular content within the aortic wall. Age-related alterations in the aorta include changes in cellular content and composition of the extracellular matrix; however, the precise roles of these age-related changes in altering aortic mechanical function are not well understood. Thoracic aortic rings from the descending segment were harvested from C57BL/6 mice aged 6 and 21 months. Thoracic aortic diameter and wall thickness were higher in the old mice. Cellular density was reduced in the medial layer of aortas from the old mice; concomitantly, collagen content was higher in old mice, but elastin content was similar between young and old mice. Stress relaxation, an index of compliance, was reduced in aortas from old mice and correlated with collagen fraction. Contractility of the aortic rings following potassium stimulation was reduced in old versus young mice. Furthermore, collagen gel contraction by aortic smooth muscle cells was reduced with age. These results demonstrate that numerous age-related structural changes occurred in the thoracic aorta and were related to alterations in mechanical properties. Aortic contractility decreased with age, likely because of a reduction in medial cell number in addition to a smooth muscle contractile deficit. Together, these unique findings provide evidence that the age-related changes in structure and mechanical function coalesce to provide an aortic substrate that may be predisposed to aortopathies. © 2015 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

  4. Origami interleaved tube cellular materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheung, Kenneth C; Tachi, Tomohiro; Calisch, Sam; Miura, Koryo

    2014-01-01

    A novel origami cellular material based on a deployable cellular origami structure is described. The structure is bi-directionally flat-foldable in two orthogonal (x and y) directions and is relatively stiff in the third orthogonal (z) direction. While such mechanical orthotropicity is well known in cellular materials with extruded two dimensional geometry, the interleaved tube geometry presented here consists of two orthogonal axes of interleaved tubes with high interfacial surface area and relative volume that changes with fold-state. In addition, the foldability still allows for fabrication by a flat lamination process, similar to methods used for conventional expanded two dimensional cellular materials. This article presents the geometric characteristics of the structure together with corresponding kinematic and mechanical modeling, explaining the orthotropic elastic behavior of the structure with classical dimensional scaling analysis. (paper)

  5. Origami interleaved tube cellular materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Kenneth C.; Tachi, Tomohiro; Calisch, Sam; Miura, Koryo

    2014-09-01

    A novel origami cellular material based on a deployable cellular origami structure is described. The structure is bi-directionally flat-foldable in two orthogonal (x and y) directions and is relatively stiff in the third orthogonal (z) direction. While such mechanical orthotropicity is well known in cellular materials with extruded two dimensional geometry, the interleaved tube geometry presented here consists of two orthogonal axes of interleaved tubes with high interfacial surface area and relative volume that changes with fold-state. In addition, the foldability still allows for fabrication by a flat lamination process, similar to methods used for conventional expanded two dimensional cellular materials. This article presents the geometric characteristics of the structure together with corresponding kinematic and mechanical modeling, explaining the orthotropic elastic behavior of the structure with classical dimensional scaling analysis.

  6. A Network Pharmacology Approach to Uncover the Multiple Mechanisms of Hedyotis diffusa Willd. on Colorectal Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinkui Liu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. As one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer diseases globally, colorectal cancer (CRC remains an important cause of cancer-related death. Although the traditional Chinese herb Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (HDW has been proven to be effective for treating CRC in clinical practice, its definite mechanisms have not been completely deciphered. Objective. The aim of our research is to systematically explore the multiple mechanisms of HDW on CRC. Methods. This study adopted the network pharmacology approach, which was mainly composed of active component gathering, target prediction, CRC gene collection, network analysis, and gene enrichment analysis. Results. The network analysis showed that 10 targets might be the therapeutic targets of HDW on CRC, namely, HRAS, PIK3CA, KRAS, TP53, APC, BRAF, GSK3B, CDK2, AKT1, and RAF1. The gene enrichment analysis implied that HDW probably benefits patients with CRC by modulating pathways related to cancers, infectious diseases, endocrine system, immune system, nervous system, signal transduction, cellular community, and cell motility. Conclusions. This study partially verified and predicted the pharmacological and molecular mechanism of HDW against CRC from a holistic perspective, which will also lay a foundation for the further experimental research and clinical rational application of HDW.

  7. Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Behavioral State-Dependent Bidirectional Modulation of Motor Cortex Output

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Schiemann

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Neuronal activity in primary motor cortex (M1 correlates with behavioral state, but the cellular mechanisms underpinning behavioral state-dependent modulation of M1 output remain largely unresolved. Here, we performed in vivo patch-clamp recordings from layer 5B (L5B pyramidal neurons in awake mice during quiet wakefulness and self-paced, voluntary movement. We show that L5B output neurons display bidirectional (i.e., enhanced or suppressed firing rate changes during movement, mediated via two opposing subthreshold mechanisms: (1 a global decrease in membrane potential variability that reduced L5B firing rates (L5Bsuppressed neurons, and (2 a coincident noradrenaline-mediated increase in excitatory drive to a subpopulation of L5B neurons (L5Benhanced neurons that elevated firing rates. Blocking noradrenergic receptors in forelimb M1 abolished the bidirectional modulation of M1 output during movement and selectively impaired contralateral forelimb motor coordination. Together, our results provide a mechanism for how noradrenergic neuromodulation and network-driven input changes bidirectionally modulate M1 output during motor behavior.

  8. Cosserat modeling of cellular solids

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Onck, P.R.

    Cellular solids inherit their macroscopic mechanical properties directly from the cellular microstructure. However, the characteristic material length scale is often not small compared to macroscopic dimensions, which limits the applicability of classical continuum-type constitutive models. Cosserat

  9. Disconnection as a Mechanism for Cognitive Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dineen, R. A.; Vilisaar, J.; Hlinka, J.; Bradshaw, C. M.; Morgan, P. S.; Constantinescu, C. S.; Auer, D. P.

    2009-01-01

    Disconnection of cognitively important processing regions by injury to the interconnecting white matter provides a potential mechanism for cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis. The contribution of tract-specific white matter injury to dysfunction in different cognitive domains in patients with multiple sclerosis has not previously been…

  10. Zeno's paradox in quantum cellular automata

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Groessing, G [Atominst. der Oesterreichischen Universitaeten, Vienna (Austria); Zeilinger, A [Inst. fuer Experimentalphysik, Univ. Innsbruck (Austria)

    1991-07-01

    The effect of Zeno's paradox in quantum theory is demonstrated with the aid of quantum mechanical cellular automata. It is shown that the degree of non-unitarity of the cellular automaton evolution and the frequency of consecutive measurements of cellular automaton states are operationally indistinguishable. (orig.).

  11. Zeno's paradox in quantum cellular automata

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groessing, G.; Zeilinger, A.

    1991-01-01

    The effect of Zeno's paradox in quantum theory is demonstrated with the aid of quantum mechanical cellular automata. It is shown that the degree of non-unitarity of the cellular automaton evolution and the frequency of consecutive measurements of cellular automaton states are operationally indistinguishable. (orig.)

  12. Cellular Suspensions Establishment and Multiplication of Cymbopogon citratus (D.C Staff

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisa Quiala

    2002-07-01

    Full Text Available Cellular suspensions settled down starting from callus of Cymbopogon citratus (D.C Stapf cultivated in semisolid medium, according to the methodology described for Freire (1998, for the cultivation of the cane of sugar and later on modified by Licea and Gómez (2000 for the cultivated callus of Cane Santa, with the objective of analyzing the effect of the cellular density on the cellular growth, being studied the behavior of the fresh mass, dry mass and the pH in three inocule densities (20, 40 and 60 gMF.l-1. The development of roots was evaluated in the cellular aggregated and it was also analyzed directly the influence of the explants on the callus formation cultivated directly in liquid medium, starting from cultivated plants in vitro. The biggest increment of fresh mass was obtained when 20 gMF.l-1 was used, the values of mass dry off they behaved in a similar way, being obtained the biggest rate of growth in this same treatment. The pH in the three densities of studied inocule, diminished during the first eight days and stayed stable starting from this moment. The alone presence of roots was appreciated only in the cellular aggregated cultivated without coconut water. The formation of callus directly in liquid medium took place in the region near to the meristematic area. Key words: coconut water, biomass production, lemon grass, root formation

  13. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms in Perioperative Hepatic Protection: A Review of Current Interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Talebi

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Liver is one of the most important organs needing great concern during the perioperative period. There are a number of different mechanisms that interact with liver cells and might affect their integrity and cell live. Though these mechanisms are not all the same, there is a great common point: all affect the metabolic pathways of the liver. Ischemia, anesthetic drug effects and other perioperative insults may affect the liver. Disturbance in an organ’s blood flow is an inherent part of diverse surgical procedures, which leads to lack of oxygen and nutrient supply. These ischemic periods can be particularly long in case of liver surgeries, such as resection of large hepatic tumors, management of hepatic trauma and liver transplant. Once the blood flow and oxygen supply are restored, the interruption of blood flow affects the oxygen dependent cells in liver, which require mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation for their metabolism. Molecular mechanisms such as Redox status, ionic interchange disturbances as well as different mediators and cells like KC, SEC, dendritic cells, leukocytes, and lymphocytes, are involved in the process ultimately leading to cell death by apoptosis and necrosis. This review provides an overview on the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in liver injuries, categorizing these mechanisms in 3 different classes: preoperative mechanisms, intraoperative mechanisms and postoperative mechanisms. Each of them are discussed in a different part of the manuscript

  14. Linking Cellular Mechanisms to Behavior: Entorhinal Persistent Spiking and Membrane Potential Oscillations May Underlie Path Integration, Grid Cell Firing, and Episodic Memory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael E. Hasselmo

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The entorhinal cortex plays an important role in spatial memory and episodic memory functions. These functions may result from cellular mechanisms for integration of the afferent input to entorhinal cortex. This article reviews physiological data on persistent spiking and membrane potential oscillations in entorhinal cortex then presents models showing how both these cellular mechanisms could contribute to properties observed during unit recording, including grid cell firing, and how they could underlie behavioural functions including path integration. The interaction of oscillations and persistent firing could contribute to encoding and retrieval of trajectories through space and time as a mechanism relevant to episodic memory.

  15. Sexual Experience in Female Rodents: Cellular Mechanisms and Functional Consequences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meisel, Robert L.; Mullins, Amanda J.

    2007-01-01

    The neurobiology of female sexual behavior has largely focused on mechanisms of hormone action on nerve cells and how these effects translate into the display of copulatory motor patterns. Of equal importance, though less studied, are some of the consequences of engaging in sexual behavior, including the rewarding properties of sexual interactions and how sexual experience alters copulatory efficiency. This review summarizes the effects of sexual experience on reward processes and copulation in female Syrian hamsters. Neural correlates of these sexual interactions include long-term cellular changes in dopamine transmission and postsynaptic signaling pathways related to neuronal plasticity (e.g., dendritic spine formation). Taken together, these studies suggest that sexual experience enhances the reinforcing properties of sexual behavior, which has the coincident outcome of increasing copulatory efficiency in a way that can increase reproductive success. PMID:16978593

  16. The Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Axon Guidance in Mossy Fiber Sprouting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryuta Koyama

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The question of whether mossy fiber sprouting is epileptogenic has not been resolved; both sprouting-induced recurrent excitatory and inhibitory circuit hypotheses have been experimentally (but not fully supported. Therefore, whether mossy fiber sprouting is a potential therapeutic target for epilepsy remains under debate. Moreover, the axon guidance mechanisms of mossy fiber sprouting have attracted the interest of neuroscientists. Sprouting of mossy fibers exhibits several uncommon axonal growth features in the basically non-plastic adult brain. For example, robust branching of axonal collaterals arises from pre-existing primary mossy fiber axons. Understanding the branching mechanisms in adulthood may contribute to axonal regeneration therapies in neuroregenerative medicine in which robust axonal re-growth is essential. Additionally, because granule cells are produced throughout life in the neurogenic dentate gyrus, it is interesting to examine whether the mossy fibers of newly generated granule cells follow the pre-existing trajectories of sprouted mossy fibers in the epileptic brain. Understanding these axon guidance mechanisms may contribute to neuron transplantation therapies, for which the incorporation of transplanted neurons into pre-existing neural circuits is essential. Thus, clarifying the axon guidance mechanisms of mossy fiber sprouting could lead to an understanding of central nervous system (CNS network reorganization and plasticity. Here, we review the molecular and cellular mechanisms of axon guidance in mossy fiber sprouting by discussing mainly in vitro studies.

  17. Advanced in study of cellular and molecular mechanisms of radiation effects on central nervous system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Wei; Tu Yu; Wang Lili

    2008-01-01

    Along with radiation treatment extensively applied, radiation injury also is valued gradually. The effect of radiation to the cellular and molecular of central nervous system (CNS) is a complicated and moderately advanced process and the mechanism is remains incompletely clear yet. Inquiring into the possible mechanism of the CNS including the injury and the restoration of neuron, neuroglia cells, endotheliocyte cell and blood-brain barrier and the molecular level of change induced by radiation, so as to provide beneficial thought for preventing and curing radiation injury clinically. Some neuroprotective strategies are also addressed in the review. (authors)

  18. Mechanisms of Plastic Deformation in Collagen Networks Induced by Cellular Forces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ban, Ehsan; Franklin, J Matthew; Nam, Sungmin; Smith, Lucas R; Wang, Hailong; Wells, Rebecca G; Chaudhuri, Ovijit; Liphardt, Jan T; Shenoy, Vivek B

    2018-01-23

    Contractile cells can reorganize fibrous extracellular matrices and form dense tracts of fibers between neighboring cells. These tracts guide the development of tubular tissue structures and provide paths for the invasion of cancer cells. Here, we studied the mechanisms of the mechanical plasticity of collagen tracts formed by contractile premalignant acinar cells and fibroblasts. Using fluorescence microscopy and second harmonic generation, we quantified the collagen densification, fiber alignment, and strains that remain within the tracts after cellular forces are abolished. We explained these observations using a theoretical fiber network model that accounts for the stretch-dependent formation of weak cross-links between nearby fibers. We tested the predictions of our model using shear rheology experiments. Both our model and rheological experiments demonstrated that increasing collagen concentration leads to substantial increases in plasticity. We also considered the effect of permanent elongation of fibers on network plasticity and derived a phase diagram that classifies the dominant mechanisms of plasticity based on the rate and magnitude of deformation and the mechanical properties of individual fibers. Plasticity is caused by the formation of new cross-links if moderate strains are applied at small rates or due to permanent fiber elongation if large strains are applied over short periods. Finally, we developed a coarse-grained model for plastic deformation of collagen networks that can be employed to simulate multicellular interactions in processes such as morphogenesis, cancer invasion, and fibrosis. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Mechanism of cellular uptake and impact of ferucarbotran on macrophage physiology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chung-Yi Yang

    Full Text Available Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO nanoparticles are contrast agents used for magnetic resonance imaging. Ferucarbotran is a clinically approved SPIO-coated carboxydextran with a diameter of about 45-60 nm. We investigated the mechanism of cellular uptake of Ferucarbotran with a cell model using the murine macrophage cell line Raw 264.7. We observed a dose-dependent uptake of these SPIO particles by spectrophotometer analysis and also a dose-dependent increase in the granularity of the macrophages as determined by flow cytometry. There was a linear correlation between the side scattering mean value and iron content (P<0.001, R(2 = 0. 8048. For evaluation of the endocytotic pathway of these ingested SPIO particles, different inhibitors of the endocytotic pathways were employed. There was a significant decrease of side scattering counts in the cells and a less significant change in signal intensity based on magnetic resonance in the phenylarsine oxide-treated macrophages. After labeling with SPIO particles, the macrophages showed an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species at 2, 24, and 48 h; a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential at 24 h; and an increase in cell proliferation at 24 h. We concluded that Ferucarbotran was internalized into macrophages via the clathrin-mediated pathway and can change the cellular behavior of these cells after labeling.

  20. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Diabetic Atherosclerosis: Herbal Medicines as a Potential Therapeutic Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinfan Tian

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available An increasing number of patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus eventually develop severe coronary atherosclerosis disease. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus increase the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with atherosclerosis. The cellular and molecular mechanisms affecting the incidence of diabetic atherosclerosis are still unclear, as are appropriate strategies for the prevention and treatment of diabetic atherosclerosis. In this review, we discuss progress in the study of herbs as potential therapeutic agents for diabetic atherosclerosis.

  1. Cellular and circuit mechanisms maintain low spike co-variability and enhance population coding in somatosensory cortex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng eLy

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The responses of cortical neurons are highly variable across repeated presentations of a stimulus. Understanding this variability is critical for theories of both sensory and motor processing, since response variance affects the accuracy of neural codes. Despite this influence, the cellular and circuit mechanisms that shape the trial-to-trial variability of population responses remain poorly understood. We used a combination of experimental and computational techniques to uncover the mechanisms underlying response variability of populations of pyramidal (E cells in layer 2/3 of rat whisker barrel cortex. Spike trains recorded from pairs of E-cells during either spontaneous activity or whisker deflected responses show similarly low levels of spiking co-variability, despite large differences in network activation between the two states. We developed network models that show how spike threshold nonlinearities dilutes E-cell spiking co-variability during spontaneous activity and low velocity whisker deflections. In contrast, during high velocity whisker deflections, cancelation mechanisms mediated by feedforward inhibition maintain low E-cell pairwise co-variability. Thus, the combination of these two mechanisms ensure low E-cell population variability over a wide range of whisker deflection velocities. Finally, we show how this active decorrelation of population variability leads to a drastic increase in the population information about whisker velocity. The canonical cellular and circuit components of our study suggest that low network variability over a broad range of neural states may generalize across the nervous system.

  2. Wireless Cellular Mobile Communications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Zalud

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available In this article is briefly reviewed the history of wireless cellularmobile communications, examined the progress in current secondgeneration (2G cellular standards and discussed their migration to thethird generation (3G. The European 2G cellular standard GSM and itsevolution phases GPRS and EDGE are described somewhat in detail. Thethird generation standard UMTS taking up on GSM/GPRS core network andequipped with a new advanced access network on the basis of codedivision multiple access (CDMA is investigated too. A sketch of theperspective of mobile communication beyond 3G concludes this article.

  3. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of aldosterone producing adenoma development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheerazed eBoulkroun

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Primary aldosteronism (PA is the most common form of secondary hypertension with an estimated prevalence of ~10% in referred patients. PA occurs as a result of a dysregulation of the normal mechanisms controlling adrenal aldosterone production. It is characterized by hypertension with low plasma renin and elevated aldosterone and often associated with hypokalemia. The two major causes of PA are unilateral aldosterone producing adenoma (APA and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, accounting together for ~95% of cases. In addition to the well-characterized effect of excess mineralocorticoids on blood pressure, high levels of aldosterone also have cardiovascular, renal and metabolic consequences. Hence, long-term consequences of PA include increased risk of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Despite recent progress in the management of patients with PA, critical issues related to diagnosis, subtype differentiation and treatment of non-surgically correctable forms still persist. A better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease should lead to the identification of more reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for a more sensitive and specific screening and new therapeutic options. In this review we will summarize our current knowledge on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of APA development. On one hand, we will discuss how various animal models have improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of excess aldosterone production. On the other hand, we will summarize the major advances made during the last few years in the genetics of APA due to transcriptomic studies and whole exome sequencing. The identification of recurrent and somatic mutations in genes coding for ion channels (KCNJ5 and CACNA1D and ATPases (ATP1A1 and ATP2B3 allowed highlighting the central role of calcium signaling in autonomous aldosterone production by the adrenal.

  4. Multiple-integrations of HPV16 genome and altered transcription of viral oncogenes and cellular genes are associated with the development of cervical cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xulian Lu

    Full Text Available The constitutive expression of the high-risk HPV E6 and E7 viral oncogenes is the major cause of cervical cancer. To comprehensively explore the composition of HPV16 early transcripts and their genomic annotation, cervical squamous epithelial tissues from 40 HPV16-infected patients were collected for analysis of papillomavirus oncogene transcripts (APOT. We observed different transcription patterns of HPV16 oncogenes in progression of cervical lesions to cervical cancer and identified one novel transcript. Multiple-integration events in the tissues of cervical carcinoma (CxCa are significantly more often than those of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL. Moreover, most cellular genes within or near these integration sites are cancer-associated genes. Taken together, this study suggests that the multiple-integrations of HPV genome during persistent viral infection, which thereby alters the expression patterns of viral oncogenes and integration-related cellular genes, play a crucial role in progression of cervical lesions to cervix cancer.

  5. Cellular Signal Mechanisms of Reward-Related Plasticity in the Hippocampus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masako Isokawa

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The hippocampus has the extraordinary capacity to process and store information. Consequently, there is an intense interest in the mechanisms that underline learning and memory. Synaptic plasticity has been hypothesized to be the neuronal substrate for learning. Ca2+ and Ca2+-activated kinases control cellular processes of most forms of hippocampal synapse plasticity. In this paper, I aim to integrate our current understanding of Ca2+-mediated synaptic plasticity and metaplasticity in motivational and reward-related learning in the hippocampus. I will introduce two representative neuromodulators that are widely studied in reward-related learning (e.g., ghrelin and endocannabinoids and show how they might contribute to hippocampal neuron activities and Ca2+-mediated signaling processes in synaptic plasticity. Additionally, I will discuss functional significance of these two systems and their signaling pathways for its relevance to maladaptive reward learning leading to addiction.

  6. Do Surface Porosity and Pore Size Influence Mechanical Properties and Cellular Response to PEEK?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torstrick, F Brennan; Evans, Nathan T; Stevens, Hazel Y; Gall, Ken; Guldberg, Robert E

    2016-11-01

    Despite its widespread use in orthopaedic implants such as soft tissue fasteners and spinal intervertebral implants, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) often suffers from poor osseointegration. Introducing porosity can overcome this limitation by encouraging bone ingrowth; however, the corresponding decrease in implant strength can potentially reduce the implant's ability to bear physiologic loads. We have previously shown, using a single pore size, that limiting porosity to the surface of PEEK implants preserves strength while supporting in vivo osseointegration. However, additional work is needed to investigate the effect of pore size on both the mechanical properties and cellular response to PEEK. (1) Can surface porous PEEK (PEEK-SP) microstructure be reliably controlled? (2) What is the effect of pore size on the mechanical properties of PEEK-SP? (3) Do surface porosity and pore size influence the cellular response to PEEK? PEEK-SP was created by extruding PEEK through NaCl crystals of three controlled ranges: 200 to 312, 312 to 425, and 425 to 508 µm. Micro-CT was used to characterize the microstructure of PEEK-SP. Tensile, fatigue, and interfacial shear tests were performed to compare the mechanical properties of PEEK-SP with injection-molded PEEK (PEEK-IM). The cellular response to PEEK-SP, assessed by proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, vascular endothelial growth factor production, and calcium content of osteoblast, mesenchymal stem cell, and preosteoblast (MC3T3-E1) cultures, was compared with that of machined smooth PEEK and Ti6Al4V. Micro-CT analysis showed that PEEK-SP layers possessed pores that were 284 ± 35 µm, 341 ± 49 µm, and 416 ± 54 µm for each pore size group. Porosity and pore layer depth ranged from 61% to 69% and 303 to 391 µm, respectively. Mechanical testing revealed tensile strengths > 67 MPa and interfacial shear strengths > 20 MPa for all three pore size groups. All PEEK-SP groups exhibited > 50% decrease

  7. Modeling cellular systems

    CERN Document Server

    Matthäus, Franziska; Pahle, Jürgen

    2017-01-01

    This contributed volume comprises research articles and reviews on topics connected to the mathematical modeling of cellular systems. These contributions cover signaling pathways, stochastic effects, cell motility and mechanics, pattern formation processes, as well as multi-scale approaches. All authors attended the workshop on "Modeling Cellular Systems" which took place in Heidelberg in October 2014. The target audience primarily comprises researchers and experts in the field, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students.

  8. Differential polymer structure tunes mechanism of cellular uptake and transfection routes of poly(β-amino ester) polyplexes in human breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jayoung; Sunshine, Joel C; Green, Jordan J

    2014-01-15

    Successful gene delivery with nonviral particles has several barriers, including cellular uptake, endosomal escape, and nuclear transport. Understanding the mechanisms behind these steps is critical to enhancing the effectiveness of gene delivery. Polyplexes formed with poly(β-amino ester)s (PBAEs) have been shown to effectively transfer DNA to various cell types, but the mechanism of their cellular uptake has not been identified. This is the first study to evaluate the uptake mechanism of PBAE polyplexes and the dependence of cellular uptake on the end group and molecular weight of the polymer. We synthesized three different analogues of PBAEs with the same base polymer poly(1,4-butanediol diacrylate-co-4-amino-1-butanol) (B4S4) but with small changes in the end group or molecular weight. We quantified the uptake and transfection efficiencies of the pDNA polyplexes formulated from these polymers in hard-to-transfect triple negative human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB 231). All polymers formed positively charged (10-17 mV) nanoparticles of ∼200 nm in size. Cellular internalization of all three formulations was inhibited the most (60-90% decrease in cellular uptake) by blocking caveolae-mediated endocytosis. Greater inhibition was shown with polymers that had a 1-(3-aminopropyl)-4-methylpiperazine end group (E7) than the others with a 2-(3-aminopropylamino)-ethanol end group (E6) or higher molecular weight. However, caveolae-mediated endocytosis was generally not as efficient as clathrin-mediated endocytosis in leading to transfection. These findings indicate that PBAE polyplexes can be used to transfect triple negative human breast cancer cells and that small changes to the same base polymer can modulate their cellular uptake and transfection routes.

  9. Multiple mechanisms enable invasive species to suppress native species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Alison E; Thomsen, Meredith; Strauss, Sharon Y

    2011-07-01

    Invasive plants represent a significant threat to ecosystem biodiversity. To decrease the impacts of invasive species, a major scientific undertaking of the last few decades has been aimed at understanding the mechanisms that drive invasive plant success. Most studies and theories have focused on a single mechanism for predicting the success of invasive plants and therefore cannot provide insight as to the relative importance of multiple interactions in predicting invasive species' success. We examine four mechanisms that potentially contribute to the success of invasive velvetgrass Holcus lanatus: direct competition, indirect competition mediated by mammalian herbivores, interference competition via allelopathy, and indirect competition mediated by changes in the soil community. Using a combination of field and greenhouse approaches, we focus on the effects of H. lanatus on a common species in California coastal prairies, Erigeron glaucus, where the invasion is most intense. We found that H. lanatus had the strongest effects on E. glaucus via direct competition, but it also influenced the soil community in ways that feed back to negatively influence E. glaucus and other native species after H. lanatus removal. This approach provided evidence for multiple mechanisms contributing to negative effects of invasive species, and it identified when particular strategies were most likely to be important. These mechanisms can be applied to eradication of H. lanatus and conservation of California coastal prairie systems, and they illustrate the utility of an integrated set of experiments for determining the potential mechanisms of invasive species' success.

  10. Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Shigella flexneri Dissemination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agaisse, Hervé

    2016-01-01

    The intracellular pathogen Shigella flexneri is the causative agent of bacillary dysentery in humans. The disease is characterized by bacterial invasion of intestinal cells, dissemination within the colonic epithelium through direct spread from cell to cell, and massive inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. Here, we review the mechanisms supporting S. flexneri dissemination. The dissemination process primarily relies on actin assembly at the bacterial pole, which propels the pathogen throughout the cytosol of primary infected cells. Polar actin assembly is supported by polar expression of the bacterial autotransporter family member IcsA, which recruits the N-WASP/ARP2/3 actin assembly machinery. As motile bacteria encounter cell-cell contacts, they form plasma membrane protrusions that project into adjacent cells. In addition to the ARP2/3-dependent actin assembly machinery, protrusion formation relies on formins and myosins. The resolution of protrusions into vacuoles occurs through the collapse of the protrusion neck, leading to the formation of an intermediate membrane-bound compartment termed vacuole-like protrusions (VLPs). VLP formation requires tyrosine kinase and phosphoinositide signaling in protrusions, which relies on the integrity of the bacterial type 3 secretion system (T3SS). The T3SS is also required for escaping double membrane vacuoles through the activity of the T3SS translocases IpaB and IpaC, and the effector proteins VirA and IcsB. Numerous factors supporting envelope biogenesis contribute to IcsA exposure and maintenance at the bacterial pole, including LPS synthesis, membrane proteases, and periplasmic chaperones. Although less characterized, the assembly and function of the T3SS in the context of bacterial dissemination also relies on factors supporting envelope biogenesis. Finally, the dissemination process requires the adaptation of the pathogen to various cellular compartments through transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms.

  11. Molecular and Cellular mechanisms of Shigella flexneri dissemination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herve eAgaisse

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The intracellular pathogen Shigella flexneri is the causative agent of bacillary dysentery in humans. The disease is characterized by bacterial invasion of intestinal cells, dissemination within the colonic epithelium through direct spread from cell to cell, and massive inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. Here, we review the mechanisms supporting S. flexneri dissemination. The dissemination process primarily relies on actin assembly at the bacterial pole, which propels the pathogen throughout the cytosol of primary infected cells. Polar actin assembly is supported by polar expression of the bacterial autotransporter family member IcsA, which recruits the N-WASP/ARP2/3 actin assembly machinery. As motile bacteria encounter cell-cell contacts, they form plasma membrane protrusions that project into adjacent cells. In addition to the ARP2/3-dependent actin assembly machinery, protrusion formation relies on formins and myosins. The resolution of protrusions into vacuoles occurs through the collapse of the protrusion neck, leading to the formation of an intermediate membrane-bound compartment termed vacuole-like protrusions (VLPs. VLP formation requires tyrosine kinase and phosphoinositide signaling in protrusions, which relies on the integrity of the bacterial type 3 secretion system (T3SS. The T3SS is also required for escaping double membrane vacuoles through the activity of the T3SS translocases IpaB and IpaC, and the effector proteins VirA and IcsB. Numerous factors supporting envelope biogenesis contribute to IcsA exposure and maintenance at the bacterial pole, including LPS synthesis, membrane proteases, and periplasmic chaperones. Although less characterized, the assembly and function of the T3SS in the context of bacterial dissemination also relies on factors supporting envelope biogenesis. Finally, the dissemination process requires the adaptation of the pathogen to various cellular compartments through transcriptional and post

  12. Quantifying cellular mechanics and adhesion in renal tubular injury using single cell force spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siamantouras, Eleftherios; Hills, Claire E; Squires, Paul E; Liu, Kuo-Kang

    2016-05-01

    Tubulointerstitial fibrosis represents the major underlying pathology of diabetic nephropathy where loss of cell-to-cell adhesion is a critical step. To date, research has predominantly focussed on the loss of cell surface molecular binding events that include altered protein ligation. In the current study, atomic force microscopy single cell force spectroscopy (AFM-SCFS) was used to quantify changes in cellular stiffness and cell adhesion in TGF-β1 treated kidney cells of the human proximal tubule (HK2). AFM indentation of TGF-β1 treated HK2 cells showed a significant increase (42%) in the elastic modulus (stiffness) compared to control. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed that increased cell stiffness is accompanied by reorganization of the cytoskeleton. The corresponding changes in stiffness, due to F-actin rearrangement, affected the work of detachment by changing the separation distance between two adherent cells. Overall, our novel data quantitatively demonstrate a correlation between cellular elasticity, adhesion and early morphologic/phenotypic changes associated with tubular injury. Diabetes affects many patients worldwide. One of the long term problems is diabetic nephropathy. Here, the authors utilized atomic force microscopy single cell force spectroscopy (AFM- SCFS) to study cellular stiffness and cell adhesion after TGF1 treatment in human proximal tubule kidney cells. The findings would help further understand the overall disease mechanism in diabetic patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Dynamic behavior of cellular materials and cellular structures: Experiments and modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Ziyang

    Cellular solids, including cellular materials and cellular structures (CMS), have attracted people's great interests because of their low densities and novel physical, mechanical, thermal, electrical and acoustic properties. They offer potential for lightweight structures, energy absorption, thermal management, etc. Therefore, the studies of cellular solids have become one of the hottest research fields nowadays. From energy absorption point of view, any plastically deformed structures can be divided into two types (called type I and type II), and the basic cells of the CMS may take the configurations of these two types of structures. Accordingly, separated discussions are presented in this thesis. First, a modified 1-D model is proposed and numerically solved for a typical type II structure. Good agreement is achieved with the previous experimental data, hence is used to simulate the dynamic behavior of a type II chain. Resulted from different load speeds, interesting collapse modes are observed, and the parameters which govern the cell's post-collapse behavior are identified through a comprehensive non-dimensional analysis on general cellular chains. Secondly, the MHS specimens are chosen as an example of type I foam materials because of their good uniformity of the cell geometry. An extensive experimental study was carried out, where more attention was paid to their responses to dynamic loadings. Great enhancement of the stress-strain curve was observed in dynamic cases, and the energy absorption capacity is found to be several times higher than that of the commercial metal foams. Based on the experimental study, finite elemental simulations and theoretical modeling are also conducted, achieving good agreements and demonstrating the validities of those models. It is believed that the experimental, numerical and analytical results obtained in the present study will certainly deepen the understanding of the unsolved fundamental issues on the mechanical behavior of

  14. Mechanisms of cellular synchronization in the vascular wall. Mechanisms of vasomotion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Matchkov, Vladimir

    2010-01-01

    . The presence of chloride channels in virtually all living cells is an essential problem as well as the dependence of ion channel properties on the complex interaction of many cellular proteins. I was the first who coupled the endogenous chloride current to one of four known bestrophin isoforms. PCR and Western...

  15. Effects of Matrix Alignment and Mechanical Constraints on Cellular Behavior in 3D Engineered Microtissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bose, Prasenjit; Eyckmans, Jeroen; Chen, Christopher; Reich, Daniel

    The adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in a variety of cellular functions. The main building blocks of the ECM are 3D networks of fibrous proteins whose structure and alignments varies with tissue type. However, the impact of ECM alignment on cellular behaviors such as cell adhesion, spreading, extension and mechanics remains poorly understood. We present results on the development of a microtissue-based system that enables control of the structure, orientation, and degree of fibrillar alignment in 3D fibroblast-populated collagen gels. The tissues self-assemble from cell-laden collagen gels placed in micro-fabricated wells containing sets of elastic pillars. The contractile action of the cells leads to controlled alignment of the fibrous collagen, depending on the number and location of the pillars in each well. The pillars are elastic, and are utilized to measure the contractile forces of the microtissues, and by incorporating magnetic material in selected pillars, time-varying forces can be applied to the tissues for dynamic stimulation and measurement of mechanical properties. Results on the effects of varying pillar shape, spacing, location, and stiffness on microtissue organization and contractility will be presented. This work is supported by NSF CMMI-1463011.

  16. Effects of Mechanical Properties on Tumor Invasion: Insights from a Cellular Model

    KAUST Repository

    Li, YZ

    2014-08-01

    Understanding the regulating mechanism of tumor invasion is of crucial importance for both fundamental cancer research and clinical applications. Previous in vivo experiments have shown that invasive cancer cells dissociate from the primary tumor and invade into the stroma, forming an irregular invasive morphology. Although cell movements involved in tumor invasion are ultimately driven by mechanical forces of cell-cell interactions and tumor-host interactions, how these mechanical properties affect tumor invasion is still poorly understood. In this study, we use a recently developed two-dimensional cellular model to study the effects of mechanical properties on tumor invasion. We study the effects of cell-cell adhesions as well as the degree of degradation and stiffness of extracellular matrix (ECM). Our simulation results show that cell-cell adhesion relationship must be satisfied for tumor invasion. Increased adhesion to ECM and decreased adhesion among tumor cells result in invasive tumor behaviors. When this invasive behavior occurs, ECM plays an important role for both tumor morphology and the shape of invasive cancer cells. Increased stiffness and stronger degree of degradation of ECM promote tumor invasion, generating more aggressive tumor invasive morphologies. It can also generate irregular shape of invasive cancer cells, protruding towards ECM. The capability of our model suggests it a useful tool to study tumor invasion and might be used to propose optimal treatment in clinical applications.

  17. Epigenetics and Cellular Metabolism

    OpenAIRE

    Wenyi Xu; Fengzhong Wang; Zhongsheng Yu; Fengjiao Xin

    2016-01-01

    Living eukaryotic systems evolve delicate cellular mechanisms for responding to various environmental signals. Among them, epigenetic machinery (DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs, etc.) is the hub in transducing external stimuli into transcriptional response. Emerging evidence reveals the concept that epigenetic signatures are essential for the proper maintenance of cellular metabolism. On the other hand, the metabolite, a main environmental input, can also influence the proce...

  18. Cellular Force Microscopy for in Vivo Measurements of Plant Tissue Mechanics1[W][OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Routier-Kierzkowska, Anne-Lise; Weber, Alain; Kochova, Petra; Felekis, Dimitris; Nelson, Bradley J.; Kuhlemeier, Cris; Smith, Richard S.

    2012-01-01

    Although growth and morphogenesis are controlled by genetics, physical shape change in plant tissue results from a balance between cell wall loosening and intracellular pressure. Despite recent work demonstrating a role for mechanical signals in morphogenesis, precise measurement of mechanical properties at the individual cell level remains a technical challenge. To address this challenge, we have developed cellular force microscopy (CFM), which combines the versatility of classical microindentation techniques with the high automation and resolution approaching that of atomic force microscopy. CFM’s large range of forces provides the possibility to map the apparent stiffness of both plasmolyzed and turgid tissue as well as to perform micropuncture of cells using very high stresses. CFM experiments reveal that, within a tissue, local stiffness measurements can vary with the level of turgor pressure in an unexpected way. Altogether, our results highlight the importance of detailed physically based simulations for the interpretation of microindentation results. CFM’s ability to be used both to assess and manipulate tissue mechanics makes it a method of choice to unravel the feedbacks between mechanics, genetics, and morphogenesis. PMID:22353572

  19. Cellularity of certain quantum endomorphism algebras

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Henning Haahr; Lehrer, G. I.; Zhang, R.

    Let $\\tA=\\Z[q^{\\pm \\frac{1}{2}}][([d]!)\\inv]$ and let $\\Delta_{\\tA}(d)$ be an integral form of the Weyl module of highest weight $d \\in \\N$ of the quantised enveloping algebra $\\U_{\\tA}$ of $\\fsl_2$. We exhibit for all positive integers $r$ an explicit cellular structure for $\\End...... of endomorphism algebras, and another which relates the multiplicities of indecomposable summands to the dimensions of simple modules for an endomorphism algebra. Our cellularity result then allows us to prove that knowledge of the dimensions of the simple modules of the specialised cellular algebra above...

  20. Modulation of the mechanical properties of ventricular extracellular matrix hydrogels with a carbodiimide crosslinker and investigation of their cellular compatibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyohei Fujita

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogels made from the cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM as two-dimensional (2D or 3D cell-culture substrates have beneficial biochemical effects on the differentiation of stem cells into cardiomyocytes. The mechanical properties of the substrates that match those of the host tissues have been identified as critical biophysical cues for coaxing the tissue-specific differentiation of stem cells. The objectives of the present study are (1 to fabricate hydrogels comprising pure ventricular ECM (vECM, (2 to make the gels possess mechanical properties similar to those of the decellularized ventricular tissue, and (3 to evaluate the cellular compatibility of the hydrogels. In order to achieve these aims, (1 a simplified protocol was developed to produce vECM solution easily and rapidly, (2 N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl-N’-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDAC was chosen to crosslink the hydrogels made from the vECM solution to enhance their mechanical properties and stabilize the microstructure of the gels, (3 rat embryonic fibroblasts or cardiomyocytes were cultured on these gels to determine the cellular compatibility of the gels. In particular, the nonlinearity and viscoelasticity of the gels were characterized quantitatively using a newly proposed nonlinear Kelvin model. The results showed that EDAC treatment allowed modulation of the mechanical properties of the gels to the same level as those of decellularized ventricular tissue in terms of the equilibrium elasticity and relaxation coefficient. Cell culture confirmed the cellular compatibility of the gels. Furthermore, an empirical relationship between the equilibrium elastic modulus of the gels and the vECM and EDAC concentrations was derived, which is important to tailor the mechanical properties of the gels. Finally, the influence of the mechanical properties of the gels on the behavior of cultured fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes was discussed.

  1. A dynamic cellular vertex model of growing epithelial tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shao-Zhen; Li, Bo; Feng, Xi-Qiao

    2017-04-01

    Intercellular interactions play a significant role in a wide range of biological functions and processes at both the cellular and tissue scales, for example, embryogenesis, organogenesis, and cancer invasion. In this paper, a dynamic cellular vertex model is presented to study the morphomechanics of a growing epithelial monolayer. The regulating role of stresses in soft tissue growth is revealed. It is found that the cells originating from the same parent cell in the monolayer can orchestrate into clustering patterns as the tissue grows. Collective cell migration exhibits a feature of spatial correlation across multiple cells. Dynamic intercellular interactions can engender a variety of distinct tissue behaviors in a social context. Uniform cell proliferation may render high and heterogeneous residual compressive stresses, while stress-regulated proliferation can effectively release the stresses, reducing the stress heterogeneity in the tissue. The results highlight the critical role of mechanical factors in the growth and morphogenesis of epithelial tissues and help understand the development and invasion of epithelial tumors.

  2. Unraveling the cellular and molecular mechanisms of repetitive magnetic stimulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian eMüller-Dahlhaus

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Despite numerous clinical studies, which have investigated the therapeutic potential of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS in various brain diseases, our knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying rTMS-based therapies remains limited. Thus, a deeper understanding of rTMS-induced neural plasticity is required to optimize current treatment protocols. Studies in small animals or appropriate in vitro preparations (including models of brain diseases provide highly useful experimental approaches in this context. State-of-the-art electrophysiological and live-cell imaging techniques that are well established in basic neuroscience can help answering some of the major questions in the field, such as (i which neural structures are activated during TMS, (ii how does rTMS induce Hebbian plasticity, and (iii are other forms of plasticity (e.g., metaplasticity, structural plasticity induced by rTMS? We argue that data gained from these studies will support the development of more effective and specific applications of rTMS in clinical practice.

  3. Cellular and molecular mechanisms in malignant transformation of diploid rodent and human cells by radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borek, C.

    1985-01-01

    The development of cell culture systems has made it possible to probe into the effects of radiation at a cellular and molecular level, under defined conditions where homeostatic mechanisms do not prevail. Using in vitro systems free of host-medicated influences, one can assess qualitatively and quantitatively dose-related and time-dependent interactions of radiation with single cells and to evaluate the influences of agents that may enhance or inhibit the oncogenic potential of radiation. These systems are useful in pragmatic studies where dose response relationships and cancer risk estimates are assessed with particular focus on the low dose range of radiation where epidemiological and animal studies are limiting. The in vitro systems serve well also in mechanistic studies where cellular and molecular processes underlying transformation can be elucidated and where the role of modulating factors which determine the frequency and quality of these events can be investigated

  4. Biochemical Factors Modulating Cellular Neurotoxicity of Methylmercury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parvinder Kaur

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Methylmercury (MeHg, an environmental toxicant primarily found in fish and seafood, poses a dilemma to both consumers and regulatory authorities, given the nutritional benefits of fish consumption versus the possible adverse neurological damage. Several studies have shown that MeHg toxicity is influenced by a number of biochemical factors, such as glutathione (GSH, fatty acids, vitamins, and essential elements, but the cellular mechanisms underlying these complex interactions have not yet been fully elucidated. The objective of this paper is to outline the cellular response to dietary nutrients, as well as to describe the neurotoxic exposures to MeHg. In order to determine the cellular mechanism(s of toxicity, the effect of pretreatment with biochemical factors (e.g., N-acetyl cysteine, (NAC; diethyl maleate, (DEM; docosahexaenoic acid, (DHA; selenomethionine, SeM; Trolox and MeHg treatment on intercellular antioxidant status, MeHg content, and other endpoints was evaluated. This paper emphasizes that the protection against oxidative stress offered by these biochemical factors is among one of the major mechanisms responsible for conferring neuroprotection. It is therefore critical to ascertain the cellular mechanisms associated with various dietary nutrients as well as to determine the potential effects of neurotoxic exposures for accurately assessing the risks and benefits associated with fish consumption.

  5. A Mechanism of Virus-Induced Demyelination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayasri Das Sarma

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Myelin forms an insulating sheath surrounding axons in the central and peripheral nervous systems and is essential for rapid propagation of neuronal action potentials. Demyelination is an acquired disorder in which normally formed myelin degenerates, exposing axons to the extracellular environment. The result is dysfunction of normal neuron-to-neuron communication and in many cases, varying degrees of axonal degeneration. Numerous central nervous system demyelinating disorders exist, including multiple sclerosis. Although demyelination is the major manifestation of most of the demyelinating diseases, recent studies have clearly documented concomitant axonal loss to varying degrees resulting in long-term disability. Axonal injury may occur secondary to myelin damage (outside-in model or myelin damage may occur secondary to axonal injury (inside-out model. Viral induced demyelination models, has provided unique imminent into the cellular mechanisms of myelin destruction. They illustrate mechanisms of viral persistence, including latent infections, virus reactivation and viral-induced tissue damage. These studies have also provided excellent paradigms to study the interactions between the immune system and the central nervous system (CNS. In this review we will discuss potential cellular and molecular mechanism of central nervous system axonal loss and demyelination in a viral induced mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

  6. A biphasic endothelial stress-survival mechanism regulates the cellular response to vascular endothelial growth factor A

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Latham, Antony M.; Odell, Adam F.; Mughal, Nadeem A.; Issitt, Theo; Ulyatt, Clare; Walker, John H.; Homer-Vanniasinkam, Shervanthi; Ponnambalam, Sreenivasan

    2012-01-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is an essential cytokine that regulates endothelial function and angiogenesis. VEGF-A binding to endothelial receptor tyrosine kinases such as VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 triggers cellular responses including survival, proliferation and new blood vessel sprouting. Increased levels of a soluble VEGFR1 splice variant (sFlt-1) correlate with endothelial dysfunction in pathologies such as pre-eclampsia; however the cellular mechanism(s) underlying the regulation and function of sFlt-1 are unclear. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a biphasic stress response in endothelial cells, using serum deprivation as a model of endothelial dysfunction. The early phase is characterized by a high VEGFR2:sFlt-1 ratio, which is reversed in the late phase. A functional consequence is a short-term increase in VEGF-A-stimulated intracellular signaling. In the late phase, sFlt-1 is secreted and deposited at the extracellular matrix. We hypothesized that under stress, increased endothelial sFlt-1 levels reduce VEGF-A bioavailability: VEGF-A treatment induces sFlt-1 expression at the cell surface and VEGF-A silencing inhibits sFlt-1 anchorage to the extracellular matrix. Treatment with recombinant sFlt-1 inhibits VEGF-A-stimulated in vitro angiogenesis and sFlt-1 silencing enhances this process. In this response, increased VEGFR2 levels are regulated by the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and PKB/Akt signaling pathways and increased sFlt-1 levels by the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. We conclude that during serum withdrawal, cellular sensing of environmental stress modulates sFlt-1 and VEGFR2 levels, regulating VEGF-A bioavailability and ensuring cell survival takes precedence over cell proliferation and migration. These findings may underpin an important mechanism contributing to endothelial dysfunction in pathological states. -- Highlights: ► Endothelial cells mount a stress response under conditions of low serum. ► Endothelial VEGFR levels are

  7. Finite element analysis of the mechanical properties of cellular aluminium based on micro-computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Veyhl, C.; Belova, I.V.; Murch, G.E.; Fiedler, T.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Elastic and plastic anisotropy is observed for both materials → Both show qualitatively similar characteristics with quantitative differences → Distinctly higher mechanical properties for closed-cell foam → The 'big' and 'small' models show good agreement for the closed-cell foam. - Abstract: In the present paper, the macroscopic mechanical properties of open-cell M-Pore sponge (porosity of 91-93%) and closed-cell Alporas foam (porosity of 80-86%) are investigated. The complex geometry of these cellular materials is scanned by micro-computed tomography and used in finite element (FE) analysis. The mechanical properties are determined by uni-axial compression simulations in three perpendicular directions (x-, y- and z-direction). M-Pore and Alporas exhibit the same qualitative mechanical characteristics but with quantitative differences. In both cases, strong anisotropy is observed for Young's modulus and the 0.002 offset yield stress. Furthermore, for the investigated relative density range a linear dependence between relative density and mechanical properties is found. Finally, a distinctly higher Young's modulus and 0.002 offset yield stress is observed for Alporas.

