New roles for Nanos in neural cell fate determination revealed by studies in a cnidarian.

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Kanska, Justyna; Frank, Uri

2013-07-15

Nanos is a pan-metazoan germline marker, important for germ cell development and maintenance. In flies, Nanos also acts in posterior and neural development, but these functions have not been demonstrated experimentally in other animals. Using the cnidarian Hydractinia we have uncovered novel roles for Nanos in neural cell fate determination. Ectopic expression of Nanos2 increased the numbers of embryonic stinging cell progenitors, but decreased the numbers of neurons. Downregulation of Nanos2 had the opposite effect. Furthermore, Nanos2 blocked maturation of committed, post-mitotic nematoblasts. Hence, Nanos2 acts as a switch between two differentiation pathways, increasing the numbers of nematoblasts at the expense of neuroblasts, but preventing nematocyte maturation. Nanos2 ectopic expression also caused patterning defects, but these were not associated with deregulation of Wnt signaling, showing that the basic anterior-posterior polarity remained intact, and suggesting that numerical imbalance between nematocytes and neurons might have caused these defects, affecting axial patterning only indirectly. We propose that the functions of Nanos in germ cells and in neural development are evolutionarily conserved, but its role in posterior patterning is an insect or arthropod innovation.

Cell fate control in the developing central nervous system

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Guérout, Nicolas; Li, Xiaofei; Barnabé-Heider, Fanie, E-mail: Fanie.Barnabe-Heider@ki.se

2014-02-01

The principal neural cell types forming the mature central nervous system (CNS) are now understood to be diverse. This cellular subtype diversity originates to a large extent from the specification of the earlier proliferating progenitor populations during development. Here, we review the processes governing the differentiation of a common neuroepithelial cell progenitor pool into mature neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells and adult stem cells. We focus on studies performed in mice and involving two distinct CNS structures: the spinal cord and the cerebral cortex. Understanding the origin, specification and developmental regulators of neural cells will ultimately impact comprehension and treatments of neurological disorders and diseases. - Highlights: • Similar mechanisms regulate cell fate in different CNS cell types and structures. • Cell fate regulators operate in a spatial–temporal manner. • Different neural cell types rely on the generation of a diversity of progenitor cells. • Cell fate decision is dictated by the integration of intrinsic and extrinsic signals.

Cell fate control in the developing central nervous system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guérout, Nicolas; Li, Xiaofei; Barnabé-Heider, Fanie

2014-01-01

The principal neural cell types forming the mature central nervous system (CNS) are now understood to be diverse. This cellular subtype diversity originates to a large extent from the specification of the earlier proliferating progenitor populations during development. Here, we review the processes governing the differentiation of a common neuroepithelial cell progenitor pool into mature neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells and adult stem cells. We focus on studies performed in mice and involving two distinct CNS structures: the spinal cord and the cerebral cortex. Understanding the origin, specification and developmental regulators of neural cells will ultimately impact comprehension and treatments of neurological disorders and diseases. - Highlights: • Similar mechanisms regulate cell fate in different CNS cell types and structures. • Cell fate regulators operate in a spatial–temporal manner. • Different neural cell types rely on the generation of a diversity of progenitor cells. • Cell fate decision is dictated by the integration of intrinsic and extrinsic signals

High glucose alters the expression of genes involved in proliferation and cell-fate specification of embryonic neural stem cells.

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Fu, J; Tay, S S W; Ling, E A; Dheen, S T

2006-05-01

Maternal diabetes induces neural tube defects during embryogenesis. Since the neural tube is derived from neural stem cells (NSCs), it is hypothesised that in diabetic pregnancy neural tube defects result from altered expression of developmental control genes, leading to abnormal proliferation and cell-fate choice of NSCs. Cell viability, proliferation index and apoptosis of NSCs and differentiated cells from mice exposed to physiological or high glucose concentration medium were examined by a tetrazolium salt assay, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling and immunocytochemistry. Expression of developmental genes, including sonic hedgehog (Shh), bone morphogenetic protein 4 (Bmp4), neurogenin 1/2 (Neurog1/2), achaete-scute complex-like 1 (Ascl1), oligodendrocyte transcription factor 1 (Olig1), oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 (Olig2), hairy and enhancer of split 1/5 (Hes1/5) and delta-like 1 (Dll1), was analysed by real-time RT-PCR. Proliferation index and neuronal specification in the forebrain of embryos at embryonic day 11.5 were examined histologically. High glucose decreased the proliferation of NSCs and differentiated cells. The incidence of apoptosis was increased in NSCs treated with high glucose, but not in the differentiated cells. High glucose also accelerated neuronal and glial differentiation from NSCs. The decreased proliferation index and early differentiation of neurons were evident in the telencephalon of embryos derived from diabetic mice. Exposure to high glucose altered the mRNA expression levels of Shh, Bmp4, Neurog1/2, Ascl1, Hes1, Dll1 and Olig1 in NSCs and Shh, Dll1, Neurog1/2 and Hes5 in differentiated cells. The changes in proliferation and differentiation of NSCs exposed to high glucose are associated with altered expression of genes that are involved in cell-cycle progression and cell-fate specification during neurulation. These changes may form the

Gene array analysis of neural crest cells identifies transcription factors necessary for direct conversion of embryonic fibroblasts into neural crest cells

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Tsutomu Motohashi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Neural crest cells (NC cells are multipotent cells that emerge from the edge of the neural folds and migrate throughout the developing embryo. Although the gene regulatory network for generation of NC cells has been elucidated in detail, it has not been revealed which of the factors in the network are pivotal to directing NC identity. In this study we analyzed the gene expression profile of a pure NC subpopulation isolated from Sox10-IRES-Venus mice and investigated whether these genes played a key role in the direct conversion of Sox10-IRES-Venus mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs into NC cells. The comparative molecular profiles of NC cells and neural tube cells in 9.5-day embryos revealed genes including transcription factors selectively expressed in developing trunk NC cells. Among 25 NC cell-specific transcription factor genes tested, SOX10 and SOX9 were capable of converting MEFs into SOX10-positive (SOX10+ cells. The SOX10+ cells were then shown to differentiate into neurons, glial cells, smooth muscle cells, adipocytes and osteoblasts. These SOX10+ cells also showed limited self-renewal ability, suggesting that SOX10 and SOX9 directly converted MEFs into NC cells. Conversely, the remaining transcription factors, including well-known NC cell specifiers, were unable to convert MEFs into SOX10+ NC cells. These results suggest that SOX10 and SOX9 are the key factors necessary for the direct conversion of MEFs into NC cells.

Regulation of spindle orientation and neural stem cell fate in the Drosophila optic lobe

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Brand Andrea H

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The choice of a stem cell to divide symmetrically or asymmetrically has profound consequences for development and disease. Unregulated symmetric division promotes tumor formation, whereas inappropriate asymmetric division affects organ morphogenesis. Despite its importance, little is known about how spindle positioning is regulated. In some tissues cell fate appears to dictate the type of cell division, whereas in other tissues it is thought that stochastic variation in spindle position dictates subsequent sibling cell fate. Results Here we investigate the relationship between neural progenitor identity and spindle positioning in the Drosophila optic lobe. We use molecular markers and live imaging to show that there are two populations of progenitors in the optic lobe: symmetrically dividing neuroepithelial cells and asymmetrically dividing neuroblasts. We use genetically marked single cell clones to show that neuroepithelial cells give rise to neuroblasts. To determine if a change in spindle orientation can trigger a neuroepithelial to neuroblast transition, we force neuroepithelial cells to divide along their apical/basal axis by misexpressing Inscuteable. We find that this does not induce neuroblasts, nor does it promote premature neuronal differentiation. Conclusion We show that symmetrically dividing neuroepithelial cells give rise to asymmetrically dividing neuroblasts in the optic lobe, and that regulation of spindle orientation and division symmetry is a consequence of cell type specification, rather than a mechanism for generating cell type diversity.

Configurable Analog-Digital Conversion Using the Neural EngineeringFramework

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Christian G Mayr

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Efficient Analog-Digital Converters (ADC are one of the mainstays of mixed-signal integrated circuit design. Besides the conventional ADCs used in mainstream ICs, there have been various attempts in the past to utilize neuromorphic networks to accomplish an efficient crossing between analog and digital domains, i.e. to build neurally inspired ADCs. Generally, these have suffered from the same problems as conventional ADCs, that is they require high-precision, handcrafted analog circuits and are thus not technology portable. In this paper, we present an ADC based on the Neural Engineering Framework (NEF. It carries out a large fraction of the overall ADC process in the digital domain, i.e. it is easily portable across technologies. The analog-digital conversion takes full advantage of the high degree of parallelism inherent in neuromorphic networks, making for a very scalable ADC. In addition, it has a number of features not commonly found in conventional ADCs, such as a runtime reconfigurability of the ADC sampling rate, resolution and transfer characteristic.

Apical versus Basal Neurogenesis Directs Cortical Interneuron Subclass Fate

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Timothy J. Petros

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Fate determination in the mammalian telencephalon, with its diversity of neuronal subtypes and relevance to neuropsychiatric disease, remains a critical area of study in neuroscience. Most studies investigating this topic focus on the diversity of neural progenitors within spatial and temporal domains along the lateral ventricles. Often overlooked is whether the location of neurogenesis within a fate-restricted domain is associated with, or instructive for, distinct neuronal fates. Here, we use in vivo fate mapping and the manipulation of neurogenic location to demonstrate that apical versus basal neurogenesis influences the fate determination of major subgroups of cortical interneurons derived from the subcortical telencephalon. Somatostatin-expressing interneurons arise mainly from apical divisions along the ventricular surface, whereas parvalbumin-expressing interneurons originate predominantly from basal divisions in the subventricular zone. As manipulations that shift neurogenic location alter interneuron subclass fate, these results add an additional dimension to the spatial-temporal determinants of neuronal fate determination.

Everyday conversation requires cognitive inference: neural bases of comprehending implicated meanings in conversations.

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Jang, Gijeong; Yoon, Shin-ae; Lee, Sung-Eun; Park, Haeil; Kim, Joohan; Ko, Jeong Hoon; Park, Hae-Jeong

2013-11-01

In ordinary conversations, literal meanings of an utterance are often quite different from implicated meanings and the inference about implicated meanings is essentially required for successful comprehension of the speaker's utterances. Inference of finding implicated meanings is based on the listener's assumption that the conversational partner says only relevant matters according to the maxim of relevance in Grice's theory of conversational implicature. To investigate the neural correlates of comprehending implicated meanings under the maxim of relevance, a total of 23 participants underwent an fMRI task with a series of conversational pairs, each consisting of a question and an answer. The experimental paradigm was composed of three conditions: explicit answers, moderately implicit answers, and highly implicit answers. Participants were asked to decide whether the answer to the Yes/No question meant 'Yes' or 'No'. Longer reaction time was required for the highly implicit answers than for the moderately implicit answers without affecting the accuracy. The fMRI results show that the left anterior temporal lobe, left angular gyrus, and left posterior middle temporal gyrus had stronger activation in both moderately and highly implicit conditions than in the explicit condition. Comprehension of highly implicit answers had increased activations in additional regions including the left inferior frontal gyrus, left medial prefrontal cortex, left posterior cingulate cortex and right anterior temporal lobe. The activation results indicate involvement of these regions in the inference process to build coherence between literally irrelevant but pragmatically associated utterances under the maxim of relevance. Especially, the left anterior temporal lobe showed high sensitivity to the level of implicitness and showed increased activation for highly versus moderately implicit conditions, which imply its central role in inference such as semantic integration. The right

Conversion of neurons and glia to external-cell fates in the external sensory organs of Drosophila hamlet mutants by a cousin-cousin cell-type respecification.

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Moore, Adrian W; Roegiers, Fabrice; Jan, Lily Y; Jan, Yuh-Nung

2004-03-15

The Drosophila external sensory organ forms in a lineage elaborating from a single precursor cell via a stereotypical series of asymmetric divisions. HAMLET transcription factor expression demarcates the lineage branch that generates two internal cell types, the external sensory neuron and thecogen. In HAMLET mutant organs, these internal cells are converted to external cells via an unprecedented cousin-cousin cell-fate respecification event. Conversely, ectopic HAMLET expression in the external cell branch leads to internal cell production. The fate-determining signals NOTCH and PAX2 act at multiple stages of lineage elaboration and HAMLET acts to modulate their activity in a branch-specific manner.

Determination of fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients by means of artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soto B, T. G.; Rivera P, E.; De Leon M, H. A.; Hernandez D, V. M.; Vega C, H. R.; Gallego, E.; Lorente, A.

2012-10-01

In this paper is presented an Artificial Neural Network (Ann) that has been designed, trained and validated to determinate the effective dose e, ambient dose equivalent h(10) and personal dose equivalent hp(10,θ) fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients at different positions, having as only input data 7 count rates obtained with a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (Bss) system. A set of 211 neutron spectra and the fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients published by the International Atomic Energy Agency were used to train and validate the Ann. This set was divided into 2 subsets, one of 181 elements to train the Ann and the remaining 30 to validate it. The Ann was trained using Bss count rates as input data and the fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients as output data. The network was validated and tested with the set of 30 elements that were not used during the training process. Good results were obtained proving that Ann are a good choice for calculating the fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients having as only data the count rates obtained with a Bss. (Author)

Determination of fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients by means of artificial neural networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soto B, T. G.; Rivera P, E.; De Leon M, H. A.; Hernandez D, V. M.; Vega C, H. R. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98068 Zacatecas (Mexico); Gallego, E.; Lorente, A., E-mail: tzinnia.soto@gmail.com [Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Departamento de Ingenieria Nuclear, Jose Gutierrez Abascal No. 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain)

2012-10-15

In this paper is presented an Artificial Neural Network (Ann) that has been designed, trained and validated to determinate the effective dose e, ambient dose equivalent h(10) and personal dose equivalent hp(10,{theta}) fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients at different positions, having as only input data 7 count rates obtained with a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (Bss) system. A set of 211 neutron spectra and the fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients published by the International Atomic Energy Agency were used to train and validate the Ann. This set was divided into 2 subsets, one of 181 elements to train the Ann and the remaining 30 to validate it. The Ann was trained using Bss count rates as input data and the fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients as output data. The network was validated and tested with the set of 30 elements that were not used during the training process. Good results were obtained proving that Ann are a good choice for calculating the fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients having as only data the count rates obtained with a Bss. (Author)

Prediction of Negative Conversion Days of Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome Based on the Improved Backpropagation Neural Network with Momentum

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Yi-jun Liu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Childhood nephrotic syndrome is a chronic disease harmful to growth of children. Scientific and accurate prediction of negative conversion days for children with nephrotic syndrome offers potential benefits for treatment of patients and helps achieve better cure effect. In this study, the improved backpropagation neural network with momentum is used for prediction. Momentum speeds up convergence and maintains the generalization performance of the neural network, and therefore overcomes weaknesses of the standard backpropagation algorithm. The three-tier network structure is constructed. Eight indicators including age, lgG, lgA and lgM, etc. are selected for network inputs. The scientific computing software of MATLAB and its neural network tools are used to create model and predict. The training sample of twenty-eight cases is used to train the neural network. The test sample of six typical cases belonging to six different age groups respectively is used to test the predictive model. The low mean absolute error of predictive results is achieved at 0.83. The experimental results of the small-size sample show that the proposed approach is to some degree applicable for the prediction of negative conversion days of childhood nephrotic syndrome.

Conversion of Human Fibroblasts to Stably Self-Renewing Neural Stem Cells with a Single Zinc-Finger Transcription Factor

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Ebrahim Shahbazi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Direct conversion of somatic cells into neural stem cells (NSCs by defined factors holds great promise for mechanistic studies, drug screening, and potential cell therapies for different neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we report that a single zinc-finger transcription factor, Zfp521, is sufficient for direct conversion of human fibroblasts into long-term self-renewable and multipotent NSCs. In vitro, Zfp521-induced NSCs maintained their characteristics in the absence of exogenous factor expression and exhibited morphological, molecular, developmental, and functional properties that were similar to control NSCs. In addition, the single-seeded induced NSCs were able to form NSC colonies with efficiency comparable with control NSCs and expressed NSC markers. The converted cells were capable of surviving, migrating, and attaining neural phenotypes after transplantation into neonatal mouse and adult rat brains, without forming tumors. Moreover, the Zfp521-induced NSCs predominantly expressed rostral genes. Our results suggest a facilitated approach for establishing human NSCs through Zfp521-driven conversion of fibroblasts.

The N400 effect during speaker-switch – Towards a conversational approach of measuring neural correlates of language

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Tatiana Goregliad Fjaellingsdal

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Language occurs naturally in conversations. However, the study of the neural underpinnings of language has mainly taken place in single individuals using controlled language material. The interactive elements of a conversation (e.g., turn-taking are often not part of neurolinguistic setups. The prime reason is the difficulty to combine open unrestricted conversations with the requirements of neuroimaging. It is necessary to find a trade-off between the naturalness of a conversation and the restrictions imposed by neuroscientific methods to allow for ecologically more valid studies.Here we make an attempt to study the effects of a conversational element, namely turn-taking, on linguistic neural correlates, specifically the N400 effect. We focus on the physiological aspect of turn-taking, the speaker-switch, and its effect on the detectability of the N400 effect. The N400 event-related potential reflects expectation violations in a semantic context; the N400 effect describes the difference of the N400 amplitude between semantically expected and unexpected items.Sentences with semantically congruent and incongruent final words were presented in two turn-taking modes: (1 reading aloud first part of the sentence and listening to speaker-switch for the final word, and (2 listening to first part of the sentence and speaker-switch for the final word.A significant N400 effect was found for both turn-taking modes, which was not influenced by the mode itself. However, the mode significantly affected the P200, which was increased for the reading aloud mode compared to the listening mode.Our results show that an N400 effect can be detected during a speaker-switch. Speech articulation (reading aloud before the analyzed sentence fragment did also not impede the N400 effect detection for the final word. The speaker-switch, however, seems to influence earlier components of the electroencephalogram, related to processing of salient stimuli. We conclude that the N

Prolonged Mitosis of Neural Progenitors Alters Cell Fate in the Developing Brain.

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Pilaz, Louis-Jan; McMahon, John J; Miller, Emily E; Lennox, Ashley L; Suzuki, Aussie; Salmon, Edward; Silver, Debra L

2016-01-06

Embryonic neocortical development depends on balanced production of progenitors and neurons. Genetic mutations disrupting progenitor mitosis frequently impair neurogenesis; however, the link between altered mitosis and cell fate remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that prolonged mitosis of radial glial progenitors directly alters neuronal fate specification and progeny viability. Live imaging of progenitors from a neurogenesis mutant, Magoh(+/-), reveals that mitotic delay significantly correlates with preferential production of neurons instead of progenitors, as well as apoptotic progeny. Independently, two pharmacological approaches reveal a causal relationship between mitotic delay and progeny fate. As mitotic duration increases, progenitors produce substantially more apoptotic progeny or neurons. We show that apoptosis, but not differentiation, is p53 dependent, demonstrating that these are distinct outcomes of mitotic delay. Together our findings reveal that prolonged mitosis is sufficient to alter fates of radial glia progeny and define a new paradigm to understand how mitosis perturbations underlie brain size disorders such as microcephaly. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemicals as the Sole Transformers of Cell Fate.

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Ebrahimi, Behnam

2016-05-30

Forced expression of lineage-specific transcription factors in somatic cells can result in the generation of different cell types in a process named direct reprogramming, bypassing the pluripotent state. However, the introduction of transgenes limits the therapeutic applications of the produced cells. Numerous small-molecules have been introduced in the field of stem cell biology capable of governing self-renewal, reprogramming, transdifferentiation and regeneration. These chemical compounds are versatile tools for cell fate conversion toward desired outcomes. Cell fate conversion using small-molecules alone (chemical reprogramming) has superiority over arduous traditional genetic techniques in several aspects. For instance, rapid, transient, and reversible effects in activation and inhibition of functions of specific proteins are of the profits of small-molecules. They are cost-effective, have a long half-life, diversity on structure and function, and allow for temporal and flexible regulation of signaling pathways. Additionally, their effects could be adjusted by fine-tuning concentrations and combinations of different small-molecules. Therefore, chemicals are powerful tools in cell fate conversion and study of stem cell and chemical biology in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, transgene-free and chemical-only transdifferentiation approaches provide alternative strategies for the generation of various cell types, disease modeling, drug screening, and regenerative medicine. The current review gives an overview of the recent findings concerning transdifferentiation by only small-molecules without the use of transgenes.

Potential for thermochemical conversion of biomass residues from the integrated sugar-ethanol process - Fate of ash and ash-forming elements.

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Dirbeba, Meheretu Jaleta; Brink, Anders; DeMartini, Nikolai; Zevenhoven, Maria; Hupa, Mikko

2017-06-01

In this work, potential for thermochemical conversion of biomass residues from an integrated sugar-ethanol process and the fate of ash and ash-forming elements in the process are presented. Ash, ash-forming elements, and energy flows in the process were determined using mass balances and analyses of eight different biomass samples for ash contents, elemental compositions, and heating values. The results show that the ash content increases from the sugarcane to the final residue, vinasse. The cane straw, which is left in the field, contains one-third of the energy and 25% of the K and Cl while the vinasse contains 2% of the energy and 40% of the K and Cl in the cane. K and Cl in biomass fuels cause corrosion and fouling problems in boilers and gasifiers. Over 85% of these elements in the straw are water soluble indicating that water leaching would improve it for utilization in thermochemical conversion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proposal of a model of mammalian neural induction

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Levine, Ariel J.; Brivanlou, Ali H.

2009-01-01

How does the vertebrate embryo make a nervous system? This complex question has been at the center of developmental biology for many years. The earliest step in this process – the induction of neural tissue – is intimately linked to patterning of the entire early embryo, and the molecular and embryological basis these processes are beginning to emerge. Here, we analyze classic and cutting-edge findings on neural induction in the mouse. We find that data from genetics, tissue explants, tissue grafting, and molecular marker expression support a coherent framework for mammalian neural induction. In this model, the gastrula organizer of the mouse embryo inhibits BMP signaling to allow neural tissue to form as a default fate – in the absence of instructive signals. The first neural tissue induced is anterior and subsequent neural tissue is posteriorized to form the midbrain, hindbrain, and spinal cord. The anterior visceral endoderm protects the pre-specified anterior neural fate from similar posteriorization, allowing formation of forebrain. This model is very similar to the default model of neural induction in the frog, thus bridging the evolutionary gap between amphibians and mammals. PMID:17585896

Robust fault detection of wind energy conversion systems based on dynamic neural networks.

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Talebi, Nasser; Sadrnia, Mohammad Ali; Darabi, Ahmad

2014-01-01

Occurrence of faults in wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) is inevitable. In order to detect the occurred faults at the appropriate time, avoid heavy economic losses, ensure safe system operation, prevent damage to adjacent relevant systems, and facilitate timely repair of failed components; a fault detection system (FDS) is required. Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) have gained a noticeable position in FDSs and they have been widely used for modeling of complex dynamical systems. One method for designing an FDS is to prepare a dynamic neural model emulating the normal system behavior. By comparing the outputs of the real system and neural model, incidence of the faults can be identified. In this paper, by utilizing a comprehensive dynamic model which contains both mechanical and electrical components of the WECS, an FDS is suggested using dynamic RNNs. The presented FDS detects faults of the generator's angular velocity sensor, pitch angle sensors, and pitch actuators. Robustness of the FDS is achieved by employing an adaptive threshold. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme is capable to detect the faults shortly and it has very low false and missed alarms rate.

Aging differentially affects male and female neural stem cell neurogenic properties

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Jay Waldron

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Jay Waldron1, Althea McCourty1, Laurent Lecanu1,21The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada; 2Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaPurpose: Neural stem cell transplantation as a brain repair strategy is a very promising technology. However, despite many attempts, the clinical success remains very deceiving. Despite clear evidence that sexual dimorphism rules many aspects of human biology, the occurrence of a sex difference in neural stem cell biology is largely understudied. Herein, we propose to determine whether gender is a dimension that drives the fate of neural stem cells through aging. Should it occur, we believe that neural stem cell sexual dimorphism and its variation during aging should be taken into account to refine clinical approaches of brain repair strategies.Methods: Neural stem cells were isolated from the subventricular zone of three- and 20-month-old male and female Long-Evans rats. Expression of the estrogen receptors, ERα and ERβ, progesterone receptor, androgen receptor, and glucocorticoid receptor was analyzed and quantified by Western blotting on undifferentiated neural stem cells. A second set of neural stem cells was treated with retinoic acid to trigger differentiation, and the expression of neuronal, astroglial, and oligodendroglial markers was determined using Western blotting.Conclusion: We provided in vitro evidence that the fate of neural stem cells is affected by sex and aging. Indeed, young male neural stem cells mainly expressed markers of neuronal and oligodendroglial fate, whereas young female neural stem cells underwent differentiation towards an astroglial phenotype. Aging resulted in a lessened capacity to express neuron and astrocyte markers. Undifferentiated neural stem cells displayed sexual dimorphism in the expression of steroid receptors, in particular ERα and ERβ, and the expression level of several steroid receptors increased

Differentiation of neurons from neural precursors generated in floating spheres from embryonic stem cells

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Forrester Jeff

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Neural differentiation of embryonic stem (ES cells is usually achieved by induction of ectoderm in embryoid bodies followed by the enrichment of neuronal progenitors using a variety of factors. Obtaining reproducible percentages of neural cells is difficult and the methods are time consuming. Results Neural progenitors were produced from murine ES cells by a combination of nonadherent conditions and serum starvation. Conversion to neural progenitors was accompanied by downregulation of Oct4 and NANOG and increased expression of nestin. ES cells containing a GFP gene under the control of the Sox1 regulatory regions became fluorescent upon differentiation to neural progenitors, and ES cells with a tau-GFP fusion protein became fluorescent upon further differentiation to neurons. Neurons produced from these cells upregulated mature neuronal markers, or differentiated to glial and oligodendrocyte fates. The neurons gave rise to action potentials that could be recorded after application of fixed currents. Conclusion Neural progenitors were produced from murine ES cells by a novel method that induced neuroectoderm cells by a combination of nonadherent conditions and serum starvation, in contrast to the embryoid body method in which neuroectoderm cells must be selected after formation of all three germ layers.

Artificial neural network prediction of ischemic tissue fate in acute stroke imaging

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Huang, Shiliang; Shen, Qiang; Duong, Timothy Q

2010-01-01

Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging of acute stroke provides predictive value that can be used to guide stroke therapy. A flexible artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm was developed and applied to predict ischemic tissue fate on three stroke groups: 30-, 60-minute, and permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Cerebral blood flow (CBF), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and spin–spin relaxation time constant (T2) were acquired during the acute phase up to 3 hours and again at 24 hours followed by histology. Infarct was predicted on a pixel-by-pixel basis using only acute (30-minute) stroke data. In addition, neighboring pixel information and infarction incidence were also incorporated into the ANN model to improve prediction accuracy. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was used to quantify prediction accuracy. The major findings were the following: (1) CBF alone poorly predicted the final infarct across three experimental groups; (2) ADC alone adequately predicted the infarct; (3) CBF+ADC improved the prediction accuracy; (4) inclusion of neighboring pixel information and infarction incidence further improved the prediction accuracy; and (5) prediction was more accurate for permanent occlusion, followed by 60- and 30-minute occlusion. The ANN predictive model could thus provide a flexible and objective framework for clinicians to evaluate stroke treatment options on an individual patient basis. PMID:20424631

Glucocorticoid regulation of astrocytic fate and function.

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Shuang Yu

Full Text Available Glial loss in the hippocampus has been suggested as a factor in the pathogenesis of stress-related brain disorders that are characterized by dysregulated glucocorticoid (GC secretion. However, little is known about the regulation of astrocytic fate by GC. Here, we show that astrocytes derived from the rat hippocampus undergo growth inhibition and display moderate activation of caspase 3 after exposure to GC. Importantly, the latter event, observed both in situ and in primary astrocytic cultures is not followed by either early- or late-stage apoptosis, as monitored by stage I or stage II DNA fragmentation. Thus, unlike hippocampal granule neurons, astrocytes are resistant to GC-induced apoptosis; this resistance is due to lower production of reactive oxygen species (ROS and a greater buffering capacity against the cytotoxic actions of ROS. We also show that GC influence hippocampal cell fate by inducing the expression of astrocyte-derived growth factors implicated in the control of neural precursor cell proliferation. Together, our results suggest that GC instigate a hitherto unknown dialog between astrocytes and neural progenitors, adding a new facet to understanding how GC influence the cytoarchitecture of the hippocampus.

Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transitions during Neural Crest and Somite Development

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Chaya Kalcheim

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT is a central process during embryonic development that affects selected progenitor cells of all three germ layers. In addition to driving the onset of cellular migrations and subsequent tissue morphogenesis, the dynamic conversions of epithelium into mesenchyme and vice-versa are intimately associated with the segregation of homogeneous precursors into distinct fates. The neural crest and somites, progenitors of the peripheral nervous system and of skeletal tissues, respectively, beautifully illustrate the significance of EMT to the above processes. Ongoing studies progressively elucidate the gene networks underlying EMT in each system, highlighting the similarities and differences between them. Knowledge of the mechanistic logic of this normal ontogenetic process should provide important insights to the understanding of pathological conditions such as cancer metastasis, which shares some common molecular themes.

A Neural Network Controller for Variable-Speed Variable-Pitch Wind Energy Conversion Systems Using Generalized Minimum Entropy Criterion

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Mifeng Ren

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper considers the neural network controller design problem for variable pitch wind energy conversion systems (WECS with non-Gaussian wind speed disturbances in the stochastic distribution control framework. The approach here is used to directly model the unknown control law based on a fixed neural network (the number of layers and nodes in a neural network is fixed without the need to construct a separate model for the WECS. In order to characterize the randomness of the WECS, a generalized minimum entropy criterion is established to train connection weights of the neural network. For the train purpose, both kernel density estimation method and sliding window technique are adopted to estimate the PDF of tracking error and entropies. Due to the unknown process dynamics, the gradient of the objective function in a gradient-descent-type algorithm is estimated using an incremental perturbation method. The proposed approach is illustrated on a simulated WECS with non-Gaussian wind speed.

Ascorbic acid alters cell fate commitment of human neural progenitors in a WNT/β-catenin/ROS signaling dependent manner.

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Rharass, Tareck; Lantow, Margareta; Gbankoto, Adam; Weiss, Dieter G; Panáková, Daniela; Lucas, Stéphanie

2017-10-16

Improving the neuronal yield from in vitro cultivated neural progenitor cells (NPCs) is an essential challenge in transplantation therapy in neurological disorders. In this regard, Ascorbic acid (AA) is widely used to expand neurogenesis from NPCs in cultures although the mechanisms of its action remain unclear. Neurogenesis from NPCs is regulated by the redox-sensitive WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. We therefore aimed to investigate how AA interacts with this pathway and potentiates neurogenesis. Effects of 200 μM AA were compared with the pro-neurogenic reagent and WNT/β-catenin signaling agonist lithium chloride (LiCl), and molecules with antioxidant activities i.e. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and ruthenium red (RuR), in differentiating neural progenitor ReNcell VM cells. Cells were supplemented with reagents for two periods of treatment: a full period encompassing the whole differentiation process versus an early short period that is restricted to the cell fate commitment stage. Intracellular redox balance and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism were examined by flow cytometry using redox and ROS sensors. Confocal microscopy was performed to assess cell viability, neuronal yield, and levels of two proteins: Nucleoredoxin (NXN) and the WNT/β-catenin signaling component Dishevelled 2 (DVL2). TUBB3 and MYC gene responses were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR. DVL2-NXN complex dissociation was measured by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In contrast to NAC which predictably exhibited an antioxidant effect, AA treatment enhanced ROS metabolism with no cytotoxic induction. Both drugs altered ROS levels only at the early stage of the differentiation as no changes were held beyond the neuronal fate commitment stage. FRET studies showed that AA treatment accelerated the redox-dependent release of the initial pool of DVL2 from its sequestration by NXN, while RuR treatment hampered the dissociation of the two proteins. Accordingly, AA

Mediator Med23 deficiency enhances neural differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells through modulating BMP signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wanqu; Yao, Xiao; Liang, Yan; Liang, Dan; Song, Lu; Jing, Naihe; Li, Jinsong; Wang, Gang

2015-02-01

Unraveling the mechanisms underlying early neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is crucial to developing cell-based therapies of neurodegenerative diseases. Neural fate acquisition is proposed to be controlled by a 'default' mechanism, for which the molecular regulation is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the functional roles of Mediator Med23 in pluripotency and lineage commitment of murine ESCs. Unexpectedly, we found that, despite the largely unchanged pluripotency and self-renewal of ESCs, Med23 depletion rendered the cells prone to neural differentiation in different differentiation assays. Knockdown of two other Mediator subunits, Med1 and Med15, did not alter the neural differentiation of ESCs. Med15 knockdown selectively inhibited endoderm differentiation, suggesting the specificity of cell fate control by distinctive Mediator subunits. Gene profiling revealed that Med23 depletion attenuated BMP signaling in ESCs. Mechanistically, MED23 modulated Bmp4 expression by controlling the activity of ETS1, which is involved in Bmp4 promoter-enhancer communication. Interestingly, med23 knockdown in zebrafish embryos also enhanced neural development at early embryogenesis, which could be reversed by co-injection of bmp4 mRNA. Taken together, our study reveals an intrinsic, restrictive role of MED23 in early neural development, thus providing new molecular insights for neural fate determination. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Cyclin D2 in the basal process of neural progenitors is linked to non-equivalent cell fates

Science.gov (United States)

Tsunekawa, Yuji; Britto, Joanne M; Takahashi, Masanori; Polleux, Franck; Tan, Seong-Seng; Osumi, Noriko

2012-01-01

Asymmetric cell division plays an indispensable role during corticogenesis for producing new neurons while maintaining a self-renewing pool of apical progenitors. The cellular and molecular determinants favouring asymmetric division are not completely understood. Here, we identify a novel mechanism for generating cellular asymmetry through the active transportation and local translation of Cyclin D2 mRNA in the basal process. This process is regulated by a unique cis-regulatory sequence found in the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of the mRNA. Unequal inheritance of Cyclin D2 protein to the basally positioned daughter cell with the basal process confers renewal of the apical progenitor after asymmetric division. Conversely, depletion of Cyclin D2 in the apically positioned daughter cell results in terminal neuronal differentiation. We demonstrate that Cyclin D2 is also expressed in the developing human cortex within similar domains, thus indicating that its role as a fate determinant is ancient and conserved. PMID:22395070

Neural Network Based Maximum Power Point Tracking Control with Quadratic Boost Converter for PMSG—Wind Energy Conversion System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramji Tiwari

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes an artificial neural network (ANN based maximum power point tracking (MPPT control strategy for wind energy conversion system (WECS implemented with a DC/DC converter. The proposed topology utilizes a radial basis function network (RBFN based neural network control strategy to extract the maximum available power from the wind velocity. The results are compared with a classical Perturb and Observe (P&O method and Back propagation network (BPN method. In order to achieve a high voltage rating, the system is implemented with a quadratic boost converter and the performance of the converter is validated with a boost and single ended primary inductance converter (SEPIC. The performance of the MPPT technique along with a DC/DC converter is demonstrated using MATLAB/Simulink.

FoxA4 favours notochord formation by inhibiting contiguous mesodermal fates and restricts anterior neural development in Xenopus embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Murgan, Sabrina; Castro Colabianchi, Aitana Manuela; Monti, Renato José; Boyadjián López, Laura Elena; Aguirre, Cecilia E; Stivala, Ernesto González; Carrasco, Andrés E; López, Silvia L

2014-01-01

In vertebrates, the embryonic dorsal midline is a crucial signalling centre that patterns the surrounding tissues during development. Members of the FoxA subfamily of transcription factors are expressed in the structures that compose this centre. Foxa2 is essential for dorsal midline development in mammals, since knock-out mouse embryos lack a definitive node, notochord and floor plate. The related gene foxA4 is only present in amphibians. Expression begins in the blastula -chordin and -noggin expressing centre (BCNE) and is later restricted to the dorsal midline derivatives of the Spemann's organiser. It was suggested that the early functions of mammalian foxa2 are carried out by foxA4 in frogs, but functional experiments were needed to test this hypothesis. Here, we show that some important dorsal midline functions of mammalian foxa2 are exerted by foxA4 in Xenopus. We provide new evidence that the latter prevents the respecification of dorsal midline precursors towards contiguous fates, inhibiting prechordal and paraxial mesoderm development in favour of the notochord. In addition, we show that foxA4 is required for the correct regionalisation and maintenance of the central nervous system. FoxA4 participates in constraining the prospective rostral forebrain territory during neural specification and is necessary for the correct segregation of the most anterior ectodermal derivatives, such as the cement gland and the pituitary anlagen. Moreover, the early expression of foxA4 in the BCNE (which contains precursors of the whole forebrain and most of the midbrain and hindbrain) is directly required to restrict anterior neural development.

Exploiting Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Human Neurogenesis—Controlling Lineage Specification and Fate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chieh Yu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Unspecialized, self-renewing stem cells have extraordinary application to regenerative medicine due to their multilineage differentiation potential. Stem cell therapies through replenishing damaged or lost cells in the injured area is an attractive treatment of brain trauma and neurodegenerative neurological disorders. Several stem cell types have neurogenic potential including neural stem cells (NSCs, embryonic stem cells (ESCs, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs. Currently, effective use of these cells is limited by our lack of understanding and ability to direct lineage commitment and differentiation of neural lineages. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs are ubiquitous proteins within the stem cell microenvironment or niche and are found localized on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix (ECM, where they interact with numerous signaling molecules. The glycosaminoglycan (GAG chains carried by HSPGs are heterogeneous carbohydrates comprised of repeating disaccharides with specific sulfation patterns that govern ligand interactions to numerous factors including the fibroblast growth factors (FGFs and wingless-type MMTV integration site family (Wnts. As such, HSPGs are plausible targets for guiding and controlling neural stem cell lineage fate. In this review, we provide an overview of HSPG family members syndecans and glypicans, and perlecan and their role in neurogenesis. We summarize the structural changes and subsequent functional implications of heparan sulfate as cells undergo neural lineage differentiation as well as outline the role of HSPG core protein expression throughout mammalian neural development and their function as cell receptors and co-receptors. Finally, we highlight suitable biomimetic approaches for exploiting the role of HSPGs in mammalian neurogenesis to control and tailor cell differentiation into specific lineages. An improved ability to control stem cell specific neural

BMP signaling protects telencephalic fate by repressing eye identity and its Cxcr4-dependent morphogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bielen, Holger; Houart, Corinne

2012-10-16

Depletion of Wnt signaling is a major requirement for the induction of the anterior prosencephalon. However, the molecular events driving the differential regionalization of this area into eye-field and telencephalon fates are still unknown. Here we show that the BMP pathway is active in the anterior neural ectoderm during late blastula to early gastrula stage in zebrafish. Bmp2b mutants and mosaic loss-of-function experiments reveal that BMP acts as a repressor of eye-field fate through inhibition of its key transcription factor Rx3, thereby protecting the future telencephalon from acquiring eye identity. This BMP-driven mechanism initiates the establishment of the telencephalon prior to the involvement of Wnt antagonists from the anterior neural border. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Rx3 and BMP are respectively required to maintain and restrict the chemokine receptor cxcr4a, which in turn contributes to the morphogenetic separation of eye-field and telencephalic cells during early neurulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dissecting engineered cell types and enhancing cell fate conversion via CellNet

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Morris, Samantha A.; Cahan, Patrick; Li, Hu; Zhao, Anna M.; San Roman, Adrianna K.; Shivdasani, Ramesh A.; Collins, James J.; Daley, George Q.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Engineering clinically relevant cells in vitro holds promise for regenerative medicine, but most protocols fail to faithfully recapitulate target cell properties. To address this, we developed CellNet, a network biology platform that determines whether engineered cells are equivalent to their target tissues, diagnoses aberrant gene regulatory networks, and prioritizes candidate transcriptional regulators to enhance engineered conversions. Using CellNet, we improved B cell to macrophage conversion, transcriptionally and functionally, by knocking down predicted B cell regulators. Analyzing conversion of fibroblasts to induced hepatocytes (iHeps), CellNet revealed an unexpected intestinal program regulated by the master regulator Cdx2. We observed long-term functional engraftment of mouse colon by iHeps, thereby establishing their broader potential as endoderm progenitors and demonstrating direct conversion of fibroblasts into intestinal epithelium. Our studies illustrate how CellNet can be employed to improve direct conversion and to uncover unappreciated properties of engineered cells. PMID:25126792

In vivo fate analysis reveals the multipotent and self-renewal capacities of Sox2+ neural stem cells in the adult hippocampus

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Suh, Hoonkyo; Consiglio, Antonella; Ray, Jasodhara; Sawai, Toru; D'Amour, Kevin A.; Gage, Fred H.

2007-01-01

Summary To characterize the properties of adult neural stem cells (NSCs), we generated and analyzed Sox2-GFP transgenic mice. Sox2-GFP cells in the subgranular zone (SGZ) express markers specific for progenitors, but they represent two morphologically distinct populations that differ in proliferation levels. Lentivirus- and retrovirus-mediated fate tracing studies showed that Sox2+ cells in the SGZ have potential to give rise to neurons and astrocytes, revealing their multipotency at the population as well as a single cell level. More interestingly, a subpopulation of Sox2+ cells gives rise to cells that retain Sox2, highlighting Sox2+ cells as a primary source for adult NSCs. In response to mitotic signals, increased proliferation of Sox2+ cells is coupled with the generation of Sox2+ NSCs as well as neuronal precursors. An asymmetric contribution of Sox2+ NSCs may play an important role in maintaining the constant size of the NSC pool and producing newly born neurons during adult neurogenesis. PMID:18371391

Neural crest cells: from developmental biology to clinical interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Noisa, Parinya; Raivio, Taneli

2014-09-01

Neural crest cells are multipotent cells, which are specified in embryonic ectoderm in the border of neural plate and epiderm during early development by interconnection of extrinsic stimuli and intrinsic factors. Neural crest cells are capable of differentiating into various somatic cell types, including melanocytes, craniofacial cartilage and bone, smooth muscle, and peripheral nervous cells, which supports their promise for cell therapy. In this work, we provide a comprehensive review of wide aspects of neural crest cells from their developmental biology to applicability in medical research. We provide a simplified model of neural crest cell development and highlight the key external stimuli and intrinsic regulators that determine the neural crest cell fate. Defects of neural crest cell development leading to several human disorders are also mentioned, with the emphasis of using human induced pluripotent stem cells to model neurocristopathic syndromes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fates of Chemical Elements in Biomass during Its Pyrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wu-Jun; Li, Wen-Wei; Jiang, Hong; Yu, Han-Qing

2017-05-10

Biomass is increasingly perceived as a renewable resource rather than as an organic solid waste today, as it can be converted to various chemicals, biofuels, and solid biochar using modern processes. In the past few years, pyrolysis has attracted growing interest as a promising versatile platform to convert biomass into valuable resources. However, an efficient and selective conversion process is still difficult to be realized due to the complex nature of biomass, which usually makes the products complicated. Furthermore, various contaminants and inorganic elements (e.g., heavy metals, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and chlorine) embodied in biomass may be transferred into pyrolysis products or released into the environment, arousing environmental pollution concerns. Understanding their behaviors in biomass pyrolysis is essential to optimizing the pyrolysis process for efficient resource recovery and less environmental pollution. However, there is no comprehensive review so far about the fates of chemical elements in biomass during its pyrolysis. Here, we provide a critical review about the fates of main chemical elements (C, H, O, N, P, Cl, S, and metals) in biomass during its pyrolysis. We overview the research advances about the emission, transformation, and distribution of elements in biomass pyrolysis, discuss the present challenges for resource-oriented conversion and pollution abatement, highlight the importance and significance of understanding the fate of elements during pyrolysis, and outlook the future development directions for process control. The review provides useful information for developing sustainable biomass pyrolysis processes with an improved efficiency and selectivity as well as minimized environmental impacts, and encourages more research efforts from the scientific communities of chemistry, the environment, and energy.

FoxA4 favours notochord formation by inhibiting contiguous mesodermal fates and restricts anterior neural development in Xenopus embryos.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabrina Murgan

Full Text Available In vertebrates, the embryonic dorsal midline is a crucial signalling centre that patterns the surrounding tissues during development. Members of the FoxA subfamily of transcription factors are expressed in the structures that compose this centre. Foxa2 is essential for dorsal midline development in mammals, since knock-out mouse embryos lack a definitive node, notochord and floor plate. The related gene foxA4 is only present in amphibians. Expression begins in the blastula -chordin and -noggin expressing centre (BCNE and is later restricted to the dorsal midline derivatives of the Spemann's organiser. It was suggested that the early functions of mammalian foxa2 are carried out by foxA4 in frogs, but functional experiments were needed to test this hypothesis. Here, we show that some important dorsal midline functions of mammalian foxa2 are exerted by foxA4 in Xenopus. We provide new evidence that the latter prevents the respecification of dorsal midline precursors towards contiguous fates, inhibiting prechordal and paraxial mesoderm development in favour of the notochord. In addition, we show that foxA4 is required for the correct regionalisation and maintenance of the central nervous system. FoxA4 participates in constraining the prospective rostral forebrain territory during neural specification and is necessary for the correct segregation of the most anterior ectodermal derivatives, such as the cement gland and the pituitary anlagen. Moreover, the early expression of foxA4 in the BCNE (which contains precursors of the whole forebrain and most of the midbrain and hindbrain is directly required to restrict anterior neural development.

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 enhances the differentiation and reduces the proliferation of adult human olfactory epithelium neural precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manceur, Aziza P.; Tseng, Michael; Holowacz, Tamara; Witterick, Ian; Weksberg, Rosanna; McCurdy, Richard D.; Warsh, Jerry J.; Audet, Julie

2011-01-01

The olfactory epithelium (OE) contains neural precursor cells which can be easily harvested from a minimally invasive nasal biopsy, making them a valuable cell source to study human neural cell lineages in health and disease. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) has been implicated in the etiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and also in the regulation of murine neural precursor cell fate in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we examined the impact of decreased GSK-3 activity on the fate of adult human OE neural precursors in vitro. GSK-3 inhibition was achieved using ATP-competitive (6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime and CHIR99021) or substrate-competitive (TAT-eIF2B) inhibitors to eliminate potential confounding effects on cell fate due to off-target kinase inhibition. GSK-3 inhibitors decreased the number of neural precursor cells in OE cell cultures through a reduction in proliferation. Decreased proliferation was not associated with a reduction in cell survival but was accompanied by a reduction in nestin expression and a substantial increase in the expression of the neuronal differentiation markers MAP1B and neurofilament (NF-M) after 10 days in culture. Taken together, these results suggest that GSK-3 inhibition promotes the early stages of neuronal differentiation in cultures of adult human neural precursors and provide insights into the mechanisms by which alterations in GSK-3 signaling affect adult human neurogenesis, a cellular process strongly suspected to play a role in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Prion replication occurs in endogenous adult neural stem cells and alters their neuronal fate: involvement of endogenous neural stem cells in prion diseases.

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Aroa Relaño-Ginès

Full Text Available Prion diseases are irreversible progressive neurodegenerative diseases, leading to severe incapacity and death. They are characterized in the brain by prion amyloid deposits, vacuolisation, astrocytosis, neuronal degeneration, and by cognitive, behavioural and physical impairments. There is no treatment for these disorders and stem cell therapy therefore represents an interesting new approach. Gains could not only result from the cell transplantation, but also from the stimulation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSC or by the combination of both approaches. However, the development of such strategies requires a detailed knowledge of the pathology, particularly concerning the status of the adult neurogenesis and endogenous NSC during the development of the disease. During the past decade, several studies have consistently shown that NSC reside in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS and that adult neurogenesis occurs throughout the adulthood in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle or the Dentate Gyrus of the hippocampus. Adult NSC are believed to constitute a reservoir for neuronal replacement during normal cell turnover or after brain injury. However, the activation of this system does not fully compensate the neuronal loss that occurs during neurodegenerative diseases and could even contribute to the disease progression. We investigated here the status of these cells during the development of prion disorders. We were able to show that NSC accumulate and replicate prions. Importantly, this resulted in the alteration of their neuronal fate which then represents a new pathologic event that might underlie the rapid progression of the disease.

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 enhances the differentiation and reduces the proliferation of adult human olfactory epithelium neural precursors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manceur, Aziza P. [Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Tseng, Michael [Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Holowacz, Tamara [Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Witterick, Ian [Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, ON (Canada); Weksberg, Rosanna [Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); The Hospital for Sick Children, Research Institute, Program in Genetics and Genomic Biology, Toronto, Ontario Canada (Canada); McCurdy, Richard D. [The Hospital for Sick Children, Research Institute, Program in Genetics and Genomic Biology, Toronto, Ontario Canada (Canada); Warsh, Jerry J. [Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Audet, Julie, E-mail: julie.audet@utoronto.ca [Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

2011-09-10

The olfactory epithelium (OE) contains neural precursor cells which can be easily harvested from a minimally invasive nasal biopsy, making them a valuable cell source to study human neural cell lineages in health and disease. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) has been implicated in the etiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and also in the regulation of murine neural precursor cell fate in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we examined the impact of decreased GSK-3 activity on the fate of adult human OE neural precursors in vitro. GSK-3 inhibition was achieved using ATP-competitive (6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime and CHIR99021) or substrate-competitive (TAT-eIF2B) inhibitors to eliminate potential confounding effects on cell fate due to off-target kinase inhibition. GSK-3 inhibitors decreased the number of neural precursor cells in OE cell cultures through a reduction in proliferation. Decreased proliferation was not associated with a reduction in cell survival but was accompanied by a reduction in nestin expression and a substantial increase in the expression of the neuronal differentiation markers MAP1B and neurofilament (NF-M) after 10 days in culture. Taken together, these results suggest that GSK-3 inhibition promotes the early stages of neuronal differentiation in cultures of adult human neural precursors and provide insights into the mechanisms by which alterations in GSK-3 signaling affect adult human neurogenesis, a cellular process strongly suspected to play a role in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Structural Analysis of Three-dimensional Human Neural Tissue derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Terrence Brooks, Patrick; Rasmussen, Mikkel Aabech; Hyttel, Poul

2016-01-01

Objective: The present study aimed at establishing a method for production of a three-dimensional (3D) human neural tissue derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and analyzing the outcome by a combination of tissue ultrastructure and expression of neural markers. Methods: A two......-step cell culture procedure was implemented by subjecting human iPSCs to a 3D scaffoldbased neural differentiation protocol. First, neural fate-inducing small molecules were used to create a neuroepithelial monolayer. Second, the monolayer was trypsinized into single cells and seeded into a porous...... polystyrene scaffold and further cultured to produce a 3D neural tissue. The neural tissue was characterized by a combination of immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: iPSCs developed into a 3D neural tissue expressing markers for neural progenitor cells, early neural...

Fate of DDT in grape juice when fermented and distilled into arak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawar, N.S.

1975-01-01

Since DDT is still used on grapevines to control insect pests, the fate of this insecticide in grape juice fermented and distilled into arak was investigated. Fermentation of the juice resulted in extensive conversion of DDT to DDD. Distillation of the fermented juice resulted in further conversion of DDT to DDD. Moreover, the major portion of both DDT and DDD remained in the undistilled fraction. The second distillation resulted in further distribution of DDT and DDD among the four fractions, thus leaving very low levels of both compounds in the finished product. DDT residue in arak constituted only 2% of the amount added to the fresh juice. (author)

Spatio-temporal Model of Endogenous ROS and Raft-Dependent WNT/Beta-Catenin Signaling Driving Cell Fate Commitment in Human Neural Progenitor Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Haack, Fiete; Lemcke, Heiko; Ewald, Roland; Rharass, Tareck; Uhrmacher, Adelinde M.

2015-01-01

Canonical WNT/β-catenin signaling is a central pathway in embryonic development, but it is also connected to a number of cancers and developmental disorders. Here we apply a combined in-vitro and in-silico approach to investigate the spatio-temporal regulation of WNT/β-catenin signaling during the early neural differentiation process of human neural progenitors cells (hNPCs), which form a new prospect for replacement therapies in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Experimental measurements indicate a second signal mechanism, in addition to canonical WNT signaling, being involved in the regulation of nuclear β-catenin levels during the cell fate commitment phase of neural differentiation. We find that the biphasic activation of β-catenin signaling observed experimentally can only be explained through a model that combines Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and raft dependent WNT/β-catenin signaling. Accordingly after initiation of differentiation endogenous ROS activates DVL in a redox-dependent manner leading to a transient activation of down-stream β-catenin signaling, followed by continuous auto/paracrine WNT signaling, which crucially depends on lipid rafts. Our simulation studies further illustrate the elaborate spatio-temporal regulation of DVL, which, depending on its concentration and localization, may either act as direct inducer of the transient ROS/β-catenin signal or as amplifier during continuous auto-/parcrine WNT/β-catenin signaling. In addition we provide the first stochastic computational model of WNT/β-catenin signaling that combines membrane-related and intracellular processes, including lipid rafts/receptor dynamics as well as WNT- and ROS-dependent β-catenin activation. The model’s predictive ability is demonstrated under a wide range of varying conditions for in-vitro and in-silico reference data sets. Our in-silico approach is realized in a multi-level rule-based language, that facilitates the extension and modification of the

Artificial Neural Networks for Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Puig Arnavat, Maria; Bruno, Joan Carles

2015-01-01

Artificial neural networks (ANNs), extensively used in different fields, have been applied for modeling biomass gasification processes in fluidized bed reactors. Two ANN models are presented, one for circulating fluidized bed gasifiers and another for bubbling fluidized bed gasifiers. Both models...

Scandinavian belief in fate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Åke Ström

1967-02-01

Full Text Available In point of principle, Christianity does not give room for any belief in fate. Astrology, horoscopes, divination, etc., are strictly rejected. Belief in fate never disappeared in Christian countries, nor did it in Scandinavia in Christian times. Especially in folklore we can find it at any period: People believed in an implacable fate. All folklore is filled up with this belief in destiny. Nobody can escape his fate. The future lies in the hands of fate, and the time to come takes its form according to inscrutable laws. The pre-Christian period in Scandinavia, dominated by pagan Norse religion, and the secularized epoch of the 20th century, however, show more distinctive and more widespread beliefs in fate than does the Christian period. The present paper makes a comparison between these forms of belief.

Retrovirally transduced NCAM140 facilitates neuronal fate choice of hippocampal progenitor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ju Hee; Lee, Jung-Ha; Park, Jin-Yong; Park, Chang-Hwan; Yun, Chae-Ok; Lee, Sang-Hun; Lee, Yong-Sung; Son, Hyeon

2005-07-01

Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) influences proliferation and differentiation of neuronal cells. However, only a little is known about the downstream effects of NCAM signalling, such as alterations in gene transcription, which are associated with cell fate choice. To examine whether NCAM plays a role in cell fate choice during hippocampal neurogenesis, we performed a gain-of-function study, using a retroviral vector which contained full-length NCAM140 cDNA and the marker gene EGFP, and found that NCAM140 promoted neurogenesis by activating proneural transcription activators with concurrent inhibition of gliogenesis. The enhanced transcript levels of proneural transcription factors in NCAM140-transduced cells were down-regulated by treatment of the cells with mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD098059. Overall, these findings suggest that NCAM140 may facilitate hippocampal neurogenesis via regulation of proneurogenic transcription factors in an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-dependent manner.

Neural stem cell heterogeneity through time and space in the ventricular-subventricular zone.

Science.gov (United States)

Rushing, Gabrielle; Ihrie, Rebecca A

2016-08-01

The origin and classification of neural stem cells (NSCs) has been a subject of intense investigation for the past two decades. Efforts to categorize NSCs based on their location, function and expression have established that these cells are a heterogeneous pool in both the embryonic and adult brain. The discovery and additional characterization of adult NSCs has introduced the possibility of using these cells as a source for neuronal and glial replacement following injury or disease. To understand how one could manipulate NSC developmental programs for therapeutic use, additional work is needed to elucidate how NSCs are programmed and how signals during development are interpreted to determine cell fate. This review describes the identification, classification and characterization of NSCs within the large neurogenic niche of the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ). A literature search was conducted using Pubmed including the keywords "ventricular-subventricular zone," "neural stem cell," "heterogeneity," "identity" and/or "single cell" to find relevant manuscripts to include within the review. A special focus was placed on more recent findings using single-cell level analyses on neural stem cells within their niche(s). This review discusses over 20 research articles detailing findings on V-SVZ NSC heterogeneity, over 25 articles describing fate determinants of NSCs, and focuses on 8 recent publications using distinct single-cell analyses of neural stem cells including flow cytometry and RNA-seq. Additionally, over 60 manuscripts highlighting the markers expressed on cells within the NSC lineage are included in a chart divided by cell type. Investigation of NSC heterogeneity and fate decisions is ongoing. Thus far, much research has been conducted in mice however, findings in human and other mammalian species are also discussed here. Implications of NSC heterogeneity established in the embryo for the properties of NSCs in the adult brain are explored, including

Conversion Disorder- Mind versus Body: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Shahid; Jabeen, Shagufta; Pate, Rebecca J; Shahid, Marwah; Chinala, Sandhya; Nathani, Milankumar; Shah, Rida

2015-01-01

In this article, the authors accentuate the signs and symptoms of conversion disorder and the significance of clinical judgment and expertise in order to reach the right diagnosis. The authors review the literature and provide information on the etiology, prevalence, diagnostic criteria, and the treatment methods currently employed in the management of conversion disorder. Of note, the advancements of neuropsychology and brain imaging have led to emergence of a relatively sophisticated picture of the neuroscientific psychopathology of complex mental illnesses, including conversion disorder. The available evidence suggests new methods with which to test hypotheses about the neural circuits underlying conversion symptoms. In context of this, the authors also explore the neurobiological understanding of conversion disorder.

Conversion Disorder— Mind versus Body: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Jabeen, Shagufta; Pate, Rebecca J.; Shahid, Marwah; Chinala, Sandhya; Nathani, Milankumar; Shah, Rida

2015-01-01

In this article, the authors accentuate the signs and symptoms of conversion disorder and the significance of clinical judgment and expertise in order to reach the right diagnosis. The authors review the literature and provide information on the etiology, prevalence, diagnostic criteria, and the treatment methods currently employed in the management of conversion disorder. Of note, the advancements of neuropsychology and brain imaging have led to emergence of a relatively sophisticated picture of the neuroscientific psychopathology of complex mental illnesses, including conversion disorder. The available evidence suggests new methods with which to test hypotheses about the neural circuits underlying conversion symptoms. In context of this, the authors also explore the neurobiological understanding of conversion disorder. PMID:26155375

Environmental fate of rice paddy pesticides in a model ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomizawa, C; Kazano, H

1979-01-01

The distribution and metabolic fate of several rice paddy pesticides were evaluated in a modified model ecosystem. Among the three BHC isomers, beta-isomer was the most stable and bioconcentrated in all of the organisms. Alpha- and gamma-isomers were moderately persistent and degraded to some extent during the 33 day period. Disulfoton was relatively persistent due to the transformation to its oxidation products. Pyridaphenthion was fairly biodegradable. N-Phenyl maleic hydrazide derived from the hydrolysis of pyridaphenthion was not detected in the organisms though it was found in the aquarium water after 33 days. Cartap and edifenphos were considerably biodegradable, and the ratio of the conversion to water soluble metabolites was very high. There was a distinct difference in the persistence of Kitazin P and edifenphos in the aquarium water. It appeared that the hydrolysis rate of the pesticides affected their fate in the organisms. PCP appeared to be moderately biodegradable. CNP was considerably stable and stored in the organisms though the concentration in the aquarium water was relatively low. The persistence and distribution of the pesticides in the model ecosystem were dependent on their chemical structures. In spite of the limitation derived from short experimental period, the model ecosystem may be applicable for predicting the environmental fate of pesticides.

Generation of Regionally Specified Neural Progenitors and Functional Neurons from Human Embryonic Stem Cells under Defined Conditions

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Agnete Kirkeby

2012-06-01

Full Text Available To model human neural-cell-fate specification and to provide cells for regenerative therapies, we have developed a method to generate human neural progenitors and neurons from human embryonic stem cells, which recapitulates human fetal brain development. Through the addition of a small molecule that activates canonical WNT signaling, we induced rapid and efficient dose-dependent specification of regionally defined neural progenitors ranging from telencephalic forebrain to posterior hindbrain fates. Ten days after initiation of differentiation, the progenitors could be transplanted to the adult rat striatum, where they formed neuron-rich and tumor-free grafts with maintained regional specification. Cells patterned toward a ventral midbrain (VM identity generated a high proportion of authentic dopaminergic neurons after transplantation. The dopamine neurons showed morphology, projection pattern, and protein expression identical to that of human fetal VM cells grafted in parallel. VM-patterned but not forebrain-patterned neurons released dopamine and reversed motor deficits in an animal model of Parkinson's disease.

Chromatin Remodeling BAF (SWI/SNF Complexes in Neural Development and Disorders

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Godwin Sokpor

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The ATP-dependent BRG1/BRM associated factor (BAF chromatin remodeling complexes are crucial in regulating gene expression by controlling chromatin dynamics. Over the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that during neural development in mammals, distinct ontogenetic stage-specific BAF complexes derived from combinatorial assembly of their subunits are formed in neural progenitors and post-mitotic neural cells. Proper functioning of the BAF complexes plays critical roles in neural development, including the establishment and maintenance of neural fates and functionality. Indeed, recent human exome sequencing and genome-wide association studies have revealed that mutations in BAF complex subunits are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders such as Coffin-Siris syndrome, Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome, Kleefstra's syndrome spectrum, Hirschsprung's disease, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. In this review, we focus on the latest insights into the functions of BAF complexes during neural development and the plausible mechanistic basis of how mutations in known BAF subunits are associated with certain neurodevelopmental disorders.

Chromatin Remodeling BAF (SWI/SNF) Complexes in Neural Development and Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Sokpor, Godwin; Xie, Yuanbin; Rosenbusch, Joachim; Tuoc, Tran

2017-01-01

The ATP-dependent BRG1/BRM associated factor (BAF) chromatin remodeling complexes are crucial in regulating gene expression by controlling chromatin dynamics. Over the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that during neural development in mammals, distinct ontogenetic stage-specific BAF complexes derived from combinatorial assembly of their subunits are formed in neural progenitors and post-mitotic neural cells. Proper functioning of the BAF complexes plays critical roles in neural development, including the establishment and maintenance of neural fates and functionality. Indeed, recent human exome sequencing and genome-wide association studies have revealed that mutations in BAF complex subunits are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders such as Coffin-Siris syndrome, Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome, Kleefstra's syndrome spectrum, Hirschsprung's disease, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. In this review, we focus on the latest insights into the functions of BAF complexes during neural development and the plausible mechanistic basis of how mutations in known BAF subunits are associated with certain neurodevelopmental disorders. PMID:28824374

Chromatin Remodeling BAF (SWI/SNF) Complexes in Neural Development and Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokpor, Godwin; Xie, Yuanbin; Rosenbusch, Joachim; Tuoc, Tran

2017-01-01

The ATP-dependent BRG1/BRM associated factor (BAF) chromatin remodeling complexes are crucial in regulating gene expression by controlling chromatin dynamics. Over the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that during neural development in mammals, distinct ontogenetic stage-specific BAF complexes derived from combinatorial assembly of their subunits are formed in neural progenitors and post-mitotic neural cells. Proper functioning of the BAF complexes plays critical roles in neural development, including the establishment and maintenance of neural fates and functionality. Indeed, recent human exome sequencing and genome-wide association studies have revealed that mutations in BAF complex subunits are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders such as Coffin-Siris syndrome, Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome, Kleefstra's syndrome spectrum, Hirschsprung's disease, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. In this review, we focus on the latest insights into the functions of BAF complexes during neural development and the plausible mechanistic basis of how mutations in known BAF subunits are associated with certain neurodevelopmental disorders.

Tcf7l1 protects the anterior neural fold from adopting the neural crest fate

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mašek, Jan; Machoň, Ondřej; Kořínek, Vladimír; Taketo, M.M.; Kozmik, Zbyněk

2016-01-01

Roč. 143, č. 12 (2016), s. 2206-2216 ISSN 0950-1991 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP305/12/2042; GA ČR(CZ) GA14-33952S; GA MŠk(CZ) LK11214; GA MŠk LO1419; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 Keywords : Tcf/Lef * Wnt dignaling * neural crest * forebrain * mouse * zebrafish Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.843, year: 2016

Novel perspectives of neural stem cell differentiation: from neurotransmitters to therapeutics.

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Trujillo, Cleber A; Schwindt, Telma T; Martins, Antonio H; Alves, Janaína M; Mello, Luiz Eugênio; Ulrich, Henning

2009-01-01

In the past years, many reports have described the existence of neural progenitor and stem cells in the adult central nervous system capable of generating new neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. This discovery has overturned the central assumption in the neuroscience field, of no new neurons being originated in the brain after birth and provided the fundaments to understand the molecular basis of neural differentiation and to develop new therapies for neural tissue repair. Although the mechanisms underlying cell fate during neural development are not yet understood, the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors and of an appropriate microenvironment is well known. In this context, emerging evidence strongly suggests that glial cells play a key role in controlling multiple steps of neurogenesis. Those cells, of particular radial glia, are important for migration, cell specification, and integration of neurons into a functional neural network. This review aims to present an update in the neurogenesis area and highlight the modulation of neural stem cell differentiation by neurotransmitters, growth factors, and their receptors, with possible applications for cell therapy strategies of neurological disorders.

Hydrogel formulation determines cell fate of fetal and adult neural progenitor cells

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Emily R. Aurand

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Hydrogels provide a unique tool for neural tissue engineering. These materials can be customized for certain functions, i.e. to provide cell/drug delivery or act as a physical scaffold. Unfortunately, hydrogel complexities can negatively impact their biocompatibility, resulting in unintended consequences. These adverse effects may be combated with a better understanding of hydrogel chemical, physical, and mechanical properties, and how these properties affect encapsulated neural cells. We defined the polymerization and degradation rates and compressive moduli of 25 hydrogels formulated from different concentrations of hyaluronic acid (HA and poly(ethylene glycol (PEG. Changes in compressive modulus were driven primarily by the HA concentration. The in vitro biocompatibility of fetal-derived (fNPC and adult-derived (aNPC neural progenitor cells was dependent on hydrogel formulation. Acute survival of fNPC benefited from hydrogel encapsulation. NPC differentiation was divergent: fNPC differentiated into mostly glial cells, compared with neuronal differentiation of aNPC. Differentiation was influenced in part by the hydrogel mechanical properties. This study indicates that there can be a wide range of HA and PEG hydrogels compatible with NPC. Additionally, this is the first study comparing hydrogel encapsulation of NPC derived from different aged sources, with data suggesting that fNPC and aNPC respond dissimilarly within the same hydrogel formulation.

Amplification of neural stem cell proliferation by intermediate progenitor cells in Drosophila brain development

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Bello Bruno C

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the mammalian brain, neural stem cells divide asymmetrically and often amplify the number of progeny they generate via symmetrically dividing intermediate progenitors. Here we investigate whether specific neural stem cell-like neuroblasts in the brain of Drosophila might also amplify neuronal proliferation by generating symmetrically dividing intermediate progenitors. Results Cell lineage-tracing and genetic marker analysis show that remarkably large neuroblast lineages exist in the dorsomedial larval brain of Drosophila. These lineages are generated by brain neuroblasts that divide asymmetrically to self renew but, unlike other brain neuroblasts, do not segregate the differentiating cell fate determinant Prospero to their smaller daughter cells. These daughter cells continue to express neuroblast-specific molecular markers and divide repeatedly to produce neural progeny, demonstrating that they are proliferating intermediate progenitors. The proliferative divisions of these intermediate progenitors have novel cellular and molecular features; they are morphologically symmetrical, but molecularly asymmetrical in that key differentiating cell fate determinants are segregated into only one of the two daughter cells. Conclusion Our findings provide cellular and molecular evidence for a new mode of neurogenesis in the larval brain of Drosophila that involves the amplification of neuroblast proliferation through intermediate progenitors. This type of neurogenesis bears remarkable similarities to neurogenesis in the mammalian brain, where neural stem cells as primary progenitors amplify the number of progeny they generate through generation of secondary progenitors. This suggests that key aspects of neural stem cell biology might be conserved in brain development of insects and mammals.

An interplay between extracellular signalling and the dynamics of the exit from pluripotency drives cell fate decisions in mouse ES cells

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David A. Turner

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Embryonic Stem cells derived from the epiblast tissue of the mammalian blastocyst retain the capability to differentiate into any adult cell type and are able to self-renew indefinitely under appropriate culture conditions. Despite the large amount of knowledge that we have accumulated to date about the regulation and control of self-renewal, efficient directed differentiation into specific tissues remains elusive. In this work, we have analysed in a systematic manner the interaction between the dynamics of loss of pluripotency and Activin/Nodal, BMP4 and Wnt signalling in fate assignment during the early stages of differentiation of mouse ES cells in culture. During the initial period of differentiation, cells exit from pluripotency and enter an Epi-like state. Following this transient stage, and under the influence of Activin/Nodal and BMP signalling, cells face a fate choice between differentiating into neuroectoderm and contributing to Primitive Streak fates. We find that Wnt signalling does not suppress neural development as previously thought and that it aids both fates in a context dependent manner. Our results suggest that as cells exit pluripotency they are endowed with a primary neuroectodermal fate and that the potency to become endomesodermal rises with time. We suggest that this situation translates into a “race for fates” in which the neuroectodermal fate has an advantage.

The role of BAF (mSWI/SNF) complexes in mammalian neural development.

Science.gov (United States)

Son, Esther Y; Crabtree, Gerald R

2014-09-01

The BAF (mammalian SWI/SNF) complexes are a family of multi-subunit ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers that use ATP hydrolysis to alter chromatin structure. Distinct BAF complex compositions are possible through combinatorial assembly of homologous subunit families and can serve non-redundant functions. In mammalian neural development, developmental stage-specific BAF assemblies are found in embryonic stem cells, neural progenitors and postmitotic neurons. In particular, the neural progenitor-specific BAF complexes are essential for controlling the kinetics and mode of neural progenitor cell division, while neuronal BAF function is necessary for the maturation of postmitotic neuronal phenotypes as well as long-term memory formation. The microRNA-mediated mechanism for transitioning from npBAF to nBAF complexes is instructive for the neuronal fate and can even convert fibroblasts into neurons. The high frequency of BAF subunit mutations in neurological disorders underscores the rate-determining role of BAF complexes in neural development, homeostasis, and plasticity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interactions in the fate of chemicals in terrestrial systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheunert, I.; Korte, F.

1985-01-01

In outdoor lysimeters, [ 14 C]atrazine (0.9 mg/kg dry soil), [ 14 C]atrazine combined with the detergent n-dodecylbenzenesulfonate (0.9 and 10 mg/kg, respectively), [ 14 C]n-dodecylbenzene-sulfonate (10 mg/kg), and [ 14 C]n-dodecylbenzenesulfonate combined with atrazine (10 and 0.9 mg/kg, respectively) were applied to soils. Maize was grown in the first year and barley in the second year. n-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate increased the mobility of atrazine and its metabolites in soil as well as its leaching into water, its uptake by maize plants, and its volatilization from soil. Atrazine had a negative influence on mineralization, mobility in soil, leaching, plant uptake by both species, and binding rates of radiocarbon derived from the surfactant in soil and plants. The results were confirmed by short-term laboratory tests. Whereas the effects of the detergent on the fate of atrazine and its conversion products were apparent only in the first growing season, those of atrazine on the fate of detergent-derived residues could also be observed in the second year due to the persistence of atrazine in soil

Neural cell fate in rca1 and cycA mutants: the roles of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in asymmetric division in the Drosophila central nervous system.

Science.gov (United States)

Lear, B C; Skeath, J B; Patel, N H

1999-11-01

In the central nervous system (CNS) of Drosophila embryos lacking regulator of cyclin A (rca1) or cyclin A, we observe that several ganglion mother cells (GMCs) fail to divide. Whereas GMCs normally produce two sibling neurons that acquire different fates ('A/B'), non-dividing GMCs differentiate exclusively in the manner of one of their progeny ('B'). In zygotic numb mutants, sibling neuron fate alterations ('A/B' to 'A/A') occur infrequently or do not occur in some sibling pairs; we have determined that depletion of both maternal and zygotic numb causes sibling neurons to acquire equalized fates ('A/A') with near-complete expressivity. In rca1, numb mutant embryos, we observe binary cell fate changes ('B' to 'A') in several GMCs as well. Finally, we have demonstrated that expression of Delta in the mesoderm is sufficient to attain both sibling fates. Our results indicate that the intrinsic determinant Numb is absolutely required to attain differential sibling neuron fates. While the extrinsic factors Notch and Delta are also required to attain both fates, our results indicate that Delta signal can be received from outside the sibling pair.

AKT signaling displays multifaceted functions in neural crest development.

Science.gov (United States)

Sittewelle, Méghane; Monsoro-Burq, Anne H

2018-05-31

AKT signaling is an essential intracellular pathway controlling cell homeostasis, cell proliferation and survival, as well as cell migration and differentiation in adults. Alterations impacting the AKT pathway are involved in many pathological conditions in human disease. Similarly, during development, multiple transmembrane molecules, such as FGF receptors, PDGF receptors or integrins, activate AKT to control embryonic cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and also cell fate decisions. While many studies in mouse embryos have clearly implicated AKT signaling in the differentiation of several neural crest derivatives, information on AKT functions during the earliest steps of neural crest development had remained relatively scarce until recently. However, recent studies on known and novel regulators of AKT signaling demonstrate that this pathway plays critical roles throughout the development of neural crest progenitors. Non-mammalian models such as fish and frog embryos have been instrumental to our understanding of AKT functions in neural crest development, both in neural crest progenitors and in the neighboring tissues. This review combines current knowledge acquired from all these different vertebrate animal models to describe the various roles of AKT signaling related to neural crest development in vivo. We first describe the importance of AKT signaling in patterning the tissues involved in neural crest induction, namely the dorsal mesoderm and the ectoderm. We then focus on AKT signaling functions in neural crest migration and differentiation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel insights into the role of NF-κB p50 in astrocyte-mediated fate specification of adult neural progenitor cells

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Valeria Bortolotto

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Within the CNS nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB transcription factors are involved in a wide range of functions both in homeostasis and in pathology. Over the years, our and other groups produced a vast array of information on the complex involvement of NF-κB proteins in different aspects of postnatal neurogenesis. In particular, several extracellular signals and membrane receptors have been identified as being able to affect neural progenitor cells (NPC and their progeny via NF-κB activation. A crucial role in the regulation of neuronal fate specification in adult hippocampal NPC is played by the NF-κB p50 subunit. NF-κB p50KO mice display a remarkable reduction in adult hippocampal neurogenesis which correlates with a selective defect in hippocampal-dependent short-term memory. Moreover absence of NF-κB p50 can profoundly affect the in vitro proneurogenic response of adult hippocampal NPC (ahNPC to several endogenous signals and drugs. Herein we briefly review the current knowledge on the pivotal role of NF-κB p50 in the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. In addition we discuss more recent data that further extend the relevance of NF-κB p50 to novel astroglia-derived signals which can influence neuronal specification of ahNPC and to astrocyte-NPC cross-talk.

hESC Differentiation toward an Autonomic Neuronal Cell Fate Depends on Distinct Cues from the Co-Patterning Vasculature

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Lisette M. Acevedo

2015-06-01

Full Text Available To gain insight into the cellular and molecular cues that promote neurovascular co-patterning at the earliest stages of human embryogenesis, we developed a human embryonic stem cell model to mimic the developing epiblast. Contact of ectoderm-derived neural cells with mesoderm-derived vasculature is initiated via the neural crest (NC, not the neural tube (NT. Neurovascular co-patterning then ensues with specification of NC toward an autonomic fate requiring vascular endothelial cell (EC-secreted nitric oxide (NO and direct contact with vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs via T-cadherin-mediated homotypic interactions. Once a neurovascular template has been established, NT-derived central neurons then align themselves with the vasculature. Our findings reveal that, in early human development, the autonomic nervous system forms in response to distinct molecular cues from VSMCs and ECs, providing a model for how other developing lineages might coordinate their co-patterning.

Pax7 lineage contributions to the mammalian neural crest.

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Barbara Murdoch

Full Text Available Neural crest cells are vertebrate-specific multipotent cells that contribute to a variety of tissues including the peripheral nervous system, melanocytes, and craniofacial bones and cartilage. Abnormal development of the neural crest is associated with several human maladies including cleft/lip palate, aggressive cancers such as melanoma and neuroblastoma, and rare syndromes, like Waardenburg syndrome, a complex disorder involving hearing loss and pigment defects. We previously identified the transcription factor Pax7 as an early marker, and required component for neural crest development in chick embryos. In mammals, Pax7 is also thought to play a role in neural crest development, yet the precise contribution of Pax7 progenitors to the neural crest lineage has not been determined.Here we use Cre/loxP technology in double transgenic mice to fate map the Pax7 lineage in neural crest derivates. We find that Pax7 descendants contribute to multiple tissues including the cranial, cardiac and trunk neural crest, which in the cranial cartilage form a distinct regional pattern. The Pax7 lineage, like the Pax3 lineage, is additionally detected in some non-neural crest tissues, including a subset of the epithelial cells in specific organs.These results demonstrate a previously unappreciated widespread distribution of Pax7 descendants within and beyond the neural crest. They shed light regarding the regionally distinct phenotypes observed in Pax3 and Pax7 mutants, and provide a unique perspective into the potential roles of Pax7 during disease and development.

Neural Correlates of Single- and Dual-Task Walking in the Real World

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Sara Pizzamiglio

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Recent developments in mobile brain-body imaging (MoBI technologies have enabled studies of human locomotion where subjects are able to move freely in more ecologically valid scenarios. In this study, MoBI was employed to describe the behavioral and neurophysiological aspects of three different commonly occurring walking conditions in healthy adults. The experimental conditions were self-paced walking, walking while conversing with a friend and lastly walking while texting with a smartphone. We hypothesized that gait performance would decrease with increased cognitive demands and that condition-specific neural activation would involve condition-specific brain areas. Gait kinematics and high density electroencephalography (EEG were recorded whilst walking around a university campus. Conditions with dual tasks were accompanied by decreased gait performance. Walking while conversing was associated with an increase of theta (θ and beta (β neural power in electrodes located over left-frontal and right parietal regions, whereas walking while texting was associated with a decrease of β neural power in a cluster of electrodes over the frontal-premotor and sensorimotor cortices when compared to walking whilst conversing. In conclusion, the behavioral “signatures” of common real-life activities performed outside the laboratory environment were accompanied by differing frequency-specific neural “biomarkers”. The current findings encourage the study of the neural biomarkers of disrupted gait control in neurologically impaired patients.

"Fate: The short film"

OpenAIRE

Maya Quintana, Jennifer

2014-01-01

"Fate: The Short Film" is a four minute short film which reflects the idea that nobody can escape from the fate. It has a good picture and sound quality with an understandable message for all public and with the collaboration of actors, filmmaker, stylist, script advisor and media technician.

[High gene conversion frequency between genes encoding 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate phosphatase in 3 Saccharomyces species].

Science.gov (United States)

Piscopo, Sara-Pier; Drouin, Guy

2014-05-01

Gene conversions are nonreciprocal sequence exchanges between genes. They are relatively common in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but few studies have investigated the evolutionary fate of gene conversions or their functional impacts. Here, we analyze the evolution and impact of gene conversions between the two genes encoding 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate phosphatase in S. cerevisiae, Saccharomyces paradoxus and Saccharomyces mikatae. Our results demonstrate that the last half of these genes are subject to gene conversions among these three species. The greater similarity and the greater percentage of GC nucleotides in the converted regions, as well as the absence of long regions of adjacent common converted sites, suggest that these gene conversions are frequent and occur independently in all three species. The high frequency of these conversions probably result from the fact that they have little impact on the protein sequences encoded by these genes.

A feedback regulatory loop involving microRNA-9 and nuclear receptor TLX in neural stem cell fate determination.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Chunnian; Sun, GuoQiang; Li, Shengxiu; Shi, Yanhong

2009-04-01

MicroRNAs have been implicated as having important roles in stem cell biology. MicroRNA-9 (miR-9) is expressed specifically in neurogenic areas of the brain and may be involved in neural stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. We showed previously that the nuclear receptor TLX is an essential regulator of neural stem cell self-renewal. Here we show that miR-9 suppresses TLX expression to negatively regulate neural stem cell proliferation and accelerate neural differentiation. Introducing a TLX expression vector that is not prone to miR-9 regulation rescued miR-9-induced proliferation deficiency and inhibited precocious differentiation. In utero electroporation of miR-9 in embryonic brains led to premature differentiation and outward migration of the transfected neural stem cells. Moreover, TLX represses expression of the miR-9 pri-miRNA. By forming a negative regulatory loop with TLX, miR-9 provides a model for controlling the balance between neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation.

Activin/Nodal Signaling Supports Retinal Progenitor Specification in a Narrow Time Window during Pluripotent Stem Cell Neuralization

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Michele Bertacchi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Retinal progenitors are initially found in the anterior neural plate region known as the eye field, whereas neighboring areas undertake telencephalic or hypothalamic development. Eye field cells become specified by switching on a network of eye field transcription factors, but the extracellular cues activating this network remain unclear. In this study, we used chemically defined media to induce in vitro differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs toward eye field fates. Inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling was sufficient to drive ESCs to telencephalic, but not retinal, fates. Instead, retinal progenitors could be generated from competent differentiating mouse ESCs by activation of Activin/Nodal signaling within a narrow temporal window corresponding to the emergence of primitive anterior neural progenitors. Activin also promoted eye field gene expression in differentiating human ESCs. Our results reveal insights into the mechanisms of eye field specification and open new avenues toward the generation of retinal progenitors for translational medicine.

Lunatic fringe-mediated Notch signaling regulates adult hippocampal neural stem cell maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

Semerci, Fatih; Choi, William Tin-Shing; Bajic, Aleksandar; Thakkar, Aarohi; Encinas, Juan Manuel; Depreux, Frederic; Segil, Neil; Groves, Andrew K; Maletic-Savatic, Mirjana

2017-07-12

Hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) integrate inputs from multiple sources to balance quiescence and activation. Notch signaling plays a key role during this process. Here, we report that Lunatic fringe ( Lfng), a key modifier of the Notch receptor, is selectively expressed in NSCs. Further, Lfng in NSCs and Notch ligands Delta1 and Jagged1, expressed by their progeny, together influence NSC recruitment, cell cycle duration, and terminal fate. We propose a new model in which Lfng-mediated Notch signaling enables direct communication between a NSC and its descendants, so that progeny can send feedback signals to the 'mother' cell to modify its cell cycle status. Lfng-mediated Notch signaling appears to be a key factor governing NSC quiescence, division, and fate.

Concentration Sensing by the Moving Nucleus in Cell Fate Determination: A Computational Analysis.

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Varun Aggarwal

Full Text Available During development of the vertebrate neuroepithelium, the nucleus in neural progenitor cells (NPCs moves from the apex toward the base and returns to the apex (called interkinetic nuclear migration at which point the cell divides. The fate of the resulting daughter cells is thought to depend on the sampling by the moving nucleus of a spatial concentration profile of the cytoplasmic Notch intracellular domain (NICD. However, the nucleus executes complex stochastic motions including random waiting and back and forth motions, which can expose the nucleus to randomly varying levels of cytoplasmic NICD. How nuclear position can determine daughter cell fate despite the stochastic nature of nuclear migration is not clear. Here we derived a mathematical model for reaction, diffusion, and nuclear accumulation of NICD in NPCs during interkinetic nuclear migration (INM. Using experimentally measured trajectory-dependent probabilities of nuclear turning, nuclear waiting times and average nuclear speeds in NPCs in the developing zebrafish retina, we performed stochastic simulations to compute the nuclear trajectory-dependent probabilities of NPC differentiation. Comparison with experimentally measured nuclear NICD concentrations and trajectory-dependent probabilities of differentiation allowed estimation of the NICD cytoplasmic gradient. Spatially polarized production of NICD, rapid NICD cytoplasmic consumption and the time-averaging effect of nuclear import/export kinetics are sufficient to explain the experimentally observed differentiation probabilities. Our computational studies lend quantitative support to the feasibility of the nuclear concentration-sensing mechanism for NPC fate determination in zebrafish retina.

Biophysical characteristics reveal neural stem cell differentiation potential.

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Fatima H Labeed

Full Text Available Distinguishing human neural stem/progenitor cell (huNSPC populations that will predominantly generate neurons from those that produce glia is currently hampered by a lack of sufficient cell type-specific surface markers predictive of fate potential. This limits investigation of lineage-biased progenitors and their potential use as therapeutic agents. A live-cell biophysical and label-free measure of fate potential would solve this problem by obviating the need for specific cell surface markers.We used dielectrophoresis (DEP to analyze the biophysical, specifically electrophysiological, properties of cortical human and mouse NSPCs that vary in differentiation potential. Our data demonstrate that the electrophysiological property membrane capacitance inversely correlates with the neurogenic potential of NSPCs. Furthermore, as huNSPCs are continually passaged they decrease neuron generation and increase membrane capacitance, confirming that this parameter dynamically predicts and negatively correlates with neurogenic potential. In contrast, differences in membrane conductance between NSPCs do not consistently correlate with the ability of the cells to generate neurons. DEP crossover frequency, which is a quantitative measure of cell behavior in DEP, directly correlates with neuron generation of NSPCs, indicating a potential mechanism to separate stem cells biased to particular differentiated cell fates.We show here that whole cell membrane capacitance, but not membrane conductance, reflects and predicts the neurogenic potential of human and mouse NSPCs. Stem cell biophysical characteristics therefore provide a completely novel and quantitative measure of stem cell fate potential and a label-free means to identify neuron- or glial-biased progenitors.

Batch Policy Gradient Methods for Improving Neural Conversation Models

OpenAIRE

Kandasamy, Kirthevasan; Bachrach, Yoram; Tomioka, Ryota; Tarlow, Daniel; Carter, David

2017-01-01

We study reinforcement learning of chatbots with recurrent neural network architectures when the rewards are noisy and expensive to obtain. For instance, a chatbot used in automated customer service support can be scored by quality assurance agents, but this process can be expensive, time consuming and noisy. Previous reinforcement learning work for natural language processing uses on-policy updates and/or is designed for on-line learning settings. We demonstrate empirically that such strateg...

Endothelial-to-Osteoblast Conversion Generates Osteoblastic Metastasis of Prostate Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Song-Chang; Lee, Yu-Chen; Yu, Guoyu; Cheng, Chien-Jui; Zhou, Xin; Chu, Khoi; Murshed, Monzur; Le, Nhat-Tu; Baseler, Laura; Abe, Jun-Ichi; Fujiwara, Keigi; deCrombrugghe, Benoit; Logothetis, Christopher J; Gallick, Gary E; Yu-Lee, Li-Yuan; Maity, Sankar N; Lin, Sue-Hwa

2017-06-05

Prostate cancer (PCa) bone metastasis is frequently associated with bone-forming lesions, but the source of the osteoblastic lesions remains unclear. We show that the tumor-induced bone derives partly from tumor-associated endothelial cells that have undergone endothelial-to-osteoblast (EC-to-OSB) conversion. The tumor-associated osteoblasts in PCa bone metastasis specimens and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) were found to co-express endothelial marker Tie-2. BMP4, identified in PDX-conditioned medium, promoted EC-to-OSB conversion of 2H11 endothelial cells. BMP4 overexpression in non-osteogenic C4-2b PCa cells led to ectopic bone formation under subcutaneous implantation. Tumor-induced bone was reduced in trigenic mice (Tie2 cre /Osx f/f /SCID) with endothelial-specific deletion of osteoblast cell-fate determinant OSX compared with bigenic mice (Osx f/f /SCID). Thus, tumor-induced EC-to-OSB conversion is one mechanism that leads to osteoblastic bone metastasis of PCa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct transdifferentiation in the vertebrate retina.

Science.gov (United States)

Opas, M; Dziak, E

1998-03-01

Transdifferentiation is the process by which differentiated cells alter their identity to become other, distinct cell types. The conversion of neural retina into lens epithelium is one of the most spectacular examples of transdifferentiation. We show that the redirection of cell fate from neural retina to lens and subsequent transdifferentiation is independent of cell replication as it occurs in growth-arrested cell populations. Using DNA ratiometry of individual cells in these cultures we show that, indeed, individual amitotic cells do transdifferentiate. Hence, choice of fate in transdifferentiating cells does not rely on a "community effect" but instead can be categorized as a leadership effect> For lack of overt lens progenitors, and most importantly, for its mitotic independence, we conclude that lens colony formation in vitro does occur by direct transdifferentiation and not by clonal proliferation of progenitor cells.

Neural Network Models for Free Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curteanu, S.; Leon, F.; Galea, D.

2003-01-01

In this paper, a neural network modeling of the batch bulk methyl methacrylate polymerization is performed. To obtain conversion, number and weight average molecular weights, three neural networks were built. Each was a multilayer perception with one or two hidden layers. The choice of network topology, i.e. the number of hidden layers and the number of neurons in these layers, was based on achieving a compromise between precision and complexity. Thus, it was intended to have an error as small as possible at the end of back-propagation training phases, while using a network with reduced complexity. The performances of the networks were evaluated by comparing network predictions with training data, validation data (which were not uses for training), and with the results of a mechanistic model. The accurate predictions of neural networks for monomer conversion, number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight proves that this modeling methodology gives a good representation and generalization of the batch bulk methyl methacrylate polymerization. (author)

Characterization of second generation biomass under thermal conversion and the fate of nitrogen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Giuntoli, J.

2010-01-01

This dissertation deals with the characterization of several biomass materials under thermal conversion conditions using small--scale equipment. The fuels are tested under the conditions of slow and fast heating rate pyrolysis and combustion, with the main goal of investigating the chemistry of

Choice of pesticide fate models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balderacchi, Matteo; Trevisan, Marco; Vischetti, Costantino

2006-01-01

The choice of a pesticide fate model at field scale is linked to the available input data. The article describes the available pesticide fate models at a field scale and the guidelines for the choice of the suitable model as function of the data input requested [it

Stress, glucocorticoid hormones, and hippocampal neural progenitor cells: implications to mood disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Kino, Tomoshige

2015-01-01

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and its end-effectors glucocorticoid hormones play central roles in the adaptive response to numerous stressors that can be either internal or external. Thus, this system has a strong impact on the brain hippocampus and its major functions, such as cognition, memory as well as behavior, and mood. The hippocampal area of the adult brain contains neural stem cells or more committed neural progenitor cells, which retain throughout the human life the ability of self-renewal and to differentiate into multiple neural cell lineages, such as neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Importantly, these characteristic cells contribute significantly to the above-indicated functions of the hippocampus, while various stressors and glucocorticoids influence proliferation, differentiation, and fate of these cells. This review offers an overview of the current understanding on the interactions between the HPA axis/glucocorticoid stress-responsive system and hippocampal neural progenitor cells by focusing on the actions of glucocorticoids. Also addressed is a further discussion on the implications of such interactions to the pathophysiology of mood disorders.

Motor and somatosensory conversion disorder: a functional unawareness syndrome?

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Perez, David L; Barsky, Arthur J; Daffner, Kirk; Silbersweig, David A

2012-01-01

Although conversion disorder is closely connected to the origins of neurology and psychiatry, it remains poorly understood. In this article, the authors discuss neural and clinical parallels between lesional unawareness disorders and unilateral motor and somatosensory conversion disorder, emphasizing functional neuroimaging/disease correlates. Authors suggest that a functional-unawareness neurobiological framework, mediated by right hemisphere-lateralized, large-scale brain network dysfunction, may play a significant role in the neurobiology of conversion disorder. The perigenual anterior cingulate and the posterior parietal cortices are detailed as important in disease pathophysiology. Further investigations will refine the functional-unawareness concept, clarify the role of affective circuits, and delineate the process through which functional neurologic symptoms emerge.

Immunocytochemistry and metamorphic fate of the larval nervous system of Triphyllozoon mucronatum (Ectoprocta: Gymnolaemata: Cheilostomata)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wanninger, Andreas; Koop, Demian; Degnan, Bernard M.

2005-01-01

The development of gymnolaemate Ectoprocta includes a larval stage of either the coronate or the cyphonautes type. Herein, we provide the first description of the larval neural anatomy of a coronate larva using immunocytochemical methods. We used antibodies against the neurotransmitters serotonin...... that the larval neuroanatomy and the processes that underlie the reorganization of larval organ systems during metamorphosis may vary much more among lophotrochozoan taxa than previously thought....... and FMRFamide and followed the fate of immunoreactive cells through metamorphosis. The larval serotonergic nervous system of Triphyllozoon mucronatum consists of an apical commissure, one pair of lateral axons, a coronate nerve net, an internal nerve mesh, and one pair of axons innervating the frontal organ....... FMRFamide is only found in the larval commissure and in the lateral axons. The entire serotonergic and FMRFamidergic nervous system is lost during metamorphosis and the adult neural structures form independent of the larval ones. In the postlarval zooid, both neurotransmitters are detected in the cerebral...