  8. From membrane tension to channel gating: A principal energy transfer mechanism for mechanosensitive channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xuejun C; Liu, Zhenfeng; Li, Jie

    2016-11-01

    Mechanosensitive (MS) channels are evolutionarily conserved membrane proteins that play essential roles in multiple cellular processes, including sensing mechanical forces and regulating osmotic pressure. Bacterial MscL and MscS are two prototypes of MS channels. Numerous structural studies, in combination with biochemical and cellular data, provide valuable insights into the mechanism of energy transfer from membrane tension to gating of the channel. We discuss these data in a unified two-state model of thermodynamics. In addition, we propose a lipid diffusion-mediated mechanism to explain the adaptation phenomenon of MscS. © 2016 The Protein Society.

  9. Multiple sclerosis : Mechanisms of myelin phagocytosis and lesion expansion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendrickx, D.A.E.

    2018-01-01

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by immune activation and focal demyelination in the central nervous system. The aim of this thesis was to gain more insight into the mechanisms of myelin phagocytosis by resident microglia and infiltrating macrophages. We first evaluated the expression of the

  10. A microfluidic-enabled mechanical microcompressor for the immobilization of live single- and multi-cellular specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Yingjun; Jiang, Liwei; Aufderheide, Karl J; Wright, Gus A; Terekhov, Alexander; Costa, Lino; Qin, Kevin; McCleery, W Tyler; Fellenstein, John J; Ustione, Alessandro; Robertson, J Brian; Johnson, Carl Hirschie; Piston, David W; Hutson, M Shane; Wikswo, John P; Hofmeister, William; Janetopoulos, Chris

    2014-02-01

    A microcompressor is a precision mechanical device that flattens and immobilizes living cells and small organisms for optical microscopy, allowing enhanced visualization of sub-cellular structures and organelles. We have developed an easily fabricated device, which can be equipped with microfluidics, permitting the addition of media or chemicals during observation. This device can be used on both upright and inverted microscopes. The apparatus permits micrometer precision flattening for nondestructive immobilization of specimens as small as a bacterium, while also accommodating larger specimens, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, for long-term observations. The compressor mount is removable and allows easy specimen addition and recovery for later observation. Several customized specimen beds can be incorporated into the base. To demonstrate the capabilities of the device, we have imaged numerous cellular events in several protozoan species, in yeast cells, and in Drosophila melanogaster embryos. We have been able to document previously unreported events, and also perform photobleaching experiments, in conjugating Tetrahymena thermophila.

  11. Numerical Investigation on the Propagation Mechanism of Steady Cellular Detonations in Curved Channels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jian; Ning Jian-Guo; Zhao Hui; Wang Cheng; Hao Li

    2015-01-01

    The propagation mechanism of steady cellular detonations in curved channels is investigated numerically with a detailed chemical reaction mechanism. The numerical results demonstrate that as the radius of the curvature decreases, detonation fails near the inner wall due to the strong expansion effect. As the radius of the curvature increases, the detonation front near the inner wall can sustain an underdriven detonation. In the case where detonation fails, a transverse detonation downstream forms and re-initiates the quenched detonation as it propagates toward the inner wall. Two kinds of propagation modes exist as the detonation is propagating in the curved channel. One is that the detonation fails first, and then a following transverse detonation initiates the quenched detonation and this process repeats itself. The other one is that without detonation failure and re-initiation, a steady detonation exists which consists of an underdriven detonation front near the inner wall subject to the diffraction and an overdriven detonation near the outer wall subject to the compression. (paper)

  12. A new type of sandwich panel with periodic cellular metal cores and its mechanical performances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Chae-Hong; Jeon, Insu; Kang, Ki-Ju

    2009-01-01

    Many studies have been performed on the mechanical properties and optimization of truss PCMs (periodic cellular metals), but those on the fabrication process, which is one of key factors determining the survivability of PCMs in the market, have been relatively limited. This study introduces a new idea on the fabrication of quasi Kagome truss cored sandwich panels, which is based on the expanded-metal process. And the mechanical behavior of the sandwich panels is to be evaluated. The mechanical strengths and failure mechanisms under compression and bending load are estimated based on elementary mechanics of materials, and the optimal design is derived. Its validity is proved by comparison with the results of experiments. The results showed that the new idea is promising with respect to all three requirements, i.e., the morphology, fabrication cost, and raw materials. The simple mechanical analysis was sufficiently effective and accurate for estimating the performance and failure mode of the sandwich panels. In the experiments, sandwich panel specimens of three different designs were compared in their bending behaviors to demonstrate sensitivity of geometric parameters. Namely, although all the designs had little difference in their load capacity-per-weight, the failure mechanisms and the behaviors after a peak load were totally different.

  13. Dynamic cellular manufacturing system design considering ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Kamal Deep

    cellular manufacturing system in a company is division of ... designed to be assembled from a small number of stan- ..... contingency part process route in addition to the alternate .... istic industrial manufacturing vision considering multiple.

  14. Inferring Growth Control Mechanisms in Growing Multi-cellular Spheroids of NSCLC Cells from Spatial-Temporal Image Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagiella, Nick; Müller, Benedikt; Müller, Margareta; Vignon-Clementel, Irene E; Drasdo, Dirk

    2016-02-01

    We develop a quantitative single cell-based mathematical model for multi-cellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) of SK-MES-1 cells, a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line, growing under various nutrient conditions: we confront the simulations performed with this model with data on the growth kinetics and spatial labeling patterns for cell proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM), cell distribution and cell death. We start with a simple model capturing part of the experimental observations. We then show, by performing a sensitivity analysis at each development stage of the model that its complexity needs to be stepwise increased to account for further experimental growth conditions. We thus ultimately arrive at a model that mimics the MCTS growth under multiple conditions to a great extent. Interestingly, the final model, is a minimal model capable of explaining all data simultaneously in the sense, that the number of mechanisms it contains is sufficient to explain the data and missing out any of its mechanisms did not permit fit between all data and the model within physiological parameter ranges. Nevertheless, compared to earlier models it is quite complex i.e., it includes a wide range of mechanisms discussed in biological literature. In this model, the cells lacking oxygen switch from aerobe to anaerobe glycolysis and produce lactate. Too high concentrations of lactate or too low concentrations of ATP promote cell death. Only if the extracellular matrix density overcomes a certain threshold, cells are able to enter the cell cycle. Dying cells produce a diffusive growth inhibitor. Missing out the spatial information would not permit to infer the mechanisms at work. Our findings suggest that this iterative data integration together with intermediate model sensitivity analysis at each model development stage, provide a promising strategy to infer predictive yet minimal (in the above sense) quantitative models of tumor growth, as prospectively of other tissue

  15. Characterizing heterogeneous cellular responses to perturbations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slack, Michael D; Martinez, Elisabeth D; Wu, Lani F; Altschuler, Steven J

    2008-12-09

    Cellular populations have been widely observed to respond heterogeneously to perturbation. However, interpreting the observed heterogeneity is an extremely challenging problem because of the complexity of possible cellular phenotypes, the large dimension of potential perturbations, and the lack of methods for separating meaningful biological information from noise. Here, we develop an image-based approach to characterize cellular phenotypes based on patterns of signaling marker colocalization. Heterogeneous cellular populations are characterized as mixtures of phenotypically distinct subpopulations, and responses to perturbations are summarized succinctly as probabilistic redistributions of these mixtures. We apply our method to characterize the heterogeneous responses of cancer cells to a panel of drugs. We find that cells treated with drugs of (dis-)similar mechanism exhibit (dis-)similar patterns of heterogeneity. Despite the observed phenotypic diversity of cells observed within our data, low-complexity models of heterogeneity were sufficient to distinguish most classes of drug mechanism. Our approach offers a computational framework for assessing the complexity of cellular heterogeneity, investigating the degree to which perturbations induce redistributions of a limited, but nontrivial, repertoire of underlying states and revealing functional significance contained within distinct patterns of heterogeneous responses.

  16. Mechanism of cellular secretion studied by high resolution soft-x-ray microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loo, B.W. Jr.; Meyer-Ilse, W.; Rothman, S.S.

    1997-01-01

    The secretion of proteins is a fundamental cellular process. The physical and biochemical mechanisms that underlie this process have been studied with the view that they can serve as a general model for how cells transport many different substances to and through their various compartments and to the external environment. In this work, the authors study the secretion of digestive enzymes by the acinar cell of the mammalian pancreas. This is the classical system for studying such processes. The proteins that digest food are stored in approximately micrometer sized vesicles, zymogen granules, within these cells. There are two explanations for how these proteins are transported from within the granules to the exterior of the cell during the process of secretion. One proposes that whole granules are lost from the cell in discrete events, and the other proposes that partial and gradual emptying of the granules accounts for protein secretion. Of course, both mechanisms may occur. The authors are attempting to assess to what degree each of these mechanisms account for protein secretion by the organ. In order to do so, the authors have been determining whether physical changes in the granules, such as mass loss, occur during secretion as the second model predicts, or if there is a simple reduction in the number of granules as predicted by the first model

  17. Collaboration Mechanism for Equipment Instruction of Multiple Energy Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Dong; Wang, Tuo; Wang, Qi; Zhang, Zhao; Zhao, Mingyu; Wang, Yinghui

    2018-01-01

    When multiple energy systems execute optimization instructions simultaneously, and the same equipment is Shared, the instruction conflict may occur. Aiming at the above problems, taking into account the control objectives of each system, the characteristics of different systems, such as comprehensive clean energy, energy efficiency, and peak filling, etc., designed the instruction coordination mechanism for the daemon. This mechanism mainly acts on the main station of the system, and form a final optimization instruction. For some specific scenarios, the collaboration mechanism of unlocking the terminal is supplemented. The mechanism determines the specific execution instructions based on the arrival time of the instruction. Finally, the experiment in Tianjin eco-city shows that this algorithm can meet the instruction and collaboration requirements of multi-energy systems, and ensure the safe operation of the equipment.

  18. Nicotinic mechanisms influencing synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Andon Nicholas PLACZEK; Tao A ZHANG; John Anthony DANI

    2009-01-01

    Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are expressed throughout the hippocampus, and nicotinic signaling plays an important role in neuronal function. In the context of learning and memory related behaviors associated with hippocampal function, a potentially significant feature of nAChR activity is the impact it has on synaptic plasticity. Synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons has long been considered a contributing cellular mechanism of learning and memory. These same kinds of cellular mechanisms are a factor in the development of nicotine addiction. Nicotinic signaling has been demonstrated by in vitro studies to affect synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons via multiple steps, and the signaling has also been shown to evoke synaptic plasticity in vivo. This review focuses on the nAChRs subtypes that contribute to hippocampal synaptic plasticity at the cellular and circuit level. It also considers nicotinic influences over long-term changes in the hippocampus that may contribute to addiction.

  19. Multiple-shock initiation via statistical crack mechanics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dienes, J.K.; Kershner, J.D.

    1998-12-31

    Statistical Crack Mechanics (SCRAM) is a theoretical approach to the behavior of brittle materials that accounts for the behavior of an ensemble of microcracks, including their opening, shear, growth, and coalescence. Mechanical parameters are based on measured strain-softening behavior. In applications to explosive and propellant sensitivity it is assumed that closed cracks act as hot spots, and that the heating due to interfacial friction initiates reactions which are modeled as one-dimensional heat flow with an Arrhenius source term, and computed in a subscale grid. Post-ignition behavior of hot spots is treated with the burn model of Ward, Son and Brewster. Numerical calculations using SCRAM-HYDROX are compared with the multiple-shock experiments of Mulford et al. in which the particle velocity in PBX 9501 is measured with embedded wires, and reactions are initiated and quenched.

  20. Resource Allocation for Multicell Device-to-Device Communications in Cellular Network: A Game Theoretic Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Huang

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Device-to-Device (D2D communication has recently emerged as a promising technology to improve the capacity and coverage of cellular systems. To successfully implement D2D communications underlaying a cellular network, resource allocation for D2D links plays a critical role. While most of prior resource allocation mechanisms for D2D communications have focused on interference within a single-cell system, this paper investigates the resource allocation problem for a multicell cellular network in which a D2D link reuses available spectrum resources of multiple cells. A repeated game theoretic approach is proposed to address the problem. In this game, the base stations (BSs act as players that compete for resource supply of D2D, and the utility of each player is formulated as revenue collected from both cellular and D2D users using resources. Extensive simulations are conducted to verify the proposed approach and the results show that it can considerably enhance the system performance in terms of sum rate and sum rate gain.

  1. Characterisation of cellular adhesion reinforcement by multiple bond force spectroscopy in alveolar epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Ngoc-Minh; Angely, Christelle; Andre Dias, Sofia; Planus, Emmanuelle; Filoche, Marcel; Pelle, Gabriel; Louis, Bruno; Isabey, Daniel

    2017-07-01

    Integrin-mediated adhesion is a key process by which cells physically connect with their environment, and express sensitivity and adaptation through mechanotransduction. A critical step of cell adhesion is the formation of the first bonds which individually generate weak contacts (∼tens pN) but can sustain thousand times higher forces (∼tens nN) when associated. We propose an experimental validation by multiple bond force spectroscopy (MFS) of a stochastic model predicting adhesion reinforcement permitted by non-cooperative, multiple bonds on which force is homogeneously distributed (called parallel bond configuration). To do so, spherical probes (diameter: 6.6 μm), specifically coated by RGD-peptide to bind integrins, are used to statically indent and homogenously stretch the multiple bonds created for short contact times (2 s) between the bead and the surface of epithelial cells (A549). Using different separation speeds (v = 2, 5, 10 μm/s) and measuring cellular Young's modulus as well as the local stiffness preceding local rupture events, we obtain cell-by-cell the effective loading rates both at the global cell level and at the local level of individual constitutive bonds. Local rupture forces are in the range: f*=60-115 pN , whereas global rupture (detachment) forces reach F*=0.8-1.7 nN . Global and local rupture forces both exhibit linear dependencies with the effective loading rate, the slopes of these two linear relationships providing an estimate of the number of independent integrin bonds constituting the tested multiple bond structure (∼12). The MFS method enables to validate the reinforcement of integrin-mediated adhesion induced by the multiple bond configuration in which force is homogeneously distributed amongst parallel bonds. Local rupture events observed in the course of a spectroscopy manoeuver (MFS) lead to rupture force values considered in the literature as single-integrin bonds. Adhesion reinforcement permitted by the parallel

  2. Using Cellular Proteins to Reveal Mechanisms of HIV Infection | Center for Cancer Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    A vital step in HIV infection is the insertion of viral DNA into the genome of the host cell. In order for the insertion to occur, viral nucleic acid must be transported through the membrane that separates the main cellular compartment (the cytoplasm) from the nucleus, where the host DNA is located. Scientists are actively studying the mechanism used to transport viral DNA into the nucleus in the hopes of targeting this step with future anti-HIV treatments. Up to this point, researchers have identified some of the viral components that play a role in nuclear transport, but they have not determined how viral interactions with other molecules in the cell contribute to the process.

  3. Cellular solutions for the Poisson equation in extended systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, X.; Butler, W.H.; MacLaren, J.M.; van Ek, J.

    1994-01-01

    The Poisson equation for the electrostatic potential in a solid is solved using three different cellular techniques. The relative merits of these different approaches are discussed for two test charge densities for which an analytic solution to the Poisson equation is known. The first approach uses full-cell multiple-scattering theory and results in the famililar structure constant and multipole moment expansion. This solution is shown to be valid everywhere inside the cell, although for points outside the muffin-tin sphere but inside the cell the sums must be performed in the correct order to yield meaningful results. A modification of the multiple-scattering-theory approach yields a second method, a Green-function cellular method, which only requires the solution of a nearest-neighbor linear system of equations. A third approach, a related variational cellular method, is also derived. The variational cellular approach is shown to be the most accurate and reliable, and to have the best convergence in angular momentum of the three methods. Coulomb energies accurate to within 10 -6 hartree are easily achieved with the variational cellular approach, demonstrating the practicality of the approach in electronic structure calculations

  4. Cellular senescence and organismal aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeyapalan, Jessie C; Sedivy, John M

    2008-01-01

    Cellular senescence, first observed and defined using in vitro cell culture studies, is an irreversible cell cycle arrest which can be triggered by a variety of factors. Emerging evidence suggests that cellular senescence acts as an in vivo tumor suppression mechanism by limiting aberrant proliferation. It has also been postulated that cellular senescence can occur independently of cancer and contribute to the physiological processes of normal organismal aging. Recent data have demonstrated the in vivo accumulation of senescent cells with advancing age. Some characteristics of senescent cells, such as the ability to modify their extracellular environment, could play a role in aging and age-related pathology. In this review, we examine current evidence that links cellular senescence and organismal aging.

  5. Cellular Mechanisms of Ciliary Length Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob Keeling

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Cilia and flagella are evolutionarily conserved, membrane-bound, microtubule-based organelles on the surface of most eukaryotic cells. They play important roles in coordinating a variety of signaling pathways during growth, development, cell mobility, and tissue homeostasis. Defects in ciliary structure or function are associated with multiple human disorders called ciliopathies. These diseases affect diverse tissues, including, but not limited to the eyes, kidneys, brain, and lungs. Many processes must be coordinated simultaneously in order to initiate ciliogenesis. These include cell cycle, vesicular trafficking, and axonemal extension. Centrioles play a central role in both cell cycle progression and ciliogenesis, making the transition between basal bodies and mitotic spindle organizers integral to both processes. The maturation of centrioles involves a functional shift from cell division toward cilium nucleation which takes place concurrently with its migration and fusion to the plasma membrane. Several proteinaceous structures of the distal appendages in mother centrioles are required for this docking process. Ciliary assembly and maintenance requires a precise balance between two indispensable processes; so called assembly and disassembly. The interplay between them determines the length of the resulting cilia. These processes require a highly conserved transport system to provide the necessary substances at the tips of the cilia and to recycle ciliary turnover products to the base using a based microtubule intraflagellar transport (IFT system. In this review; we discuss the stages of ciliogenesis as well as mechanisms controlling the lengths of assembled cilia.

  6. Radiation, nitric oxide and cellular death

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dubner, D.; Perez, M.R. Del; Michelin, S.C.; Gisone, P.A.

    1997-01-01

    The mechanisms of radiation induced cellular death constitute an objective of research ever since the first biological effects of radiation were first observed. The explosion of information produced in the last 20 years calls for a careful analysis due to the apparent contradictory data related to the cellular system studied and the range of doses used. This review focuses on the role of the active oxygen species, in particular the nitric oxides, in its relevance as potential mediator of radiation induced cellular death

  7. Design and evaluation of cellular power converter architectures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perreault, David John

    Power electronic technology plays an important role in many energy conversion and storage applications, including machine drives, power supplies, frequency changers and UPS systems. Increases in performance and reductions in cost have been achieved through the development of higher performance power semiconductor devices and integrated control devices with increased functionality. Manufacturing techniques, however, have changed little. High power is typically achieved by paralleling multiple die in a sing!e package, producing the physical equivalent of a single large device. Consequently, both the device package and the converter in which the device is used continue to require large, complex mechanical structures, and relatively sophisticated heat transfer systems. An alternative to this approach is the use of a cellular power converter architecture, which is based upon the parallel connection of a large number of quasi-autonomous converters, called cells, each of which is designed for a fraction of the system rating. The cell rating is chosen such that single-die devices in inexpensive packages can be used, and the cell fabricated with an automated assembly process. The use of quasi-autonomous cells means that system performance is not compromised by the failure of a cell. This thesis explores the design of cellular converter architectures with the objective of achieving improvements in performance, reliability, and cost over conventional converter designs. New approaches are developed and experimentally verified for highly distributed control of cellular converters, including methods for ripple cancellation and current-sharing control. The performance of these techniques are quantified, and their dynamics are analyzed. Cell topologies suitable to the cellular architecture are investigated, and their use for systems in the 5-500 kVA range is explored. The design, construction, and experimental evaluation of a 6 kW cellular switched-mode rectifier is also addressed

  8. Characterization of Thermal and Mechanical Impact on Aluminum Honeycomb Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Christen M.

    2013-01-01

    This study supports NASA Kennedy Space Center's research in the area of intelligent thermal management systems and multifunctional thermal systems. This project addresses the evaluation of the mechanical and thermal properties of metallic cellular solid (MCS) materials; those that are lightweight; high strength, tunable, multifunctional and affordable. A portion of the work includes understanding the mechanical properties of honeycomb structured cellular solids upon impact testing under ambient, water-immersed, liquid nitrogen-cooled, and liquid nitrogen-immersed conditions. Additionally, this study will address characterization techniques of the aluminum honeycomb's ability to resist multiple high-rate loadings or impacts in varying environmental conditions, using various techniques for the quantitative and qualitative determination for commercial applicability.

  9. Cellular mechanisms of IL-17-induced blood-brain barrier disruption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huppert, Jula; Closhen, Dorothea; Croxford, Andrew; White, Robin; Kulig, Paulina; Pietrowski, Eweline; Bechmann, Ingo; Becher, Burkhard; Luhmann, Heiko J; Waisman, Ari; Kuhlmann, Christoph R W

    2010-04-01

    Recently T-helper 17 (Th17) cells were demonstrated to disrupt the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by the action of IL-17A. The aim of the present study was to examine the mechanisms that underlie IL-17A-induced BBB breakdown. Barrier integrity was analyzed in the murine brain endothelial cell line bEnd.3 by measuring the electrical resistance values using electrical call impedance sensing technology. Furthermore, in-cell Western blots, fluorescence imaging, and monocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration assays were performed. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in C57BL/6 mice. IL-17A induced NADPH oxidase- or xanthine oxidase-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The resulting oxidative stress activated the endothelial contractile machinery, which was accompanied by a down-regulation of the tight junction molecule occludin. Blocking either ROS formation or myosin light chain phosphorylation or applying IL-17A-neutralizing antibodies prevented IL-17A-induced BBB disruption. Treatment of mice with EAE using ML-7, an inhibitor of the myosin light chain kinase, resulted in less BBB disruption at the spinal cord and less infiltration of lymphocytes via the BBB and subsequently reduced the clinical characteristics of EAE. These observations indicate that IL-17A accounts for a crucial step in the development of EAE by impairing the integrity of the BBB, involving augmented production of ROS.-Huppert, J., Closhen, D., Croxford, A., White, R., Kulig, P., Pietrowski, E., Bechmann, I., Becher, B., Luhmann, H. J., Waisman, A., Kuhlmann, C. R. W. Cellular mechanisms of IL-17-induced blood-brain barrier disruption.

  10. Conditional bistability, a generic cellular mnemonic mechanism for robust and flexible working memory computations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Guillaume; Sarazin, Matthieu; Clemente, Alexandra; Holden, Stephanie; Paz, Jeanne T; Delord, Bruno

    2018-04-30

    Persistent neural activity, the substrate of working memory, is thought to emerge from synaptic reverberation within recurrent networks. However, reverberation models do not robustly explain fundamental dynamics of persistent activity, including high-spiking irregularity, large intertrial variability, and state transitions. While cellular bistability may contribute to persistent activity, its rigidity appears incompatible with persistent activity labile characteristics. Here, we unravel in a cellular model a form of spike-mediated conditional bistability that is robust, generic and provides a rich repertoire of mnemonic computations. Under asynchronous synaptic inputs of the awakened state, conditional bistability generates spiking/bursting episodes, accounting for the irregularity, variability and state transitions characterizing persistent activity. This mechanism has likely been overlooked because of the sub-threshold input it requires and we predict how to assess it experimentally. Our results suggest a reexamination of the role of intrinsic properties in the collective network dynamics responsible for flexible working memory. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study unravels a novel form of intrinsic neuronal property, i.e. conditional bistability. We show that, thanks of its conditional character, conditional bistability favors the emergence of flexible and robust forms of persistent activity in PFC neural networks, in opposition to previously studied classical forms of absolute bistability. Specifically, we demonstrate for the first time that conditional bistability 1) is a generic biophysical spike-dependent mechanism of layer V pyramidal neurons in the PFC and that 2) it accounts for essential neurodynamical features for the organisation and flexibility of PFC persistent activity (the large irregularity and intertrial variability of the discharge and its organization under discrete stable states), which remain unexplained in a robust fashion by current models

  11. Cellular dynamical mechanisms for encoding the time and place of events along spatiotemporal trajectories in episodic memory

    OpenAIRE

    Hasselmo, Michael E.; Giocomo, Lisa M.; Yoshida, Motoharu

    2009-01-01

    Understanding the mechanisms of episodic memory requires linking behavioural data and lesion effects to data on the dynamics of cellular membrane potentials and population interactions within these brain regions. Linking behavior to specific membrane channels and neurochemicals has implications for therapeutic applications. Lesions of the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and subcortical nuclei impair episodic memory function in humans and animals, and unit recording data from these regions in b...

  12. Cellular immune responses against CT7 (MAGE-C1) and humoral responses against other cancer-testis antigens in multiple myeloma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lendvai, Nikoletta; Gnjatic, Sacha; Ritter, Erika; Mangone, Michael; Austin, Wayne; Reyner, Karina; Jayabalan, David; Niesvizky, Ruben; Jagannath, Sundar; Bhardwaj, Nina; Chen-Kiang, Selina; Old, Lloyd J; Cho, Hearn Jay

    2010-01-29

    The type I melanoma antigen gene (MAGE) proteins CT7 (MAGE-C1) and MAGE-A3 are commonly expressed in multiple myeloma (MM), and their expression correlates with increased plasma cell proliferation and poor clinical outcome. They belong to the cancer-testis antigen (CTAg) group of tumor-associated proteins, some of which elicit spontaneous immune responses in cancer patients. CT7 and MAGE-A3 are promising antigenic targets for therapeutic tumor vaccines in myeloma; therefore, it is critical to determine if they are immunogenic in MM patients. We analyzed cellular and humoral immune responses against CTAgs in patients with plasma cell dyscrasias: MM, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). Bone marrow lymphocytes from two of four untreated MM patients exhibited CT7-specific cellular immune responses as measured by an autologous cellular immunity assay, the first such immune response to CT7 to be reported in cancer patients. Sera from 24 patients were screened by ELISA for humoral immune responses to CTAgs. Two patients with MM demonstrated positive titers, one for MAGE-A1 and the other for SSX1. These data demonstrate that CTAgs, particularly CT7, are immunogenic in MM patients and merit further exploration as targets of immunological therapy in MM.

  13. Multiple-walled BN nanotubes obtained with a mechanical alloying technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosas, G.; Sistos, J.; Ascencio, J.A.; Medina, A.; Perez, R.

    2005-01-01

    An experimental method to obtain multiple-walled nanotubes of BN using low energy is presented. The method is based on the use of mechanical alloying techniques with elemental boron powders and nitrogen gas mixed in an autoclave at room temperature. The chemical and structural characteristics of the multiple-walled nanotubes were obtained using different techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, EELS microanalysis, high-resolution electron microscopy images and theoretical simulations based on the multisliced approach of the electron diffraction theory. This investigation clearly illustrates the production of multiple-wall BN nanotubes at room temperature. These results open up a new kind of synthesis method with low expense and important perspectives for use in large-quantity production. (orig.)

  14. Impact of plasma histones in human sepsis and their contribution to cellular injury and inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekaney, Michael Liembo; Otto, Gordon Philipp; Sossdorf, Maik; Sponholz, Christoph; Boehringer, Michael; Loesche, Wolfgang; Rittirsch, Daniel; Wilharm, Arne; Kurzai, Oliver; Bauer, Michael; Claus, Ralf Alexander

    2014-09-24

    Circulating histones have been identified as mediators of damage in animal models of sepsis and in patients with trauma-associated lung injury. Despite existing controversies on actual histone concentrations, clinical implications and mechanism of action in various disease conditions, histone levels in human sepsis, association with disease progression and mediated effects on endothelial and immune cells remain unreported. This study aimed to determine histone levels and its clinical implication in septic patients and to elucidate histone-mediated effects ex-vivo. Histone levels, endogenous activated protein C (APC) levels and clinical data from two independent cohorts of septic patients were obtained. Histone levels were compared with various control groups including healthy individuals, intensive care unit (ICU) patients without sepsis, ICU patients with multiple organ failure and patients with minor or multiple trauma, all without infection. Endothelial and monocytic cells were stimulated with histones. Cellular integrity and sepsis prototypical cytokines were evaluated. The mechanism of action of histones via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was evaluated using a function blocking antibody. Histone degradation in plasma was studied by immunoblotting. Histone H4 levels were significantly elevated in patients with sepsis (cohort I; n = 15 and cohort II; n = 19) versus ICU controls (n = 12), patients with multiple organ failure (n = 12) or minor trauma (n = 7), associated with need for renal replacement therapy and decrease in platelet count during disease progression, and remarkably were significantly associated with increased mortality rates in septic patients (ICU-, 28 day- and 90 day mortality rates). There was an inverse correlation between plasma histones and endogenous APC levels. Histone stimulation induced the release of sepsis prototypic cytokines and decreased cell integrity indicated by a significant increase of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and propidium

  15. Mediators of Physical Activity on Neurocognitive Function: A Review at Multiple Levels of Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stillman, Chelsea M; Cohen, Jamie; Lehman, Morgan E; Erickson, Kirk I

    2016-01-01

    Physical activity (PA) is known to maintain and improve neurocognitive health. However, there is still a poor understanding of the mechanisms by which PA exerts its effects on the brain and cognition in humans. Many of the most widely discussed mechanisms of PA are molecular and cellular and arise from animal models. While information about basic cellular and molecular mechanisms is an important foundation from which to build our understanding of how PA promotes cognitive health in humans, there are other pathways that could play a role in this relationship. For example, PA-induced changes to cellular and molecular pathways likely initiate changes to macroscopic properties of the brain and/or to behavior that in turn influence cognition. The present review uses a more macroscopic lens to identify potential brain and behavioral/socioemotional mediators of the association between PA and cognitive function. We first summarize what is known regarding cellular and molecular mechanisms, and then devote the remainder of the review to discussing evidence for brain systems and behavioral/socioemotional pathways by which PA influences cognition. It is our hope that discussing mechanisms at multiple levels of analysis will stimulate the field to examine both brain and behavioral mediators. Doing so is important, as it could lead to a more complete characterization of the processes by which PA influences neurocognitive function, as well as a greater variety of targets for modifying neurocognitive function in clinical contexts.

  16. Mediators of Physical Activity on Neurocognitive Function: A Review at Multiple Levels of Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chelsea M. Stillman

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Physical activity (PA is known to maintain and improve neurocognitive health. However, there is still a poor understanding of the mechanisms by which PA exerts its effects on the brain and cognition in humans. Many of the most widely discussed mechanisms of PA are molecular and cellular and arise from animal models. While information about basic cellular and molecular mechanisms is an important foundation from which to build our understanding of how PA promotes cognitive health in humans, there are other pathways that could play a role in this relationship. For example, PA-induced changes to cellular and molecular pathways likely initiate changes to macroscopic properties of the brain and/or to behavior that in turn influence cognition. The present review uses a more macroscopic lens to identify potential brain and behavioral/socioemotional mediators of the association between PA and cognitive function. We first summarize what is known regarding cellular and molecular mechanisms, and then devote the remainder of the review to discussing evidence for brain systems and behavioral/socioemotional pathways by which PA influences cognition. It is our hope that discussing mechanisms at multiple levels of analysis will stimulate the field to examine both brain and behavioral mediators. Doing so is important, as it could lead to a more complete characterization of the processes by which PA influences neurocognitive function, as well as a greater variety of targets for modifying neurocognitive function in clinical contexts.

  17. CNS autoimmune disease after Streptococcus pyogenes infections: animal models, cellular mechanisms and genetic factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cutforth, Tyler; DeMille, Mellissa MC; Agalliu, Ilir; Agalliu, Dritan

    2016-01-01

    Streptococcus pyogenes infections have been associated with two autoimmune diseases of the CNS: Sydenham’s chorea (SC) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus infections (PANDAS). Despite the high frequency of pharyngeal streptococcus infections among children, only a small fraction develops SC or PANDAS. This suggests that several factors in combination are necessary to trigger autoimmune complications: specific S. pyogenes strains that induce a strong immune response toward the host nervous system; genetic susceptibility that predispose children toward an autoimmune response involving movement or tic symptoms; and multiple infections of the throat or tonsils that lead to a robust Th17 cellular and humoral immune response when untreated. In this review, we summarize the evidence for each factor and propose that all must be met for the requisite neurovascular pathology and behavioral deficits found in SC/PANDAS. PMID:27110222

  18. Filovirus tropism: Cellular molecules for viral entry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayato eTakada

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available In human and nonhuman primates, filoviruses (Ebola and Marburg viruses cause severe hemorrhagic fever.Recently, other animals such as pigs and some species of fruit bats have also been shown to be susceptible to these viruses. While having a preference for some cell types such as hepatocytes, endothelial cells, dendritic cells, monocytes, and macrophages, filoviruses are known to be pantropic in infection of primates. The envelope glycoprotein (GP is responsible for both receptor binding and fusion of the virus envelope with the host cell membrane. It has been demonstrated that filovirus GP interacts with multiple molecules for entry into host cells, whereas none of the cellular molecules so far identified as a receptor/coreceptor fully explains filovirus tissue tropism and host range. Available data suggest that the mucin-like region (MLR on GP plays an important role in attachment to the preferred target cells, whose infection is likely involved in filovirus pathogenesis, whereas the MLR is not essential for the fundamental function of the GP in viral entry into cells in vitro. Further studies elucidating the mechanisms of cellular entry of filoviruses may shed light on the development of strategies for prophylaxis and treatment of Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers.

  19. Authority inside the firm: multiple mechanisms of coordination

    OpenAIRE

    Bernard Baudry; Bruno Tinel

    2004-01-01

    In the last twenty years, through a growing awareness of contractual incompleteness, the concept of authority has regained primacy in the analysis of the employment relationship. This article pursues two goals. First, we assess the famous controversy between Coase and Alchian and Demsetz via an analysis of the foundations of intra-firm authority. Second, we argue that intra-firm authority cannot hinge on a single variable and, to the contrary, rests on multiple mechanisms. The employer's auth...

  20. Distinct signaling mechanisms in multiple developmental pathways by the SCRAMBLED receptor of Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwak, Su-Hwan; Woo, Sooah; Lee, Myeong Min; Schiefelbein, John

    2014-10-01

    SCRAMBLED (SCM), a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), is required for positional signaling in the root epidermis and for tissue/organ development in the shoot. To further understand SCM action, we generated a series of kinase domain variants and analyzed their ability to complement scm mutant defects. We found that the SCM kinase domain, but not kinase activity, is required for its role in root epidermal patterning, supporting the view that SCM is an atypical receptor kinase. We also describe a previously uncharacterized role for SCM in fruit dehiscence, because mature siliques from scm mutants fail to open properly. Interestingly, the kinase domain of SCM appears to be dispensable for this developmental process. Furthermore, we found that most of the SCM kinase domain mutations dramatically inhibit inflorescence development. Because this process is not affected in scm null mutants, it is likely that SCM acts redundantly to regulate inflorescence size. The importance of distinct kinase residues for these three developmental processes provides an explanation for the maintenance of the conserved kinase domain in the SCM protein, and it may generally explain its conservation in other atypical kinases. Furthermore, these results indicate that individual leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases may participate in multiple pathways using distinct signaling mechanisms to mediate diverse cellular communication events. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  1. Force control for mechanoinduction of impedance variation in cellular organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nam, Joo Hoo; Chen, Peter C Y; Lu, Zhe; Luo, Hong; Lin, Wei; Ge, Ruowen

    2010-01-01

    Constantly exposed to various forms of mechanical forces inherent in their physical environment (such as gravity, stress induced by fluid flow or cell–cell interactions, etc), cellular organisms sense such forces and convert them into biochemical signals through the processes of mechanosensing and mechanotransduction that eventually lead to biological changes. The effect of external forces on the internal structures and activities in a cellular organism may manifest in changes its physical properties, such as impedance. Studying variation in the impedance of a cellular organism induced by the application of an external mechanical force represents a meaningful endeavor (from a biosystems perspective) in exploring the complex mechanosensing and mechanotransduction mechanisms that govern the behavior of a cellular organism under the influence of external mechanical stimuli. In this paper we describe the development of an explicit force-feedback control system for exerting an indentation force on a cellular organism while simultaneously measuring its impedance. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this force-control system, we have conducted experiments using zebrafish embryos as a test model of a cellular organism. We report experimental results demonstrating that the application of a properly controlled external force leads to a significant change in the impedance of a zebrafish embryo. These results offer support for a plausible explanation that activities of pore canals in the chorion are responsible for the observed change in impedance.

  2. Optimization of the diabetic nephropathy treatment with attention to the special features of cellular inflammation mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Тетяна Дмитрівна Щербань

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Aim. Optimization of the diabetic nephropathy (DN treatment in association with hypertonic disease (HD based on the study of neutrophil chain of pathogenic cellular mechanisms of these diseases development and the special features of its clinical course.Materials and methods. There were complexly examined 86 patients with HD associated with DN and 30 patients with isolated HD. The control group was formed by 30 practically healthy persons. The activity of NO-synthases in neutrophils was detected by Green colorimetric methods using Griess reagent. The expression of ІСАМ-1 (CD54, CD11b-integrin and inducible NO-synthase on neutrophils was detected by the indirect immunocytochemical method. Oxygen-depending activity of neutrophils was assessed in NBT-test.Results. Expression of adhesive molecules of CD54and CD11b-integrin on neutrophils of peripheral blood essentially increases (р <0,001 in patients with DN in association with HD comparing with isolated HD and the control group.At associated pathology on the background of high oxygen-depending activity of neutrophils its functional reserve decreases that results in intensification of inflammatory processes in kidneys (р<0,001.In comorbid patients chronization of pathological process results in imbalance of NO-synthases system in neutrophils: on the background of decrease of activity of constituent NO-synthases the expression and activity of inducible NO-synthase increase (р<0,001 .The use of L-arginine hydrochloride in the complex therapy of patients with DN associated with HD intensifies organoprotective effect of basal therapy, results in facilitation of the clinical course, decreases albuminuria, corrects the functional indices of neutrophils and diminishes imbalance in NO-synthases system.Conclusions. In patients with DN in association with HD the neutrophil chain of cellular inflammation mechanisms are activated: expression of adhesive molecules grows, oxygen-depending metabolism is

  3. Pulsed feedback defers cellular differentiation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joe H Levine

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Environmental signals induce diverse cellular differentiation programs. In certain systems, cells defer differentiation for extended time periods after the signal appears, proliferating through multiple rounds of cell division before committing to a new fate. How can cells set a deferral time much longer than the cell cycle? Here we study Bacillus subtilis cells that respond to sudden nutrient limitation with multiple rounds of growth and division before differentiating into spores. A well-characterized genetic circuit controls the concentration and phosphorylation of the master regulator Spo0A, which rises to a critical concentration to initiate sporulation. However, it remains unclear how this circuit enables cells to defer sporulation for multiple cell cycles. Using quantitative time-lapse fluorescence microscopy of Spo0A dynamics in individual cells, we observed pulses of Spo0A phosphorylation at a characteristic cell cycle phase. Pulse amplitudes grew systematically and cell-autonomously over multiple cell cycles leading up to sporulation. This pulse growth required a key positive feedback loop involving the sporulation kinases, without which the deferral of sporulation became ultrasensitive to kinase expression. Thus, deferral is controlled by a pulsed positive feedback loop in which kinase expression is activated by pulses of Spo0A phosphorylation. This pulsed positive feedback architecture provides a more robust mechanism for setting deferral times than constitutive kinase expression. Finally, using mathematical modeling, we show how pulsing and time delays together enable "polyphasic" positive feedback, in which different parts of a feedback loop are active at different times. Polyphasic feedback can enable more accurate tuning of long deferral times. Together, these results suggest that Bacillus subtilis uses a pulsed positive feedback loop to implement a "timer" that operates over timescales much longer than a cell cycle.

  4. Involvement of Sib Proteins in the Regulation of Cellular Adhesion in Dictyostelium discoideum▿ †

    OpenAIRE

    Cornillon, Sophie; Froquet, Romain; Cosson, Pierre

    2008-01-01

    Molecular mechanisms ensuring cellular adhesion have been studied in detail in Dictyostelium amoebae, but little is known about the regulation of cellular adhesion in these cells. Here, we show that cellular adhesion is regulated in Dictyostelium, notably by the concentration of a cellular secreted factor accumulating in the medium. This constitutes a quorum-sensing mechanism allowing coordinated regulation of cellular adhesion in a Dictyostelium population. In order to understand the mechani...

  5. Direct and indirect stabilisation mechanisms in multiple electron capture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roncin, P. [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France). Lab. de Collisions Atomiques et Moleculaires; Barat, M. [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France). Lab. de Collisions Atomiques et Moleculaires; Gaboriaud, M.N. [Paris-11 Univ., 91 -Orsay (France). Lab. de Collisions Atomiques et Moleculaires; Szilagyi, Z.S. [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France). Lab. de Collisions Atomiques et Moleculaires; Kazansky, A.K. [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France). Lab. de Collisions Atomiques et Moleculaires

    1995-05-01

    During the last years both experimental and theoretical works have focused on the problem of the stabilisation of two excited electrons on the projectile. In this contribution we would like to give experimental examples of the two suggested mechanisms and their extension to multiple electron capture. Our data are discussed together with those obtained with other experimental techniques and with theoretical predictions. (orig./WL).

  6. Protein mislocalization: mechanisms, functions and clinical applications in cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaohong; Li, Shulin

    2014-01-01

    The changes from normal cells to cancer cells are primarily regulated by genome instability, which foster hallmark functions of cancer through multiple mechanisms including protein mislocalization. Mislocalization of these proteins, including oncoproteins, tumor suppressors, and other cancer-related proteins, can interfere with normal cellular function and cooperatively drive tumor development and metastasis. This review describes the cancer-related effects of protein subcellular mislocalization, the related mislocalization mechanisms, and the potential application of this knowledge to cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. PMID:24709009

  7. Epigenetics and Cellular Metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenyi Xu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Living eukaryotic systems evolve delicate cellular mechanisms for responding to various environmental signals. Among them, epigenetic machinery (DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs, etc. is the hub in transducing external stimuli into transcriptional response. Emerging evidence reveals the concept that epigenetic signatures are essential for the proper maintenance of cellular metabolism. On the other hand, the metabolite, a main environmental input, can also influence the processing of epigenetic memory. Here, we summarize the recent research progress in the epigenetic regulation of cellular metabolism and discuss how the dysfunction of epigenetic machineries influences the development of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity; then, we focus on discussing the notion that manipulating metabolites, the fuel of cell metabolism, can function as a strategy for interfering epigenetic machinery and its related disease progression as well.

  8. Optimizing Cellular Networks Enabled with Renewal Energy via Strategic Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sohn, Insoo; Liu, Huaping; Ansari, Nirwan

    2015-01-01

    An important issue in the cellular industry is the rising energy cost and carbon footprint due to the rapid expansion of the cellular infrastructure. Greening cellular networks has thus attracted attention. Among the promising green cellular network techniques, the renewable energy-powered cellular network has drawn increasing attention as a critical element towards reducing carbon emissions due to massive energy consumption in the base stations deployed in cellular networks. Game theory is a branch of mathematics that is used to evaluate and optimize systems with multiple players with conflicting objectives and has been successfully used to solve various problems in cellular networks. In this paper, we model the green energy utilization and power consumption optimization problem of a green cellular network as a pilot power selection strategic game and propose a novel distributed algorithm based on a strategic learning method. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm achieves correlated equilibrium of the pilot power selection game, resulting in optimum green energy utilization and power consumption reduction.

  9. Non-Chemical Distant Cellular Interactions as a potential confounder of Cell Biology Experiments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashkan eFarhadi

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Distant cells can communicate with each other through a variety of methods. Two such methods involve electrical and/or chemical mechanisms. Non-chemical, distant cellular interactions may be another method of communication that cells can use to modify the behavior of other cells that are mechanically separated. Moreover, non-chemical, distant cellular interactions may explain some cases of confounding effects in Cell Biology experiments. In this article, we review non-chemical, distant cellular interactions studies to try to shed light on the mechanisms in this highly unconventional field of cell biology. Despite the existence of several theories that try to explain the mechanism of non-chemical, distant cellular interactions, this phenomenon is still speculative. Among candidate mechanisms, electromagnetic waves appear to have the most experimental support. In this brief article, we try to answer a few key questions that may further clarify this mechanism.

  10. A mechanical characterisation on multiple timescales of electroconductive magnetorheological elastomers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schümann, M.; Morich, J.; Kaufhold, T.; Böhm, V.; Zimmermann, K.; Odenbach, S.

    2018-05-01

    Magnetorheological elastomers are a type of smart hybrid material which combines elastic properties of a soft elastomer matrix with magnetic properties of magnetic micro particles. This leads to a material with magnetically controllable mechanical properties of which the magnetorheological effect is the best known. The addition of electroconductive particles to the polymer mix adds electrical properties to the material behaviour. The resulting electrical resistance of the sample can be manipulated by external magnetic fields and mechanical loads. This results in a distinct interplay of mechanical, electrical and magnetic effects with a highly complex time behaviour. In this paper a mechanical characterisation on multiple time scales was conducted to get an insight on the short and long-term electrical and mechanical behaviour of this novel material. The results show a complex resistivity behaviour on several timescales, sensitive to magnetic fields and strain velocity. The observed material exhibits fatigue and relaxation behaviour, whereas the magnetorheological effect appears not to interfere with the piezoresistive properties.

  11. The New Cellular Immunology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claman, Henry N.

    1973-01-01

    Discusses the nature of the immune response and traces many of the discoveries that have led to the present state of knowledge in immunology. The new cellular immunology is directing its efforts toward improving health by proper manipulation of the immune mechanisms of the body. (JR)

  12. Genetic Dominance & Cellular Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seager, Robert D.

    2014-01-01

    In learning genetics, many students misunderstand and misinterpret what "dominance" means. Understanding is easier if students realize that dominance is not a mechanism, but rather a consequence of underlying cellular processes. For example, metabolic pathways are often little affected by changes in enzyme concentration. This means that…

  13. Multiple Access Techniques for Next Generation Wireless: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shree Krishna Sharma

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The advances in multiple access techniques has been one of the key drivers in moving from one cellular generation to another. Starting from the first generation, several multiple access techniques have been explored in different generations and various emerging multiplexing/multiple access techniques are being investigated for the next generation of cellular networks. In this context, this paper first provides a detailed review on the existing Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA related works. Subsequently, it highlights the main features and the drawbacks of various existing and emerging multiplexing/multiple access techniques. Finally, we propose a novel concept of clustered orthogonal signature division multiple access for the next generation of cellular networks. The proposed concept envisions to employ joint antenna coding in order to enhance the orthogonality of SDMA beams with the objective of enhancing the spectral efficiency of future cellular networks.

  14. Phytoplankton calcification as an effective mechanism to prevent cellular calcium poisoning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, M. N.; Ramos, J. Barcelos e.; Schulz, K. G.; Riebesell, U.; Kaźmierczak, J.; Gallo, F.; Mackinder, L.; Li, Y.; Nesterenko, P. N.; Trull, T. W.; Hallegraeff, G. M.