A multimedia fate model to evaluate the fate of PAHs in Songhua River, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Ce; Feng Yujie; Sun Qingfang; Zhao Shanshan; Gao Peng; Li Bailian

2012-01-01

A multimedia fate model coupling dynamic water flow with a level IV fugacity model has been developed and applied to simulate the temporal and spatial fate of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Songhua River, China. The model has two components: in the first, the one-dimensional network kinematic wave equation is used to calculate varying water flow and depth. In the second, Fugacity IV equations are implemented to predict contaminant distributions in four environmental media. The estimated concentrations of eight PAHs in Songhua River are obtained, and all simulated results are in acceptable agreement with monitoring data, as verified with the Theil’s inequality coefficient test. The sensitivity of PAH concentration in each environmental phase to input parameters are also evaluated. Our results show the model predicts reasonably accurate contaminant concentrations in natural rivers, and that it can be used to supply necessary information for control and management of water pollution. - Highlights: ► The model used was developed based on kinematic wave equation and level IV fugacity principle. ► The model was applied to describe the fate and transport of organic chemicals in natural river. ► The concentrations of PAHs in water column were satisfactorily simulated when compared with monitoring data. ► Temporal and spatial variability of PAHs concentration among multimedia environmental phases was illustrated. - A dynamic water flow based multimedia fate model is developed to characterize the fate and transport of organic contaminant in natural rivers.

Non-Viral Generation of Neural Precursor-like Cells from Adult Human Fibroblasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maucksch C

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Recent studies have reported direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts to mature neurons by the introduction of defined neural genes. This technology has potential use in the areas of neurological disease modeling and drug development. However, use of induced neurons for large-scale drug screening and cell-based replacement strategies is limited due to their inability to expand once reprogrammed. We propose it would be more desirable to induce expandable neural precursor cells directly from human fibroblasts. To date several pluripotent and neural transcription factors have been shown to be capable of converting mouse fibroblasts to neural stem/precursor-like cells when delivered by viral vectors. Here we extend these findings and demonstrate that transient ectopic insertion of the transcription factors SOX2 and PAX6 to adult human fibroblasts through use of non-viral plasmid transfection or protein transduction allows the generation of induced neural precursor (iNP colonies expressing a range of neural stem and pro-neural genes. Upon differentiation, iNP cells give rise to neurons exhibiting typical neuronal morphologies and expressing multiple neuronal markers including tyrosine hydroxylase and GAD65/67. Importantly, iNP-derived neurons demonstrate electrophysiological properties of functionally mature neurons with the capacity to generate action potentials. In addition, iNP cells are capable of differentiating into glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP-expressing astrocytes. This study represents a novel virus-free approach for direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts to a neural precursor fate.

Single-Cell Transcriptomics and Fate Mapping of Ependymal Cells Reveals an Absence of Neural Stem Cell Function.

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Shah, Prajay T; Stratton, Jo A; Stykel, Morgan Gail; Abbasi, Sepideh; Sharma, Sandeep; Mayr, Kyle A; Koblinger, Kathrin; Whelan, Patrick J; Biernaskie, Jeff

2018-05-03

Ependymal cells are multi-ciliated cells that form the brain's ventricular epithelium and a niche for neural stem cells (NSCs) in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ). In addition, ependymal cells are suggested to be latent NSCs with a capacity to acquire neurogenic function. This remains highly controversial due to a lack of prospective in vivo labeling techniques that can effectively distinguish ependymal cells from neighboring V-SVZ NSCs. We describe a transgenic system that allows for targeted labeling of ependymal cells within the V-SVZ. Single-cell RNA-seq revealed that ependymal cells are enriched for cilia-related genes and share several stem-cell-associated genes with neural stem or progenitors. Under in vivo and in vitro neural-stem- or progenitor-stimulating environments, ependymal cells failed to demonstrate any suggestion of latent neural-stem-cell function. These findings suggest remarkable stability of ependymal cell function and provide fundamental insights into the molecular signature of the V-SVZ niche. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

miR-137 forms a regulatory loop with nuclear receptor TLX and LSD1 in neural stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, GuoQiang; Ye, Peng; Murai, Kiyohito; Lang, Ming-Fei; Li, Shengxiu; Zhang, Heying; Li, Wendong; Fu, Chelsea; Yin, Jason; Wang, Allen; Ma, Xiaoxiao; Shi, Yanhong

2011-11-08

miR-137 is a brain-enriched microRNA. Its role in neural development remains unknown. Here we show that miR-137 has an essential role in controlling embryonic neural stem cell fate determination. miR-137 negatively regulates cell proliferation and accelerates neural differentiation of embryonic neural stem cells. In addition, we show that the histone lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), a transcriptional co-repressor of nuclear receptor TLX, is a downstream target of miR-137. In utero electroporation of miR-137 in embryonic mouse brains led to premature differentiation and outward migration of the transfected cells. Introducing a LSD1 expression vector lacking the miR-137 recognition site rescued miR-137-induced precocious differentiation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that TLX, an essential regulator of neural stem cell self-renewal, represses the expression of miR-137 by recruiting LSD1 to the genomic regions of miR-137. Thus, miR-137 forms a feedback regulatory loop with TLX and LSD1 to control the dynamics between neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation during neural development.

Conversion disorder: towards a neurobiological understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Samuel B; Stanton, Biba R; David, Anthony S

2006-01-01

Conversion disorders are a common cause of neurological disability, but the diagnosis remains controversial and the mechanism by which psychological stress can result in physical symptoms “unconsciously” is poorly understood. This review summarises research examining conversion disorder from a neurobiological perspective. Early observations suggesting a role for hemispheric specialization have not been replicated consistently. Patients with sensory conversion symptoms have normal evoked responses in primary and secondary somatosensory cortex but a reduction in the P300 potential, which is thought to reflect a lack of conscious processing of sensory stimuli. The emergence of functional imaging has provided the greatest opportunity for understanding the neural basis of conversion symptoms. Studies have been limited by small patient numbers and failure to control for confounding variables. The evidence available would suggest a broad hypothesis that frontal cortical and limbic activation associated with emotional stress may act via inhibitory basal ganglia–thalamocortical circuits to produce a deficit of conscious sensory or motor processing. The conceptual difficulties that have limited progress in this area are discussed. A better neuropsychiatric understanding of the mechanisms of conversion symptoms may improve our understanding of normal attention and volition and reduce the controversy surrounding this diagnosis. PMID:19412442

Prototype-Incorporated Emotional Neural Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Oyedotun, Oyebade K; Khashman, Adnan

2017-08-15

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) aim to simulate the biological neural activities. Interestingly, many ''engineering'' prospects in ANN have relied on motivations from cognition and psychology studies. So far, two important learning theories that have been subject of active research are the prototype and adaptive learning theories. The learning rules employed for ANNs can be related to adaptive learning theory, where several examples of the different classes in a task are supplied to the network for adjusting internal parameters. Conversely, the prototype-learning theory uses prototypes (representative examples); usually, one prototype per class of the different classes contained in the task. These prototypes are supplied for systematic matching with new examples so that class association can be achieved. In this paper, we propose and implement a novel neural network algorithm based on modifying the emotional neural network (EmNN) model to unify the prototype- and adaptive-learning theories. We refer to our new model as ``prototype-incorporated EmNN''. Furthermore, we apply the proposed model to two real-life challenging tasks, namely, static hand-gesture recognition and face recognition, and compare the result to those obtained using the popular back-propagation neural network (BPNN), emotional BPNN (EmNN), deep networks, an exemplar classification model, and k-nearest neighbor.

Engineering Cell Fate for Tissue Regeneration by In Vivo Transdifferentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

de Lázaro, I; Kostarelos, K

2016-02-01

Changes in cell identity occur in adult mammalian organisms but are rare and often linked to disease. Research in the last few decades has thrown light on how to manipulate cell fate, but the conversion of a particular cell type into another within a living organism (also termed in vivo transdifferentiation) has only been recently achieved in a limited number of tissues. Although the therapeutic promise of this strategy for tissue regeneration and repair is exciting, important efficacy and safety concerns will need to be addressed before it becomes a reality in the clinical practice. Here, we review the most relevant in vivo transdifferentiation studies in adult mammalian animal models, offering a critical assessment of this potentially powerful strategy for regenerative medicine.

Putative oncogene Brachyury (T) is essential to specify cell fate but dispensable for notochord progenitor proliferation and EMT.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jianjian; Kwan, Kin Ming; Mackem, Susan

2016-04-05

The transcription factor Brachyury (T) gene is expressed throughout primary mesoderm (primitive streak and notochord) during early embryonic development and has been strongly implicated in the genesis of chordoma, a sarcoma of notochord cell origin. Additionally, T expression has been found in and proposed to play a role in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in various other types of human tumors. However, the role of T in normal mammalian notochord development and function is still not well-understood. We have generated an inducible knockdown model to efficiently and selectively deplete T from notochord in mouse embryos. In combination with genetic lineage tracing, we show that T function is essential for maintaining notochord cell fate and function. Progenitors adopt predominantly a neural fate in the absence of T, consistent with an origin from a common chordoneural progenitor. However, T function is dispensable for progenitor cell survival, proliferation, and EMT, which has implications for the therapeutic targeting of T in chordoma and other cancers.

Adipose stromal cells contain phenotypically distinct adipogenic progenitors derived from neural crest.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshihiro Sowa

Full Text Available Recent studies have shown that adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs contain phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous subpopulations of cells, but their developmental origin and their relative differentiation potential remain elusive. In the present study, we aimed at investigating how and to what extent the neural crest contributes to ASCs using Cre-loxP-mediated fate mapping. ASCs harvested from subcutaneous fat depots of either adult P0-Cre/or Wnt1-Cre/Floxed-reporter mice contained a few neural crest-derived ASCs (NCDASCs. This subpopulation of cells was successfully expanded in vitro under standard culture conditions and their growth rate was comparable to non-neural crest derivatives. Although NCDASCs were positive for several mesenchymal stem cell markers as non-neural crest derivatives, they exhibited a unique bipolar or multipolar morphology with higher expression of markers for both neural crest progenitors (p75NTR, Nestin, and Sox2 and preadipocytes (CD24, CD34, S100, Pref-1, GATA2, and C/EBP-delta. NCDASCs were able to differentiate into adipocytes with high efficiency but their osteogenic and chondrogenic potential was markedly attenuated, indicating their commitment to adipogenesis. In vivo, a very small proportion of adipocytes were originated from the neural crest. In addition, p75NTR-positive neural crest-derived cells were identified along the vessels within the subcutaneous adipose tissue, but they were negative for mural and endothelial markers. These results demonstrate that ASCs contain neural crest-derived adipocyte-restricted progenitors whose phenotype is distinct from that of non-neural crest derivatives.

Direct conversion of injury-site myeloid cells to fibroblast-like cells of granulation tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Mithun; Sen, Chandan K; Singh, Kanhaiya; Das, Amitava; Ghatak, Subhadip; Rhea, Brian; Blackstone, Britani; Powell, Heather M; Khanna, Savita; Roy, Sashwati

2018-03-05

Inflammation, following injury, induces cellular plasticity as an inherent component of physiological tissue repair. The dominant fate of wound macrophages is unclear and debated. Here we show that two-thirds of all granulation tissue fibroblasts, otherwise known to be of mesenchymal origin, are derived from myeloid cells which are likely to be wound macrophages. Conversion of myeloid to fibroblast-like cells is impaired in diabetic wounds. In cross-talk between keratinocytes and myeloid cells, miR-21 packaged in extracellular vesicles (EV) is required for cell conversion. EV from wound fluid of healing chronic wound patients is rich in miR-21 and causes cell conversion more effectively compared to that by fluid from non-healing patients. Impaired conversion in diabetic wound tissue is rescued by targeted nanoparticle-based delivery of miR-21 to macrophages. This work introduces a paradigm wherein myeloid cells are recognized as a major source of fibroblast-like cells in the granulation tissue.

Prosopagnosia as a Type of Conversion Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Power, Clodagh; Hannigan, Oisin; Coen, Robert; Bruce, Irene; Gibb, Matthew; McCarthy, Marie; Robinson, David; Lawlor, Brian A

2018-01-01

Conversion disorder is a common and debilitating condition that remains poorly understood. We present a previously undescribed form of conversion disorder to highlight the complexity of the condition and consider the interplay of factors that produce conversion symptoms. A 50-year-old male presented with acquired prosopagnosia and language impairment. Neuropsychological testing indicated right temporal lobe dysfunction. Extensive work-up outruled an organic aetiology. Reactivation of childhood trauma coincided with the onset of his symptoms. Childhood trauma is known to have adverse effects on the developing brain which may affect an individual's emotional behaviour and coping style. Functional neuroimaging techniques suggest that conversion symptoms may be linked to the disruption of higher order neural circuitry involved in the integration of emotional processing and cortical functioning. We propose that our patient's adverse childhood experiences led to the development of a particular personality and coping style that "primed" him for a later abnormal emotional and behavioural response when confronted with reminders of his traumatic background. Further interdisciplinary studies are required to further elucidate the neurobiological basis for this condition.

The neural fate of neutral information in emotion-enhanced memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Watts, Sarah; Buratto, Luciano G; Brotherhood, Emilie V; Barnacle, Gemma E; Schaefer, Alexandre

2014-07-01

In this study, we report evidence that neural activity reflecting the encoding of emotionally neutral information in memory is reduced when neutral and emotional stimuli are intermixed during encoding. Specifically, participants studied emotional and neutral pictures organized in mixed lists (in which emotional and neutral pictures were intermixed) or in pure lists (only-neutral or only-emotional pictures) and performed a recall test. To estimate encoding efficiency, we used the Dm effect, measured with event-related potentials. Recall for neutral items was lower in mixed compared to pure lists and posterior Dm activity for neutral items was reduced in mixed lists, whereas it remained robust in pure lists. These findings might be caused by an asymmetrical competition for attentional and working memory resources between emotional and neutral information, which could be a major determinant of emotional memory effects. Copyright © 2014 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Prospero-related homeobox 1 (Prox1 at the crossroads of diverse pathways during adult neural fate specification

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Athanasios eStergiopoulos

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Over the last decades, adult neurogenesis in the central nervous system (CNS has emerged as a fundamental process underlying physiology and disease. Recent evidence indicates that the homeobox transcription factor Prox1 is a critical intrinsic regulator of neurogenesis in the embryonic CNS and adult dentate gyrus (DG of the hippocampus, acting in multiple ways and instructed by extrinsic cues and intrinsic factors. In the embryonic CNS, Prox1 is mechanistically involved in the regulation of proliferation versus differentiation decisions of NSCs, promoting cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation, while inhibits astrogliogenesis. During the complex differentiation events in adult hippocampal neurogenesis, Prox1 is required for maintenance of intermediate progenitors (IPs, differentiation and maturation of glutamatergic interneurons, as well as specification of DG cell identity over CA3 pyramidal fate. The mechanism by which Prox1 exerts multiple functions involves distinct signaling pathways currently not fully highlighted. In this mini-review, we thoroughly discuss the Prox1-dependent phenotypes and molecular pathways in adult neurogenesis in relation to different upstream signaling cues and cell fate determinants. In addition, we discuss the possibility that Prox1 may act as a cross-talk point between diverse signaling cascades to achieve specific outcomes during adult neurogenesis.

Roles of bHLH genes in neural stem cell differentiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kageyama, Ryoichiro; Ohtsuka, Toshiyuki; Hatakeyama, Jun; Ohsawa, Ryosuke

2005-01-01

Neural stem cells change their characteristics over time during development: they initially proliferate only and then give rise to neurons first and glial cells later. In the absence of the repressor-type basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) genes Hes1, Hes3 and Hes5, neural stem cells do not proliferate sufficiently but prematurely differentiate into neurons and become depleted without making the later born cell types such as astrocytes and ependymal cells. Thus, Hes genes are essential for maintenance of neural stem cells to make cells not only in correct numbers but also in full diversity. Hes genes antagonize the activator-type bHLH genes, which include Mash1, Math and Neurogenin. The activator-type bHLH genes promote the neuronal fate determination and induce expression of Notch ligands such as Delta. These ligands activate Notch signaling and upregulate Hes1 and Hes5 expression in neighboring cells, thereby maintaining these cells undifferentiated. Thus, the activator-type and repressor-type bHLH genes regulate each other, allowing only subsets of cells to undergo differentiation while keeping others to stay neural stem cells. This regulation is essential for generation of complex brain structures of appropriate size, shape and cell arrangement

The aged brain: genesis and fate of residual progenitor cells in the subventricular zone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vivian eCapilla-Gonzalez

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Neural stem cells persist in the adult mammalian brain through life. The subventricular zone is the largest source of stem cells in the nervous system, and continuously generates new neuronal and glial cells involved in brain regeneration. During aging, the germinal potential of the subventricular zone suffers a widespread decline, but the causes of this turn down are not fully understood. This review provides a compilation of the current knowledge about the age-related changes in the neural stem cell population, as well as the fate of the newly generated cells in the aged brain. It is known that the neurogenic capacity is clearly disrupted during aging, while the production of oligodendroglial cells is not compromised. Interestingly, the human brain seems to primarily preserve the ability to produce new oligodendrocytes instead of neurons, which could be related to the development of neurological disorders. Further studies in this matter are required to improve our understanding and the current strategies for fighting neurological diseases associated with senescence.

Chemically Induced Reprogramming of Somatic Cells to Pluripotent Stem Cells and Neural Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Dhruba; Jiang, Peng

2016-02-06

The ability to generate transplantable neural cells in a large quantity in the laboratory is a critical step in the field of developing stem cell regenerative medicine for neural repair. During the last few years, groundbreaking studies have shown that cell fate of adult somatic cells can be reprogrammed through lineage specific expression of transcription factors (TFs)-and defined culture conditions. This key concept has been used to identify a number of potent small molecules that could enhance the efficiency of reprogramming with TFs. Recently, a growing number of studies have shown that small molecules targeting specific epigenetic and signaling pathways can replace all of the reprogramming TFs. Here, we provide a detailed review of the studies reporting the generation of chemically induced pluripotent stem cells (ciPSCs), neural stem cells (ciNSCs), and neurons (ciN). We also discuss the main mechanisms of actions and the pathways that the small molecules regulate during chemical reprogramming.

Neural Progenitors Adopt Specific Identities by Directly Repressing All Alternative Progenitor Transcriptional Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutejova, Eva; Sasai, Noriaki; Shah, Ankita; Gouti, Mina; Briscoe, James

2016-03-21

In the vertebrate neural tube, a morphogen-induced transcriptional network produces multiple molecularly distinct progenitor domains, each generating different neuronal subtypes. Using an in vitro differentiation system, we defined gene expression signatures of distinct progenitor populations and identified direct gene-regulatory inputs corresponding to locations of specific transcription factor binding. Combined with targeted perturbations of the network, this revealed a mechanism in which a progenitor identity is installed by active repression of the entire transcriptional programs of other neural progenitor fates. In the ventral neural tube, sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, together with broadly expressed transcriptional activators, concurrently activates the gene expression programs of several domains. The specific outcome is selected by repressive input provided by Shh-induced transcription factors that act as the key nodes in the network, enabling progenitors to adopt a single definitive identity from several initially permitted options. Together, the data suggest design principles relevant to many developing tissues. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional neuroimaging of conversion disorder: the role of ancillary activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Matthew J; Ghaffar, Omar; Staines, W Richard; Downar, Jonathan; Feinstein, Anthony

2014-01-01

Previous functional neuroimaging studies investigating the neuroanatomy of conversion disorder have yielded inconsistent results that may be attributed to small sample sizes and disparate methodologies. The objective of this study was to better define the functional neuroanatomical correlates of conversion disorder. Ten subjects meeting clinical criteria for unilateral sensory conversion disorder underwent fMRI during which a vibrotactile stimulus was applied to anesthetic and sensate areas. A block design was used with 4 s of stimulation followed by 26 s of rest, the pattern repeated 10 times. Event-related group averages of the BOLD response were compared between conditions. All subjects were right-handed females, with a mean age of 41. Group analyses revealed 10 areas that had significantly greater activation (p conversion symptoms are associated with a pattern of abnormal cerebral activation comprising neural networks implicated in emotional processing and sensory integration. Further study of the roles and potential interplay of these networks may provide a basis for an underlying psychobiological mechanism of conversion disorder.

Notch signaling patterns neurogenic ectoderm and regulates the asymmetric division of neural progenitors in sea urchin embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Mellott, Dan O; Thisdelle, Jordan; Burke, Robert D

2017-10-01

We have examined regulation of neurogenesis by Delta/Notch signaling in sea urchin embryos. At gastrulation, neural progenitors enter S phase coincident with expression of Sp-SoxC. We used a BAC containing GFP knocked into the Sp-SoxC locus to label neural progenitors. Live imaging and immunolocalizations indicate that Sp-SoxC-expressing cells divide to produce pairs of adjacent cells expressing GFP. Over an interval of about 6 h, one cell fragments, undergoes apoptosis and expresses high levels of activated Caspase3. A Notch reporter indicates that Notch signaling is activated in cells adjacent to cells expressing Sp-SoxC. Inhibition of γ-secretase, injection of Sp-Delta morpholinos or CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutation of Sp-Delta results in supernumerary neural progenitors and neurons. Interfering with Notch signaling increases neural progenitor recruitment and pairs of neural progenitors. Thus, Notch signaling restricts the number of neural progenitors recruited and regulates the fate of progeny of the asymmetric division. We propose a model in which localized signaling converts ectodermal and ciliary band cells to neural progenitors that divide asymmetrically to produce a neural precursor and an apoptotic cell. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Environmental fate and behaviour of nanomaterials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartmann, Nanna Isabella Bloch; Skjolding, Lars Michael; Hansen, Steffen Foss

In the current report, the existing knowledge on the fate of nanomaterials in the environment is reviewed and the major knowledge gaps are identified.......In the current report, the existing knowledge on the fate of nanomaterials in the environment is reviewed and the major knowledge gaps are identified....

Detecting danger labels with RAM-based neural networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, T.M.; Christensen, S.S.; Andersen, A.W.

1996-01-01

An image processing system for the automatic location of danger labels on the back of containers is presented. The system uses RAM-based neural networks to locate and classify labels after a pre-processing step involving specially designed non-linear edge filters and RGB-to-HSV conversion. Result...

Neural networks: Application to medical imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Laurence P.

1994-01-01

The research mission is the development of computer assisted diagnostic (CAD) methods for improved diagnosis of medical images including digital x-ray sensors and tomographic imaging modalities. The CAD algorithms include advanced methods for adaptive nonlinear filters for image noise suppression, hybrid wavelet methods for feature segmentation and enhancement, and high convergence neural networks for feature detection and VLSI implementation of neural networks for real time analysis. Other missions include (1) implementation of CAD methods on hospital based picture archiving computer systems (PACS) and information networks for central and remote diagnosis and (2) collaboration with defense and medical industry, NASA, and federal laboratories in the area of dual use technology conversion from defense or aerospace to medicine.

Sox5 Functions as a Fate Switch in Medaka Pigment Cell Development

Science.gov (United States)

Nagao, Yusuke; Suzuki, Takao; Shimizu, Atsushi; Kimura, Tetsuaki; Seki, Ryoko; Adachi, Tomoko; Inoue, Chikako; Omae, Yoshihiro; Kamei, Yasuhiro; Hara, Ikuyo; Taniguchi, Yoshihito; Naruse, Kiyoshi; Wakamatsu, Yuko; Kelsh, Robert N.; Hibi, Masahiko; Hashimoto, Hisashi

2014-01-01

Mechanisms generating diverse cell types from multipotent progenitors are crucial for normal development. Neural crest cells (NCCs) are multipotent stem cells that give rise to numerous cell-types, including pigment cells. Medaka has four types of NCC-derived pigment cells (xanthophores, leucophores, melanophores and iridophores), making medaka pigment cell development an excellent model for studying the mechanisms controlling specification of distinct cell types from a multipotent progenitor. Medaka many leucophores-3 (ml-3) mutant embryos exhibit a unique phenotype characterized by excessive formation of leucophores and absence of xanthophores. We show that ml-3 encodes sox5, which is expressed in premigratory NCCs and differentiating xanthophores. Cell transplantation studies reveal a cell-autonomous role of sox5 in the xanthophore lineage. pax7a is expressed in NCCs and required for both xanthophore and leucophore lineages; we demonstrate that Sox5 functions downstream of Pax7a. We propose a model in which multipotent NCCs first give rise to pax7a-positive partially fate-restricted intermediate progenitors for xanthophores and leucophores; some of these progenitors then express sox5, and as a result of Sox5 action develop into xanthophores. Our results provide the first demonstration that Sox5 can function as a molecular switch driving specification of a specific cell-fate (xanthophore) from a partially-restricted, but still multipotent, progenitor (the shared xanthophore-leucophore progenitor). PMID:24699463

Sox5 functions as a fate switch in medaka pigment cell development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusuke Nagao

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Mechanisms generating diverse cell types from multipotent progenitors are crucial for normal development. Neural crest cells (NCCs are multipotent stem cells that give rise to numerous cell-types, including pigment cells. Medaka has four types of NCC-derived pigment cells (xanthophores, leucophores, melanophores and iridophores, making medaka pigment cell development an excellent model for studying the mechanisms controlling specification of distinct cell types from a multipotent progenitor. Medaka many leucophores-3 (ml-3 mutant embryos exhibit a unique phenotype characterized by excessive formation of leucophores and absence of xanthophores. We show that ml-3 encodes sox5, which is expressed in premigratory NCCs and differentiating xanthophores. Cell transplantation studies reveal a cell-autonomous role of sox5 in the xanthophore lineage. pax7a is expressed in NCCs and required for both xanthophore and leucophore lineages; we demonstrate that Sox5 functions downstream of Pax7a. We propose a model in which multipotent NCCs first give rise to pax7a-positive partially fate-restricted intermediate progenitors for xanthophores and leucophores; some of these progenitors then express sox5, and as a result of Sox5 action develop into xanthophores. Our results provide the first demonstration that Sox5 can function as a molecular switch driving specification of a specific cell-fate (xanthophore from a partially-restricted, but still multipotent, progenitor (the shared xanthophore-leucophore progenitor.

Pulsed DC Electric Field-Induced Differentiation of Cortical Neural Precursor Cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui-Fang Chang

Full Text Available We report the differentiation of neural stem and progenitor cells solely induced by direct current (DC pulses stimulation. Neural stem and progenitor cells in the adult mammalian brain are promising candidates for the development of therapeutic neuroregeneration strategies. The differentiation of neural stem and progenitor cells depends on various in vivo environmental factors, such as nerve growth factor and endogenous EF. In this study, we demonstrated that the morphologic and phenotypic changes of mouse neural stem and progenitor cells (mNPCs could be induced solely by exposure to square-wave DC pulses (magnitude 300 mV/mm at frequency of 100-Hz. The DC pulse stimulation was conducted for 48 h, and the morphologic changes of mNPCs were monitored continuously. The length of primary processes and the amount of branching significantly increased after stimulation by DC pulses for 48 h. After DC pulse treatment, the mNPCs differentiated into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes simultaneously in stem cell maintenance medium. Our results suggest that simple DC pulse treatment could control the fate of NPCs. With further studies, DC pulses may be applied to manipulate NPC differentiation and may be used for the development of therapeutic strategies that employ NPCs to treat nervous system disorders.

Pulsed DC Electric Field-Induced Differentiation of Cortical Neural Precursor Cells.

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Chang, Hui-Fang; Lee, Ying-Shan; Tang, Tang K; Cheng, Ji-Yen

2016-01-01

We report the differentiation of neural stem and progenitor cells solely induced by direct current (DC) pulses stimulation. Neural stem and progenitor cells in the adult mammalian brain are promising candidates for the development of therapeutic neuroregeneration strategies. The differentiation of neural stem and progenitor cells depends on various in vivo environmental factors, such as nerve growth factor and endogenous EF. In this study, we demonstrated that the morphologic and phenotypic changes of mouse neural stem and progenitor cells (mNPCs) could be induced solely by exposure to square-wave DC pulses (magnitude 300 mV/mm at frequency of 100-Hz). The DC pulse stimulation was conducted for 48 h, and the morphologic changes of mNPCs were monitored continuously. The length of primary processes and the amount of branching significantly increased after stimulation by DC pulses for 48 h. After DC pulse treatment, the mNPCs differentiated into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes simultaneously in stem cell maintenance medium. Our results suggest that simple DC pulse treatment could control the fate of NPCs. With further studies, DC pulses may be applied to manipulate NPC differentiation and may be used for the development of therapeutic strategies that employ NPCs to treat nervous system disorders.

Histone Methylation and microRNA-dependent Regulation of Epigenetic Activities in Neural Progenitor Self-Renewal and Differentiation.

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Cacci, Emanuele; Negri, Rodolfo; Biagioni, Stefano; Lupo, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

Neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) self-renewal and differentiation in the developing and the adult brain are controlled by extra-cellular signals and by the inherent competence of NSPCs to produce appropriate responses. Stage-dependent responsiveness of NSPCs to extrinsic cues is orchestrated at the epigenetic level. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNA-mediated regulation control crucial aspects of NSPC development and function, and are also implicated in pathological conditions. While their roles in the regulation of stem cell fate have been largely explored in pluripotent stem cell models, the epigenetic signature of NSPCs is also key to determine their multipotency as well as their progressive bias towards specific differentiation outcomes. Here we review recent developments in this field, focusing on the roles of histone methylation marks and the protein complexes controlling their deposition in NSPCs of the developing cerebral cortex and the adult subventricular zone. In this context, we describe how bivalent promoters, carrying antagonistic epigenetic modifications, feature during multiple steps of neural development, from neural lineage specification to neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, we discuss the emerging cross-talk between epigenetic regulators and microRNAs, and how the interplay between these different layers of regulation can finely tune the expression of genes controlling NSPC maintenance and differentiation. In particular, we highlight recent advances in the identification of astrocyte-enriched microRNAs and their function in cell fate choices of NSPCs differentiating towards glial lineages.

Prosopagnosia as a Type of Conversion Disorder

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Clodagh Power

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Conversion disorder is a common and debilitating condition that remains poorly understood. We present a previously undescribed form of conversion disorder to highlight the complexity of the condition and consider the interplay of factors that produce conversion symptoms. Case. A 50-year-old male presented with acquired prosopagnosia and language impairment. Neuropsychological testing indicated right temporal lobe dysfunction. Extensive work-up outruled an organic aetiology. Reactivation of childhood trauma coincided with the onset of his symptoms. Childhood trauma is known to have adverse effects on the developing brain which may affect an individual’s emotional behaviour and coping style. Functional neuroimaging techniques suggest that conversion symptoms may be linked to the disruption of higher order neural circuitry involved in the integration of emotional processing and cortical functioning. Conclusions. We propose that our patient’s adverse childhood experiences led to the development of a particular personality and coping style that “primed” him for a later abnormal emotional and behavioural response when confronted with reminders of his traumatic background. Further interdisciplinary studies are required to further elucidate the neurobiological basis for this condition.

Applications of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Neural Crest Cells in Craniofacial Skeletal Research

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Satoru Morikawa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Craniofacial skeletal tissues are composed of tooth and bone, together with nerves and blood vessels. This composite material is mainly derived from neural crest cells (NCCs. The neural crest is transient embryonic tissue present during neural tube formation whose cells have high potential for migration and differentiation. Thus, NCCs are promising candidates for craniofacial tissue regeneration; however, the clinical application of NCCs is hindered by their limited accessibility. In contrast, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs are easily accessible in adults, have similar potential for self-renewal, and can differentiate into skeletal tissues, including bones and cartilage. Therefore, MSCs may represent good sources of stem cells for clinical use. MSCs are classically identified under adherent culture conditions, leading to contamination with other cell lineages. Previous studies have identified mouse- and human-specific MSC subsets using cell surface markers. Additionally, some studies have shown that a subset of MSCs is closely related to neural crest derivatives and endothelial cells. These MSCs may be promising candidates for regeneration of craniofacial tissues from the perspective of developmental fate. Here, we review the fundamental biology of MSCs in craniofacial research.

Neu-IR: The SIGIR 2016 Workshop on Neural Information Retrieval

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Craswell, N.; Croft, W.B.; Guo, J.; Mitra, B.; de Rijke, M.

2016-01-01

In recent years, deep neural networks have yielded significant performance improvements on speech recognition and computer vision tasks, as well as led to exciting breakthroughs in novel application areas such as automatic voice translation, image captioning, and conversational agents. Despite

Cell fate determination dynamics in bacteria

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Kuchina, Anna; Espinar, Lorena; Cagatay, Tolga; Garcia-Ojalvo, Jordi; Suel, Gurol

2010-03-01

The fitness of an organism depends on many processes that serve the purpose to adapt to changing environment in a robust and coordinated fashion. One example of such process is cellular fate determination. In the presence of a variety of alternative responses each cell adopting a particular fate represents a ``choice'' that must be tightly regulated to ensure the best survival strategy for the population taking into account the broad range of possible environmental challenges. We investigated this problem in the model organism B.Subtilis which under stress conditions differentiates terminally into highly resistant spores or initiates an alternative transient state of competence. The dynamics underlying cell fate choice remains largely unknown. We utilize quantitative fluorescent microscopy to track the activities of genes involved in these responses on a single-cell level. We explored the importance of temporal interactions between competing cell fates by re- engineering the differentiation programs. I will discuss how the precise dynamics of cellular ``decision-making'' governed by the corresponding biological circuits may enable cells to adjust to diverse environments and determine survival.

An Comparative Study of Jane Eyre's Fate and Tess's Fate from Femi-nist Viewpoint%An Comparative Study of Jane Eyre's Fate and Tess's Fate from Femi?nist Viewpoint

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

陈静; 何泠静

2017-01-01

In"Jane Eyre", Charlotte Bronte's masterpiece the heroine, Jane Eyre has fully reflected her self-esteem, equality, and pure personality, which are also reflected in her concept of love vividly. However, Thomas Hardy's Tess is poor and kind, but she does not have a complete love like Jane Eyre, and she is described by his criticism of the old moral character with good vir-tues in the traditional sense. She is a new image of modern feminism who suffered from the old moral sense and gradually has re-volt consciousness. From the feminism viewpoint, this paper attempts to analysis the causes of their different fate from different points and reveal the impact of social background on their fates.

MyT1 Counteracts the Neural Progenitor Program to Promote Vertebrate Neurogenesis

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Francisca F. Vasconcelos

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The generation of neurons from neural stem cells requires large-scale changes in gene expression that are controlled to a large extent by proneural transcription factors, such as Ascl1. While recent studies have characterized the differentiation genes activated by proneural factors, less is known on the mechanisms that suppress progenitor cell identity. Here, we show that Ascl1 induces the transcription factor MyT1 while promoting neuronal differentiation. We combined functional studies of MyT1 during neurogenesis with the characterization of its transcriptional program. MyT1 binding is associated with repression of gene transcription in neural progenitor cells. It promotes neuronal differentiation by counteracting the inhibitory activity of Notch signaling at multiple levels, targeting the Notch1 receptor and many of its downstream targets. These include regulators of the neural progenitor program, such as Hes1, Sox2, Id3, and Olig1. Thus, Ascl1 suppresses Notch signaling cell-autonomously via MyT1, coupling neuronal differentiation with repression of the progenitor fate.

Dll1 maintains quiescence of adult neural stem cells and segregates asymmetrically during mitosis

OpenAIRE

Kawaguchi, Daichi; Furutachi, Shohei; Kawai, Hiroki; Hozumi, Katsuto; Gotoh, Yukiko

2013-01-01

Stem cells often divide asymmetrically to produce one stem cell and one differentiating cell, thus maintaining the stem cell pool. Although neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult mouse subventricular zone have been suggested to divide asymmetrically, intrinsic cell fate determinants for asymmetric NSC division are largely unknown. Stem cell niches are important for stem cell maintenance, but the niche for the maintenance of adult quiescent NSCs has remained obscure. Here we show that the Notch...

Krox20 defines a subpopulation of cardiac neural crest cells contributing to arterial valves and bicuspid aortic valve.

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Odelin, Gaëlle; Faure, Emilie; Coulpier, Fanny; Di Bonito, Maria; Bajolle, Fanny; Studer, Michèle; Avierinos, Jean-François; Charnay, Patrick; Topilko, Piotr; Zaffran, Stéphane

2018-01-03

Although cardiac neural crest cells are required at early stages of arterial valve development, their contribution during valvular leaflet maturation remains poorly understood. Here, we show in mouse that neural crest cells from pre-otic and post-otic regions make distinct contributions to the arterial valve leaflets. Genetic fate-mapping analysis of Krox20-expressing neural crest cells shows a large contribution to the borders and the interleaflet triangles of the arterial valves. Loss of Krox20 function results in hyperplastic aortic valve and partially penetrant bicuspid aortic valve formation. Similar defects are observed in neural crest Krox20 -deficient embryos. Genetic lineage tracing in Krox20 -/- mutant mice shows that endothelial-derived cells are normal, whereas neural crest-derived cells are abnormally increased in number and misplaced in the valve leaflets. In contrast, genetic ablation of Krox20 -expressing cells is not sufficient to cause an aortic valve defect, suggesting that adjacent cells can compensate this depletion. Our findings demonstrate a crucial role for Krox20 in arterial valve development and reveal that an excess of neural crest cells may be associated with bicuspid aortic valve. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Fate of pollutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapta, S.C.; Boyer, J.M.

1990-01-01

A literature review is presented of the fate of pollutants in sediment and water systems. Topics of discussion include the following: modeling, observations, and general studies; chlorinated xenobiotic chemicals; nonchlorinated xenobiotic chemicals; pesticides; heavy metals; and radionuclides

MicroRNA let-7d regulates the TLX/microRNA-9 cascade to control neural cell fate and neurogenesis.

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Zhao, Chunnian; Sun, GuoQiang; Ye, Peng; Li, Shengxiu; Shi, Yanhong

2013-01-01

MicroRNAs have important functions in the nervous system through post-transcriptional regulation of neurogenesis genes. Here we show that microRNA let-7d, which has been implicated in cocaine addiction and other neurological disorders, targets the neural stem cell regulator TLX. Overexpression of let-7d in vivo reduced neural stem cell proliferation and promoted premature neuronal differentiation and migration, a phenotype similar to those induced by TLX knockdown or overexpression of its negatively-regulated target, microRNA-9. We found a let-7d binding sequence in the tlx 3' UTR and demonstrated that let-7d reduced TLX expression levels in neural stem cells, which in turn, up-regulated miR-9 expression. Moreover, co-expression of let-7d and TLX lacking its 3' UTR in vivo restored neural stem cell proliferation and reversed the premature neuronal differentiation and migration. Therefore, manipulating let-7d and its downstream targets could be a novel strategy to unravel neurogenic signaling pathways and identify potential interventions for relevant neurological disorders.

On the neural mechanisms subserving consciousness and attention

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Catherine eTallon-Baudry

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Consciousness, as described in the experimental literature, is a multi-faceted phenomenon, that impinges on other well-studied concepts such as attention and control. Do consciousness and attention refer to different aspects of the same core phenomenon, or do they correspond to distinct functions? One possibility to address this question is to examine the neural mechanisms underlying consciousness and attention. If consciousness and attention pertain to the same concept, they should rely on shared neural mechanisms. Conversely, if their underlying mechanisms are distinct, then consciousness and attention should be considered as distinct entities. This paper therefore reviews neurophysiological facts arguing in favor or against a tight relationship between consciousness and attention. Three neural mechanisms that have been associated with both attention and consciousness are examined (neural amplification, involvement of the fronto-parietal network, and oscillatory synchrony, to conclude that the commonalities between attention and consciousness at the neural level may have been overestimated. Last but not least, experiments in which both attention and consciousness were probed at the neural level point toward a dissociation between the two concepts. It therefore appears from this review that consciousness and attention rely on distinct neural properties, although they can interact at the behavioral level. It is proposed that a "cumulative influence model", in which attention and consciousness correspond to distinct neural mechanisms feeding a single decisional process leading to behavior, fits best with available neural and behavioral data. In this view, consciousness should not be considered as a top-level executive function but should rather be defined by its experiential properties.

Sympathetic Innervation Promotes Arterial Fate by Enhancing Endothelial ERK Activity.

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Pardanaud, Luc; Pibouin-Fragner, Laurence; Dubrac, Alexandre; Mathivet, Thomas; English, Isabel; Brunet, Isabelle; Simons, Michael; Eichmann, Anne

2016-08-19

Arterial endothelial cells are morphologically, functionally, and molecularly distinct from those found in veins and lymphatic vessels. How arterial fate is acquired during development and maintained in adult vessels is incompletely understood. We set out to identify factors that promote arterial endothelial cell fate in vivo. We developed a functional assay, allowing us to monitor and manipulate arterial fate in vivo, using arteries isolated from quails that are grafted into the coelom of chick embryos. Endothelial cells migrate out from the grafted artery, and their colonization of host arteries and veins is quantified. Here we show that sympathetic innervation promotes arterial endothelial cell fate in vivo. Removal of sympathetic nerves decreases arterial fate and leads to colonization of veins, whereas exposure to sympathetic nerves or norepinephrine imposes arterial fate. Mechanistically, sympathetic nerves increase endothelial ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) activity via adrenergic α1 and α2 receptors. These findings show that sympathetic innervation promotes arterial endothelial fate and may lead to novel approaches to improve arterialization in human disease. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Upset Prediction in Friction Welding Using Radial Basis Function Neural Network

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Wei Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the upset prediction problem of friction welded joints. Based on finite element simulations of inertia friction welding (IFW, a radial basis function (RBF neural network was developed initially to predict the final upset for a number of welding parameters. The predicted joint upset by the RBF neural network was compared to validated finite element simulations, producing an error of less than 8.16% which is reasonable. Furthermore, the effects of initial rotational speed and axial pressure on the upset were investigated in relation to energy conversion with the RBF neural network. The developed RBF neural network was also applied to linear friction welding (LFW and continuous drive friction welding (CDFW. The correlation coefficients of RBF prediction for LFW and CDFW were 0.963 and 0.998, respectively, which further suggest that an RBF neural network is an effective method for upset prediction of friction welded joints.

Transcriptional profiling of adult neural stem-like cells from the human brain.

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Cecilie Jonsgar Sandberg

Full Text Available There is a great potential for the development of new cell replacement strategies based on adult human neural stem-like cells. However, little is known about the hierarchy of cells and the unique molecular properties of stem- and progenitor cells of the nervous system. Stem cells from the adult human brain can be propagated and expanded in vitro as free floating neurospheres that are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into all three cell types of the central nervous system. Here we report the first global gene expression study of adult human neural stem-like cells originating from five human subventricular zone biopsies (mean age 42, range 33-60. Compared to adult human brain tissue, we identified 1,189 genes that were significantly up- and down-regulated in adult human neural stem-like cells (1% false discovery rate. We found that adult human neural stem-like cells express stem cell markers and have reduced levels of markers that are typical of the mature cells in the nervous system. We report that the genes being highly expressed in adult human neural stem-like cells are associated with developmental processes and the extracellular region of the cell. The calcium signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions are enriched among the most differentially regulated genes between adult human neural stem-like cells and adult human brain tissue. We confirmed the expression of 10 of the most up-regulated genes in adult human neural stem-like cells in an additional sample set that included adult human neural stem-like cells (n = 6, foetal human neural stem cells (n = 1 and human brain tissues (n = 12. The NGFR, SLITRK6 and KCNS3 receptors were further investigated by immunofluorescence and shown to be heterogeneously expressed in spheres. These receptors could potentially serve as new markers for the identification and characterisation of neural stem- and progenitor cells or as targets for manipulation of cellular

The KNOXI Transcription Factor SHOOT MERISTEMLESS Regulates Floral Fate in Arabidopsis.

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Roth, Ohad; Alvarez, John; Levy, Matan; Bowman, John L; Ori, Naomi; Shani, Eilon

2018-05-09

Plants have evolved a unique and conserved developmental program that enables the conversion of leaves into floral organs. Elegant genetic and molecular work has identified key regulators of flower meristem identity. However, further understanding of flower meristem specification has been hampered by redundancy and by pleiotropic effects. The KNOXI transcription factor SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) is a well-characterized regulator of shoot apical meristem maintenance. Arabidopsis thaliana stm loss-of-function mutants arrest shortly after germination, and therefore the knowledge on later roles of STM in later processes, including flower development, is limited. Here, we uncover a role for STM in the specification of flower meristem identity. Silencing STM in the APETALA1 (AP1) expression domain in the ap1-4 mutant background resulted in a leafy-flower phenotype, and an intermediate stm-2 allele enhanced the flower meristem identity phenotype of ap1-4. Transcriptional profiling of STM perturbation suggested that STM activity affects multiple floral fate genes, among them the F-Box protein-encoding gene UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO). In agreement with this notion, stm-2 enhanced the ufo-2 floral fate phenotype, and ectopic UFO expression rescued the leafy flowers in genetic backgrounds with compromised AP1 and STM activities. This work suggests a genetic mechanism that underlies the activity of STM in the specification of flower meristem identity. © 2018 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

Investigating undergraduate students' ideas about the fate of the Universe

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Conlon, Mallory; Coble, Kim; Bailey, Janelle M.; Cominsky, Lynn R.

2017-12-01

As astronomers further develop an understanding of the fate of the Universe, it is essential to study students' ideas on the fate of the Universe so that instructors can communicate the field's current status more effectively. In this study, we examine undergraduate students' preinstruction ideas of the fate of the Universe in ten semester-long introductory astronomy course sections (ASTRO 101) at three institutions. We also examine students' postinstruction ideas about the fate of the Universe in ASTRO 101 over five semester-long course sections at one institution. The data include precourse surveys given during the first week of instruction (N =264 ), postinstruction exam questions (N =59 ), and interviews. We find that, preinstruction, more than a quarter of ASTRO 101 students either do not respond or respond with "I don't know" when asked what the long-term fate of the Universe is. We also find that, though the term was not necessarily used, students tend to describe a "big chill" scenario in the preinstruction surveys, among a wide variety of other scenarios. A fraction of students describe the fate of smaller-scale systems, possibly due to confusion of the hierarchical nature of structure in the Universe. Preinstruction, students mention the Universe's expansion when describing how astronomers know the fate of the Universe but do not discuss how we know the Universe is expanding or the relationship between expansion and the fate of the Universe. Postinstruction, students' responses shift toward greater degrees of completeness and correctness.

Transcriptional response of Hoxb genes to retinoid signalling is regionally restricted along the neural tube rostrocaudal axis.

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Carucci, Nicoletta; Cacci, Emanuele; Nisi, Paola S; Licursi, Valerio; Paul, Yu-Lee; Biagioni, Stefano; Negri, Rodolfo; Rugg-Gunn, Peter J; Lupo, Giuseppe

2017-04-01

During vertebrate neural development, positional information is largely specified by extracellular morphogens. Their distribution, however, is very dynamic due to the multiple roles played by the same signals in the developing and adult neural tissue. This suggests that neural progenitors are able to modify their competence to respond to morphogen signalling and autonomously maintain positional identities after their initial specification. In this work, we take advantage of in vitro culture systems of mouse neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) to show that NSPCs isolated from rostral or caudal regions of the mouse neural tube are differentially responsive to retinoic acid (RA), a pivotal morphogen for the specification of posterior neural fates. Hoxb genes are among the best known RA direct targets in the neural tissue, yet we found that RA could promote their transcription only in caudal but not in rostral NSPCs. Correlating with these effects, key RA-responsive regulatory regions in the Hoxb cluster displayed opposite enrichment of activating or repressing histone marks in rostral and caudal NSPCs. Finally, RA was able to strengthen Hoxb chromatin activation in caudal NSPCs, but was ineffective on the repressed Hoxb chromatin of rostral NSPCs. These results suggest that the response of NSPCs to morphogen signalling across the rostrocaudal axis of the neural tube may be gated by the epigenetic configuration of target patterning genes, allowing long-term maintenance of intrinsic positional values in spite of continuously changing extrinsic signals.

Constitutively active Notch1 converts cranial neural crest-derived frontonasal mesenchyme to perivascular cells in vivo

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Sophie R. Miller

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Perivascular/mural cells originate from either the mesoderm or the cranial neural crest. Regardless of their origin, Notch signalling is necessary for their formation. Furthermore, in both chicken and mouse, constitutive Notch1 activation (via expression of the Notch1 intracellular domain is sufficient in vivo to convert trunk mesoderm-derived somite cells to perivascular cells, at the expense of skeletal muscle. In experiments originally designed to investigate the effect of premature Notch1 activation on the development of neural crest-derived olfactory ensheathing glial cells (OECs, we used in ovo electroporation to insert a tetracycline-inducible NotchΔE construct (encoding a constitutively active mutant of mouse Notch1 into the genome of chicken cranial neural crest cell precursors, and activated NotchΔE expression by doxycycline injection at embryonic day 4. NotchΔE-targeted cells formed perivascular cells within the frontonasal mesenchyme, and expressed a perivascular marker on the olfactory nerve. Hence, constitutively activating Notch1 is sufficient in vivo to drive not only somite cells, but also neural crest-derived frontonasal mesenchyme and perhaps developing OECs, to a perivascular cell fate. These results also highlight the plasticity of neural crest-derived mesenchyme and glia.

An illusion of control modulates the reluctance to tempt fate

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Chloe L. Swirsky

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The tempting fate effect is that the probability of a fateful outcome is deemed higher following an action that ``tempts'' the outcome than in the absence of such an action. In this paper we evaluate the hypothesis that the effect is due to an illusion of control induced by a causal framing of the situation. Causal frames require that the action make a difference to an outcome and that the action precedes the outcome. If an illusion of control modulates the reluctance to tempt fate, then actions that make a difference to well-being and that occur prior to the outcome should tempt fate most strongly. In Experiments 1--3 we varied whether the action makes a difference and the temporal order of action and outcome. In Experiment 4 we tested whether an action can tempt fate if all outcomes are negative. The results of all four experiments supported our hypothesis that the tempting fate effect depends on a causal construal that gives rise to a false sense of control.

MicroRNA-130b targets Fmr1 and regulates embryonic neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, Xi; Zhang, Kunshan; Wang, Yanlu; Wang, Junbang; Cui, Yaru; Li, Siguang; Luo, Yuping

2013-01-01

Highlights: •We found that the 3′ UTR of the Fmr1 mRNA is a target of miR-130b. •MiR-130b suppresses the expression of Fmr1 in mouse embryonic stem cell. •MiR-130b alters the proliferation of mouse embryonic stem cell. •MiR-130b alters fate specification of mouse embryonic stem cell. -- Abstract: Fragile X syndrome, one of the most common forms of inherited mental retardation, is caused by expansion of the CGG repeat in the 5′-untranslated region of the X-linked Fmr1 gene, which results in transcriptional silencing and loss of expression of its encoded protein FMRP. The loss of FMRP increases proliferation and alters fate specification in adult neural progenitor cells (aNPCs). However, little is known about Fmr1 mRNA regulation at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. In the present study, we report that miR-130b regulated Fmr1 expression by directly targeting its 3′-untranslated region (3′ UTR). Up-regulation of miR-130b in mouse embryonic neural progenitor cells (eNPCs) decreased Fmr1 expression, markedly increased eNPC proliferation and altered the differentiation tendency of eNPCs, suggesting that antagonizing miR-130b may be a new therapeutic entry point for treating Fragile X syndrome

MicroRNA-130b targets Fmr1 and regulates embryonic neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gong, Xi [State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047 (China); Zhang, Kunshan [Department of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Center, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092 (China); Wang, Yanlu; Wang, Junbang; Cui, Yaru [State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047 (China); Li, Siguang, E-mail: siguangli@163.com [Department of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Center, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092 (China); Luo, Yuping, E-mail: luoyuping@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047 (China)

2013-10-04

Highlights: •We found that the 3′ UTR of the Fmr1 mRNA is a target of miR-130b. •MiR-130b suppresses the expression of Fmr1 in mouse embryonic stem cell. •MiR-130b alters the proliferation of mouse embryonic stem cell. •MiR-130b alters fate specification of mouse embryonic stem cell. -- Abstract: Fragile X syndrome, one of the most common forms of inherited mental retardation, is caused by expansion of the CGG repeat in the 5′-untranslated region of the X-linked Fmr1 gene, which results in transcriptional silencing and loss of expression of its encoded protein FMRP. The loss of FMRP increases proliferation and alters fate specification in adult neural progenitor cells (aNPCs). However, little is known about Fmr1 mRNA regulation at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. In the present study, we report that miR-130b regulated Fmr1 expression by directly targeting its 3′-untranslated region (3′ UTR). Up-regulation of miR-130b in mouse embryonic neural progenitor cells (eNPCs) decreased Fmr1 expression, markedly increased eNPC proliferation and altered the differentiation tendency of eNPCs, suggesting that antagonizing miR-130b may be a new therapeutic entry point for treating Fragile X syndrome.

Multipotent versus differentiated cell fate selection in the developing Drosophila airways

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Matsuda, Ryo; Hosono, Chie; Samakovlis, Christos; Saigo, Kaoru

2015-01-01

Developmental potentials of cells are tightly controlled at multiple levels. The embryonic Drosophila airway tree is roughly subdivided into two types of cells with distinct developmental potentials: a proximally located group of multipotent adult precursor cells (P-fate) and a distally located population of more differentiated cells (D-fate). We show that the GATA-family transcription factor (TF) Grain promotes the P-fate and the POU-homeobox TF Ventral veinless (Vvl/Drifter/U-turned) stimulates the D-fate. Hedgehog and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling cooperate with Vvl to drive the D-fate at the expense of the P-fate while negative regulators of either of these signaling pathways ensure P-fate specification. Local concentrations of Decapentaplegic/BMP, Wingless/Wnt, and Hedgehog signals differentially regulate the expression of D-factors and P-factors to transform an equipotent primordial field into a concentric pattern of radially different morphogenetic potentials, which gradually gives rise to the distal-proximal organization of distinct cell types in the mature airway. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09646.001 PMID:26633813

Neural correlates of conversion disorder: overview and meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies on motor conversion disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Boeckle, Markus; Liegl, Gregor; Jank, Robert; Pieh, Christoph

2016-06-10

Conversion Disorders (CD) are prevalent functional disorders. Although the pathogenesis is still not completely understood, an interaction of genetic, neurobiological, and psychosocial factors is quite likely. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic overview on imaging studies on CDs and investigate neuronal areas involved in Motor Conversion Disorders (MCD). A systematic literature search was conducted on CD. Subsequently a meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies on MCD was implemented using an Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE). We calculated differences between patients and healthy controls as well as between affected versus unaffected sides in addition to an overall analysis in order to identify neuronal areas related to MCD. Patients with MCD differ from healthy controls in the amygdala, superior temporal lobe, retrosplenial area, primary motor cortex, insula, red nucleus, thalamus, anterior as well as dorsolateral prefrontal and frontal cortex. When comparing affected versus unaffected sides, temporal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, supramarginal gyrus, dorsal temporal lobe, anterior insula, primary somatosensory cortex, superior frontal gyrus and anterior prefrontal as well as frontal cortex show significant differences. Neuronal areas seem to be involved in the pathogenesis, maintenance or as a result of MCD. Areas that are important for motor-planning, motor-selection or autonomic response seem to be especially relevant. Our results support the emotional unawareness theory but also underline the need of more support by conduction imaging studies on both CD and MCD.

Investigating undergraduate students’ ideas about the fate of the Universe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mallory Conlon

2017-11-01

Full Text Available As astronomers further develop an understanding of the fate of the Universe, it is essential to study students’ ideas on the fate of the Universe so that instructors can communicate the field’s current status more effectively. In this study, we examine undergraduate students’ preinstruction ideas of the fate of the Universe in ten semester-long introductory astronomy course sections (ASTRO 101 at three institutions. We also examine students’ postinstruction ideas about the fate of the Universe in ASTRO 101 over five semester-long course sections at one institution. The data include precourse surveys given during the first week of instruction (N=264, postinstruction exam questions (N=59, and interviews. We find that, preinstruction, more than a quarter of ASTRO 101 students either do not respond or respond with “I don’t know” when asked what the long-term fate of the Universe is. We also find that, though the term was not necessarily used, students tend to describe a “big chill” scenario in the preinstruction surveys, among a wide variety of other scenarios. A fraction of students describe the fate of smaller-scale systems, possibly due to confusion of the hierarchical nature of structure in the Universe. Preinstruction, students mention the Universe’s expansion when describing how astronomers know the fate of the Universe but do not discuss how we know the Universe is expanding or the relationship between expansion and the fate of the Universe. Postinstruction, students’ responses shift toward greater degrees of completeness and correctness.

Skeletogenic fate of zebrafish cranial and trunk neural crest.

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Erika Kague

Full Text Available The neural crest (NC is a major contributor to the vertebrate craniofacial skeleton, detailed in model organisms through embryological and genetic approaches, most notably in chick and mouse. Despite many similarities between these rather distant species, there are also distinct differences in the contribution of the NC, particularly to the calvariae of the skull. Lack of information about other vertebrate groups precludes an understanding of the evolutionary significance of these differences. Study of zebrafish craniofacial development has contributed substantially to understanding of cartilage and bone formation in teleosts, but there is currently little information on NC contribution to the zebrafish skeleton. Here, we employ a two-transgene system based on Cre recombinase to genetically label NC in the zebrafish. We demonstrate NC contribution to cells in the cranial ganglia and peripheral nervous system known to be NC-derived, as well as to a subset of myocardial cells. The indelible labeling also enables us to determine NC contribution to late-forming bones, including the calvariae. We confirm suspected NC origin of cartilage and bones of the viscerocranium, including cartilages such as the hyosymplectic and its replacement bones (hymandibula and symplectic and membranous bones such as the opercle. The cleithrum develops at the border of NC and mesoderm, and as an ancestral component of the pectoral girdle was predicted to be a hybrid bone composed of both NC and mesoderm tissues. However, we find no evidence of a NC contribution to the cleithrum. Similarly, in the vault of the skull, the parietal bones and the caudal portion of the frontal bones show no evidence of NC contribution. We also determine a NC origin for caudal fin lepidotrichia; the presumption is that these are derived from trunk NC, demonstrating that these cells have the ability to form bone during normal vertebrate development.

An Comparative Study of Jane Eyre's Fate and Tess's Fate from Femi?nist Viewpoint

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

CHEN Jing; HE Ling-jing

2017-01-01

In"Jane Eyre", Charlotte Bronte's masterpiece the heroine, Jane Eyre has fully reflected her self-esteem, equality, and pure personality, which are also reflected in her concept of love vividly. However, Thomas Hardy's Tess is poor and kind, but she does not have a complete love like Jane Eyre, and she is described by his criticism of the old moral character with good vir-tues in the traditional sense. She is a new image of modern feminism who suffered from the old moral sense and gradually has re-volt consciousness. From the feminism viewpoint, this paper attempts to analysis the causes of their different fate from different points and reveal the impact of social background on their fates.

Fgf8-related secondary organizers exert different polarizing planar instructions along the mouse anterior neural tube.

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Crespo-Enriquez, Ivan; Partanen, Juha; Martinez, Salvador; Echevarria, Diego

2012-01-01

Early brain patterning depends on proper arrangement of positional information. This information is given by gradients of secreted signaling molecules (morphogens) detected by individual cells within the responding tissue, leading to specific fate decisions. Here we report that the morphogen FGF8 exerts initially a differential signal activity along the E9.5 mouse neural tube. We demonstrate that this polarizing activity codes by RAS-regulated ERK1/2 signaling and depends on the topographical location of the secondary organizers: the isthmic organizer (IsO) and the anterior neural ridge (anr) but not on zona limitans intrathalamica (zli). Our results suggest that Sprouty2, a negative modulator of RAS/ERK pathway, is important for regulating Fgf8 morphogenetic signal activity by controlling Fgf8-induced signaling pathways and positional information during early brain development.

NADPH Oxidase 1 Modulates WNT and NOTCH1 Signaling To Control the Fate of Proliferative Progenitor Cells in the Colon▿

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Coant, Nicolas; Ben Mkaddem, Sanae; Pedruzzi, Eric; Guichard, Cécile; Tréton, Xavier; Ducroc, Robert; Freund, Jean-Noel; Cazals-Hatem, Dominique; Bouhnik, Yoram; Woerther, Paul-Louis; Skurnik, David; Grodet, Alain; Fay, Michèle; Biard, Denis; Lesuffleur, Thécla; Deffert, Christine; Moreau, Richard; Groyer, André; Krause, Karl-Heinz; Daniel, Fanny; Ogier-Denis, Eric

2010-01-01

The homeostatic self-renewal of the colonic epithelium requires coordinated regulation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin and Notch signaling pathways to control proliferation and lineage commitment of multipotent stem cells. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 pathways interplay in controlling cell proliferation and fate in the colon are poorly understood. Here we show that NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1), a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing oxidase that is highly expressed in colonic epithelial cells, is a pivotal determinant of cell proliferation and fate that integrates Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 signals. NOX1-deficient mice reveal a massive conversion of progenitor cells into postmitotic goblet cells at the cost of colonocytes due to the concerted repression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 signaling. This conversion correlates with the following: (i) the redox-dependent activation of the dual phosphatase PTEN, causing the inactivation of the Wnt pathway effector β-catenin, and (ii) the downregulation of Notch1 signaling that provokes derepression of mouse atonal homolog 1 (Math1) expression. We conclude that NOX1 controls the balance between goblet and absorptive cell types in the colon by coordinately modulating PI3K/AKT/Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 signaling. This finding provides the molecular basis for the role of NOX1 in cell proliferation and postmitotic differentiation. PMID:20351171

Astrocytes Can Adopt Endothelial Cell Fates in a p53-Dependent Manner.

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Brumm, Andrew J; Nunez, Stefanie; Doroudchi, Mehdi M; Kawaguchi, Riki; Duan, Jinhzu; Pellegrini, Matteo; Lam, Larry; Carmichael, S Thomas; Deb, Arjun; Hinman, Jason D

2017-08-01

Astrocytes respond to a variety of CNS injuries by cellular enlargement, process outgrowth, and upregulation of extracellular matrix proteins that function to prevent expansion of the injured region. This astrocytic response, though critical to the acute injury response, results in the formation of a glial scar that inhibits neural repair. Scar-forming cells (fibroblasts) in the heart can undergo mesenchymal-endothelial transition into endothelial cell fates following cardiac injury in a process dependent on p53 that can be modulated to augment cardiac repair. Here, we sought to determine whether astrocytes, as the primary scar-forming cell of the CNS, are able to undergo a similar cellular phenotypic transition and adopt endothelial cell fates. Serum deprivation of differentiated astrocytes resulted in a change in cellular morphology and upregulation of endothelial cell marker genes. In a tube formation assay, serum-deprived astrocytes showed a substantial increase in vessel-like morphology that was comparable to human umbilical vein endothelial cells and dependent on p53. RNA sequencing of serum-deprived astrocytes demonstrated an expression profile that mimicked an endothelial rather than astrocyte transcriptome and identified p53 and angiogenic pathways as specifically upregulated. Inhibition of p53 with genetic or pharmacologic strategies inhibited astrocyte-endothelial transition. Astrocyte-endothelial cell transition could also be modulated by miR-194, a microRNA downstream of p53 that affects expression of genes regulating angiogenesis. Together, these studies demonstrate that differentiated astrocytes retain a stimulus-dependent mechanism for cellular transition into an endothelial phenotype that may modulate formation of the glial scar and promote injury-induced angiogenesis.

The novel BTB/POZ and zinc finger factor Zbtb45 is essential for proper glial differentiation of neural and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Södersten, Erik; Lilja, Tobias; Hermanson, Ola

2010-01-01

Understanding the regulatory mechanisms controlling the fate decisions of neural stem cells (NSCs) is a crucial issue to shed new light on mammalian central nervous system (CNS) development in health and disease. We have investigated a possible role for the previously uncharacterized BTB/POZ-doma......Understanding the regulatory mechanisms controlling the fate decisions of neural stem cells (NSCs) is a crucial issue to shed new light on mammalian central nervous system (CNS) development in health and disease. We have investigated a possible role for the previously uncharacterized BTB....../POZ-domain containing zinc finger factor Zbtb45 in the differentiation of NSCs and postnatal oligodendrocyte precursors. In situ hybridization histochemistry and RT-qPCR analysis revealed that Zbtb45 mRNA was ubiquitously expressed in the developing CNS in mouse embryos at embryonic day (E) 12.5 and 14.5. Zbtb45 m......RNA knockdown in embryonic forebrain NSCs by siRNA resulted in a rapid decrease in the expression of oligodendrocyte-characteristic genes after mitogen (FGF2) withdrawal, whereas the expression of astrocyte-associated genes such as CD44 and GFAP increased compared to control. Accordingly, the number...

Conversion of Continuous-Valued Deep Networks to Efficient Event-Driven Networks for Image Classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Rueckauer, Bodo; Lungu, Iulia-Alexandra; Hu, Yuhuang; Pfeiffer, Michael; Liu, Shih-Chii

2017-01-01

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) can potentially offer an efficient way of doing inference because the neurons in the networks are sparsely activated and computations are event-driven. Previous work showed that simple continuous-valued deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) can be converted into accurate spiking equivalents. These networks did not include certain common operations such as max-pooling, softmax, batch-normalization and Inception-modules. This paper presents spiking equivalents of these operations therefore allowing conversion of nearly arbitrary CNN architectures. We show conversion of popular CNN architectures, including VGG-16 and Inception-v3, into SNNs that produce the best results reported to date on MNIST, CIFAR-10 and the challenging ImageNet dataset. SNNs can trade off classification error rate against the number of available operations whereas deep continuous-valued neural networks require a fixed number of operations to achieve their classification error rate. From the examples of LeNet for MNIST and BinaryNet for CIFAR-10, we show that with an increase in error rate of a few percentage points, the SNNs can achieve more than 2x reductions in operations compared to the original CNNs. This highlights the potential of SNNs in particular when deployed on power-efficient neuromorphic spiking neuron chips, for use in embedded applications.

Conversion of Continuous-Valued Deep Networks to Efficient Event-Driven Networks for Image Classification

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Bodo Rueckauer

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Spiking neural networks (SNNs can potentially offer an efficient way of doing inference because the neurons in the networks are sparsely activated and computations are event-driven. Previous work showed that simple continuous-valued deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs can be converted into accurate spiking equivalents. These networks did not include certain common operations such as max-pooling, softmax, batch-normalization and Inception-modules. This paper presents spiking equivalents of these operations therefore allowing conversion of nearly arbitrary CNN architectures. We show conversion of popular CNN architectures, including VGG-16 and Inception-v3, into SNNs that produce the best results reported to date on MNIST, CIFAR-10 and the challenging ImageNet dataset. SNNs can trade off classification error rate against the number of available operations whereas deep continuous-valued neural networks require a fixed number of operations to achieve their classification error rate. From the examples of LeNet for MNIST and BinaryNet for CIFAR-10, we show that with an increase in error rate of a few percentage points, the SNNs can achieve more than 2x reductions in operations compared to the original CNNs. This highlights the potential of SNNs in particular when deployed on power-efficient neuromorphic spiking neuron chips, for use in embedded applications.

Neurogenesis and Increase in Differentiated Neural Cell Survival via Phosphorylation of Akt1 after Fluoxetine Treatment of Stem Cells

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Anahita Rahmani

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Fluoxetine (FLX is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI. Its action is possibly through an increase in neural cell survival. The mechanism of improved survival rate of neurons by FLX may relate to the overexpression of some kinases such as Akt protein. Akt1 (a serine/threonine kinase plays a key role in the modulation of cell proliferation and survival. Our study evaluated the effects of FLX on mesenchymal stem cell (MSC fate and Akt1 phosphorylation levels in MSCs. Evaluation tests included reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and immunocytochemistry assays. Nestin, MAP-2, and β-tubulin were detected after neurogenesis as neural markers. Ten μM of FLX upregulated phosphorylation of Akt1 protein in induced hEnSC significantly. Also FLX did increase viability of these MSCs. Continuous FLX treatment after neurogenesis elevated the survival rate of differentiated neural cells probably by enhanced induction of Akt1 phosphorylation. This study addresses a novel role of FLX in neurogenesis and differentiated neural cell survival that may contribute to explaining the therapeutic action of fluoxetine in regenerative pharmacology.

Modelling the fate of organic micropollutants in stormwater ponds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vezzaro, Luca; Eriksson, Eva; Ledin, Anna

2011-01-01

). The four simulated organic stormwater MP (iodopropynyl butylcarbamate — IPBC, benzene, glyphosate and pyrene) were selected according to their different urban sources and environmental fate. This ensures that the results can be extended to other relevant stormwater pollutants. All three models use......Urban water managers need to estimate the potential removal of organic micropollutants (MP) in stormwater treatment systems to support MP pollution control strategies. This study documents how the potential removal of organic MP in stormwater treatment systems can be quantified by using multimedia...... models. The fate of four different MP in a stormwater retention pond was simulated by applying two steady-state multimedia fate models (EPI Suite and SimpleBox) commonly applied in chemical risk assessment and a dynamic multimedia fate model (Stormwater Treatment Unit Model for Micro Pollutants — STUMP...

A regulatory transcriptional loop controls proliferation and differentiation in Drosophila neural stem cells.

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Tetsuo Yasugi

Full Text Available Neurogenesis is initiated by a set of basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH transcription factors that specify neural progenitors and allow them to generate neurons in multiple rounds of asymmetric cell division. The Drosophila Daughterless (Da protein and its mammalian counterparts (E12/E47 act as heterodimerization factors for proneural genes and are therefore critically required for neurogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that Da can also be an inhibitor of the neural progenitor fate whose absence leads to stem cell overproliferation and tumor formation. We explain this paradox by demonstrating that Da induces the differentiation factor Prospero (Pros whose asymmetric segregation is essential for differentiation in one of the two daughter cells. Da co-operates with the bHLH transcription factor Asense, whereas the other proneural genes are dispensible. After mitosis, Pros terminates Asense expression in one of the two daughter cells. In da mutants, pros is not expressed, leading to the formation of lethal transplantable brain tumors. Our results define a transcriptional feedback loop that regulates the balance between self-renewal and differentiation in Drosophila optic lobe neuroblasts. They indicate that initiation of a neural differentiation program in stem cells is essential to prevent tumorigenesis.

Asymmetric cell division during T cell development controls downstream fate

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Pham, Kim; Shimoni, Raz; Charnley, Mirren; Ludford-Menting, Mandy J.; Hawkins, Edwin D.; Ramsbottom, Kelly; Oliaro, Jane; Izon, David; Ting, Stephen B.; Reynolds, Joseph; Lythe, Grant; Molina-Paris, Carmen; Melichar, Heather; Robey, Ellen; Humbert, Patrick O.; Gu, Min

2015-01-01

During mammalian T cell development, the requirement for expansion of many individual T cell clones, rather than merely expansion of the entire T cell population, suggests a possible role for asymmetric cell division (ACD). We show that ACD of developing T cells controls cell fate through differential inheritance of cell fate determinants Numb and α-Adaptin. ACD occurs specifically during the β-selection stage of T cell development, and subsequent divisions are predominantly symmetric. ACD is controlled by interaction with stromal cells and chemokine receptor signaling and uses a conserved network of polarity regulators. The disruption of polarity by deletion of the polarity regulator, Scribble, or the altered inheritance of fate determinants impacts subsequent fate decisions to influence the numbers of DN4 cells arising after the β-selection checkpoint. These findings indicate that ACD enables the thymic microenvironment to orchestrate fate decisions related to differentiation and self-renewal. PMID:26370500

Neural substrates of sublexical processing for spelling.

Science.gov (United States)

DeMarco, Andrew T; Wilson, Stephen M; Rising, Kindle; Rapcsak, Steven Z; Beeson, Pélagie M

2017-01-01

We used fMRI to examine the neural substrates of sublexical phoneme-grapheme conversion during spelling in a group of healthy young adults. Participants performed a writing-to-dictation task involving irregular words (e.g., choir), plausible nonwords (e.g., kroid), and a control task of drawing familiar geometric shapes (e.g., squares). Written production of both irregular words and nonwords engaged a left-hemisphere perisylvian network associated with reading/spelling and phonological processing skills. Effects of lexicality, manifested by increased activation during nonword relative to irregular word spelling, were noted in anterior perisylvian regions (posterior inferior frontal gyrus/operculum/precentral gyrus/insula), and in left ventral occipito-temporal cortex. In addition to enhanced neural responses within domain-specific components of the language network, the increased cognitive demands associated with spelling nonwords engaged domain-general frontoparietal cortical networks involved in selective attention and executive control. These results elucidate the neural substrates of sublexical processing during written language production and complement lesion-deficit correlation studies of phonological agraphia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fate of Pyrethroids in Farmland Ponds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mogensen, B. B.; Sørensen, P. B.; Stuer-Lauridsen, F.

Pyrethroids constitute a group of widely used insecticides, which are toxic to aquatic organisms. This report presents the results from a 2-year study of the fate of pyrethroids in ponds, i.e. their distribution in the water column, the sediment and the surface microlayer respectively. The measur......Pyrethroids constitute a group of widely used insecticides, which are toxic to aquatic organisms. This report presents the results from a 2-year study of the fate of pyrethroids in ponds, i.e. their distribution in the water column, the sediment and the surface microlayer respectively...

Chemical Conversion of Human Fibroblasts into Functional Schwann Cells

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Eva C. Thoma

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Direct transdifferentiation of somatic cells is a promising approach to obtain patient-specific cells for numerous applications. However, conversion across germ-layer borders often requires ectopic gene expression with unpredictable side effects. Here, we present a gene-free approach that allows efficient conversion of human fibroblasts via a transient progenitor stage into Schwann cells, the major glial cell type of peripheral nerves. Using a multikinase inhibitor, we transdifferentiated fibroblasts into transient neural precursors that were subsequently further differentiated into Schwann cells. The resulting induced Schwann cells (iSCs expressed numerous Schwann cell-specific proteins and displayed neurosupportive and myelination capacity in vitro. Thus, we established a strategy to obtain mature Schwann cells from human postnatal fibroblasts under chemically defined conditions without the introduction of ectopic genes.

Synthetic RNA Controllers for Programming Mammalian Cell Fate and Function

Science.gov (United States)

2015-11-04

Final report for “Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function” Principal Investigator: Christina D. Smolke...SUBTITLE Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18   2 Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function Task 1

Assessing the transport and fate of bioengineered microorganisms in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnthouse, L.W.; Palumbo, A.V.

1985-01-01

We review the methods currently available for quantifying the transport and fate of microbes in atmospheric and aqueous media and assess their adequacy for purposes of risk assessment. We review the literature on transport and fate of microorganisms, including studies of: (1) pathways of migration, (2) the survival of microorganisms during transport and fate. In addition, we review the transport and fate models that have been used in environmental risk assessments for radionuclides and toxic chemicals and evaluate their applicability to the problem of assessing environmental risks of bioengineered microorganisms

Stochastic Cell Fate Progression in Embryonic Stem Cells

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Zou, Ling-Nan; Doyle, Adele; Jang, Sumin; Ramanathan, Sharad

2013-03-01

Studies on the directed differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells suggest that some early developmental decisions may be stochastic in nature. To identify the sources of this stochasticity, we analyzed the heterogeneous expression of key transcription factors in single ES cells as they adopt distinct germ layer fates. We find that under sufficiently stringent signaling conditions, the choice of lineage is unambiguous. ES cells flow into differentiated fates via diverging paths, defined by sequences of transitional states that exhibit characteristic co-expression of multiple transcription factors. These transitional states have distinct responses to morphogenic stimuli; by sequential exposure to multiple signaling conditions, ES cells are steered towards specific fates. However, the rate at which cells travel down a developmental path is stochastic: cells exposed to the same signaling condition for the same amount of time can populate different states along the same path. The heterogeneity of cell states seen in our experiments therefore does not reflect the stochastic selection of germ layer fates, but the stochastic rate of progression along a chosen developmental path. Supported in part by the Jane Coffin Childs Fund

High content screening of defined chemical libraries using normal and glioma-derived neural stem cell lines.

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Danovi, Davide; Folarin, Amos A; Baranowski, Bart; Pollard, Steven M

2012-01-01

Small molecules with potent biological effects on the fate of normal and cancer-derived stem cells represent both useful research tools and new drug leads for regenerative medicine and oncology. Long-term expansion of mouse and human neural stem cells is possible using adherent monolayer culture. These cultures represent a useful cellular resource to carry out image-based high content screening of small chemical libraries. Improvements in automated microscopy, desktop computational power, and freely available image processing tools, now means that such chemical screens are realistic to undertake in individual academic laboratories. Here we outline a cost effective and versatile time lapse imaging strategy suitable for chemical screening. Protocols are described for the handling and screening of human fetal Neural Stem (NS) cell lines and their malignant counterparts, Glioblastoma-derived neural stem cells (GNS). We focus on identification of cytostatic and cytotoxic "hits" and discuss future possibilities and challenges for extending this approach to assay lineage commitment and differentiation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating Undergraduate Students' Ideas about the Fate of the Universe

Science.gov (United States)

Conlon, Mallory; Coble, Kim; Bailey, Janelle M.; Cominsky, Lynn R.

2017-01-01

As astronomers further develop an understanding of the fate of the Universe, it is essential to study students' ideas on the fate of the Universe so that instructors can communicate the field's current status more effectively. In this study, we examine undergraduate students' preinstruction ideas of the fate of the Universe in ten semester-long…

Redox Regulation of Endothelial Cell Fate

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Ping; Zou, Ming-Hui

2014-01-01

Endothelial cells (ECs) are present throughout blood vessels and have variable roles in both physiological and pathological settings. EC fate is altered and regulated by several key factors in physiological or pathological conditions. Reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species derived from NAD(P)H oxidases, mitochondria, or nitric oxide-producing enzymes are not only cytotoxic but also compose a signaling network in the redox system. The formation, actions, key molecular interactions, and physiological and pathological relevance of redox signals in ECs remain unclear. We review the identities, sources, and biological actions of oxidants and reductants produced during EC function or dysfunction. Further, we discuss how ECs shape key redox sensors and examine the biological functions, transcriptional responses, and post-translational modifications evoked by the redox system in ECs. We summarize recent findings regarding the mechanisms by which redox signals regulate the fate of ECs and address the outcome of altered EC fate in health and disease. Future studies will examine if the redox biology of ECs can be targeted in pathophysiological conditions. PMID:24633153

The lamprey: a jawless vertebrate model system for examining origin of the neural crest and other vertebrate traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Stephen A; Bronner, Marianne E

2014-01-01

Lampreys are a group of jawless fishes that serve as an important point of comparison for studies of vertebrate evolution. Lampreys and hagfishes are agnathan fishes, the cyclostomes, which sit at a crucial phylogenetic position as the only living sister group of the jawed vertebrates. Comparisons between cyclostomes and jawed vertebrates can help identify shared derived (i.e. synapomorphic) traits that might have been inherited from ancestral early vertebrates, if unlikely to have arisen convergently by chance. One example of a uniquely vertebrate trait is the neural crest, an embryonic tissue that produces many cell types crucial to vertebrate features, such as the craniofacial skeleton, pigmentation of the skin, and much of the peripheral nervous system (Gans and Northcutt, 1983). Invertebrate chordates arguably lack unambiguous neural crest homologs, yet have cells with some similarities, making comparisons with lampreys and jawed vertebrates essential for inferring characteristics of development in early vertebrates, and how they may have evolved from nonvertebrate chordates. Here we review recent research on cyclostome neural crest development, including research on lamprey gene regulatory networks and differentiated neural crest fates. Copyright © 2014 International Society of Differentiation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Specifying pancreatic endocrine cell fates.

Science.gov (United States)

Collombat, Patrick; Hecksher-Sørensen, Jacob; Serup, Palle; Mansouri, Ahmed

2006-07-01

Cell replacement therapy could represent an attractive alternative to insulin injections for the treatment of diabetes. However, this approach requires a thorough understanding of the molecular switches controlling the specification of the different pancreatic cell-types in vivo. These are derived from an apparently identical pool of cells originating from the early gut endoderm, which are successively specified towards the pancreatic, endocrine, and hormone-expressing cell lineages. Numerous studies have outlined the crucial roles exerted by transcription factors in promoting the cell destiny, defining the cell identity and maintaining a particular cell fate. This review focuses on the mechanisms regulating the morphogenesis of the pancreas with particular emphasis on recent findings concerning the transcription factor hierarchy orchestrating endocrine cell fate allocation.

Global fate of POPs: Current and future research directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lohmann, Rainer; Breivik, Knut; Dachs, Jordi; Muir, Derek

2007-01-01

For legacy and emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs), surprisingly little is still known in quantitative terms about their global sources and emissions. Atmospheric transport has been identified as the key global dispersal mechanism for most legacy POPs. In contrast, transport by ocean currents may prove to be the main transport route for many polar, emerging POPs. This is linked to the POPs' intrinsic physico-chemical properties, as exemplified by the different fate of hexachlorocyclohexanes in the Arctic. Similarly, our current understanding of POPs' global transport and fate remains sketchy. The importance of organic carbon and global temperature differences have been accepted as key drivers of POPs' global distribution. However, future research will need to understand the various biogeochemical and geophysical cycles under anthropogenic pressures to be able to understand and predict the global fate of POPs accurately. - Future studies into the global fate of POPs will need to pay more attention to the various biogeochemical and anthropogenic cycles to better understand emissions, transport and sinks

Effect of composting on the fate of steroids in beef cattle manure

Science.gov (United States)

In this study, the fate of steroid hormones in beef cattle manure composting is evaluated. The fate of 16 steroids and metabolites was evaluated in composted manure from beef cattle administered growth promotants and from beef cattle with no steroid hormone implants. The fate of estrogens (primary...

Epigenetic regulation of neural stem cell property from embryo to adult

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Naoya Murao

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Neural stem cells (NSCs have the ability to self-renew and give rise to neurons and glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the mammalian central nervous system. This multipotency is acquired by NSCs during development and is maintained throughout life. Proliferation, fate specification, and maturation of NSCs are regulated by both cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Epigenetic modification is a representative intrinsic factor, being involved in many biological aspects of central nervous system development and adult neurogenesis through the regulation of NSC dynamics. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the epigenetic regulation of NSC behavior in the embryonic and adult brain, with particular reference to DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNAs.

Ca(2+) coding and decoding strategies for the specification of neural and renal precursor cells during development.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreau, Marc; Néant, Isabelle; Webb, Sarah E; Miller, Andrew L; Riou, Jean-François; Leclerc, Catherine

2016-03-01

During embryogenesis, a rise in intracellular Ca(2+) is known to be a widespread trigger for directing stem cells towards a specific tissue fate, but the precise Ca(2+) signalling mechanisms involved in achieving these pleiotropic effects are still poorly understood. In this review, we compare the Ca(2+) signalling events that appear to be one of the first steps in initiating and regulating both neural determination (neural induction) and kidney development (nephrogenesis). We have highlighted the necessary and sufficient role played by Ca(2+) influx and by Ca(2+) transients in the determination and differentiation of pools of neural or renal precursors. We have identified new Ca(2+) target genes involved in neural induction and we showed that the same Ca(2+) early target genes studied are not restricted to neural tissue but are also present in other tissues, principally in the pronephros. In this review, we also described a mechanism whereby the transcriptional control of gene expression during neurogenesis and nephrogenesis might be directly controlled by Ca(2+) signalling. This mechanism involves members of the Kcnip family such that a change in their binding properties to specific DNA sites is a result of Ca(2+) binding to EF-hand motifs. The different functions of Ca(2+) signalling during these two events illustrate the versatility of Ca(2+) as a second messenger. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

BETR global - A geographically-explicit global-scale multimedia contaminant fate model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacLeod, Matthew; Waldow, Harald von; Tay, Pascal; Armitage, James M.; Woehrnschimmel, Henry; Riley, William J.; McKone, Thomas E.; Hungerbuhler, Konrad

2011-01-01

We present two new software implementations of the BETR Global multimedia contaminant fate model. The model uses steady-state or non-steady-state mass-balance calculations to describe the fate and transport of persistent organic pollutants using a desktop computer. The global environment is described using a database of long-term average monthly conditions on a 15 o x 15 o grid. We demonstrate BETR Global by modeling the global sources, transport, and removal of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5). - Two new software implementations of the Berkeley-Trent Global Contaminant Fate Model are available. The new model software is illustrated using a case study of the global fate of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5).

Nestin-positive mesenchymal stem cells favour the astroglial lineage in neural progenitors and stem cells by releasing active BMP4

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Leprince Pierre

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Spontaneous repair is limited after CNS injury or degeneration because neurogenesis and axonal regrowth rarely occur in the adult brain. As a result, cell transplantation has raised much interest as potential treatment for patients with CNS lesions. Several types of cells have been considered as candidates for such cell transplantation and replacement therapies. Foetal brain tissue has already been shown to have significant effects in patients with Parkinson's disease. Clinical use of the foetal brain tissue is, however, limited by ethical and technical problems as it requires high numbers of grafted foetal cells and immunosuppression. Alternatively, several reports suggested that mesenchymal stem cells, isolated from adult bone marrow, are multipotent cells and could be used in autograft approach for replacement therapies. Results In this study, we addressed the question of the possible influence of mesenchymal stem cells on neural stem cell fate. We have previously reported that adult rat mesenchymal stem cells are able to express nestin in defined culture conditions (in the absence of serum and after 25 cell population doublings and we report here that nestin-positive (but not nestin-negative mesenchymal stem cells are able to favour the astroglial lineage in neural progenitors and stem cells cultivated from embryonic striatum. The increase of the number of GFAP-positive cells is associated with a significant decrease of the number of Tuj1- and O4-positive cells. Using quantitative RT-PCR, we demonstrate that mesenchymal stem cells express LIF, CNTF, BMP2 and BMP4 mRNAs, four cytokines known to play a role in astroglial fate decision. In this model, BMP4 is responsible for the astroglial stimulation and oligodendroglial inhibition, as 1 this cytokine is present in a biologically-active form only in nestin-positive mesenchymal stem cells conditioned medium and 2 anti-BMP4 antibodies inhibit the nestin-positive mesenchymal

Aging of the skeletal muscle extracellular matrix drives a stem cell fibrogenic conversion.

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Stearns-Reider, Kristen M; D'Amore, Antonio; Beezhold, Kevin; Rothrauff, Benjamin; Cavalli, Loredana; Wagner, William R; Vorp, David A; Tsamis, Alkiviadis; Shinde, Sunita; Zhang, Changqing; Barchowsky, Aaron; Rando, Thomas A; Tuan, Rocky S; Ambrosio, Fabrisia

2017-06-01

Age-related declines in skeletal muscle regeneration have been attributed to muscle stem cell (MuSC) dysfunction. Aged MuSCs display a fibrogenic conversion, leading to fibrosis and impaired recovery after injury. Although studies have demonstrated the influence of in vitro substrate characteristics on stem cell fate, whether and how aging of the extracellular matrix (ECM) affects stem cell behavior has not been investigated. Here, we investigated the direct effect of the aged muscle ECM on MuSC lineage specification. Quantification of ECM topology and muscle mechanical properties reveals decreased collagen tortuosity and muscle stiffening with increasing age. Age-related ECM alterations directly disrupt MuSC responses, and MuSCs seeded ex vivo onto decellularized ECM constructs derived from aged muscle display increased expression of fibrogenic markers and decreased myogenicity, compared to MuSCs seeded onto young ECM. This fibrogenic conversion is recapitulated in vitro when MuSCs are seeded directly onto matrices elaborated by aged fibroblasts. When compared to young fibroblasts, fibroblasts isolated from aged muscle display increased nuclear levels of the mechanosensors, Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), consistent with exposure to a stiff microenvironment in vivo. Accordingly, preconditioning of young fibroblasts by seeding them onto a substrate engineered to mimic the stiffness of aged muscle increases YAP/TAZ nuclear translocation and promotes secretion of a matrix that favors MuSC fibrogenesis. The findings here suggest that an age-related increase in muscle stiffness drives YAP/TAZ-mediated pathogenic expression of matricellular proteins by fibroblasts, ultimately disrupting MuSC fate. © 2017 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analysis of epigenetic factors in mouse embryonic neural stem cells exposed to hyperglycemia.

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Sukanya Shyamasundar

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Maternal diabetes alters gene expression leading to neural tube defects (NTDs in the developing brain. The mechanistic pathways that deregulate the gene expression remain unknown. It is hypothesized that exposure of neural stem cells (NSCs to high glucose/hyperglycemia results in activation of epigenetic mechanisms which alter gene expression and cell fate during brain development. METHODS AND FINDINGS: NSCs were isolated from normal pregnancy and streptozotocin induced-diabetic pregnancy and cultured in physiological glucose. In order to examine hyperglycemia induced epigenetic changes in NSCs, chromatin reorganization, global histone status at lysine 9 residue of histone H3 (acetylation and trimethylation and global DNA methylation were examined and found to be altered by hyperglycemia. In NSCs, hyperglycemia increased the expression of Dcx (Doublecortin and Pafah1b1 (Platelet activating factor acetyl hydrolase, isoform 1b, subunit 1 proteins concomitant with decreased expression of four microRNAs (mmu-miR-200a, mmu-miR-200b, mmu-miR-466a-3p and mmu-miR-466 d-3p predicted to target these genes. Knockdown of specific microRNAs in NSCs resulted in increased expression of Dcx and Pafah1b1 proteins confirming target prediction and altered NSC fate by increasing the expression of neuronal and glial lineage markers. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: This study revealed that hyperglycemia alters the epigenetic mechanisms in NSCs, resulting in altered expression of some development control genes which may form the basis for the NTDs. Since epigenetic changes are reversible, they may be valuable therapeutic targets in order to improve fetal outcomes in diabetic pregnancy.

Symptom-specific amygdala hyperactivity modulates motor control network in conversion disorder

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Thomas Hassa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Initial historical accounts as well as recent data suggest that emotion processing is dysfunctional in conversion disorder patients and that this alteration may be the pathomechanistic neurocognitive basis for symptoms in conversion disorder. However, to date evidence of direct interaction of altered negative emotion processing with motor control networks in conversion disorder is still lacking. To specifically study the neural correlates of emotion processing interacting with motor networks we used a task combining emotional and sensorimotor stimuli both separately as well as simultaneously during functional magnetic resonance imaging in a well characterized group of 13 conversion disorder patients with functional hemiparesis and 19 demographically matched healthy controls. We performed voxelwise statistical parametrical mapping for a priori regions of interest within emotion processing and motor control networks. Psychophysiological interaction (PPI was used to test altered functional connectivity of emotion and motor control networks. Only during simultaneous emotional stimulation and passive movement of the affected hand patients displayed left amygdala hyperactivity. PPI revealed increased functional connectivity in patients between the left amygdala and the (pre-supplemental motor area and the subthalamic nucleus, key regions within the motor control network. These findings suggest a novel mechanistic direct link between dysregulated emotion processing and motor control circuitry in conversion disorder.

Symptom-specific amygdala hyperactivity modulates motor control network in conversion disorder.

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Hassa, Thomas; Sebastian, Alexandra; Liepert, Joachim; Weiller, Cornelius; Schmidt, Roger; Tüscher, Oliver

2017-01-01

Initial historical accounts as well as recent data suggest that emotion processing is dysfunctional in conversion disorder patients and that this alteration may be the pathomechanistic neurocognitive basis for symptoms in conversion disorder. However, to date evidence of direct interaction of altered negative emotion processing with motor control networks in conversion disorder is still lacking. To specifically study the neural correlates of emotion processing interacting with motor networks we used a task combining emotional and sensorimotor stimuli both separately as well as simultaneously during functional magnetic resonance imaging in a well characterized group of 13 conversion disorder patients with functional hemiparesis and 19 demographically matched healthy controls. We performed voxelwise statistical parametrical mapping for a priori regions of interest within emotion processing and motor control networks. Psychophysiological interaction (PPI) was used to test altered functional connectivity of emotion and motor control networks. Only during simultaneous emotional stimulation and passive movement of the affected hand patients displayed left amygdala hyperactivity. PPI revealed increased functional connectivity in patients between the left amygdala and the (pre-)supplemental motor area and the subthalamic nucleus, key regions within the motor control network. These findings suggest a novel mechanistic direct link between dysregulated emotion processing and motor control circuitry in conversion disorder.

Cell fate determination in the Caenorhabditis elegans epidermal lineages

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Soete, G.A.J.

2007-01-01

The starting point for this work was to use the hypodermal seam of C. elegans as a model system to study cell fate determination. Even though the seam is a relatively simple developmental system, the mechanisms that control cell fate determination in the seam lineages are connected in a highly

Astrocyte glycogen as an emergency fuel under conditions of glucose deprivation or intense neural activity.