    2015-08-01

    Marine phytoplankton has developed the remarkable ability to tightly regulate the concentration of free calcium ions in the intracellular cytosol at a level of ~ 0.1 μmol L-1 in the presence of seawater Ca2+ concentrations of 10 mmol L-1. The low cytosolic calcium ion concentration is of utmost importance for proper cell signalling function. While the regulatory mechanisms responsible for the tight control of intracellular Ca2+ concentration are not completely understood, phytoplankton taxonomic groups appear to have evolved different strategies, which may affect their ability to cope with changes in seawater Ca2+ concentrations in their environment on geological time scales. For example, the Cretaceous (145 to 66 Ma ago), an era known for the high abundance of coccolithophores and the production of enormous calcium carbonate deposits, exhibited seawater calcium concentrations up to four times present-day levels. We show that calcifying coccolithophore species (Emiliania huxleyi, Gephyrocapsa oceanica and Coccolithus braarudii) are able to maintain their relative fitness (in terms of growth rate and photosynthesis) at simulated Cretaceous seawater calcium concentrations, whereas these rates are severely reduced under these conditions in some non-calcareous phytoplankton species (Chaetoceros sp., Ceratoneis closterium and Heterosigma akashiwo). Most notably, this also applies to a non-calcifying strain of E. huxleyi which displays a calcium-sensitivity similar to the non-calcareous species. We hypothesize that the process of calcification in coccolithophores provides an efficient mechanism to prevent cellular calcium poisoning and thereby offered a potential key evolutionary advantage, responsible for the proliferation of coccolithophores during times of high seawater calcium concentrations.

  15. Rendering Intelligence at Physical Layer for Smart Addressing and Multiple Access

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sanyal, Rajarshi; Prasad, Ramjee; Cianca, Ernestina

    2010-01-01

    addressing of a node. For a typical closed user group type of network, we propose a multiple access mechanism and network topology which will not only eliminate the need of intelligent core network equipments in the network area , but to use this intelligent physical layer to directly reach any node over......The primary objective of this work is to propose a technique of wireless communication, where we render intelligence to the physical layer. We aim to realize a physical layer that can take part in some processes which is otherwise confined to higher layer signalling activities, like for example...... the fundamentals behind the proposed multiple access scheme and draws out the benefits compared to the existing multiple access processes based on cellular approach....

  16. Differential Cellular Responses to Hedgehog Signalling in Vertebrates—What is the Role of Competence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiecker, Clemens; Graham, Anthony; Logan, Malcolm

    2016-01-01

    A surprisingly small number of signalling pathways generate a plethora of cellular responses ranging from the acquisition of multiple cell fates to proliferation, differentiation, morphogenesis and cell death. These diverse responses may be due to the dose-dependent activities of signalling factors, or to intrinsic differences in the response of cells to a given signal—a phenomenon called differential cellular competence. In this review, we focus on temporal and spatial differences in competence for Hedgehog (HH) signalling, a signalling pathway that is reiteratively employed in embryos and adult organisms. We discuss the upstream signals and mechanisms that may establish differential competence for HHs in a range of different tissues. We argue that the changing competence for HH signalling provides a four-dimensional framework for the interpretation of the signal that is essential for the emergence of functional anatomy. A number of diseases—including several types of cancer—are caused by malfunctions of the HH pathway. A better understanding of what provides differential competence for this signal may reveal HH-related disease mechanisms and equip us with more specific tools to manipulate HH signalling in the clinic. PMID:29615599

  17. Differential Cellular Responses to Hedgehog Signalling in Vertebrates—What is the Role of Competence?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clemens Kiecker

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available A surprisingly small number of signalling pathways generate a plethora of cellular responses ranging from the acquisition of multiple cell fates to proliferation, differentiation, morphogenesis and cell death. These diverse responses may be due to the dose-dependent activities of signalling factors, or to intrinsic differences in the response of cells to a given signal—a phenomenon called differential cellular competence. In this review, we focus on temporal and spatial differences in competence for Hedgehog (HH signalling, a signalling pathway that is reiteratively employed in embryos and adult organisms. We discuss the upstream signals and mechanisms that may establish differential competence for HHs in a range of different tissues. We argue that the changing competence for HH signalling provides a four-dimensional framework for the interpretation of the signal that is essential for the emergence of functional anatomy. A number of diseases—including several types of cancer—are caused by malfunctions of the HH pathway. A better understanding of what provides differential competence for this signal may reveal HH-related disease mechanisms and equip us with more specific tools to manipulate HH signalling in the clinic.

  18. Characteristics of Middle School Students Learning Actions in Outdoor Mathematical Activities with the Cellular Phone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daher, Wajeeh; Baya'a, Nimer

    2012-01-01

    Learning in the cellular phone environment enables utilizing the multiple functions of the cellular phone, such as mobility, availability, interactivity, verbal and voice communication, taking pictures or recording audio and video, measuring time and transferring information. These functions together with mathematics-designated cellular phone…

  19. Mechanics rules cell biology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang James HC

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Cells in the musculoskeletal system are subjected to various mechanical forces in vivo. Years of research have shown that these mechanical forces, including tension and compression, greatly influence various cellular functions such as gene expression, cell proliferation and differentiation, and secretion of matrix proteins. Cells also use mechanotransduction mechanisms to convert mechanical signals into a cascade of cellular and molecular events. This mini-review provides an overview of cell mechanobiology to highlight the notion that mechanics, mainly in the form of mechanical forces, dictates cell behaviors in terms of both cellular mechanobiological responses and mechanotransduction.

  20. Cellular therapies for heart disease: unveiling the ethical and public policy challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raval, Amish N; Kamp, Timothy J; Hogle, Linda F

    2008-10-01

    Cellular therapies have emerged as a potential revolutionary treatment for cardiovascular disease. Promising preclinical results have resulted in a flurry of basic research activity and spawned multiple clinical trials worldwide. However, the optimal cell type and delivery mode have not been determined for target patient populations. Nor have the mechanisms of benefit for the range of cellular interventions been clearly defined. Experiences to date have unveiled a myriad of ethical and public policy challenges which will affect the way researchers and clinicians make decisions for both basic and clinical research. Stem cells derived from embryos are at the forefront of the ethical and political debate, raising issues of which derivation methods are morally and socially permissible to pursue, as much as which are technically feasible. Adult stem cells are less controversial; however, important challenges exist in determining study design, cell processing, delivery mode, and target patient population. Pathways to successful commercialization and hence broad accessibility of cellular therapies for heart disease are only beginning to be explored. Comprehensive, multi-disciplinary and collaborative networks involving basic researchers, clinicians, regulatory officials and policymakers are required to share information, develop research, regulatory and policy standards and enable rational and ethical cell-based treatment approaches.

  1. [Motivation and Emotional States: Structural Systemic, Neurochemical, Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazyan, A S

    2016-01-01

    The structural, systemic, neurochemical, molecular and cellular mechanisms of organization and coding motivation and emotional states are describe. The GABA and glutamatergic synaptic systems of basal ganglia form a neural network and participate in the implementation of voluntary behavior. Neuropeptides, neurohormones and paracrine neuromodulators involved in the organization of motivation and emotional states, integrated with synaptic systems, controlled by neural networks and organizing goal-directed behavior. Structural centers for united and integrated of information in voluntary and goal-directed behavior are globus pallidus. Substantia nigra pars reticulata switches the information from corticobasal networks to thalamocortical networks, induces global dopaminergic (DA) signal and organize interaction of mesolimbic and nigostriatnoy DA systems controlled by prefrontal and motor cortex. Together with the motor cortex, substantia nigra displays information in the brainstem and spinal cord to implementation of behavior. Motivation states are formed in the interaction of neurohormonal and neuropeptide systems by monoaminergic systems of brain. Emotional states are formed by monoaminergic systems of the mid-brain, where the leading role belongs to the mesolimbic DA system. The emotional and motivation state of the encoded specific epigenetic molecular and chemical pattern of neuron.

  2. The induction and regulation of radiogenic transformation in vitro: Cellular and molecular mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borek, C.

    1987-01-01

    Rodent and human cells in culture, transformed in vitro by ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, or chemicals into malignant cells afford us the opportunity to probe into early and late events in the neoplastic process at a cellular and molecular level. Transformation can be regarded as an abnormal expression of cellular genes. The initiating agents disrupt the integrity of the genetic apparatus altering DNA in ways that result in the activation of cellular transforming genes (oncogenes) during some stage of the neoplastic process. Events associated with initiation and promotion may overlap to some degree, but in order for them to occur, cellular permissive conditions must prevail. Permissive factors include thyroid and steroid hormones, specific states of differentiation, certain stages in the cell cycle, specific genetic impairment, and inadequate antioxidants. Genetically susceptible cells require physiological states conducive to transformation. These may differ with age, tissue, and species and in part may be responsible for the observed lower sensitivity of human cells to transformation

  3. Formation of cellular structure in beryllium at plastic working

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Papirov, I.I.; Nikolaenko, A.A.; Shokurov, V.S.; Pikalov, A.I.

    2013-01-01

    Conditions of cellular structure formation are investigated at various kinds of deformation and heat treatment of beryllium ingots. It is shown that the cellular structure plays the important role in formation of complex of physical mechanical properties of beryllium. Influence of impurity, various conditions of deformation (temperature, squeezing degree) and heat treatments on substructure, texture and mechanical properties of metal is investigated. Optimum conditions of rolling and heat treatments of beryllium are defined. The way of sign-variable cyclic deformation of beryllium ingots is offered for reception quasi-isotropic fine-grained metal. Physical-mechanical properties of ultra fine-grained metal are studied

  4. Viral and cellular SOS-regulated motor proteins: dsDNA translocation mechanisms with divergent functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolfe, Annie; Phipps, Kara; Weitao, Tao

    2014-01-01

    DNA damage attacks on bacterial cells have been known to activate the SOS response, a transcriptional response affecting chromosome replication, DNA recombination and repair, cell division and prophage induction. All these functions require double-stranded (ds) DNA translocation by ASCE hexameric motors. This review seeks to delineate the structural and functional characteristics of the SOS response and the SOS-regulated DNA translocases FtsK and RuvB with the phi29 bacteriophage packaging motor gp16 ATPase as a prototype to study bacterial motors. While gp16 ATPase, cellular FtsK and RuvB are similarly comprised of hexameric rings encircling dsDNA and functioning as ATP-driven DNA translocases, they utilize different mechanisms to accomplish separate functions, suggesting a convergent evolution of these motors. The gp16 ATPase and FtsK use a novel revolution mechanism, generating a power stroke between subunits through an entropy-DNA affinity switch and pushing dsDNA inward without rotation of DNA and the motor, whereas RuvB seems to employ a rotation mechanism that remains to be further characterized. While FtsK and RuvB perform essential tasks during the SOS response, their roles may be far more significant as SOS response is involved in antibiotic-inducible bacterial vesiculation and biofilm formation as well as the perspective of the bacteria-cancer evolutionary interaction.

  5. Dynamic cellular uptake of mixed-monolayer protected nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carney, Randy P; Carney, Tamara M; Mueller, Marie; Stellacci, Francesco

    2012-12-01

    Nanoparticles (NPs) are gaining increasing attention for potential application in medicine; consequently, studying their interaction with cells is of central importance. We found that both ligand arrangement and composition on gold nanoparticles play a crucial role in their cellular internalization. In our previous investigation, we showed that 66-34OT nanoparticles coated with stripe-like domains of hydrophobic (octanethiol, OT, 34%) and hydrophilic (11-mercaptoundecane sulfonate, MUS, 66%) ligands permeated through the cellular lipid bilayer via passive diffusion, in addition to endo-/pino-cytosis. Here, we show an analysis of NP internalization by DC2.4, 3T3, and HeLa cells at two temperatures and multiple time points. We study four NPs that differ in their surface structures and ligand compositions and report on their cellular internalization by intracellular fluorescence quantification. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy we have found that all three cell types internalize the 66-34OT NPs more than particles coated only with MUS, or particles coated with a very similar coating but lacking any detectable ligand shell structure, or 'striped' particles but with a different composition (34-66OT) at multiple data points.

  6. Motion laws synthesis for cam mechanisms with multiple follower displacement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podgornyj, Yu I.; Skeeba, V. Yu; Kirillov, A. V.; Martynova, T. G.; Skeeba, P. Yu

    2018-03-01

    The research discusses the cam mechanisms design. The analysis of specialized literature indicates that the synthesis of the cam mechanisms laws of motion is currently done mainly by a standard set of acceleration curves. In some cases, the designer needs to synthesize a new acceleration law which should be task-specific and enforce a certain production step. The values of the technological loads and inertia forces loads generated by the mechanism are calculated to analyze the slay mechanism behavior in the production of closely woven fabrics. Mathematical packages MathCad and SolidWorks are used in calculations. As a result of the research, the authors propose the methodology for synthesizing the slay mechanism with multiple follower displacements for the point of contact between the reed and the fabric edge. Theoretical studies have been tested on a specific machine model (STB loom). The authors have synthesized the motion law of the filling threads beat-up mechanism for the production of strong fabrics. New basic and closing cam profiles are proposed. The results are designed to enhance the possibilities of the looms and to recommend the most efficient equipment operation modes for the producers.

  7. Sub-cellular distribution and translocation of TRP channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toro, Carlos A; Arias, Luis A; Brauchi, Sebastian

    2011-01-01

    Cellular electrical activity is the result of a highly complex processes that involve the activation of ion channel proteins. Ion channels make pores on cell membranes that rapidly transit between conductive and non-conductive states, allowing different ions to flow down their electrochemical gradients across cell membranes. In the case of neuronal cells, ion channel activity orchestrates action potentials traveling through axons, enabling electrical communication between cells in distant parts of the body. Somatic sensation -our ability to feel touch, temperature and noxious stimuli- require ion channels able to sense and respond to our peripheral environment. Sensory integration involves the summing of various environmental cues and their conversion into electrical signals. Members of the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) family of ion channels have emerged as important mediators of both cellular sensing and sensory integration. The regulation of the spatial and temporal distribution of membrane receptors is recognized as an important mechanism for controlling the magnitude of the cellular response and the time scale on which cellular signaling occurs. Several studies have shown that this mechanism is also used by TRP channels to modulate cellular response and ultimately fulfill their physiological function as sensors. However, the inner-working of this mode of control for TRP channels remains poorly understood. The question of whether TRPs intrinsically regulate their own vesicular trafficking or weather the dynamic regulation of TRP channel residence on the cell surface is caused by extrinsic changes in the rates of vesicle insertion or retrieval remain open. This review will examine the evidence that sub-cellular redistribution of TRP channels plays an important role in regulating their activity and explore the mechanisms that control the trafficking of vesicles containing TRP channels.

  8. Long-term potentiation in the amygdala: a cellular mechanism of fear learning and memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigurdsson, Torfi; Doyère, Valérie; Cain, Christopher K; LeDoux, Joseph E

    2007-01-01

    Much of the research on long-term potentiation (LTP) is motivated by the question of whether changes in synaptic strength similar to LTP underlie learning and memory. Here we discuss findings from studies on fear conditioning, a form of associative learning whose neural circuitry is relatively well understood, that may be particularly suited for addressing this question. We first review the evidence suggesting that fear conditioning is mediated by changes in synaptic strength at sensory inputs to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala. We then discuss several outstanding questions that will be important for future research on the role of synaptic plasticity in fear learning. The results gained from these studies may shed light not only on fear conditioning, but may also help unravel more general cellular mechanisms of learning and memory.

  9. Cellular dynamics of bovine aortic smooth muscle cells measured using MEMS force sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukagoshi, Takuya; Nguyen, Thanh-Vinh; Hirayama Shoji, Kayoko; Takahashi, Hidetoshi; Matsumoto, Kiyoshi; Shimoyama, Isao

    2018-04-01

    Adhesive cells perceive the mechanical properties of the substrates to which they adhere, adjusting their cellular mechanical forces according to their biological characteristics. This mechanical interaction subsequently affects the growth, locomotion, and differentiation of the cell. However, little is known about the detailed mechanism that underlies this interaction between adherent cells and substrates because dynamically measuring mechanical phenomena is difficult. Here, we utilize microelectromechamical systems force sensors that can measure cellular traction forces with high temporal resolution (~2.5 µs) over long periods (~3 h). We found that the cellular dynamics reflected physical phenomena with time scales from milliseconds to hours, which contradicts the idea that cellular motion is slow. A single focal adhesion (FA) generates an average force of 7 nN, which disappears in ms via the action of trypsin-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The force-changing rate obtained from our measurements suggests that the time required for an FA to decompose was nearly proportional to the force acting on the FA.

  10. Cellular Angiofibroma of Oral Mucosa: Report of Two Cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    Cellular angiofibroma is a benign vascular neoplasm that typically arises in the vulva, perineal, and paratesticular region. Microscopically the lesions exhibit multiple small, non-dilated capillary channels, many of which contain erythrocytes. The endothelial lining cells are prominent, with monomorphic oval nuclei. Interposed among the vessels are both delicate and mature collagen fibers with fibroblastic hypercellularity that is variable in older lesions where sclerosis is prominent. The lesions usually do not recur following simple excision. Recent evidence indicates that cellular angiofibromas may be cytogenetically related to spindle cell lipoma. This represents the first reported instances of cellular angiofibroma in the oral cavity. PMID:19644547

  11. Phytoplankton calcification as an effective mechanism to alleviate cellular calcium poisoning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, M. N.; Ramos, J. Barcelos e.; Schulz, K. G.; Riebesell, U.; Kaźmierczak, J.; Gallo, F.; Mackinder, L.; Li, Y.; Nesterenko, P. N.; Trull, T. W.; Hallegraeff, G. M.

    2015-11-01

    Marine phytoplankton have developed the remarkable ability to tightly regulate the concentration of free calcium ions in the intracellular cytosol at a level of ~ 0.1 μmol L-1 in the presence of seawater Ca2+ concentrations of 10 mmol L-1. The low cytosolic calcium ion concentration is of utmost importance for proper cell signalling function. While the regulatory mechanisms responsible for the tight control of intracellular Ca2+ concentration are not completely understood, phytoplankton taxonomic groups appear to have evolved different strategies, which may affect their ability to cope with changes in seawater Ca2+ concentrations in their environment on geological timescales. For example, the Cretaceous (145 to 66 Ma), an era known for the high abundance of coccolithophores and the production of enormous calcium carbonate deposits, exhibited seawater calcium concentrations up to 4 times present-day levels. We show that calcifying coccolithophore species (Emiliania huxleyi, Gephyrocapsa oceanica and Coccolithus braarudii) are able to maintain their relative fitness (in terms of growth rate and photosynthesis) at simulated Cretaceous seawater calcium concentrations, whereas these rates are severely reduced under these conditions in some non-calcareous phytoplankton species (Chaetoceros sp., Ceratoneis closterium and Heterosigma akashiwo). Most notably, this also applies to a non-calcifying strain of E. huxleyi which displays a calcium sensitivity similar to the non-calcareous species. We hypothesize that the process of calcification in coccolithophores provides an efficient mechanism to alleviate cellular calcium poisoning and thereby offered a potential key evolutionary advantage, responsible for the proliferation of coccolithophores during times of high seawater calcium concentrations. The exact function of calcification and the reason behind the highly ornate physical structures of coccoliths remain elusive.

  12. Adaptive pressure-controlled cellular structures for shape morphing I: design and analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Quantian; Tong, Liyong

    2013-01-01

    This work investigates adaptive bio-inspired pressure cellular structures for shape morphing. Optimum designs for cellular structures with void and pressure cells are proposed and then structural analyses are conducted. In the present design, a unit cell is comprised of straight and curved walls. When compressed air is pumped into a pressure cell, the curved walls deform in bending due to the pressure difference in two adjacent cells that leads to overall structural deformation in extension. One-dimensional actuation strain up to 35% can be theoretically achieved. In part I, we present basic design concepts and cellular mechanics. Unlike conventional structural analysis for cellular structures, a statically indeterminate unit cell is considered and novel analytical formulations are derived for the present pressurized cellular structures in linear and nonlinear analyses. In part II, we will present experimental testing and finite element analysis to demonstrate the feasibility of the present pressurized cellular actuators for morphing wings and to validate the present cellular mechanics formulations. (paper)

  13. Quantum features of natural cellular automata

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elze, Hans-Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Cellular automata can show well known features of quantum mechanics, such as a linear rule according to which they evolve and which resembles a discretized version of the Schrödinger equation. This includes corresponding conservation laws. The class of “natural” Hamiltonian cellular automata is based exclusively on integer-valued variables and couplings and their dynamics derives from an Action Principle. They can be mapped reversibly to continuum models by applying Sampling Theory. Thus, “deformed” quantum mechanical models with a finite discreteness scale l are obtained, which for l → 0 reproduce familiar continuum results. We have recently demonstrated that such automata can form “multipartite” systems consistently with the tensor product structures of nonrelativistic many-body quantum mechanics, while interacting and maintaining the linear evolution. Consequently, the Superposition Principle fully applies for such primitive discrete deterministic automata and their composites and can produce the essential quantum effects of interference and entanglement. (paper)

  14. Cellular concrete: a potential load-bearing insulation for cryogenic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richard, T.G.; Dobogai, J.A.; Gerhardt, T.D.; Young, W.C.

    1975-01-01

    The need for low cost, low thermal conductivity, high strength insulation suitable for cryogenic applications is becoming more evident. An investigation of the potential of cellular concretes to fulfill this function was initiated. A review of the thermal and mechanical characteristics of foamed plastics and cellular concrete is presented along with relative cost comparisons. Test data from preliminary investigations is presented to define the influence of material constituents, density, and temperature on the mechanical and thermal response of cellular concrete. Specimen densities range from 0.64 to 1.44 gr/cc. The influence of temperature variations from 22 0 C to -196 0 C is reported for selected densities

  15. The essential role of t cells in multiple sclerosis: A reappraisal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cris S Constantinescu

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system in which destruction of myelin and nerve axons has been shown to be mediated by immune mechanisms. Although the focus of research has been traditionally on T cells as key mediators of the immunopathology, more recent efforts at understanding this complex disorder have been directed increasingly at other cellular and humoral elements of the immune response. This review is a reappraisal of the crucial role of T cells, in particular the CD4+ helper T-cell subset, in multiple sclerosis. Recent evidence is discussed underlining the predominant contribution of T-cell-associated genes to the genome-wide association study results of multiple sclerosis susceptibility, the loss of T-cell quiescence in the conversion from clinically isolated syndrome to clinically definite multiple sclerosis, and the fact that T cells represent the main target of effective immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive treatments in multiple sclerosis.

  16. Distinct Signaling Mechanisms in Multiple Developmental Pathways by the SCRAMBLED Receptor of Arabidopsis1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwak, Su-Hwan; Woo, Sooah; Lee, Myeong Min; Schiefelbein, John

    2014-01-01

    SCRAMBLED (SCM), a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), is required for positional signaling in the root epidermis and for tissue/organ development in the shoot. To further understand SCM action, we generated a series of kinase domain variants and analyzed their ability to complement scm mutant defects. We found that the SCM kinase domain, but not kinase activity, is required for its role in root epidermal patterning, supporting the view that SCM is an atypical receptor kinase. We also describe a previously uncharacterized role for SCM in fruit dehiscence, because mature siliques from scm mutants fail to open properly. Interestingly, the kinase domain of SCM appears to be dispensable for this developmental process. Furthermore, we found that most of the SCM kinase domain mutations dramatically inhibit inflorescence development. Because this process is not affected in scm null mutants, it is likely that SCM acts redundantly to regulate inflorescence size. The importance of distinct kinase residues for these three developmental processes provides an explanation for the maintenance of the conserved kinase domain in the SCM protein, and it may generally explain its conservation in other atypical kinases. Furthermore, these results indicate that individual leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases may participate in multiple pathways using distinct signaling mechanisms to mediate diverse cellular communication events. PMID:25136062

  17. History, rare, and multiple events of mechanical unfolding of repeat proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumbul, Fidan; Marchesi, Arin; Rico, Felix

    2018-03-01

    Mechanical unfolding of proteins consisting of repeat domains is an excellent tool to obtain large statistics. Force spectroscopy experiments using atomic force microscopy on proteins presenting multiple domains have revealed that unfolding forces depend on the number of folded domains (history) and have reported intermediate states and rare events. However, the common use of unspecific attachment approaches to pull the protein of interest holds important limitations to study unfolding history and may lead to discarding rare and multiple probing events due to the presence of unspecific adhesion and uncertainty on the pulling site. Site-specific methods that have recently emerged minimize this uncertainty and would be excellent tools to probe unfolding history and rare events. However, detailed characterization of these approaches is required to identify their advantages and limitations. Here, we characterize a site-specific binding approach based on the ultrastable complex dockerin/cohesin III revealing its advantages and limitations to assess the unfolding history and to investigate rare and multiple events during the unfolding of repeated domains. We show that this approach is more robust, reproducible, and provides larger statistics than conventional unspecific methods. We show that the method is optimal to reveal the history of unfolding from the very first domain and to detect rare events, while being more limited to assess intermediate states. Finally, we quantify the forces required to unfold two molecules pulled in parallel, difficult when using unspecific approaches. The proposed method represents a step forward toward more reproducible measurements to probe protein unfolding history and opens the door to systematic probing of rare and multiple molecule unfolding mechanisms.

  18. Olfactory stem cells, a new cellular model for studying molecular mechanisms underlying familial dysautonomia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathalie Boone

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Familial dysautonomia (FD is a hereditary neuropathy caused by mutations in the IKBKAP gene, the most common of which results in variable tissue-specific mRNA splicing with skipping of exon 20. Defective splicing is especially severe in nervous tissue, leading to incomplete development and progressive degeneration of sensory and autonomic neurons. The specificity of neuron loss in FD is poorly understood due to the lack of an appropriate model system. To better understand and modelize the molecular mechanisms of IKBKAP mRNA splicing, we collected human olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells (hOE-MSC from FD patients. hOE-MSCs have a pluripotent ability to differentiate into various cell lineages, including neurons and glial cells. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We confirmed IKBKAP mRNA alternative splicing in FD hOE-MSCs and identified 2 novel spliced isoforms also present in control cells. We observed a significant lower expression of both IKBKAP transcript and IKAP/hELP1 protein in FD cells resulting from the degradation of the transcript isoform skipping exon 20. We localized IKAP/hELP1 in different cell compartments, including the nucleus, which supports multiple roles for that protein. We also investigated cellular pathways altered in FD, at the genome-wide level, and confirmed that cell migration and cytoskeleton reorganization were among the processes altered in FD. Indeed, FD hOE-MSCs exhibit impaired migration compared to control cells. Moreover, we showed that kinetin improved exon 20 inclusion and restores a normal level of IKAP/hELP1 in FD hOE-MSCs. Furthermore, we were able to modify the IKBKAP splicing ratio in FD hOE-MSCs, increasing or reducing the WT (exon 20 inclusion:MU (exon 20 skipping ratio respectively, either by producing free-floating spheres, or by inducing cells into neural differentiation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: hOE-MSCs isolated from FD patients represent a new approach for modeling FD to better

  19. Connecting Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration: Preservice Teachers' Conceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Mary H.; Schwartz, Renee S.

    2009-01-01

    The biological processes of photosynthesis and plant cellular respiration include multiple biochemical steps, occur simultaneously within plant cells, and share common molecular components. Yet, learners often compartmentalize functions and specialization of cell organelles relevant to these two processes, without considering the interconnections…

  20. Characterization of 316L Steel Cellular Dodecahedron Structures Produced by Selective Laser Melting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konda Gokuldoss Prashanth

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The compression behavior of different 316L steel cellular dodecahedron structures with different density values were studied. The 316L steel structures produced using the selective laser melting process has four different geometries: single unit cells with and without the addition of base plates beneath and on top, and sandwich structures with multiple unit cells with different unit cell sizes. The relation between the relative compressive strength and the relative density was compared using different Gibson-Ashby models and with other published reports. The different aspects of the deformation and the mechanical properties were evaluated and the deformation at distinct loading levels was recorded. Finite element method (FEM simulations were carried out with the defined structures and the mechanical testing results were compared. The calculated theory, simulation estimation, and the observed experimental results are in good agreement.

  1. Multiple proviral integration events after virological synapse-mediated HIV-1 spread

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russell, Rebecca A.; Martin, Nicola; Mitar, Ivonne; Jones, Emma; Sattentau, Quentin J.

    2013-01-01

    HIV-1 can move directly between T cells via virological synapses (VS). Although aspects of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying this mode of spread have been elucidated, the outcomes for infection of the target cell remain incompletely understood. We set out to determine whether HIV-1 transfer via VS results in productive, high-multiplicity HIV-1 infection. We found that HIV-1 cell-to-cell spread resulted in nuclear import of multiple proviruses into target cells as seen by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. Proviral integration into the target cell genome was significantly higher than that seen in a cell-free infection system, and consequent de novo viral DNA and RNA production in the target cell detected by quantitative PCR increased over time. Our data show efficient proviral integration across VS, implying the probability of multiple integration events in target cells that drive productive T cell infection. - Highlights: • Cell-to-cell HIV-1 infection delivers multiple vRNA copies to the target cell. • Cell-to-cell infection results in productive infection of the target cell. • Cell-to-cell transmission is more efficient than cell-free HIV-1 infection. • Suggests a mechanism for recombination in cells infected with multiple viral genomes

  2. Elastomeric Cellular Structure Enhanced by Compressible Liquid Filler

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yueting; Xu, Xiaoqing; Xu, Chengliang; Qiao, Yu; Li, Yibing

    2016-05-01

    Elastomeric cellular structures provide a promising solution for energy absorption. Their flexible and resilient nature is particularly relevant to protection of human bodies. Herein we develop an elastomeric cellular structure filled with nanoporous material functionalized (NMF) liquid. Due to the nanoscale infiltration in NMF liquid and its interaction with cell walls, the cellular structure has a much enhanced mechanical performance, in terms of loading capacity and energy absorption density. Moreover, it is validated that the structure is highly compressible and self-restoring. Its hyper-viscoelastic characteristics are elucidated.

  3. Endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis accompanies enhanced expression of multiple inositol polyphosphate phosphatase 1 (Minpp1): a possible role for Minpp1 in cellular stress response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilaparty, Surya P; Agarwal, Rakhee; Singh, Pooja; Kannan, Krishnaswamy; Ali, Nawab

    2016-07-01

    Inositol polyphosphates represent a group of differentially phosphorylated inositol metabolites, many of which are implicated to regulate diverse cellular processes such as calcium mobilization, vesicular trafficking, differentiation, apoptosis, etc. The metabolic network of these compounds is complex and tightly regulated by various kinases and phosphatases present predominantly in the cytosol. Multiple inositol polyphosphate phosphatase 1 (Minpp1) is the only known endoplasmic reticulum (ER) luminal enzyme that hydrolyzes various inositol polyphosphates in vitro as well as in vivo conditions. However, access of the Minpp1 to cytosolic substrates has not yet been demonstrated clearly and hence its physiological function. In this study, we examined a potential role for Minpp1 in ER stress-induced apoptosis. We generated a custom antibody and characterized its specificity to study the expression of Minpp1 protein in multiple mammalian cells under experimentally induced cellular stress conditions. Our results demonstrate a significant increase in the expression of Minpp1 in response to a variety of cellular stress conditions. The protein expression was corroborated with the expression of its mRNA and enzymatic activity. Further, in an attempt to link the role of Minpp1 to apoptotic stress, we studied the effect of Minpp1 expression on apoptosis following silencing of the Minpp1 gene by its specific siRNA. Our results suggest an attenuation of apoptotic parameters following knockdown of Minpp1. Thus, in addition to its known role in inositol polyphosphate metabolism, we have identified a novel role for Minpp1 as a stress-responsive protein. In summary, our results provide, for the first time, a probable link between ER stress-induced apoptosis and Minpp1 expression.

  4. [Disease concept, etiology and mechanisms of multiple sclerosis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kira, Jun-Ichi

    2014-11-01

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system(CNS). MS is assumed to be caused by a complex interplay between genes and environments. Autoimmune mechanisms targeting CNS myelin has long been proposed, yet it has not been proved. Th17 cells producing interleukin-17 and Th1 cells producing interferon-gamma are postulated to play major roles in initiating inflammation while regulatory T cell functions are dampened. The forth nationwide survey of MS in Japan revealed that MS prevalence showed four-folds increase over 30 years and the increase was especially prominent in female. Thus, westernized life style and improved sanitation are suspected to increase MS susceptibility. Genome-wide association studies in Western MS patients disclosed more than 100 disease-susceptibility genes, most of which are immune-related genes. It therefore supports immune-mediated mechanisms to be operative. Detailed magnetic resonance imaging studies revealed an early atrophy of the cerebral gray matter where T cell infiltration is pathologically scarce. Therefore, neurodegenerative process also takes place in the early course beside neuroinflammation.

  5. Cellular and exosome mediated molecular defense mechanism in bovine granulosa cells exposed to oxidative stress.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Saeed-Zidane

    Full Text Available Various environmental insults including diseases, heat and oxidative stress could lead to abnormal growth, functions and apoptosis in granulosa cells during ovarian follicle growth and oocyte maturation. Despite the fact that cells exposed to oxidative stress are responding transcriptionally, the potential release of transcripts associated with oxidative stress response into extracellular space through exosomes is not yet determined. Therefore, here we aimed to investigate the effect of oxidative stress in bovine granulosa cells in vitro on the cellular and exosome mediated defense mechanisms. Bovine granulosa cells were aspirated from ovarian follicles and cultured in DMEM/F-12 Ham culture medium supplemented with 10% exosome-depleted fetal bovine serum. In the first experiment sub-confluent cells were treated with 5 μM H2O2 for 40 min to induce oxidative stress. Thereafter, cells were subjected to ROS and mitochondrial staining, cell proliferation and cell cycle assays. Furthermore, gene and protein expression analysis were performed in H2O2-challenged versus control group 24 hr post-treatment using qRT-PCR and immune blotting or immunocytochemistry assay, respectively. Moreover, exosomes were isolated from spent media using ultracentrifugation procedure, and subsequently used for RNA isolation and qRT-PCR. In the second experiment, exosomes released by granulosa cells under oxidative stress (StressExo or those released by granulosa cells without oxidative stress (NormalExo were co-incubated with bovine granulosa cells in vitro to proof the potential horizontal transfer of defense molecules from exosomes to granulosa cells and investigate any phenotype changes. Exposure of bovine granulosa cells to H2O2 induced the accumulation of ROS, reduced mitochondrial activity, increased expression of Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant genes (both mRNA and protein, altered the cell cycle transitions and induced cellular apoptosis. Granulosa cells

  6. Behind the curtain: cellular mechanisms for allosteric modulation of calcium-sensing receptors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavanaugh, Alice; Huang, Ying; Breitwieser, Gerda E

    2012-01-01

    Calcium-sensing receptors (CaSR) are integral to regulation of systemic Ca2+ homeostasis. Altered expression levels or mutations in CaSR cause Ca2+ handling diseases. CaSR is regulated by both endogenous allosteric modulators and allosteric drugs, including the first Food and Drug Administration-approved allosteric agonist, Cinacalcet HCl (Sensipar®). Recent studies suggest that allosteric modulators not only alter function of plasma membrane-localized CaSR, but regulate CaSR stability at the endoplasmic reticulum. This brief review summarizes our current understanding of the role of membrane-permeant allosteric agonists in cotranslational stabilization of CaSR, and highlights additional, indirect, signalling-dependent role(s) for membrane-impermeant allosteric drugs. Overall, these studies suggest that allosteric drugs act at multiple cellular organelles to control receptor abundance and hence function, and that drug hydrophobicity can bias the relative contributions of plasma membrane and intracellular organelles to CaSR abundance and signalling. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on the Molecular Pharmacology of G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs). To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2012.165.issue-6. To view the 2010 themed section on the same topic visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.2010.159.issue-5/issuetoc PMID:21470201

  7. p16(INK4a suppression by glucose restriction contributes to human cellular lifespan extension through SIRT1-mediated epigenetic and genetic mechanisms.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuanyuan Li

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Although caloric restriction (CR has been shown to increase lifespan in various animal models, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not yet been revealed. We developed an in vitro system to mimic CR by reducing glucose concentration in cell growth medium which excludes metabolic factors and allows assessment of the effects of CR at the cellular and molecular level. We monitored cellular proliferation of normal WI-38, IMR-90 and MRC-5 human lung fibroblasts and found that glucose restriction (GR can inhibit cellular senescence and significantly extend cellular lifespan compared with cells receiving normal glucose (NG in the culture medium. Moreover, GR decreased expression of p16(INK4a (p16, a well-known senescence-related gene, in all of the tested cell lines. Over-expressed p16 resulted in early replicative senescence in glucose-restricted cells suggesting a crucial role of p16 regulation in GR-induced cellular lifespan extension. The decreased expression of p16 was partly due to GR-induced chromatin remodeling through effects on histone acetylation and methylation of the p16 promoter. GR resulted in an increased expression of SIRT1, a NAD-dependent histone deacetylase, which has positive correlation with CR-induced longevity. The elevated SIRT1 was accompanied by enhanced activation of the Akt/p70S6K1 signaling pathway in response to GR. Furthermore, knockdown of SIRT1 abolished GR-induced p16 repression as well as Akt/p70S6K1 activation implying that SIRT1 may affect p16 repression through direct deacetylation effects and indirect regulation of Akt/p70S6K1 signaling. Collectively, these results provide new insights into interactions between epigenetic and genetic mechanisms on CR-induced longevity that may contribute to anti-aging approaches and also provide a general molecular model for studying CR in vitro in mammalian systems.

  8. Mechanism of Diphtheria Toxin Catalytic Domain Delivery to the Eukaryotic Cell Cytosol and the Cellular Factors that Directly Participate in the Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, John R.

    2011-01-01

    Research on diphtheria and anthrax toxins over the past three decades has culminated in a detailed understanding of their structure function relationships (e.g., catalytic (C), transmembrane (T), and receptor binding (R) domains), as well as the identification of their eukaryotic cell surface receptor, an understanding of the molecular events leading to the receptor-mediated internalization of the toxin into an endosomal compartment, and the pH triggered conformational changes required for pore formation in the vesicle membrane. Recently, a major research effort has been focused on the development of a detailed understanding of the molecular interactions between each of these toxins and eukaryotic cell factors that play an essential role in the efficient translocation of their respective catalytic domains through the trans-endosomal vesicle membrane pore and delivery into the cell cytosol. In this review, I shall focus on recent findings that have led to a more detailed understanding of the mechanism by which the diphtheria toxin catalytic domain is delivered to the eukaryotic cell cytosol. While much work remains, it is becoming increasingly clear that the entry process is facilitated by specific interactions with a number of cellular factors in an ordered sequential fashion. In addition, since diphtheria, anthrax lethal factor and anthrax edema factor all carry multiple coatomer I complex binding motifs and COPI complex has been shown to play an essential role in entry process, it is likely that the initial steps in catalytic domain entry of these divergent toxins follow a common mechanism. PMID:22069710

  9. Statistics, synergy, and mechanism of multiple photogeneration of excitons in quantum dots: Fundamental and applied aspects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oksengendler, B. L.; Turaeva, N. N.; Uralov, I.; Marasulov, M. B.

    2012-01-01

    The effect of multiple exciton generation is analyzed based on statistical physics, quantum mechanics, and synergetics. Statistical problems of the effect of multiple exciton generation (MEG) are broadened and take into account not only exciton generation, but also background excitation. The study of the role of surface states of quantum dots is based on the synergy of self-catalyzed electronic reactions. An analysis of the MEG mechanism is based on the idea of electronic shaking using the sudden perturbation method in quantum mechanics. All of the above-mentioned results are applied to the problem of calculating the limiting efficiency to transform solar energy into electric energy. (authors)

  10. Cellularity of certain quantum endomorphism algebras

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Henning Haahr; Lehrer, Gus; Zhang, Ruibin

    2015-01-01

    For any ring A˜ such that Z[q±1∕2]⊆A˜⊆Q(q1∕2), let ΔA˜(d) be an A˜-form of the Weyl module of highest weight d∈N of the quantised enveloping algebra UA˜ of sl2. For suitable A˜, we exhibit for all positive integers r an explicit cellular structure for EndUA˜(ΔA˜(d)⊗r). This algebra and its cellular...... structure are described in terms of certain Temperley–Lieb-like diagrams. We also prove general results that relate endomorphism algebras of specialisations to specialisations of the endomorphism algebras. When ζ is a root of unity of order bigger than d we consider the Uζ-module structure...... of the specialisation Δζ(d)⊗r at q↦ζ of ΔA˜(d)⊗r. As an application of these results, we prove that knowledge of the dimensions of the simple modules of the specialised cellular algebra above is equivalent to knowledge of the weight multiplicities of the tilting modules for Uζ(sl2). As an example, in the final section...

  11. Downlink Performance of a Multi-Carrier MIMO System in a Bursty Traffic Cellular Network

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nguyen, Hung Tuan; Kovacs, Istvan; Wang, Yuanye

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we analyse the downlink performance of a rank adaptive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system in a busty traffic cellular network. A LTE-Advanced system with multiple component carriers was selected as a study case. To highlight the advantage of using MIMO techniques, we used ...

  12. Cellular and Molecular Basis of Cerebellar Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salvador eMartinez

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Historically, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cerebellar development were investigated through structural descriptions and studying spontaneous mutations in animal models and humans. Advances in experimental embryology, genetic engineering and neuroimaging techniques render today the possibility to approach the analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying histogenesis and morphogenesis of the cerebellum by experimental designs. Several genes and molecules were identified to be involved in the cerebellar plate regionalization, specification and differentiation of cerebellar neurons, as well as the establishment of cellular migratory routes and the subsequent neuronal connectivity. Indeed, pattern formation of the cerebellum requires the adequate orchestration of both key morphogenetic signals, arising from distinct brain regions, and local expression of specific transcription factors. Thus, the present review wants to revisit and discuss these morphogenetic and molecular mechanisms taking place during cerebellar development in order to understand causal processes regulating cerebellar cytoarchitecture, its highly topographically ordered circuitry and its role in brain function.

  13. Cellular regulation of the structure and function of aortic valves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismail El-Hamamsy

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The aortic valve was long considered a passive structure that opens and closes in response to changes in transvalvular pressure. Recent evidence suggests that the aortic valve performs highly sophisticated functions as a result of its unique microscopic structure. These functions allow it to adapt to its hemodynamic and mechanical environment. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in normal valve physiology is essential to elucidate the mechanisms behind valve disease. We here review the structure and developmental biology of aortic valves; we examine the role of its cellular parts in regulating its function and describe potential pathophysiological and clinical implications.

  14. Algorithmic crystal chemistry: A cellular automata approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krivovichev, S. V.

    2012-01-01

    Atomic-molecular mechanisms of crystal growth can be modeled based on crystallochemical information using cellular automata (a particular case of finite deterministic automata). In particular, the formation of heteropolyhedral layered complexes in uranyl selenates can be modeled applying a one-dimensional three-colored cellular automaton. The use of the theory of calculations (in particular, the theory of automata) in crystallography allows one to interpret crystal growth as a computational process (the realization of an algorithm or program with a finite number of steps).

  15. Cellular intrinsic mechanism affecting the outcome of AML treated with Ara-C in a syngeneic mouse model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenjun Zhao

    Full Text Available The mechanisms underlying acute myeloid leukemia (AML treatment failure are not clear. Here, we established a mouse model of AML by syngeneic transplantation of BXH-2 derived myeloid leukemic cells and developed an efficacious Ara-C-based regimen for treatment of these mice. We proved that leukemic cell load was correlated with survival. We also demonstrated that the susceptibility of leukemia cells to Ara-C could significantly affect the survival. To examine the molecular alterations in cells with different sensitivity, genome-wide expression of the leukemic cells was profiled, revealing that overall 366 and 212 genes became upregulated or downregulated, respectively, in the resistant cells. Many of these genes are involved in the regulation of cell cycle, cellular proliferation, and apoptosis. Some of them were further validated by quantitative PCR. Interestingly, the Ara-C resistant cells retained the sensitivity to ABT-737, an inhibitor of anti-apoptosis proteins, and treatment with ABT-737 prolonged the life span of mice engrafted with resistant cells. These results suggest that leukemic load and intrinsic cellular resistance can affect the outcome of AML treated with Ara-C. Incorporation of apoptosis inhibitors, such as ABT-737, into traditional cytotoxic regimens merits consideration for the treatment of AML in a subset of patients with resistance to Ara-C. This work provided direct in vivo evidence that leukemic load and intrinsic cellular resistance can affect the outcome of AML treated with Ara-C, suggesting that incorporation of apoptosis inhibitors into traditional cytotoxic regimens merits consideration for the treatment of AML in a subset of patients with resistance to Ara-C.

  16. Participatory sensing as an enabler for self-organisation in future cellular networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imran, Muhammad Ali; Onireti, Oluwakayode; Imran, Ali

    2013-01-01

    In this short review paper we summarise the emerging challenges in the field of participatory sensing for the self-organisation of the next generation of wireless cellular networks. We identify the potential of participatory sensing in enabling the self-organisation, deployment optimisation and radio resource management of wireless cellular networks. We also highlight how this approach can meet the future goals for the next generation of cellular system in terms of infrastructure sharing, management of multiple radio access techniques, flexible usage of spectrum and efficient management of very small data cells

  17. Targeting Cellular Stress Mechanisms and Metabolic Homeostasis by Chinese Herbal Drugs for Neuroprotection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiao-Chien Ting

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Traditional Chinese medicine has been practiced for centuries in East Asia. Herbs are used to maintain health and cure disease. Certain Chinese herbs are known to protect and improve the brain, memory, and nervous system. To apply ancient knowledge to modern science, some major natural therapeutic compounds in herbs were extracted and evaluated in recent decades. Emerging studies have shown that herbal compounds have neuroprotective effects or can ameliorate neurodegenerative diseases. To understand the mechanisms of herbal compounds that protect against neurodegenerative diseases, we summarize studies that discovered neuroprotection by herbal compounds and compound-related mechanisms in neurodegenerative disease models. Those compounds discussed herein show neuroprotection through different mechanisms, such as cytokine regulation, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress, glucose metabolism, and synaptic function. The interleukin (IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α signaling pathways are inhibited by some compounds, thus attenuating the inflammatory response and protecting neurons from cell death. As to autophagy regulation, herbal compounds show opposite regulatory effects in different neurodegenerative models. Herbal compounds that inhibit ER stress prevent neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, there are compounds that protect against neuronal death by affecting glucose metabolism and synaptic function. Since the progression of neurodegenerative diseases is complicated, and compound-related mechanisms for neuroprotection differ, therapeutic strategies may need to involve multiple compounds and consider the type and stage of neurodegenerative diseases.