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Brown, Angus M; Ransom, Bruce R

2015-02-01

Energy metabolism in the brain is a complex process that is incompletely understood. Although glucose is agreed as the main energy support of the brain, the role of glucose is not clear, which has led to controversies that can be summarized as follows: the fate of glucose, once it enters the brain is unclear. It is not known the form in which glucose enters the cells (neurons and glia) within the brain, nor the degree of metabolic shuttling of glucose derived metabolites between cells, with a key limitation in our knowledge being the extent of oxidative metabolism, and how increased tissue activity alters this. Glycogen is present within the brain and is derived from glucose. Glycogen is stored in astrocytes and acts to provide short-term delivery of substrates to neural elements, although it may also contribute an important component to astrocyte metabolism. The roles played by glycogen awaits further study, but to date its most important role is in supporting neural elements during increased firing activity, where signaling molecules, proposed to be elevated interstitial K(+), indicative of elevated neural firing rates, activate glycogen phosphorylase leading to increased production of glycogen derived substrate.

The fate of accreting white dwarfs: type I supernovae vs. collapse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomoto, Ken'ichi

1986-01-01

The fate of accreting white dwarfs is examined with respect to thermonuclear explosion or collapse. The paper was presented to the conference on ''The early universe and its evolution'', Erice, Italy 1986. Effects of accretion and the fate of white dwarfs, models for type 1a and 1b supernovae, collapse induced by carbon deflagration at high density, and fate of double white dwarfs, are all discussed. (U.K.)

Zic-Proteins Are Repressors of Dopaminergic Forebrain Fate in Mice and C. elegans.

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Tiveron, Marie-Catherine; Beclin, Christophe; Murgan, Sabrina; Wild, Stefan; Angelova, Alexandra; Marc, Julie; Coré, Nathalie; de Chevigny, Antoine; Herrera, Eloisa; Bosio, Andreas; Bertrand, Vincent; Cremer, Harold

2017-11-01

In the postnatal forebrain regionalized neural stem cells along the ventricular walls produce olfactory bulb (OB) interneurons with varying neurotransmitter phenotypes and positions. To understand the molecular basis of this region-specific variability we analyzed gene expression in the postnatal dorsal and lateral lineages in mice of both sexes from stem cells to neurons. We show that both lineages maintain transcription factor signatures of their embryonic site of origin, the pallium and subpallium. However, additional factors, including Zic1 and Zic2, are postnatally expressed in the dorsal stem cell compartment and maintained in the lineage that generates calretinin-positive GABAergic neurons for the OB. Functionally, we show that Zic1 and Zic2 induce the generation of calretinin-positive neurons while suppressing dopaminergic fate in the postnatal dorsal lineage. We investigated the evolutionary conservation of the dopaminergic repressor function of Zic proteins and show that it is already present in C. elegans SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The vertebrate brain generates thousands of different neuron types. In this work we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this variability. Using a genomics approach we identify the transcription factor signatures of defined neural stem cells and neuron populations. Based thereon we show that two related transcription factors, Zic1 and Zic2, are essential to control the balance between two defined neuron types in the postnatal brain. We show that this mechanism is conserved in evolutionary very distant species. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/3710611-13$15.00/0.

Conversion of adult human peripheral blood mononuclear cells into induced neural stem cell by using episomal vectors

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Xihe Tang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Human neural stem cells (NSCs hold great promise for research and therapy in neural diseases. Many studies have shown direct induction of NSCs from human fibroblasts, which require an invasive skin biopsy and a prolonged period of expansion in cell culture prior to use. Peripheral blood (PB is routinely used in medical diagnoses, and represents a noninvasive and easily accessible source of cells. Here we show direct derivation of NSCs from adult human PB mononuclear cells (PB-MNCs by employing episomal vectors for transgene delivery. These induced NSCs (iNSCs can expand more than 60 passages, can exhibit NSC morphology, gene expression, differentiation potential, and self-renewing capability and can give rise to multiple functional neural subtypes and glial cells in vitro. Furthermore, the iNSCs carry a specific regional identity and have electrophysiological activity upon differentiation. Our findings provide an easily accessible approach for generating human iNSCs which will facilitate disease modeling, drug screening, and possibly regenerative medicine.

Neuroanatomy of Shared Conversational Laughter in Neurodegenerative Disease

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Peter S. Pressman

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Perceiving another person's emotional expression often sparks a corresponding signal in the observer. Shared conversational laughter is a familiar example. Prior studies of shared laughter have made use of task-based functional neuroimaging. While these methods offer insight in a controlled setting, the ecological validity of such controlled tasks has limitations. Here, we investigate the neural correlates of shared laughter in patients with one of a variety of neurodegenerative disease syndromes (N = 75, including Alzheimer's disease (AD, behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD, right and left temporal variants of semantic dementia (rtvFTD, svPPA, nonfluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA, corticobasal syndrome (CBS, and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP. Patients were recorded in a brief unrehearsed conversation with a partner (e.g., a friend or family member. Laughter was manually labeled, and an automated system was used to assess the timing of that laughter relative to the partner's laughter. The probability of each participant with neurodegenerative disease laughing during or shortly after his or her partners' laughter was compared to differences in brain morphology using voxel-based morphometry, thresholded based on cluster size and a permutation method and including age, sex, magnet strength, disease-specific atrophy and total intracranial volumes as covariates. While no significant correlations were found at the critical T value, at a corrected voxelwise threshold of p < 0.005, a cluster in the left posterior cingulate gyrus demonstrated a trend at p = 0.08 (T = 4.54. Exploratory analysis with a voxelwise threshold of p = 0.001 also suggests involvement of the left precuneus (T = 3.91 and right fusiform gyrus (T = 3.86. The precuneus has been previously implicated in the detection of socially complex laughter, and the fusiform gyrus has a well-described role in the recognition and processing of others

All-trans retinoic acid promotes neural lineage entry by pluripotent embryonic stem cells via multiple pathways

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Fang Bo

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background All-trans retinoic acid (RA is one of the most important morphogens with pleiotropic actions. Its embryonic distribution correlates with neural differentiation in the developing central nervous system. To explore the precise effects of RA on neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs, we detected expression of RA nuclear receptors and RA-metabolizing enzymes in mouse ESCs and investigated the roles of RA in adherent monolayer culture. Results Upon addition of RA, cell differentiation was directed rapidly and exclusively into the neural lineage. Conversely, pharmacological interference with RA signaling suppressed this neural differentiation. Inhibition of fibroblast growth factor (FGF signaling did not suppress significantly neural differentiation in RA-treated cultures. Pharmacological interference with extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK pathway or activation of Wnt pathway effectively blocked the RA-promoted neural specification. ERK phosphorylation was enhanced in RA-treated cultures at the early stage of differentiation. Conclusion RA can promote neural lineage entry by ESCs in adherent monolayer culture systems. This effect depends on RA signaling and its crosstalk with the ERK and Wnt pathways.

Extended passaging increases the efficiency of neural differentiation from induced pluripotent stem cells

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Koehler Karl R

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs for the functional replacement of damaged neurons and in vitro disease modeling is of great clinical relevance. Unfortunately, the capacity of iPSC lines to differentiate into neurons is highly variable, prompting the need for a reliable means of assessing the differentiation capacity of newly derived iPSC cell lines. Extended passaging is emerging as a method of ensuring faithful reprogramming. We adapted an established and efficient embryonic stem cell (ESC neural induction protocol to test whether iPSCs (1 have the competence to give rise to functional neurons with similar efficiency as ESCs and (2 whether the extent of neural differentiation could be altered or enhanced by increased passaging. Results Our gene expression and morphological analyses revealed that neural conversion was temporally delayed in iPSC lines and some iPSC lines did not properly form embryoid bodies during the first stage of differentiation. Notably, these deficits were corrected by continual passaging in an iPSC clone. iPSCs with greater than 20 passages (late-passage iPSCs expressed higher expression levels of pluripotency markers and formed larger embryoid bodies than iPSCs with fewer than 10 passages (early-passage iPSCs. Moreover, late-passage iPSCs started to express neural marker genes sooner than early-passage iPSCs after the initiation of neural induction. Furthermore, late-passage iPSC-derived neurons exhibited notably greater excitability and larger voltage-gated currents than early-passage iPSC-derived neurons, although these cells were morphologically indistinguishable. Conclusions These findings strongly suggest that the efficiency neuronal conversion depends on the complete reprogramming of iPSCs via extensive passaging.

Global fate of POPs: Current and future research directions

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Lohmann, Rainer [Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882-1197 (United States)], E-mail: lohmann@gso.uri.edu; Breivik, Knut [Norwegian Institute for Air Research, PO Box 100, NO-2027 Kjeller (Norway); University of Oslo, Department of Chemistry, PO Box 1033, NO-0315 Oslo (Norway); Dachs, Jordi [Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Chemical and Environmental Research (IIQAB-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034 (Spain); Muir, Derek [Aquatic Ecosystem Protection Research Division, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7R4A6 (Canada)

2007-11-15

For legacy and emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs), surprisingly little is still known in quantitative terms about their global sources and emissions. Atmospheric transport has been identified as the key global dispersal mechanism for most legacy POPs. In contrast, transport by ocean currents may prove to be the main transport route for many polar, emerging POPs. This is linked to the POPs' intrinsic physico-chemical properties, as exemplified by the different fate of hexachlorocyclohexanes in the Arctic. Similarly, our current understanding of POPs' global transport and fate remains sketchy. The importance of organic carbon and global temperature differences have been accepted as key drivers of POPs' global distribution. However, future research will need to understand the various biogeochemical and geophysical cycles under anthropogenic pressures to be able to understand and predict the global fate of POPs accurately. - Future studies into the global fate of POPs will need to pay more attention to the various biogeochemical and anthropogenic cycles to better understand emissions, transport and sinks.

Reactive Oxygen Species and Mitochondrial Homeostasis as Regulators of Stem Cell Fate and Function.

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Tan, Darren Q; Suda, Toshio

2018-07-10

The precise role and impact of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in stem cells, which are essential for lifelong tissue homeostasis and regeneration, remain of significant interest to the field. The long-term regenerative potential of a stem cell compartment is determined by the delicate balance between quiescence, self-renewal, and differentiation, all of which can be influenced by ROS levels. Recent Advances: The past decade has seen a growing appreciation for the importance of ROS and redox homeostasis in various stem cell compartments, particularly those of hematopoietic, neural, and muscle tissues. In recent years, the importance of proteostasis and mitochondria in relation to stem cell biology and redox homeostasis has garnered considerable interest. Here, we explore the reciprocal relationship between ROS and stem cells, with significant emphasis on mitochondria as a core component of redox homeostasis. We discuss how redox signaling, involving cell-fate determining protein kinases and transcription factors, can control stem cell function and fate. We also address the impact of oxidative stress on stem cells, especially oxidative damage of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. We further discuss ROS management in stem cells, and present recent evidence supporting the importance of mitochondrial activity and its modulation (via mitochondrial clearance, biogenesis, dynamics, and distribution [i.e., segregation and transfer]) in stem cell redox homeostasis. Therefore, elucidating the intricate links between mitochondria, cellular metabolism, and redox homeostasis is envisioned to be critical for our understanding of ROS in stem cell biology and its therapeutic relevance in regenerative medicine. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 00, 000-000.

Fate of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals in landfills.

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Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon L; Barlaz, Morton A; Knappe, Detlef R U; Kjeldsen, Peter

2006-07-01

One component of preparedness for a chemical attack is planning for the disposal of contaminated debris. To assess the feasibility of contaminated debris disposal in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, the fate of selected chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) in MSW landfills was predicted with a mathematical model. Five blister agents [sulfur mustard (HD), nitrogen mustard (HN-2), lewisite (L), ethyldichloroarsine (ED), and phosgene oxime (CX)], eight nerve agents [tabun (GA), sarin (GB), soman (GD), GE, GF, VX, VG, and VM], one riot-control agent [CS], and two TICs [furan and carbon disulfide] were studied. The effects of both infiltration (climate) and contaminant biodegradability on fate predictions were assessed. Model results showed that hydrolysis and gas-phase advection were the principal fate pathways for CWAs and TICs, respectively. Apart from CX and the TICs, none of the investigated compounds was predicted to persist in a landfill for more than 5 years. Climate had little impact on CWA/TIC fate, and biodegradability was only important for compounds with long hydrolysis half-lives. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to assess the influence of uncertainty in model input parameters on CWA/TIC fate predictions. Correlation analyses showed that uncertainty in hydrolysis rate constants was the primary contributor to variance of CWA fate predictions, while uncertainty in the Henry's Law constant and landfill gas-production rate accounted for most of the variance of TIC fate predictions. CWA hydrolysates were more persistent than the parent CWAs, but limited information is available on abiotic or biotic transformation rates for these chemicals.

Integrated fate and toxicity assessment for site contaminants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDonell, Margaret; Peterson, John; Finster, Molly; Douglas, R.

2007-01-01

Understanding the fate and toxicity of environmental contaminants is essential to framing practical management decisions. Forms and bioavailable concentrations often change over time due to natural physical, chemical, and biological processes. For some sites, hundreds of contaminants may be of initial interest, and even small projects can involve a substantial number of contaminants. With multiple assessments common, attention to effectiveness and efficiency is important, and integrating fate and toxicity information provides a valuable way to focus the analyses. Fate assessments help identify what forms may be present where and when, while toxicity information indicates what health effects could result if people were exposed. The integration process is illustrated by an application for the Hanford site, to support long-term management decisions for the cesium and strontium capsules. Fate data, health-based benchmarks, and related toxicity information were effectively combined to indicate performance targets for chemicals and radionuclides identified for capsule leachate that could migrate to groundwater. More than 50 relevant benchmarks and toxicity context were identified for 15 of the 17 study contaminants; values for chronic drinking water exposure provided the common basis for selected indicators. For two chemicals, toxicity information was identified from the scientific literature to guide the performance targets. (authors)

Fragile x mental retardation protein regulates proliferation and differentiation of adult neural stem/progenitor cells.

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Yuping Luo

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Fragile X syndrome (FXS, the most common form of inherited mental retardation, is caused by the loss of functional fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP. FMRP is an RNA-binding protein that can regulate the translation of specific mRNAs. Adult neurogenesis, a process considered important for neuroplasticity and memory, is regulated at multiple molecular levels. In this study, we investigated whether Fmrp deficiency affects adult neurogenesis. We show that in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, adult neurogenesis is indeed altered. The loss of Fmrp increases the proliferation and alters the fate specification of adult neural progenitor/stem cells (aNPCs. We demonstrate that Fmrp regulates the protein expression of several components critical for aNPC function, including CDK4 and GSK3beta. Dysregulation of GSK3beta led to reduced Wnt signaling pathway activity, which altered the expression of neurogenin1 and the fate specification of aNPCs. These data unveil a novel regulatory role for Fmrp and translational regulation in adult neurogenesis.

Supervised artificial neural network-based method for conversion of solar radiation data (case study: Algeria)

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Laidi, Maamar; Hanini, Salah; Rezrazi, Ahmed; Yaiche, Mohamed Redha; El Hadj, Abdallah Abdallah; Chellali, Farouk

2017-04-01

In this study, a backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) model is used as an alternative approach to predict solar radiation on tilted surfaces (SRT) using a number of variables involved in physical process. These variables are namely the latitude of the site, mean temperature and relative humidity, Linke turbidity factor and Angstrom coefficient, extraterrestrial solar radiation, solar radiation data measured on horizontal surfaces (SRH), and solar zenith angle. Experimental solar radiation data from 13 stations spread all over Algeria around the year (2004) were used for training/validation and testing the artificial neural networks (ANNs), and one station was used to make the interpolation of the designed ANN. The ANN model was trained, validated, and tested using 60, 20, and 20 % of all data, respectively. The configuration 8-35-1 (8 inputs, 35 hidden, and 1 output neurons) presented an excellent agreement between the prediction and the experimental data during the test stage with determination coefficient of 0.99 and root meat squared error of 5.75 Wh/m2, considering a three-layer feedforward backpropagation neural network with Levenberg-Marquardt training algorithm, a hyperbolic tangent sigmoid and linear transfer function at the hidden and the output layer, respectively. This novel model could be used by researchers or scientists to design high-efficiency solar devices that are usually tilted at an optimum angle to increase the solar incident on the surface.

Conversion of adult endothelium to immunocompetent haematopoietic stem cells.

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Lis, Raphael; Karrasch, Charles C; Poulos, Michael G; Kunar, Balvir; Redmond, David; Duran, Jose G Barcia; Badwe, Chaitanya R; Schachterle, William; Ginsberg, Michael; Xiang, Jenny; Tabrizi, Arash Rafii; Shido, Koji; Rosenwaks, Zev; Elemento, Olivier; Speck, Nancy A; Butler, Jason M; Scandura, Joseph M; Rafii, Shahin

2017-05-25

Developmental pathways that orchestrate the fleeting transition of endothelial cells into haematopoietic stem cells remain undefined. Here we demonstrate a tractable approach for fully reprogramming adult mouse endothelial cells to haematopoietic stem cells (rEC-HSCs) through transient expression of the transcription-factor-encoding genes Fosb, Gfi1, Runx1, and Spi1 (collectively denoted hereafter as FGRS) and vascular-niche-derived angiocrine factors. The induction phase (days 0-8) of conversion is initiated by expression of FGRS in mature endothelial cells, which results in endogenous Runx1 expression. During the specification phase (days 8-20), RUNX1 + FGRS-transduced endothelial cells commit to a haematopoietic fate, yielding rEC-HSCs that no longer require FGRS expression. The vascular niche drives a robust self-renewal and expansion phase of rEC-HSCs (days 20-28). rEC-HSCs have a transcriptome and long-term self-renewal capacity similar to those of adult haematopoietic stem cells, and can be used for clonal engraftment and serial primary and secondary multi-lineage reconstitution, including antigen-dependent adaptive immune function. Inhibition of TGFβ and CXCR7 or activation of BMP and CXCR4 signalling enhanced generation of rEC-HSCs. Pluripotency-independent conversion of endothelial cells into autologous authentic engraftable haematopoietic stem cells could aid treatment of haematological disorders.

Ultimate fate of constrained voters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vazquez, F; Redner, S

2004-01-01

We examine the ultimate fate of individual opinions in a socially interacting population of leftists, centrists and rightists. In an elemental interaction between agents, a centrist and a leftist can both become centrists or both become leftists with equal rates (and similarly for a centrist and a rightist). However leftists and rightists do not interact. This interaction step between pairs of agents is applied repeatedly until the system can no longer evolve. In the mean-field limit, we determine the exact probability that the system reaches consensus (either leftist, rightist or centrist) or a frozen mixture of leftists and rightists as a function of the initial composition of the population. We also determine the mean time until the final state is reached. Some implications of our results for the ultimate fate in a limit of the Axelrod model are discussed

Ultimate fate of constrained voters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vazquez, F [Department of Physics, Center for BioDynamics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Redner, S [Department of Physics, Center for Polymer Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)

2004-09-03

We examine the ultimate fate of individual opinions in a socially interacting population of leftists, centrists and rightists. In an elemental interaction between agents, a centrist and a leftist can both become centrists or both become leftists with equal rates (and similarly for a centrist and a rightist). However leftists and rightists do not interact. This interaction step between pairs of agents is applied repeatedly until the system can no longer evolve. In the mean-field limit, we determine the exact probability that the system reaches consensus (either leftist, rightist or centrist) or a frozen mixture of leftists and rightists as a function of the initial composition of the population. We also determine the mean time until the final state is reached. Some implications of our results for the ultimate fate in a limit of the Axelrod model are discussed.

Fibronectin promotes differentiation of neural crest progenitors endowed with smooth muscle cell potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa-Silva, Bruno; Coelho da Costa, Meline; Melo, Fernanda Rosene; Neves, Cynara Mendes; Alvarez-Silva, Marcio; Calloni, Giordano Wosgrau; Trentin, Andrea Goncalves

2009-01-01

The neural crest (NC) is a model system used to investigate multipotency during vertebrate development. Environmental factors control NC cell fate decisions. Despite the well-known influence of extracellular matrix molecules in NC cell migration, the issue of whether they also influence NC cell differentiation has not been addressed at the single cell level. By analyzing mass and clonal cultures of mouse cephalic and quail trunk NC cells, we show for the first time that fibronectin (FN) promotes differentiation into the smooth muscle cell phenotype without affecting differentiation into glia, neurons, and melanocytes. Time course analysis indicated that the FN-induced effect was not related to massive cell death or proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Finally, by comparing clonal cultures of quail trunk NC cells grown on FN and collagen type IV (CLIV), we found that FN strongly increased both NC cell survival and the proportion of unipotent and oligopotent NC progenitors endowed with smooth muscle potential. In contrast, melanocytic progenitors were prominent in clonogenic NC cells grown on CLIV. Taken together, these results show that FN promotes NC cell differentiation along the smooth muscle lineage, and therefore plays an important role in fate decisions of NC progenitor cells

Silicon nanowires enhanced proliferation and neuronal differentiation of neural stem cell with vertically surface microenvironment.

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Yan, Qiuting; Fang, Lipao; Wei, Jiyu; Xiao, Guipeng; Lv, Meihong; Ma, Quanhong; Liu, Chunfeng; Wang, Wang

2017-09-01

Owing to its biocompatibility, noncytotoxicity, biodegradability and three-dimensional structure, vertically silicon nanowires (SiNWs) arrays are a promising scaffold material for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and relevant medical applications. Recently, its osteogenic differentiation effects, reorganization of cytoskeleton and regulation of the fate on stem cells have been demonstrated. However, it still remains unknown whether SiNWs arrays could affect the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) or not. In the present study, we have employed vertically aligned SiNWs arrays as culture systems for NSCs and proved that the scaffold material could promote the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of NSCs while maintaining excellent cell viability and stemness. Immunofluorescence imaging analysis, Western blot and RT-PCR results reveal that NSCs proliferation and neuronal differentiation efficiency on SiNWs arrays are significant greater than that on silicon wafers. These results implicate SiNWs arrays could offer a powerful platform for NSCs research and NSCs-based therapy in the field of neural tissue engineering.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 3 Controls Neural Stem Cell Activation in Mice and Humans

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Jinah Han

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Neural stem cells (NSCs continuously produce new neurons within the adult mammalian hippocampus. NSCs are typically quiescent but activated to self-renew or differentiate into neural progenitor cells. The molecular mechanisms of NSC activation remain poorly understood. Here, we show that adult hippocampal NSCs express vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR 3 and its ligand VEGF-C, which activates quiescent NSCs to enter the cell cycle and generate progenitor cells. Hippocampal NSC activation and neurogenesis are impaired by conditional deletion of Vegfr3 in NSCs. Functionally, this is associated with compromised NSC activation in response to VEGF-C and physical activity. In NSCs derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs, VEGF-C/VEGFR3 mediates intracellular activation of AKT and ERK pathways that control cell fate and proliferation. These findings identify VEGF-C/VEGFR3 signaling as a specific regulator of NSC activation and neurogenesis in mammals.

Training Deep Spiking Neural Networks Using Backpropagation.

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Lee, Jun Haeng; Delbruck, Tobi; Pfeiffer, Michael

2016-01-01

Deep spiking neural networks (SNNs) hold the potential for improving the latency and energy efficiency of deep neural networks through data-driven event-based computation. However, training such networks is difficult due to the non-differentiable nature of spike events. In this paper, we introduce a novel technique, which treats the membrane potentials of spiking neurons as differentiable signals, where discontinuities at spike times are considered as noise. This enables an error backpropagation mechanism for deep SNNs that follows the same principles as in conventional deep networks, but works directly on spike signals and membrane potentials. Compared with previous methods relying on indirect training and conversion, our technique has the potential to capture the statistics of spikes more precisely. We evaluate the proposed framework on artificially generated events from the original MNIST handwritten digit benchmark, and also on the N-MNIST benchmark recorded with an event-based dynamic vision sensor, in which the proposed method reduces the error rate by a factor of more than three compared to the best previous SNN, and also achieves a higher accuracy than a conventional convolutional neural network (CNN) trained and tested on the same data. We demonstrate in the context of the MNIST task that thanks to their event-driven operation, deep SNNs (both fully connected and convolutional) trained with our method achieve accuracy equivalent with conventional neural networks. In the N-MNIST example, equivalent accuracy is achieved with about five times fewer computational operations.

Estimating global "blue carbon" emissions from conversion and degradation of vegetated coastal ecosystems.

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Linwood Pendleton

Full Text Available Recent attention has focused on the high rates of annual carbon sequestration in vegetated coastal ecosystems--marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses--that may be lost with habitat destruction ('conversion'. Relatively unappreciated, however, is that conversion of these coastal ecosystems also impacts very large pools of previously-sequestered carbon. Residing mostly in sediments, this 'blue carbon' can be released to the atmosphere when these ecosystems are converted or degraded. Here we provide the first global estimates of this impact and evaluate its economic implications. Combining the best available data on global area, land-use conversion rates, and near-surface carbon stocks in each of the three ecosystems, using an uncertainty-propagation approach, we estimate that 0.15-1.02 Pg (billion tons of carbon dioxide are being released annually, several times higher than previous estimates that account only for lost sequestration. These emissions are equivalent to 3-19% of those from deforestation globally, and result in economic damages of $US 6-42 billion annually. The largest sources of uncertainty in these estimates stems from limited certitude in global area and rates of land-use conversion, but research is also needed on the fates of ecosystem carbon upon conversion. Currently, carbon emissions from the conversion of vegetated coastal ecosystems are not included in emissions accounting or carbon market protocols, but this analysis suggests they may be disproportionally important to both. Although the relevant science supporting these initial estimates will need to be refined in coming years, it is clear that policies encouraging the sustainable management of coastal ecosystems could significantly reduce carbon emissions from the land-use sector, in addition to sustaining the well-recognized ecosystem services of coastal habitats.

Fate of chemical warfare agents and toxic indutrial chemicals in landfills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bartelt-Hunt, D.L.; Barlaz, M.A.; Knappe, D.R.U.

2006-01-01

One component of preparedness for a chemical attack is planning for the disposal of contaminated debris. To assess the feasibility of contaminated debris disposal in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, the fate of selected chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs......], and two TICs [furan and carbon disulfide] were studied. The effects of both infiltration (climate) and contaminant biodegradability on fate predictions were assessed. Model results showed that hydrolysis and gas-phase advection were the principal fate pathways for CWAs and TICs, respectively. Apart from...... CX and the TICs, none of the investigated compounds was predicted to persist in a landfill for more than 5 years. Climate had little impact on CWA/TIC fate, and biodegradability was only important for compounds with long hydrolysis halflives. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to assess...

[The tragic fate of physicians].

Science.gov (United States)

Ohry, Avi

2013-10-01

Physicians and surgeons were always involved in revolutions, wars and political activities, as well as in various medical humanities. Tragic fate met these doctors, whether in the Russian prisons gulags, German labor or concentration camps, pogroms or at the hands of the Inquisition.

Functional Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology of Functional Neurological Disorders (Conversion Disorder).

Science.gov (United States)

Voon, Valerie; Cavanna, Andrea E; Coburn, Kerry; Sampson, Shirlene; Reeve, Alya; LaFrance, W Curt

2016-01-01

Much is known regarding the physical characteristics, comorbid symptoms, psychological makeup, and neuropsychological performance of patients with functional neurological disorders (FNDs)/conversion disorders. Gross neurostructural deficits do not account for the patients' deficits or symptoms. This review describes the literature focusing on potential neurobiological (i.e. functional neuroanatomic/neurophysiological) findings among individuals with FND, examining neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies of patients with the various forms of motor and sensory FND. In summary, neural networks and neurophysiologic mechanisms may mediate "functional" symptoms, reflecting neurobiological and intrapsychic processes.

A polynomial based model for cell fate prediction in human diseases.

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Ma, Lichun; Zheng, Jie

2017-12-21

Cell fate regulation directly affects tissue homeostasis and human health. Research on cell fate decision sheds light on key regulators, facilitates understanding the mechanisms, and suggests novel strategies to treat human diseases that are related to abnormal cell development. In this study, we proposed a polynomial based model to predict cell fate. This model was derived from Taylor series. As a case study, gene expression data of pancreatic cells were adopted to test and verify the model. As numerous features (genes) are available, we employed two kinds of feature selection methods, i.e. correlation based and apoptosis pathway based. Then polynomials of different degrees were used to refine the cell fate prediction function. 10-fold cross-validation was carried out to evaluate the performance of our model. In addition, we analyzed the stability of the resultant cell fate prediction model by evaluating the ranges of the parameters, as well as assessing the variances of the predicted values at randomly selected points. Results show that, within both the two considered gene selection methods, the prediction accuracies of polynomials of different degrees show little differences. Interestingly, the linear polynomial (degree 1 polynomial) is more stable than others. When comparing the linear polynomials based on the two gene selection methods, it shows that although the accuracy of the linear polynomial that uses correlation analysis outcomes is a little higher (achieves 86.62%), the one within genes of the apoptosis pathway is much more stable. Considering both the prediction accuracy and the stability of polynomial models of different degrees, the linear model is a preferred choice for cell fate prediction with gene expression data of pancreatic cells. The presented cell fate prediction model can be extended to other cells, which may be important for basic research as well as clinical study of cell development related diseases.

Prostaglandin E2 Regulates Liver versus Pancreas Cell Fate Decisions and Endodermal Outgrowth

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Nissim, Sahar; Sherwood, Richard I.; Wucherpfennig, Julia; Saunders, Diane; Harris, James M.; Esain, Virginie; Carroll, Kelli J.; Frechette, Gregory M.; Kim, Andrew J.; Hwang, Katie L.; Cutting, Claire C.; Elledge, Susanna; North, Trista E.; Goessling, Wolfram

2014-01-01

SUMMARY The liver and pancreas arise from common endodermal progenitors. How these distinct cell fates are specified is poorly understood. Here, we describe prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as a regulator of endodermal fate specification during development. Modulating PGE2 activity has opposing effects on liver-versus-pancreas specification in zebrafish embryos as well as mouse endodermal progenitors. The PGE2 synthetic enzyme cox2a and receptor ep2a are patterned such that cells closest to PGE2 synthesis acquire a liver fate whereas more distant cells acquire a pancreas fate. PGE2 interacts with the bmp2b pathway to regulate fate specification. At later stages of development, PGE2 acting via the ep4a receptor promotes outgrowth of both the liver and pancreas. PGE2 remains important for adult organ growth, as it modulates liver regeneration. This work provides in vivo evidence that PGE2 may act as a morphogen to regulate cell fate decisions and outgrowth of the embryonic endodermal anlagen. PMID:24530296

Fate and Transport of Mercury in Environmental Media and Human Exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Moon-Kyung

2012-01-01

Mercury is emitted to the atmosphere from various natural and anthropogenic sources, and degrades with difficulty in the environment. Mercury exists as various species, mainly elemental (Hg0) and divalent (Hg2+) mercury depending on its oxidation states in air and water. Mercury emitted to the atmosphere can be deposited into aqueous environments by wet and dry depositions, and some can be re-emitted into the atmosphere. The deposited mercury species, mainly Hg2+, can react with various organic compounds in water and sediment by biotic reactions mediated by sulfur-reducing bacteria, and abiotic reactions mediated by sunlight photolysis, resulting in conversion into organic mercury such as methylmercury (MeHg). MeHg can be bioaccumulated through the food web in the ecosystem, finally exposing humans who consume fish. For a better understanding of how humans are exposed to mercury in the environment, this review paper summarizes the mechanisms of emission, fate and transport, speciation chemistry, bioaccumulation, levels of contamination in environmental media, and finally exposure assessment of humans. PMID:23230463

Intelligent control with implementation on the wind energy conversion system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basma, Mohamad Khalil

1997-05-01

In this thesis our main job is to compare intelligent control and conventional control algorithms, by applying each scheme to the same control problem. Based on simulation, we analyze and compare the results of applying fuzzy logic and neural networks controllers on a popular control problem: variable speed wind energy conversion system. The reason behind our choice is the challenging nature of the problem where the plant should be controlled to maximize the power generated, while respecting its hardware constraints under varying operating conditions and disturbances. We have shown the effectiveness of fuzzy logic exciter controller for the adopted wind energy generator when compared to a conventional PI exciter. It showed better performance in the whole operating range. However, in the high wind speeds region, both controllers were unable to deliver the rpm requirements. We proposed the use of neural network intelligent techniques to supply us the optimal pitch. Our aim was to develop a simple and reliable controller that can deliver this optimal output, while remaining adaptive to system uncertainties and disturbances. The proposed fuzzy controller with a neural pitch controller showed best dynamic and robust performance as compared to the adaptive pitch controller together with the PI exciter. This study has shown that artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic control algorithms can be implemented for real time control implementations. the neuro-fuzzy control approach is robust and its performance is superior to that of traditional control methods. (author)

Regulatory Role of Redox Balance in Determination of Neural Precursor Cell Fate

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Mohamed Ariff Iqbal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In 1990s, reports of discovery of a small group of cells capable of proliferation and contribution to formation of new neurons in the central nervous system (CNS reversed a century-old concept on lack of neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain. These cells are found in all stages of human life and contribute to normal cellular turnover of the CNS. Therefore, the identity of regulating factors that affect their proliferation and differentiation is a highly noteworthy issue for basic scientists and their clinician counterparts for therapeutic purposes. The cues for such control are embedded in developmental and environmental signaling through a highly regulated tempo-spatial expression of specific transcription factors. Novel findings indicate the importance of reactive oxygen species (ROS in the regulation of this signaling system. The elusive nature of ROS signaling in many vital processes from cell proliferation to cell death creates a complex literature in this field. Here, we discuss the emerging thoughts on the importance of redox regulation of proliferation and maintenance in mammalian neural stem and progenitor cells under physiological and pathological conditions. The current knowledge on ROS-mediated changes in redox-sensitive proteins that govern the molecular mechanisms in proliferation and differentiation of these cells is reviewed.

BTG interacts with retinoblastoma to control cell fate in Dictyostelium.

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Daniele Conte

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In the genesis of many tissues, a phase of cell proliferation is followed by cell cycle exit and terminal differentiation. The latter two processes overlap: genes involved in the cessation of growth may also be important in triggering differentiation. Though conceptually distinct, they are often causally related and functional interactions between the cell cycle machinery and cell fate control networks are fundamental to coordinate growth and differentiation. A switch from proliferation to differentiation may also be important in the life cycle of single-celled organisms, and genes which arose as regulators of microbial differentiation may be conserved in higher organisms. Studies in microorganisms may thus contribute to understanding the molecular links between cell cycle machinery and the determination of cell fate choice networks. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we show that in the amoebozoan D. discoideum, an ortholog of the metazoan antiproliferative gene btg controls cell fate, and that this function is dependent on the presence of a second tumor suppressor ortholog, the retinoblastoma-like gene product. Specifically, we find that btg-overexpressing cells preferentially adopt a stalk cell (and, more particularly, an Anterior-Like Cell fate. No btg-dependent preference for ALC fate is observed in cells in which the retinoblastoma-like gene has been genetically inactivated. Dictyostelium btg is the only example of non-metazoan member of the BTG family characterized so far, suggesting that a genetic interaction between btg and Rb predated the divergence between dictyostelids and metazoa. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: While the requirement for retinoblastoma function for BTG antiproliferative activity in metazoans is known, an interaction of these genes in the control of cell fate has not been previously documented. Involvement of a single pathway in the control of mutually exclusive processes may have relevant implication in the

Sall1 regulates cortical neurogenesis and laminar fate specification in mice: implications for neural abnormalities in Townes-Brocks syndrome

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Susan J. Harrison

2012-05-01

Progenitor cells in the cerebral cortex undergo dynamic cellular and molecular changes during development. Sall1 is a putative transcription factor that is highly expressed in progenitor cells during development. In humans, the autosomal dominant developmental disorder Townes-Brocks syndrome (TBS is associated with mutations of the SALL1 gene. TBS is characterized by renal, anal, limb and auditory abnormalities. Although neural deficits have not been recognized as a diagnostic characteristic of the disease, ∼10% of patients exhibit neural or behavioral abnormalities. We demonstrate that, in addition to being expressed in peripheral organs, Sall1 is robustly expressed in progenitor cells of the central nervous system in mice. Both classical- and conditional-knockout mouse studies indicate that the cerebral cortex is particularly sensitive to loss of Sall1. In the absence of Sall1, both the surface area and depth of the cerebral cortex were decreased at embryonic day 18.5 (E18.5. These deficiencies are associated with changes in progenitor cell properties during development. In early cortical progenitor cells, Sall1 promotes proliferative over neurogenic division, whereas, at later developmental stages, Sall1 regulates the production and differentiation of intermediate progenitor cells. Furthermore, Sall1 influences the temporal specification of cortical laminae. These findings present novel insights into the function of Sall1 in the developing mouse cortex and provide avenues for future research into potential neural deficits in individuals with TBS.

Chemo-mechanical control of neural stem cell differentiation

Science.gov (United States)

Geishecker, Emily R.

Cellular processes such as adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation are controlled in part by cell interactions with the microenvironment. Cells can sense and respond to a variety of stimuli, including soluble and insoluble factors (such as proteins and small molecules) and externally applied mechanical stresses. Mechanical properties of the environment, such as substrate stiffness, have also been suggested to play an important role in cell processes. The roles of both biochemical and mechanical signaling in fate modification of stem cells have been explored independently. However, very few studies have been performed to study well-controlled chemo-mechanotransduction. The objective of this work is to design, synthesize, and characterize a chemo-mechanical substrate to encourage neuronal differentiation of C17.2 neural stem cells. In Chapter 2, Polyacrylamide (PA) gels of varying stiffnesses are functionalized with differing amounts of whole collagen to investigate the role of protein concentration in combination with substrate stiffness. As expected, neurons on the softest substrate were more in number and neuronal morphology than those on stiffer substrates. Neurons appeared locally aligned with an expansive network of neurites. Additional experiments would allow for statistical analysis to determine if and how collagen density impacts C17.2 differentiation in combination with substrate stiffness. Due to difficulties associated with whole protein approaches, a similar platform was developed using mixed adhesive peptides, derived from fibronectin and laminin, and is presented in Chapter 3. The matrix elasticity and peptide concentration can be individually modulated to systematically probe the effects of chemo-mechanical signaling on differentiation of C17.2 cells. Polyacrylamide gel stiffness was confirmed using rheological techniques and found to support values published by Yeung et al. [1]. Cellular growth and differentiation were assessed by cell counts

Neurog1 Genetic Inducible Fate Mapping (GIFM) Reveals the Existence of Complex Spatiotemporal Cyto-Architectures in the Developing Cerebellum.

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Obana, Edwin A; Lundell, Travis G; Yi, Kevin J; Radomski, Kryslaine L; Zhou, Qiong; Doughty, Martin L

2015-06-01

Neurog1 is a pro-neural basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor expressed in progenitor cells located in the ventricular zone and subsequently the presumptive white matter tracts of the developing mouse cerebellum. We used genetic inducible fate mapping (GIFM) with a transgenic Neurog1-CreER allele to characterize the contributions of Neurog1 lineages to cerebellar circuit formation in mice. GIFM reveals Neurog1-expressing progenitors are fate-mapped to become Purkinje cells and all GABAergic interneuron cell types of the cerebellar cortex but not glia. The spatiotemporal sequence of GIFM is unique to each neuronal cell type. GIFM on embryonic days (E) 10.5 to E12.5 labels Purkinje cells with different medial-lateral settling patterns depending on the day of tamoxifen delivery. GIFM on E11.5 to P7 labels interneurons and the timing of tamoxifen administration correlates with the final inside-to-outside resting position of GABAergic interneurons in the cerebellar cortex. Proliferative status and long-term BrdU retention of GIFM lineages reveals Purkinje cells express Neurog1 around the time they become post-mitotic. In contrast, GIFM labels mitotic and post-mitotic interneurons. Neurog1-CreER GIFM reveals a correlation between the timing of Neurog1 expression and the spatial organization of GABAergic neurons in the cerebellar cortex with possible implications for cerebellar circuit assembly.

A Neural Network Approach to Intention Modeling for User-Adapted Conversational Agents

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David Griol

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Spoken dialogue systems have been proposed to enable a more natural and intuitive interaction with the environment and human-computer interfaces. In this contribution, we present a framework based on neural networks that allows modeling of the user’s intention during the dialogue and uses this prediction to dynamically adapt the dialogue model of the system taking into consideration the user’s needs and preferences. We have evaluated our proposal to develop a user-adapted spoken dialogue system that facilitates tourist information and services and provide a detailed discussion of the positive influence of our proposal in the success of the interaction, the information and services provided, and the quality perceived by the users.

A Neural Network Approach to Intention Modeling for User-Adapted Conversational Agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Griol, David; Callejas, Zoraida

2016-01-01

Spoken dialogue systems have been proposed to enable a more natural and intuitive interaction with the environment and human-computer interfaces. In this contribution, we present a framework based on neural networks that allows modeling of the user's intention during the dialogue and uses this prediction to dynamically adapt the dialogue model of the system taking into consideration the user's needs and preferences. We have evaluated our proposal to develop a user-adapted spoken dialogue system that facilitates tourist information and services and provide a detailed discussion of the positive influence of our proposal in the success of the interaction, the information and services provided, and the quality perceived by the users.

Developmental fate and lineage commitment of singled mouse blastomeres.

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Lorthongpanich, Chanchao; Doris, Tham Puay Yoke; Limviphuvadh, Vachiranee; Knowles, Barbara B; Solter, Davor

2012-10-01

The inside-outside model has been invoked to explain cell-fate specification of the pre-implantation mammalian embryo. Here, we investigate whether cell-cell interaction can influence the fate specification of embryonic blastomeres by sequentially separating the blastomeres in two-cell stage mouse embryos and continuing separation after each cell division throughout pre-implantation development. This procedure eliminates information provided by cell-cell interaction and cell positioning. Gene expression profiles, polarity protein localization and functional tests of these separated blastomeres reveal that cell interactions, through cell position, influence the fate of the blastomere. Blastomeres, in the absence of cell contact and inner-outer positional information, have a unique pattern of gene expression that is characteristic of neither inner cell mass nor trophectoderm, but overall they have a tendency towards a 'trophectoderm-like' gene expression pattern and preferentially contribute to the trophectoderm lineage.

Human population intake fractions and environmental fate factors of toxic pollutants in life cycle impact assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huijbregts, M.A.J.; Struijs, Jaap; Goedkoop, Mark; Heijungs, Reinout; Jan Hendriks, A.; Van De Meent, Dik

2005-01-01

The present paper outlines an update of the fate and exposure part of the fate, exposure and effects model USES-LCA. The new fate and exposure module of USES-LCA was applied to calculate human population intake fractions and fate factors of the freshwater, marine and terrestrial environment for 3393

Fate of nano- and microplastic in freshwater systems: A modeling study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Besseling, Ellen; Quik, Joris T.K.; Sun, Muzhi; Koelmans, Bart

2017-01-01

Riverine transport to the marine environment is an important pathway for microplastic. However, information on fate and transport of nano- and microplastic in freshwater systems is lacking. Here we present scenario studies on the fate and transport of nano-to millimetre sized spherical particles

On-line supercapacitor dynamic models for energy conversion and management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, C.H.; Hung, Y.H.; Hong, C.W.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► On-line supercapacitor dynamic models are derived from time and frequency domains. ► Equivalent circuits with an ANN identifier are derived for nonlinear effects. ► Nonlinear effects include environmental temperature and operating voltage. ► Supercapacitor models can achieve both system fidelity and computation efficiency. - Abstract: This paper develops on-line nonlinear dynamic models of electrochemical supercapacitors which are for energy conversion and management. Based on the theory of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, extensive alternative current impedance tests have been conducted to investigate the frequency-domain dynamics of these supercapacitors. A Nyquist diagram is plotted to help establish an equivalent electric circuit, which is regarded as the first-phase linear model. Two performance-influencing factors, environmental temperature and operating voltage, are considered as nonlinear effects. The nonlinear relationships among parameters of the capacitances and resistances in the first-phase model are established by a multi-layer artificial neural network. The neural parameters are trained using a back-propagation algorithm by feeding the experimental data bank. Combining the first-phase model and the on-line neural “parameter identifier”, the algorithm produces an on-line nonlinear dynamic model. Simulation results have proved that this proposed model is able to achieve both system fidelity and computational efficiency.

GH mediates exercise-dependent activation of SVZ neural precursor cells in aged mice.

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Daniel G Blackmore

Full Text Available Here we demonstrate, both in vivo and in vitro, that growth hormone (GH mediates precursor cell activation in the subventricular zone (SVZ of the aged (12-month-old brain following exercise, and that GH signaling stimulates precursor activation to a similar extent to exercise. Our results reveal that both addition of GH in culture and direct intracerebroventricular infusion of GH stimulate neural precursor cells in the aged brain. In contrast, no increase in neurosphere numbers was observed in GH receptor null animals following exercise. Continuous infusion of a GH antagonist into the lateral ventricle of wild-type animals completely abolished the exercise-induced increase in neural precursor cell number. Given that the aged brain does not recover well after injury, we investigated the direct effect of exercise and GH on neural precursor cell activation following irradiation. This revealed that physical exercise as well as infusion of GH promoted repopulation of neural precursor cells in irradiated aged animals. Conversely, infusion of a GH antagonist during exercise prevented recovery of precursor cells in the SVZ following irradiation.

GH Mediates Exercise-Dependent Activation of SVZ Neural Precursor Cells in Aged Mice

Science.gov (United States)

Blackmore, Daniel G.; Vukovic, Jana; Waters, Michael J.; Bartlett, Perry F.

2012-01-01

Here we demonstrate, both in vivo and in vitro, that growth hormone (GH) mediates precursor cell activation in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the aged (12-month-old) brain following exercise, and that GH signaling stimulates precursor activation to a similar extent to exercise. Our results reveal that both addition of GH in culture and direct intracerebroventricular infusion of GH stimulate neural precursor cells in the aged brain. In contrast, no increase in neurosphere numbers was observed in GH receptor null animals following exercise. Continuous infusion of a GH antagonist into the lateral ventricle of wild-type animals completely abolished the exercise-induced increase in neural precursor cell number. Given that the aged brain does not recover well after injury, we investigated the direct effect of exercise and GH on neural precursor cell activation following irradiation. This revealed that physical exercise as well as infusion of GH promoted repopulation of neural precursor cells in irradiated aged animals. Conversely, infusion of a GH antagonist during exercise prevented recovery of precursor cells in the SVZ following irradiation. PMID:23209615

Redundant mechanisms are involved in suppression of default cell fates during embryonic mesenchyme and notochord induction in ascidians.