  18. Mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iqbal, M.P.

    2003-01-01

    Development of drug resist chemotherapy. For the past several years, investigators have been striving hard to unravel mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer cells. Using different experimental models of cancer, some of the major mechanisms of drug resistance identified in mammalian cells include: (a) Altered transport of the drug (decreased influx of the drug; increased efflux of the drug (role of P-glycoprotein; role of polyglutamation; role of multiple drug resistance associated protein)), (b) Increase in total amount of target enzyme/protein (gene amplification), (c) alteration in the target enzyme/protein (low affinity enzyme), (d) Elevation of cellular glutathione, (e) Inhibition of drug-induced apoptosis (mutation in p53 tumor suppressor gene; increased expression of bcl-xl gene). (author)

  19. Multi-scale modeling in morphogenesis: a critical analysis of the cellular Potts model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anja Voss-Böhme

    Full Text Available Cellular Potts models (CPMs are used as a modeling framework to elucidate mechanisms of biological development. They allow a spatial resolution below the cellular scale and are applied particularly when problems are studied where multiple spatial and temporal scales are involved. Despite the increasing usage of CPMs in theoretical biology, this model class has received little attention from mathematical theory. To narrow this gap, the CPMs are subjected to a theoretical study here. It is asked to which extent the updating rules establish an appropriate dynamical model of intercellular interactions and what the principal behavior at different time scales characterizes. It is shown that the longtime behavior of a CPM is degenerate in the sense that the cells consecutively die out, independent of the specific interdependence structure that characterizes the model. While CPMs are naturally defined on finite, spatially bounded lattices, possible extensions to spatially unbounded systems are explored to assess to which extent spatio-temporal limit procedures can be applied to describe the emergent behavior at the tissue scale. To elucidate the mechanistic structure of CPMs, the model class is integrated into a general multiscale framework. It is shown that the central role of the surface fluctuations, which subsume several cellular and intercellular factors, entails substantial limitations for a CPM's exploitation both as a mechanistic and as a phenomenological model.

  20. Metallic powder-bed based 3D printing of cellular scaffolds for orthopaedic implants: A state-of-the-art review on manufacturing, topological design, mechanical properties and biocompatibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, X P; Tan, Y J; Chow, C S L; Tor, S B; Yeong, W Y

    2017-07-01

    Metallic cellular scaffold is one of the best choices for orthopaedic implants as a replacement of human body parts, which could improve life quality and increase longevity for the people needed. Unlike conventional methods of making cellular scaffolds, three-dimensional (3D) printing or additive manufacturing opens up new possibilities to fabricate those customisable intricate designs with highly interconnected pores. In the past decade, metallic powder-bed based 3D printing methods emerged and the techniques are becoming increasingly mature recently, where selective laser melting (SLM) and selective electron beam melting (SEBM) are the two representatives. Due to the advantages of good dimensional accuracy, high build resolution, clean build environment, saving materials, high customisability, etc., SLM and SEBM show huge potential in direct customisable manufacturing of metallic cellular scaffolds for orthopaedic implants. Ti-6Al-4V to date is still considered to be the optimal materials for producing orthopaedic implants due to its best combination of biocompatibility, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. This paper presents a state-of-the-art overview mainly on manufacturing, topological design, mechanical properties and biocompatibility of cellular Ti-6Al-4V scaffolds via SLM and SEBM methods. Current manufacturing limitations, topological shortcomings, uncertainty of biocompatible test were sufficiently discussed herein. Future perspectives and recommendations were given at the end. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Multi-cellular logistics of collective cell migration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masataka Yamao

    Full Text Available During development, the formation of biological networks (such as organs and neuronal networks is controlled by multicellular transportation phenomena based on cell migration. In multi-cellular systems, cellular locomotion is restricted by physical interactions with other cells in a crowded space, similar to passengers pushing others out of their way on a packed train. The motion of individual cells is intrinsically stochastic and may be viewed as a type of random walk. However, this walk takes place in a noisy environment because the cell interacts with its randomly moving neighbors. Despite this randomness and complexity, development is highly orchestrated and precisely regulated, following genetic (and even epigenetic blueprints. Although individual cell migration has long been studied, the manner in which stochasticity affects multi-cellular transportation within the precisely controlled process of development remains largely unknown. To explore the general principles underlying multicellular migration, we focus on the migration of neural crest cells, which migrate collectively and form streams. We introduce a mechanical model of multi-cellular migration. Simulations based on the model show that the migration mode depends on the relative strengths of the noise from migratory and non-migratory cells. Strong noise from migratory cells and weak noise from surrounding cells causes "collective migration," whereas strong noise from non-migratory cells causes "dispersive migration." Moreover, our theoretical analyses reveal that migratory cells attract each other over long distances, even without direct mechanical contacts. This effective interaction depends on the stochasticity of the migratory and non-migratory cells. On the basis of these findings, we propose that stochastic behavior at the single-cell level works effectively and precisely to achieve collective migration in multi-cellular systems.

  2. Cellular Restriction Factors of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zielonka, Jörg; Münk, Carsten

    2011-01-01

    Lentiviruses are known for their narrow cell- and species-tropisms, which are determined by cellular proteins whose absence or presence either support viral replication (dependency factors, cofactors) or inhibit viral replication (restriction factors). Similar to Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the cat lentivirus Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is sensitive to recently discovered cellular restriction factors from non-host species that are able to stop viruses from replicating. Of particular importance are the cellular proteins APOBEC3, TRIM5α and tetherin/BST-2. In general, lentiviruses counteract or escape their species’ own variant of the restriction factor, but are targeted by the orthologous proteins of distantly related species. Most of the knowledge regarding lentiviral restriction factors has been obtained in the HIV-1 system; however, much less is known about their effects on other lentiviruses. We describe here the molecular mechanisms that explain how FIV maintains its replication in feline cells, but is largely prevented from cross-species infections by cellular restriction factors. PMID:22069525

  3. SILICOMB PEEK Kirigami cellular structures: mechanical response and energy dissipation through zero and negative stiffness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Virk, K; Marsh, M; Monti, A; Trehard, T; Hazra, K; Boba, K; Remillat, C D L; Scarpa, F; Farrow, I R

    2013-01-01

    The work describes the manufacturing, testing and parametric analysis of cellular structures exhibiting zero Poisson’s ratio-type behaviour, together with zero and negative stiffness effects. The cellular structures are produced in flat panels and curved configurations, using a combination of rapid prototyping techniques and Kirigami (Origami and cutting) procedures for PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) thermoplastic composites. The curved cellular configurations show remarkable large deformation behaviours, with zero and negative stiffness regimes depending also on the strain rate applied. These unusual stiffness characteristics lead to a large increase of energy absorption during cyclic tests. (paper)

  4. Multiple Scattering in Random Mechanical Systems and Diffusion Approximation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feres, Renato; Ng, Jasmine; Zhang, Hong-Kun

    2013-10-01

    This paper is concerned with stochastic processes that model multiple (or iterated) scattering in classical mechanical systems of billiard type, defined below. From a given (deterministic) system of billiard type, a random process with transition probabilities operator P is introduced by assuming that some of the dynamical variables are random with prescribed probability distributions. Of particular interest are systems with weak scattering, which are associated to parametric families of operators P h , depending on a geometric or mechanical parameter h, that approaches the identity as h goes to 0. It is shown that ( P h - I)/ h converges for small h to a second order elliptic differential operator on compactly supported functions and that the Markov chain process associated to P h converges to a diffusion with infinitesimal generator . Both P h and are self-adjoint (densely) defined on the space of square-integrable functions over the (lower) half-space in , where η is a stationary measure. This measure's density is either (post-collision) Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution or Knudsen cosine law, and the random processes with infinitesimal generator respectively correspond to what we call MB diffusion and (generalized) Legendre diffusion. Concrete examples of simple mechanical systems are given and illustrated by numerically simulating the random processes.

  5. Nitric oxide-releasing prodrug triggers cancer cell death through deregulation of cellular redox balance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna E. Maciag

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available JS-K is a nitric oxide (NO-releasing prodrug of the O2-arylated diazeniumdiolate family that has demonstrated pronounced cytotoxicity and antitumor properties in a variety of cancer models both in vitro and in vivo. The current study of the metabolic actions of JS-K was undertaken to investigate mechanisms of its cytotoxicity. Consistent with model chemical reactions, the activating step in the metabolism of JS-K in the cell is the dearylation of the diazeniumdiolate by glutathione (GSH via a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction. The resulting product (CEP/NO anion spontaneously hydrolyzes, releasing two equivalents of NO. The GSH/GSSG redox couple is considered to be the major redox buffer of the cell, helping maintain a reducing environment under basal conditions. We have quantified the effects of JS-K on cellular GSH content, and show that JS-K markedly depletes GSH, due to JS-K's rapid uptake and cascading release of NO and reactive nitrogen species. The depletion of GSH results in alterations in the redox potential of the cellular environment, initiating MAPK stress signaling pathways, and inducing apoptosis. Microarray analysis confirmed signaling gene changes at the transcriptional level and revealed alteration in the expression of several genes crucial for maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis, as well as cell proliferation and survival, including MYC. Pre-treating cells with the known GSH precursor and nucleophilic reducing agent N-acetylcysteine prevented the signaling events that lead to apoptosis. These data indicate that multiplicative depletion of the reduced glutathione pool and deregulation of intracellular redox balance are important initial steps in the mechanism of JS-K's cytotoxic action.

  6. Methods for the Analysis of Protein Phosphorylation-Mediated Cellular Signaling Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Forest M.; Wolf-Yadlin, Alejandro

    2016-06-01

    Protein phosphorylation-mediated cellular signaling networks regulate almost all aspects of cell biology, including the responses to cellular stimulation and environmental alterations. These networks are highly complex and comprise hundreds of proteins and potentially thousands of phosphorylation sites. Multiple analytical methods have been developed over the past several decades to identify proteins and protein phosphorylation sites regulating cellular signaling, and to quantify the dynamic response of these sites to different cellular stimulation. Here we provide an overview of these methods, including the fundamental principles governing each method, their relative strengths and weaknesses, and some examples of how each method has been applied to the analysis of complex signaling networks. When applied correctly, each of these techniques can provide insight into the topology, dynamics, and regulation of protein phosphorylation signaling networks.

  7. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and skin disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norris, D.A.; Lee, L.A.

    1985-01-01

    Antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is a recently described mechanism of immunologic lysis in which cellular targets sensitized by specific antibodies are efficiently and selectively lysed by Fc receptor (FcR) bearing nonspecific effectors. Immunoglobulins of various classes (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE) and various cellular effectors (large granular lymphocytes, monocyte/macrophages, T lymphocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils) can induce ADCC in vitro, and the importance of ADCC in vivo is being tested experimentally in resistance to viral, bacterial, and parasitic infection, in tumor surveillance, in allograft rejection, and in inflammatory diseases. There is much indirect evidence that ADCC may be the mechanism of damage of different cellular targets in skin diseases, but the best direct evidence concerns immunologic keratinocyte damage, especially in cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE). The authors have shown that keratinocytes of several species are highly susceptible to lymphocyte and monocyte-mediated ADCC, but not to neutrophil or eosinophil ADCC in vitro using two different cytotoxicity assays. In contrast, complement was a relatively ineffective mediator of lysis of metabolically intact keratinocyte targets. Patients with certain cutaneous lupus syndromes have serum antibodies capable of inducing monocyte and lymphocyte ADCC of targets coated with extractable nuclear antigens. The authors have shown that these antigens apparently move to the cell membrane of keratinocytes in vitro following ultraviolet irradiation. In an animal model, they have shown that antibodies to SSA/Ro bind to human keratinocytes in vivo, especially after ultraviolet irradiation

  8. Interleukin-6 counteracts therapy-induced cellular oxidative stress in multiple myeloma by up-regulating manganese superoxide dismutase

    OpenAIRE

    Brown, Charles O.; Salem, Kelley; Wagner, Brett A.; Bera, Soumen; Singh, Neeraj; Tiwari, Ajit; Choudhury, Amit; Buettner, Garry R.; Goel, Apollina

    2012-01-01

    IL (interleukin)-6, an established growth factor for multiple myeloma cells, induces myeloma therapy resistance, but the resistance mechanisms remain unclear. The present study determines the role of IL-6 in re-establishing intracellular redox homoeostasis in the context of myeloma therapy. IL-6 treatment increased myeloma cell resistance to agents that induce oxidative stress, including IR (ionizing radiation) and Dex (dexamethasone). Relative to IR alone, myeloma cells treated with IL-6 plu...

  9. The cellular automaton interpretation of quantum mechanics

    CERN Document Server

    't Hooft, Gerard

    2016-01-01

    This book presents the deterministic view of quantum mechanics developed by Nobel Laureate Gerard 't Hooft. Dissatisfied with the uncomfortable gaps in the way conventional quantum mechanics meshes with the classical world, 't Hooft has revived the old hidden variable ideas, but now in a much more systematic way than usual. In this, quantum mechanics is viewed as a tool rather than a theory. The book presents examples of models that are classical in essence, but can be analysed by the use of quantum techniques, and argues that even the Standard Model, together with gravitational interactions, might be viewed as a quantum mechanical approach to analysing a system that could be classical at its core. He shows how this approach, even though it is based on hidden variables, can be plausibly reconciled with Bell's theorem, and how the usual objections voiced against the idea of ‘superdeterminism' can be overcome, at least in principle. This framework elegantly explains - and automatically cures - the problems of...

  10. Cellular potts models multiscale extensions and biological applications

    CERN Document Server

    Scianna, Marco

    2013-01-01

    A flexible, cell-level, and lattice-based technique, the cellular Potts model accurately describes the phenomenological mechanisms involved in many biological processes. Cellular Potts Models: Multiscale Extensions and Biological Applications gives an interdisciplinary, accessible treatment of these models, from the original methodologies to the latest developments. The book first explains the biophysical bases, main merits, and limitations of the cellular Potts model. It then proposes several innovative extensions, focusing on ways to integrate and interface the basic cellular Potts model at the mesoscopic scale with approaches that accurately model microscopic dynamics. These extensions are designed to create a nested and hybrid environment, where the evolution of a biological system is realistically driven by the constant interplay and flux of information between the different levels of description. Through several biological examples, the authors demonstrate a qualitative and quantitative agreement with t...

  11. Multiple-event probability in general-relativistic quantum mechanics. II. A discrete model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mondragon, Mauricio; Perez, Alejandro; Rovelli, Carlo

    2007-01-01

    We introduce a simple quantum mechanical model in which time and space are discrete and periodic. These features avoid the complications related to continuous-spectrum operators and infinite-norm states. The model provides a tool for discussing the probabilistic interpretation of generally covariant quantum systems, without the confusion generated by spurious infinities. We use the model to illustrate the formalism of general-relativistic quantum mechanics, and to test the definition of multiple-event probability introduced in a companion paper [Phys. Rev. D 75, 084033 (2007)]. We consider a version of the model with unitary time evolution and a version without unitary time evolution

  12. The Effects Radiation on Cellular Components of the Immune

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zubaidah-Alatas

    2001-01-01

    The immune system describes the body's ability to defend itself against various foreign intruders named as antigens by calling on an immune mechanism. Antigens penetration into body activate the body's immune system that may be humoral response, cellular response, or both. The immune response is primarily mediated by two cell types, lymphocyte and macrophage. This paper will discuss the cellular component of immune system and the radiation effects on various cells involved in system. Moreover, the effects of radiation on humoral and cellular responses and the relation among immunity, cancer and radiotherapy are also described. (author)

  13. Tissue Engineering Strategies for Myocardial Regeneration: Acellular Versus Cellular Scaffolds?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domenech, Maribella; Polo-Corrales, Lilliana; Ramirez-Vick, Jaime E; Freytes, Donald O

    2016-12-01

    Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in industrialized nations with myocardial infarction (MI) contributing to at least one fifth of the reported deaths. The hypoxic environment eventually leads to cellular death and scar tissue formation. The scar tissue that forms is not mechanically functional and often leads to myocardial remodeling and eventual heart failure. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine principles provide an alternative approach to restoring myocardial function by designing constructs that will restore the mechanical function of the heart. In this review, we will describe the cellular events that take place after an MI and describe current treatments. We will also describe how biomaterials, alone or in combination with a cellular component, have been used to engineer suitable myocardium replacement constructs and how new advanced culture systems will be required to achieve clinical success.

  14. Phononic Band Gaps in 2D Quadratic and 3D Cubic Cellular Structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warmuth, Franziska; Körner, Carolin

    2015-12-02

    The static and dynamic mechanical behaviour of cellular materials can be designed by the architecture of the underlying unit cell. In this paper, the phononic band structure of 2D and 3D cellular structures is investigated. It is shown how the geometry of the unit cell influences the band structure and eventually leads to full band gaps. The mechanism leading to full band gaps is elucidated. Based on this knowledge, a 3D cellular structure with a broad full band gap is identified. Furthermore, the dependence of the width of the gap on the geometry parameters of the unit cell is presented.

  15. Cellular Angiofibroma of the Prostate: A Rare Tumor in an Unusual Location

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inez Wyn

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We report the unusual occurrence of a cellular angiofibroma in prostatic tissue. In this case, a 84-year-old man presented in the emergency room with urinary retention. Ultrasound revealed an enlarged prostate, which was suggestive for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The patient was treated with a Millin retropubic prostatectomy. Macroscopically the prostate contained multiple circumscribed nodules. Microscopic examination of the tumor showed the appearance of cellular angiofibroma, consisting of bland spindle cells and prominent, hyalinized vessels. The diagnosis was supported by FISH, which revealed monoallelic loss of RB1/13q14 region, as seen in spindle cell lipoma, (extra- mammary myofibroblastoma, and cellular angiofibroma. Cellular angiofibromas are rare, benign soft tissue tumours and were never reported in the prostatic gland.

  16. Cellular strategies to cope with protein aggregation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scior, Annika; Juenemann, Katrin; Kirstein, Janine

    2016-01-01

    Nature has evolved several mechanisms to detoxify intracellular protein aggregates that arise upon proteotoxic challenges. These include the controlled deposition of misfolded proteins at distinct cellular sites, the protein disaggregation and refolding by molecular chaperones and/or degradation of

  17. Noncoding Subgenomic Flavivirus RNA: Multiple Functions in West Nile Virus Pathogenesis and Modulation of Host Responses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justin A. Roby

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Flaviviruses are a large group of positive strand RNA viruses transmitted by arthropods that include many human pathogens such as West Nile virus (WNV, Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV, yellow fever virus, dengue virus, and tick-borne encephalitis virus. All members in this genus tested so far are shown to produce a unique subgenomic flavivirus RNA (sfRNA derived from the 3' untranslated region (UTR. sfRNA is a product of incomplete degradation of genomic RNA by the cell 5'–3' exoribonuclease XRN1 which stalls at highly ordered secondary RNA structures at the beginning of the 3'UTR. Generation of sfRNA results in inhibition of XRN1 activity leading to an increase in stability of many cellular mRNAs. Mutant WNV deficient in sfRNA generation was highly attenuated displaying a marked decrease in cytopathicity in cells and pathogenicity in mice. sfRNA has also been shown to inhibit the antiviral activity of IFN-α/β by yet unknown mechanism and of the RNAi pathway by likely serving as a decoy substrate for Dicer. Thus, sfRNA is involved in modulating multiple cellular pathways to facilitate viral pathogenicity; however the overlying mechanism linking all these multiple functions of sfRNA remains to be elucidated.

  18. Cellular glutathione prevents cytolethality of monomethylarsonic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakurai, Teruaki; Kojima, Chikara; Ochiai, Masayuki; Ohta, Takami; Sakurai, Masumi H.; Waalkes, Michael P.; Fujiwara, Kitao

    2004-01-01

    Inorganic arsenicals are clearly toxicants and carcinogens in humans. In mammals, including humans, inorganic arsenic often undergoes methylation, forming compounds such as monomethylarsonic acid (MMAs V ) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAs V ). However, much less information is available on the in vitro toxic potential or mechanisms of these methylated arsenicals, especially MMAs V . We studied the molecular mechanisms of in vitro cytolethality of MMAs V using a rat liver epithelial cell line (TRL 1215). MMAs V was not cytotoxic in TRL 1215 cells even at concentrations exceeding 10 mM, but it became weakly cytotoxic and induced both necrotic and apoptotic cell death when cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) was depleted with the glutathione synthase inhibitor, L-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO), or the glutathione reductase inhibitor, carmustine. Similar results were observed in the other mammalian cells, such as human skin TIG-112 cells, chimpanzee skin CRT-1609 cells, and mouse metallothionein (MT) positive and MT negative embryonic cells. Ethacrynic acid (EA), an inhibitor of glutathione S-transferase (GST) that catalyses GSH-substrate conjugation, also enhanced the cytolethality of MMAs V , but aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA), an inhibitor of β-lyase that catalyses the final breakdown of GSH-substrate conjugates, had no effect. Both the cellular GSH levels and the cellular GST activity were increased by the exposure to MMAs V in TRL 1215 cells. On the other hand, the addition of exogenous extracellular GSH enhanced the cytolethality of MMAs V , although cellular GSH levels actually prevented the cytolethality of combined MMAs V and exogenous GSH. These findings indicate that human arsenic metabolite MMAs V is not a highly toxic compound in mammalian cells, and the level of cellular GSH is critical to its eventual toxic effects

  19. Parameters and characteristics governing cellular internalization and trans-barrier trafficking of nanostructures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murugan K

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Karmani Murugan, Yahya E Choonara, Pradeep Kumar, Divya Bijukumar, Lisa C du Toit, Viness Pillay Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform Research Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Abstract: Cellular internalization and trans-barrier transport of nanoparticles can be manipulated on the basis of the physicochemical and mechanical characteristics of nanoparticles. Research has shown that these factors significantly influence the uptake of nanoparticles. Dictating these characteristics allows for the control of the rate and extent of cellular uptake, as well as delivering the drug-loaded nanosystem intra-cellularly, which is imperative for drugs that require a specific cellular level to exert their effects. Additionally, physicochemical characteristics of the nanoparticles should be optimal for the nanosystem to bypass the natural restricting phenomena of the body and act therapeutically at the targeted site. The factors at the focal point of emerging smart nanomedicines include nanoparticle size, surface charge, shape, hydrophobicity, surface chemistry, and even protein and ligand conjugates. Hence, this review discusses the mechanism of internalization of nanoparticles and ideal nanoparticle characteristics that allow them to evade the biological barriers in order to achieve optimal cellular uptake in different organ systems. Identifying these parameters assists with the progression of nanomedicine as an outstanding vector of pharmaceuticals. Keywords: nanoparticles, transport mechanisms, cellular uptake, size, shape, charge

  20. Mechanical collapse of confined fluid membrane vesicles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rim, Jee E; Purohit, Prashant K; Klug, William S

    2014-11-01

    Compact cylindrical and spherical invaginations are common structural motifs found in cellular and developmental biology. To understand the basic physical mechanisms that produce and maintain such structures, we present here a simple model of vesicles in confinement, in which mechanical equilibrium configurations are computed by energy minimization, balancing the effects of curvature elasticity, contact of the membrane with itself and the confining geometry, and adhesion. For cylindrical confinement, the shape equations are solved both analytically and numerically by finite element analysis. For spherical confinement, axisymmetric configurations are obtained numerically. We find that the geometry of invaginations is controlled by a dimensionless ratio of the adhesion strength to the bending energy of an equal area spherical vesicle. Larger adhesion produces more concentrated curvatures, which are mainly localized to the "neck" region where the invagination breaks away from its confining container. Under spherical confinement, axisymmetric invaginations are approximately spherical. For extreme confinement, multiple invaginations may form, bifurcating along multiple equilibrium branches. The results of the model are useful for understanding the physical mechanisms controlling the structure of lipid membranes of cells and their organelles, and developing tissue membranes.

  1. Gravitational Effects on Cellular Flame Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunsky, C. M.; Fernandez-Pello, A. C.

    1991-01-01

    An experimental investigation has been conducted of the effect of gravity on the structure of downwardly propagating, cellular premixed propane-oxygen-nitrogen flames anchored on a water-cooled porous-plug burner. The flame is subjected to microgravity conditions in the NASA Lewis 2.2-second drop tower, and flame characteristics are recorded on high-speed film. These are compared to flames at normal gravity conditions with the same equivalence ratio, dilution index, mixture flow rate, and ambient pressure. The results show that the cellular instability band, which is located in the rich mixture region, changes little under the absence of gravity. Lifted normal-gravity flames near the cellular/lifted limits, however, are observed to become cellular when gravity is reduced. Observations of a transient cell growth period following ignition point to heat loss as being an important mechanism in the overall flame stability, dominating the stabilizing effect of buoyancy for these downwardly-propagating burner-anchored flames. The pulsations that are observed in the plume and diffusion flame generated downstream of the premixed flame in the fuel rich cases disappear in microgravity, verifying that these fluctuations are gravity related.

  2. Cellular MYCro economics: Balancing MYC function with MYC expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levens, David

    2013-11-01

    The expression levels of the MYC oncoprotein have long been recognized to be associated with the outputs of major cellular processes including proliferation, cell growth, apoptosis, differentiation, and metabolism. Therefore, to understand how MYC operates, it is important to define quantitatively the relationship between MYC input and expression output for its targets as well as the higher-order relationships between the expression levels of subnetwork components and the flow of information and materials through those networks. Two different views of MYC are considered, first as a molecular microeconomic manager orchestrating specific positive and negative responses at individual promoters in collaboration with other transcription and chromatin components, and second, as a macroeconomic czar imposing an overarching rule onto all active genes. In either case, c-myc promoter output requires multiple inputs and exploits diverse mechanisms to tune expression to the appropriate levels relative to the thresholds of expression that separate health and disease.

  3. Cellular mechanisms in drug - radiation interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trott, K.R.

    1979-01-01

    Some cytotoxic drugs, especially those belonging to the group of antibiotics and antimetabolites, sensitize the cells having survived drug treatment to the subsequent irradiation by either increasing the slope of the radiation dose response curves or by decreasing extrapolation number. Bleomycin was found to interact with radiation in L-cells and FM3A cells, but not in HeLa-cells. The data with EMT-6 cells suggest that the interaction depends on drug dose: no interaction occurred after the exposure to bleomycin which killed only 20 - 40% of the cells; yet the exposure to bleomycin which killed 90% of the cells in addition sensitized the surviving cells by the DMF of 1.3. The sensitization found 24 hr after the exposure of HeLa cells to methotrexate was due to cell synchronization. Other cytostatic drugs were found to synchronize proliferating cells even better. Therefore, the fluctuation of radiosensitivity has been commonly observed after the termination of exposure to these drugs. Preirradiation may lead to the change in drug dose response curves. The recruitment of resting cells into cycle occurs hours or days later, in some irradiated normal and malignant tissues. Since many cytostatic drugs are far more active in proliferating cells than in resting cells, the recruitment after irradiation may lead to the sudden increase in drug sensitivity, days after the irradiation. No single, simple theory seems to exist to classify and predict the cellular response to combined modality treatment. (Yamashita, S.)

  4. Movies of cellular and sub-cellular motion by digital holographic microscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Lingfeng

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many biological specimens, such as living cells and their intracellular components, often exhibit very little amplitude contrast, making it difficult for conventional bright field microscopes to distinguish them from their surroundings. To overcome this problem phase contrast techniques such as Zernike, Normarsky and dark-field microscopies have been developed to improve specimen visibility without chemically or physically altering them by the process of staining. These techniques have proven to be invaluable tools for studying living cells and furthering scientific understanding of fundamental cellular processes such as mitosis. However a drawback of these techniques is that direct quantitative phase imaging is not possible. Quantitative phase imaging is important because it enables determination of either the refractive index or optical thickness variations from the measured optical path length with sub-wavelength accuracy. Digital holography is an emergent phase contrast technique that offers an excellent approach in obtaining both qualitative and quantitative phase information from the hologram. A CCD camera is used to record a hologram onto a computer and numerical methods are subsequently applied to reconstruct the hologram to enable direct access to both phase and amplitude information. Another attractive feature of digital holography is the ability to focus on multiple focal planes from a single hologram, emulating the focusing control of a conventional microscope. Methods A modified Mach-Zender off-axis setup in transmission is used to record and reconstruct a number of holographic amplitude and phase images of cellular and sub-cellular features. Results Both cellular and sub-cellular features are imaged with sub-micron, diffraction-limited resolution. Movies of holographic amplitude and phase images of living microbes and cells are created from a series of holograms and reconstructed with numerically adjustable

  5. Deciphering cellular morphology and biocompatibility using polymer microarrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pernagallo, Salvatore; Unciti-Broceta, Asier; DIaz-Mochon, Juan Jose; Bradley, Mark

    2008-01-01

    A quantitative and qualitative analysis of cellular adhesion, morphology and viability is essential in understanding and designing biomaterials such as those involved in implant surfaces or as tissue-engineering scaffolds. As a means to simultaneously perform these studies in a high-throughput (HT) manner, we report a normalized protocol which allows the rapid analysis of a large number of potential cell binding substrates using polymer microarrays and high-content fluorescence microscopy. The method was successfully applied to the discovery of optimal polymer substrates from a 214-member polyurethane library with mouse fibroblast cells (L929), as well as simultaneous evaluation of cell viability and cellular morphology. Analysis demonstrated high biocompatibility of the binding polymers and permitted the identification of several different cellular morphologies, showing that specific polymer interactions may provoke changes in cell shape. In addition, SAR studies showed a clear correspondence between cellular adhesion and polymer structure. The approach can be utilized to perform multiple experiments (up to 1024 single experiments per slide) in a highly reproducible manner, leading to the generation of vast amounts of data in a short time period (48-72 h) while reducing dramatically the quantities of polymers, reagents and cells used

  6. Point process models for localization and interdependence of punctate cellular structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ying; Majarian, Timothy D; Naik, Armaghan W; Johnson, Gregory R; Murphy, Robert F

    2016-07-01

    Accurate representations of cellular organization for multiple eukaryotic cell types are required for creating predictive models of dynamic cellular function. To this end, we have previously developed the CellOrganizer platform, an open source system for generative modeling of cellular components from microscopy images. CellOrganizer models capture the inherent heterogeneity in the spatial distribution, size, and quantity of different components among a cell population. Furthermore, CellOrganizer can generate quantitatively realistic synthetic images that reflect the underlying cell population. A current focus of the project is to model the complex, interdependent nature of organelle localization. We built upon previous work on developing multiple non-parametric models of organelles or structures that show punctate patterns. The previous models described the relationships between the subcellular localization of puncta and the positions of cell and nuclear membranes and microtubules. We extend these models to consider the relationship to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and to consider the relationship between the positions of different puncta of the same type. Our results do not suggest that the punctate patterns we examined are dependent on ER position or inter- and intra-class proximity. With these results, we built classifiers to update previous assignments of proteins to one of 11 patterns in three distinct cell lines. Our generative models demonstrate the ability to construct statistically accurate representations of puncta localization from simple cellular markers in distinct cell types, capturing the complex phenomena of cellular structure interaction with little human input. This protocol represents a novel approach to vesicular protein annotation, a field that is often neglected in high-throughput microscopy. These results suggest that spatial point process models provide useful insight with respect to the spatial dependence between cellular structures.

  7. Evasion of Apoptosis as a Cellular Stress Response in Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Fulda

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the hallmarks of human cancers is the intrinsic or acquired resistance to apoptosis. Evasion of apoptosis can be part of a cellular stress response to ensure the cell's survival upon exposure to stressful stimuli. Apoptosis resistance may contribute to carcinogenesis, tumor progression, and also treatment resistance, since most current anticancer therapies including chemotherapy as well as radio- and immunotherapies primarily act by activating cell death pathways including apoptosis in cancer cells. Hence, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms regarding how cellular stress stimuli trigger antiapoptotic mechanisms and how this contributes to tumor resistance to apoptotic cell death is expected to provide the basis for a rational approach to overcome apoptosis resistance mechanisms in cancers.

  8. Brain intra- and extracellular sodium concentration in multiple sclerosis: a 7 T MRI study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petracca, Maria; Vancea, Roxana O; Fleysher, Lazar; Jonkman, Laura E; Oesingmann, Niels; Inglese, Matilde

    2016-03-01

    Intra-axonal accumulation of sodium ions is one of the key mechanisms of delayed neuro-axonal degeneration that contributes to disability accrual in multiple sclerosis. In vivo sodium magnetic resonance imaging studies have demonstrated an increase of brain total sodium concentration in patients with multiple sclerosis, especially in patients with greater disability. However, total sodium concentration is a weighted average of intra- and extra-cellular sodium concentration whose changes reflect different tissue pathophysiological processes. The in vivo, non-invasive measurement of intracellular sodium concentration is quite challenging and the few applications in patients with neurological diseases are limited to case reports and qualitative assessments. In the present study we provide first evidence of the feasibility of triple quantum filtered (23)Na magnetic resonance imaging at 7 T, and provide in vivo quantification of global and regional brain intra- and extra-cellular sodium concentration in 19 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients and 17 heathy controls. Global grey matter and white matter total sodium concentration (respectively P brain regional level, clusters of increased total sodium concentration and intracellular sodium concentration and decreased intracellular sodium volume fraction were found in several cortical, subcortical and white matter regions when patients were compared with healthy controls (P Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Computation of Hydration Free Energies Using the Multiple Environment Single System Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanical Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    König, Gerhard; Mei, Ye; Pickard, Frank C; Simmonett, Andrew C; Miller, Benjamin T; Herbert, John M; Woodcock, H Lee; Brooks, Bernard R; Shao, Yihan

    2016-01-12

    A recently developed MESS-E-QM/MM method (multiple-environment single-system quantum mechanical molecular/mechanical calculations with a Roothaan-step extrapolation) is applied to the computation of hydration free energies for the blind SAMPL4 test set and for 12 small molecules. First, free energy simulations are performed with a classical molecular mechanics force field using fixed-geometry solute molecules and explicit TIP3P solvent, and then the non-Boltzmann-Bennett method is employed to compute the QM/MM correction (QM/MM-NBB) to the molecular mechanical hydration free energies. For the SAMPL4 set, MESS-E-QM/MM-NBB corrections to the hydration free energy can be obtained 2 or 3 orders of magnitude faster than fully converged QM/MM-NBB corrections, and, on average, the hydration free energies predicted with MESS-E-QM/MM-NBB fall within 0.10-0.20 kcal/mol of full-converged QM/MM-NBB results. Out of five density functionals (BLYP, B3LYP, PBE0, M06-2X, and ωB97X-D), the BLYP functional is found to be most compatible with the TIP3P solvent model and yields the most accurate hydration free energies against experimental values for solute molecules included in this study.

  10. Repair and mutagenesis in procaryotes as cellular responses to ambiental agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomes, R.A.

    1982-01-01

    The correct and incorrect mechanisms of DNA repair are discussed, as well as the cellular responses induced by the DNA lesions; the reductone mollecular effects; the cellular interactions among irradiated populations of microorganisms and the utilization of microbial assays for the detection of oncogenic activities of chemicals. (M.A.) [pt

  11. Cellular mechanisms that control mistranslation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reynolds, Noah M; Lazazzera, Beth A; Ibba, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Mistranslation broadly encompasses the introduction of errors during any step of protein synthesis, leading to the incorporation of an amino acid that is different from the one encoded by the gene. Recent research has vastly enhanced our understanding of the mechanisms that control mistranslation...... at the molecular level and has led to the discovery that the rates of mistranslation in vivo are not fixed but instead are variable. In this Review we describe the different steps in translation quality control and their variations under different growth conditions and between species though a comparison...

  12. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Anterior Chamber-Associated Immune Deviation (ACAID: What We Have Learned from Knockout Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie Vendomèle

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID is a well-known phenomenon that can occur after an antigen is introduced without any danger signal into the anterior chamber of a murine eye. It is reported to lead to an antigen-specific immune deviation throughout the body. Despite the relatively little evidence of this phenomenon in humans, it has been suggested as a potential prophylactic strategy in allograft rejections and in several autoimmune diseases. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of ACAID have been explored in different murine models mainly as proofs of concept, first by direct analyses of immune components in normal immunocompetent settings and by cell transfer experiments. Later, use of knockout (KO mice has helped considerably to decipher ACAID mechanisms. However, several factors raise questions about the reliability and validity of studies using KO murine models. This mini-review summarizes results obtained with KO mice and discusses their advantages, their potential weaknesses, and their potential methods for further progress.

  13. Environment Aware Cellular Networks

    KAUST Repository

    Ghazzai, Hakim

    2015-02-01

    The unprecedented rise of mobile user demand over the years have led to an enormous growth of the energy consumption of wireless networks as well as the greenhouse gas emissions which are estimated currently to be around 70 million tons per year. This significant growth of energy consumption impels network companies to pay huge bills which represent around half of their operating expenditures. Therefore, many service providers, including mobile operators, are looking for new and modern green solutions to help reduce their expenses as well as the level of their CO2 emissions. Base stations are the most power greedy element in cellular networks: they drain around 80% of the total network energy consumption even during low traffic periods. Thus, there is a growing need to develop more energy-efficient techniques to enhance the green performance of future 4G/5G cellular networks. Due to the problem of traffic load fluctuations in cellular networks during different periods of the day and between different areas (shopping or business districts and residential areas), the base station sleeping strategy has been one of the main popular research topics in green communications. In this presentation, we present several practical green techniques that provide significant gains for mobile operators. Indeed, combined with the base station sleeping strategy, these techniques achieve not only a minimization of the fossil fuel consumption but also an enhancement of mobile operator profits. We start with an optimized cell planning method that considers varying spatial and temporal user densities. We then use the optimal transport theory in order to define the cell boundaries such that the network total transmit power is reduced. Afterwards, we exploit the features of the modern electrical grid, the smart grid, as a new tool of power management for cellular networks and we optimize the energy procurement from multiple energy retailers characterized by different prices and pollutant

  14. Cellular Restriction Factors of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carsten Münk

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Lentiviruses are known for their narrow cell- and species-tropisms, which are determined by cellular proteins whose absence or presence either support viral replication (dependency factors, cofactors or inhibit viral replication (restriction factors. Similar to Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1, the cat lentivirus Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV is sensitive to recently discovered cellular restriction factors from non-host species that are able to stop viruses from replicating. Of particular importance are the cellular proteins APOBEC3, TRIM5α and tetherin/BST-2. In general, lentiviruses counteract or escape their species’ own variant of the restriction factor, but are targeted by the orthologous proteins of distantly related species. Most of the knowledge regarding lentiviral restriction factors has been obtained in the HIV-1 system; however, much less is known about their effects on other lentiviruses. We describe here the molecular mechanisms that explain how FIV maintains its replication in feline cells, but is largely prevented from cross-species infections by cellular restriction factors.

  15. Mechanical behavior of regular open-cell porous biomaterials made of diamond lattice unit cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmadi, S M; Campoli, G; Amin Yavari, S; Sajadi, B; Wauthle, R; Schrooten, J; Weinans, H; Zadpoor, A A

    2014-06-01

    Cellular structures with highly controlled micro-architectures are promising materials for orthopedic applications that require bone-substituting biomaterials or implants. The availability of additive manufacturing techniques has enabled manufacturing of biomaterials made of one or multiple types of unit cells. The diamond lattice unit cell is one of the relatively new types of unit cells that are used in manufacturing of regular porous biomaterials. As opposed to many other types of unit cells, there is currently no analytical solution that could be used for prediction of the mechanical properties of cellular structures made of the diamond lattice unit cells. In this paper, we present new analytical solutions and closed-form relationships for predicting the elastic modulus, Poisson׳s ratio, critical buckling load, and yield (plateau) stress of cellular structures made of the diamond lattice unit cell. The mechanical properties predicted using the analytical solutions are compared with those obtained using finite element models. A number of solid and porous titanium (Ti6Al4V) specimens were manufactured using selective laser melting. A series of experiments were then performed to determine the mechanical properties of the matrix material and cellular structures. The experimentally measured mechanical properties were compared with those obtained using analytical solutions and finite element (FE) models. It has been shown that, for small apparent density values, the mechanical properties obtained using analytical and numerical solutions are in agreement with each other and with experimental observations. The properties estimated using an analytical solution based on the Euler-Bernoulli theory markedly deviated from experimental results for large apparent density values. The mechanical properties estimated using FE models and another analytical solution based on the Timoshenko beam theory better matched the experimental observations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd

  16. Lipoprotein(a: Cellular Effects and Molecular Mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirsten Riches

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Lipoprotein(a (Lp(a is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD. Indeed, individuals with plasma concentrations >20 mg/dL carry a 2-fold increased risk of developing CVD, accounting for ~25% of the population. Circulating levels of Lp(a are remarkably resistant to common lipid lowering therapies, and there are currently no robust treatments available for reduction of Lp(a apart from plasma apheresis, which is costly and labour intensive. The Lp(a molecule is composed of two parts, an LDL/apoB-100 core and a unique glycoprotein, apolipoprotein(a (apo(a, both of which can interact with components of the coagulation cascade, inflammatory pathways, and cells of the blood vessel wall (smooth muscle cells (SMC and endothelial cells (EC. Therefore, it is of key importance to determine the molecular pathways by which Lp(a exerts its influence on the vascular system in order to design therapeutics to target its cellular effects. This paper will summarise the role of Lp(a in modulating cell behaviour in all aspects of the vascular system including platelets, monocytes, SMC, and EC.

  17. On the holistic approach in cellular and cancer biology: nonlinearity, complexity, and quasi-determinism of the dynamic cellular network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waliszewski, P; Molski, M; Konarski, J

    1998-06-01

    A keystone of the molecular reductionist approach to cellular biology is a specific deductive strategy relating genotype to phenotype-two distinct categories. This relationship is based on the assumption that the intermediary cellular network of actively transcribed genes and their regulatory elements is deterministic (i.e., a link between expression of a gene and a phenotypic trait can always be identified, and evolution of the network in time is predetermined). However, experimental data suggest that the relationship between genotype and phenotype is nonbijective (i.e., a gene can contribute to the emergence of more than just one phenotypic trait or a phenotypic trait can be determined by expression of several genes). This implies nonlinearity (i.e., lack of the proportional relationship between input and the outcome), complexity (i.e. emergence of the hierarchical network of multiple cross-interacting elements that is sensitive to initial conditions, possesses multiple equilibria, organizes spontaneously into different morphological patterns, and is controlled in dispersed rather than centralized manner), and quasi-determinism (i.e., coexistence of deterministic and nondeterministic events) of the network. Nonlinearity within the space of the cellular molecular events underlies the existence of a fractal structure within a number of metabolic processes, and patterns of tissue growth, which is measured experimentally as a fractal dimension. Because of its complexity, the same phenotype can be associated with a number of alternative sequences of cellular events. Moreover, the primary cause initiating phenotypic evolution of cells such as malignant transformation can be favored probabilistically, but not identified unequivocally. Thermodynamic fluctuations of energy rather than gene mutations, the material traits of the fluctuations alter both the molecular and informational structure of the network. Then, the interplay between deterministic chaos, complexity, self

  18. The cellular mastermind(?) – Mechanotransduction and the nucleus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaminski, Ashley; Fedorchak, Gregory R.; Lammerding, Jan

    2015-01-01

    Cells respond to mechanical stimulation by activation of specific signaling pathways and genes that allow the cell to adapt to its dynamic physical environment. How cells sense the various mechanical inputs and translate them into biochemical signals remains an area of active investigation. Recent reports suggest that the cell nucleus may be directly implicated in this cellular mechanotransduction process. In this chapter, we discuss how forces applied to the cell surface and cytoplasm induce changes in nuclear structure and organization, which could directly affect gene expression, while also highlighting the complex interplay between nuclear structural proteins and transcriptional regulators that may further modulate mechanotransduction signaling. Taken together, these findings paint a picture of the nucleus as a central hub in cellular mechanotransduction—both structurally and biochemically—with important implications in physiology and disease. PMID:25081618

  19. Systematic identification of cellular signals reactivating Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fuqu Yu

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available The herpesvirus life cycle has two distinct phases: latency and lytic replication. The balance between these two phases is critical for viral pathogenesis. It is believed that cellular signals regulate the switch from latency to lytic replication. To systematically evaluate the cellular signals regulating this reactivation process in Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, the effects of 26,000 full-length cDNA expression constructs on viral reactivation were individually assessed in primary effusion lymphoma-derived cells that harbor the latent virus. A group of diverse cellular signaling proteins were identified and validated in their effect of inducing viral lytic gene expression from the latent viral genome. The results suggest that multiple cellular signaling pathways can reactivate the virus in a genetically homogeneous cell population. Further analysis revealed that the Raf/MEK/ERK/Ets-1 pathway mediates Ras-induced reactivation. The same pathway also mediates spontaneous reactivation, which sets the first example to our knowledge of a specific cellular pathway being studied in the spontaneous reactivation process. Our study provides a functional genomic approach to systematically identify the cellular signals regulating the herpesvirus life cycle, thus facilitating better understanding of a fundamental issue in virology and identifying novel therapeutic targets.

  20. Unified Stochastic Geometry Model for MIMO Cellular Networks with Retransmissions

    KAUST Repository

    Afify, Laila H.

    2016-10-11

    This paper presents a unified mathematical paradigm, based on stochastic geometry, for downlink cellular networks with multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) base stations (BSs). The developed paradigm accounts for signal retransmission upon decoding errors, in which the temporal correlation among the signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) of the original and retransmitted signals is captured. In addition to modeling the effect of retransmission on the network performance, the developed mathematical model presents twofold analysis unification for MIMO cellular networks literature. First, it integrates the tangible decoding error probability and the abstracted (i.e., modulation scheme and receiver type agnostic) outage probability analysis, which are largely disjoint in the literature. Second, it unifies the analysis for different MIMO configurations. The unified MIMO analysis is achieved by abstracting unnecessary information conveyed within the interfering signals by Gaussian signaling approximation along with an equivalent SISO representation for the per-data stream SINR in MIMO cellular networks. We show that the proposed unification simplifies the analysis without sacrificing the model accuracy. To this end, we discuss the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff imposed by different MIMO schemes and shed light on the diversity loss due to the temporal correlation among the SINRs of the original and retransmitted signals. Finally, several design insights are highlighted.

  1. Unified Stochastic Geometry Model for MIMO Cellular Networks with Retransmissions

    KAUST Repository

    Afify, Laila H.; Elsawy, Hesham; Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a unified mathematical paradigm, based on stochastic geometry, for downlink cellular networks with multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) base stations (BSs). The developed paradigm accounts for signal retransmission upon decoding errors, in which the temporal correlation among the signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) of the original and retransmitted signals is captured. In addition to modeling the effect of retransmission on the network performance, the developed mathematical model presents twofold analysis unification for MIMO cellular networks literature. First, it integrates the tangible decoding error probability and the abstracted (i.e., modulation scheme and receiver type agnostic) outage probability analysis, which are largely disjoint in the literature. Second, it unifies the analysis for different MIMO configurations. The unified MIMO analysis is achieved by abstracting unnecessary information conveyed within the interfering signals by Gaussian signaling approximation along with an equivalent SISO representation for the per-data stream SINR in MIMO cellular networks. We show that the proposed unification simplifies the analysis without sacrificing the model accuracy. To this end, we discuss the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff imposed by different MIMO schemes and shed light on the diversity loss due to the temporal correlation among the SINRs of the original and retransmitted signals. Finally, several design insights are highlighted.

  2. Genomic stability during cellular reprogramming: Mission impossible?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joest, Mathieu von; Búa Aguín, Sabela; Li, Han, E-mail: han.li@pasteur.fr

    2016-06-15

    The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from adult somatic cells is one of the most exciting discoveries in recent biomedical research. It holds tremendous potential in drug discovery and regenerative medicine. However, a series of reports highlighting genomic instability in iPSCs raises concerns about their clinical application. Although the mechanisms cause genomic instability during cellular reprogramming are largely unknown, several potential sources have been suggested. This review summarizes current knowledge on this active research field and discusses the latest efforts to alleviate the genomic insults during cellular reprogramming to generate iPSCs with enhanced quality and safety.

  3. Immuno-pharmacodynamics for evaluating mechanism of action and developing immunotherapy combinations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parchment, Ralph E; Voth, Andrea Regier; Doroshow, James H; Berzofsky, Jay A

    2016-08-01

    Immunotherapy has become a major modality of cancer treatment, with multiple new classes of immunotherapeutics recently entering the clinic and obtaining market approval from regulatory agencies. While the promise of these therapies is great, so is the number of possible combinations not only with each other but also with small molecule therapeutics. Furthermore, the observation of unusual dose-response relationships suggests a critical dependency of drug effectiveness on the dosage regimen (dose and schedule). Clinical pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarkers will be useful endpoints for confirming drug mechanism of action, evaluating combination therapies for synergy or antagonism, and identifying optimal dosage regimens. In contrast to conventional PD in which drug action occurs entirely within a single target cell (ie, is self-contained within the malignant cell), immunotherapy involves a complex mechanism of action with sequential steps that propagate through multiple cell types, both normal and malignant. Its intercellular pharmacology begins with molecular target engagement either on an immune effector cell or a malignant cell, followed by stimulatory biochemical and biological signals in immune effector cells, and then finally ends with activation of cell death mechanisms in malignant cells lying within a certain distance from the activated effector cells (immune cell-tumor cell proximity). Evaluating such "trans-cellular pharmacology," in which different steps of drug action are distributed across multiple cell types, requires novel microscopy and image analysis tools capable of quantifying PD-biomarker responses, mapping the responses onto the cellular geography of the tumor using phenotypic biomarkers to identify specific cell types, and finally analyzing the spatial relationships between biomarkers in the context of each cell's biological role. We have termed this form of nearest neighbor image analysis of drug action "proximity PD microscopy," to indicate the

  4. A computational framework for 3D mechanical modeling of plant morphogenesis with cellular resolution.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frédéric Boudon

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The link between genetic regulation and the definition of form and size during morphogenesis remains largely an open question in both plant and animal biology. This is partially due to the complexity of the process, involving extensive molecular networks, multiple feedbacks between different scales of organization and physical forces operating at multiple levels. Here we present a conceptual and modeling framework aimed at generating an integrated understanding of morphogenesis in plants. This framework is based on the biophysical properties of plant cells, which are under high internal turgor pressure, and are prevented from bursting because of the presence of a rigid cell wall. To control cell growth, the underlying molecular networks must interfere locally with the elastic and/or plastic extensibility of this cell wall. We present a model in the form of a three dimensional (3D virtual tissue, where growth depends on the local modulation of wall mechanical properties and turgor pressure. The model shows how forces generated by turgor-pressure can act both cell autonomously and non-cell autonomously to drive growth in different directions. We use simulations to explore lateral organ formation at the shoot apical meristem. Although different scenarios lead to similar shape changes, they are not equivalent and lead to different, testable predictions regarding the mechanical and geometrical properties of the growing lateral organs. Using flower development as an example, we further show how a limited number of gene activities can explain the complex shape changes that accompany organ outgrowth.

  5. Origami-based cellular metamaterial with auxetic, bistable, and self-locking properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamrava, Soroush; Mousanezhad, Davood; Ebrahimi, Hamid; Ghosh, Ranajay; Vaziri, Ashkan

    2017-04-01

    We present a novel cellular metamaterial constructed from Origami building blocks based on Miura-ori fold. The proposed cellular metamaterial exhibits unusual properties some of which stemming from the inherent properties of its Origami building blocks, and others manifesting due to its unique geometrical construction and architecture. These properties include foldability with two fully-folded configurations, auxeticity (i.e., negative Poisson’s ratio), bistability, and self-locking of Origami building blocks to construct load-bearing cellular metamaterials. The kinematics and force response of the cellular metamaterial during folding were studied to investigate the underlying mechanisms resulting in its unique properties using analytical modeling and experiments.

  6. Flaw tolerance vs. performance: A tradeoff in metallic glass cellular structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Wen; Liu, Ze; Robinson, Hannah Mae; Schroers, Jan

    2014-01-01

    Stochastic cellular structures are prevalent in nature and engineering materials alike. They are difficult to manipulate and study systematically and almost always contain imperfections. To design and characterize various degrees of imperfections in perfect periodic, stochastic and natural cellular structures, we fabricate a broad range of metallic glass cellular structures from perfectly periodic to highly stochastic by using a novel artificial microstructure approach based on thermoplastic replication of metallic glasses. For these cellular structures, precisely controlled imperfections are implemented and their effects on the mechanical response are evaluated. It is found that the mechanical performance of the periodic structures is generally superior to that of the stochastic structures. However, the stochastic structures experience a much higher tolerance to flaws than the periodic structure, especially in the plastic regime. The different flaw tolerance is explained by the stress distribution within the various structures, which leads to an overall 'strain-hardening' behavior of the stochastic structure compared to a 'strain-softening' behavior in the periodic structure. Our findings reveal how structure, 'strain-hardening' and flaw tolerance are microscopically related in structural materials

  7. Induction of Osmoadaptive Mechanisms and Modulation of Cellular Physiology Help Bacillus licheniformis Strain SSA 61 Adapt to Salt Stress

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paul, Sangeeta; Aggarwal, Chetana; Thakur, Jyoti Kumar; Bandeppa, G. S.; Khan, Md. Aslam; Pearson, Lauren M.; Babnigg, Gyorgy; Giometti, Carol S.; Joachimiak, Andrzej

    2015-01-06

    Bacillus licheniformis strain SSA 61, originally isolated from Sambhar salt lake, was observed to grow even in the presence of 25 % salt stress. Osmoadaptive mechanisms of this halotolerant B. licheniformis strain SSA 61, for long-term survival and growth under salt stress, were determined. Proline was the preferentially accumulated compatible osmolyte. There was also increased accumulation of antioxidants ascorbic acid and glutathione. Among the different antioxidative enzymes assayed, superoxide dismutase played the most crucial role in defense against salt-induced stress in the organism. Adaptation to stress by the organism involved modulation of cellular physiology at various levels. There was enhanced expression of known proteins playing essential roles in stress adaptation, such as chaperones DnaK and GroEL, and general stress protein YfkM and polynucleotide phosphorylase/polyadenylase. Proteins involved in amino acid biosynthetic pathway, ribosome structure, and peptide elongation were also overexpressed. Salt stress-induced modulation of expression of enzymes involved in carbon metabolism was observed. There was up-regulation of a number of enzymes involved in generation of NADH and NADPH, indicating increased cellular demand for both energy and reducing power.

  8. Isogenic Cellular Systems Model the Impact of Genetic Risk Variants in the Pathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark A. Wallet

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available At least 57 independent loci within the human genome confer varying degrees of risk for the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D. The majority of these variants are thought to contribute to overall genetic risk by modulating host innate and adaptive immune responses, ultimately resulting in a loss of immunological tolerance to β cell antigens. Early efforts to link specific risk variants with functional alterations in host immune responses have employed animal models or genotype-selected individuals from clinical bioresource banks. While some notable genotype:phenotype associations have been described, there remains an urgent need to accelerate the discovery of causal variants and elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which susceptible alleles alter immune functions. One significant limitation has been the inability to study human T1D risk loci on an isogenic background. The advent of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs and genome-editing technologies have made it possible to address a number of these outstanding questions. Specifically, the ability to drive multiple cell fates from iPSC under isogenic conditions now facilitates the analysis of causal variants in multiple cellular lineages. Bioinformatic analyses have revealed that T1D risk genes cluster within a limited number of immune signaling pathways, yet the relevant immune cell subsets and cellular activation states in which candidate risk genes impact cellular activities remain largely unknown. In this review, we summarize the functional impact of several candidate risk variants on host immunity in T1D and present an isogenic disease-in-a-dish model system for interrogating risk variants, with the goal of expediting precision therapeutics in T1D.

  9. The elasticity and failure of fluid-filled cellular solids: Theory and experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warner, M.; Thiel, B. L.; Donald, A. M.

    2000-02-01

    We extend and apply theories of filled foam elasticity and failure to recently available data on foods. The predictions of elastic modulus and failure mode dependence on internal pressure and on wall integrity are borne out by photographic evidence of distortion and failure under compressive loading and under the localized stress applied by a knife blade, and by mechanical data on vegetables differing only in their turgor pressure. We calculate the dry modulus of plate-like cellular solids and the cross over between dry-like and fully fluid-filled elastic response. The bulk elastic properties of limp and aging cellular solids are calculated for model systems and compared with our mechanical data, which also show two regimes of response. The mechanics of an aged, limp beam is calculated, thus offering a practical procedure for comparing experiment and theory. This investigation also thereby offers explanations of the connection between turgor pressure and crispness and limpness of cellular materials.

  10. The elasticity and failure of fluid-filled cellular solids: theory and experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warner, M; Thiel, B L; Donald, A M

    2000-02-15

    We extend and apply theories of filled foam elasticity and failure to recently available data on foods. The predictions of elastic modulus and failure mode dependence on internal pressure and on wall integrity are borne out by photographic evidence of distortion and failure under compressive loading and under the localized stress applied by a knife blade, and by mechanical data on vegetables differing only in their turgor pressure. We calculate the dry modulus of plate-like cellular solids and the cross over between dry-like and fully fluid-filled elastic response. The bulk elastic properties of limp and aging cellular solids are calculated for model systems and compared with our mechanical data, which also show two regimes of response. The mechanics of an aged, limp beam is calculated, thus offering a practical procedure for comparing experiment and theory. This investigation also thereby offers explanations of the connection between turgor pressure and crispness and limpness of cellular materials.

  11. Modified random hinge transport mechanics and multiple scattering step-size selection in EGS5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilderman, S.J.; Bielajew, A.F.

    2005-01-01

    The new transport mechanics in EGS5 allows for significantly longer electron transport step sizes and hence shorter computation times than required for identical problems in EGS4. But as with all Monte Carlo electron transport algorithms, certain classes of problems exhibit step-size dependencies even when operating within recommended ranges, sometimes making selection of step-sizes a daunting task for novice users. Further contributing to this problem, because of the decoupling of multiple scattering and continuous energy loss in the dual random hinge transport mechanics of EGS5, there are two independent step sizes in EGS5, one for multiple scattering and one for continuous energy loss, each of which influences speed and accuracy in a different manner. Further, whereas EGS4 used a single value of fractional energy loss (ESTEPE) to determine step sizes at all energies, to increase performance by decreasing the amount of effort expended simulating lower energy particles, EGS5 permits the fractional energy loss values which are used to determine both the multiple scattering and continuous energy loss step sizes to vary with energy. This results in requiring the user to specify four fractional energy loss values when optimizing computations for speed. Thus, in order to simplify step-size selection and to mitigate step-size dependencies, a method has been devised to automatically optimize step-size selection based on a single material dependent input related to the size of problem tally region. In this paper we discuss the new transport mechanics in EGS5 and describe the automatic step-size optimization algorithm. (author)

  12. Neurodegeneration in ataxia-telangiectasia: Multiple roles of ATM kinase in cellular homeostasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choy, Kay Rui; Watters, Dianne J

    2018-01-01

    Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is characterized by neuronal degeneration, cancer, diabetes, immune deficiency, and increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation. A-T is attributed to the deficiency of the protein kinase coded by the ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) gene. ATM is a sensor of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and signals to cell cycle checkpoints and the DNA repair machinery. ATM phosphorylates numerous substrates and activates many cell-signaling pathways. There has been considerable debate about whether a defective DNA damage response is causative of the neurological aspects of the disease. In proliferating cells, ATM is localized mainly in the nucleus; however, in postmitotic cells such as neurons, ATM is mostly cytoplasmic. Recent studies reveal an increasing number of roles for ATM in the cytoplasm, including activation by oxidative stress. ATM associates with organelles including mitochondria and peroxisomes, both sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. ATM is also associated with synaptic vesicles and has a role in regulating cellular homeostasis and autophagy. The cytoplasmic roles of ATM provide a new perspective on the neurodegenerative process in A-T. This review will examine the expanding roles of ATM in cellular homeostasis and relate these functions to the complex A-T phenotype. Developmental Dynamics 247:33-46, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Development of Physics and Control of Multiple Forcing Mechanisms for the Alaska Tsunami Forecast Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahng, B.; Whitmore, P.; Macpherson, K. A.; Knight, W. R.

    2016-12-01

    The Alaska Tsunami Forecast Model (ATFM) is a numerical model used to forecast propagation and inundation of tsunamis generated by earthquakes or other mechanisms in either the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico. At the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC), the use of the model has been mainly for tsunami pre-computation due to earthquakes. That is, results for hundreds of hypothetical events are computed before alerts, and are accessed and calibrated with observations during tsunamis to immediately produce forecasts. The model has also been used for tsunami hindcasting due to submarine landslides and due to atmospheric pressure jumps, but in a very case-specific and somewhat limited manner. ATFM uses the non-linear, depth-averaged, shallow-water equations of motion with multiply nested grids in two-way communications between domains of each parent-child pair as waves approach coastal waters. The shallow-water wave physics is readily applicable to all of the above tsunamis as well as to tides. Recently, the model has been expanded to include multiple forcing mechanisms in a systematic fashion, and to enhance the model physics for non-earthquake events.ATFM is now able to handle multiple source mechanisms, either individually or jointly, which include earthquake, submarine landslide, meteo-tsunami and tidal forcing. As for earthquakes, the source can be a single unit source or multiple, interacting source blocks. Horizontal slip contribution can be added to the sea-floor displacement. The model now includes submarine landslide physics, modeling the source either as a rigid slump, or as a viscous fluid. Additional shallow-water physics have been implemented for the viscous submarine landslides. With rigid slumping, any trajectory can be followed. As for meteo-tsunami, the forcing mechanism is capable of following any trajectory shape. Wind stress physics has also been implemented for the meteo-tsunami case, if required. As an example of multiple

  14. Modeling and Analysis of Cellular Networks using Stochastic Geometry: A Tutorial

    KAUST Repository

    Elsawy, Hesham; Salem, Ahmed Sultan; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; Win, Moe Z.

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a tutorial on stochastic geometry (SG) based analysis for cellular networks. This tutorial is distinguished by its depth with respect to wireless communication details and its focus on cellular networks. The paper starts by modeling and analyzing the baseband interference in a baseline single-tier downlink cellular network with single antenna base stations and universal frequency reuse. Then, it characterizes signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) and its related performance metrics. In particular, a unified approach to conduct error probability, outage probability, and transmission rate analysis is presented. Although the main focus of the paper is on cellular networks, the presented unified approach applies for other types of wireless networks that impose interference protection around receivers. The paper then extends the unified approach to capture cellular network characteristics (e.g., frequency reuse, multiple antenna, power control, etc.). It also presents numerical examples associated with demonstrations and discussions. To this end, the paper highlights the state-of-the- art research and points out future research directions.

  15. Modeling and Analysis of Cellular Networks using Stochastic Geometry: A Tutorial

    KAUST Repository

    Elsawy, Hesham

    2016-11-03

    This paper presents a tutorial on stochastic geometry (SG) based analysis for cellular networks. This tutorial is distinguished by its depth with respect to wireless communication details and its focus on cellular networks. The paper starts by modeling and analyzing the baseband interference in a baseline single-tier downlink cellular network with single antenna base stations and universal frequency reuse. Then, it characterizes signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) and its related performance metrics. In particular, a unified approach to conduct error probability, outage probability, and transmission rate analysis is presented. Although the main focus of the paper is on cellular networks, the presented unified approach applies for other types of wireless networks that impose interference protection around receivers. The paper then extends the unified approach to capture cellular network characteristics (e.g., frequency reuse, multiple antenna, power control, etc.). It also presents numerical examples associated with demonstrations and discussions. To this end, the paper highlights the state-of-the- art research and points out future research directions.

  16. Cellular Kinetics of Perivascular MSC Precursors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William C. W. Chen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs and MSC-like multipotent stem/progenitor cells have been widely investigated for regenerative medicine and deemed promising in clinical applications. In order to further improve MSC-based stem cell therapeutics, it is important to understand the cellular kinetics and functional roles of MSCs in the dynamic regenerative processes. However, due to the heterogeneous nature of typical MSC cultures, their native identity and anatomical localization in the body have remained unclear, making it difficult to decipher the existence of distinct cell subsets within the MSC entity. Recent studies have shown that several blood-vessel-derived precursor cell populations, purified by flow cytometry from multiple human organs, give rise to bona fide MSCs, suggesting that the vasculature serves as a systemic reservoir of MSC-like stem/progenitor cells. Using individually purified MSC-like precursor cell subsets, we and other researchers have been able to investigate the differential phenotypes and regenerative capacities of these contributing cellular constituents in the MSC pool. In this review, we will discuss the identification and characterization of perivascular MSC precursors, including pericytes and adventitial cells, and focus on their cellular kinetics: cell adhesion, migration, engraftment, homing, and intercellular cross-talk during tissue repair and regeneration.

  17. Mechanical and mechanobiological influences on bone fracture repair : identifying important cellular characteristics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Isaksson, H.E.

    2007-01-01

    Fracture repair is a complex and multifactorial process, which involves a well-programmed series of cellular and molecular events that result in a combination of intramembranous and endochondral bone formation. The vast majority of fractures is treated successfully. They heal through ‘secondary

  18. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic lung disease characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and remodeling of the lung architecture. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is considered the most common and severe form of the disease, with a median survival of approximately three years and no proven effective therapy. Despite the fact that effective treatments are absent and the precise mechanisms that drive fibrosis in most patients remain incompletely understood, an extensive body of scientific literature regarding pulmonary fibrosis has accumulated over the past 35 years. In this review, we discuss three broad areas which have been explored that may be responsible for the combination of altered lung fibroblasts, loss of alveolar epithelial cells, and excessive accumulation of ECM: inflammation and immune mechanisms, oxidative stress and oxidative signaling, and procoagulant mechanisms. We discuss each of these processes separately to facilitate clarity, but certainly significant interplay will occur amongst these pathways in patients with this disease. PMID:22824096

  19. Multiple regulatory systems coordinate DNA replication with cell growth in Bacillus subtilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Heath; Koh, Alan

    2014-10-01

    In many bacteria the rate of DNA replication is linked with cellular physiology to ensure that genome duplication is coordinated with growth. Nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation has been appreciated for decades, however the mechanism(s) that connects these cell cycle activities has eluded understanding. In order to help address this fundamental question we have investigated regulation of DNA replication in the model organism Bacillus subtilis. Contrary to the prevailing view we find that changes in DnaA protein level are not sufficient to account for nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation, although this regulation does require both DnaA and the endogenous replication origin. We go on to report connections between DNA replication and several essential cellular activities required for rapid bacterial growth, including respiration, central carbon metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, phospholipid synthesis, and protein synthesis. Unexpectedly, the results indicate that multiple regulatory systems are involved in coordinating DNA replication with cell physiology, with some of the regulatory systems targeting oriC while others act in a oriC-independent manner. We propose that distinct regulatory systems are utilized to control DNA replication in response to diverse physiological and chemical changes.

  20. From "Cellular" RNA to "Smart" RNA: Multiple Roles of RNA in Genome Stability and Beyond.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michelini, Flavia; Jalihal, Ameya P; Francia, Sofia; Meers, Chance; Neeb, Zachary T; Rossiello, Francesca; Gioia, Ubaldo; Aguado, Julio; Jones-Weinert, Corey; Luke, Brian; Biamonti, Giuseppe; Nowacki, Mariusz; Storici, Francesca; Carninci, Piero; Walter, Nils G; Fagagna, Fabrizio d'Adda di

    2018-03-30

    Coding for proteins has been considered the main function of RNA since the "central dogma" of biology was proposed. The discovery of noncoding transcripts shed light on additional roles of RNA, ranging from the support of polypeptide synthesis, to the assembly of subnuclear structures, to gene expression modulation. Cellular RNA has therefore been recognized as a central player in often unanticipated biological processes, including genomic stability. This ever-expanding list of functions inspired us to think of RNA as a "smart" phone, which has replaced the older obsolete "cellular" phone. In this review, we summarize the last two decades of advances in research on the interface between RNA biology and genome stability. We start with an account of the emergence of noncoding RNA, and then we discuss the involvement of RNA in DNA damage signaling and repair, telomere maintenance, and genomic rearrangements. We continue with the depiction of single-molecule RNA detection techniques, and we conclude by illustrating the possibilities of RNA modulation in hopes of creating or improving new therapies. The widespread biological functions of RNA have made this molecule a reoccurring theme in basic and translational research, warranting it the transcendence from classically studied "cellular" RNA to "smart" RNA.

  1. BICD2, dynactin, and LIS1 cooperate in regulating dynein recruitment to cellular structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Splinter, Daniël; Razafsky, David S.; Schlager, Max A.; Serra-Marques, Andrea; Grigoriev, Ilya; Demmers, Jeroen; Keijzer, Nanda; Jiang, Kai; Poser, Ina; Hyman, Anthony A.; Hoogenraad, Casper C.; King, Stephen J.; Akhmanova, Anna

    2012-01-01

    Cytoplasmic dynein is the major microtubule minus-end–directed cellular motor. Most dynein activities require dynactin, but the mechanisms regulating cargo-dependent dynein–dynactin interaction are poorly understood. In this study, we focus on dynein–dynactin recruitment to cargo by the conserved motor adaptor Bicaudal D2 (BICD2). We show that dynein and dynactin depend on each other for BICD2-mediated targeting to cargo and that BICD2 N-terminus (BICD2-N) strongly promotes stable interaction between dynein and dynactin both in vitro and in vivo. Direct visualization of dynein in live cells indicates that by itself the triple BICD2-N–dynein–dynactin complex is unable to interact with either cargo or microtubules. However, tethering of BICD2-N to different membranes promotes their microtubule minus-end–directed motility. We further show that LIS1 is required for dynein-mediated transport induced by membrane tethering of BICD2-N and that LIS1 contributes to dynein accumulation at microtubule plus ends and BICD2-positive cellular structures. Our results demonstrate that dynein recruitment to cargo requires concerted action of multiple dynein cofactors. PMID:22956769

  2. Cellular Response to Ionizing Radiation: A MicroRNA Story

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halimi, Mohammad; Asghari, S. Mohsen; Sariri, Reyhaneh; Moslemi, Dariush; Parsian, Hadi

    2012-01-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They play a crucial role in diverse cellular pathways. Ionizing radiation (IR) is one of the most important treatment protocols for patients that suffer from cancer and affects directly or indirectly cellular integration. Recently it has been discovered that microRNA-mediated gene regulation interferes with radio-related pathways in ionizing radiation. Here, we review the recent discoveries about miRNAs in cellular response to IR. Thoroughly understanding the mechanism of miRNAs in radiation response, it will be possible to design new strategies for improving radiotherapy efficiency and ultimately cancer treatment. PMID:24551775

  3. Cellular and Chemical Neuroscience of Mammalian Sleep

    OpenAIRE

    Datta, Subimal

    2010-01-01

    Extraordinary strides have been made toward understanding the complexities and regulatory mechanisms of sleep over the past two decades, thanks to the help of rapidly evolving technologies. At its most basic level, mammalian sleep is a restorative process of the brain and body. Beyond its primary restorative purpose, sleep is essential for a number of vital functions. Our primary research interest is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of sleep and it...

  4. Microstructural response and grain refinement mechanism of commercially pure titanium subjected to multiple laser shock peening impacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, J.Z.; Wu, L.J.; Sun, G.F.; Luo, K.Y.; Zhang, Y.K.; Cai, J.; Cui, C.Y.; Luo, X.M.

    2017-01-01

    The microstructural response and grain subdivision process in commercially pure (CP) titanium subjected to multiple laser shock peening (LSP) impacts were investigated by means of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. The micro-hardness curves as a function of the impact time were also determined. The deformation-induced grain refinement mechanism of the close-packed hexagonal (hcp) material by laser shock wave was subsequently analyzed. Experimental results showed that uniform equiaxed grains with an average size of less than 50 nm were generated due to the ultra-high plastic strain induced by multiple LSP impacts. Special attention was paid to four types of novel deformation-induced microstructural features, including a layered slip band in the tension deformation zone, and inverse-transformation martensite, micro-twin grating and micro-twin collision in the compression deformation zone. Furthermore, the grain refinement mechanism in the near-surface layer of CP titanium subjected to multiple LSP impacts contains two types of simultaneous subdivision modes: multi-directional mechanical twin (MT)-MT intersections at (sub)micrometer scale, and the intersection between longitudinal secondary MTs and transverse dislocation walls at nanometer scale. In addition, both grain refinement (nanocrystallization) and the existence of a small amount of inverse-transformation martensite induced by multiple LSP impacts contribute to an increase in the micro-hardness of the near-surface layer.

  5. Similarities of cellular receptors for interferon and cortisol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Filipic, B.; Schauer, P.; Likar, M.

    1977-01-01

    Cellular receptors are molecules located on the cell membrane. Their function is to bind different molecules to the cell surface. These molecules can penetrate into the cytoplasm and trigger cellular changes. One kind of such bound molecules are interferons and corticosteroids. Until very recently very little was known about interferon's receptors on the cell surface, mechanisms of interferon's binding to them or about kinetics of such binding. On the basis of results published elsewhere and on the basis of experimental results, the authors suggest: receptors for interferon and cortisol are glycoproteins located on the cell surface, in analogy with PHA receptors they are chemically sialoglycoproteins, binding kinetics of cortisol and interferon is similar, interferon and cortisol compete for cellular receptors, binding of cortisol or interferon is dependent on allosteric configuration of receptor molecules. (author)

  6. Molecular modeling of the conformational dynamics of the cellular prion protein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Charles; Colling, Ian; Bartz, Jason; Soto, Patricia

    2014-03-01

    Prions are infectious agents responsible for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), a type of fatal neurodegenerative disease in mammals. Prions propagate biological information by conversion of the non-pathological version of the prion protein to the infectious conformation, PrPSc. A wealth of knowledge has shed light on the nature and mechanism of prion protein conversion. In spite of the significance of this problem, we are far from fully understanding the conformational dynamics of the cellular isoform. To remedy this situation we employ multiple biomolecular modeling techniques such as docking and molecular dynamics simulations to map the free energy landscape and determine what specific regions of the prion protein are most conductive to binding. The overall goal is to characterize the conformational dynamics of the cell form of the prion protein, PrPc, to gain insight into inhibition pathways against misfolding. NE EPSCoR FIRST Award to Patricia Soto.

  7. Molecular and cellular neurocardiology: development, and cellular and molecular adaptations to heart disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Mark E.; Birren, Susan J.; Fukuda, Keiichi; Herring, Neil; Hoover, Donald B.; Kanazawa, Hideaki; Paterson, David J.; Ripplinger, Crystal M.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The nervous system and cardiovascular system develop in concert and are functionally interconnected in both health and disease. This white paper focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie neural–cardiac interactions during development, during normal physiological function in the mature system, and during pathological remodelling in cardiovascular disease. The content on each subject was contributed by experts, and we hope that this will provide a useful resource for newcomers to neurocardiology as well as aficionados. PMID:27060296

  8. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of muscle aging and sarcopenia and effects of electrical stimulation in seniors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Barberi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The prolongation of skeletal muscle strength in aging and neuromuscular disease has been the objective of numerous studies employing a variety of approaches. It is generally accepted that cumulative failure to repair damage related to an overall decrease in anabolic processes is a primary cause of functional impairment in muscle. The functional performance of skeletal muscle tissues declines during post- natal life and it is compromised in different diseases, due to an alteration in muscle fiber composition and an overall decrease in muscle integrity as fibrotic invasions replace functional contractile tissue. Characteristics of skeletal muscle aging and diseases include a conspicuous reduction in myofiber plasticity (due to the progressive loss of muscle mass and in particular of the most powerful fast fibers, alteration in muscle-specific transcriptional mechanisms, and muscle atrophy. An early decrease in protein synthetic rates is followed by a later increase in protein degradation, to affect biochemical, physiological, and morphological parameters of muscle fibers during the aging process. Alterations in regenerative pathways also compromise the functionality of muscle tissues. In this review we will give an overview of the work on molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging and sarcopenia and the effects of electrical stimulation in seniors.

  9. Cellular response of pulp fibroblast to single or multiple photobiomodulation applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, Amanda; Lourenço Neto, Natalino; Teixeira Marques, Nadia Carolina; Lourenço Ribeiro Vitor, Luciana; Tavares Oliveira Prado, Mariel; Cardoso Oliveira, Rodrigo; Moreira Machado, Maria Aparecida Andrade; Marchini Oliveira, Thais

    2018-06-01

    This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the effects of single or multiple photobiomodulation (PBM) applications on the viability and proliferation of pulp fibroblasts. Pulp fibroblasts from human deciduous teeth were obtained from a biorepository, plated into 96-well plates, and irradiated according to the experimental groups. At 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after irradiation, cell viability and proliferation were assessed through MTT and Crystal Violet assays, respectively. The intragroup comparison revealed statistically significant differences for 2.5 J cm‑2 (3×) with increasing viability at 72 h over 48 h (p  =  0.027). The intergroup analysis showed a greater viability of the multiple PBM applications 2.5 J cm‑2 (3×) over the single application 7.5 J cm‑2 (1×) at 72 h. The application of 5 J cm‑2 (1×) exhibited greater proliferation than the application of 7.5 J cm‑2 (1×), 2.5 J cm‑2 (2×) and 2.5 J cm‑2 (3×). Single or multiple PBM applications demonstration different stimulatory effects on pulp fibroblast. The results show that the group submitted to multiple irradiation presented significantly higher cell viability than the groups with single irradiation at 72 h. However, the photobiomodulation therapy with single irradiations was more effective on cell proliferation at 24 h.

  10. Mechanical property changes during neonatal development and healing using a multiple regression model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansorge, Heather L; Adams, Sheila; Jawad, Abbas F; Birk, David E; Soslowsky, Louis J

    2012-04-30

    During neonatal development, tendons undergo a well orchestrated process whereby extensive structural and compositional changes occur in synchrony to produce a normal tissue. Conversely, during the repair response to injury, structural and compositional changes occur, but a mechanically inferior tendon is produced. As a result, developmental processes have been postulated as a potential paradigm for elucidation of mechanistic insight required to develop treatment modalities to improve adult tissue healing. The objective of this study was to compare and contrast normal development with injury during early and late developmental healing. Using backwards multiple linear regressions, quantitative and objective information was obtained into the structure-function relationships in tendon. Specifically, proteoglycans were shown to be significant predictors of modulus during early developmental healing but not during late developmental healing or normal development. Multiple independent parameters predicted percent relaxation during normal development, however, only biglycan and fibril diameter parameters predicted percent relaxation during early developmental healing. Lastly, multiple differential predictors were observed between early development and early developmental healing; however, no differential predictors were observed between late development and late developmental healing. This study presents a model through which objective analysis of how compositional and structural parameters that affect the development of mechanical parameters can be quantitatively measured. In addition, information from this study can be used to develop new treatment and therapies through which improved adult tendon healing can be obtained. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Pathologic Cellular Events in Smoking-Related Pancreatitis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thrower, Edwin [Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States); Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare, West Haven, CT 06516 (United States)

    2015-04-29

    Pancreatitis, a debilitating inflammatory disorder, results from pancreatic injury. Alcohol abuse is the foremost cause, although cigarette smoking has recently surfaced as a distinct risk factor. The mechanisms by which cigarette smoke and its toxins initiate pathological cellular events leading to pancreatitis, have not been clearly defined. Although cigarette smoke is composed of more than 4000 compounds, it is mainly nicotine and the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), which have been extensively studied with respect to pancreatic diseases. This review summarizes these research findings and highlights cellular pathways which may be of relevance in initiation and progression of smoking-related pancreatitis.

  12. Cellular Mechanosensing: Getting to the nucleus of it all

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedorchak, Gregory R.; Kaminski, Ashley; Lammerding, Jan

    2014-01-01

    Cells respond to mechanical forces by activating specific genes and signaling pathways that allow the cells to adapt to their physical environment. Examples include muscle growth in response to exercise, bone remodeling based on their mechanical load, or endothelial cells aligning under fluid shear stress. While the involved downstream signaling pathways and mechanoresponsive genes are generally well characterized, many of the molecular mechanisms of the initiating ‘mechanosensing’ remain still elusive. In this review, we discuss recent findings and accumulating evidence suggesting that the cell nucleus plays a crucial role in cellular mechanotransduction, including processing incoming mechanoresponsive signals and even directly responding to mechanical forces. Consequently, mutations in the involved proteins or changes in nuclear envelope composition can directly impact mechanotransduction signaling and contribute to the development and progression of a variety of human diseases, including muscular dystrophy, cancer, and the focus of this review, dilated cardiomyopathy. Improved insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying nuclear mechanotransduction, brought in part by the emergence of new technologies to study intracellular mechanics at high spatial and temporal resolution, will not only result in a better understanding of cellular mechanosensing in normal cells but may also lead to the development of novel therapies in the many diseases linked to defects in nuclear envelope proteins. PMID:25008017

  13. Massive MIMO 5G Cellular Networks:mm-Wave vs.μ-Wave Frequencies

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Stefano Buzzi; Carmen D'Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) is one of the key use-cases for the development of the new standard 5G New Radio for the next generation of mobile wireless networks. Large-scale antenna arrays, a.k.a. massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), the usage of carrier frequencies in the range 10-100 GHz, the so-called millimeter wave (mm-Wave) band, and the network densifica-tion with the introduction of small-sized cells are the three technologies that will permit implementing eMBB services and realiz-ing the Gbit/s mobile wireless experience. This paper is focused on the massive MIMO technology. Initially conceived for conven-tional cellular frequencies in the sub-6 GHz range (μ-Wave), the massive MIMO concept has been then progressively extended to the case in which mm-Wave frequencies are used. However, due to different propagation mechanisms in urban scenarios, the re-sulting MIMO channel models at μ-Wave and mm-Wave are radically different. Six key basic differences are pinpointed in this paper, along with the implications that they have on the architecture and algorithms of the communication transceivers and on the attainable performance in terms of reliability and multiplexing capabilities.

  14. Distinct mechanisms act in concert to mediate cell cycle arrest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toettcher, Jared E; Loewer, Alexander; Ostheimer, Gerard J; Yaffe, Michael B; Tidor, Bruce; Lahav, Galit

    2009-01-20

    In response to DNA damage, cells arrest at specific stages in the cell cycle. This arrest must fulfill at least 3 requirements: it must be activated promptly; it must be sustained as long as damage is present to prevent loss of genomic information; and after the arrest, cells must re-enter into the appropriate cell cycle phase to ensure proper ploidy. Multiple molecular mechanisms capable of arresting the cell cycle have been identified in mammalian cells; however, it is unknown whether each mechanism meets all 3 requirements or whether they act together to confer specific functions to the arrest. To address this question, we integrated mathematical models describing the cell cycle and the DNA damage signaling networks and tested the contributions of each mechanism to cell cycle arrest and re-entry. Predictions from this model were then tested with quantitative experiments to identify the combined action of arrest mechanisms in irradiated cells. We find that different arrest mechanisms serve indispensable roles in the proper cellular response to DNA damage over time: p53-independent cyclin inactivation confers immediate arrest, whereas p53-dependent cyclin downregulation allows this arrest to be sustained. Additionally, p21-mediated inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase activity is indispensable for preventing improper cell cycle re-entry and endoreduplication. This work shows that in a complex signaling network, seemingly redundant mechanisms, acting in a concerted fashion, can achieve a specific cellular outcome.

  15. Activation Mechanism of LRRK2 and Its Cellular Functions in Parkinson's Disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rosenbusch, Katharina E.; Kortholt, Arjan

    2016-01-01

    Human LRRK2 (Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2) has been associated with both familial and idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Although several LRRK2 mediated pathways and interaction partners have been identified, the cellular functions of LRRK2 and LRRK2 mediated progression of PD are still only

  16. Inter-cellular transport of ran GTPase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deepak Khuperkar

    Full Text Available Ran, a member of the Ras-GTPase superfamily, has a well-established role in regulating the transport of macromolecules across the nuclear envelope (NE. Ran has also been implicated in mitosis, cell cycle progression, and NE formation. Over-expression of Ran is associated with various cancers, although the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon is unclear. Serendipitously, we found that Ran possesses the ability to move from cell-to-cell when transiently expressed in mammalian cells. Moreover, we show that the inter-cellular transport of Ran is GTP-dependent. Importantly, Ran displays a similar distribution pattern in the recipient cells as that in the donor cell and co-localizes with the Ran binding protein Nup358 (also called RanBP2. Interestingly, leptomycin B, an inhibitor of CRM1-mediated export, or siRNA mediated depletion of CRM1, significantly impaired the inter-cellular transport of Ran, suggesting a function for CRM1 in this process. These novel findings indicate a possible role for Ran beyond nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, with potential implications in inter-cellular communication and cancers.

  17. Lipopolysaccharide recognition, internalisation, signalling and other cellular effects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Diks, S. H.; van Deventer, S. J.; Peppelenbosch, M. P.

    2001-01-01

    Despite the importance of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in infection and inflammation, many aspects of LPS action remain poorly understood. Especially, the mechanisms by which cells recognise and react to endotoxins or endotoxin-containing particles and how cellular responses are translated

  18. Cellular 5G Access for Massive Internet of Things

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madueño, Germán Corrales; Pratas, Nuno; Stefanovic, Cedomir

    2017-01-01

    The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the paradigm of physical and virtual “things” that communicate and collaborate over the Internet, with minimal or no human intervention. There are multiple ways in which an IoT device can be connected to the Internet. Cellular technologies are seen as viable...... candidates in this respect, due to their maturity, worldwide availability and the use of reserved spectrum. However, current cellular systems are not well-equipped to efficiently and reliably support IoT traffic, particularly in the radio access part, as they are designed for low number of high......-rate connections and not for high number of low-rate IoT connections. In this chapter we outline the main features of the IoT traffic types, review operation of the current cellular access and provide some guidelines how to address its shortcomings and evolve it in order to support IoT services. However...

  19. Innovative cellular distance structures from polymeric and metallic threads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieczorek, F.; Trümper, W.; Cherif, C.

    2017-10-01

    Knitting allows a high individual adaptability of the geometry and properties of flat-knitted spacer fabrics. This offers advantages for the specific adjustment of the mechanical properties of innovative composites based on highly viscous matrix systems such as bone cement, elastomer or foam and cellular reinforcing structures made from e. g. polymeric monofilaments or metallic wires. The prerequisite is the availability of binding solutions for highly productive production of functional, cellular, self-stabilized spacer flat knitted fabrics as supporting and functionalized structures.

  20. Trojan-horse mechanism in the cellular uptake of silver nanoparticles verified by direct intra- and extracellular silver speciation analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsiao, I-Lun; Hsieh, Yi-Kong; Wang, Chu-Fang; Chen, I-Chieh; Huang, Yuh-Jeen

    2015-03-17

    The so-called "Trojan-horse" mechanism, in which nanoparticles are internalized within cells and then release high levels of toxic ions, has been proposed as a behavior in the cellular uptake of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs). While several reports claim to have proved this mechanism by measuring AgNPs and Ag ions (I) in cells, it cannot be fully proven without examining those two components in both intra- and extracellular media. In our study, we found that even though cells take up AgNPs similarly to (microglia (BV-2)) or more rapidly than (astrocyte (ALT)) Ag (I), the ratio of AgNPs to total Ag (AgNPs+Ag (I)) in both cells was lower than that in outside media. It could be explained that H2O2, a major intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), reacts with AgNPs to form more Ag (I). Moreover, the major speciation of Ag (I) in cells was Ag(cysteine) and Ag(cysteine)2, indicating the possible binding of monomer cysteine or vital thiol proteins/peptides to Ag ions. Evidence we found indicates that the Trojan-horse mechanism really exists.

  1. Early differential cell death and survival mechanisms initiate and contribute to the development of OPIDN: A study of molecular, cellular, and anatomical parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damodaran, T.V.; Attia, M.K.; Abou-Donia, M.B.

    2011-01-01

    analysis revealed that the order of severity of damage declines from the spino-cerebellar, ventral, and dorsal tract respectively, suggesting neuroanatomical specificity. Thus, early activation of cell death and cell survival processes may play significant role in the clinical progression and syndromic clinical feature presentation of OPIDN. -- Highlights: ► Multiple mechanisms of neurodegeneration were indicated in a study on OPIDN model. ► Altered expressions of BCL2 and GADD45 were recorded in various tissues of CNS. ► Multiple anomalous cellular (neuronal and astroglial) features were recorded. ► Anatomical specificity of the neurodegeneration was described.

  2. Cellular Therapeutics for Heart Failure: Focus on Mesenchymal Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amitabh C. Pandey

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Resulting from a various etiologies, the most notable remains ischemia; heart failure (HF manifests as the common end pathway of many cardiovascular processes and remains among the top causes for hospitalization and a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current pharmacologic treatment for HF utilizes pharmacologic agents to control symptoms and slow further deterioration; however, on a cellular level, in a patient with progressive disease, fibrosis and cardiac remodeling can continue leading to end-stage heart failure. Cellular therapeutics have risen as the new hope for an improvement in the treatment of HF. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs have gained popularity given their propensity of promoting endogenous cellular repair of a myriad of disease processes via paracrine signaling through expression of various cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules resulting in activation of signal transduction pathways. While the exact mechanism remains to be completely elucidated, this remains the primary mechanism identified to date. Recently, MSCs have been incorporated as the central focus in clinical trials investigating the role how MSCs can play in the treatment of HF. In this review, we focus on the characteristics of MSCs that give them a distinct edge as cellular therapeutics and present results of clinical trials investigating MSCs in the setting of ischemic HF.

  3. Cellular and Molecular Anesthesia: from Bench to Bedside

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Dabbagh

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Cellular and Molecular Anesthesia: from Bench to BedsideIn the current practice of anesthesia, each day, anesthesiologists deal with a great work: they use the cellular mechanisms of drug molecules to induce their desired effects for induction and maintenance of anesthesia to achieve appropriate tolerance of surgery and its pain, modulation of stress response, sedation needed for performing a variety of procedures, emergency anesthesia care, acute and chronic pain management or other everyday jobs of anesthesiologists during perioperative period.As a matter of fact, molecular anesthesia has been cited for more than 6 decades though in avery limited scale. In 1956, the molecular mechanisms of morphine and pethidine are described (1. Pauling in 1961 published an article in Science describing a molecular theorey for general anesthesia (2.In its report “the World in 2025”, Thomson Reuters has predicted clinical medicine would be the most active research front; while molecular biology has the 9th rank (3. But are we still practicing in clinic the same as today?In fact, the future trend of anesthesia is highly dependent on finding the novel cellular and molecular mechanisms and the possible interactions of the newly discovered molecules and inreraction mechanisms with organ systems. Today, we emphasize on the role of pharmacologists, physiologists, immunologists, anatomists, embryologists, geneticians, cellular medicine specialists, physicists and other basic science specialists; some very interesting examples are published in this volume of the Journal (4-7.However, changes that have well started now would “revolutionize” our daily practice during the next decade in such a way that it will change the basis of medicine: presumably we will have a new model medicine known as “personalized medicine” or “precision medicine”. In this approach, the content of each patient’s genes accompanied with his/her cellular and molecular analysis is

  4. Cellular Senescence: A Translational Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James L. Kirkland

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Cellular senescence entails essentially irreversible replicative arrest, apoptosis resistance, and frequently acquisition of a pro-inflammatory, tissue-destructive senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP. Senescent cells accumulate in various tissues with aging and at sites of pathogenesis in many chronic diseases and conditions. The SASP can contribute to senescence-related inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, stem cell dysfunction, aging phenotypes, chronic diseases, geriatric syndromes, and loss of resilience. Delaying senescent cell accumulation or reducing senescent cell burden is associated with delay, prevention, or alleviation of multiple senescence-associated conditions. We used a hypothesis-driven approach to discover pro-survival Senescent Cell Anti-apoptotic Pathways (SCAPs and, based on these SCAPs, the first senolytic agents, drugs that cause senescent cells to become susceptible to their own pro-apoptotic microenvironment. Several senolytic agents, which appear to alleviate multiple senescence-related phenotypes in pre-clinical models, are beginning the process of being translated into clinical interventions that could be transformative.

  5. Cellular ceramics made from porcelain tile polishing wastes: influence of sintering time; Ceramicas cellulares obtidas a partir de residuo de polimento de porcelanato: influencia do tempo de sinterizacao

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guimaraes, A.F.; Zanelatto, C.C.; Uggioni, E. [Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciuma, SC (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia de Materiais; Bernardin, A.M., E-mail: amb@unesc.ne [Servico Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial, Tijucas, SC (Brazil). Tecnologia em Ceramica

    2009-07-01

    This paper deals with the physical, microstructural and mechanical characterization of cellular ceramics made from porcelain polishing wastes, which were expanded by the bubble formation technique during the sintering process. The microstructure, linear expansion, bulk density (mercury immersion) and mechanical behavior (compressive strength) were determined to characterize the glass foam obtained. Moreover, the porcellaneous residue was characterized by chemical and phase analyses, particle size (laser diffraction) and thermal behavior. As a result, the higher the soaking time during heat treatment at 1200 deg C the lower the density obtained for the cellular ceramic due to CO{sub 2} expansion, and lower the mechanical strength of the samples. The microstructure shows spherical cells and completely closed pores, resulting in a cheap way to obtain low density material with adequate mechanical strength, avoiding the disposal of wastes from the ceramic industry. (author)

  6. New insights into the cellular mechanisms of plant growth at elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamage, Dananjali; Thompson, Michael; Sutherland, Mark; Hirotsu, Naoki; Makino, Amane; Seneweera, Saman

    2018-04-02

    Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]) significantly influences plant growth, development and biomass. Increased photosynthesis rate, together with lower stomatal conductance, have been identified as the key factors that stimulate plant growth at elevated [CO 2 ] (e[CO 2 ]). However, variations in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance alone cannot fully explain the dynamic changes in plant growth. Stimulation of photosynthesis at e[CO 2 ] is always associated with post-photosynthetic secondary metabolic processes that include carbon and nitrogen metabolism, cell cycle functions and hormonal regulation. Most studies have focused on photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in response to e[CO 2 ], despite the emerging evidence of e[CO 2 ]'s role in moderating secondary metabolism in plants. In this review, we briefly discuss the effects of e[CO 2 ] on photosynthesis and stomatal conductance and then focus on the changes in other cellular mechanisms and growth processes at e[CO 2 ] in relation to plant growth and development. Finally, knowledge gaps in understanding plant growth responses to e[CO 2 ] have been identified with the aim of improving crop productivity under a CO 2 rich atmosphere. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  7. Multiple post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in ferritin gene expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mattia, E.; Den Blaauwen, J.; Van Renswoude, J.; Ashwell, G.

    1989-01-01

    The authors have investigated the mechanisms involved in the regulation of ferritin biosynthesis in K562 human erythroleukemia cells during prolonged exposure to iron. They show that, upon addition of hemin (an efficient iron donor) to the cell culture, the rate of ferritin biosynthesis reaches a maximum after a few hours and then decreases. During a 24-hr incubation with the iron donor the concentrations of total ferritin heavy (H) and light (L) subunit mRNAs rise 2- to 5-fold and 2- to 3-fold, respectively, over the control values, while the amount of the protein increases 10- to 30-fold. The hemin-induced increment in ferritin subunit mRNA is not prevented by deferoxamine, suggesting that it is not directly mediated by chelatable iron. In vitro nuclear transcription analyses performed on nuclei isolated from control cells and cells grown in the presence of hemin indicate that the rates of synthesis of H- and L-subunit mRNAs remain constant. They conclude that iron-induced ferritin biosynthesis is governed by multiple post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. They propose that exposure of cells to iron leads to stabilization of ferritin mRNAs, in addition to activation and translation of stored H-and L-subunit mRNAs

  8. Multi-functionality Redefined with Colloidal Carotene Carbon Nanoparticles for Synchronized Chemical Imaging, Enriched Cellular Uptake and Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misra, Santosh K.; Mukherjee, Prabuddha; Chang, Huei-Huei; Tiwari, Saumya; Gryka, Mark; Bhargava, Rohit; Pan, Dipanjan

    2016-07-01

    Typically, multiplexing high nanoparticle uptake, imaging, and therapy requires careful integration of three different functions of a multiscale molecular-particle assembly. Here, we present a simpler approach to multiplexing by utilizing one component of the system for multiple functions. Specifically, we successfully synthesized and characterized colloidal carotene carbon nanoparticle (C3-NP), in which a single functional molecule served a threefold purpose. First, the presence of carotene moieties promoted the passage of the particle through the cell membrane and into the cells. Second, the ligand acted as a potent detrimental moiety for cancer cells and, finally, the ligands produced optical contrast for robust microscopic detection in complex cellular environments. In comparative tests, C3-NP were found to provide effective intracellular delivery that enables both robust detection at cellular and tissue level and presents significant therapeutic potential without altering the mechanism of intracellular action of β-carotene. Surface coating of C3 with phospholipid was used to generate C3-Lipocoat nanoparticles with further improved function and biocompatibility, paving the path to eventual in vivo studies.