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Kodama, Hitoshi; Miyata, Yoshimasa; Kuwajima, Mami; Izuchi, Ryoichi; Kobayashi, Ayumi; Gyoja, Fuki; Onuma, Takeshi A; Kumano, Gaku; Nishida, Hiroki

2016-08-01

During embryonic induction, the responding cells invoke an induced developmental program, whereas in the absence of an inducing signal, they assume a default uninduced cell fate. Suppression of the default fate during the inductive event is crucial for choice of the binary cell fate. In contrast to the mechanisms that promote an induced cell fate, those that suppress the default fate have been overlooked. Upon induction, intracellular signal transduction results in activation of genes encoding key transcription factors for induced tissue differentiation. It is elusive whether an induced key transcription factor has dual functions involving suppression of the default fates and promotion of the induced fate, or whether suppression of the default fate is independently regulated by other factors that are also downstream of the signaling cascade. We show that during ascidian embryonic induction, default fates were suppressed by multifold redundant mechanisms. The key transcription factor, Twist-related.a, which is required for mesenchyme differentiation, and another independent transcription factor, Lhx3, which is dispensable for mesenchyme differentiation, sequentially and redundantly suppress the default muscle fate in induced mesenchyme cells. Similarly in notochord induction, Brachyury, which is required for notochord differentiation, and other factors, Lhx3 and Mnx, are likely to suppress the default nerve cord fate redundantly. Lhx3 commonly suppresses the default fates in two kinds of induction. Mis-activation of the autonomously executed default program in induced cells is detrimental to choice of the binary cell fate. Multifold redundant mechanisms would be required for suppression of the default fate to be secure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pollutant transport and fate in ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coughtrey, P.J.; Martin, M.H.; Unsworth, M.H.

1987-01-01

This publication contains a selection of the papers that were presented at a meeting of the Industrial Ecology Group of the British Ecological Society, held at the University of Bristol 1-4 April 1985. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the processes and mechanisms underlying the transfer of pollutants and contaminants in ecological systems. The discussion of the impact of pollutants on individual organisms, populations and communities was specifically excluded. Parallels between transfer, distribution and fate of a wide range of materials were identified. The papers presented at the meeting provided examples of mechanisms and processes involved in pollutant transport through ecosystems as well as of the significance of long-term or widespread investigations in the identification of temporal or geographical trends. Examples were also provided of studies involving complex systems and diverse materials with the aim of identifying underlying principles. Topics of current environmental concern e.g. acid deposition, heavy metals, radioactivity, etc. for which information is being collated in order to provide a basis for assessments concerning future impact were presented. Such assessments will require a combination of the information on transport and fate within ecosystems with knowledge of the effects of pollutants on the system. The interpretation of data concerning effects of a pollutant needs to be placed in the wider context of the occurrence, distribution and fate of that pollutant. The purpose of this publication is to provide that wider context. (author)

Fate modelling of chemical compounds with incomplete data sets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birkved, Morten; Heijungs, Reinout

2011-01-01

Impact assessment of chemical compounds in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) and Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) requires a vast amount of data on the properties of the chemical compounds being assessed. These data are used in multi-media fate and exposure models, to calculate risk levels...... in an approximate way. The idea is that not all data needed in a multi-media fate and exposure model are completely independent and equally important, but that there are physical-chemical and biological relationships between sets of chemical properties. A statistical model is constructed to underpin this assumption...... and other indicators. ERA typically addresses one specific chemical, but in an LCIA, the number of chemicals encountered may be quite high, up to hundreds or thousands. This study explores the development of meta-models, which are supposed to reflect the “true”multi-media fate and exposure model...

Fate of Gases generated from Nuclear Wastes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srinivasulu, M.; Francis, A. J. [Pohang Univ. of Science and Technology, Pohang (Korea, Republic of); Francis, A. J. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York (United States)

2013-05-15

The backfill materials such as cement, bentonite or crushed rock are used as engineered barriers against groundwater infiltration and radionuclide transport. Gas generation from radioactive wastes is attributed to radiolysis, corrosion of metals, and degradation of organic materials. Corrosion of steel drums and biodegradation of organic materials in L/ILW can generate gas which causes pressure build up and has the potential to compromise the integrity of waste containers and release the radionuclides and other contaminants into the environment. Performance assessment therefore requires a detailed understanding of the source and fate of gas generation and transport within the disposal system. Here we review the sources and fate of various type of gases generated from nuclear wastes and repositories. Studies on modeling of the fate and transport of repository gases primarily deal with hydrogen and CO{sub 2}. Although hydrogen and carbon dioxide are the major gases of concern, microbial transformations of these gases in the subterranean environments could be significant. Metabolism of hydrogen along with the carbon dioxide results in the formation of methane, low molecular weight organic compounds and cell biomass and thus could affect the total inventory in a repository environment. Modeling studies should take into consideration of both the gas generation and consumption processes over the long-term.

Radionuclide fate and effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1983-01-01

The studies reported here deal with the full range of contaminant behavior and fate, from the initial physicochemical factors that govern radionuclide availability in terrestrial and aquatic environments to studies of contaminant transport by biological means. By design, we focus more on the biologically and chemically mediated transport processes and food-chain pathways than on the purely physical forms of contaminant transport, such as transport by wind and water

Characterizing fate and transport properties in karst aquifers under different hydrologic conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, E.; Padilla, I. Y.

2017-12-01

Karst landscapes contain very productive aquifers. The hydraulic and hydrogeological characteristics of karst aquifers make these systems capable of storing and transporting large amount of water, but also highly vulnerable to contamination. Their extremely heterogeneous nature prevents accurate prediction in contaminant fate and transport. Even more challenging is to understand the impact of hydrologic conditions changes on fate and transport processes. This studies aims at characterizing fate and transport processes in the karst groundwater system of northern Puerto Rico under different hydrologic conditions. The study involves injecting rhodamine and uranine dyes into a sinkhole, and monitoring concentrations at a spring. Results show incomplete recovery of tracers, but breaking curves can be used to estimate advective, dispersive and mass transfer characteristic of the karst system. Preliminary results suggest significant differences in fate and transport characteristics under different hydrologic conditions.

Irrational exuberance and neural crash warning signals during endogenous experimental market bubbles.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Alec; Lohrenz, Terry; King, Justin; Montague, P Read; Camerer, Colin F

2014-07-22

Groups of humans routinely misassign value to complex future events, especially in settings involving the exchange of resources. If properly structured, experimental markets can act as excellent probes of human group-level valuation mechanisms during pathological overvaluations--price bubbles. The connection between the behavioral and neural underpinnings of such phenomena has been absent, in part due to a lack of enabling technology. We used a multisubject functional MRI paradigm to measure neural activity in human subjects participating in experimental asset markets in which endogenous price bubbles formed and crashed. Although many ideas exist about how and why such bubbles may form and how to identify them, our experiment provided a window on the connection between neural responses and behavioral acts (buying and selling) that created the bubbles. We show that aggregate neural activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) tracks the price bubble and that NAcc activity aggregated within a market predicts future price changes and crashes. Furthermore, the lowest-earning subjects express a stronger tendency to buy as a function of measured NAcc activity. Conversely, we report a signal in the anterior insular cortex in the highest earners that precedes the impending price peak, is associated with a higher propensity to sell in high earners, and that may represent a neural early warning signal in these subjects. Such markets could be a model system to understand neural and behavior mechanisms in other settings where emergent group-level activity exhibits mistaken belief or valuation.

Fate of 14C-labelled diazinon in rice seedling and paddy soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seong Kye; Kim, Kyoon; Park, Chang Kyu; Hwang, Eul Chul

1985-01-01

The fate of diazinon in the intact rice plants and submerged paddy soil has been investigated with (2- 14 C pyrimidine) diazinon. The labelled diazinon solution was applied to paddy water and distribution of radioactivities in the rice seedlings, paddy soil, volatile fraction and carbon dioxide has been ascertained at end the of incubation times of 0.5,1,4,6 and 9 days respectively. In addition, extract of plants and paddy soils were subjected to TLC separation for examination of possible transformation products of diazinon. The results may be summarized as follow; 1. Total recoveries of radiactivities were between 57.2∼73.6 per cent. 2. Radioactivity in rice seedlings increased with incubation periods reaching one tenth of treated radioactivity at the end of 9 day incubation. 3. Non-extractable radioactivity in paddy soil increased with incubation periods. 4. Radioactive volatile fraction increased in the presence of the rice seedlings. 5. Pyrimidinol was unique conversion product of diazinon in rice seedlings and paddy soils. 6. Pyrimidinol applied to paddy soil is readily absorbed by rice seedlings. (Author)

Sox2-Mediated Conversion of NG2 Glia into Induced Neurons in the Injured Adult Cerebral Cortex

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Christophe Heinrich

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The adult cerebral cortex lacks the capacity to replace degenerated neurons following traumatic injury. Conversion of nonneuronal cells into induced neurons has been proposed as an innovative strategy toward brain repair. Here, we show that retrovirus-mediated expression of the transcription factors Sox2 and Ascl1, but strikingly also Sox2 alone, can induce the conversion of genetically fate-mapped NG2 glia into induced doublecortin (DCX+ neurons in the adult mouse cerebral cortex following stab wound injury in vivo. In contrast, lentiviral expression of Sox2 in the unlesioned cortex failed to convert oligodendroglial and astroglial cells into DCX+ cells. Neurons induced following injury mature morphologically and some acquire NeuN while losing DCX. Patch-clamp recording of slices containing Sox2- and/or Ascl1-transduced cells revealed that a substantial fraction of these cells receive synaptic inputs from neurons neighboring the injury site. Thus, NG2 glia represent a potential target for reprogramming strategies toward cortical repair.

Regulatory relevant and reliable methods and data for determining the environmental fate of manufactured nanomaterials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baun, Anders; Sayre, Phil; Steinhäuser, Klaus Günter

2017-01-01

The widespread use of manufactured nanomaterials (MN) increases the need for describing and predicting their environmental fate and behaviour. A number of recent reviews have addressed the scientific challenges in disclosing the governing processes for the environmental fate and behaviour of MNs,...... data. Gaps do however exist in test methods for environmental fate, such as methods to estimate heteroagglomeration and the tendency for MNs to transform in the environment.......The widespread use of manufactured nanomaterials (MN) increases the need for describing and predicting their environmental fate and behaviour. A number of recent reviews have addressed the scientific challenges in disclosing the governing processes for the environmental fate and behaviour of MNs......, however there has been less focus on the regulatory adequacy of the data available for MN. The aim of this paper is therefore to review data, testing protocols and guidance papers which describe the environmental fate and behaviour of MN with a focus on their regulatory reliability and relevance. Given...

Aberrant transcriptional networks in step-wise neurogenesis of paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia-induced pluripotent stem cells.

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Li, Chun; Ma, Yu; Zhang, Kunshan; Gu, Junjie; Tang, Fan; Chen, Shengdi; Cao, Li; Li, Siguang; Jin, Ying

2016-08-16

Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) is an episodic movement disorder with autosomal-dominant inheritance and marked variability in clinical manifestations.Proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) has been identified as a causative gene of PKD, but the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of PKD still remains a mystery. The phenotypes and transcriptional patterns of the PKD disease need further clarification. Here, we report the generation and neural differentiation of iPSC lines from two familial PKD patients with c.487C>T (p. Gln163X) and c.573dupT (p. Gly192Trpfs*8) PRRT2 mutations, respectively. Notably, an extremely lower efficiency in neural conversion from PKD-iPSCs than control-iPSCs is observed by a step-wise neural differentiation method of dual inhibition of SMAD signaling. Moreover, we show the high expression level of PRRT2 throughout the human brain and the expression pattern of PRRT2 in other human tissues for the first time. To gain molecular insight into the development of the disease, we conduct global gene expression profiling of PKD cells at four different stages of neural induction and identify altered gene expression patterns, which peculiarly reflect dysregulated neural transcriptome signatures and a differentiation tendency to mesodermal development, in comparison to control-iPSCs. Additionally, functional and signaling pathway analyses indicate significantly different cell fate determination between PKD-iPSCs and control-iPSCs. Together, the establishment of PKD-specific in vitro models and the illustration of transcriptome features in PKD cells would certainly help us with better understanding of the defects in neural conversion as well as further investigations in the pathogenesis of the PKD disease.

Piezo type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 functions as a regulator of the cell fate determination of mesenchymal stem cells.

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Sugimoto, Asuna; Miyazaki, Aya; Kawarabayashi, Keita; Shono, Masayuki; Akazawa, Yuki; Hasegawa, Tomokazu; Ueda-Yamaguchi, Kimiko; Kitamura, Takamasa; Yoshizaki, Keigo; Fukumoto, Satoshi; Iwamoto, Tsutomu

2017-12-18

The extracellular environment regulates the dynamic behaviors of cells. However, the effects of hydrostatic pressure (HP) on cell fate determination of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are not clearly understood. Here, we established a cell culture chamber to control HP. Using this system, we found that the promotion of osteogenic differentiation by HP is depend on bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) expression regulated by Piezo type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (PIEZO1) in MSCs. The PIEZO1 was expressed and induced after HP loading in primary MSCs and MSC lines, UE7T-13 and SDP11. HP and Yoda1, an activator of PIEZO1, promoted BMP2 expression and osteoblast differentiation, whereas inhibits adipocyte differentiation. Conversely, PIEZO1 inhibition reduced osteoblast differentiation and BMP2 expression. Furthermore, Blocking of BMP2 function by noggin inhibits HP induced osteogenic maker genes expression. In addition, in an in vivo model of medaka with HP loading, HP promoted caudal fin ray development whereas inhibition of piezo1 using GsMTx4 suppressed its development. Thus, our results suggested that PIEZO1 is responsible for HP and could functions as a factor for cell fate determination of MSCs by regulating BMP2 expression.

Fate of acetone in water

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Rathbun, R.E.; Stephens, D.W.; Shultz, D.J.

1982-01-01

The physical, chemical, and biological processes that might affect the concentration of acetone in water were investigated in laboratory studies. Processes considered included volatilization, adsorption by sediments, photodecomposition, bacterial degradation, and absorption by algae and molds. It was concluded that volatilization and bacterial degradation were the dominant processes determining the fate of acetone in streams and rivers. ?? 1982.

Annelid Distal-less/Dlx duplications reveal varied post-duplication fates

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Korchagina Natalia

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dlx (Distal-less genes have various developmental roles and are widespread throughout the animal kingdom, usually occurring as single copy genes in non-chordates and as multiple copies in most chordate genomes. While the genomic arrangement and function of these genes is well known in vertebrates and arthropods, information about Dlx genes in other organisms is scarce. We investigate the presence of Dlx genes in several annelid species and examine Dlx gene expression in the polychaete Pomatoceros lamarckii. Results Two Dlx genes are present in P. lamarckii, Capitella teleta and Helobdella robusta. The C. teleta Dlx genes are closely linked in an inverted tail-to-tail orientation, reminiscent of the arrangement of vertebrate Dlx pairs, and gene conversion appears to have had a role in their evolution. The H. robusta Dlx genes, however, are not on the same genomic scaffold and display divergent sequences, while, if the P. lamarckii genes are linked in a tail-to-tail orientation they are a minimum of 41 kilobases apart and show no sign of gene conversion. No expression in P. lamarckii appendage development has been observed, which conflicts with the supposed conserved role of these genes in animal appendage development. These Dlx duplications do not appear to be annelid-wide, as the polychaete Platynereis dumerilii likely possesses only one Dlx gene. Conclusions On the basis of the currently accepted annelid phylogeny, we hypothesise that one Dlx duplication occurred in the annelid lineage after the divergence of P. dumerilii from the other lineages and these duplicates then had varied evolutionary fates in different species. We also propose that the ancestral role of Dlx genes is not related to appendage development.

The transcription factor Nerfin-1 prevents reversion of neurons into neural stem cells.

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Froldi, Francesca; Szuperak, Milan; Weng, Chen-Fang; Shi, Wei; Papenfuss, Anthony T; Cheng, Louise Y

2015-01-15

Cellular dedifferentiation is the regression of a cell from a specialized state to a more multipotent state and is implicated in cancer. However, the transcriptional network that prevents differentiated cells from reacquiring stem cell fate is so far unclear. Neuroblasts (NBs), the Drosophila neural stem cells, are a model for the regulation of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Here we show that the Drosophila zinc finger transcription factor Nervous fingers 1 (Nerfin-1) locks neurons into differentiation, preventing their reversion into NBs. Following Prospero-dependent neuronal specification in the ganglion mother cell (GMC), a Nerfin-1-specific transcriptional program maintains differentiation in the post-mitotic neurons. The loss of Nerfin-1 causes reversion to multipotency and results in tumors in several neural lineages. Both the onset and rate of neuronal dedifferentiation in nerfin-1 mutant lineages are dependent on Myc- and target of rapamycin (Tor)-mediated cellular growth. In addition, Nerfin-1 is required for NB differentiation at the end of neurogenesis. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis show that Nerfin-1 administers its function by repression of self-renewing-specific and activation of differentiation-specific genes. Our findings support the model of bidirectional interconvertibility between neural stem cells and their post-mitotic progeny and highlight the importance of the Nerfin-1-regulated transcriptional program in neuronal maintenance. © 2015 Froldi et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

FGF8 signaling sustains progenitor status and multipotency of cranial neural crest-derived mesenchymal cells in vivo and in vitro

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Shao, Meiying; Liu, Chao; Song, Yingnan; Ye, Wenduo; He, Wei; Yuan, Guohua; Gu, Shuping; Lin, Congxin; Ma, Liang; Zhang, Yanding; Tian, Weidong; Hu, Tao; Chen, YiPing

2015-01-01

The cranial neural crest (CNC) cells play a vital role in craniofacial development and regeneration. They are multi-potent progenitors, being able to differentiate into various types of tissues. Both pre-migratory and post-migratory CNC cells are plastic, taking on diverse fates by responding to different inductive signals. However, what sustains the multipotency of CNC cells and derivatives remains largely unknown. In this study, we present evidence that FGF8 signaling is able to sustain progenitor status and multipotency of CNC-derived mesenchymal cells both in vivo and in vitro. We show that augmented FGF8 signaling in pre-migratory CNC cells prevents cell differentiation and organogenesis in the craniofacial region by maintaining their progenitor status. CNC-derived mesenchymal cells with Fgf8 overexpression or control cells in the presence of exogenous FGF8 exhibit prolonged survival, proliferation, and multi-potent differentiation capability in cell cultures. Remarkably, exogenous FGF8 also sustains the capability of CNC-derived mesenchymal cells to participate in organogenesis such as odontogenesis. Furthermore, FGF8-mediated signaling strongly promotes adipogenesis but inhibits osteogenesis of CNC-derived mesenchymal cells in vitro. Our results reveal a specific role for FGF8 in the maintenance of progenitor status and in fate determination of CNC cells, implicating a potential application in expansion and fate manipulation of CNC-derived cells in stem cell-based craniofacial regeneration. PMID:26243590

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha impairs neuronal differentiation but not proliferation of hippocampal neural precursor cells: Role of Hes1.

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Keohane, Aoife; Ryan, Sinead; Maloney, Eimer; Sullivan, Aideen M; Nolan, Yvonne M

2010-01-01

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, which influences neuronal survival and function yet there is limited information available on its effects on hippocampal neural precursor cells (NPCs). We show that TNFalpha treatment during proliferation had no effect on the percentage of proliferating cells prepared from embryonic rat hippocampal neurosphere cultures, nor did it affect cell fate towards either an astrocytic or neuronal lineage when cells were then allowed to differentiate. However, when cells were differentiated in the presence of TNFalpha, significantly reduced percentages of newly born and post-mitotic neurons, significantly increased percentages of astrocytes and increased expression of TNFalpha receptors, TNF-R1 and TNF-R2, as well as expression of the anti-neurogenic Hes1 gene, were observed. These data indicate that exposure of hippocampal NPCs to TNFalpha when they are undergoing differentiation but not proliferation has a detrimental effect on their neuronal lineage fate, which may be mediated through increased expression of Hes1. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamic positional fate map of the primary heart-forming region.

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Cui, Cheng; Cheuvront, Tracey J; Lansford, Rusty D; Moreno-Rodriguez, Ricardo A; Schultheiss, Thomas M; Rongish, Brenda J

2009-08-15

Here we show the temporal-spatial orchestration of early heart morphogenesis at cellular level resolution, in vivo, and reconcile conflicting positional fate mapping data regarding the primary heart-forming field(s). We determined the positional fates of precardiac cells using a precision electroporation approach in combination with wide-field time-lapse microscopy in the quail embryo, a warm-blooded vertebrate (HH Stages 4 through 10). Contrary to previous studies, the results demonstrate the existence of a "continuous" circle-shaped heart field that spans the midline, appearing at HH Stage 4, which then expands to form a wide arc of progenitors at HH Stages 5-7. Our time-resolved image data show that a subset of these cardiac progenitor cells do not overlap with the expression of common cardiogenic factors, Nkx-2.5 and Bmp-2, until HH Stage 10, when a tubular heart has formed, calling into question when cardiac fate is specified and by which key factors. Sub-groups and anatomical bands (cohorts) of heart precursor cells dramatically change their relative positions in a process largely driven by endodermal folding and other large-scale tissue deformations. Thus, our novel dynamic positional fate maps resolve the origin of cardiac progenitor cells in amniotes. The data also establish the concept that tissue motion contributes significantly to cellular position fate - i.e., much of the cellular displacement that occurs during assembly of a midline heart tube (HH Stage 9) is NOT due to "migration" (autonomous motility), a commonly held belief. Computational analysis of our time-resolved data lays the foundation for more precise analyses of how cardiac gene regulatory networks correlate with early heart tissue morphogenesis in birds and mammals.

A review of the fate of engineered nanomaterials in municipal solid waste streams.

Science.gov (United States)

Part, Florian; Berge, Nicole; Baran, Paweł; Stringfellow, Anne; Sun, Wenjie; Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon; Mitrano, Denise; Li, Liang; Hennebert, Pierre; Quicker, Peter; Bolyard, Stephanie C; Huber-Humer, Marion

2018-05-01

Significant knowledge and data gaps associated with the fate of product-embedded engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in waste management processes exist that limit our current ability to develop appropriate end-of-life management strategies. This review paper was developed as part of the activities of the IWWG ENMs in Waste Task Group. The specific objectives of this review paper are to assess the current knowledge associated with the fate of ENMs in commonly used waste management processes, including key processes and mechanisms associated with ENM fate and transport in each waste management process, and to use that information to identify the data gaps and research needs in this area. Literature associated with the fate of ENMs in wastes was reviewed and summarized. Overall, results from this literature review indicate a need for continued research in this area. No work has been conducted to quantify ENMs present in discarded materials and an understanding of ENM release from consumer products under conditions representative of those found in relevant waste management process is needed. Results also indicate that significant knowledge gaps associated with ENM behaviour exist for each waste management process investigated. There is a need for additional research investigating the fate of different types of ENMs at larger concentration ranges with different surface chemistries. Understanding how changes in treatment process operation may influence ENM fate is also needed. A series of specific research questions associated with the fate of ENMs during the management of ENM-containing wastes have been identified and used to direct future research in this area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating Global “Blue Carbon” Emissions from Conversion and Degradation of Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Brian C.; Crooks, Stephen; Jenkins, W. Aaron; Sifleet, Samantha; Craft, Christopher; Fourqurean, James W.; Kauffman, J. Boone; Marbà, Núria; Megonigal, Patrick; Pidgeon, Emily; Herr, Dorothee; Gordon, David; Baldera, Alexis

2012-01-01

Recent attention has focused on the high rates of annual carbon sequestration in vegetated coastal ecosystems—marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses—that may be lost with habitat destruction (‘conversion’). Relatively unappreciated, however, is that conversion of these coastal ecosystems also impacts very large pools of previously-sequestered carbon. Residing mostly in sediments, this ‘blue carbon’ can be released to the atmosphere when these ecosystems are converted or degraded. Here we provide the first global estimates of this impact and evaluate its economic implications. Combining the best available data on global area, land-use conversion rates, and near-surface carbon stocks in each of the three ecosystems, using an uncertainty-propagation approach, we estimate that 0.15–1.02 Pg (billion tons) of carbon dioxide are being released annually, several times higher than previous estimates that account only for lost sequestration. These emissions are equivalent to 3–19% of those from deforestation globally, and result in economic damages of $US 6–42 billion annually. The largest sources of uncertainty in these estimates stems from limited certitude in global area and rates of land-use conversion, but research is also needed on the fates of ecosystem carbon upon conversion. Currently, carbon emissions from the conversion of vegetated coastal ecosystems are not included in emissions accounting or carbon market protocols, but this analysis suggests they may be disproportionally important to both. Although the relevant science supporting these initial estimates will need to be refined in coming years, it is clear that policies encouraging the sustainable management of coastal ecosystems could significantly reduce carbon emissions from the land-use sector, in addition to sustaining the well-recognized ecosystem services of coastal habitats. PMID:22962585

On the muon-nucleus integrals entering the neutrinoless μ- → e- conversion rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosmas, T S; Lagaris, I E

2002-01-01

The muon-nucleus integrals which determine the nuclear-structure dependence of the branching ratio R μe , i.e. the rate of the flavour-changing muon-electron conversion divided by the total rate of the ordinary muon capture, are extensively studied. Precise muon wavefunctions are employed which are obtained by solving the Schroedinger and Dirac equations. To this aim a method based on modern neural network techniques is developed which gives the radial muon wavefunctions as a linear combination of sigmoid functions

Influence of neural adaptation on dynamics and equilibrium state of neural activities in a ring neural network

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Takiyama, Ken

2017-12-01

How neural adaptation affects neural information processing (i.e. the dynamics and equilibrium state of neural activities) is a central question in computational neuroscience. In my previous works, I analytically clarified the dynamics and equilibrium state of neural activities in a ring-type neural network model that is widely used to model the visual cortex, motor cortex, and several other brain regions. The neural dynamics and the equilibrium state in the neural network model corresponded to a Bayesian computation and statistically optimal multiple information integration, respectively, under a biologically inspired condition. These results were revealed in an analytically tractable manner; however, adaptation effects were not considered. Here, I analytically reveal how the dynamics and equilibrium state of neural activities in a ring neural network are influenced by spike-frequency adaptation (SFA). SFA is an adaptation that causes gradual inhibition of neural activity when a sustained stimulus is applied, and the strength of this inhibition depends on neural activities. I reveal that SFA plays three roles: (1) SFA amplifies the influence of external input in neural dynamics; (2) SFA allows the history of the external input to affect neural dynamics; and (3) the equilibrium state corresponds to the statistically optimal multiple information integration independent of the existence of SFA. In addition, the equilibrium state in a ring neural network model corresponds to the statistically optimal integration of multiple information sources under biologically inspired conditions, independent of the existence of SFA.

The concept of biologically motivated time-pulse information processing for design and construction of multifunctional devices of neural logic

Science.gov (United States)

Krasilenko, Vladimir G.; Nikolsky, Alexander I.; Lazarev, Alexander A.; Sholohov, V. I.

2004-04-01

On the basis of the analysis of advanced approaches and optoelectronic systems for realization of various logics: two-valued, multi-valued, neural, continuous and others the biologically motivated time-pulse conception for building of multifunctional reconfigurable universal elements with programmable tuning for neurobiologic is grounded. The concept consists in usage of preliminary conversion of multi-level or continuous optic 2D signals into durations of time intervals (the conversion to a temporal area) and further use of time-pulse two-level digital signals that allows to ensure fast tuning to a required function of two-valued, multi-valued and other logics. It is shown that optoelectronic pulse-phase and pulse-width modulators (PPM and PWM) are the base elements for that. Time-pulse coding universal elements for matrix two-valued and multi-valued logics and structural-functional design of universal time-pulse coding elements for neural (continuous) logic are considered in the article. PPMs realized on 1.5μm technology CMOS transistors are considered. The PPMs have parameters: the input photocurrent range is 10nA...10μA the conversion period is 10μs...1ms the conversion relative error is 0.1...1%; the conversion law is ramp; the supply voltage is 3V and the power consumption is 83μW. The small power consumption of such PPMs enables successfully their integration in 2Darray with size of 128x128 elements and more and productivity equals 1...10 Giga continuous logic operations per sec.

Application of neural network to multi-dimensional design window search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kugo, T.; Nakagawa, M.

1996-01-01

In the reactor core design, many parametric survey calculations should be carried out to decide an optimal set of basic design parameter values. They consume a large amount of computation time and labor in the conventional way. To support directly such a work, we investigate a procedure to search efficiently a design window, which is defined as feasible design parameter ranges satisfying design criteria and requirements, in a multi-dimensional space composed of several basic design parameters. A principle of the present method is to construct the multilayer neural network to simulate quickly a response of an analysis code through a training process, and to reduce computation time using the neural network as a substitute of an analysis code. We apply the present method to a fuel pin design of high conversion light water reactors for the neutronics and thermal hydraulics fields to demonstrate performances of the method. (author)

Developing climatic scenarios for pesticide fate modelling in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blenkinsop, S.; Fowler, H.J.; Dubus, I.G.; Nolan, B.T.; Hollis, J.M.

2008-01-01

A climatic classification for Europe suitable for pesticide fate modelling was constructed using a 3-stage process involving the identification of key climatic variables, the extraction of the dominant modes of spatial variability in those variables and the use of k-means clustering to identify regions with similar climates. The procedure identified 16 coherent zones that reflect the variability of climate across Europe whilst maintaining a manageable number of zones for subsequent modelling studies. An analysis of basic climatic parameters for each zone demonstrates the success of the scheme in identifying distinct climatic regions. Objective criteria were used to identify one representative 26-year daily meteorological series from a European dataset for each zone. The representativeness of each series was then verified against the zonal classifications. These new FOOTPRINT climate zones provide a state-of-the-art objective classification of European climate complete with representative daily data that are suitable for use in pesticide fate modelling. - The FOOTPRINT climatic zones provide an objective climatic classification and daily climate series that may be used for the modelling of pesticide fate across Europe

Comparative Analysis Between Flaviviruses Reveals Specific Neural Stem Cell Tropism for Zika Virus in the Mouse Developing Neocortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Baptiste Brault

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The recent Zika outbreak in South America and French Polynesia was associated with an epidemic of microcephaly, a disease characterized by a reduced size of the cerebral cortex. Other members of the Flavivirus genus, including West Nile virus (WNV, can cause encephalitis but were not demonstrated to cause microcephaly. It remains unclear whether Zika virus (ZIKV and other flaviviruses may infect different cell populations in the developing neocortex and lead to distinct developmental defects. Here, we describe an assay to infect mouse E15 embryonic brain slices with ZIKV, WNV and dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV-4. We show that this tissue is able to support viral replication of ZIKV and WNV, but not DENV-4. Cell fate analysis reveals a remarkable tropism of ZIKV infection for neural stem cells. Closely related WNV displays a very different tropism of infection, with a bias towards neurons. We further show that ZIKV infection, but not WNV infection, impairs cell cycle progression of neural stem cells. Both viruses inhibited apoptosis at early stages of infection. This work establishes a powerful comparative approach to identify ZIKV-specific alterations in the developing neocortex and reveals specific preferential infection of neural stem cells by ZIKV.

Fate control and well-being in Chinese rural people living with HIV: mediation effect of resilience.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Nancy Xiaonan; Zhang, Jianxin; Chow, Amy Y M; Chan, Celia H Y; Chan, Cecilia L W

2017-01-01

Fate control has been often misconceptualized as a superstitious belief and overlooked in health psychology. It is not known how this cultural belief might impact the well-being of Chinese people living with HIV. This study examined the protective role of fate control for well-being and the potential mediation effect of resilience. Participants in this study were rural patients who contracted HIV via commercial blood donation. In this cross-sectional survey, 250 participants completed measures of fate control, well-being, and resilience. The results showed that fate control and resilience were positively associated with well-being. Resilience mediated the association between fate control and well-being. Our findings provide insight into the adaptive function of fate control as a cognitive defensive mechanism and highlight the need to incorporate this cultural belief in developing culturally sensitive intervention programs for resilience enhancement tailored for this understudied population infected with HIV living in rural China.

Donor conversion and procurement failure: the fate of our potential organ donors.

Science.gov (United States)

Branco, Bernardino C; Inaba, Kenji; Lam, Lydia; Salim, Ali; Barmparas, Galinos; Teixeira, Pedro G R; Talving, Peep; Demetriades, Demetrios

2011-02-01

Donor availability remains the primary limiting factor for organ transplantation today. The purpose of this study was to examine the causes of procurement failure amongst potential organ donors. After Institutional Review Board approval, all surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients admitted to the LAC+USC Medical Center from 01/2006 to 12/2008 who became potential organ donors were identified. Demographics, clinical data, and procurement data were abstracted. In non-donors, the causes of procurement failure were documented. During the 3-year study period, a total of 254 patients were evaluated for organ donation. Mean age was 44.8±18.7 years; 191 (75.2%) were male, 136 (53.5%) were Hispanic, and 148 (58.3%) were trauma patients. Of the 254 patients, 116 (45.7%) were not eligible for donation: 34 had multi-system organ failure, 24 did not progress to brain death and had support withdrawn, 18 had uncontrolled sepsis, 15 had malignancy, 6 had human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B or C, and 19 patients had other contraindications to organ donation. Of the remaining 138 eligible patients, 83 (60.2%) did not donate: 56 because the family denied consent, 9 by their own choice. In six, next of kin could not be located, five died because of hemodynamic instability before organ procurement was possible, four had organs that could not be placed, and three had their organs declined by the organ procurement organization. The overall consent rate was 57.5% (n=67). From the 55 donors, 255 organs were procured (yield 4.6 organs/donor). Of all patients screened for organ donation, only a fifth actually donated. Denial of consent was the major potentially preventable cause of procurement failure, whereas hemodynamic instability accounted for only a small percentage of donor losses. With such low conversion rates, the preventable causes of procurement failure warrant further study.

Differentially expressed genes in iron-induced prion protein conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Minsun; Kim, Eun-hee; Choi, Bo-Ran; Woo, Hee-Jong

2016-01-01

The conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrP C ) to the protease-resistant isoform is the key event in chronic neurodegenerative diseases, including transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Increased iron in prion-related disease has been observed due to the prion protein-ferritin complex. Additionally, the accumulation and conversion of recombinant PrP (rPrP) is specifically derived from Fe(III) but not Fe(II). Fe(III)-mediated PK-resistant PrP (PrP res ) conversion occurs within a complex cellular environment rather than via direct contact between rPrP and Fe(III). In this study, differentially expressed genes correlated with prion degeneration by Fe(III) were identified using Affymetrix microarrays. Following Fe(III) treatment, 97 genes were differentially expressed, including 85 upregulated genes and 12 downregulated genes (≥1.5-fold change in expression). However, Fe(II) treatment produced moderate alterations in gene expression without inducing dramatic alterations in gene expression profiles. Moreover, functional grouping of identified genes indicated that the differentially regulated genes were highly associated with cell growth, cell maintenance, and intra- and extracellular transport. These findings showed that Fe(III) may influence the expression of genes involved in PrP folding by redox mechanisms. The identification of genes with altered expression patterns in neural cells may provide insights into PrP conversion mechanisms during the development and progression of prion-related diseases. - Highlights: • Differential genes correlated with prion degeneration by Fe(III) were identified. • Genes were identified in cell proliferation and intra- and extracellular transport. • In PrP degeneration, redox related genes were suggested. • Cbr2, Rsad2, Slc40a1, Amph and Mvd were expressed significantly.

Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans as Drivers of Neural Progenitors Derived From Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Okolicsanyi, Rachel K; Oikari, Lotta E; Yu, Chieh; Griffiths, Lyn R; Haupt, Larisa M

2018-01-01

Background: Due to their relative ease of isolation and their high ex vivo and in vitro expansive potential, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are an attractive candidate for therapeutic applications in the treatment of brain injury and neurological diseases. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are a family of ubiquitous proteins involved in a number of vital cellular processes including proliferation and stem cell lineage differentiation. Methods: Following the determination that hMSCs maintain neural potential throughout extended in vitro expansion, we examined the role of HSPGs in mediating the neural potential of hMSCs. hMSCs cultured in basal conditions (undifferentiated monolayer cultures) were found to co-express neural markers and HSPGs throughout expansion with modulation of the in vitro niche through the addition of exogenous HS influencing cellular HSPG and neural marker expression. Results: Conversion of hMSCs into hMSC Induced Neurospheres (hMSC IN) identified distinctly localized HSPG staining within the spheres along with altered gene expression of HSPG core protein and biosynthetic enzymes when compared to undifferentiated hMSCs. Conclusion: Comparison of markers of pluripotency, neural self-renewal and neural lineage specification between hMSC IN, hMSC and human neural stem cell (hNSC H9) cultures suggest that in vitro generated hMSC IN may represent an intermediary neurogenic cell type, similar to a common neural progenitor cell. In addition, this data demonstrates HSPGs and their biosynthesis machinery, are associated with hMSC IN formation. The identification of specific HSPGs driving hMSC lineage-specification will likely provide new markers to allow better use of hMSCs in therapeutic applications and improve our understanding of human neurogenesis.

Nonsense-Mediated RNA Decay Influences Human Embryonic Stem Cell Fate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Hong Lou

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD is a highly conserved pathway that selectively degrades specific subsets of RNA transcripts. Here, we provide evidence that NMD regulates early human developmental cell fate. We found that NMD factors tend to be expressed at higher levels in human pluripotent cells than in differentiated cells, raising the possibility that NMD must be downregulated to permit differentiation. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs demonstrated that, indeed, NMD downregulation is essential for efficient generation of definitive endoderm. RNA-seq analysis identified NMD target transcripts induced when NMD is suppressed in hESCs, including many encoding signaling components. This led us to test the role of TGF-β and BMP signaling, which we found NMD acts through to influence definitive endoderm versus mesoderm fate. Our results suggest that selective RNA decay is critical for specifying the developmental fate of specific human embryonic cell lineages.

The Effect of Agmatine on Expression of IL-1β and TLX Which Promotes Neuronal Differentiation in Lipopolysaccharide-Treated Neural Progenitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Juhyun; Kumar, Bokara Kiran; Kang, Somang; Park, Kyung Ah; Lee, Won Taek; Lee, Jong Eun

2013-12-01

Differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) is important for protecting neural cells and brain tissue during inflammation. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) is the most common pro- inflammatory cytokine in brain inflammation, and increased IL-1β levels can decrease the proliferation of NPCs. We aimed to investigate whether agmatine (Agm), a primary polyamine that protects neural cells, could trigger differentiation of NPCs by activating IL-1β in vitro. The cortex of ICR mouse embryos (E14) was dissociated to culture NPCs. NPCs were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After 6 days, protein expression of stem cell markers and differentiation signal factors was confirmed by using western blot analysis. Also, immunocytochemistry was used to confirm the cell fate. Agm treatment activated NPC differentiation significantly more than in the control group, which was evident by the increased expression of a neuronal marker, MAP2, in the LPS-induced, Agm-treated group. Differentiation of LPS-induced, Agm-treated NPCs was regulated by the MAPK pathway and is thought to be related to IL-1β activation and decreased expression of TLX, a transcription factor that regulates NPC differentiation. Our results reveal that Agm can promote NPC differentiation to neural stem cells by modulating IL-1β expression under inflammatory condition, and they suggest that Agm may be a novel therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammatory diseases.

The linear interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic noises ensures a high accuracy of cell fate selection in budding yeast

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yongkai; Yi, Ming; Zou, Xiufen

2014-01-01

To gain insights into the mechanisms of cell fate decision in a noisy environment, the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic noises on cell fate are explored at the single cell level. Specifically, we theoretically define the impulse of Cln1/2 as an indication of cell fates. The strong dependence between the impulse of Cln1/2 and cell fates is exhibited. Based on the simulation results, we illustrate that increasing intrinsic fluctuations causes the parallel shift of the separation ratio of Whi5P but that increasing extrinsic fluctuations leads to the mixture of different cell fates. Our quantitative study also suggests that the strengths of intrinsic and extrinsic noises around an approximate linear model can ensure a high accuracy of cell fate selection. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the selection of cell fates is an entropy-decreasing process. In addition, we reveal that cell fates are significantly correlated with the range of entropy decreases. PMID:25042292

Characterization of 2nd generation biomass under thermal conversion and the fate of nitrogen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giuntoli, J.

2010-11-17

This dissertation deals with the characterization of several biomass materials under thermal conversion conditions using small-scale equipment. The fuels are tested under the conditions of slow and fast heating rate pyrolysis and combustion, with the main goal of investigating the chemistry of fuel-bound nitrogen. Among renewable sources, biomass materials hold a special position because they can, in the short term, substitute or integrate fossil fuels in all of their applications applying comparatively few changes to the existing equipment. Biomass wastes, from agriculture or other processes, are convenient in more respects since their use would not only substitute fossil fuels but it would also valorize waste streams. These materials, however, present several issues that are highly delaying their deployment on a large scale. Three of the most important problems are dealt with in this thesis: the heterogeneous nature of the materials, high amount of ash forming matter containing troublesome compounds such as K, Cl and P, and finally, high content of nitrogen. First of all, many biomass residues contain a higher amount of nitrogen compared with woody biomass or even coal. This high content of fuel-N could directly translate into high NOx emissions in combustion conditions or into a high content of nitrogen containing gases such as NH3 and HCN in the syngas from gasification. Primary measures, such as air staging, can be applied directly in the reactor in order to promote the reduction of NOx and NOx--precursors to molecular nitrogen. However, in order to apply such measures and optimize the syngas composition or minimize emissions without relying on expensive catalysts, a detailed knowledge of the mechanisms of fuel-N conversion is required. This thesis has as its main purpose to study the release of volatile nitrogen compounds under pyrolysis conditions and the analysis of the emissions of NO under combustion conditions from high-N fuels. Secondly, as explained in

Functional networks of motor inhibition in conversion disorder patients and feigning subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Hassa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The neural correlates of motor inhibition leading to paresis in conversion disorder are not well known. The key question is whether they are different of those of normal subjects feigning the symptoms. Thirteen conversion disorder patients with hemiparesis and twelve healthy controls were investigated using functional magnetic resonance tomography under conditions of passive motor stimulation of the paretic/feigned paretic and the non-paretic hand. Healthy controls were also investigated in a non-feigning condition. During passive movement of the affected right hand conversion disorder patients exhibited activations in the bilateral triangular part of the inferior frontal gyri (IFG, with a left side dominance compared to controls in non-feigning condition. Feigning controls revealed for the same condition a weak unilateral activation in the right triangular part of IFG and an activity decrease in frontal midline areas, which couldn't be observed in patients. The results suggest that motor inhibition in conversion disorder patients is mediated by the IFG that was also involved in inhibition processes in normal subjects. The activity pattern in feigning controls resembled that of conversion disorder patients but with a clear difference in the medial prefrontal cortex. Healthy controls showed decreased activity in this region during feigning compared to non-feigning conditions suggesting a reduced sense of self-agency during feigning. Remarkably, no activity differences could be observed in medial prefrontal cortex for patients vs healthy controls in feigning or non-feigning conditions suggesting self-agency related activity in patients to be in between those of non-feigning and feigning healthy subjects.

Functional networks of motor inhibition in conversion disorder patients and feigning subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassa, Thomas; de Jel, Esther; Tuescher, Oliver; Schmidt, Roger; Schoenfeld, Mircea Ariel

2016-01-01

The neural correlates of motor inhibition leading to paresis in conversion disorder are not well known. The key question is whether they are different of those of normal subjects feigning the symptoms. Thirteen conversion disorder patients with hemiparesis and twelve healthy controls were investigated using functional magnetic resonance tomography under conditions of passive motor stimulation of the paretic/feigned paretic and the non-paretic hand. Healthy controls were also investigated in a non-feigning condition. During passive movement of the affected right hand conversion disorder patients exhibited activations in the bilateral triangular part of the inferior frontal gyri (IFG), with a left side dominance compared to controls in non-feigning condition. Feigning controls revealed for the same condition a weak unilateral activation in the right triangular part of IFG and an activity decrease in frontal midline areas, which couldn't be observed in patients. The results suggest that motor inhibition in conversion disorder patients is mediated by the IFG that was also involved in inhibition processes in normal subjects. The activity pattern in feigning controls resembled that of conversion disorder patients but with a clear difference in the medial prefrontal cortex. Healthy controls showed decreased activity in this region during feigning compared to non-feigning conditions suggesting a reduced sense of self-agency during feigning. Remarkably, no activity differences could be observed in medial prefrontal cortex for patients vs healthy controls in feigning or non-feigning conditions suggesting self-agency related activity in patients to be in between those of non-feigning and feigning healthy subjects.

Intensification of biodiesel production from waste goat tallow using infrared radiation: Process evaluation through response surface methodology and artificial neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakraborty, R.; Sahu, H.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Enhanced and significantly accelerated biodiesel synthesis from waste goat tallow by infrared radiation. • In situ water removal by adsorbent profoundly promotes achieving high free fatty acids (FFAs) conversion. • Process optimization and parametric interaction-effects assessment by response surface method. • Artificial Neural Network Modeling for prediction of triglycerides and FFA conversion. • At optimal conditions, product biodiesel contains 98.5 wt.% FAME. - Abstract: For the first time, an efficient simultaneous trans/esterification process for biodiesel synthesis from waste goat tallow with considerable free fatty acids (FFAs) content has been explored employing an infrared radiation assisted reactor (IRAR). The impacts of methanol to tallow molar ratio, IRAR temperature and H 2 SO 4 concentration on goat tallow conversion were evaluated by response surface methodology (RSM). Under optimal conditions, 96.7% FFA conversion was achieved within 2.5 h at 59.93 wt.% H 2 SO 4 , 69.97 °C IRAR temperature and 31.88:1 methanol to tallow molar ratio. The experimental results were also modeled using artificial neural network (ANN) and marginal improvement in modeling efficiency was observed in comparison with RSM. The infrared radiation strategy could significantly accelerate the conversion process as demonstrated through a substantial reduction in reaction time compared to conventionally heated reactor while providing appreciably high biodiesel yield. Moreover, the in situ water removal using silica-gel adsorbent could also facilitate achieving higher FFA conversion to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). Owing to the occurrence of simultaneous transesterification of triglycerides present in goat tallow, overall 98.5 wt.% FAME content was determined at optimal conditions in the product biodiesel which conformed to ASTM and EN biodiesel specifications

Application of neural networks to the petroleum refining industry; Aplicando redes neurais a industria de refino de petroleo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, R M.C.F. da [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Chaves, C. [Fundacao Gorceix, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2000-07-01

Neural Network technology is an approach for describing behavior from process data, using mathematical algorithms and statistical techniques. The use of Neural Network in industrial process modeling and property estimation of feedstocks or products, is increasing in several kinds of chemical industries. This paper comments about critical successful factors, advantages and disadvantages of this methodology. Moreover, it presents some applications in Hydrotreating Process of the petroleum refining industry. In Hydrotreating of feedstocks, knowledge about characteristics of process regarding product property estimation, hydrogen consumption and removal of contaminants (sulfur, nitrogen, aromatics), are very important to process optimization, product specification and environment protection. The Neural Network technique has been used to model the behaviour of the chemical hydrogen consumption, the conversions of the hydrogenation of aromatic hydrocarbons, hydrodesulfurization and hydro denitrogenation reactions and the physical properties of product with operational conditions and feedstock properties. In addition, Neural Networks have been built to predict the cetane number of feedstocks. (author)

Modelling the Fate of Xenobiotic Trace Chemicals via Wastewater Treatment and Agricultural Resource Reuse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Polesel, Fabio

the comprehension of XTC fate, and thus the predictive capabilities of fate models: (i) at process scale, with a focus on sorption and biological transformation of XTCs in biological treatment systems; (ii) in full-scale WWTPs, assessing the impact of retransformation and WWTP operation on XTC elimination; and (iii......) in integrated WWTP-agricultural systems. Different modelling tools, suiting the specific purposes of our investigations, were developed, extended and/or innovatively applied. Fate models used as reference in this thesis include: the Activated Sludge Modelling framework for Xenobiotics (ASM-X); the generic WWTP...... model SimpleTreat Activity; and the dynamic soil-plant model for fate prediction in agricultural systems. Experimental and model-based observations were combined to assess sorption of ionizable XTCs onto activated sludge and XTC biotransformation in moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs). Most XTCs...