  9. The nucleolus—guardian of cellular homeostasis and genome integrity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grummt, Ingrid

    2013-12-01

    All organisms sense and respond to conditions that stress their homeostasis by downregulating the synthesis of rRNA and ribosome biogenesis, thus designating the nucleolus as the central hub in coordinating the cellular stress response. One of the most intriguing roles of the nucleolus, long regarded as a mere ribosome-producing factory, is its participation in monitoring cellular stress signals and transmitting them to the RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription machinery. As rRNA synthesis is a most energy-consuming process, switching off transcription of rRNA genes is an effective way of saving the energy required to maintain cellular homeostasis during acute stress. The Pol I transcription machinery is the key convergence point that collects and integrates a vast array of information from cellular signaling cascades to regulate ribosome production which, in turn, guides cell growth and proliferation. This review focuses on the mechanisms that link cell physiology to rDNA silencing, a prerequisite for nucleolar integrity and cell survival.

  10. Coordination of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans with Wnt Signaling To Control Cellular Migrations and Positioning in Caenorhabditis elegans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saied-Santiago, Kristian; Townley, Robert A; Attonito, John D; da Cunha, Dayse S; Díaz-Balzac, Carlos A; Tecle, Eillen; Bülow, Hannes E

    2017-08-01

    Heparan sulfates (HS) are linear polysaccharides with complex modification patterns, which are covalently bound via conserved attachment sites to core proteins to form heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). HSPGs regulate many aspects of the development and function of the nervous system, including cell migration, morphology, and network connectivity. HSPGs function as cofactors for multiple signaling pathways, including the Wnt-signaling molecules and their Frizzled receptors. To investigate the functional interactions among the HSPG and Wnt networks, we conducted genetic analyses of each, and also between these networks using five cellular migrations in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans We find that HSPG core proteins act genetically in a combinatorial fashion dependent on the cellular contexts. Double mutant analyses reveal distinct redundancies among HSPGs for different migration events, and different cellular migrations require distinct heparan sulfate modification patterns. Our studies reveal that the transmembrane HSPG SDN-1/Syndecan functions within the migrating cell to promote cellular migrations, while the GPI-linked LON-2/Glypican functions cell nonautonomously to establish the final cellular position. Genetic analyses with the Wnt-signaling system show that (1) a given HSPG can act with different Wnts and Frizzled receptors, and that (2) a given Wnt/Frizzled pair acts with different HSPGs in a context-dependent manner. Lastly, we find that distinct HSPG and Wnt/Frizzled combinations serve separate functions to promote cellular migration and establish position of specific neurons. Our studies suggest that HSPGs use structurally diverse glycans in coordination with Wnt-signaling pathways to control multiple cellular behaviors, including cellular and axonal migrations and, cellular positioning. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

  11. Multiple environment single system quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (MESS-QM/MM) calculations. 1. Estimation of polarization energies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sodt, Alexander J; Mei, Ye; König, Gerhard; Tao, Peng; Steele, Ryan P; Brooks, Bernard R; Shao, Yihan

    2015-03-05

    In combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) free energy calculations, it is often advantageous to have a frozen geometry for the quantum mechanical (QM) region. For such multiple-environment single-system (MESS) cases, two schemes are proposed here for estimating the polarization energy: the first scheme, termed MESS-E, involves a Roothaan step extrapolation of the self-consistent field (SCF) energy; whereas the other scheme, termed MESS-H, employs a Newton-Raphson correction using an approximate inverse electronic Hessian of the QM region (which is constructed only once). Both schemes are extremely efficient, because the expensive Fock updates and SCF iterations in standard QM/MM calculations are completely avoided at each configuration. They produce reasonably accurate QM/MM polarization energies: MESS-E can predict the polarization energy within 0.25 kcal/mol in terms of the mean signed error for two of our test cases, solvated methanol and solvated β-alanine, using the M06-2X or ωB97X-D functionals; MESS-H can reproduce the polarization energy within 0.2 kcal/mol for these two cases and for the oxyluciferin-luciferase complex, if the approximate inverse electronic Hessians are constructed with sufficient accuracy.

  12. Cellular Clocks : Coupled Circadian Dispatch and Cell Division Cycles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Merrow, Martha; Roenneberg, Till

    2004-01-01

    Gating of cell division by the circadian clock is well known, yet its mechanism is little understood. Genetically tractable model systems have led to new hypotheses and questions concerning the coupling of these two cellular cycles.

  13. Thermo-kinetic mechanisms for grain boundary structure multiplicity, thermal instability and defect interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burbery, N.J.; Das, R.; Ferguson, W.G.

    2016-01-01

    Grain boundaries (GBs) provide a source and/or a sink for crystal defects and store elastic energy due to the non-uniform atomic bonding structure of the GB core. GB structures are thermodynamically driven to transition to the lowest energy configuration possible; however to date there has been little evidence to explain why specific GB structures have a low energy state. Furthermore, there is little quantitative demonstration of the significance of physical and GB structure characteristics on the GB energy, thermal stability, and the effect of temporary local GB structure transformations on defect interactions. This paper evaluates the defect interactions and structure stability of multiple Σ5(310) GB structures in bi-crystals of pure aluminium, and systematically investigates the features at 0 K to characterise multiple metastable structures. Structure stability is evaluated by utilising unstable vacancy defects to initiate GB transformations, and using nudged elastic band simulations to quantify this with the activation energy. The emission of stable vacancy defects from the ‘stable’ and metastable grain boundaries is also evaluated in the same manner. A detailed analysis of dislocation nucleation at the atomistic scale demonstrates that local transformations of GB structure between stable and metastable intermediates can provide a mechanism to accommodate the generation of crystal defects. Kinetic (time-dependent) effects that compete with energetic driving forces for structural transformations of GBs are shown to cause a significant effect on the activation properties that may exceed the influence of GB potential energy. The results demonstrate that GB structural multiplicity can be associated with the generation and absorption of dislocations and vacancies. This paper demonstrates the suitability of atomistic simulations coupled with nudged elastic band simulations to evaluate fundamental thermodynamic properties of pure FCC metals. Overall, this paper

  14. Thermo-kinetic mechanisms for grain boundary structure multiplicity, thermal instability and defect interactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burbery, N.J. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010 (New Zealand); Das, R., E-mail: r.das@auckland.ac.nz [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010 (New Zealand); Ferguson, W.G. [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010 (New Zealand)

    2016-08-15

    Grain boundaries (GBs) provide a source and/or a sink for crystal defects and store elastic energy due to the non-uniform atomic bonding structure of the GB core. GB structures are thermodynamically driven to transition to the lowest energy configuration possible; however to date there has been little evidence to explain why specific GB structures have a low energy state. Furthermore, there is little quantitative demonstration of the significance of physical and GB structure characteristics on the GB energy, thermal stability, and the effect of temporary local GB structure transformations on defect interactions. This paper evaluates the defect interactions and structure stability of multiple Σ5(310) GB structures in bi-crystals of pure aluminium, and systematically investigates the features at 0 K to characterise multiple metastable structures. Structure stability is evaluated by utilising unstable vacancy defects to initiate GB transformations, and using nudged elastic band simulations to quantify this with the activation energy. The emission of stable vacancy defects from the ‘stable’ and metastable grain boundaries is also evaluated in the same manner. A detailed analysis of dislocation nucleation at the atomistic scale demonstrates that local transformations of GB structure between stable and metastable intermediates can provide a mechanism to accommodate the generation of crystal defects. Kinetic (time-dependent) effects that compete with energetic driving forces for structural transformations of GBs are shown to cause a significant effect on the activation properties that may exceed the influence of GB potential energy. The results demonstrate that GB structural multiplicity can be associated with the generation and absorption of dislocations and vacancies. This paper demonstrates the suitability of atomistic simulations coupled with nudged elastic band simulations to evaluate fundamental thermodynamic properties of pure FCC metals. Overall, this paper

  15. Active joint mechanism driven by multiple actuators made of flexible bags: a proposal of dual structural actuator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimura, Hitoshi; Matsuzaki, Takuya; Kataoka, Mokutaro; Inou, Norio

    2013-01-01

    An actuator is required to change its speed and force depending on the situation. Using multiple actuators for one driving axis is one of the possible solutions; however, there is an associated problem of output power matching. This study proposes a new active joint mechanism using multiple actuators. Because the actuator is made of a flexible bag, it does not interfere with other actuators when it is depressurized. The proposed joint achieved coordinated motion of multiple actuators. This report also discusses a new actuator which has dual cylindrical structure. The cylinders are composed of flexible bags with different diameters. The joint torque is estimated based on the following factors: empirical formula for the flexible actuator torque, geometric relationship between the joint and the actuator, and the principle of virtual work. The prototype joint mechanism achieves coordinated motion of multiple actuators for one axis. With this motion, small inner actuator contributes high speed motion, whereas large outer actuator generates high torque. The performance of the prototype joint is examined by speed and torque measurements. The joint showed about 30% efficiency at 2.0 Nm load torque under 0.15 MPa air input.

  16. Differential Cellular Responses to Hedgehog Signalling in Vertebrates—What is the Role of Competence?

    OpenAIRE

    Clemens Kiecker; Anthony Graham; Malcolm Logan

    2016-01-01

    A surprisingly small number of signalling pathways generate a plethora of cellular responses ranging from the acquisition of multiple cell fates to proliferation, differentiation, morphogenesis and cell death. These diverse responses may be due to the dose-dependent activities of signalling factors, or to intrinsic differences in the response of cells to a given signal—a phenomenon called differential cellular competence. In this review, we focus on temporal and spatial differences in compete...

  17. Cellular ceramics made from porcelain tile polishing wastes: influence of sintering time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guimaraes, A.F.; Zanelatto, C.C.; Uggioni, E.; Bernardin, A.M.

    2009-01-01

    This paper deals with the physical, microstructural and mechanical characterization of cellular ceramics made from porcelain polishing wastes, which were expanded by the bubble formation technique during the sintering process. The microstructure, linear expansion, bulk density (mercury immersion) and mechanical behavior (compressive strength) were determined to characterize the glass foam obtained. Moreover, the porcellaneous residue was characterized by chemical and phase analyses, particle size (laser diffraction) and thermal behavior. As a result, the higher the soaking time during heat treatment at 1200 deg C the lower the density obtained for the cellular ceramic due to CO 2 expansion, and lower the mechanical strength of the samples. The microstructure shows spherical cells and completely closed pores, resulting in a cheap way to obtain low density material with adequate mechanical strength, avoiding the disposal of wastes from the ceramic industry. (author)

  18. The Toxicity of Nanoparticles Depends on Multiple Molecular and Physicochemical Mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yue-Wern Huang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Nanotechnology is an emerging discipline that studies matters at the nanoscale level. Eventually, the goal is to manipulate matters at the atomic level to serve mankind. One growing area in nanotechnology is biomedical applications, which involve disease management and the discovery of basic biological principles. In this review, we discuss characteristics of nanomaterials, with an emphasis on transition metal oxide nanoparticles that influence cytotoxicity. Identification of those properties may lead to the design of more efficient and safer nanosized products for various industrial purposes and provide guidance for assessment of human and environmental health risk. We then investigate biochemical and molecular mechanisms of cytotoxicity that include oxidative stress-induced cellular events and alteration of the pathways pertaining to intracellular calcium homeostasis. All the stresses lead to cell injuries and death. Furthermore, as exposure to nanoparticles results in deregulation of the cell cycle (i.e., interfering with cell proliferation, the change in cell number is a function of cell killing and the suppression of cell proliferation. Collectively, the review article provides insights into the complexity of nanotoxicology.

  19. Cellular Adhesion and Adhesion Molecules

    OpenAIRE

    SELLER, Zerrin

    2014-01-01

    In recent years, cell adhesion and cell adhesion molecules have been shown to be important for many normal biological processes, including embryonic cell migration, immune system functions and wound healing. It has also been shown that they contribute to the pathogenesis of a large number of common human disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and tumor cell metastasis in cancer. In this review, the basic mechanisms of cellular adhesion and the structural and functional features of adhes...

  20. Mathematical Modeling and Experimental Validation of Nanoemulsion-Based Drug Transport across Cellular Barriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadakia, Ekta; Shah, Lipa; Amiji, Mansoor M

    2017-07-01

    Nanoemulsions have shown potential in delivering drug across epithelial and endothelial cell barriers, which express efflux transporters. However, their transport mechanisms are not entirely understood. Our goal was to investigate the cellular permeability of nanoemulsion-encapsulated drugs and apply mathematical modeling to elucidate transport mechanisms and sensitive nanoemulsion attributes. Transport studies were performed in Caco-2 cells, using fish oil nanoemulsions and a model substrate, rhodamine-123. Permeability data was modeled using a semi-mechanistic approach, capturing the following cellular processes: endocytotic uptake of the nanoemulsion, release of rhodamine-123 from the nanoemulsion, efflux and passive permeability of rhodamine-123 in aqueous solution. Nanoemulsions not only improved the permeability of rhodamine-123, but were also less sensitive to efflux transporters. The model captured bidirectional permeability results and identified sensitive processes, such as the release of the nanoemulsion-encapsulated drug and cellular uptake of the nanoemulsion. Mathematical description of cellular processes, improved our understanding of transport mechanisms, such as nanoemulsions don't inhibit efflux to improve drug permeability. Instead, their endocytotic uptake, results in higher intracellular drug concentrations, thereby increasing the concentration gradient and transcellular permeability across biological barriers. Modeling results indicated optimizing nanoemulsion attributes like the droplet size and intracellular drug release rate, may further improve drug permeability.

  1. Capabilities and Limitations of Tissue Size Control through Passive Mechanical Forces.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jochen Kursawe

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Embryogenesis is an extraordinarily robust process, exhibiting the ability to control tissue size and repair patterning defects in the face of environmental and genetic perturbations. The size and shape of a developing tissue is a function of the number and size of its constituent cells as well as their geometric packing. How these cellular properties are coordinated at the tissue level to ensure developmental robustness remains a mystery; understanding this process requires studying multiple concurrent processes that make up morphogenesis, including the spatial patterning of cell fates and apoptosis, as well as cell intercalations. In this work, we develop a computational model that aims to understand aspects of the robust pattern repair mechanisms of the Drosophila embryonic epidermal tissues. Size control in this system has previously been shown to rely on the regulation of apoptosis rather than proliferation; however, to date little work has been done to understand the role of cellular mechanics in this process. We employ a vertex model of an embryonic segment to test hypotheses about the emergence of this size control. Comparing the model to previously published data across wild type and genetic perturbations, we show that passive mechanical forces suffice to explain the observed size control in the posterior (P compartment of a segment. However, observed asymmetries in cell death frequencies across the segment are demonstrated to require patterning of cellular properties in the model. Finally, we show that distinct forms of mechanical regulation in the model may be distinguished by differences in cell shapes in the P compartment, as quantified through experimentally accessible summary statistics, as well as by the tissue recoil after laser ablation experiments.

  2. Production, properties, and applications of hydrocolloid cellular solids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nussinovitch, Amos

    2005-02-01

    Many common synthetic and edible materials are, in fact, cellular solids. When classifying the structure of cellular solids, a few variables, such as open vs. closed cells, flexible vs. brittle cell walls, cell-size distribution, cell-wall thickness, cell shape, the uniformity of the structure of the cellular solid and the different scales of length are taken into account. Compressive stress-strain relationships of most cellular solids can be easily identified according to their characteristic sigmoid shape, reflecting three deformation mechanisms: (i) elastic distortion under small strains, (ii) collapse and/or fracture of the cell walls, and (iii) densification. Various techniques are used to produce hydrocolloid (gum) cellular solids. The products of these include (i) sponges, obtained when the drying gel contains the occasionally produced gas bubbles; (ii) sponges produced by the immobilization of microorganisms; (iii) solid foams produced by drying foamed solutions or gels containing oils, and (iv) hydrocolloid sponges produced by enzymatic reactions. The porosity of the manufactured cellular solid is subject to change and depends on its composition and the processing technique. The porosity is controlled by a range of methods and the resulting surface structures can be investigated by microscopy and analyzed using fractal methods. Models used to describe stress-strain behaviors of hydrocolloid cellular solids as well as multilayered products and composites are discussed in detail in this manuscript. Hydrocolloid cellular solids have numerous purposes, simple and complex, ranging from dried texturized fruits to carriers of vitamins and other essential micronutrients. They can also be used to control the acoustic response of specific dry food products, and have a great potential for future use in countless different fields, from novel foods and packaging to medicine and medical care, daily commodities, farming and agriculture, and the environmental, chemical

  3. Combinatorial approaches to evaluate nanodiamond uptake and induced cellular fate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eldawud, Reem; Reitzig, Manuela; Opitz, Jörg; Rojansakul, Yon; Jiang, Wenjuan; Nangia, Shikha; Zoica Dinu, Cerasela

    2016-02-01

    Nanodiamonds (NDs) are an emerging class of engineered nanomaterials that hold great promise for the next generation of bionanotechnological products to be used for drug and gene delivery, or for bio-imaging and biosensing. Previous studies have shown that upon their cellular uptake, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility in various in vitro and in vivo set-ups. Herein we hypothesized that the increased NDs biocompatibility is a result of minimum membrane perturbations and their reduced ability to induce disruption or damage during cellular translocation. Using multi-scale combinatorial approaches that simulate ND-membrane interactions, we correlated NDs real-time cellular uptake and kinetics with the ND-induced membrane fluctuations to derive energy requirements for the uptake to occur. Our discrete and real-time analyses showed that the majority of NDs internalization occurs within 2 h of cellular exposure, however, with no effects on cellular viability, proliferation or cellular behavior. Furthermore, our simulation analyses using coarse-grained models identified key changes in the energy profile, membrane deformation and recovery time, all functions of the average ND or ND-based agglomerate size. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for ND-cell membrane interactions could possibly advance their implementation in various biomedical applications.

  4. Combinatorial approaches to evaluate nanodiamond uptake and induced cellular fate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eldawud, Reem; Reitzig, Manuela; Opitz, Jörg; Rojansakul, Yon; Jiang, Wenjuan; Nangia, Shikha; Dinu, Cerasela Zoica

    2016-01-01

    Nanodiamonds (NDs) are an emerging class of engineered nanomaterials that hold great promise for the next generation of bionanotechnological products to be used for drug and gene delivery, or for bio-imaging and biosensing. Previous studies have shown that upon their cellular uptake, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility in various in vitro and in vivo set-ups. Herein we hypothesized that the increased NDs biocompatibility is a result of minimum membrane perturbations and their reduced ability to induce disruption or damage during cellular translocation. Using multi-scale combinatorial approaches that simulate ND-membrane interactions, we correlated NDs real-time cellular uptake and kinetics with the ND-induced membrane fluctuations to derive energy requirements for the uptake to occur. Our discrete and real-time analyses showed that the majority of NDs internalization occurs within 2 h of cellular exposure, however, with no effects on cellular viability, proliferation or cellular behavior. Furthermore, our simulation analyses using coarse-grained models identified key changes in the energy profile, membrane deformation and recovery time, all functions of the average ND or ND-based agglomerate size. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for ND-cell membrane interactions could possibly advance their implementation in various biomedical applications. PMID:26820775

  5. Combinatorial approaches to evaluate nanodiamond uptake and induced cellular fate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eldawud, Reem; Dinu, Cerasela Zoica; Reitzig, Manuela; Opitz, Jörg; Rojansakul, Yon; Jiang, Wenjuan; Nangia, Shikha

    2016-01-01

    Nanodiamonds (NDs) are an emerging class of engineered nanomaterials that hold great promise for the next generation of bionanotechnological products to be used for drug and gene delivery, or for bio-imaging and biosensing. Previous studies have shown that upon their cellular uptake, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility in various in vitro and in vivo set-ups. Herein we hypothesized that the increased NDs biocompatibility is a result of minimum membrane perturbations and their reduced ability to induce disruption or damage during cellular translocation. Using multi-scale combinatorial approaches that simulate ND-membrane interactions, we correlated NDs real-time cellular uptake and kinetics with the ND-induced membrane fluctuations to derive energy requirements for the uptake to occur. Our discrete and real-time analyses showed that the majority of NDs internalization occurs within 2 h of cellular exposure, however, with no effects on cellular viability, proliferation or cellular behavior. Furthermore, our simulation analyses using coarse-grained models identified key changes in the energy profile, membrane deformation and recovery time, all functions of the average ND or ND-based agglomerate size. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for ND-cell membrane interactions could possibly advance their implementation in various biomedical applications. (paper)

  6. Combinatorial approaches to evaluate nanodiamond uptake and induced cellular fate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eldawud, Reem; Reitzig, Manuela; Opitz, Jörg; Rojansakul, Yon; Jiang, Wenjuan; Nangia, Shikha; Dinu, Cerasela Zoica

    2016-02-26

    Nanodiamonds (NDs) are an emerging class of engineered nanomaterials that hold great promise for the next generation of bionanotechnological products to be used for drug and gene delivery, or for bio-imaging and biosensing. Previous studies have shown that upon their cellular uptake, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility in various in vitro and in vivo set-ups. Herein we hypothesized that the increased NDs biocompatibility is a result of minimum membrane perturbations and their reduced ability to induce disruption or damage during cellular translocation. Using multi-scale combinatorial approaches that simulate ND-membrane interactions, we correlated NDs real-time cellular uptake and kinetics with the ND-induced membrane fluctuations to derive energy requirements for the uptake to occur. Our discrete and real-time analyses showed that the majority of NDs internalization occurs within 2 h of cellular exposure, however, with no effects on cellular viability, proliferation or cellular behavior. Furthermore, our simulation analyses using coarse-grained models identified key changes in the energy profile, membrane deformation and recovery time, all functions of the average ND or ND-based agglomerate size. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for ND-cell membrane interactions could possibly advance their implementation in various biomedical applications.

  7. Identification of Characteristic Macromolecules of Escherichia coli Genotypes by Atomic Force Microscope Nanoscale Mechanical Mapping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Alice Chinghsuan; Liu, Bernard Haochih

    2018-02-01

    The categorization of microbial strains is conventionally based on the molecular method, and seldom are the morphological characteristics in the bacterial strains studied. In this research, we revealed the macromolecular structures of the bacterial surface via AFM mechanical mapping, whose resolution was not only determined by the nanoscale tip size but also the mechanical properties of the specimen. This technique enabled the nanoscale study of membranous structures of microbial strains with simple specimen preparation and flexible working environments, which overcame the multiple restrictions in electron microscopy and label-enable biochemical analytical methods. The characteristic macromolecules located among cellular surface were considered as surface layer proteins and were found to be specific to the Escherichia coli genotypes, from which the averaged molecular sizes were characterized with diameters ranging from 38 to 66 nm, and the molecular shapes were kidney-like or round. In conclusion, the surface macromolecular structures have unique characteristics that link to the E. coli genotype, which suggests that the genomic effects on cellular morphologies can be rapidly identified using AFM mechanical mapping. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  8. Structural, biochemical, cellular, and functional changes in skeletal muscle extracellular matrix with aging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kragstrup, Tue Wenzel; Kjaer, M; Mackey, A L

    2011-01-01

    The extracellular matrix (ECM) of skeletal muscle is critical for force transmission and for the passive elastic response of skeletal muscle. Structural, biochemical, cellular, and functional changes in skeletal muscle ECM contribute to the deterioration in muscle mechanical properties with aging......-links and a buildup of advanced glycation end-product cross-links. Altered mechanotransduction, poorer activation of satellite cells, poorer chemotactic and delayed inflammatory responses, and a change in modulators of the ECM are important cellular changes. It is possible that the structural and biochemical changes...... in skeletal muscle ECM contribute to the increased stiffness and impairment in force generated by the contracting muscle fibers seen with aging. The cellular interactions provide and potentially coordinate an adaptation to mechanical loading and ensure successful regeneration after muscle injury. Some...

  9. HPV integration hijacks and multimerizes a cellular enhancer to generate a viral-cellular super-enhancer that drives high viral oncogene expression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redmond, Catherine J.; Dooley, Katharine E.; Fu, Haiqing; Gillison, Maura L.; Akagi, Keiko; Symer, David E.; Aladjem, Mirit I.

    2018-01-01

    Integration of human papillomavirus (HPV) genomes into cellular chromatin is common in HPV-associated cancers. Integration is random, and each site is unique depending on how and where the virus integrates. We recently showed that tandemly integrated HPV16 could result in the formation of a super-enhancer-like element that drives transcription of the viral oncogenes. Here, we characterize the chromatin landscape and genomic architecture of this integration locus to elucidate the mechanisms that promoted de novo super-enhancer formation. Using next-generation sequencing and molecular combing/fiber-FISH, we show that ~26 copies of HPV16 are integrated into an intergenic region of chromosome 2p23.2, interspersed with 25 kb of amplified, flanking cellular DNA. This interspersed, co-amplified viral-host pattern is frequent in HPV-associated cancers and here we designate it as Type III integration. An abundant viral-cellular fusion transcript encoding the viral E6/E7 oncogenes is expressed from the integration locus and the chromatin encompassing both the viral enhancer and a region in the adjacent amplified cellular sequences is strongly enriched in the super-enhancer markers H3K27ac and Brd4. Notably, the peak in the amplified cellular sequence corresponds to an epithelial-cell-type specific enhancer. Thus, HPV16 integration generated a super-enhancer-like element composed of tandem interspersed copies of the viral upstream regulatory region and a cellular enhancer, to drive high levels of oncogene expression. PMID:29364907

  10. Controlled cellular energy conversion in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horowitz, J. M.; Plant, R. E.

    1978-01-01

    Brown adipose tissue serves as a model system for nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) since a) it has as a primary physiological function the conversion of chemical energy to heat; and b) preliminary data from other tissues involved in NST (e.g., muscle) indicate that parallel mechanisms may be involved. Now that biochemical pathways have been proposed for brown fat thermogenesis, cellular models consistent with a thermodynamic representation can be formulated. Stated concisely, the thermogenic mechanism in a brown fat cell can be considered as an energy converter involving a sequence of cellular events controlled by signals over the autonomic nervous system. A thermodynamic description for NST is developed in terms of a nonisothermal system under steady-state conditions using network thermodynamics. Pathways simulated include mitochondrial ATP synthesis, a Na+/K+ membrane pump, and ionic diffusion through the adipocyte membrane.

  11. A statistical model of uplink inter-cell interference with slow and fast power control mechanisms

    KAUST Repository

    Tabassum, Hina; Yilmaz, Ferkan; Dawy, Zaher; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

    2013-01-01

    Uplink power control is in essence an interference mitigation technique that aims at minimizing the inter-cell interference (ICI) in cellular networks by reducing the transmit power levels of the mobile users while maintaining their target received signal quality levels at base stations. Power control mechanisms directly impact the interference dynamics and, thus, affect the overall achievable capacity and consumed power in cellular networks. Due to the stochastic nature of wireless channels and mobile users' locations, it is important to derive theoretical models for ICI that can capture the impact of design alternatives related to power control mechanisms. To this end, we derive and verify a novel statistical model for uplink ICI in Generalized-K composite fading environments as a function of various slow and fast power control mechanisms. The derived expressions are then utilized to quantify numerically key network performance metrics that include average resource fairness, average reduction in power consumption, and ergodic capacity. The accuracy of the derived expressions is validated via Monte-Carlo simulations. Results are generated for multiple network scenarios, and insights are extracted to assess various power control mechanisms as a function of system parameters. © 1972-2012 IEEE.

  12. A statistical model of uplink inter-cell interference with slow and fast power control mechanisms

    KAUST Repository

    Tabassum, Hina

    2013-09-01

    Uplink power control is in essence an interference mitigation technique that aims at minimizing the inter-cell interference (ICI) in cellular networks by reducing the transmit power levels of the mobile users while maintaining their target received signal quality levels at base stations. Power control mechanisms directly impact the interference dynamics and, thus, affect the overall achievable capacity and consumed power in cellular networks. Due to the stochastic nature of wireless channels and mobile users\\' locations, it is important to derive theoretical models for ICI that can capture the impact of design alternatives related to power control mechanisms. To this end, we derive and verify a novel statistical model for uplink ICI in Generalized-K composite fading environments as a function of various slow and fast power control mechanisms. The derived expressions are then utilized to quantify numerically key network performance metrics that include average resource fairness, average reduction in power consumption, and ergodic capacity. The accuracy of the derived expressions is validated via Monte-Carlo simulations. Results are generated for multiple network scenarios, and insights are extracted to assess various power control mechanisms as a function of system parameters. © 1972-2012 IEEE.

  13. FIH Regulates Cellular Metabolism through Hydroxylation of the Deubiquitinase OTUB1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carsten C Scholz

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The asparagine hydroxylase, factor inhibiting HIF (FIH, confers oxygen-dependence upon the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF, a master regulator of the cellular adaptive response to hypoxia. Studies investigating whether asparagine hydroxylation is a general regulatory oxygen-dependent modification have identified multiple non-HIF targets for FIH. However, the functional consequences of this outside of the HIF pathway remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the deubiquitinase ovarian tumor domain containing ubiquitin aldehyde binding protein 1 (OTUB1 is a substrate for hydroxylation by FIH on N22. Mutation of N22 leads to a profound change in the interaction of OTUB1 with proteins important in cellular metabolism. Furthermore, in cultured cells, overexpression of N22A mutant OTUB1 impairs cellular metabolic processes when compared to wild type. Based on these data, we hypothesize that OTUB1 is a target for functional hydroxylation by FIH. Additionally, we propose that our results provide new insight into the regulation of cellular energy metabolism during hypoxic stress and the potential for targeting hydroxylases for therapeutic benefit.

  14. IGF-I enhances cellular senescence via the reactive oxygen species-p53 pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Handayaningsih, Anastasia-Evi; Takahashi, Michiko; Fukuoka, Hidenori; Iguchi, Genzo; Nishizawa, Hitoshi; Yamamoto, Masaaki; Suda, Kentaro [Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe (Japan); Takahashi, Yutaka, E-mail: takahash@med.kobe-u.ac.jp [Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe (Japan)

    2012-08-24

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cellular senescence plays an important role in tumorigenesis and aging process. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We demonstrated IGF-I enhanced cellular senescence in primary confluent cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer IGF-I enhanced cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer These results may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging. -- Abstract: Cellular senescence is characterized by growth arrest, enlarged and flattened cell morphology, the expression of senescence-associated {beta}-galactosidase (SA-{beta}-gal), and by activation of tumor suppressor networks. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) plays a critical role in cellular growth, proliferation, tumorigenesis, and regulation of aging. In the present study, we show that IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in mouse, rat, and human primary cells in the confluent state. IGF-I induced expression of a DNA damage marker, {gamma}H2AX, the increased levels of p53 and p21 proteins, and activated SA-{beta}-gal. In the confluent state, an altered downstream signaling of IGF-I receptor was observed. Treatment with a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, N-acetylcystein (NAC) significantly suppressed induction of these markers, indicating that ROS are involved in the induction of cellular senescence by IGF-I. In p53-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts, the IGF-I-induced augmentation of SA-{beta}-gal and p21 was inhibited, demonstrating that p53 is required for cellular senescence induced by IGF-I. Thus, these data reveal a novel pathway whereby IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner and may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging.

  15. IGF-I enhances cellular senescence via the reactive oxygen species–p53 pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Handayaningsih, Anastasia-Evi; Takahashi, Michiko; Fukuoka, Hidenori; Iguchi, Genzo; Nishizawa, Hitoshi; Yamamoto, Masaaki; Suda, Kentaro; Takahashi, Yutaka

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Cellular senescence plays an important role in tumorigenesis and aging process. ► We demonstrated IGF-I enhanced cellular senescence in primary confluent cells. ► IGF-I enhanced cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner. ► These results may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging. -- Abstract: Cellular senescence is characterized by growth arrest, enlarged and flattened cell morphology, the expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), and by activation of tumor suppressor networks. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) plays a critical role in cellular growth, proliferation, tumorigenesis, and regulation of aging. In the present study, we show that IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in mouse, rat, and human primary cells in the confluent state. IGF-I induced expression of a DNA damage marker, γH2AX, the increased levels of p53 and p21 proteins, and activated SA-β-gal. In the confluent state, an altered downstream signaling of IGF-I receptor was observed. Treatment with a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, N-acetylcystein (NAC) significantly suppressed induction of these markers, indicating that ROS are involved in the induction of cellular senescence by IGF-I. In p53-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts, the IGF-I-induced augmentation of SA-β-gal and p21 was inhibited, demonstrating that p53 is required for cellular senescence induced by IGF-I. Thus, these data reveal a novel pathway whereby IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner and may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging.

  16. Cytokine modulation by glucocorticoids: mechanisms and actions in cellular studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brattsand, R; Linden, M

    1996-01-01

    cascades, this means that steroid treatment can block expression of the subsequent cytokines. The blocked cytokine activity does not depend on a reduced cytokine receptor expression; in fact available in vitro investigations show that while the cytokine expression is blunted, its receptor is upregulated. The cellular studies presented here may represent the maximum potential of steroids to modulate cytokine expression in human mononuclear cells. It remains to be determined by clinical-experimental studies how effective cytokine modulation can be achieved in situ in inflamed bowel by systemic or by topical steroid therapy. Such studies may also answer whether a blocked cytokine production/action is the key or just a secondary mechanism behind the unique efficacy of steroids in active inflammatory bowel disease.

  17. Fungicidal Drugs Induce a Common Oxidative-Damage Cellular Death Pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Belenky

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Amphotericin, miconazole, and ciclopirox are antifungal agents from three different drug classes that can effectively kill planktonic yeast, yet their complete fungicidal mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we employ a systems biology approach to identify a common oxidative-damage cellular death pathway triggered by these representative fungicides in Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This mechanism utilizes a signaling cascade involving the GTPases Ras1 and Ras2 and protein kinase A, and it culminates in death through the production of toxic reactive oxygen species in a tricarboxylic-acid-cycle- and respiratory-chain-dependent manner. We also show that the metabolome of C. albicans is altered by antifungal drug treatment, exhibiting a shift from fermentation to respiration, a jump in the AMP/ATP ratio, and elevated production of sugars; this coincides with elevated mitochondrial activity. Lastly, we demonstrate that DNA damage plays a critical role in antifungal-induced cellular death and that blocking DNA-repair mechanisms potentiates fungicidal activity.

  18. Adaptive pressure-controlled cellular structures for shape morphing: II. Numerical and experimental validation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Quantian; Tong, Liyong

    2013-01-01

    This part presents finite element analysis to verify the present formulations on mechanics of the pressurized cellular structures derived in Part I and experimental testing for a pressurized cellular actuator to demonstrate feasibility and realization of the proposed pressurized cellular structures. Linear and nonlinear finite element analyses are implemented in a commercial finite element analysis package and the numerical results are compared with those of the novel formulations given in Part I. A pressurized cellular structure specimen with 3 cells is fabricated and tested. The fabricated 3-cell cellular structure is capable of yielding a free actuation strain of around 24%. The measured pressure-induced displacement and blocking force compare favorably with the numerical results predicted by the finite element analysis and analytical formulations. (paper)

  19. Shape morphing Kirigami mechanical metamaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neville, Robin M; Scarpa, Fabrizio; Pirrera, Alberto

    2016-08-05

    Mechanical metamaterials exhibit unusual properties through the shape and movement of their engineered subunits. This work presents a new investigation of the Poisson's ratios of a family of cellular metamaterials based on Kirigami design principles. Kirigami is the art of cutting and folding paper to obtain 3D shapes. This technique allows us to create cellular structures with engineered cuts and folds that produce large shape and volume changes, and with extremely directional, tuneable mechanical properties. We demonstrate how to produce these structures from flat sheets of composite materials. By a combination of analytical models and numerical simulations we show how these Kirigami cellular metamaterials can change their deformation characteristics. We also demonstrate the potential of using these classes of mechanical metamaterials for shape change applications like morphing structures.

  20. Multiple regulatory systems coordinate DNA replication with cell growth in Bacillus subtilis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heath Murray

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In many bacteria the rate of DNA replication is linked with cellular physiology to ensure that genome duplication is coordinated with growth. Nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation has been appreciated for decades, however the mechanism(s that connects these cell cycle activities has eluded understanding. In order to help address this fundamental question we have investigated regulation of DNA replication in the model organism Bacillus subtilis. Contrary to the prevailing view we find that changes in DnaA protein level are not sufficient to account for nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation, although this regulation does require both DnaA and the endogenous replication origin. We go on to report connections between DNA replication and several essential cellular activities required for rapid bacterial growth, including respiration, central carbon metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, phospholipid synthesis, and protein synthesis. Unexpectedly, the results indicate that multiple regulatory systems are involved in coordinating DNA replication with cell physiology, with some of the regulatory systems targeting oriC while others act in a oriC-independent manner. We propose that distinct regulatory systems are utilized to control DNA replication in response to diverse physiological and chemical changes.

  1. Multiple Regulatory Systems Coordinate DNA Replication with Cell Growth in Bacillus subtilis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Heath; Koh, Alan

    2014-01-01

    In many bacteria the rate of DNA replication is linked with cellular physiology to ensure that genome duplication is coordinated with growth. Nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation has been appreciated for decades, however the mechanism(s) that connects these cell cycle activities has eluded understanding. In order to help address this fundamental question we have investigated regulation of DNA replication in the model organism Bacillus subtilis. Contrary to the prevailing view we find that changes in DnaA protein level are not sufficient to account for nutrient-mediated growth rate control of DNA replication initiation, although this regulation does require both DnaA and the endogenous replication origin. We go on to report connections between DNA replication and several essential cellular activities required for rapid bacterial growth, including respiration, central carbon metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, phospholipid synthesis, and protein synthesis. Unexpectedly, the results indicate that multiple regulatory systems are involved in coordinating DNA replication with cell physiology, with some of the regulatory systems targeting oriC while others act in a oriC-independent manner. We propose that distinct regulatory systems are utilized to control DNA replication in response to diverse physiological and chemical changes. PMID:25340815

  2. Light Weight Biomorphous Cellular Ceramics from Cellulose Templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Mrityunjay; Yee, Bo-Moon; Gray, Hugh R. (Technical Monitor)

    2003-01-01

    Bimorphous ceramics are a new class of materials that can be fabricated from the cellulose templates derived from natural biopolymers. These biopolymers are abundantly available in nature and are produced by the photosynthesis process. The wood cellulose derived carbon templates have three- dimensional interconnectivity. A wide variety of non-oxide and oxide based ceramics have been fabricated by template conversion using infiltration and reaction-based processes. The cellular anatomy of the cellulose templates plays a key role in determining the processing parameters (pyrolysis, infiltration conditions, etc.) and resulting ceramic materials. The processing approach, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the biomorphous cellular ceramics (silicon carbide and oxide based) have been discussed.

  3. AFM studies of environmental effects on nanomechanical properties and cellular structure of human hair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhushan, Bharat; Chen, Nianhuan

    2006-01-01

    Characterization of cellular structure and physical and mechanical properties of hair are essential to develop better cosmetic products and advance biological and cosmetic science. Although the morphology of the cellular structure of human hair has been traditionally investigated using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, these techniques provide limited capability to in situ study of the physical and mechanical properties of human hair in various environments. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) overcomes these problems and can be used for characterization in ambient conditions without requiring specific sample preparations and surface treatment. In this study, film thickness, adhesive forces and effective Young's modulus of various hair surfaces were measured at different environments (humidity and temperature) using force calibration plot technique with an AFM. Torsional resonance mode phase contrast images were also taken in order to characterize the morphology and cellular structure changes of human hair at different humidity. The correlation between the nanomechanical properties and the cellular structure of hair is discussed

  4. Cellular metabolic responses of the marine diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries associated with cell wall formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Bin; Luo, Chun-Shan; Liang, Jun-Rong; Chen, Dan-Dan; Zhuo, Wen-Hao; Gao, Ya-Hui; Chen, Chang-Ping; Song, Si-Si

    2014-08-01

    In this study a comparative proteomics approach involving a mass spectrometric analysis of synchronized cells was employed to investigate the cellular-level metabolic mechanisms associated with siliceous cell wall formation in the pennate diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries. Cultures of P. multiseries were synchronized using the silicate limitation method. Approximately 75% of cells were arrested at the G2+M phase of the cell cycle after 48 h of silicate starvation. The majority of cells progressed to new valve synthesis within 5h of silicon replenishment. We compared the proteome of P. multiseries at 0, 4, 5, and 6h of synchronization progress upon silicon replenishment using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Forty-eight differentially expressed protein spots were identified in abundance (greater than two-fold change; Pwall formation. The proteomic profile analysis suggests that P. multiseries most likely employs multiple synergistic biochemical mechanisms for cell wall formation. These results improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying silicon cell wall formation and enhance our understanding of the important role played by diatoms in silicon biogeochemical cycling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 integration targeting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelman, Alan N; Singh, Parmit K

    2018-07-01

    Integration is central to HIV-1 replication and helps mold the reservoir of cells that persists in AIDS patients. HIV-1 interacts with specific cellular factors to target integration to interior regions of transcriptionally active genes within gene-dense regions of chromatin. The viral capsid interacts with several proteins that are additionally implicated in virus nuclear import, including cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 6, to suppress integration into heterochromatin. The viral integrase protein interacts with transcriptional co-activator lens epithelium-derived growth factor p75 to principally position integration within gene bodies. The integrase additionally senses target DNA distortion and nucleotide sequence to help fine-tune the specific phosphodiester bonds that are cleaved at integration sites. Research into virus-host interactions that underlie HIV-1 integration targeting has aided the development of a novel class of integrase inhibitors and may help to improve the safety of viral-based gene therapy vectors.

  6. The role of the Parkinson's disease gene PARK9 in essential cellular pathways and the manganese homeostasis network in yeast.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra Chesi

    Full Text Available YPK9 (Yeast PARK9; also known as YOR291W is a non-essential yeast gene predicted by sequence to encode a transmembrane P-type transport ATPase. However, its substrate specificity is unknown. Mutations in the human homolog of YPK9, ATP13A2/PARK9, have been linked to genetic forms of early onset parkinsonism. We previously described a strong genetic interaction between Ypk9 and another Parkinson's disease (PD protein α-synuclein in multiple model systems, and a role for Ypk9 in manganese detoxification in yeast. In humans, environmental exposure to toxic levels of manganese causes a syndrome similar to PD and is thus an environmental risk factor for the disease. How manganese contributes to neurodegeneration is poorly understood. Here we describe multiple genome-wide screens in yeast aimed at defining the cellular function of Ypk9 and the mechanisms by which it protects cells from manganese toxicity. In physiological conditions, we found that Ypk9 genetically interacts with essential genes involved in cellular trafficking and the cell cycle. Deletion of Ypk9 sensitizes yeast cells to exposure to excess manganese. Using a library of non-essential gene deletions, we screened for additional genes involved in tolerance to excess manganese exposure, discovering several novel pathways involved in manganese homeostasis. We defined the dependence of the deletion strain phenotypes in the presence of manganese on Ypk9, and found that Ypk9 deletion modifies the manganese tolerance of only a subset of strains. These results confirm a role for Ypk9 in manganese homeostasis and illuminates cellular pathways and biological processes in which Ypk9 likely functions.

  7. Penetration of sulfur hexafluoride into cellular polypropylene films and its effect on the electric charging and electromechanical response of ferroelectrets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiu Xunlin; Wegener, Michael; Wirges, Werner; Zhang Xiaoqing; Hillenbrand, Joachim; Xia Zhongfu; Gerhard-Multhaupt, Reimund; Sessler, Gerhard M

    2005-01-01

    Cellular polypropylene (PP) films were treated with sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) gas in order to study the SF 6 penetration behaviour and optimize the electric charging conditions. There were differences in the penetration of SF 6 for different cellular PP materials, depending on the microscopic properties, which manifest themselves in the voided structure as well as in the mechanical stiffnesses of the cellular films. The penetration of SF 6 after long-term pressure treatment is confirmed in strongly inflated cellular PP films with a low mechanical stiffness of about 1 MPa. No SF 6 penetration occurs for slightly inflated cellular PP films with smaller void sizes and higher mechanical stiffnesses of around 5.8 MPa. The observed thickness variations, the higher charging fields during corona charging because of SF 6 penetration and the SF 6 environment, as well as the resulting electromechanical properties are discussed

  8. The auxetic behavior of an expanded periodic cellular structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciolan, Mihaela A.; Lache, Simona; Velea, Marian N.

    2018-02-01

    Within nowadays research, when it comes to lightweight sandwich panels, periodic cellular structures are considered real trendsetters. One of the most used type of core in producing sandwich panels is the honeycomb. However, due to its relatively high manufacturing cost, this structure has limited applications; therefore, research has been carried out in order to develop alternative solutions. An example in this sense is the ExpaAsym cellular structure, developed at the Transilvania University of Braşov; it represents a periodic cellular structure manufactured through a mechanically expansion process of a previously cut and perforated sheet material. The relative density of the structure was proven to be significantly lower than the one of the honeycomb. This gives a great advantage to the structure, due to the fact that when the internal angle A of the unit cell is 60°, after the mechanical expansion it results a hexagonal structure. The main objective of this paper is to estimate the in-plane Poisson ratios of the structure, in terms of its geometrical parameters. It is therefore analytically shown that for certain values of the geometric parameters, the in-plane Poisson ratios have negative values when the internal angle exceeds 90°, which determines its auxetic behavior.

  9. Biomechanical, microvascular, and cellular factors promote muscle and bone regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duda, Georg N; Taylor, William R; Winkler, Tobias; Matziolis, Georg; Heller, Markus O; Haas, Norbert P; Perka, Carsten; Schaser, Klaus-D

    2008-04-01

    It is becoming clear that the long-term outcome of complex bone injuries benefits from approaches that selectively target biomechanical, vascular, and cellular pathways. The typically held view of either biological or mechanical aspects of healing is oversimplified and does not correspond to clinical reality. The fundamental mechanisms of soft tissue regeneration most likely hold the key to understanding healing response.

  10. Nanomechanical and electrical characterization of a new cellular electret sensor-actuator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Windmill, J F C; Zorab, A; Bedwell, D J; Robert, D

    2008-01-01

    Electrically charged cellular polymers are known to display pseudo-piezoelectric effects that endow them with interesting mechano-electrical characteristics. When a film of such a polymer is compressed, charge is generated across its thickness, and conversely, applying an oscillatory or static potential elicits mechanical motions. This dual sensor-actuator behaviour can be embedded in one material and presents distinct advantages of functional integration. A novel electroactive foam is presented here that embeds such a sensor-actuator function. The foam has a sensitivity constant (d 33 ) of 330 pC N -1 . Interestingly, the resonant behaviour of the cellular film can be altered by variation in the DC offset across the material. Such adaptive capacity could be of great advantage for tuning polymer-based mechanical devices to be either efficient sound radiators and mechanical actuators, or sensitive and coherent sensors. Possible applications in microfluidics are also discussed

  11. Phase imaging of mechanical properties of live cells (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wax, Adam

    2017-02-01

    The mechanisms by which cells respond to mechanical stimuli are essential for cell function yet not well understood. Many rheological tools have been developed to characterize cellular viscoelastic properties but these typically require direct mechanical contact, limiting their throughput. We have developed a new approach for characterizing the organization of subcellular structures using a label free, noncontact, single-shot phase imaging method that correlates to measured cellular mechanical stiffness. The new analysis approach measures refractive index variance and relates it to disorder strength. These measurements are compared to cellular stiffness, measured using the same imaging tool to visualize nanoscale responses to flow shear stimulus. The utility of the technique is shown by comparing shear stiffness and phase disorder strength across five cellular populations with varying mechanical properties. An inverse relationship between disorder strength and shear stiffness is shown, suggesting that cell mechanical properties can be assessed in a format amenable to high throughput studies using this novel, non-contact technique. Further studies will be presented which include examination of mechanical stiffness in early carcinogenic events and investigation of the role of specific cellular structural proteins in mechanotransduction.

  12. Pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema – cellular and molecular events

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Di Petta

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Pulmonary emphysema is a chronic obstructive disease, resulting fromimportant alterations in the whole distal structure of terminal bronchioles, either by enlargement of air spaces or by destruction of the alveolar wall, leading to loss of respiratory surface, decreased elastic recoil and lung hyperinflation. For many years, the hypothesis of protease-antiprotease unbalance prevailed as the central theme in the pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema. According to this hypothesis, the release of active proteolytic enzymes, produced mainly by neutrophils and macrophages, degrades the extracellular matrix, affecting the integrity of its components, especially collagen and elastic fibers. However, new concepts involving cellular and molecular events were proposed, including oxidative stress, cell apoptosis, cellular senescence and failed lung tissue repair. The aim of this review paper was to evaluate the cellular and molecular mechanisms seen in the pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema.

  13. Piezo Proteins: Regulators of Mechanosensation and Other Cellular Processes*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagriantsev, Sviatoslav N.; Gracheva, Elena O.; Gallagher, Patrick G.

    2014-01-01

    Piezo proteins have recently been identified as ion channels mediating mechanosensory transduction in mammalian cells. Characterization of these channels has yielded important insights into mechanisms of somatosensation, as well as other mechano-associated biologic processes such as sensing of shear stress, particularly in the vasculature, and regulation of urine flow and bladder distention. Other roles for Piezo proteins have emerged, some unexpected, including participation in cellular development, volume regulation, cellular migration, proliferation, and elongation. Mutations in human Piezo proteins have been associated with a variety of disorders including hereditary xerocytosis and several syndromes with muscular contracture as a prominent feature. PMID:25305018

  14. DNA Mismatch Repair System: Repercussions in Cellular Homeostasis and Relationship with Aging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Cristóbal Conde-Pérezprina

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The mechanisms that concern DNA repair have been studied in the last years due to their consequences in cellular homeostasis. The diverse and damaging stimuli that affect DNA integrity, such as changes in the genetic sequence and modifications in gene expression, can disrupt the steady state of the cell and have serious repercussions to pathways that regulate apoptosis, senescence, and cancer. These altered pathways not only modify cellular and organism longevity, but quality of life (“health-span”. The DNA mismatch repair system (MMR is highly conserved between species; its role is paramount in the preservation of DNA integrity, placing it as a necessary focal point in the study of pathways that prolong lifespan, aging, and disease. Here, we review different insights concerning the malfunction or absence of the DNA-MMR and its impact on cellular homeostasis. In particular, we will focus on DNA-MMR mechanisms regulated by known repair proteins MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and MHL1, among others.

  15. Experimental approaches to identify cellular G-quadruplex structures and functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Antonio, Marco; Rodriguez, Raphaël; Balasubramanian, Shankar

    2012-05-01

    Guanine-rich nucleic acids can fold into non-canonical DNA secondary structures called G-quadruplexes. The formation of these structures can interfere with the biology that is crucial to sustain cellular homeostases and metabolism via mechanisms that include transcription, translation, splicing, telomere maintenance and DNA recombination. Thus, due to their implication in several biological processes and possible role promoting genomic instability, G-quadruplex forming sequences have emerged as potential therapeutic targets. There has been a growing interest in the development of synthetic molecules and biomolecules for sensing G-quadruplex structures in cellular DNA. In this review, we summarise and discuss recent methods developed for cellular imaging of G-quadruplexes, and the application of experimental genomic approaches to detect G-quadruplexes throughout genomic DNA. In particular, we will discuss the use of engineered small molecules and natural proteins to enable pull-down, ChIP-Seq, ChIP-chip and fluorescence imaging of G-quadruplex structures in cellular DNA. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. HTLV Tax: a fascinating multifunctional co-regulator of viral and cellular pathways

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert eCurrer

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1 has been identified as the causative agent of adult T cell leukemia (ATL and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP. The virus infects between 15 and 20 million people worldwide of which approximately 2 to 5% develop ATL. The past 35 years of research have yielded significant insight into the pathogenesis of HTLV-1, including the molecular characterization of Tax, the viral transactivator and oncoprotein. In spite of these efforts, the mechanisms of oncogenesis of this pleiotropic protein remain to be fully elucidated. In this review, we illustrate the multiple oncogenic roles of Tax by summarizing a recent body of literature that refines our understanding of cellular transformation. A focused range of topics are discussed in this review including Tax-mediated regulation of the viral promoter and other cellular pathways, particularly the connection of the NF-κB pathway to both post-translational modifications of Tax and sub-cellular localization. Specifically, recent research on polyubiquitination of Tax as it relates to the activation of the IkappaB kinase (IKK complex is highlighted. Regulation of the cell cycle and DNA damage responses due to Tax are also discussed, including Tax interaction with minichromosome maintenance proteins and the role of Tax in chromatin remodeling. The recent identification of HTLV-3 has amplified the importance of the characterization of emerging viral pathogens. The challenge of the molecular determination of pathogenicity and malignant disease of this virus lies in the comparison of the viral transactivators of HTLV-1, -2, and -3 in terms of transformation and immortalization. Consequently, differences between the three proteins are currently being studied to determine what factors are required for the differences in tumorogenesis.

  17. Adaption of Ulva pertusa to multiple-contamination of heavy metals and nutrients: Biological mechanism of outbreak of Ulva sp. green tide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ge, Changzi; Yu, Xiru; Kan, Manman; Qu, Chunfeng

    2017-12-15

    The multiple-contamination of heavy metals and nutrients worsens increasingly and Ulva sp. green tide occurs almost simultaneously. To reveal the biological mechanism for outbreak of the green tide, Ulva pertusa was exposed to seven-day-multiple-contamination. The relation between pH variation (V pH ), Chl a content, ratio of (Chl a content)/(Chl b content) (R chla/chlb ), SOD activity of U. pertusa (A SOD ) and contamination concentration is [Formula: see text] (pcontamination concentrations of seawaters where Ulva sp. green tide occurred and the contamination concentrations set in the present work, U. pertusa can adapt to multiple-contaminations in these waters. Thus, the adaption to multiple-contamination may be one biological mechanism for the outbreak of Ulva sp. green tide. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Cellular responses to environmental DNA damage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-08-01

    This volume contains the proceedings of the conference entitled Cellular Responses to Environmental DNA Damage held in Banff,Alberta December 1--6, 1991. The conference addresses various aspects of DNA repair in sessions titled DNA repair; Basic Mechanisms; Lesions; Systems; Inducible Responses; Mutagenesis; Human Population Response Heterogeneity; Intragenomic DNA Repair Heterogeneity; DNA Repair Gene Cloning; Aging; Human Genetic Disease; and Carcinogenesis. Individual papers are represented as abstracts of about one page in length.

  19. Three mechanical models for blebbing and multi-blebbing

    KAUST Repository

    Woolley, T. E.

    2014-06-17

    Membrane protrusions known as blebs play important roles in many cellular phenomena. Here we present three mathematical models of the bleb formation, which use biological insights to produce phenotypically accurate pressure-driven expansions. First, we introduce a recently suggested solid mechanics framework that is able to create blebs through stretching the membrane. This framework is then extended to include reference state reconfigurations, which models membrane growth. Finally, the stretching and reconfiguring mechanical models are compared with a much simpler geometrically constrained solution. This allows us to demonstrate that simpler systems are able to capture much of the biological complexity despite more restrictive assumptions. Moreover, the simplicity of the spherical model allows us to consider multiple blebs in a tractable framework. © 2014 The authors 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. All rights reserved.

  20. Study of multiple production mechanisms of neutral and charged particles in proton-proton interactions at 69GeV/c

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boratav, Murat.

    1976-01-01

    From a sample of 30000 pictures taken in the hydrogen bubble chamber Mirabelle, with a proton beam of 69GeV/c, at Serpukhov, the multiple particle production mechanisms are studied in proton-proton collisions. The neutral pions produced are specially studied, which means that the photons coming from the disintegration of π 0 's have to be detected and measured. From these pion spectra, their multiplicity distributions and the first order moments of these distributions (particularly the Mueller correlation coefficients) data and results are compared with the predictions of theoretical models such as: 'thermodynamic' models (Feynman gas, critical fluid model, etc.) and cluster models (with a fixed size or a size depending on incoming energy). The multiple production mechanisms seem to appear through small-sized, energy-dependent clusters (about two pions per cluster at this energy) [fr

  1. Modeling of coupled differential equations for cellular chemical signaling pathways: Implications for assay protocols utilized in cellular engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Clock, George D

    2016-08-01

    Cellular engineering involves modification and control of cell properties, and requires an understanding of fundamentals and mechanisms of action for cellular derived product development. One of the keys to success in cellular engineering involves the quality and validity of results obtained from cell chemical signaling pathway assays. The accuracy of the assay data cannot be verified or assured if the effect of positive feedback, nonlinearities, and interrelationships between cell chemical signaling pathway elements are not understood, modeled, and simulated. Nonlinearities and positive feedback in the cell chemical signaling pathway can produce significant aberrations in assay data collection. Simulating the pathway can reveal potential instability problems that will affect assay results. A simulation, using an electrical analog for the coupled differential equations representing each segment of the pathway, provides an excellent tool for assay validation purposes. With this approach, voltages represent pathway enzyme concentrations and operational amplifier feedback resistance and input resistance values determine pathway gain and rate constants. The understanding provided by pathway modeling and simulation is strategically important in order to establish experimental controls for assay protocol structure, time frames specified between assays, and assay concentration variation limits; to ensure accuracy and reproducibility of results.

  2. The Effects of Multiple Sets of Squats and Jump Squats on Mechanical Variables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossetti, Michael L; Munford, Shawn N; Snyder, Brandon W; Davis, Shala E; Moir, Gavin L

    2017-07-28

    The mechanical responses to two non-ballistic squat and two ballistic jump squat protocols performed over multiple sets were investigated. One protocol from each of the two non-ballistic and ballistic conditions incorporated a pause between the eccentric and concentric phases of the movements in order to determine the influence of the coupling time on the mechanical variables and post-activation potentiation (PAP). Eleven men (age: 21.9 ± 1.8 years; height: 1.79 ± 0.05 m; mass: 87.0 ± 7.4 kg) attended four sessions where they performed multiple sets of squats and jump squats with a load equivalent to 30% 1-repeititon maximum under one of the following conditions: 1) 3 × 4 repetitions of non-ballistic squats (30N-B); 2) 3 × 4 repetitions of non-ballistic squats with a 3-second pause between the eccentric and concentric phases of each repetition (30PN-B); 3) 3 × 4 repetitions of ballistic jump squats (30B); 4) 3 × 4 repetitions of ballistic jump squats with a 3-second pause between the eccentric and concentric phases of each repetition (30PB). Force plates were used to calculate variables including average vertical velocity, average vertical force (GRF), and average power output (PO). Vertical velocities during the ballistic conditions were significantly greater than those attained during the non-ballistic conditions (mean differences: 0.21 - 0.25 m/s, p0.05). Ballistic jump squats may be an effective exercise for developing PO given the high velocities and forces generated in these exercises. Furthermore, the completion of multiple sets of jump squats may induce PAP to enhance PO. The coupling times between the eccentric and concentric phases of the jump squats should be short in order to maximize the GRF and PO across the sets.

  3. Multiple mechanisms involved in diabetes protection by lipopolysaccharide in non-obese diabetic mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Jun [Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Cao, Hui [Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Wang, Hongjie [Section of Neurobiology, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, Port Saint Lucie, FL (United States); Yin, Guoxiao; Du, Jiao; Xia, Fei; Lu, Jingli [Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Xiang, Ming, E-mail: xiangming@mails.tjmu.edu.cn [Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China)

    2015-06-15

    Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation has been proposed to be important for islet cell inflammation and eventually β cell loss in the course of type 1 diabetes (T1D) development. However, according to the “hygiene hypothesis”, bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an agonist on TLR4, inhibits T1D progression. Here we investigated possible mechanisms for the protective effect of LPS on T1D development in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. We found that LPS administration to NOD mice during the prediabetic state neither prevented nor reversed insulitis, but delayed the onset and decreased the incidence of diabetes, and that a multiple-injection protocol is more effective than a single LPS intervention. Further, LPS administration suppressed spleen T lymphocyte proliferation, increased the generation of CD4{sup +}CD25{sup +}Foxp3{sup +} regulatory T cells (Tregs), reduced the synthesis of strong Th1 proinflammatory cytokines, and downregulated TLR4 and its downstream MyD88-dependent signaling pathway. Most importantly, multiple injections of LPS induced a potential tolerogenic dendritic cell (DC) subset with low TLR4 expression without influencing the DC phenotype. Explanting DCs from repeated LPS-treated NOD mice into NOD/SCID diabetic mice conferred sustained protective effects against the progression of diabetes in the recipients. Overall, these results suggest that multiple mechanisms are involved in the protective effects of LPS against the development of diabetes in NOD diabetic mice. These include Treg induction, down-regulation of TLR4 and its downstream MyD88-dependent signaling pathway, and the emergence of a potential tolerogenic DC subset. - Highlights: • Administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) prevented type 1 diabetes in NOD mice. • Downregulating TLR4 level and MyD88-dependent pathway contributed to protection of LPS. • LPS administration also hampered DC maturation and promoted Treg differentiation.

  4. Multiple mechanisms involved in diabetes protection by lipopolysaccharide in non-obese diabetic mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jun; Cao, Hui; Wang, Hongjie; Yin, Guoxiao; Du, Jiao; Xia, Fei; Lu, Jingli; Xiang, Ming

    2015-01-01

    Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation has been proposed to be important for islet cell inflammation and eventually β cell loss in the course of type 1 diabetes (T1D) development. However, according to the “hygiene hypothesis”, bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an agonist on TLR4, inhibits T1D progression. Here we investigated possible mechanisms for the protective effect of LPS on T1D development in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. We found that LPS administration to NOD mice during the prediabetic state neither prevented nor reversed insulitis, but delayed the onset and decreased the incidence of diabetes, and that a multiple-injection protocol is more effective than a single LPS intervention. Further, LPS administration suppressed spleen T lymphocyte proliferation, increased the generation of CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + regulatory T cells (Tregs), reduced the synthesis of strong Th1 proinflammatory cytokines, and downregulated TLR4 and its downstream MyD88-dependent signaling pathway. Most importantly, multiple injections of LPS induced a potential tolerogenic dendritic cell (DC) subset with low TLR4 expression without influencing the DC phenotype. Explanting DCs from repeated LPS-treated NOD mice into NOD/SCID diabetic mice conferred sustained protective effects against the progression of diabetes in the recipients. Overall, these results suggest that multiple mechanisms are involved in the protective effects of LPS against the development of diabetes in NOD diabetic mice. These include Treg induction, down-regulation of TLR4 and its downstream MyD88-dependent signaling pathway, and the emergence of a potential tolerogenic DC subset. - Highlights: • Administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) prevented type 1 diabetes in NOD mice. • Downregulating TLR4 level and MyD88-dependent pathway contributed to protection of LPS. • LPS administration also hampered DC maturation and promoted Treg differentiation

  5. Vitamin A Transport Mechanism of the Multitransmembrane Cell-Surface Receptor STRA6

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riki Kawaguchi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Vitamin A has biological functions as diverse as sensing light for vision, regulating stem cell differentiation, maintaining epithelial integrity, promoting immune competency, regulating learning and memory, and acting as a key developmental morphogen. Vitamin A derivatives have also been used in treating human diseases. If vitamin A is considered a drug that everyone needs to take to survive, evolution has come up with a natural drug delivery system that combines sustained release with precise and controlled delivery to the cells or tissues that depend on it. This “drug delivery system” is mediated by plasma retinol binding protein (RBP, the principle and specific vitamin A carrier protein in the blood, and STRA6, the cell-surface receptor for RBP that mediates cellular vitamin A uptake. The mechanism by which the RBP receptor absorbs vitamin A from the blood is distinct from other known cellular uptake mechanisms. This review summarizes recent progress in elucidating the fundamental molecular mechanism mediated by the RBP receptor and multiple newly discovered catalytic activities of this receptor, and compares this transport system with retinoid transport independent of RBP/STRA6. How to target this new type of transmembrane receptor using small molecules in treating diseases is also discussed.

  6. Designing beauty the art of cellular automata

    CERN Document Server

    Martínez, Genaro

    2016-01-01

    This fascinating, colourful book offers in-depth insights and first-hand working experiences in the production of art works, using simple computational models with rich morphological behaviour, at the edge of mathematics, computer science, physics and biology. It organically combines ground breaking scientific discoveries in the theory of computation and complex systems with artistic representations of the research results. In this appealing book mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists, and engineers brought together marvelous and esoteric patterns generated by cellular automata, which are arrays of simple machines with complex behavior. Configurations produced by cellular automata uncover mechanics of dynamic patterns formation, their propagation and interaction in natural systems: heart pacemaker, bacterial membrane proteins, chemical rectors, water permeation in soil, compressed gas, cell division, population dynamics, reaction-diffusion media and self-organisation. The book inspires artists to tak...

  7. Programmed cellular response to ionizing radiation damage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crompton, N.E.A.

    1998-01-01

    Three forms of radiation response were investigated to evaluate the hypothesis that cellular radiation response is the result of active molecular signaling and not simply a passive physicochemical process. The decision whether or not a cell should respond to radiation-induced damage either by induction of rescue systems, e.g. mobilization of repair proteins, or induction of suicide mechanisms, e.g. programmed cell death, appears to be the expression of intricate cellular biochemistry. A cell must recognize damage in its genetic material and then activate the appropriate responses. Cell type is important; the response of a fibroblast to radiation damage is both quantitatively and qualitatively different form that of a lymphocyte. The programmed component of radiation response is significant in radiation oncology and predicted to create unique opportunities for enhanced treatment success. (orig.)

  8. Mechanical behavior of cellular borosilicate glass with pressurized Ar-filled closed pores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Bo; Matsumaru, Koji; Yang Jianfeng; Fu Zhengyi; Ishizaki, Kozo

    2012-01-01

    High strength borosilicate foams were fabricated by melting glass powder under high-pressure argon gas and subsequent heat treatment of the glass bulk at atmospheric pressure. In the first step, borosilicate glass powder was melted at 1100 °C for 1 h by capsule-free hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) under a high gas pressure of 10–70 MPa. Pressurized Ar-filled spherical pores were introduced into the glass, and argon atoms were dissolved in the glass network structure. The expansion of argon-filled pores and the release of the dissolved Ar gas resulted in the formation of pressurized Ar-filled closed pores by isothermal heat treatment at 800 °C for 10 min. A high porosity of up to 80% with a bimodal distribution of micro-size cells was obtained for the resultant cellular borosilicate glass. By increasing the total gas pressure from 10 to 70 MPa, the compressive strength and the Young’s modulus were increased considerably from 15 to 52 MPa and from 4.1 to 12.6 GPa, respectively, which can be substantially attributed to the high collapse stress from the high enclosed gas pressure. The cellular glass with a high porosity showed a large failure strain under uniaxial compression.

  9. Experimental micro mechanics methods for conventional and negative Poisson's ratio cellular solids as Cosserat continua

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakes, R.

    1991-01-01

    Continuum representations of micromechanical phenomena in structured materials are described, with emphasis on cellular solids. These phenomena are interpreted in light of Cosserat elasticity, a generalized continuum theory which admits degrees of freedom not present in classical elasticity. These are the rotation of points in the material, and a couple per unit area or couple stress. Experimental work in this area is reviewed, and other interpretation schemes are discussed. The applicability of Cosserat elasticity to cellular solids and fibrous composite materials is considered as is the application of related generalized continuum theories. New experimental results are presented for foam materials with negative Poisson's ratios.

  10. Antioxidant responses and cellular adjustments to oxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espinosa-Diez, Cristina; Miguel, Verónica; Mennerich, Daniela; Kietzmann, Thomas; Sánchez-Pérez, Patricia; Cadenas, Susana; Lamas, Santiago

    2015-12-01

    Redox biological reactions are now accepted to bear the Janus faceted feature of promoting both physiological signaling responses and pathophysiological cues. Endogenous antioxidant molecules participate in both scenarios. This review focuses on the role of crucial cellular nucleophiles, such as glutathione, and their capacity to interact with oxidants and to establish networks with other critical enzymes such as peroxiredoxins. We discuss the importance of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway as an example of a transcriptional antioxidant response and we summarize transcriptional routes related to redox activation. As examples of pathophysiological cellular and tissular settings where antioxidant responses are major players we highlight endoplasmic reticulum stress and ischemia reperfusion. Topologically confined redox-mediated post-translational modifications of thiols are considered important molecular mechanisms mediating many antioxidant responses, whereas redox-sensitive microRNAs have emerged as key players in the posttranscriptional regulation of redox-mediated gene expression. Understanding such mechanisms may provide the basis for antioxidant-based therapeutic interventions in redox-related diseases. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Cellular gravity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    F.C. Gruau; J.T. Tromp (John)

    1999-01-01

    textabstractWe consider the problem of establishing gravity in cellular automata. In particular, when cellular automata states can be partitioned into empty, particle, and wall types, with the latter enclosing rectangular areas, we desire rules that will make the particles fall down and pile up on

  12. Cellular structure formed by ion-implantation-induced point defect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nitta, N.; Taniwaki, M.; Hayashi, Y.; Yoshiie, T.

    2006-01-01

    The authors have found that a cellular defect structure is formed on the surface of Sn + ion implanted GaSb at a low temperature and proposed its formation mechanism based on the movement of the induced point defects. This research was carried out in order to examine the validity of the mechanism by clarifying the effect of the mobility of the point defects on the defect formation. The defect structure on the GaSb surfaces implanted at cryogenic temperature and room temperature was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. In the sample implanted at room temperature, the sponge-like structure (a pileup of voids) was formed and the cellular structure, as observed at a low temperature, did not develop. This behavior was explained by the high mobility of the vacancies during implantation at room temperature, and the proposed idea that the defect formation process is dominated by the induced point defects was confirmed

  13. New multifunctional lightweight materials based on cellular metals - manufacturing, properties and applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stephani, Guenter; Quadbeck, Peter; Andersen, Olaf

    2009-01-01

    Cellular metallic materials are a new class of materials which have been the focus of numerous scientific studies over the past few years. The increasing interest in cellular metals is due to the fact that the introduction of pores into the materials significantly lowers the density. These highly porous materials also possess combinations of properties which are not possible to achieve with other materials. Besides the drastic weight and material savings that arise from the cell structure, there are also other application-specific benefits such as noise and energy absorption, heat insulation, mechanical damping, filtration effects and also catalytic properties. Cellular metallic materials are hence multi-functional lightweight materials.

  14. Multiple layers of posttranslational regulation refine circadian clock activity in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Pil Joon; Mas, Paloma

    2014-01-01

    The circadian clock is a cellular time-keeper mechanism that regulates biological rhythms with a period of ~24 h. The circadian rhythms in metabolism, physiology, and development are synchronized by environmental cues such as light and temperature. In plants, proper matching of the internal circadian time with the external environment confers fitness advantages on plant survival and propagation. Accordingly, plants have evolved elaborated regulatory mechanisms that precisely control the circadian oscillations. Transcriptional feedback regulation of several clock components has been well characterized over the past years. However, the importance of additional regulatory mechanisms such as chromatin remodeling, protein complexes, protein phosphorylation, and stability is only starting to emerge. The multiple layers of circadian regulation enable plants to properly synchronize with the environmental cycles and to fine-tune the circadian oscillations. This review focuses on the diverse posttranslational events that regulate circadian clock function. We discuss the mechanistic insights explaining how plants articulate a high degree of complexity in their regulatory networks to maintain circadian homeostasis and to generate highly precise waveforms of circadian expression and activity.

  15. Cellular commitment in the developing cerebellum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marzban, Hassan; Del Bigio, Marc R.; Alizadeh, Javad; Ghavami, Saeid; Zachariah, Robby M.; Rastegar, Mojgan

    2014-01-01

    The mammalian cerebellum is located in the posterior cranial fossa and is critical for motor coordination and non-motor functions including cognitive and emotional processes. The anatomical structure of cerebellum is distinct with a three-layered cortex. During development, neurogenesis and fate decisions of cerebellar primordium cells are orchestrated through tightly controlled molecular events involving multiple genetic pathways. In this review, we will highlight the anatomical structure of human and mouse cerebellum, the cellular composition of developing cerebellum, and the underlying gene expression programs involved in cell fate commitments in the cerebellum. A critical evaluation of the cell death literature suggests that apoptosis occurs in ~5% of cerebellar cells, most shortly after mitosis. Apoptosis and cellular autophagy likely play significant roles in cerebellar development, we provide a comprehensive discussion of their role in cerebellar development and organization. We also address the possible function of unfolded protein response in regulation of cerebellar neurogenesis. We discuss recent advancements in understanding the epigenetic signature of cerebellar compartments and possible connections between DNA methylation, microRNAs and cerebellar neurodegeneration. Finally, we discuss genetic diseases associated with cerebellar dysfunction and their role in the aging cerebellum. PMID:25628535

  16. Cellular Commitment in the Developing Cerebellum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan eMarzban

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The mammalian cerebellum is located in the posterior cranial fossa and is critical for motor coordination and non-motor functions including cognitive and emotional processes. The anatomical structure of cerebellum is distinct with a three-layered cortex. During development, neurogenesis and fate decisions of cerebellar primordium cells are orchestrated through tightly controlled molecular events involving multiple genetic pathways. In this review, we will highlight the anatomical structure of human and mouse cerebellum, the cellular composition of developing cerebellum, and the underlying gene expression programs involved in cell fate commitments in the cerebellum. A critical evaluation of the cell death literature suggests that apoptosis occurs in ~5% of cerebellar cells, most shortly after mitosis. Apoptosis and cellular autophagy likely play significant roles in cerebellar development, we provide a comprehensive discussion of their role in cerebellar development and organization. We also address the possible function of unfolded protein response in regulation of cerebellar neurogenesis. We discuss recent advancements in understanding the epigenetic signature of cerebellar compartments and possible connections between DNA methylation, microRNAs and cerebellar neurodegeneration. Finally, we then discuss genetic diseases associated with cerebellar dysfunction and their role in the aging cerebellum.

  17. Daratumumab: a first-in-class CD38 monoclonal antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larysa Sanchez

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Daratumumab is a human monoclonal antibody that targets CD38, a cell surface protein that is overexpressed on multiple myeloma (MM cells. Preclinical studies have shown that daratumumab induces MM cell death through several mechanisms, including complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC, antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP, and apoptosis. Given the encouraging efficacy and acceptable safety profile of daratumumab demonstrated in clinical trials, daratumumab has emerged as a novel treatment option for myeloma and became the first monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA for the treatment of MM.

  18. Cellular membrane trafficking of mesoporous silica nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fang, I-Ju [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation mainly focuses on the investigation of the cellular membrane trafficking of mesoporous silica nanoparticles. We are interested in the study of endocytosis and exocytosis behaviors of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with desired surface functionality. The relationship between mesoporous silica nanoparticles and membrane trafficking of cells, either cancerous cells or normal cells was examined. Since mesoporous silica nanoparticles were applied in many drug delivery cases, the endocytotic efficiency of mesoporous silica nanoparticles needs to be investigated in more details in order to design the cellular drug delivery system in the controlled way. It is well known that cells can engulf some molecules outside of the cells through a receptor-ligand associated endocytosis. We are interested to determine if those biomolecules binding to cell surface receptors can be utilized on mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials to improve the uptake efficiency or govern the mechanism of endocytosis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) is a small peptide recognized by cell integrin receptors and it was reported that avidin internalization was highly promoted by tumor lectin. Both RGD and avidin were linked to the surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials to investigate the effect of receptor-associated biomolecule on cellular endocytosis efficiency. The effect of ligand types, ligand conformation and ligand density were discussed in Chapter 2 and 3. Furthermore, the exocytosis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles is very attractive for biological applications. The cellular protein sequestration study of mesoporous silica nanoparticles was examined for further information of the intracellular pathway of endocytosed mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials. The surface functionality of mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials demonstrated selectivity among the materials and cancer and normal cell lines. We aimed to determine

  19. Learning with multiple representations: an example of a revision lesson in mechanics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Darren; Poo, Sng Peng; Eng Hock, Ng; Loo Kang, Wee

    2011-03-01

    We describe an example of learning with multiple representations in an A-level revision lesson on mechanics. The context of the problem involved the motion of a ball thrown vertically upwards in air and studying how the associated physical quantities changed during its flight. Different groups of students were assigned to look at the ball's motion using various representations: motion diagrams, vector diagrams, free-body diagrams, verbal description, equations and graphs, drawn against time as well as against displacement. Overall, feedback from students about the lesson was positive. We further discuss the benefits of using computer simulation to support and extend student learning.

  20. The Study Of Properties Of The Word Of Mouth Marketing Using Cellular Automata

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kowalska-Styczeń Agnieszka

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the possibility of using cellular automata, to study the properties of word of mouth (w-o-m marketing. Cellular automata allow to analyze the dynamics of changes in views and attitudes in social groups based on local interactions between people in small groups of friends, family members etc. The proposed paper shows the possibility of modelling the dynamics of word of mouth mechanism, if the basic assumptions of this process are: different size groups where this phenomenon occurs, and varied access to information. On the competing firms market, the dependence of the w-o-m mechanism dynamics on the model parameters is shown

  1. Multiplicative formulation of quantum mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voros, A.; Leboeuf, P.

    1991-01-01

    A general semi-classical description for the eigenfunctions of the multidimensional Schroedinger operator cannot be based on the WKB method which is incompatible with classically ergodic behavior. An alternative, more general multiplicative parametrization of quantum wave functions is suggested, whereby the semi-classical behavior of eigenfunctions can be traced in the presence of classical ergodicity, in the form of diffusive patterns of phase-space zeros in the quantum wave functions. (author) 24 refs.; 4 figs

  2. Manipulating the Cellular Circadian Period of Arginine Vasopressin Neurons Alters the Behavioral Circadian Period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mieda, Michihiro; Okamoto, Hitoshi; Sakurai, Takeshi

    2016-09-26

    As the central pacemaker in mammals, the circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is a heterogeneous structure consisting of multiple types of GABAergic neurons with distinct chemical identities [1, 2]. Although individual cells have a cellular clock driven by autoregulatory transcriptional/translational feedback loops of clock genes, interneuronal communication among SCN clock neurons is likely essential for the SCN to generate a highly robust, coherent circadian rhythm [1]. However, neuronal mechanisms that determine circadian period length remain unclear. The SCN is composed of two subdivisions: a ventral core region containing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-producing neurons and a dorsal shell region characterized by arginine vasopressin (AVP)-producing neurons. Here we examined whether AVP neurons act as pacemaker cells that regulate the circadian period of behavior rhythm in mice. The deletion of casein kinase 1 delta (CK1δ) specific to AVP neurons, which was expected to lengthen the period of cellular clocks [3-6], lengthened the free-running period of circadian behavior as well. Conversely, the overexpression of CK1δ specific to SCN AVP neurons shortened the free-running period. PER2::LUC imaging in slices confirmed that cellular circadian periods of the SCN shell were lengthened in mice without CK1δ in AVP neurons. Thus, AVP neurons may be an essential component of circadian pacemaker cells in the SCN. Remarkably, the alteration of the shell-core phase relationship in the SCN of these mice did not impair the generation per se of circadian behavior rhythm, thereby underscoring the robustness of the SCN network. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Cellular uptake mechanism and comparative evaluation of antineoplastic effects of paclitaxel–cholesterol lipid emulsion on triple-negative and non-triple-negative breast cancer cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ye J

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Jun Ye,1,2 Xuejun Xia,1,2 Wujun Dong,1,2 Huazhen Hao,1,2 Luhua Meng,1,2 Yanfang Yang,1,2 Renyun Wang,1,2 Yuanfeng Lyu,3 Yuling Liu1,2 1State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, 2Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 3School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China Abstract: There is no effective clinical therapy for triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs, which have high low-density lipoprotein (LDL requirements and express relatively high levels of LDL receptors (LDLRs on their membranes. In our previous study, a novel lipid emulsion based on a paclitaxel–cholesterol complex (PTX-CH Emul was developed, which exhibited improved safety and efficacy for the treatment of TNBC. To date, however, the cellular uptake mechanism and intracellular trafficking of PTX-CH Emul have not been investigated. In order to offer powerful proof for the therapeutic effects of PTX-CH Emul, we systematically studied the cellular uptake mechanism and intracellular trafficking of PTX-CH Emul and made a comparative evaluation of antineoplastic effects on TNBC (MDA-MB-231 and non-TNBC (MCF7 cell lines through in vitro and in vivo experiments. The in vitro antineoplastic effects and in vivo tumor-targeting efficiency of PTX-CH Emul were significantly more enhanced in MDA-MB-231-based models than those in MCF7-based models, which was associated with the more abundant expression profile of LDLR in MDA-MB-231 cells. The results of the cellular uptake mechanism indicated that PTX-CH Emul was internalized into breast cancer cells through the LDLR-mediated internalization pathway via clathrin-coated pits, localized in lysosomes, and then released into the cytoplasm, which was consistent with the internalization pathway and intracellular trafficking of native

  4. Cell activation and cellular-cellular interactions during hemodialysis: effect of dialyzer membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sirolli, V; Ballone, E; Di Stante, S; Amoroso, L; Bonomini, M

    2002-06-01

    During hemodialysis (HD), circulating blood cells can be activated and also engage in dynamic interplay. These phenomena may be important factors behind dialysis membrane bio(in)compatibility. In the present prospective cross-over study, we have used flow cytometry to evaluate the influence of different dialysis membranes on the activation of circulating blood cells (leukocytes, platelets) and their dynamic interactions (formation of circulating platelet-leukocyte and platelet-erythrocyte aggregates) during in vivo HD. Each patient (n = 10) was treated with dialyzers containing membranes of cellulose diacetate, polysulfone and ethylenevinylalcohol (EVAL) in a randomized order. Upregulation of adhesion receptor expression (CD15s, CD11b/CD18) occurred mainly with the cellulosic membrane, though an increase in CD11b/CD18 circulating on neutrophils was also found with both synthetic membranes. Circulating activated platelets (P-selectin/CD63-positive platelets) increased during HD sessions with cellulose diacetate and polysulfone. An increased formation of platelet-neutrophil aggregates was found at 15 and 30 min during dialysis with cellulose diacetate and polysulfone but not with EVAL. Platelet-erythrocyte aggregates also increased with cellulose diacetate and at 15 min with polysulfone as well. Generally in concomitance with the increase in platelet-neutrophil coaggregates, there was an increased hydrogen peroxide production by neutrophils. The results of this study indicate that cellular mechanisms can be activated during HD largely depending on the membrane material, EVAL causing less reactivity than the other two membranes. It appears that each dialysis membrane has multiple and different characteristics that may contribute to interactions with blood components. Our results also indicate that derivatizing cellulose (cellulose diacetate) may be a useful way to improve the biocompatibility of the cellulose polymer and that there may be great variability in the

  5. Mechanisms and Regulation of Intestinal Absorption of Water-soluble Vitamins: Cellular and Molecular Aspects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nexø, Ebba; Said, Hamid M

    2012-01-01

    The water-soluble vitamins represent a group of structurally and functionally unrelated compounds that share the common feature of being essential for normal cellular functions, growth, and development. With the exception of some endogenous production of niacin, human cells cannot synthesize...

  6. Computer Modeling of the Earliest Cellular Structures and Functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pohorille, Andrew; Chipot, Christophe; Schweighofer, Karl

    2000-01-01

    In the absence of extinct or extant record of protocells (the earliest ancestors of contemporary cells). the most direct way to test our understanding of the origin of cellular life is to construct laboratory models of protocells. Such efforts are currently underway in the NASA Astrobiology Program. They are accompanied by computational studies aimed at explaining self-organization of simple molecules into ordered structures and developing designs for molecules that perform proto-cellular functions. Many of these functions, such as import of nutrients, capture and storage of energy. and response to changes in the environment are carried out by proteins bound to membranestructures at water-membrane interfaces and insert into membranes, (b) how these peptides aggregate to form membrane-spanning structures (eg. channels), and (c) by what mechanisms such aggregates perform essential proto-cellular functions, such as proton transport of protons across cell walls, a key step in cellular bioenergetics. The simulations were performed using the molecular dynamics method, in which Newton's equations of motion for each item in the system are solved iteratively. The problems of interest required simulations on multi-nanosecond time scales, which corresponded to 10(exp 6)-10(exp 8) time steps.

  7. Impact of Antenna Placement on Frequency Domain Adaptive Antenna Array in Hybrid FRF Cellular System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sri Maldia Hari Asti

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Frequency domain adaptive antenna array (FDAAA is an effective method to suppress interference caused by frequency selective fading and multiple-access interference (MAI in single-carrier (SC transmission. However, the performance of FDAAA receiver will be affected by the antenna placement parameters such as antenna separation and spread of angle of arrival (AOA. On the other hand, hybrid frequency reuse can be adopted in cellular system to improve the cellular capacity. However, optimal frequency reuse factor (FRF depends on the channel propagation and transceiver scheme as well. In this paper, we analyze the impact of antenna separation and AOA spread on FDAAA receiver and optimize the cellular capacity by using hybrid FRF.

  8. Chemo-mechanical modeling of tumor growth in elastic epithelial tissue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bratsun, Dmitry A., E-mail: bratsun@pspu.ru [Department of Applied Physics, Perm National Research Polytechnical University, Perm, 614990 (Russian Federation); Zakharov, Andrey P. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000 Israel (Israel); Theoretical Physics Department, Perm State Humanitarian Pedagogical University, Perm, 614990 (Russian Federation); Pismen, Len [Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000 Israel (Israel)

    2016-08-02

    We propose a multiscale chemo-mechanical model of the cancer tumor development in the epithelial tissue. The epithelium is represented by an elastic 2D array of polygonal cells with its own gene regulation dynamics. The model allows the simulation of the evolution of multiple cells interacting via the chemical signaling or mechanically induced strain. The algorithm includes the division and intercalation of cells as well as the transformation of normal cells into a cancerous state triggered by a local failure of the spatial synchronization of the cellular rhythms driven by transcription/translation processes. Both deterministic and stochastic descriptions of the system are given for chemical signaling. The transformation of cells means the modification of their respective parameters responsible for chemo-mechanical interactions. The simulations reproduce a distinct behavior of invasive and localized carcinoma. Generally, the model is designed in such a way that it can be readily modified to take account of any newly understood gene regulation processes and feedback mechanisms affecting chemo-mechanical properties of cells.

  9. Chemo-mechanical modeling of tumor growth in elastic epithelial tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bratsun, Dmitry A.; Zakharov, Andrey P.; Pismen, Len

    2016-08-01

    We propose a multiscale chemo-mechanical model of the cancer tumor development in the epithelial tissue. The epithelium is represented by an elastic 2D array of polygonal cells with its own gene regulation dynamics. The model allows the simulation of the evolution of multiple cells interacting via the chemical signaling or mechanically induced strain. The algorithm includes the division and intercalation of cells as well as the transformation of normal cells into a cancerous state triggered by a local failure of the spatial synchronization of the cellular rhythms driven by transcription/translation processes. Both deterministic and stochastic descriptions of the system are given for chemical signaling. The transformation of cells means the modification of their respective parameters responsible for chemo-mechanical interactions. The simulations reproduce a distinct behavior of invasive and localized carcinoma. Generally, the model is designed in such a way that it can be readily modified to take account of any newly understood gene regulation processes and feedback mechanisms affecting chemo-mechanical properties of cells.

  10. Multiple mechanisms of PCB neurotoxicity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carpenter, D.O.; Stoner, C.T.; Lawrence, D.A. [Univ. of New York, Albany, NY (United States)] [and others

    1996-12-31

    Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been implicated in cancer, but many of the symptoms in humans exposed to PCBs are related to the nervous system and behavior. We demonstrated three different direct mechanisms whereby PCBs are neurotoxic in rats. By using flow cytometry, we demonstrated that the orthosubstituted PCB congener 2,4,4{prime}, but neither TCDD nor the coplanar PCB congener 3,4,5,3{prime},4{prime}, causes rapid death of cerebellar granule cells. The ortho-substituted congener 2,4,4{prime} reduced long-term potentiation, an indicator of cognitive potential, in hippocampal brain slices, but a similar effect was observed for the coplanar congener 3,4,3{prime},4{prime}, indicating that this effect may be caused by both ortho- and coplanar congeners by mechanisms presumably not mediated via the Ah receptor. It was previously shown that some ortho-substituted PCB congeners cause a reduction in levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, and we present in vitro and in vivo evidence that this is due to reduction of synthesis of dopamine via inhibition of the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. Thus, PCBs have a variety of mechanisms of primary neurotoxicity, and neurotoxicity is a characteristic of ortho-substituted, non-dioxin-like congeners as well as some coplanar congeners. The relative contribution of each of these mechanisms to the loss of cognitive function in humans exposed to PCBs remains to be determined. 42 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

  11. Biomechanical and ultrastructural comparison of cryopreservation and a novel cellular extraction of porcine aortic valve leaflets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courtman, D W; Pereira, C A; Omar, S; Langdon, S E; Lee, J M; Wilson, G J

    1995-12-01

    Heart valve substitutes of biological origin often fail by degenerative mechanisms. Many authors have hypothesized that mechanical fatigue and structural degradation are instrumental to in vivo failure. Since the properties of the structural matrix at implantation may predetermine failure, we have examined the ultrastructure, fracture, mechanics, and uniaxial high-strain-rate viscoelastic properties of: (1) fresh, (2) cryopreserved, and (3) cellular extracted porcine aortic valve leaflets. The cellular extraction process is being developed in order to reduce immunological attack and calcification. Cryopreservation causes cellular disruption and necrotic changes throughout the tissue, whereas extraction removes all cells and lipid membranes. Both processes leave an intact collagen and elastin structural matrix and preserve the high-strain-rate viscoelastic characteristics of the fresh leaflets. Extraction does cause a 20% reduction in the fracture tension and increases tissue extensibility, with the percent strain at fracture rising to 45.3 +/- 4 (mean +/- SEM) from 31.5 +/- 3 for fresh leaflets. However, extraction does preserve matrix structure and mechanics over the physiological loading range. Glutaraldehyde fixation produces increased extensibility, increased elastic behavior, and, when applied to extracted leaflets, it causes a marked drop in fracture tension, to 50% of that for fresh leaflets. The combination of extraction and fixation may lead to early degenerative failure. The cellular extraction technique alone may be a useful alternative to glutaraldehyde fixation in preparing bioprosthetic heart valves.

  12. Cannabidiol inhibits angiogenesis by multiple mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solinas, M; Massi, P; Cantelmo, A R; Cattaneo, M G; Cammarota, R; Bartolini, D; Cinquina, V; Valenti, M; Vicentini, L M; Noonan, D M; Albini, A; Parolaro, D

    2012-11-01

    Several studies have demonstrated anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic actions of cannabinoids on various tumours, together with their anti-angiogenic properties. The non-psychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) effectively inhibits the growth of different types of tumours in vitro and in vivo and down-regulates some pro-angiogenic signals produced by glioma cells. As its anti-angiogenic properties have not been thoroughly investigated to date, and given its very favourable pharmacological and toxicological profile, here, we evaluated the ability of CBD to modulate tumour angiogenesis. Firstly, we evaluated the effect of CBD on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and viability - through [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay and FACS analysis - and in vitro motility - both in a classical Boyden chamber test and in a wound-healing assay. We next investigated CBD effects on different angiogenesis-related proteins released by HUVECs, using an angiogenesis array kit and an ELISA directed at MMP2. Then we evaluated its effects on in vitro angiogenesis in treated HUVECs invading a Matrigel layer and in HUVEC spheroids embedded into collagen gels, and further characterized its effects in vivo using a Matrigel sponge model of angiogenesis in C57/BL6 mice. CBD induced HUVEC cytostasis without inducing apoptosis, inhibited HUVEC migration, invasion and sprouting in vitro, and angiogenesis in vivo in Matrigel sponges. These effects were associated with the down-modulation of several angiogenesis-related molecules. This study reveals that CBD inhibits angiogenesis by multiple mechanisms. Its dual effect on both tumour and endothelial cells supports the hypothesis that CBD has potential as an effective agent in cancer therapy. © 2012 The Authors. British Journal of Pharmacology © 2012 The British Pharmacological Society.

  13. Stability of the composites: NiAl - cellular high-melting point metal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belomyttsev, M.Yu.; Kozlov, D.A.

    2006-01-01

    For sintered composite materials (CM) NiAl-W and NiAl-W-Mo the structure and mechanical properties are studied. A comparative analysis of the effect of hot deformation by compression at 1000-1300 Deg C on the integrity of microsamples themselves and tungsten shells of NiAl granules in CM with a cellular structure is accomplished. Local chemical composition of a NiAl/refractory metal interface in CM with cellular structure and free of it is determined. A CM structural state effect on compression yield strength at 1000 Deg C is estimated. The treatment is proposed which permits approaching cellular structured CM oxidation resistance at 1000-1100 Deg C to the level of heat stability of unalloyed NiAl or its alloy with Hf [ru

  14. Bacterial Cell Mechanics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auer, George K; Weibel, Douglas B

    2017-07-25

    Cellular mechanical properties play an integral role in bacterial survival and adaptation. Historically, the bacterial cell wall and, in particular, the layer of polymeric material called the peptidoglycan were the elements to which cell mechanics could be primarily attributed. Disrupting the biochemical machinery that assembles the peptidoglycan (e.g., using the β-lactam family of antibiotics) alters the structure of this material, leads to mechanical defects, and results in cell lysis. Decades after the discovery of peptidoglycan-synthesizing enzymes, the mechanisms that underlie their positioning and regulation are still not entirely understood. In addition, recent evidence suggests a diverse group of other biochemical elements influence bacterial cell mechanics, may be regulated by new cellular mechanisms, and may be triggered in different environmental contexts to enable cell adaptation and survival. This review summarizes the contributions that different biomolecular components of the cell wall (e.g., lipopolysaccharides, wall and lipoteichoic acids, lipid bilayers, peptidoglycan, and proteins) make to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial cell mechanics. We discuss the contribution of individual proteins and macromolecular complexes in cell mechanics and the tools that make it possible to quantitatively decipher the biochemical machinery that contributes to bacterial cell mechanics. Advances in this area may provide insight into new biology and influence the development of antibacterial chemotherapies.