SOXE neofunctionalization and elaboration of the neural crest during chordate evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Andrew; Cheung, Martin; Huang, Yong-Heng; Jauch, Ralf; Bronner, Marianne E.; Cheah, Kathryn S. E.

2016-01-01

During chordate evolution, two genome-wide duplications facilitated acquisition of vertebrate traits, including emergence of neural crest cells (NCCs), in which neofunctionalization of the duplicated genes are thought to have facilitated development of craniofacial structures and the peripheral nervous system. How these duplicated genes evolve and acquire the ability to specify NC and their derivatives are largely unknown. Vertebrate SoxE paralogues, most notably Sox9/10, are essential for NC induction, delamination and lineage specification. In contrast, the basal chordate, amphioxus, has a single SoxE gene and lacks NC-like cells. Here, we test the hypothesis that duplication and divergence of an ancestral SoxE gene may have facilitated elaboration of NC lineages. By using an in vivo expression assay to compare effects of AmphiSoxE and vertebrate Sox9 on NC development, we demonstrate that all SOXE proteins possess similar DNA binding and homodimerization properties and can induce NCCs. However, AmphiSOXE is less efficient than SOX9 in transactivation activity and in the ability to preferentially promote glial over neuronal fate, a difference that lies within the combined properties of amino terminal and transactivation domains. We propose that acquisition of AmphiSoxE expression in the neural plate border led to NCC emergence while duplication and divergence produced advantageous mutations in vertebrate homologues, promoting elaboration of NC traits. PMID:27734831

Challenges in assessing the environmental fate and exposure of nano silver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whiteley, Cherrie M; Jones, Kevin C; Sweetman, Andy J; Dalla Valle, Matteo

2011-01-01

There are significant challenges in assessing the fate and exposure of nano particles (NPs) owing to the lack of information on their use and potential pathways and sinks in the environment. This paper discusses these issues using nanosilver as a case study. The approach taken is to assess the production of nanosilver, the range of products that utilise its properties, potential environmental release pathways and subsequent fate. Estimates of UK nanosilver released into the environment have been made and sewage sludge identified as an important receiving compartment. This work aims to highlight the on-going challenges faced when assessing NPs in the environment. Using nanosilver as an example, difficulties in assessing production, use and release are discussed. The study also recommends a potential approach to assess the fate and behaviour assessment of nanosilver in the environment.

Insights into bird wing evolution and digit specification from polarizing region fate maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Towers, Matthew; Signolet, Jason; Sherman, Adrian; Sang, Helen; Tickle, Cheryll

2011-08-09

The proposal that birds descended from theropod dinosaurs with digits 2, 3 and 4 was recently given support by short-term fate maps, suggesting that the chick wing polarizing region-a group that Sonic hedgehog-expressing cells-gives rise to digit 4. Here we show using long-term fate maps that Green fluorescent protein-expressing chick wing polarizing region grafts contribute only to soft tissues along the posterior margin of digit 4, supporting fossil data that birds descended from theropods that had digits 1, 2 and 3. In contrast, digit IV of the chick leg with four digits (I-IV) arises from the polarizing region. To determine how digit identity is specified over time, we inhibited Sonic hedgehog signalling. Fate maps show that polarizing region and adjacent cells are specified in parallel through a series of anterior to posterior digit fates-a process of digit specification that we suggest is involved in patterning all vertebrate limbs with more than three digits.

Integration of Neural Networks and Cellular Automata for Urban Planning

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Anthony Gar-on Yeh; LI Xia

2004-01-01

This paper presents a new type of cellular automata (CA) model for the simulation of alternative land development using neural networks for urban planning. CA models can be regarded as a planning tool because they can generate alternative urban growth. Alternative development patterns can be formed by using different sets of parameter values in CA simulation. A critical issue is how to define parameter values for realistic and idealized simulation. This paper demonstrates that neural networks can simplify CA models but generate more plausible results. The simulation is based on a simple three-layer network with an output neuron to generate conversion probability. No transition rules are required for the simulation. Parameter values are automatically obtained from the training of network by using satellite remote sensing data. Original training data can be assessed and modified according to planning objectives. Alternative urban patterns can be easily formulated by using the modified training data sets rather than changing the model.

Neural Point-and-Click Communication by a Person With Incomplete Locked-In Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Bacher, Daniel; Jarosiewicz, Beata; Masse, Nicolas Y; Stavisky, Sergey D; Simeral, John D; Newell, Katherine; Oakley, Erin M; Cash, Sydney S; Friehs, Gerhard; Hochberg, Leigh R

2015-06-01

A goal of brain-computer interface research is to develop fast and reliable means of communication for individuals with paralysis and anarthria. We evaluated the ability of an individual with incomplete locked-in syndrome enrolled in the BrainGate Neural Interface System pilot clinical trial to communicate using neural point-and-click control. A general-purpose interface was developed to provide control of a computer cursor in tandem with one of two on-screen virtual keyboards. The novel BrainGate Radial Keyboard was compared to a standard QWERTY keyboard in a balanced copy-spelling task. The Radial Keyboard yielded a significant improvement in typing accuracy and speed-enabling typing rates over 10 correct characters per minute. The participant used this interface to communicate face-to-face with research staff by using text-to-speech conversion, and remotely using an internet chat application. This study demonstrates the first use of an intracortical brain-computer interface for neural point-and-click communication by an individual with incomplete locked-in syndrome. © The Author(s) 2014.

Neural correlates of saccadic inhibition in healthy elderly and patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Science.gov (United States)

Alichniewicz, K. K.; Brunner, F.; Klünemann, H. H.; Greenlee, M. W.

2013-01-01

Performance on tasks that require saccadic inhibition declines with age and altered inhibitory functioning has also been reported in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Although mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is assumed to be a high-risk factor for conversion to AD, little is known about changes in saccadic inhibition and its neural correlates in this condition. Our study determined whether the neural activation associated with saccadic inhibition is altered in persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed decreased activation in parietal lobe in healthy elderly persons compared to young persons and decreased activation in frontal eye fields in aMCI patients compared to healthy elderly persons during the execution of anti-saccades. These results illustrate that the decline in inhibitory functions is associated with impaired frontal activation in aMCI. This alteration in function might reflect early manifestations of AD and provide new insights in the neural activation changes that occur in pathological ageing. PMID:23898312

Evolvable synthetic neural system

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Steven A. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

An evolvable synthetic neural system includes an evolvable neural interface operably coupled to at least one neural basis function. Each neural basis function includes an evolvable neural interface operably coupled to a heuristic neural system to perform high-level functions and an autonomic neural system to perform low-level functions. In some embodiments, the evolvable synthetic neural system is operably coupled to one or more evolvable synthetic neural systems in a hierarchy.

Neural electrical activity and neural network growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Gafarov, F M

2018-05-01

The development of central and peripheral neural system depends in part on the emergence of the correct functional connectivity in its input and output pathways. Now it is generally accepted that molecular factors guide neurons to establish a primary scaffold that undergoes activity-dependent refinement for building a fully functional circuit. However, a number of experimental results obtained recently shows that the neuronal electrical activity plays an important role in the establishing of initial interneuronal connections. Nevertheless, these processes are rather difficult to study experimentally, due to the absence of theoretical description and quantitative parameters for estimation of the neuronal activity influence on growth in neural networks. In this work we propose a general framework for a theoretical description of the activity-dependent neural network growth. The theoretical description incorporates a closed-loop growth model in which the neural activity can affect neurite outgrowth, which in turn can affect neural activity. We carried out the detailed quantitative analysis of spatiotemporal activity patterns and studied the relationship between individual cells and the network as a whole to explore the relationship between developing connectivity and activity patterns. The model, developed in this work will allow us to develop new experimental techniques for studying and quantifying the influence of the neuronal activity on growth processes in neural networks and may lead to a novel techniques for constructing large-scale neural networks by self-organization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Logic programming to predict cell fate patterns and retrodict genotypes in organogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Benjamin A; Jackson, Ethan; Hajnal, Alex; Fisher, Jasmin

2014-09-06

Caenorhabditis elegans vulval development is a paradigm system for understanding cell differentiation in the process of organogenesis. Through temporal and spatial controls, the fate pattern of six cells is determined by the competition of the LET-23 and the Notch signalling pathways. Modelling cell fate determination in vulval development using state-based models, coupled with formal analysis techniques, has been established as a powerful approach in predicting the outcome of combinations of mutations. However, computing the outcomes of complex and highly concurrent models can become prohibitive. Here, we show how logic programs derived from state machines describing the differentiation of C. elegans vulval precursor cells can increase the speed of prediction by four orders of magnitude relative to previous approaches. Moreover, this increase in speed allows us to infer, or 'retrodict', compatible genomes from cell fate patterns. We exploit this technique to predict highly variable cell fate patterns resulting from dig-1 reduced-function mutations and let-23 mosaics. In addition to the new insights offered, we propose our technique as a platform for aiding the design and analysis of experimental data. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Predicting the fate of micropollutants during wastewater treatment: Calibration and sensitivity analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Baalbaki, Zeina; Torfs, Elena; Yargeau, Viviane; Vanrolleghem, Peter A

2017-12-01

The presence of micropollutants in the environment and their toxic impacts on the aquatic environment have raised concern about their inefficient removal in wastewater treatment plants. In this study, the fate of micropollutants of four different classes was simulated in a conventional activated sludge plant using a bioreactor micropollutant fate model coupled to a settler model. The latter was based on the Bürger-Diehl model extended for the first time to include micropollutant fate processes. Calibration of model parameters was completed by matching modelling results with full-scale measurements (i.e. including aqueous and particulate phase concentrations of micropollutants) obtained from a 4-day sampling campaign. Modelling results showed that further biodegradation takes place in the sludge blanket of the settler for the highly biodegradable caffeine, underlining the need for a reactive settler model. The adopted Monte Carlo based calibration approach also provided an overview of the model's global sensitivity to the parameters. This analysis showed that for each micropollutant and according to the dominant fate process, a different set of one or more parameters had a significant impact on the model fit, justifying the selection of parameter subsets for model calibration. A dynamic local sensitivity analysis was also performed with the calibrated parameters. This analysis supported the conclusions from the global sensitivity and provided guidance for future sampling campaigns. This study expands the understanding of micropollutant fate models when applied to different micropollutants, in terms of global and local sensitivity to model parameters, as well as the identifiability of the parameters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conversion of the fungicide, ziram in rice plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumarasamy, R.; Raghu, K.

1976-01-01

Zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate (ziram) is a toliar fungicide used for the control of the blast disease of rice caused by Pyricularia oryzae, and is also used for the control of the plant diseases in crops like groundnut, cotton, etc. Since there is lack of data on the conversion products of this fungicide. This investigation was carried out. The results of the author's recent studies with 35 S-labelled ziram in rice seedlings were reported. The 35 S-Labelled ziram (specific activity 1.5 m Ci/m mole) was sprayed on the rice seedlings of 25 days old. At different intervals of time, the seedlings were removed, washed thoroughly, cut into pieces, and extracted with 80% ethanol. By the method described in ''K. Raghu et al., Origin and fate of chemical residents in food, agriculture and fisheries, I.A.E.A., Vienna, 1975, pp. 137-148,'' the segments corresponding to the standards of dimethyl dithio carbamate-alanine (DDCA), DDC-glucoside (DDCG), thiazolidine-2-thione-4-carbamic acid (TTCA), unidentified divolent fungicide (X), and ziram were cut out and the radioactivity was counted in cocktail D scintillation fluid using an LS-100 Beckmann liquid scintillation counter. It is indeed interesting to note that ziram is converted in plant tissues into dimethyldithiocarbamate derivatives like DDCG, DDCA, TTCA and X within 24 hr after spraying. The amounts of these derivatives varied in the course of sampling up to 8 days after spraying. Further studies are needed as to the quantitative nature of these products, but the present report clearly demonstrates the formation of these conversion products in the rice leaves treated with ziram. (Kobatake, H.)

MicroRNA Cluster miR-17-92 Regulates Neural Stem Cell Expansion and Transition to Intermediate Progenitors in the Developing Mouse Neocortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shan Bian

2013-05-01

Full Text Available During development of the embryonic neocortex, tightly regulated expansion of neural stem cells (NSCs and their transition to intermediate progenitors (IPs are critical for normal cortical formation and function. Molecular mechanisms that regulate NSC expansion and transition remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the microRNA (miRNA miR-17-92 cluster is required for maintaining proper populations of cortical radial glial cells (RGCs and IPs through repression of Pten and Tbr2 protein. Knockout of miR-17-92 and its paralogs specifically in the developing neocortex restricts NSC proliferation, suppresses RGC expansion, and promotes transition of RGCs to IPs. Moreover, Pten and Tbr2 protectors specifically block silencing activities of endogenous miR-17-92 and control proper numbers of RGCs and IPs in vivo. Our results demonstrate a critical role for miRNAs in promoting NSC proliferation and modulating the cell-fate decision of generating distinct neural progenitors in the developing neocortex.

Increase of conversion efficiency and energy efficiency by coupling of the biomass conversion process and modulating operated biogas production with a decentralized energy supply; Steigerung der Wandlungs- und Energieeffizienz durch Kopplung von Biomassekonversionsverfahren und modulierend betriebene Biogasproduktion mit dezentraler Energiebereitstellung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bastian, Oliver

2012-11-01

Only certain parts of cultivated plants can be used in the production of biofuels. The production of biogas enables a full utilization of crops, but supplies only a limited storable energy source. A full utilization of crops can be achieved when the conversion paths for biogas, bioethanol and biodiesel can be coupled via their source streams, and if the process energy is provided by a straw power plant. A modulating production of biogas improves the energy supply meeting the demands. Using a simulation model for the presentation of conversion plants, decentralized power supply, industrial load periphery and soil resource it can be shown that the energy output of arable land may be increased significantly. The variances of the electrical loads for the public electricity grid can be reduced by a modulating operation of the biogas plant in conjunction with the local energy supply. Due to the application of the digestate and fate of straw fractions in arable fields, the material cycles of nitrogen and carbon are closed to a large extent.

EVALUATION OF THE STATE-OF-THE-ART CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT AND FATE MODELING SYSTEM

Science.gov (United States)

Modeling approaches for evaluating the transport and fate of sediment and associated contaminants are briefly reviewed. The main emphasis is on: 1) the application of EFDC (Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code), the state-of-the-art contaminated sediment transport and fate public do...

The environmental release and fate of antibiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Manzetti, Sergio; Ghisi, Rossella

2014-02-15

Antibiotics have been used as medical remedies for over 50 years and have recently emerged as new pollutants in the environment. This review encompasses the fate of several antibiotics in the environment, including sulfonamides, nitrofurans, terfenadines, cephalosporins and cyclosporins. It investigates the cycle of transfer from humans and animals including their metabolic transformation. The results show that antibiotic metabolites are of considerable persistence and are localized to ground-water and drinking water supplies. Furthermore, the results also show that several phases of the cycle of antibiotics in the environment are not well understood, such as how low concentrations of antibiotic metabolites in the diet affect humans and animals. This review also shows that improved wastewater decontamination processes are remediating factors for these emerging pollutants. The results obtained here may help legislators and authorities in understanding the fate and transformation of antibiotics in the environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinct regulatory functions of calpain 1 and 2 during neural stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela M Santos

Full Text Available Calpains are calcium regulated cysteine proteases that have been described in a wide range of cellular processes, including apoptosis, migration and cell cycle regulation. In addition, calpains have been implicated in differentiation, but their impact on neural differentiation requires further investigation. Here, we addressed the role of calpain 1 and calpain 2 in neural stem cell (NSC self-renewal and differentiation. We found that calpain inhibition using either the chemical inhibitor calpeptin or the endogenous calpain inhibitor calpastatin favored differentiation of NSCs. This effect was associated with significant changes in cell cycle-related proteins and may be regulated by calcium. Interestingly, calpain 1 and calpain 2 were found to play distinct roles in NSC fate decision. Calpain 1 expression levels were higher in self-renewing NSC and decreased with differentiation, while calpain 2 increased throughout differentiation. In addition, calpain 1 silencing resulted in increased levels of both neuronal and glial markers, β-III Tubulin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP. Calpain 2 silencing elicited decreased levels of GFAP. These results support a role for calpain 1 in repressing differentiation, thus maintaining a proliferative NSC pool, and suggest that calpain 2 is involved in glial differentiation.

Addressing the complexity of water chemistry in environmental fate modeling for engineered nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sani-Kast, Nicole; Scheringer, Martin; Slomberg, Danielle; Labille, Jérôme; Praetorius, Antonia; Ollivier, Patrick; Hungerbühler, Konrad

2015-12-01

Engineered nanoparticle (ENP) fate models developed to date - aimed at predicting ENP concentration in the aqueous environment - have limited applicability because they employ constant environmental conditions along the modeled system or a highly specific environmental representation; both approaches do not show the effects of spatial and/or temporal variability. To address this conceptual gap, we developed a novel modeling strategy that: 1) incorporates spatial variability in environmental conditions in an existing ENP fate model; and 2) analyzes the effect of a wide range of randomly sampled environmental conditions (representing variations in water chemistry). This approach was employed to investigate the transport of nano-TiO2 in the Lower Rhône River (France) under numerous sets of environmental conditions. The predicted spatial concentration profiles of nano-TiO2 were then grouped according to their similarity by using cluster analysis. The analysis resulted in a small number of clusters representing groups of spatial concentration profiles. All clusters show nano-TiO2 accumulation in the sediment layer, supporting results from previous studies. Analysis of the characteristic features of each cluster demonstrated a strong association between the water conditions in regions close to the ENP emission source and the cluster membership of the corresponding spatial concentration profiles. In particular, water compositions favoring heteroaggregation between the ENPs and suspended particulate matter resulted in clusters of low variability. These conditions are, therefore, reliable predictors of the eventual fate of the modeled ENPs. The conclusions from this study are also valid for ENP fate in other large river systems. Our results, therefore, shift the focus of future modeling and experimental research of ENP environmental fate to the water characteristic in regions near the expected ENP emission sources. Under conditions favoring heteroaggregation in these

BETR Global - A geographically explicit global-scale multimedia contaminant fate model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macleod, M.; Waldow, H. von; Tay, P.; Armitage, J. M.; Wohrnschimmel, H.; Riley, W.; McKone, T. E.; Hungerbuhler, K.

2011-04-01

We present two new software implementations of the BETR Global multimedia contaminant fate model. The model uses steady-state or non-steady-state mass-balance calculations to describe the fate and transport of persistent organic pollutants using a desktop computer. The global environment is described using a database of long-term average monthly conditions on a 15{sup o} x 15{sup o} grid. We demonstrate BETR Global by modeling the global sources, transport, and removal of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5).

Uranium conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliver, Lena; Peterson, Jenny; Wilhelmsen, Katarina

2006-03-01

FOI, has performed a study on uranium conversion processes that are of importance in the production of different uranium compounds in the nuclear industry. The same conversion processes are of interest both when production of nuclear fuel and production of fissile material for nuclear weapons are considered. Countries that have nuclear weapons ambitions, with the intention to produce highly enriched uranium for weapons purposes, need some degree of uranium conversion capability depending on the uranium feed material available. This report describes the processes that are needed from uranium mining and milling to the different conversion processes for converting uranium ore concentrate to uranium hexafluoride. Uranium hexafluoride is the uranium compound used in most enrichment facilities. The processes needed to produce uranium dioxide for use in nuclear fuel and the processes needed to convert different uranium compounds to uranium metal - the form of uranium that is used in a nuclear weapon - are also presented. The production of uranium ore concentrate from uranium ore is included since uranium ore concentrate is the feed material required for a uranium conversion facility. Both the chemistry and principles or the different uranium conversion processes and the equipment needed in the processes are described. Since most of the equipment that is used in a uranium conversion facility is similar to that used in conventional chemical industry, it is difficult to determine if certain equipment is considered for uranium conversion or not. However, the chemical conversion processes where UF 6 and UF 4 are present require equipment that is made of corrosion resistant material

Sexy gene conversions: locating gene conversions on the X-chromosome.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Mark J; Zhang, Liqing

2009-08-01

Gene conversion can have a profound impact on both the short- and long-term evolution of genes and genomes. Here, we examined the gene families that are located on the X-chromosomes of human (Homo sapiens), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), mouse (Mus musculus) and rat (Rattus norvegicus) for evidence of gene conversion. We identified seven gene families (WD repeat protein family, Ferritin Heavy Chain family, RAS-related Protein RAB-40 family, Diphosphoinositol polyphosphate phosphohydrolase family, Transcription Elongation Factor A family, LDOC1-related family, Zinc Finger Protein ZIC, and GLI family) that show evidence of gene conversion. Through phylogenetic analyses and synteny evidence, we show that gene conversion has played an important role in the evolution of these gene families and that gene conversion has occurred independently in both primates and rodents. Comparing the results with those of two gene conversion prediction programs (GENECONV and Partimatrix), we found that both GENECONV and Partimatrix have very high false negative rates (i.e. failed to predict gene conversions), which leads to many undetected gene conversions. The combination of phylogenetic analyses with physical synteny evidence exhibits high resolution in the detection of gene conversions.

Heterogeneous fates and dynamic rearrangement of regenerative epidermis-derived cells during zebrafish fin regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibata, Eri; Ando, Kazunori; Murase, Emiko; Kawakami, Atsushi

2018-04-13

The regenerative epidermis (RE) is a specialized tissue that plays an essential role in tissue regeneration. However, the fate of the RE during and after regeneration is unknown. In this study, we performed Cre- loxP -mediated cell fate tracking and revealed the fates of a major population of the RE cells that express fibronectin 1b ( fn1b ) during zebrafish fin regeneration. Our study showed that these RE cells are mainly recruited from the inter-ray epidermis, and that they follow heterogeneous cell fates. Early recruited cells contribute to initial wound healing and soon disappear by apoptosis, while the later recruited cells contribute to the regenerated epidermis. Intriguingly, many of these cells are also expelled from the regenerated tissue by a dynamic caudal movement of the epidermis over time, and in turn the loss of epidermal cells is replenished by a global self-replication of basal and suprabasal cells in fin. De-differentiation of non-basal epidermal cells into the basal epidermal cells did not occur during regeneration. Overall, our study reveals the heterogeneous fates of RE cells and a dynamic rearrangement of the epidermis during and after regeneration. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Therapeutically engineered induced neural stem cells are tumour-homing and inhibit progression of glioblastoma

OpenAIRE

Bag?, Juli R.; Alfonso-Pecchio, Adolfo; Okolie, Onyi; Dumitru, Raluca; Rinkenbaugh, Amanda; Baldwin, Albert S.; Miller, C. Ryan; Magness, Scott T.; Hingtgen, Shawn D.

2016-01-01

Transdifferentiation (TD) is a recent advancement in somatic cell reprogramming. The direct conversion of TD eliminates the pluripotent intermediate state to create cells that are ideal for personalized cell therapy. Here we provide evidence that TD-derived induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) are an efficacious therapeutic strategy for brain cancer. We find that iNSCs genetically engineered with optical reporters and tumouricidal gene products retain the capacity to differentiate and induced ap...

Morphological neural networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ritter, G.X.; Sussner, P. [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

1996-12-31

The theory of artificial neural networks has been successfully applied to a wide variety of pattern recognition problems. In this theory, the first step in computing the next state of a neuron or in performing the next layer neural network computation involves the linear operation of multiplying neural values by their synaptic strengths and adding the results. Thresholding usually follows the linear operation in order to provide for nonlinearity of the network. In this paper we introduce a novel class of neural networks, called morphological neural networks, in which the operations of multiplication and addition are replaced by addition and maximum (or minimum), respectively. By taking the maximum (or minimum) of sums instead of the sum of products, morphological network computation is nonlinear before thresholding. As a consequence, the properties of morphological neural networks are drastically different than those of traditional neural network models. In this paper we consider some of these differences and provide some particular examples of morphological neural network.

Myrmecochory and short-term seed fate in Rhamnus alaternus: Ant species and seed characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Bas, J. M.; Oliveras, J.; Gómez, C.

2009-05-01

Benefits conferred on plants in ant-mediated seed dispersal mutualisms (myrmecochory) depend on the fate of transported seeds. We studied the effects of elaiosome presence, seed size and seed treatment (with and without passage through a bird's digestive tract) on short-term seed fate in Rhamnus alaternus. In our study, we define short-term seed, or initial, seed fate, as the location where ants release the seeds after ant contact with it. The elaiosomes had the most influence on short-term fate, i.e. whether or not seeds were transported to the nest. The workers usually transported big seeds more often than small ones, but small ants did not transport large seeds. Effect of seed size on transport depended on the ant species and on the treatment of the seed (manual extraction simulating a direct fall from the parent plant vs. bird deposition corresponding to preliminary primary dispersal). Probability of removal of elaiosome-bearing seeds to the nest by Aphaenogaster senilis increased with increasing seed weight.

Fate of N-methylformamide in mice. Routes of elimination and characterization of metabolites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kestell, P.; Gescher, A.; Slack, J.A.

1985-01-01

The fate of N-methylformamide has been investigated in male CBA/CA mice following the administration of this compound labeled with 14 C either in the methyl or in the formyl group. The major route of elimination was found to be via the kidneys although a substantial quantity (39% of the dose) was eliminated via the lungs as CO 2 in the case of [ 14 C]formyl-labeled N-methylformamide. In addition to the unchanged compound three metabolites were found in the urine by TLC autoradiography. One of these metabolites was identified as methylamine after conversion to its 2,4-dinitrophenyl derivative. The derivative was isolated and shown to be N-methyl-2,4-dinitroaniline by mass spectrometry. Further evidence that methylamine was a metabolite of N-methylformamide was provided by ion pair HPLC analysis of urine from mice dosed with [ 14 C]methyl-labeled N-methylformamide. The second metabolite was tentatively identified as N-hydroxymethylformamide which was present in the urine of mice dosed with either [ 14 C]methyl- or [ 14 C]formyl-labeled N-methylformamide. Formate was not a urinary metabolite of N-methylformamide. The identity of the third urinary metabolite remains unknown

The Role of Conversation Policy in Carrying Out Agent Conversations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Link, Hamilton E.; Phillips, Laurence R.

1999-01-01

Structured conversation diagrams, or conversation specifications, allow agents to have predictable interactions and achieve predefined information-based goals, but they lack the flexibility needed to function robustly in an unpredictable environment. We propose a mechanism that combines a typical conversation structure with a separately established policy to generate an actual conversation. The word ''policy'' connotes a high-level direction external to a specific planned interaction with the environment. Policies, which describe acceptable procedures and influence decisions, can be applied to broad sets of activity. Based on their observation of issues related to a policy, agents may dynamically adjust their communication patterns. The policy object describes limitations, constraints, and requirements that may affect the conversation in certain circumstances. Using this new mechanism of interaction simplifies the description of individual conversations and allows domain-specific issues to be brought to bear more easily during agent communication. By following the behavior of the conversation specification when possible and deferring to the policy to derive behavior in exceptional circumstances, an agent is able to function predictably under normal situations and still act rationally in abnormal situations. Different conversation policies applied to a given conversation specification can change the nature of the interaction without changing the specification

Generation of H1 PAX6WT/EGFP reporter cells to purify PAX6 positive neural stem/progenitor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wei; Liu, Juli; Su, Zhenghui; Li, Zhonghao; Ma, Ning; Huang, Ke; Zhou, Tiancheng; Wang, Linli

2018-08-25

Neural conversion from human pluripotent cells (hPSCs) is a potential therapy to neurological disease in the future. However, this is still limited by efficiency and stability of existed protocols used for neural induction from hPSCs. To overcome this obstacle, we developed a reporter system to screen PAX6 + neural progenitor/stem cells using transcription activator like effector nuclease (TALEN). We found that knock-in 2 A-EGFP cassette into PAX6 exon of human embryonic stem cells H1 with TALEN-based homology recombination could establish PAX6 WT/EGFP H1 reporter cell line fast and efficiently. This reporter cell line could differentiate into PAX6 and EGFP double positive neural progenitor/stem cells (NPCs/NSCs) after neural induction. Those PAX6 WT/EGFP NPCs could be purified, expanded and specified to post-mitotic neurons in vitro efficiently. With this reporter cell line, we also screened out 1 NPC-specific microRNA, hsa-miR-99a-5p, and 3 ESCs-enriched miRNAs, hsa-miR-302c-5p, hsa-miR-512-3p and hsa-miR-518 b. In conclusion, the TALEN-based neural stem cell screening system is safe and efficient and could help researcher to acquire adequate and pure neural progenitor cells for further application. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural Networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Patrick I.

2003-01-01

Physicists use large detectors to measure particles created in high-energy collisions at particle accelerators. These detectors typically produce signals indicating either where ionization occurs along the path of the particle, or where energy is deposited by the particle. The data produced by these signals is fed into pattern recognition programs to try to identify what particles were produced, and to measure the energy and direction of these particles. Ideally, there are many techniques used in this pattern recognition software. One technique, neural networks, is particularly suitable for identifying what type of particle caused by a set of energy deposits. Neural networks can derive meaning from complicated or imprecise data, extract patterns, and detect trends that are too complex to be noticed by either humans or other computer related processes. To assist in the advancement of this technology, Physicists use a tool kit to experiment with several neural network techniques. The goal of this research is interface a neural network tool kit into Java Analysis Studio (JAS3), an application that allows data to be analyzed from any experiment. As the final result, a physicist will have the ability to train, test, and implement a neural network with the desired output while using JAS3 to analyze the results or output. Before an implementation of a neural network can take place, a firm understanding of what a neural network is and how it works is beneficial. A neural network is an artificial representation of the human brain that tries to simulate the learning process [5]. It is also important to think of the word artificial in that definition as computer programs that use calculations during the learning process. In short, a neural network learns by representative examples. Perhaps the easiest way to describe the way neural networks learn is to explain how the human brain functions. The human brain contains billions of neural cells that are responsible for processing

Slit/Robo1 signaling regulates neural tube development by balancing neuroepithelial cell proliferation and differentiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Guang; Li, Yan; Wang, Xiao-yu [Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of The Ministry of Education, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China); Han, Zhe [Institute of Vascular Biological Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510224 (China); Chuai, Manli [College of Life Sciences Biocentre, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH (United Kingdom); Wang, Li-jing [Institute of Vascular Biological Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510224 (China); Ho Lee, Kenneth Ka [Stem Cell and Regeneration Thematic Research Programme, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin (Hong Kong); Geng, Jian-guo, E-mail: jgeng@umich.edu [Institute of Vascular Biological Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510224 (China); Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Yang, Xuesong, E-mail: yang_xuesong@126.com [Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of The Ministry of Education, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China)

2013-05-01

Formation of the neural tube is the morphological hallmark for development of the embryonic central nervous system (CNS). Therefore, neural tube development is a crucial step in the neurulation process. Slit/Robo signaling was initially identified as a chemo-repellent that regulated axon growth cone elongation, but its role in controlling neural tube development is currently unknown. To address this issue, we investigated Slit/Robo1 signaling in the development of chick neCollege of Life Sciences Biocentre, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UKural tube and transgenic mice over-expressing Slit2. We disrupted Slit/Robo1 signaling by injecting R5 monoclonal antibodies into HH10 neural tubes to block the Robo1 receptor. This inhibited the normal development of the ventral body curvature and caused the spinal cord to curl up into a S-shape. Next, Slit/Robo1 signaling on one half-side of the chick embryo neural tube was disturbed by electroporation in ovo. We found that the morphology of the neural tube was dramatically abnormal after we interfered with Slit/Robo1 signaling. Furthermore, we established that silencing Robo1 inhibited cell proliferation while over-expressing Robo1 enhanced cell proliferation. We also investigated the effects of altering Slit/Robo1 expression on Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and Pax7 expression in the developing neural tube. We demonstrated that over-expressing Robo1 down-regulated Shh expression in the ventral neural tube and resulted in the production of fewer HNK-1{sup +} migrating neural crest cells (NCCs). In addition, Robo1 over-expression enhanced Pax7 expression in the dorsal neural tube and increased the number of Slug{sup +} pre-migratory NCCs. Conversely, silencing Robo1 expression resulted in an enhanced Shh expression and more HNK-1{sup +} migrating NCCs but reduced Pax7 expression and fewer Slug{sup +} pre-migratory NCCs were observed. In conclusion, we propose that Slit/Robo1 signaling is involved in regulating neural tube

Engineering the human pluripotent stem cell microenvironment to direct cell fate.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazeltine, Laurie B; Selekman, Joshua A; Palecek, Sean P

2013-11-15

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including both embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, offer a potential cell source for research, drug screening, and regenerative medicine applications due to their unique ability to self-renew or differentiate to any somatic cell type. Before the full potential of hPSCs can be realized, robust protocols must be developed to direct their fate. Cell fate decisions are based on components of the surrounding microenvironment, including soluble factors, substrate or extracellular matrix, cell-cell interactions, mechanical forces, and 2D or 3D architecture. Depending on their spatio-temporal context, these components can signal hPSCs to either self-renew or differentiate to cell types of the ectoderm, mesoderm, or endoderm. Researchers working at the interface of engineering and biology have identified various factors which can affect hPSC fate, often based on lessons from embryonic development, and they have utilized this information to design in vitro niches which can reproducibly direct hPSC fate. This review highlights culture systems that have been engineered to promote self-renewal or differentiation of hPSCs, with a focus on studies that have elucidated the contributions of specific microenvironmental cues in the context of those culture systems. We propose the use of microsystem technologies for high-throughput screening of spatial-temporal presentation of cues, as this has been demonstrated to be a powerful approach for differentiating hPSCs to desired cell types. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meta-modeling of the pesticide fate model MACRO for groundwater exposure assessments using artificial neural networks

Science.gov (United States)

Stenemo, Fredrik; Lindahl, Anna M. L.; Gärdenäs, Annemieke; Jarvis, Nicholas

2007-08-01

Several simple index methods that use easily accessible data have been developed and included in decision-support systems to estimate pesticide leaching across larger areas. However, these methods often lack important process descriptions (e.g. macropore flow), which brings into question their reliability. Descriptions of macropore flow have been included in simulation models, but these are too complex and demanding for spatial applications. To resolve this dilemma, a neural network simulation meta-model of the dual-permeability macropore flow model MACRO was created for pesticide groundwater exposure assessment. The model was parameterized using pedotransfer functions that require as input the clay and sand content of the topsoil and subsoil, and the topsoil organic carbon content. The meta-model also requires the topsoil pesticide half-life and the soil organic carbon sorption coefficient as input. A fully connected feed-forward multilayer perceptron classification network with two hidden layers, linked to fully connected feed-forward multilayer perceptron neural networks with one hidden layer, trained on sub-sets of the target variable, was shown to be a suitable meta-model for the intended purpose. A Fourier amplitude sensitivity test showed that the model output (the 80th percentile average yearly pesticide concentration at 1 m depth for a 20 year simulation period) was sensitive to all input parameters. The two input parameters related to pesticide characteristics (i.e. soil organic carbon sorption coefficient and topsoil pesticide half-life) were the most influential, but texture in the topsoil was also quite important since it was assumed to control the mass exchange coefficient that regulates the strength of macropore flow. This is in contrast to models based on the advection-dispersion equation where soil texture is relatively unimportant. The use of the meta-model is exemplified with a case-study where the spatial variability of pesticide leaching is

Neural Based Orthogonal Data Fitting The EXIN Neural Networks

CERN Document Server

Cirrincione, Giansalvo

2008-01-01

Written by three leaders in the field of neural based algorithms, Neural Based Orthogonal Data Fitting proposes several neural networks, all endowed with a complete theory which not only explains their behavior, but also compares them with the existing neural and traditional algorithms. The algorithms are studied from different points of view, including: as a differential geometry problem, as a dynamic problem, as a stochastic problem, and as a numerical problem. All algorithms have also been analyzed on real time problems (large dimensional data matrices) and have shown accurate solutions. Wh

THE FATE OF THE COMPACT REMNANT IN NEUTRON STAR MERGERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fryer, Chris L. [Department of Physics, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Belczynski, Krzysztoff [Astronomical Observatory, University of Warsaw, Al Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warsaw (Poland); Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Rosswog, Stephan [The Oskar klein Center, Department of Astronomy, AlbaNova, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Shen, Gang [Institute for Nuclear Theory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Steiner, Andrew W. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States)

2015-10-10

Neutron star (binary neutron star and neutron star–black hole) mergers are believed to produce short-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). They are also believed to be the dominant source of gravitational waves to be detected by the advanced LIGO and advanced VIRGO and the dominant source of the heavy r-process elements in the universe. Whether or not these mergers produce short-duration GRBs depends sensitively on the fate of the core of the remnant (whether, and how quickly, it forms a black hole). In this paper, we combine the results of Newtonian merger calculations and equation of state studies to determine the fate of the cores of neutron star mergers. Using population studies, we can determine the distribution of these fates to compare to observations. We find that black hole cores form quickly only for equations of state that predict maximum non-rotating neutron star masses below 2.3–2.4 solar masses. If quick black hole formation is essential in producing GRBs, LIGO/Virgo observed rates compared to GRB rates could be used to constrain the equation of state for dense nuclear matter.

A comparative study between three sensorless control strategies for PMSG in wind energy conversion system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brahmi, Jemaa; Krichen, Lotfi; Ouali, Abderrazak [Advanced Control and Energy Management Research Unit ENIS, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Sfax, 3038 Sfax (Tunisia)

2009-09-15

This paper presents a comparative study of sliding mode, artificial neural network and model reference adaptive speed observers for a speed sensorless permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) in wind energy conversion system (WECS). Wind velocity and position sensorless operating methods for wind generation system using observer are proposed only by measuring phase voltages and currents. Maximum wind energy extraction is achieved by running the wind turbine generator in variable-speed mode. In addition the three speed observers are compared to verify the robustness against parameter variations. (author)

Relationship between neural rhythm generation disorders and physical disabilities in Parkinson's disease patients' walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Ota, Leo; Uchitomi, Hirotaka; Ogawa, Ken-ichiro; Orimo, Satoshi; Miyake, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

Walking is generated by the interaction between neural rhythmic and physical activities. In fact, Parkinson's disease (PD), which is an example of disease, causes not only neural rhythm generation disorders but also physical disabilities. However, the relationship between neural rhythm generation disorders and physical disabilities has not been determined. The aim of this study was to identify the mechanism of gait rhythm generation. In former research, neural rhythm generation disorders in PD patients' walking were characterized by stride intervals, which are more variable and fluctuate randomly. The variability and fluctuation property were quantified using the coefficient of variation (CV) and scaling exponent α. Conversely, because walking is a dynamic process, postural reflex disorder (PRD) is considered the best way to estimate physical disabilities in walking. Therefore, we classified the severity of PRD using CV and α. Specifically, PD patients and healthy elderly were classified into three groups: no-PRD, mild-PRD, and obvious-PRD. We compared the contributions of CV and α to the accuracy of this classification. In this study, 45 PD patients and 17 healthy elderly people walked 200 m. The severity of PRD was determined using the modified Hoehn-Yahr scale (mH-Y). People with mH-Y scores of 2.5 and 3 had mild-PRD and obvious-PRD, respectively. As a result, CV differentiated no-PRD from PRD, indicating the correlation between CV and PRD. Considering that PRD is independent of neural rhythm generation, this result suggests the existence of feedback process from physical activities to neural rhythmic activities. Moreover, α differentiated obvious-PRD from mild-PRD. Considering α reflects the intensity of interaction between factors, this result suggests the change of the interaction. Therefore, the interaction between neural rhythmic and physical activities is thought to plays an important role for gait rhythm generation. These characteristics have

Choose your destiny: Make a cell fate decision with COUP-TFII.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, San-Pin; Yu, Cheng-Tai; Tsai, Sophia Y; Tsai, Ming-Jer

2016-03-01

Cell fate specification is a critical process to generate cells with a wide range of characteristics from stem and progenitor cells. Emerging evidence demonstrates that the orphan nuclear receptor COUP-TFII serves as a key regulator in determining the cell identity during embryonic development. The present review summarizes our current knowledge on molecular mechanisms by which COUP-TFII employs to define the cell fates, with special emphasis on cardiovascular and renal systems. These novel insights pave the road for future studies of regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ordered self-assembled monolayers terminated with different chemical functional groups direct neural stem cell linage behaviours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Shenglian; Liu, Xi; He, Jin; Wang, Xiumei; Wang, Ying; Cui, Fu-Zhai

2016-01-01

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have been a promising candidate for stem cell-based nerve tissue regeneration. Therefore, the design of idea biomaterials that deliver precise regulatory signals to control stem cell fate is currently a crucial issue that depends on a profound understanding of the interactions between NSCs with the surrounding micro-environment. In this work, self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols on gold with different chemical groups, including hydroxyl (−OH), amino (−NH 2 ), carboxyl (−COOH) and methyl (−CH 3 ), were used as a simple model to study the effects of surface chemistry on NSC fate decisions. Contact angle measurement and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) examination implied that all types of alkanethiols self-assembled on gold into a close-packed phase structure with similar molecular densities. In this study, we evaluated NSC adhesion, migration and differentiation in response to different chemical functional groups cultured under serum-free conditions. Our studies showed that NSCs exhibited certain phenotypes with extreme sensitivity to surface chemical groups. Compared with other functional groups, the SAMs with hydroxyl end-groups provided the best micro-environment in promoting NSC migration and maintaining an undifferentiated or neuronal differentiation state.  −NH 2 surfaces directed neural stem cells into astrocytic lineages, while NSCs on  −COOH and  −CH 3 surfaces had a similar potency to differentiate into three nerve lineages. To further investigate the possible signaling pathway, the gene expression of integrin β1 and β4 were examined. The results indicated that a high expression of β1 integrin would probably have a tight correlation with the expression of nestin, which implied the stemness of NSCs, while β4 integrin seemed to correspond to the differentiated NSCs. The results presented here give useful information for the future design of biomaterials to regulate the preservation

Selective neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells induced by nanosecond microplasma agitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Z; Zhao, S; Mao, X; Lu, X; He, G; Yang, G; Chen, M; Ishaq, M; Ostrikov, K

2014-03-01

An essential step for therapeutic and research applications of stem cells is their ability to differentiate into specific cell types. Neuronal cells are of great interest for medical treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic injuries of central nervous system (CNS), but efforts to produce these cells have been met with only modest success. In an attempt of finding new approaches, atmospheric-pressure room-temperature microplasma jets (MPJs) are shown to effectively direct in vitro differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) predominantly into neuronal lineage. Murine neural stem cells (C17.2-NSCs) treated with MPJs exhibit rapid proliferation and differentiation with longer neurites and cell bodies eventually forming neuronal networks. MPJs regulate ~75% of NSCs to differentiate into neurons, which is a higher efficiency compared to common protein- and growth factors-based differentiation. NSCs exposure to quantized and transient (~150 ns) micro-plasma bullets up-regulates expression of different cell lineage markers as β-Tubulin III (for neurons) and O4 (for oligodendrocytes), while the expression of GFAP (for astrocytes) remains unchanged, as evidenced by quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence microscopy and Western Blot assay. It is shown that the plasma-increased nitric oxide (NO) production is a factor in the fate choice and differentiation of NSCs followed by axonal growth. The differentiated NSC cells matured and produced mostly cholinergic and motor neuronal progeny. It is also demonstrated that exposure of primary rat NSCs to the microplasma leads to quite similar differentiation effects. This suggests that the observed effect may potentially be generic and applicable to other types of neural progenitor cells. The application of this new in vitro strategy to selectively differentiate NSCs into neurons represents a step towards reproducible and efficient production of the desired NSC derivatives. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Selective neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells induced by nanosecond microplasma agitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Xiong

2014-03-01

Full Text Available An essential step for therapeutic and research applications of stem cells is their ability to differentiate into specific cell types. Neuronal cells are of great interest for medical treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic injuries of central nervous system (CNS, but efforts to produce these cells have been met with only modest success. In an attempt of finding new approaches, atmospheric-pressure room-temperature microplasma jets (MPJs are shown to effectively direct in vitro differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs predominantly into neuronal lineage. Murine neural stem cells (C17.2-NSCs treated with MPJs exhibit rapid proliferation and differentiation with longer neurites and cell bodies eventually forming neuronal networks. MPJs regulate ~75% of NSCs to differentiate into neurons, which is a higher efficiency compared to common protein- and growth factors-based differentiation. NSCs exposure to quantized and transient (~150 ns micro-plasma bullets up-regulates expression of different cell lineage markers as β-Tubulin III (for neurons and O4 (for oligodendrocytes, while the expression of GFAP (for astrocytes remains unchanged, as evidenced by quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence microscopy and Western Blot assay. It is shown that the plasma-increased nitric oxide (NO production is a factor in the fate choice and differentiation of NSCs followed by axonal growth. The differentiated NSC cells matured and produced mostly cholinergic and motor neuronal progeny. It is also demonstrated that exposure of primary rat NSCs to the microplasma leads to quite similar differentiation effects. This suggests that the observed effect may potentially be generic and applicable to other types of neural progenitor cells. The application of this new in vitro strategy to selectively differentiate NSCs into neurons represents a step towards reproducible and efficient production of the desired NSC derivatives.

Organic contaminant transport and fate in the subsurface: evolution of knowledge and understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Essaid, Hedeff I.; Bekins, Barbara A.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.