  15. Effects of nitric oxide on magnocellular neurons of the supraoptic nucleus involve multiple mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.P. da Silva

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Physiological evidence indicates that the supraoptic nucleus (SON is an important region for integrating information related to homeostasis of body fluids. Located bilaterally to the optic chiasm, this nucleus is composed of magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs responsible for the synthesis and release of vasopressin and oxytocin to the neurohypophysis. At the cellular level, the control of vasopressin and oxytocin release is directly linked to the firing frequency of MNCs. In general, we can say that the excitability of these cells can be controlled via two distinct mechanisms: 1 the intrinsic membrane properties of the MNCs themselves and 2 synaptic input from circumventricular organs that contain osmosensitive neurons. It has also been demonstrated that MNCs are sensitive to osmotic stimuli in the physiological range. Therefore, the study of their intrinsic membrane properties became imperative to explain the osmosensitivity of MNCs. In addition to this, the discovery that several neurotransmitters and neuropeptides can modulate their electrical activity greatly increased our knowledge about the role played by the MNCs in fluid homeostasis. In particular, nitric oxide (NO may be an important player in fluid balance homeostasis, because it has been demonstrated that the enzyme responsible for its production has an increased activity following a hypertonic stimulation of the system. At the cellular level, NO has been shown to change the electrical excitability of MNCs. Therefore, in this review, we focus on some important points concerning nitrergic modulation of the neuroendocrine system, particularly the effects of NO on the SON.

  16. A material optimization model to approximate energy bounds for cellular materials under multiload conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guedes, J.M.; Rodrigues, H.C.; Bendsøe, Martin P.

    2003-01-01

    This paper describes a computational model, based on inverse homogenization and topology design, for approximating energy bounds for two-phase composites under multiple load cases. The approach allows for the identification of possible single-scale cellular materials that give rise to the optimal...

  17. Hierarchical cellular designs for load-bearing biocomposite beams and plates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burgueno, Rigoberto; Quagliata, Mario J.; Mohanty, Amar K.; Mehta, Geeta; Drzal, Lawrence T.; Misra, Manjusri

    2005-01-01

    Scrutiny into the composition of natural, or biological materials convincingly reveals that high material and structural efficiency can be attained, even with moderate-quality constituents, by hierarchical topologies, i.e., successively organized material levels or layers. The present study demonstrates that biologically inspired hierarchical designs can help improve the moderate properties of natural fiber polymer composites or biocomposites and allow them to compete with conventional materials for load-bearing applications. An overview of the mechanics concepts that allow hierarchical designs to achieve higher performance is presented, followed by observation and results from flexural tests on periodic and hierarchical cellular beams and plates made from industrial hemp fibers and unsaturated polyester resin biocomposites. The experimental data is shown to agree well with performance indices predicted by mechanics models. A procedure for the multi-scale integrated material/structural analysis of hierarchical cellular biocomposite components is presented and its advantages and limitations are discussed

  18. IN-MACA-MCC: Integrated Multiple Attractor Cellular Automata with Modified Clonal Classifier for Human Protein Coding and Promoter Prediction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiran Sree Pokkuluri

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Protein coding and promoter region predictions are very important challenges of bioinformatics (Attwood and Teresa, 2000. The identification of these regions plays a crucial role in understanding the genes. Many novel computational and mathematical methods are introduced as well as existing methods that are getting refined for predicting both of the regions separately; still there is a scope for improvement. We propose a classifier that is built with MACA (multiple attractor cellular automata and MCC (modified clonal classifier to predict both regions with a single classifier. The proposed classifier is trained and tested with Fickett and Tung (1992 datasets for protein coding region prediction for DNA sequences of lengths 54, 108, and 162. This classifier is trained and tested with MMCRI datasets for protein coding region prediction for DNA sequences of lengths 252 and 354. The proposed classifier is trained and tested with promoter sequences from DBTSS (Yamashita et al., 2006 dataset and nonpromoters from EID (Saxonov et al., 2000 and UTRdb (Pesole et al., 2002 datasets. The proposed model can predict both regions with an average accuracy of 90.5% for promoter and 89.6% for protein coding region predictions. The specificity and sensitivity values of promoter and protein coding region predictions are 0.89 and 0.92, respectively.

  19. Natural Antioxidants: Multiple Mechanisms to Protect Skin From Solar Radiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Spencer Dunaway

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Human skin exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR results in a dramatic increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS. The sudden increase in ROS shifts the natural balance toward a pro-oxidative state, resulting in oxidative stress. The detrimental effects of oxidative stress occur through multiple mechanisms that involve alterations to proteins and lipids, induction of inflammation, immunosuppression, DNA damage, and activation of signaling pathways that affect gene transcription, cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis. All of these alterations promote carcinogenesis and therefore, regulation of ROS levels is critical to the maintenance of normal skin homeostasis. Several botanical products have been found to exhibit potent antioxidant capacity and the ability to counteract UV-induced insults to the skin. These natural products exert their beneficial effects through multiple pathways, including some known to be negatively affected by solar UVR. Aging of the skin is also accelerated by UVR exposure, in particular UVA rays that penetrate deep into the epidermis and the dermis where it causes the degradation of collagen and elastin fibers via oxidative stress and activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs. Because natural compounds are capable of attenuating some of the UV-induced aging effects in the skin, increased attention has been generated in the area of cosmetic sciences. The focus of this review is to cover the most prominent phytoproducts with potential to mitigate the deleterious effects of solar UVR and suitability for use in topical application.

  20. Cellular MR Imaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michel Modo

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available Cellular MR imaging is a young field that aims to visualize targeted cells in living organisms. In order to provide a different signal intensity of the targeted cell, they are either labeled with MR contrast agents in vivo or prelabeled in vitro. Either (ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide [(USPIO] particles or (polymeric paramagnetic chelates can be used for this purpose. For in vivo cellular labeling, Gd3+- and Mn2+- chelates have mainly been used for targeted hepatobiliary imaging, and (USPIO-based cellular imaging has been focused on imaging of macrophage activity. Several of these magneto-pharmaceuticals have been FDA-approved or are in late-phase clinical trials. As for prelabeling of cells in vitro, a challenge has been to induce a sufficient uptake of contrast agents into nonphagocytic cells, without affecting normal cellular function. It appears that this issue has now largely been resolved, leading to an active research on monitoring the cellular biodistribution in vivo following transplantation or transfusion of these cells, including cell migration and trafficking. New applications of cellular MR imaging will be directed, for instance, towards our understanding of hematopoietic (immune cell trafficking and of novel guided (stem cell-based therapies aimed to be translated to the clinic in the future.

  1. Cellularized Bilayer Pullulan-Gelatin Hydrogel for Skin Regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholas, Mathew N; Jeschke, Marc G; Amini-Nik, Saeid

    2016-05-01

    Skin substitutes significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of patients with burn injuries and chronic wounds. However, current skin substitutes have disadvantages related to high costs and inadequate skin regeneration due to highly inflammatory wounds. Thus, new skin substitutes are needed. By combining two polymers, pullulan, an inexpensive polysaccharide with antioxidant properties, and gelatin, a derivative of collagen with high water absorbency, we created a novel inexpensive hydrogel-named PG-1 for "pullulan-gelatin first generation hydrogel"-suitable for skin substitutes. After incorporating human fibroblasts and keratinocytes onto PG-1 using centrifugation over 5 days, we created a cellularized bilayer skin substitute. Cellularized PG-1 was compared to acellular PG-1 and no hydrogel (control) in vivo in a mouse excisional skin biopsy model using newly developed dome inserts to house the skin substitutes and prevent mouse skin contraction during wound healing. PG-1 had an average pore size of 61.69 μm with an ideal elastic modulus, swelling behavior, and biodegradability for use as a hydrogel for skin substitutes. Excellent skin cell viability, proliferation, differentiation, and morphology were visualized through live/dead assays, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine proliferation assays, and confocal microscopy. Trichrome and immunohistochemical staining of excisional wounds treated with the cellularized skin substitute revealed thicker newly formed skin with a higher proportion of actively proliferating cells and incorporation of human cells compared to acellular PG-1 or control. Excisional wounds treated with acellular or cellularized hydrogels showed significantly less macrophage infiltration and increased angiogenesis 14 days post skin biopsy compared to control. These results show that PG-1 has ideal mechanical characteristics and allows ideal cellular characteristics. In vivo evidence suggests that cellularized PG-1 promotes skin regeneration and may

  2. Identification of driving network of cellular differentiation from single sample time course gene expression data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ye; Wolanyk, Nathaniel; Ilker, Tunc; Gao, Shouguo; Wang, Xujing

    Methods developed based on bifurcation theory have demonstrated their potential in driving network identification for complex human diseases, including the work by Chen, et al. Recently bifurcation theory has been successfully applied to model cellular differentiation. However, there one often faces a technical challenge in driving network prediction: time course cellular differentiation study often only contains one sample at each time point, while driving network prediction typically require multiple samples at each time point to infer the variation and interaction structures of candidate genes for the driving network. In this study, we investigate several methods to identify both the critical time point and the driving network through examination of how each time point affects the autocorrelation and phase locking. We apply these methods to a high-throughput sequencing (RNA-Seq) dataset of 42 subsets of thymocytes and mature peripheral T cells at multiple time points during their differentiation (GSE48138 from GEO). We compare the predicted driving genes with known transcription regulators of cellular differentiation. We will discuss the advantages and limitations of our proposed methods, as well as potential further improvements of our methods.

  3. The cytotoxicity of polycationic iron oxide nanoparticles: Common endpoint assays and alternative approaches for improved understanding of cellular response mechanism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hoskins Clare

    2012-04-01

    Our findings indicate that common in vitro cell endpoint assays do not give detailed and complete information on cellular state and it is essential to explore novel approaches and carry out more in-depth studies to elucidate cellular response mechanism to magnetic nanoparticles.

  4. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of immunomodulation in the brain through environmental enrichment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singhal, Gaurav; Jaehne, Emily J.; Corrigan, Frances; Baune, Bernhard T.

    2014-01-01

    Recent studies on environmental enrichment (EE) have shown cytokines, cellular immune components [e.g., T lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells], and glial cells in causal relationship to EE in bringing out changes to neurobiology and behavior. The purpose of this review is to evaluate these neuroimmune mechanisms associated with neurobiological and behavioral changes in response to different EE methods. We systematically reviewed common research databases. After applying all inclusion and exclusion criteria, 328 articles remained for this review. Physical exercise (PE), a form of EE, elicits anti-inflammatory and neuromodulatory effects through interaction with several immune pathways including interleukin (IL)-6 secretion from muscle fibers, reduced expression of Toll-like receptors on monocytes and macrophages, reduced secretion of adipokines, modulation of hippocampal T cells, priming of microglia, and upregulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 in central nervous system. In contrast, immunomodulatory roles of other enrichment methods are not studied extensively. Nonetheless, studies showing reduction in the expression of IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in response to enrichment with novel objects and accessories suggest anti-inflammatory effects of novel environment. Likewise, social enrichment, though considered a necessity for healthy behavior, results in immunosuppression in socially defeated animals. This has been attributed to reduction in T lymphocytes, NK cells and IL-10 in subordinate animals. EE through sensory stimuli has been investigated to a lesser extent and the effect on immune factors has not been evaluated yet. Discovery of this multidimensional relationship between immune system, brain functioning, and EE has paved a way toward formulating environ-immuno therapies for treating psychiatric illnesses with minimal use of pharmacotherapy. While the immunomodulatory role of PE has been evaluated extensively, more research

  5. Programmable cellular arrays. Faults testing and correcting in cellular arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cercel, L.

    1978-03-01

    A review of some recent researches about programmable cellular arrays in computing and digital processing of information systems is presented, and includes both combinational and sequential arrays, with full arbitrary behaviour, or which can realize better implementations of specialized blocks as: arithmetic units, counters, comparators, control systems, memory blocks, etc. Also, the paper presents applications of cellular arrays in microprogramming, in implementing of a specialized computer for matrix operations, in modeling of universal computing systems. The last section deals with problems of fault testing and correcting in cellular arrays. (author)

  6. Fibromodulin reduces scar size and increases scar tensile strength in normal and excessive-mechanical-loading porcine cutaneous wounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Wenlu; Ting, Kang; Lee, Soonchul; Zara, Janette N; Song, Richard; Li, Chenshuang; Chen, Eric; Zhang, Xinli; Zhao, Zhihe; Soo, Chia; Zheng, Zhong

    2018-04-01

    Hypertrophic scarring is a major postoperative complication which leads to severe disfigurement and dysfunction in patients and usually requires multiple surgical revisions due to its high recurrence rates. Excessive-mechanical-loading across wounds is an important initiator of hypertrophic scarring formation. In this study, we demonstrate that intradermal administration of a single extracellular matrix (ECM) molecule-fibromodulin (FMOD) protein-can significantly reduce scar size, increase tensile strength, and improve dermal collagen architecture organization in the normal and even excessive-mechanical-loading red Duroc pig wound models. Since pig skin is recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as the closest animal equivalent to human skin, and because red Duroc pigs show scarring that closely resembles human proliferative scarring and hypertrophic scarring, FMOD-based technologies hold high translational potential and applicability to human patients suffering from scarring-especially hypertrophic scarring. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

  7. Docosahexaenoic Acid Reduces Amyloid β Production via Multiple Pleiotropic Mechanisms*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimm, Marcus O. W.; Kuchenbecker, Johanna; Grösgen, Sven; Burg, Verena K.; Hundsdörfer, Benjamin; Rothhaar, Tatjana L.; Friess, Petra; de Wilde, Martijn C.; Broersen, Laus M.; Penke, Botond; Péter, Mária; Vígh, László; Grimm, Heike S.; Hartmann, Tobias

    2011-01-01

    Alzheimer disease is characterized by accumulation of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) generated by β- and γ-secretase processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). The intake of the polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been associated with decreased amyloid deposition and a reduced risk in Alzheimer disease in several epidemiological trials; however, the exact underlying molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here, we systematically investigate the effect of DHA on amyloidogenic and nonamyloidogenic APP processing and the potential cross-links to cholesterol metabolism in vivo and in vitro. DHA reduces amyloidogenic processing by decreasing β- and γ-secretase activity, whereas the expression and protein levels of BACE1 and presenilin1 remain unchanged. In addition, DHA increases protein stability of α-secretase resulting in increased nonamyloidogenic processing. Besides the known effect of DHA to decrease cholesterol de novo synthesis, we found cholesterol distribution in plasma membrane to be altered. In the presence of DHA, cholesterol shifts from raft to non-raft domains, and this is accompanied by a shift in γ-secretase activity and presenilin1 protein levels. Taken together, DHA directs amyloidogenic processing of APP toward nonamyloidogenic processing, effectively reducing Aβ release. DHA has a typical pleiotropic effect; DHA-mediated Aβ reduction is not the consequence of a single major mechanism but is the result of combined multiple effects. PMID:21324907

  8. Mechanisms of cellular synchronization in the vascular wall. Mechanisms of vasomotion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matchkov, Vladimir V

    2010-10-01

    membrane potential and cellular volume, as well as for body homeostasis. CaCCs are well characterized in vascular tissues but only at the functional level. The lack of their molecular structure makes it difficult to study the clinical significance of these channels. Based on patch clamp measurements of ion currents, I have previously characterized in SMCs a chloride current with unique properties. This chloride current activated by cGMP, has very high sensitivity to calcium and can be inhibited by low concentrations of zinc ions, while the traditional inhibitors of CaCCs affect this current only at very high concentrations. This cGMP-dependent, calcium-activated chloride current has a linear volt-age-dependence, which differs from previously characterized CaCCs, and it has characteristic anion permeability. This current has been detected in SMCs isolated from a number of different vascular beds but, importantly, it has not been detected in pulmonary arteries. Moreover, this current has been shown in SMCs isolated intestine indicating its broad distribution. Based on unique characteristics I have suggested that the cGMP-dependent calcium-activated chloride current can synchronize SMCs in the vascular wall and that bestrophin protein could be the molecular substrate for this current. Bestrophin has been characterized first as a gene in which mutations cause vitelliform macular dystrophy (VMD) or Best diseases. Based on heterologous expression it has been suggested that bestrophin is a chloride channel. This question is nevertheless controversial since caution should be taken in heterologous expression of calcium-activated chloride channel candidates. The presence of chloride channels in virtually all living cells is an essential problem as well as the dependence of ion channel properties on the complex interaction of many cellular proteins. I was the first who coupled the endogenous chloride current to one of four known bestrophin isoforms. PCR and Western blot studies on

  9. Actin dynamics, architecture, and mechanics in cell motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanchoin, Laurent; Boujemaa-Paterski, Rajaa; Sykes, Cécile; Plastino, Julie

    2014-01-01

    Tight coupling between biochemical and mechanical properties of the actin cytoskeleton drives a large range of cellular processes including polarity establishment, morphogenesis, and motility. This is possible because actin filaments are semi-flexible polymers that, in conjunction with the molecular motor myosin, can act as biological active springs or "dashpots" (in laymen's terms, shock absorbers or fluidizers) able to exert or resist against force in a cellular environment. To modulate their mechanical properties, actin filaments can organize into a variety of architectures generating a diversity of cellular organizations including branched or crosslinked networks in the lamellipodium, parallel bundles in filopodia, and antiparallel structures in contractile fibers. In this review we describe the feedback loop between biochemical and mechanical properties of actin organization at the molecular level in vitro, then we integrate this knowledge into our current understanding of cellular actin organization and its physiological roles.

  10. Compression behavior of cellular metals with inhomogeneous mass distribution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foroughi, B.

    2001-05-01

    Mechanical behavior of two types of closed cell metals (ALULIGHT and ALPORAS) is investigated experimentally and numerically. Compressive tests performed on prismatic specimens indicate that inhomogeneities in the mass density distribution are a key factor in the deformation behavior of cellular metals. The three dimensional cellular structure of the investigated specimens is recorded using x-ray medical computed tomography (CT). A special procedure called density mapping method has been used to transfer the recorded CT data into a continuum by averaging over a certain domain (averaging domain). This continuum model is implemented using finite elements to study the effect of variations in local mass densities. The finite element model is performed by a simple regular discretization of a specimen's volume with elements which have constant edge length. Mechanical properties derived from compression tests of ALPORAS samples are assigned to the corresponding mesoscopic density value of each element. The effect of averaging domain size is studied to obtain a suitable dimension which fulfils the homogenization requirements and allows the evaluation of inhomogenities in the specimens. The formation and propagation of deformation band(s) and stress-strain responses of tested cellular metals are modeled with respect to their mass distribution. It is shown that the inhomogeneous density distribution leads to plastic strain localization and causes a monotonically increase of the stress in the plateau regime although no hardening response was considered for homogeneous material in this regime. The simulated plastic strain localization and the calculated stress-strain responses are compared with the experimental results. The stiffness values of experiment and simulation agree very well for both cellular materials. The values of plateau strength as well, but it differs in some cases of ALULIGHT samples, where the hardening response can be predicted at least qualitatively

  11. The biophysical model for accuracy of cellular sensing spatial gradients of multiple chemoattractants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Qiang; Zuo, Li

    2013-01-01

    Spatial gradients of surrounding chemoattractants are the key factors in determining the directionality of eukaryotic cell movement. Thus, it is important for cells to accurately measure the spatial gradients of surrounding chemoattractants. Here, we study the precision of sensing the spatial gradients of multiple chemoattractants using cooperative receptor clusters. Cooperative receptors on cells are modeled as an Ising chain of Monod–Wyman–Changeux clusters subject to multiple chemical-gradient fields to study the physical limits of multiple chemoattractants spatial gradients sensing. We found that eukaryotic cells cannot sense each chemoattractant gradient individually. Instead, cells can only sense a weighted sum of surrounding chemical gradients. Moreover, the precision of sensing one chemical gradient is signicantly affected by coexisting chemoattractant concentrations. These findings can provide a further insight into the role of chemoattractants in immune response and help develop novel treatments for inflammatory diseases. (paper)

  12. Radio Access Sharing Strategies for Multiple Operators in Cellular Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Popovska Avramova, Andrijana; Iversen, Villy Bæk

    2015-01-01

    deployments (required for coverage enhancement), increased base station utilization, and reduced overall power consumption. Today, network sharing in the radio access part is passive and limited to cell sites. With the introduction of Cloud Radio Access Network and Software Defined Networking adoption...... to the radio access network, the possibility for sharing baseband processing and radio spectrum becomes an important aspect of network sharing. This paper investigates strategies for active sharing of radio access among multiple operators, and analyses the individual benefits depending on the sharing degree...

  13. Regulation of Cellular Redox Signaling by Matricellular Proteins in Vascular Biology, Immunology, and Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, David D; Kaur, Sukhbir; Isenberg, Jeffrey S

    2017-10-20

    In contrast to structural elements of the extracellular matrix, matricellular proteins appear transiently during development and injury responses, but their sustained expression can contribute to chronic disease. Through interactions with other matrix components and specific cell surface receptors, matricellular proteins regulate multiple signaling pathways, including those mediated by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and H 2 S. Dysregulation of matricellular proteins contributes to the pathogenesis of vascular diseases and cancer. Defining the molecular mechanisms and receptors involved is revealing new therapeutic opportunities. Recent Advances: Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) regulates NO, H 2 S, and superoxide production and signaling in several cell types. The TSP1 receptor CD47 plays a central role in inhibition of NO signaling, but other TSP1 receptors also modulate redox signaling. The matricellular protein CCN1 engages some of the same receptors to regulate redox signaling, and ADAMTS1 regulates NO signaling in Marfan syndrome. In addition to mediating matricellular protein signaling, redox signaling is emerging as an important pathway that controls the expression of several matricellular proteins. Redox signaling remains unexplored for many matricellular proteins. Their interactions with multiple cellular receptors remains an obstacle to defining signaling mechanisms, but improved transgenic models could overcome this barrier. Therapeutics targeting the TSP1 receptor CD47 may have beneficial effects for treating cardiovascular disease and cancer and have recently entered clinical trials. Biomarkers are needed to assess their effects on redox signaling in patients and to evaluate how these contribute to their therapeutic efficacy and potential side effects. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 874-911.

  14. S1P-induced airway smooth muscle hyperresponsiveness and lung inflammation in vivo: molecular and cellular mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roviezzo, F; Sorrentino, R; Bertolino, A; De Gruttola, L; Terlizzi, M; Pinto, A; Napolitano, M; Castello, G; D'Agostino, B; Ianaro, A; Sorrentino, R; Cirino, G

    2015-04-01

    Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has been shown to be involved in the asthmatic disease as well in preclinical mouse experimental models of this disease. The aim of this study was to understand the mechanism(s) underlying S1P effects on the lung. BALB/c, mast cell-deficient and Nude mice were injected with S1P (s.c.) on days 0 and 7. Functional, molecular and cellular studies were performed. S1P administration to BALB/c mice increased airway smooth muscle reactivity, mucus production, PGD2 , IgE, IL-4 and IL-13 release. These features were associated to a higher recruitment of mast cells to the lung. Mast cell-deficient Kit (W) (-sh/) (W) (-sh) mice injected with S1P did not display airway smooth muscle hyper-reactivity. However, lung inflammation and IgE production were still present. Treatment in vivo with the anti-CD23 antibody B3B4, which blocks IgE production, inhibited both S1P-induced airway smooth muscle reactivity in vitro and lung inflammation. S1P administration to Nude mice did not elicit airway smooth muscle hyper-reactivity and lung inflammation. Naïve (untreated) mice subjected to the adoptive transfer of CD4+ T-cells harvested from S1P-treated mice presented all the features elicited by S1P in the lung. S1P triggers a cascade of events that sequentially involves T-cells, IgE and mast cells reproducing several asthma-like features. This model may represent a useful tool for defining the role of S1P in the mechanism of action of currently-used drugs as well as in the development of new therapeutic approaches for asthma-like diseases. © 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.

  15. 47 CFR 22.970 - Unacceptable interference to part 90 non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ...-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone or part 90-800 MHz cellular systems. 22.970 Section... MOBILE SERVICES Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.970 Unacceptable interference to part 90 non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone or part 90-800 MHz cellular systems. (a) Definition...

  16. MEMS capacitive force sensors for cellular and flight biomechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Yu; Nelson, Bradley J

    2007-01-01

    Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are playing increasingly important roles in facilitating biological studies. They are capable of providing not only qualitative but also quantitative information on the cellular, sub-cellular and organism levels, which is instrumental to understanding the fundamental elements of biological systems. MEMS force sensors with their high bandwidth and high sensitivity combined with their small size, in particular, have found a role in this domain, because of the importance of quantifying forces and their effect on the function and morphology of many biological structures. This paper describes our research in the development of MEMS capacitive force sensors that have already demonstrated their effectiveness in the areas of cell mechanics and Drosophila flight dynamics studies. (review article)

  17. Piezo proteins: regulators of mechanosensation and other cellular processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagriantsev, Sviatoslav N; Gracheva, Elena O; Gallagher, Patrick G

    2014-11-14

    Piezo proteins have recently been identified as ion channels mediating mechanosensory transduction in mammalian cells. Characterization of these channels has yielded important insights into mechanisms of somatosensation, as well as other mechano-associated biologic processes such as sensing of shear stress, particularly in the vasculature, and regulation of urine flow and bladder distention. Other roles for Piezo proteins have emerged, some unexpected, including participation in cellular development, volume regulation, cellular migration, proliferation, and elongation. Mutations in human Piezo proteins have been associated with a variety of disorders including hereditary xerocytosis and several syndromes with muscular contracture as a prominent feature. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. Identification of circular RNAs from the parental genes involved in multiple aspects of cellular metabolism in barley

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shirvanehdeh, Behrooz Darbani; Noeparvar, Shahin; Borg, Søren

    2016-01-01

    circular RNAs as novel interactors in the regulation of gene expression in plants and imply the comprehensiveness of this regulatory pathway by identifying circular RNAs for a diverse set of genes. These genes are involved in several aspects of cellular metabolism as hormonal signaling, intracellular...... protein sorting, carbohydrate metabolism and cell-wall biogenesis, respiration, amino acid biosynthesis, transcription and translation, and protein ubiquitination. Additionally, these parental loci of circular RNAs, from both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, encode for different transcript classes...... and elucidate their cellular-level alterations across tissues and in response to micronutrients iron and zinc. In further support of circular RNAs’ functional roles in plants, we report several cases where fluctuations of circRNAs do not correlate with the levels of their parental-loci encoded linear...

  19. On the effectiveness of single and multiple base station sleep modes in cellular networks

    OpenAIRE

    Marsan, Marco Ajmone; Chiaraviglio, Luca; Ciullo, Delia; Meo, Michela

    2013-01-01

    In this paper we study base station sleep modes that, by reducing power consumption in periods of low traffic, improve the energy efficiency of cellular access networks. We assume that when some base stations enter sleep mode, radio coverage and service provisioning are provided by the base stations that remain active, so as to guarantee that service is available over the whole area at all times. This may be an optimistic assumption in the case of the sparse base station layouts typical of ru...

  20. An apolipoprotein-enriched biomolecular corona switches the cellular uptake mechanism and trafficking pathway of lipid nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Digiacomo, L; Cardarelli, F; Pozzi, D; Palchetti, S; Digman, M A; Gratton, E; Capriotti, A L; Mahmoudi, M; Caracciolo, G

    2017-11-16

    Following exposure to biological milieus (e.g. after systemic administration), nanoparticles (NPs) get covered by an outer biomolecular corona (BC) that defines many of their biological outcomes, such as the elicited immune response, biodistribution, and targeting abilities. In spite of this, the role of BC in regulating the cellular uptake and the subcellular trafficking properties of NPs has remained elusive. Here, we tackle this issue by employing multicomponent (MC) lipid NPs, human plasma (HP) and HeLa cells as models for nanoformulations, biological fluids, and target cells, respectively. By conducting confocal fluorescence microscopy experiments and image correlation analyses, we quantitatively demonstrate that the BC promotes a neat switch of the cell entry mechanism and subsequent intracellular trafficking, from macropinocytosis to clathrin-dependent endocytosis. Nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry identifies apolipoproteins as the most abundant components of the BC tested here. Interestingly, this class of proteins target the LDL receptors, which are overexpressed in clathrin-enriched membrane domains. Our results highlight the crucial role of BC as an intrinsic trigger of specific NP-cell interactions and biological responses and set the basis for a rational exploitation of the BC for targeted delivery.

  1. Impact of light on Hypocrea jecorina and the multiple cellular roles of ENVOY in this process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Druzhinina Irina S

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In fungi, light is primarily known to influence general morphogenesis and both sexual and asexual sporulation. In order to expand the knowledge on the effect of light in fungi and to determine the role of the light regulatory protein ENVOY in the implementation of this effect, we performed a global screen for genes, which are specifically effected by light in the fungus Hypocrea jecorina (anamorph Trichoderma reesei using Rapid Subtraction Hybridization (RaSH. Based on these data, we analyzed whether these genes are influenced by ENVOY and if overexpression of ENVOY in darkness would be sufficient to execute its function. Results The cellular functions of the detected light responsive genes comprised a variety of roles in transcription, translation, signal transduction, metabolism, and transport. Their response to light with respect to the involvement of ENVOY could be classified as follows: (i ENVOY-mediated upregulation by light; (ii ENVOY-independent upregulation by light; (iii ENVOY-antagonized upregulation by light; ENVOY-dependent repression by light; (iv ENVOY-independent repression by light; and (v both positive and negative regulation by ENVOY of genes not responsive to light in the wild-type. ENVOY was found to be crucial for normal growth in light on various carbon sources and is not able to execute its regulatory function if overexpressed in the darkness. Conclusion The different responses indicate that light impacts fungi like H. jecorina at several cellular processes, and that it has both positive and negative effects. The data also emphasize that ENVOY has an apparently more widespread cellular role in this process than only in modulating the response to light.

  2. Sensor Access to the Cellular Microenvironment Using the Sensing Cell Culture Flask.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kieninger, Jochen; Tamari, Yaara; Enderle, Barbara; Jobst, Gerhard; Sandvik, Joe A; Pettersen, Erik O; Urban, Gerald A

    2018-04-26

    The Sensing Cell Culture Flask (SCCF) is a cell culture monitoring system accessing the cellular microenvironment in 2D cell culture using electrochemical microsensors. The system is based on microfabricated sensor chips embedded in standard cell culture flasks. Ideally, the sensor chips could be equipped with any electrochemical sensor. Its transparency allows optical inspection of the cells during measurement. The surface of the sensor chip is in-plane with the flask surface allowing undisturbed cell growth on the sensor chip. A custom developed rack system allows easy usage of multiple flasks in parallel within an incubator. The presented data demonstrates the application of the SCCF with brain tumor (T98G) and breast cancer (T-47D) cells. Amperometric oxygen sensors were used to monitor cellular respiration with different incubation conditions. Cellular acidification was accessed with potentiometric pH sensors using electrodeposited iridium oxide films. The system itself provides the foundation for electrochemical monitoring systems in 3D cell culture.

  3. Sensor Access to the Cellular Microenvironment Using the Sensing Cell Culture Flask

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jochen Kieninger

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The Sensing Cell Culture Flask (SCCF is a cell culture monitoring system accessing the cellular microenvironment in 2D cell culture using electrochemical microsensors. The system is based on microfabricated sensor chips embedded in standard cell culture flasks. Ideally, the sensor chips could be equipped with any electrochemical sensor. Its transparency allows optical inspection of the cells during measurement. The surface of the sensor chip is in-plane with the flask surface allowing undisturbed cell growth on the sensor chip. A custom developed rack system allows easy usage of multiple flasks in parallel within an incubator. The presented data demonstrates the application of the SCCF with brain tumor (T98G and breast cancer (T-47D cells. Amperometric oxygen sensors were used to monitor cellular respiration with different incubation conditions. Cellular acidification was accessed with potentiometric pH sensors using electrodeposited iridium oxide films. The system itself provides the foundation for electrochemical monitoring systems in 3D cell culture.

  4. Heterogeneous cellular networks

    CERN Document Server

    Hu, Rose Qingyang

    2013-01-01

    A timely publication providing coverage of radio resource management, mobility management and standardization in heterogeneous cellular networks The topic of heterogeneous cellular networks has gained momentum in industry and the research community, attracting the attention of standardization bodies such as 3GPP LTE and IEEE 802.16j, whose objectives are looking into increasing the capacity and coverage of the cellular networks. This book focuses on recent progresses,  covering the related topics including scenarios of heterogeneous network deployment, interference management i

  5. Modeling and cellular studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1982-01-01

    Testing the applicability of mathematical models with carefully designed experiments is a powerful tool in the investigations of the effects of ionizing radiation on cells. The modeling and cellular studies complement each other, for modeling provides guidance for designing critical experiments which must provide definitive results, while the experiments themselves provide new input to the model. Based on previous experimental results the model for the accumulation of damage in Chlamydomonas reinhardi has been extended to include various multiple two-event combinations. Split dose survival experiments have shown that models tested to date predict most but not all the observed behavior. Stationary-phase mammalian cells, required for tests of other aspects of the model, have been shown to be at different points in the cell cycle depending on how they were forced to stop proliferating. These cultures also demonstrate different capacities for repair of sublethal radiation damage

  6. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of chronic rhinosinusitis and potential therapeutic strategies: review on cytokines, nuclear factor kappa B and transforming growth factor beta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phan, N T; Cabot, P J; Wallwork, B D; Cervin, A U; Panizza, B J

    2015-07-01

    Chronic rhinosinusitis is characterised by persistent inflammation of the sinonasal mucosa. Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms are likely to exist. Previous research has focused predominantly on T-helper type cytokines to highlight the inflammatory mechanisms. However, proteins such as nuclear factor kappa B and transforming growth factor beta are increasingly recognised to have important roles in sinonasal inflammation and tissue remodelling. This review article explores the roles of T-helper type cytokines, nuclear factor kappa B and transforming growth factor beta in the pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic rhinosinusitis. An understanding of these mechanisms will allow for better identification and classification of chronic rhinosinusitis endotypes, and, ultimately, improved therapeutic strategies.

  7. Multiple mechanisms quench passive spiral galaxies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraser-McKelvie, Amelia; Brown, Michael J. I.; Pimbblet, Kevin; Dolley, Tim; Bonne, Nicolas J.

    2018-02-01

    We examine the properties of a sample of 35 nearby passive spiral galaxies in order to determine their dominant quenching mechanism(s). All five low-mass (M⋆ environments. We postulate that cluster-scale gas stripping and heating mechanisms operating only in rich clusters are required to quench low-mass passive spirals, and ram-pressure stripping and strangulation are obvious candidates. For higher mass passive spirals, while trends are present, the story is less clear. The passive spiral bar fraction is high: 74 ± 15 per cent, compared with 36 ± 5 per cent for a mass, redshift and T-type matched comparison sample of star-forming spiral galaxies. The high mass passive spirals occur mostly, but not exclusively, in groups, and can be central or satellite galaxies. The passive spiral group fraction of 74 ± 15 per cent is similar to that of the comparison sample of star-forming galaxies at 61 ± 7 per cent. We find evidence for both quenching via internal structure and environment in our passive spiral sample, though some galaxies have evidence of neither. From this, we conclude no one mechanism is responsible for quenching star formation in passive spiral galaxies - rather, a mixture of mechanisms is required to produce the passive spiral distribution we see today.

  8. Chatty Mitochondria: Keeping Balance in Cellular Protein Homeostasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topf, Ulrike; Wrobel, Lidia; Chacinska, Agnieszka

    2016-08-01

    Mitochondria are multifunctional cellular organelles that host many biochemical pathways including oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Defective mitochondria pose a threat to cellular homeostasis and compensatory responses exist to curtail the source of stress and/or its consequences. The mitochondrial proteome comprises proteins encoded by the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Disturbances in protein homeostasis may originate from mistargeting of nuclear encoded mitochondrial proteins. Defective protein import and accumulation of mistargeted proteins leads to stress that triggers translation alterations and proteasomal activation. These cytosolic pathways are complementary to the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) that aims to increase the capacity of protein quality control mechanisms inside mitochondria. They constitute putative targets for interventions aimed at increasing the fitness, stress resistance, and longevity of cells and organisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Toward mechanical systems biology in bone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trüssel, Andreas; Müller, Ralph; Webster, Duncan

    2012-11-01

    Cyclic mechanical loading is perhaps the most important physiological factor regulating bone mass and shape in a way which balances optimal strength with minimal weight. This bone adaptation process spans multiple length and time scales. Forces resulting from physiological exercise at the organ scale are sensed at the cellular scale by osteocytes, which reside inside the bone matrix. Via biochemical pathways, osteocytes orchestrate the local remodeling action of osteoblasts (bone formation) and osteoclasts (bone resorption). Together these local adaptive remodeling activities sum up to strengthen bone globally at the organ scale. To resolve the underlying mechanisms it is required to identify and quantify both cause and effect across the different scales. Progress has been made at the different scales experimentally. Computational models of bone adaptation have been developed to piece together various experimental observations at the different scales into coherent and plausible mechanisms. However additional quantitative experimental validation is still required to build upon the insights which have already been achieved. In this review we discuss emerging as well as state of the art experimental and computational techniques and how they might be used in a mechanical systems biology approach to further our understanding of the mechanisms governing load induced bone adaptation, i.e., ways are outlined in which experimental and computational approaches could be coupled, in a quantitative manner to create more reliable multiscale models of bone.

  10. Evaluation of the stiffness characteristics of square pore CoCrMo cellular structures manufactured using laser melting technology for potential orthopaedic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hazlehurst, Kevin; Wang, Chang Jiang; Stanford, Mark

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • The compressive properties of CoCrMo cellular structures were investigated. • CoCrMo cellular structures with bone like properties have been presented. • An expression has been proposed to predict the effective elastic modulus. • Structural variation and heterogeneities were modelled within a cellular structure. - Abstract: In order to improve the stress shielding characteristics of orthopaedic devices implants that mimic the mechanical behaviour of bone need to be considered. Additive layer manufacturing processes provide a capability to produce orthopaedic implants with tailored mechanical properties. In this work cobalt chrome molybdenum cellular structures have been designed and manufactured using selective laser melting, with volume based porosity ranging between 25% and 95%. The effective mechanical properties have been determined through uniaxial compression testing and compared to numerical and analytical predictions where differences were observed. Cellular structures have been presented that exhibit similar stiffness and strength characteristics when compared to cortical and cancellous bone in the human femur. An expression has been proposed to predict the effective elastic modulus of cobalt chrome molybdenum cellular structures with volumetric porosity of 65% and above. A finite element modelling technique has been used to demonstrate that structural variation and heterogeneities that are associated with the manufacture of cellular structures can significantly decrease the effective stiffness

  11. Control of Cellular Morphology by Mechanical Factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thoumine, Olivier

    1996-11-01

    This short review deals with the influence of mechanical factors on eucaryotic cell morphology and structure. We classify these factors into two types: i) external forces (e.g. gravitational forces or hemodynamic stresses), which when applied experimentally allow characterization of passive mechanical properties; and ii) internal forces, e.g. generated by molecular motors or polymerization processes. Perturbation of one or more of these forces induces significant changes in cell shape, cytoskeleton and pericellular matrix organization. We describe these phenomena in view of current models. Cette brève revue traite de l'influence des facteurs mécaniques sur la morphologie et la structure des cellules eucaryotes. Nous classifions ces facteurs en deux catégories : i) les forces externes (par exemple les forces de gravitation et les contraintes hèmodynamiques) qui, imposées in vitro, permettent de caractériser les propriétés mécaniques passives ; et ii) les forces internes, par exemple celles générées par les moteurs moléculaires ou les processus de polymérisation. La perturbation de l'une ou de l'autre de ces forces provoque des changements significatifs de la morphologie cellulaire ainsi que l'organisation du cytosquelette et de la matrice péricellulaire. Nous décrivons ces phénomènes en fonction de modèles existants.

  12. Multiple purpose electrical profit; Emprendimiento electrico de prestacion multiple

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Assennato, H. [Electrica de Azul Ltda., Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    1986-12-31

    This paper shows the multiple purpose aspects of electrification projects in rural and isolated areas. The multiple aspects involved in the electrification process may include, over electric power supply: improvement of life quality, irrigation and rural mechanization. 4 figs., 6 tabs., 4 refs.

  13. 47 CFR 22.909 - Cellular markets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular markets. 22.909 Section 22.909... Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.909 Cellular markets. Cellular markets are standard geographic areas used by the FCC for administrative convenience in the licensing of cellular systems. Cellular markets...

  14. Cellular responses in primary epidermal cultures from oncorhynchus mykiss following the combined exposure of ionising radiation and a heavy metal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyng, F.M.; Ni Shuilleabhain, S.; Davoren, M.

    2004-01-01

    Mechanisms of toxicant action on biological systems are difficult to identify when more than one contaminant is involved due to potential synergistic and antagonistic effects. There is a general paucity of research into the effect of radiation exposure in tandem with common environmental contaminants due to the inherent difficulties involved. In vitro cell cultures are particularly suited to the study of toxic mechanisms due to their proximity to toxic modes of action and the absence of the multiple defence mechanisms present in intact organisms. Primary cell cultures are particularly beneficial in this area of research as they still maintain many of their tissue specific functions. The objective of this study was to distinguish different mechanisms of cell death (growth arrest, apoptosis, primary and secondary necrosis and proliferation), following combination exposure to ionising radiation and a heavy metal (ZnCl 2 ). The model system employed was a primary cell culture of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) epidermal tissue which has been previously used to study the effects of various environmental agents in this laboratory. Apoptosis and necrosis were quantified morphologically while proliferation was assessed immuno-cyto-chemically using an anti PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) antibody. While radiation doses up to and including 10 Gy had no effect on growth, exposure to ZnCl 2 produced a significant dose dependent reduction in growth (10, 50, 75, 100 and 200 ppm ZnCl 2 ). Preliminary results indicate no significant effect on growth following a combined exposure of 5 Gy + 50 ppm ZnCl 2 . These results may have important implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying cellular responses to multiple contaminant exposures. (author)

  15. Mechanical Coupling of Smooth Muscle Cells Using Microengineered Substrates and Local Stimulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Copeland, Craig; Hunter, David; Tung, Leslie; Chen, Christopher; Reich, Daniel

    2013-03-01

    Mechanical stresses directly affect many cellular processes, including signal transduction, growth, differentiation, and survival. Cells can themselves generate such stresses by activating myosin to contract the actin cytoskeleton, which in turn can regulate both cell-substrate and cell-cell interactions. We are studying mechanical forces at cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions using arrays of selectively patterned flexible PDMS microposts combined with the ability to apply local chemical stimulation. Micropipette ``spritzing'', a laminar flow technique, uses glass micropipettes mounted on a microscope stage to deliver drugs to controlled regions within a cellular construct while cell traction forces are recorded via the micropost array. The pipettes are controlled by micromanipulators allowing for rapid and precise movement across the array and the ability to treat multiple constructs within a sample. This technique allows for observing the propagation of a chemically induced mechanical stimulus through cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions. We have used this system to administer the acto-myosin inhibitors Blebbistatin and Y-27632 to single cells and observed the subsequent decrease in cell traction forces. Experiments using trypsin-EDTA have shown this system to be capable of single cell manipulation through removal of one cell within a pair configuration while leaving the other cell unaffected. This project is supported in part by NIH grant HL090747

  16. Lattice gas cellular automata and lattice Boltzmann models an introduction

    CERN Document Server

    Wolf-Gladrow, Dieter A

    2000-01-01

    Lattice-gas cellular automata (LGCA) and lattice Boltzmann models (LBM) are relatively new and promising methods for the numerical solution of nonlinear partial differential equations. The book provides an introduction for graduate students and researchers. Working knowledge of calculus is required and experience in PDEs and fluid dynamics is recommended. Some peculiarities of cellular automata are outlined in Chapter 2. The properties of various LGCA and special coding techniques are discussed in Chapter 3. Concepts from statistical mechanics (Chapter 4) provide the necessary theoretical background for LGCA and LBM. The properties of lattice Boltzmann models and a method for their construction are presented in Chapter 5.

  17. 3D hierarchical computational model of wood as a cellular material with fibril reinforced, heterogeneous multiple layers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qing, Hai; Mishnaevsky, Leon

    2009-01-01

    A 3D hierarchical computational model of deformation and stiffness of wood, which takes into account the structures of wood at several scale levels (cellularity, multilayered nature of cell walls, composite-like structures of the wall layers) is developed. At the mesoscale, the softwood cell...... cellular model. With the use of the developed hierarchical model, the influence of the microstructure, including microfibril angles (MFAs, which characterizes the orientation of the cellulose fibrils with respect to the cell axis), the thickness of the cell wall, the shape of the cell cross...... is presented as a 3D hexagon-shape-tube with multilayered walls. The layers in the softwood cell are considered as considered as composite reinforced by microfibrils (celluloses). The elastic properties of the layers are determined with Halpin–Tsai equations, and introduced into mesoscale finite element...

  18. Cellular Mechanisms of Calcium-Mediated Triggered Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Zhen

    Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias continue to pose a major health problem. Ventricular fibrillation, which is a complex form of electrical wave turbulence in the lower chambers of the heart, stops the heart from pumping and is the largest cause of natural death in the United States. Atrial fibrillation, a related form of wave turbulence in the upper heart chambers, is in turn the most common arrhythmia diagnosed in clinical practice. Despite extensive research to date, mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias remain poorly understood. It is well established that both spatial disorder of the refractory period of heart cells and triggered activity (TA) jointly contribute to the initiation and maintenance of arrhythmias. TA broadly refers to the abnormal generation of a single or a sequence of abnormal excitation waves from a small submillimeter region of the heart in the interval of time between two normal waves generated by the heart's natural pacemaker (the sinoatrial node). TA has been widely investigated experimentally and occurs in several pathological conditions where the intracellular concentration of free Ca2+ ions in heart cells becomes elevated. Under such conditions, Ca2+ can be spontaneously released from intracellular stores, thereby driving an electrogenic current that exchanges 3Na+ ions for one Ca2+ ion across the cell membrane. This current in turn depolarizes the membrane of heart cells after a normal excitation. If this calcium-mediated "delayed after depolarization'' (DAD) is sufficiently large, it can generate an action potential. While the arrhythmogenic importance of spontaneous Ca2+ release and DADs is well appreciated, the conditions under which they occur in heart pathologies remain poorly understood. Calcium overload is only one factor among several other factors that can promote DADs, including sympathetic nerve stimulation, different expression levels of membrane ion channels and calcium handling proteins, and different mutations of those

  19. Cellular Viscosity in Prokaryotes and Thermal Stability of Low Molecular Weight Biomolecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuecas, Alba; Cruces, Jorge; Galisteo-López, Juan F; Peng, Xiaojun; Gonzalez, Juan M

    2016-08-23

    Some low molecular weight biomolecules, i.e., NAD(P)H, are unstable at high temperatures. The use of these biomolecules by thermophilic microorganisms has been scarcely analyzed. Herein, NADH stability has been studied at different temperatures and viscosities. NADH decay increased at increasing temperatures. At increasing viscosities, NADH decay rates decreased. Thus, maintaining relatively high cellular viscosity in cells could result in increased stability of low molecular weight biomolecules (i.e., NADH) at high temperatures, unlike what was previously deduced from studies in diluted water solutions. Cellular viscosity was determined using a fluorescent molecular rotor in various prokaryotes covering the range from 10 to 100°C. Some mesophiles showed the capability of changing cellular viscosity depending on growth temperature. Thermophiles and extreme thermophiles presented a relatively high cellular viscosity, suggesting this strategy as a reasonable mechanism to thrive under these high temperatures. Results substantiate the capability of thermophiles and extreme thermophiles (growth range 50-80°C) to stabilize and use generally considered unstable, universal low molecular weight biomolecules. In addition, this study represents a first report, to our knowledge, on cellular viscosity measurements in prokaryotes and it shows the dependency of prokaryotic cellular viscosity on species and growth temperature. Copyright © 2016 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Intractable problems in reversible cellular automata

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vatan, F.

    1988-01-01

    The billiard ball model, a classical mechanical system in which all parameters are real variables, can perform all digital computations. An eight-state, 11-neighbor reversible cellular automaton (an entirely discrete system in which all parameters are integer variables) can simulate this model. One of the natural problems for this system is to determine the shape of a container so that they initial specific distribution of gas molecules eventually leads to a predetermined distribution. This problem if PSPACE-complete. Related intractable and decidable problems are discussed as well