2015-01-01

Toxic organic contaminants may enter the subsurface as slightly soluble and volatile nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) or as dissolved solutes resulting in contaminant plumes emanating from the source zone. A large body of research published in Water Resources Research has been devoted to characterizing and understanding processes controlling the transport and fate of these organic contaminants and the effectiveness of natural attenuation, bioremediation, and other remedial technologies. These contributions include studies of NAPL flow, entrapment, and interphase mass transfer that have advanced from the analysis of simple systems with uniform properties and equilibrium contaminant phase partitioning to complex systems with pore-scale and macroscale heterogeneity and rate-limited interphase mass transfer. Understanding of the fate of dissolved organic plumes has advanced from when biodegradation was thought to require oxygen to recognition of the importance of anaerobic biodegradation, multiple redox zones, microbial enzyme kinetics, and mixing of organic contaminants and electron acceptors at plume fringes. Challenges remain in understanding the impacts of physical, chemical, biological, and hydrogeological heterogeneity, pore-scale interactions, and mixing on the fate of organic contaminants. Further effort is needed to successfully incorporate these processes into field-scale predictions of transport and fate. Regulations have greatly reduced the frequency of new point-source contamination problems; however, remediation at many legacy plumes remains challenging. A number of fields of current relevance are benefiting from research advances from point-source contaminant research. These include geologic carbon sequestration, nonpoint-source contamination, aquifer storage and recovery, the fate of contaminants from oil and gas development, and enhanced bioremediation.

Microglia modulate hippocampal neural precursor activity in response to exercise and aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Vukovic, Jana; Colditz, Michael J; Blackmore, Daniel G; Ruitenberg, Marc J; Bartlett, Perry F

2012-05-09

Exercise has been shown to positively augment adult hippocampal neurogenesis; however, the cellular and molecular pathways mediating this effect remain largely unknown. Previous studies have suggested that microglia may have the ability to differentially instruct neurogenesis in the adult brain. Here, we used transgenic Csf1r-GFP mice to investigate whether hippocampal microglia directly influence the activation of neural precursor cells. Our results revealed that an exercise-induced increase in neural precursor cell activity was mediated via endogenous microglia and abolished when these cells were selectively removed from hippocampal cultures. Conversely, microglia from the hippocampi of animals that had exercised were able to activate latent neural precursor cells when added to neurosphere preparations from sedentary mice. We also investigated the role of CX(3)CL1, a chemokine that is known to provide a more neuroprotective microglial phenotype. Intraparenchymal infusion of a blocking antibody against the CX(3)CL1 receptor, CX(3)CR1, but not control IgG, dramatically reduced the neurosphere formation frequency in mice that had exercised. While an increase in soluble CX(3)CL1 was observed following running, reduced levels of this chemokine were found in the aged brain. Lower levels of CX(3)CL1 with advancing age correlated with the natural decline in neural precursor cell activity, a state that could be partially alleviated through removal of microglia. These findings provide the first direct evidence that endogenous microglia can exert a dual and opposing influence on neural precursor cell activity within the hippocampus, and that signaling through the CX(3)CL1-CX(3)CR1 axis critically contributes toward this process.

Social Behavior in Medulloblastoma: Functional Analysis of Tumor-Supporting Glial Cells

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

the manuscript with inputs from all authors. All authors reviewed the manuscript. Acknowledgements We thank Chris Doe, David Rowitch, and Praveen...201–208. Goodrich, L.V., Milenković, L., Higgins , K.M., and Scott, M.P. (1997). Altered Neural Cell Fates and Medulloblastoma in Mouse patched...Genes & Development 27, 98–115. Goodrich, L.V., Milenković, L., Higgins , K.M., and Scott, M.P. (1997). Altered Neural Cell Fates and Medulloblastoma in

Fate in the religion of the Lepchas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Halfdan Siiger

1967-02-01

Full Text Available The Lepchas are mountainous agriculturalists who live in the State of Sikkim in the Himalayas and in some adjacent Indian districts. To the Lepchas the supernatural world is divided into two groups, the rum, or the mainly benevolent supernatural beings, and the mung, or the malignant supernatural beings. Any evil occurrence is in the first instance ascribed to the malignant activities of the mung, but it may, under certain conditions, also be due to temporary on the part of some or other rum. If it is obvious that the evil occurrence is caused by a human being, this person is considered to be governed by some mung, or he may, which is much worse, be a mung in human disguise. At all events, any evil occurrence is experienced as the result of the evil will-power of some or other malignant supernatural being. Consequently, we cannot apply our technical term "Fate" to such occurrences, and Fate as an abstract concept cannot be used, when we speak of the Lepchas.

Fate of triazoles in softwood upon environmental exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Kukowski, Klara; Martinská, Veronika; Sedgeman, Carl A; Kuplic, Paige; Kozliak, Evguenii I; Fisher, Stephen; Kubátová, Alena

2017-10-01

Determining the fate of preservatives in commercial wood products is essential to minimize their losses and improve protective impregnation techniques. The fate of triazole fungicides in ponderosa pine wood was investigated in both outdoor and controlled-environment experiments using a representative triazole, tebuconazole (TAZ), which was accompanied by propiconazole (PAZ) in selected experiments. The study was designed to mimic industrial settings used in window frame manufacturing. To investigate the TAZ fate in detail, loosely and strongly bound fractions were differentiated using a multi-step extraction. The loosely bound TAZ fraction extracted through two sonications accounted for 85± 5% of the total TAZ, while the strongly bound TAZ was extracted only with an exhaustive Soxhlet extraction and corresponded to the remaining 15± 5%. A significant fraction (∼80%) of the original TAZ remained in the wood despite a six-month exposure to harsh environmental conditions, maintaining wood preservation and assuring minimal environmental impact. Depletion of loosely bound TAZ was observed from cross-sectional surfaces when exposed to rain, high humidity and sunlight. Water leaching was deemed to be the major route leading to triazole losses from wood. Leaching rate was found to be slightly higher for TAZ than for PAZ. The contribution of bio-, photo- and thermal degradation of triazoles was negligible as both PAZ and TAZ sorbed in wood remained intact. Triazole evaporation was also found to be minor at the moderate temperature (20-25 °C) recorded throughout the outdoor study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural Circuit Mechanisms of Social Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Patrick; Hong, Weizhe

2018-04-04

We live in a world that is largely socially constructed, and we are constantly involved in and fundamentally influenced by a broad array of complex social interactions. Social behaviors among conspecifics, either conflictive or cooperative, are exhibited by all sexually reproducing animal species and are essential for the health, survival, and reproduction of animals. Conversely, impairment in social function is a prominent feature of several neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Despite the importance of social behaviors, many fundamental questions remain unanswered. How is social sensory information processed and integrated in the nervous system? How are different social behavioral decisions selected and modulated in brain circuits? Here we discuss conceptual issues and recent advances in our understanding of brain regions and neural circuit mechanisms underlying the regulation of social behaviors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improvement of skeleton conversion in ICRP reference phantom conversion project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhao Jun; Yeom, Yeon Soo; Thang, Nguyen Tat; Kim, Han Sung; Han, Min Cheol; Kim, Chan Hyeong [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Seong Hoon [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-11-15

In the previous skeleton conversion, most bones were directly converted from the ICRP voxel phantoms by using the 3D rendering method whereas several complex-shape bones (cranium, ribs, spines, feet, and hands) were not able to be directly converted. We alternatively employed the corresponding well-defined polygonal models and attempted to adjust them to match the voxel models. However, this approach was unsatisfactory. The shapes of the alternative models were significantly different from those of the voxel models, making it virtually impossible to exactly match the voxel models as shown in Fig. 3 (left). In order to overcome the difficulty in the complex bone conversion, the present study developed a new conversion method and converted these complex bones voxel models of the ICRP male phantom to polygonal models. The present study developed the new conversion method and successfully improved polygonal models for cranium, ribs, and spines for the ICRP male phantom. The new conversion method will be also applied to the complex bone conversion for the ICRP female phantom as well as other complex organ conversion in the future.

Improvement of skeleton conversion in ICRP reference phantom conversion project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhao Jun; Yeom, Yeon Soo; Thang, Nguyen Tat; Kim, Han Sung; Han, Min Cheol; Kim, Chan Hyeong; Kim, Seong Hoon

2014-01-01

In the previous skeleton conversion, most bones were directly converted from the ICRP voxel phantoms by using the 3D rendering method whereas several complex-shape bones (cranium, ribs, spines, feet, and hands) were not able to be directly converted. We alternatively employed the corresponding well-defined polygonal models and attempted to adjust them to match the voxel models. However, this approach was unsatisfactory. The shapes of the alternative models were significantly different from those of the voxel models, making it virtually impossible to exactly match the voxel models as shown in Fig. 3 (left). In order to overcome the difficulty in the complex bone conversion, the present study developed a new conversion method and converted these complex bones voxel models of the ICRP male phantom to polygonal models. The present study developed the new conversion method and successfully improved polygonal models for cranium, ribs, and spines for the ICRP male phantom. The new conversion method will be also applied to the complex bone conversion for the ICRP female phantom as well as other complex organ conversion in the future

Fate and behaviour of phenanthrene in the natural and artificial soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofman, Jakub; Rhodes, Angela; Semple, Kirk T.

2008-01-01

OECD artificial soil has been used routinely as a standardized substrate for soil toxicity tests. However, can be the fate, behaviour and effects of contaminants in artificial soil extrapolated to natural soils? The aim of our study was to verify this hypothesis by comparing the loss, extraction, and bioavailability of phenanthrene in three artificial and three natural soils of comparable organic carbon content. Soils were spiked with 14 C-phenanthrene and total 14 C-activity change, the fractions extracted by dichloromethane, 70% ethanol, and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, the fraction mineralized by Pseudomonas sp., and taken up by Enchytraeus albidus were measured after 1, 14, 42, and 84 d aging. The loss, extraction, biodegradation and uptake were several times lower in the artificial than natural soils and these differences increased with increasing soil-phenanthrene contact time. These results imply that artificial soil should be used cautiously for the prediction of fate and behaviour in natural soils. - Artificial soils show substantially different fate and behaviour of phenanthrene than natural soils, which cannot be easily extrapolated or modelled

Neural induction from ES cells portrays default commitment but instructive maturation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nibedita Lenka

Full Text Available The neural induction has remained a debatable issue pertaining to whether it is a mere default process or it involves precise instructive cues. We have chosen the embryonic stem (ES cell model to address this issue. In a devised monoculture strategy, the cell-cell interaction availed through optimum cell plating density could define the niche for the attainment of efficient in vitro neurogenesis from the ES cells. The medium plating density was found ideal in generating optimum number of progenitors and also yielded about 80% mature neurons in a serum free culture set up barring any exogenous inducers. We could also demarcate and quantify the neural stem cells/progenitors among the heterogeneous cell population of differentiating ES cells using nestin intron II driven EGFP expression as a tool. The one week post-plating was determined to be the critical time window for optimum neural progenitor generation from ES cells that helped us further in purifying these cells and in demonstrating their proliferation and multipotent differentiation potential. Seeding cells at varying densities, we could decipher an interesting paradoxical scenario that interlinked both commitment and maturation with the initial plating density having a vital influence on neuronal maturation but not specification and the secretory factors were apparently playing a key role during this process. Thus it was comprehended that, the neural specification was a default process independent of exogenous factors and cellular interaction. Conversely, a defined number of cells at the specification stage itself seemed critical to provide an auto-/paracrine means of signaling threshold for the maturation process to materialize.

Facial Expression Generation from Speaker's Emotional States in Daily Conversation

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Hiroki; Ohshima, Koh

A framework for generating facial expressions from emotional states in daily conversation is described. It provides a mapping between emotional states and facial expressions, where the former is represented by vectors with psychologically-defined abstract dimensions, and the latter is coded by the Facial Action Coding System. In order to obtain the mapping, parallel data with rated emotional states and facial expressions were collected for utterances of a female speaker, and a neural network was trained with the data. The effectiveness of proposed method is verified by a subjective evaluation test. As the result, the Mean Opinion Score with respect to the suitability of generated facial expression was 3.86 for the speaker, which was close to that of hand-made facial expressions.

Development of neural network techniques for the analysis of JET ECE data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartlett, D.V.; Bishop, C.M.

1993-01-01

This paper reports on a project currently in progress to develop neutral network techniques for the conversion of JET ECE spectra to electron temperature profiles. The aim is to obtain profiles with reduced measurement uncertainties by incorporating data from the LIDAR Thomson scattering diagnostic in the analysis, while retaining the faster time resolution of the ECE measurements. The properties of neural networks are briefly reviewed, and the reasons for using them in this application are explained. Some preliminary results are presented and the direction of future work is outlined. (orig.)

Spike train generation and current-to-frequency conversion in silicon diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Coon, D. D.; Perera, A. G. U.

1989-01-01

A device physics model is developed to analyze spontaneous neuron-like spike train generation in current driven silicon p(+)-n-n(+) devices in cryogenic environments. The model is shown to explain the very high dynamic range (0 to the 7th) current-to-frequency conversion and experimental features of the spike train frequency as a function of input current. The devices are interesting components for implementation of parallel asynchronous processing adjacent to cryogenically cooled focal planes because of their extremely low current and power requirements, their electronic simplicity, and their pulse coding capability, and could be used to form the hardware basis for neural networks which employ biologically plausible means of information coding.

Fate of enniatins and deoxynivalenol during pasta cooking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijs, de Monique; Top, van den Hester; Stoppelaar, de Joyce; Lopez Sanchez, Patricia; Mol, Hans

2016-01-01

The fate of deoxynivalenol and enniatins was studied during cooking of commercially available dry pasta in the Netherlands in 2014. Five samples containing relatively high levels of deoxynivalenol and/or enniatins were selected for the cooking experiment. Cooking was performed in duplicate on

Neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denby, Bruce; Lindsey, Clark; Lyons, Louis

1992-01-01

The 1980s saw a tremendous renewal of interest in 'neural' information processing systems, or 'artificial neural networks', among computer scientists and computational biologists studying cognition. Since then, the growth of interest in neural networks in high energy physics, fueled by the need for new information processing technologies for the next generation of high energy proton colliders, can only be described as explosive

Modeling Engineered Nanomaterials (ENMs) Fate and ...

Science.gov (United States)

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to perform new chemical reviews of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) identified in pre-manufacture notices. However, environmental fate models developed for traditional contaminants are limited in their ability to simulate the environmental behavior of nanomaterials due to incomplete understanding and representation of the processes governing nanomaterial distribution in the environment and by scarce empirical data quantifying the interaction of nanomaterials with environmental surfaces. We have updated the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP), version S, to incorporate nanomaterials as an explicitly simulated state variable. WASPS now has the capability to simulate nanomaterial fate and transport in surface waters and sediments using heteroaggregation, the kinetic process governing the attachment of nanomaterials to particles and subsequently ENM distribution in the aqueous and sediment phases. Unlike dissolved chemicals which use equilibrium partition coefficients, heteroaggregation consists of a particle collision rate and an attachment efficiency ( lXhet) that generally acts as a one direction process. To demonstrate, we used a derived a het value from sediment attachment studies to parameterize WASP for simulation of multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) transport in Brier Creek, a coastal plain river located in central eastern Georgia, USA and a tr

Fate of Fusarium Toxins during Brewing.

Science.gov (United States)

Habler, Katharina; Geissinger, Cajetan; Hofer, Katharina; Schüler, Jan; Moghari, Sarah; Hess, Michael; Gastl, Martina; Rychlik, Michael

2017-01-11

Some information is available about the fate of Fusarium toxins during the brewing process, but only little is known about the single processing steps in detail. In our study we produced beer from two different barley cultivars inoculated with three different Fusarium species, namely, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium sporotrichioides, and Fusarium avenaceum, producing a wide range of mycotoxins such as type B trichothecenes, type A trichothecenes, and enniatins. By the use of multi-mycotoxin LC-MS/MS stable isotope dilution methods we were able to follow the fate of Fusarium toxins during the entire brewing process. In particular, the type B trichothecenes deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol showed similar behaviors. Between 35 and 52% of those toxins remained in the beer after filtration. The contents of the potentially hazardous deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside and the type A trichothecenes increased during mashing, but a rapid decrease of deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside content was found during the following steps of lautering and wort boiling. The concentration of enniatins greatly decreased with the discarding of spent grains or finally with the hot break. The results of our study show the retention of diverse Fusarium toxins during the brewing process and allow for assessing the food safety of beer regarding the monitored Fusarium mycotoxins.

Human mammary progenitor cell fate decisions are productsof interactions with combinatorial microenvironments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

LaBarge, Mark A.; Nelson, Celeste M.; Villadsen, René

2009-01-01

factors, ECM, and other cells, as well as physical properties of the ECM. To understand regulation of fate decisions, therefore, would require a means of understanding carefully choreographed combinatorial interactions. Here we used microenvironment protein microarrays to functionally identify...... combinations of cell-extrinsic mammary gland proteins and ECM molecules that imposed specific cell fates on bipotent human mammary progenitor cells.Micropatterned cell culture surfaces were fabricated to distinguish between the instructive effects of cell-cell versus cell-ECM interactions, as well...

Pluripotency factors in embryonic stem cells regulate differentiation into germ layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Matt; Liu, Siyuan John; Zou, Ling-Nan; Smith, Zack; Meissner, Alexander; Ramanathan, Sharad

2011-06-10

Cell fate decisions are fundamental for development, but we do not know how transcriptional networks reorganize during the transition from a pluripotent to a differentiated cell state. Here, we asked how mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) leave the pluripotent state and choose between germ layer fates. By analyzing the dynamics of the transcriptional circuit that maintains pluripotency, we found that Oct4 and Sox2, proteins that maintain ESC identity, also orchestrate germ layer fate selection. Oct4 suppresses neural ectodermal differentiation and promotes mesendodermal differentiation; Sox2 inhibits mesendodermal differentiation and promotes neural ectodermal differentiation. Differentiation signals continuously and asymmetrically modulate Oct4 and Sox2 protein levels, altering their binding pattern in the genome, and leading to cell fate choice. The same factors that maintain pluripotency thus also integrate external signals and control lineage selection. Our study provides a framework for understanding how complex transcription factor networks control cell fate decisions in progenitor cells. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polylox barcoding reveals haematopoietic stem cell fates realized in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Rössler, Jens; Wang, Xi; Postrach, Daniel; Busch, Katrin; Rode, Immanuel; Klapproth, Kay; Dietlein, Nikolaus; Quedenau, Claudia; Chen, Wei; Sauer, Sascha; Wolf, Stephan; Höfer, Thomas; Rodewald, Hans-Reimer

2017-01-01

Developmental deconvolution of complex organs and tissues at the level of individual cells remains challenging. Non-invasive genetic fate mapping1 has been widely used, but the low number of distinct fluorescent marker proteins limits its resolution. Much higher numbers of cell markers have been generated using viral integration sites2, viral barcodes3, and strategies based on transposons4 and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing5; however, temporal and tissue-specific induction of barcodes in situ has not been achieved. Here we report the development of an artificial DNA recombination locus (termed Polylox) that enables broadly applicable endogenous barcoding based on the Cre-loxP recombination system6,7. Polylox recombination in situ reaches a practical diversity of several hundred thousand barcodes, allowing tagging of single cells. We have used this experimental system, combined with fate mapping, to assess haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) fates in vivo. Classical models of haematopoietic lineage specification assume a tree with few major branches. More recently, driven in part by the development of more efficient single-cell assays and improved transplantation efficiencies, different models have been proposed, in which unilineage priming may occur in mice and humans at the level of HSCs8–10. We have introduced barcodes into HSC progenitors in embryonic mice, and found that the adult HSC compartment is a mosaic of embryo-derived HSC clones, some of which are unexpectedly large. Most HSC clones gave rise to multilineage or oligolineage fates, arguing against unilineage priming, and suggesting coherent usage of the potential of cells in a clone. The spreading of barcodes, both after induction in embryos and in adult mice, revealed a basic split between common myeloid-erythroid development and common lymphocyte development, supporting the long-held but contested view of a tree-like haematopoietic structure. PMID:28813413

Polylox barcoding reveals haematopoietic stem cell fates realized in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Weike; Feyerabend, Thorsten B; Rössler, Jens; Wang, Xi; Postrach, Daniel; Busch, Katrin; Rode, Immanuel; Klapproth, Kay; Dietlein, Nikolaus; Quedenau, Claudia; Chen, Wei; Sauer, Sascha; Wolf, Stephan; Höfer, Thomas; Rodewald, Hans-Reimer

2017-08-24

Developmental deconvolution of complex organs and tissues at the level of individual cells remains challenging. Non-invasive genetic fate mapping has been widely used, but the low number of distinct fluorescent marker proteins limits its resolution. Much higher numbers of cell markers have been generated using viral integration sites, viral barcodes, and strategies based on transposons and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing; however, temporal and tissue-specific induction of barcodes in situ has not been achieved. Here we report the development of an artificial DNA recombination locus (termed Polylox) that enables broadly applicable endogenous barcoding based on the Cre-loxP recombination system. Polylox recombination in situ reaches a practical diversity of several hundred thousand barcodes, allowing tagging of single cells. We have used this experimental system, combined with fate mapping, to assess haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) fates in vivo. Classical models of haematopoietic lineage specification assume a tree with few major branches. More recently, driven in part by the development of more efficient single-cell assays and improved transplantation efficiencies, different models have been proposed, in which unilineage priming may occur in mice and humans at the level of HSCs. We have introduced barcodes into HSC progenitors in embryonic mice, and found that the adult HSC compartment is a mosaic of embryo-derived HSC clones, some of which are unexpectedly large. Most HSC clones gave rise to multilineage or oligolineage fates, arguing against unilineage priming, and suggesting coherent usage of the potential of cells in a clone. The spreading of barcodes, both after induction in embryos and in adult mice, revealed a basic split between common myeloid-erythroid development and common lymphocyte development, supporting the long-held but contested view of a tree-like haematopoietic structure.

Discourse analysis: Conversational analysis of the internal conversation in Oracle Corporation Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marwa Marwa

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This study highlights the internal conversation which takes place in Oracle CorporationMalaysia. Through the study, it will be shown how conversational analysis is used toanalyze the transcription of a telephone conversation between Oracle staffs. The analysisof the transcriptions will apply a few basic concepts of conversational analysis; turntakingorganization, and the adjacency pair. The objective of the study is to find out howthe internal conversations takes place by focusing on the conversation itself, that is, theconversational structures spontaneously produced by people during talk ranging fromturn-taking strategies, how topics are introduced, conversation closings and so on. Bylooking in detail at such talk, we can gain a detailed understanding of how the staffs seethemselves in relation to the company that influence their daily lives.Keywords: conversational analysis, turn-taking, adjacency pairs

Controlling destiny through chemistry: small-molecule regulators of cell fate.

Science.gov (United States)

Firestone, Ari J; Chen, James K

2010-01-15

Controlling cell fate is essential for embryonic development, tissue regeneration, and the prevention of human disease. With each cell in the human body sharing a common genome, achieving the appropriate spectrum of stem cells and their differentiated lineages requires the selective activation of developmental signaling pathways, the expression of specific target genes, and the maintenance of these cellular states through epigenetic mechanisms. Small molecules that target these regulatory processes are therefore valuable tools for probing and manipulating the molecular mechanisms by which stem cells self-renew, differentiate, and arise from somatic cell reprogramming. Pharmacological modulators of cell fate could also help remediate human diseases caused by dysregulated cell proliferation or differentiation, heralding a new era in molecular therapeutics.

Fate of macrosarcocyst of Sarcocystis gigantea in sheep

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. S. Al-Hyali1, E. R. Kennany2 and L.Y. Khalil1

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to detect the fate of macrosarcocysts of Sarcocystis gigantea in the tongue and eosophagus of naturally infected sheep, via collection of 25 samples, 10 of which showed calcification. The results showed presence of white different size grains on the wall of the pale eosophagus, in addition to presence of nodules containing white chalky materials and on cutting by knife produced grunting sound which indicated calcification. Histopathological results showed presence of granulomatous nodules that contained necrotic centers infiltration by inflammatory cells. Some of which were free from zoites in addition to presence of calcium salt precipitation, which represented dystrophic calcification. Eosinophilic myositis appeared in the tongue was associated with ruptured cyst and released zoites in muscular tissue. Some histological sections revealed ruptured macrocystis with thin wall deposited between muscle bundles. In conclusion, this study showed that the fate of macrocysts included the formation of granulomatous nodules associated with dystrophic calcification and dead zoites in eosophagous more than that in the tongue.

Evaluating the fate of organic compounds in the Cameroon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ISHIOMA

A level III fugacity model was developed to evaluate the fate of chemicals in the Cameroon ... environment, quantify intermedia transfer processes and the major loss ... perform baseline exposure and risk assessment of chemicals used in ...

Investigating the Toxicity and Environmental Fate of Graphene Nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

The Hersam Laboratory at Northwestern University works with the Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to study the toxicity and environmental fate of emergent nanomaterials, specifically carbon-based nanomate...

Application of neural network to multi-dimensional design window search in reactor core design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kugo, Teruhiko; Nakagawa, Masayuki

1999-01-01

In the reactor core design, many parametric survey calculations should be carried out to decide an optimal set of basic design parameter values. They consume a large amount of computation time and labor in the conventional way. To support design work, we investigate a procedure to search efficiently a design window, which is defined as feasible design parameter ranges satisfying design criteria and requirements, in a multi-dimensional space composed of several basic design parameters. The present method is applied to the neutronics and thermal hydraulics fields. The principle of the present method is to construct the multilayer neural network to simulate quickly a response of an analysis code through a training process, and to reduce computation time using the neural network without parametric study using analysis codes. To verify the applicability of the present method to the neutronics and the thermal hydraulics design, we have applied it to high conversion water reactors and examined effects of the structure of the neural network and the number of teaching patterns on the accuracy of the design window estimated by the neural network. From the results of the applications, a guideline to apply the present method is proposed and the present method can predict an appropriate design window in a reasonable computation time by following the guideline. (author)

Wide-field optical mapping of neural activity and brain haemodynamics: considerations and novel approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ying; Shaik, Mohammed A.; Kozberg, Mariel G.; Thibodeaux, David N.; Zhao, Hanzhi T.; Yu, Hang

2016-01-01

Although modern techniques such as two-photon microscopy can now provide cellular-level three-dimensional imaging of the intact living brain, the speed and fields of view of these techniques remain limited. Conversely, two-dimensional wide-field optical mapping (WFOM), a simpler technique that uses a camera to observe large areas of the exposed cortex under visible light, can detect changes in both neural activity and haemodynamics at very high speeds. Although WFOM may not provide single-neuron or capillary-level resolution, it is an attractive and accessible approach to imaging large areas of the brain in awake, behaving mammals at speeds fast enough to observe widespread neural firing events, as well as their dynamic coupling to haemodynamics. Although such wide-field optical imaging techniques have a long history, the advent of genetically encoded fluorophores that can report neural activity with high sensitivity, as well as modern technologies such as light emitting diodes and sensitive and high-speed digital cameras have driven renewed interest in WFOM. To facilitate the wider adoption and standardization of WFOM approaches for neuroscience and neurovascular coupling research, we provide here an overview of the basic principles of WFOM, considerations for implementation of wide-field fluorescence imaging of neural activity, spectroscopic analysis and interpretation of results. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Interpreting BOLD: a dialogue between cognitive and cellular neuroscience’. PMID:27574312

Wide-field optical mapping of neural activity and brain haemodynamics: considerations and novel approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ying; Shaik, Mohammed A; Kim, Sharon H; Kozberg, Mariel G; Thibodeaux, David N; Zhao, Hanzhi T; Yu, Hang; Hillman, Elizabeth M C

2016-10-05

Although modern techniques such as two-photon microscopy can now provide cellular-level three-dimensional imaging of the intact living brain, the speed and fields of view of these techniques remain limited. Conversely, two-dimensional wide-field optical mapping (WFOM), a simpler technique that uses a camera to observe large areas of the exposed cortex under visible light, can detect changes in both neural activity and haemodynamics at very high speeds. Although WFOM may not provide single-neuron or capillary-level resolution, it is an attractive and accessible approach to imaging large areas of the brain in awake, behaving mammals at speeds fast enough to observe widespread neural firing events, as well as their dynamic coupling to haemodynamics. Although such wide-field optical imaging techniques have a long history, the advent of genetically encoded fluorophores that can report neural activity with high sensitivity, as well as modern technologies such as light emitting diodes and sensitive and high-speed digital cameras have driven renewed interest in WFOM. To facilitate the wider adoption and standardization of WFOM approaches for neuroscience and neurovascular coupling research, we provide here an overview of the basic principles of WFOM, considerations for implementation of wide-field fluorescence imaging of neural activity, spectroscopic analysis and interpretation of results.This article is part of the themed issue 'Interpreting BOLD: a dialogue between cognitive and cellular neuroscience'. © 2016 The Authors.

Study of the photodegradation of a fragrance ingredient for aquatic environmental fate assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jianming; Emberger, Matthew

2017-04-01

Photodegradation is an important abiotic degradation process to be taken into account for more accurate assessment of the fate of chemicals in the aquatic environment, especially those that are not readily biodegradable. Although the significant role of indirect photodegradation in the environmental fate of chemicals has been revealed in recent research, because of the many confounding factors affecting its kinetics, no straightforward approaches can be used to investigate this degradation process for environmental fate assessment. The indirect photodegradation of a fragrance ingredient named Pamplewood was studied in this work for its fate assessment. Indirect photodegradation rates under various indoor and outdoor conditions were measured by using an LC-MS method. Although the half-lives varied from 4 to 13 days, they collectively indicated that Pamplewood is intrinsically photolabile and can undergo rapid photodegradation. Results from quencher experiments revealed that ⋅OH was the main reactive intermediate responsible for indirect photodegradation, with a half-life of about 18 days in sunlit surface water, based on the experimentally determined second-order rate constant (8.48 ± 0.19 × 10 9  M -1  s -1 ). Photodegradation products of Pamplewood were also studied by GC-MS, LC-MS and total organic carbon content analyses. The results indicated that intermediates of Pamplewood photodegradation continued to photodegrade into smaller and more polar species. Complete mineralization of Pamplewood was observed when it was reacted with hydroxyl radicals in an aqueous solution. This novel approach can be applied for a more realistic environmental fate assessment of other non-readily biodegradable, hydrolysis-resistant, and non-sunlight-absorbing fragrance ingredients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The level of the transcription factor Pax6 is essential for controlling the balance between neural stem cell self-renewal and neurogenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen N Sansom

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Neural stem cell self-renewal, neurogenesis, and cell fate determination are processes that control the generation of specific classes of neurons at the correct place and time. The transcription factor Pax6 is essential for neural stem cell proliferation, multipotency, and neurogenesis in many regions of the central nervous system, including the cerebral cortex. We used Pax6 as an entry point to define the cellular networks controlling neural stem cell self-renewal and neurogenesis in stem cells of the developing mouse cerebral cortex. We identified the genomic binding locations of Pax6 in neocortical stem cells during normal development and ascertained the functional significance of genes that we found to be regulated by Pax6, finding that Pax6 positively and directly regulates cohorts of genes that promote neural stem cell self-renewal, basal progenitor cell genesis, and neurogenesis. Notably, we defined a core network regulating neocortical stem cell decision-making in which Pax6 interacts with three other regulators of neurogenesis, Neurog2, Ascl1, and Hes1. Analyses of the biological function of Pax6 in neural stem cells through phenotypic analyses of Pax6 gain- and loss-of-function mutant cortices demonstrated that the Pax6-regulated networks operating in neural stem cells are highly dosage sensitive. Increasing Pax6 levels drives the system towards neurogenesis and basal progenitor cell genesis by increasing expression of a cohort of basal progenitor cell determinants, including the key transcription factor Eomes/Tbr2, and thus towards neurogenesis at the expense of self-renewal. Removing Pax6 reduces cortical stem cell self-renewal by decreasing expression of key cell cycle regulators, resulting in excess early neurogenesis. We find that the relative levels of Pax6, Hes1, and Neurog2 are key determinants of a dynamic network that controls whether neural stem cells self-renew, generate cortical neurons, or generate basal progenitor cells

THE FATE OF TANNINS IN CORSICAN PINE LITTER

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nierop, K.G.J.; Verstraten, J.M.

2006-01-01

Tannins are ubiquitous in higher plants and therefore also in litter and soils where they affect many biogeochemical processes. Despite this well recognized role, the fate of tannins in litter and mineral soils is hardly known as often only trace amounts, if any, of tannins are measured. In this

Three-dimensional neuroepithelial culture from human embryonic stem cells and its use for quantitative conversion to retinal pigment epithelium.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Zhu

Full Text Available A goal in human embryonic stem cell (hESC research is the faithful differentiation to given cell types such as neural lineages. During embryonic development, a basement membrane surrounds the neural plate that forms a tight, apico-basolaterally polarized epithelium before closing to form a neural tube with a single lumen. Here we show that the three-dimensional epithelial cyst culture of hESCs in Matrigel combined with neural induction results in a quantitative conversion into neuroepithelial cysts containing a single lumen. Cells attain a defined neuroepithelial identity by 5 days. The neuroepithelial cysts naturally generate retinal epithelium, in part due to IGF-1/insulin signaling. We demonstrate the utility of this epithelial culture approach by achieving a quantitative production of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE cells from hESCs within 30 days. Direct transplantation of this RPE into a rat model of retinal degeneration without any selection or expansion of the cells results in the formation of a donor-derived RPE monolayer that rescues photoreceptor cells. The cyst method for neuroepithelial differentiation of pluripotent stem cells is not only of importance for RPE generation but will also be relevant to the production of other neuronal cell types and for reconstituting complex patterning events from three-dimensional neuroepithelia.

Fate of 14C-labelled compounds in marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kale, S.P.; Raghu, K.; Sherkhane, P.D.; Murthy, N.B.K.

1999-01-01

Model ecosystems have played an important role in predicting environmental behavior of agrochemicals. The microcosms used in these studies generally include soil units containing usual biotic components common for that ecosystem. In present studies, scope of two such ecosystems has been extended to study the fate of 14 C-labelled pesticides in marine environment. 14 C-labelled pesticides used in these studies were chlorpyrifos, DDT and HCH. Two systems were developed in laboratory simulating marine environment to study the fate of these pesticides. The first system was developed in an all glass aquarium tank with marine sediments, seawater, clams and algae and is referred to as marine ecosystem. The second system was developed to permit the total 14 C-mass balance studies. It contained marine sediments under moist (60% water holding capacity) or flooded conditions and it is referred to as continuous flow system. Fate of 14 C-DDT was studied in marine ecosystem while degradation of 14 C-chlorpyrifos and 14 C-HCH was studied in continuous flow system. 14 C-DDT did not bioaccumulate in clams while at the end of 60 days 50% of the applied 14 C-activity was present in sediment fraction of marine ecosystem. 14 C-HCH degradation showed about 22-26% mineralization while 45-55% of the applied activity was recovered as organic volatiles. No significant bound residues were formed. 14 C-chorpyrifos underwent considerable degradation in marine environment. TCP was the major degradation product. (author)

Environmental Behavior and Fate of Explosives in Groundwater from the Milan Army Ammunition Plant in Aquatic and Wetland Plants. Fate of TNT and RDX

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Best, Elly

1998-01-01

The present study was performed to elucidate the environmental behavior and fate of TNT and RDX in aquatic and wetland plants collected from a field-scale wetland demonstration deployed at Milan Army...

Evaluating portland cement concrete degradation by sulphate exposure through artificial neural networks modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Douglas Nunes de; Bourguignon, Lucas Gabriel Garcia; Tolentino, Evandro; Costa, Rodrigo Moyses; Tello, Cledola Cassia Oliveira de

2015-01-01

A concrete is durable if it has accomplished the desired service life in the environment in which it is exposed. The durability of concrete materials can be limited as a result of adverse performance of its cement-paste matrix or aggregate constituents under either chemical or physical attack. Among other aggressive chemical exposures, the sulphate attack is an important concern. Water, soils and gases, which contain sulphate, represent a potential threat to the durability of concrete structures. Sulphate attack in concrete leads to the conversion of the hydration products of cement to ettringite, gypsum, and other phases, and also it leads to the destabilization of the primary strength generating calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel. The formation of ettringite and gypsum is common in cementitious systems exposed to most types of sulphate solutions. The present work presents the application of the neural networks for estimating deterioration of various concrete mixtures due to exposure to sulphate solutions. A neural networks model was constructed, trained and tested using the available database. In general, artificial neural networks could be successfully used in function approximation problems in order to approach the data generation function. Once data generation function is known, artificial neural network structure is tested using data not presented to the network during training. This paper is intent to provide the technical requirements related to the production of a durable concrete to be used in the structures of the Brazilian near-surface repository of radioactive wastes. (author)

Evaluating portland cement concrete degradation by sulphate exposure through artificial neural networks modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Douglas Nunes de; Bourguignon, Lucas Gabriel Garcia; Tolentino, Evandro, E-mail: tolentino@timoteo.cefetmg.br [Centro Federal de Educacao Tecnologica de Minas Gerais (CEFET-MG), Timoteo, MG (Brazil); Costa, Rodrigo Moyses, E-mail: rodrigo@moyses.com.br [Universidade de Itauna, Itauna, MG (Brazil); Tello, Cledola Cassia Oliveira de, E-mail: tellocc@cdtn.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nucelar (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2015-07-01

A concrete is durable if it has accomplished the desired service life in the environment in which it is exposed. The durability of concrete materials can be limited as a result of adverse performance of its cement-paste matrix or aggregate constituents under either chemical or physical attack. Among other aggressive chemical exposures, the sulphate attack is an important concern. Water, soils and gases, which contain sulphate, represent a potential threat to the durability of concrete structures. Sulphate attack in concrete leads to the conversion of the hydration products of cement to ettringite, gypsum, and other phases, and also it leads to the destabilization of the primary strength generating calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel. The formation of ettringite and gypsum is common in cementitious systems exposed to most types of sulphate solutions. The present work presents the application of the neural networks for estimating deterioration of various concrete mixtures due to exposure to sulphate solutions. A neural networks model was constructed, trained and tested using the available database. In general, artificial neural networks could be successfully used in function approximation problems in order to approach the data generation function. Once data generation function is known, artificial neural network structure is tested using data not presented to the network during training. This paper is intent to provide the technical requirements related to the production of a durable concrete to be used in the structures of the Brazilian near-surface repository of radioactive wastes. (author)

FATE OF PAH COMPOUNDS IN TWO SOIL TYPES: INFLUENCE OF VOLATILIZATION, ABIOTIC LOSS, AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

Science.gov (United States)

The fate of 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds was evaluated with regard to interphase transfer potential and mechanisms of treatment in soil under unsaturated conditions. Volatilization and abiotic and biotic fate of the PAHs were determined using two soils not p...

FATES: a flexible analysis toolkit for the exploration of single-particle mass spectrometer data

Science.gov (United States)

Sultana, Camille M.; Cornwell, Gavin C.; Rodriguez, Paul; Prather, Kimberly A.

2017-04-01

Single-particle mass spectrometer (SPMS) analysis of aerosols has become increasingly popular since its invention in the 1990s. Today many iterations of commercial and lab-built SPMSs are in use worldwide. However, supporting analysis toolkits for these powerful instruments are outdated, have limited functionality, or are versions that are not available to the scientific community at large. In an effort to advance this field and allow better communication and collaboration between scientists, we have developed FATES (Flexible Analysis Toolkit for the Exploration of SPMS data), a MATLAB toolkit easily extensible to an array of SPMS designs and data formats. FATES was developed to minimize the computational demands of working with large data sets while still allowing easy maintenance, modification, and utilization by novice programmers. FATES permits scientists to explore, without constraint, complex SPMS data with simple scripts in a language popular for scientific numerical analysis. In addition FATES contains an array of data visualization graphic user interfaces (GUIs) which can aid both novice and expert users in calibration of raw data; exploration of the dependence of mass spectral characteristics on size, time, and peak intensity; and investigations of clustered data sets.

Evolvable Neural Software System

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Steven A.

2009-01-01

The Evolvable Neural Software System (ENSS) is composed of sets of Neural Basis Functions (NBFs), which can be totally autonomously created and removed according to the changing needs and requirements of the software system. The resulting structure is both hierarchical and self-similar in that a given set of NBFs may have a ruler NBF, which in turn communicates with other sets of NBFs. These sets of NBFs may function as nodes to a ruler node, which are also NBF constructs. In this manner, the synthetic neural system can exhibit the complexity, three-dimensional connectivity, and adaptability of biological neural systems. An added advantage of ENSS over a natural neural system is its ability to modify its core genetic code in response to environmental changes as reflected in needs and requirements. The neural system is fully adaptive and evolvable and is trainable before release. It continues to rewire itself while on the job. The NBF is a unique, bilevel intelligence neural system composed of a higher-level heuristic neural system (HNS) and a lower-level, autonomic neural system (ANS). Taken together, the HNS and the ANS give each NBF the complete capabilities of a biological neural system to match sensory inputs to actions. Another feature of the NBF is the Evolvable Neural Interface (ENI), which links the HNS and ANS. The ENI solves the interface problem between these two systems by actively adapting and evolving from a primitive initial state (a Neural Thread) to a complicated, operational ENI and successfully adapting to a training sequence of sensory input. This simulates the adaptation of a biological neural system in a developmental phase. Within the greater multi-NBF and multi-node ENSS, self-similar ENI s provide the basis for inter-NBF and inter-node connectivity.

Occurrence, sources, and fate of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environment and soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, W.C.

2014-01-01

With the rapid economic development, a better living condition leads to longer life expectancy, which increased the total population, in particular the elderly group. It may result in increase in the demand of pharmaceuticals for people in domestic use or in hospital. Although most sewage treatment plants or waste water treatment plantsmet the regulatory requirement, there are still many pharmaceuticals removed incompletely and thus discharged to the environment. Therefore, the pharmaceuticals residue draws the public concern because they might cause adverse effects on the organism even human beings. Recently, many studies have published on the source and occurrence as well as the fate of pharmaceuticals all over the world. This paper summarized and reviewed the recent studies on the sources, occurrence, fate and the effects of the most common pharmaceuticals. Finally, it gave the suggestion and risk management for controlling the pharmaceuticals. - Highlights: • The sources of pharmaceutical residuals are studied. • Occurrence and fate of pharmaceutical in environment are studied. • Risk management and recommendation are provided on pharmaceutical pollution. - Concentration of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment is lower than in effluent of sewage treatment plants in which carbamazepine is found frequently in soil and water body

Biokinetics of zinc oxide nanoparticles: toxicokinetics, biological fates, and protein interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choi SJ

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Soo-Jin Choi,1 Jin-Ho Choy2 1Department of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's University, 2Center for Intelligent Nano Bio Materials (CINBM, Department of Bioinspired Science and Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea Abstract: Biokinetic studies of zinc oxide (ZnO nanoparticles involve systematic and quantitative analyses of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion in plasma and tissues of whole animals after exposure. A full understanding of the biokinetics provides basic information about nanoparticle entry into systemic circulation, target organs of accumulation and toxicity, and elimination time, which is important for predicting the long-term toxic potential of nanoparticles. Biokinetic behaviors can be dependent on physicochemical properties, dissolution property in biological fluids, and nanoparticle–protein interaction. Moreover, the determination of biological fates of ZnO nanoparticles in the systemic circulation and tissues is critical in interpreting biokinetic behaviors and predicting toxicity potential as well as mechanism. This review focuses on physicochemical factors affecting the biokinetics of ZnO nanoparticles, in concert with understanding bioavailable fates and their interaction with proteins. Keywords: ZnO nanoparticles, biokinetics, distribution, excretion, fate, interaction

Endothelial ERK signaling controls lymphatic fate specification

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Yong; Atri, Deepak; Eichmann, Anne; Simons, Michael

2013-01-01

Lymphatic vessels are thought to arise from PROX1-positive endothelial cells (ECs) in the cardinal vein in response to induction of SOX18 expression; however, the molecular event responsible for increased SOX18 expression has not been established. We generated mice with endothelial-specific, inducible expression of an RAF1 gene with a gain-of-function mutation (RAF1S259A) that is associated with Noonan syndrome. Expression of mutant RAF1S259A in ECs activated ERK and induced SOX18 and PROX1 expression, leading to increased commitment of venous ECs to the lymphatic fate. Excessive production of lymphatic ECs resulted in lymphangiectasia that was highly reminiscent of abnormal lymphatics seen in Noonan syndrome and similar “RASopathies.” Inhibition of ERK signaling during development abrogated the lymphatic differentiation program and rescued the lymphatic phenotypes induced by expression of RAF1S259A. These data suggest that ERK activation plays a key role in lymphatic EC fate specification and that excessive ERK activation is the basis of lymphatic abnormalities seen in Noonan syndrome and related diseases. PMID:23391722

Fusion of neural computing and PLS techniques for load estimation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, M.; Xue, H.; Cheng, X. [Northwestern Polytechnical Univ., Xi' an (China); Zhang, W. [Xi' an Inst. of Post and Telecommunication, Xi' an (China)

2007-07-01

A method to predict the electric load of a power system in real time was presented. The method is based on neurocomputing and partial least squares (PLS). Short-term load forecasts for power systems are generally determined by conventional statistical methods and Computational Intelligence (CI) techniques such as neural computing. However, statistical modeling methods often require the input of questionable distributional assumptions, and neural computing is weak, particularly in determining topology. In order to overcome the problems associated with conventional techniques, the authors developed a CI hybrid model based on neural computation and PLS techniques. The theoretical foundation for the designed CI hybrid model was presented along with its application in a power system. The hybrid model is suitable for nonlinear modeling and latent structure extracting. It can automatically determine the optimal topology to maximize the generalization. The CI hybrid model provides faster convergence and better prediction results compared to the abductive networks model because it incorporates a load conversion technique as well as new transfer functions. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the hybrid model, load forecasting was performed on a data set obtained from the Puget Sound Power and Light Company. Compared with the abductive networks model, the CI hybrid model reduced the forecast error by 32.37 per cent on workday, and by an average of 27.18 per cent on the weekend. It was concluded that the CI hybrid model has a more powerful predictive ability. 7 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs.

Self-Exciting Point Process Modeling of Conversation Event Sequences

Science.gov (United States)

Masuda, Naoki; Takaguchi, Taro; Sato, Nobuo; Yano, Kazuo

Self-exciting processes of Hawkes type have been used to model various phenomena including earthquakes, neural activities, and views of online videos. Studies of temporal networks have revealed that sequences of social interevent times for individuals are highly bursty. We examine some basic properties of event sequences generated by the Hawkes self-exciting process to show that it generates bursty interevent times for a wide parameter range. Then, we fit the model to the data of conversation sequences recorded in company offices in Japan. In this way, we can estimate relative magnitudes of the self excitement, its temporal decay, and the base event rate independent of the self excitation. These variables highly depend on individuals. We also point out that the Hawkes model has an important limitation that the correlation in the interevent times and the burstiness cannot be independently modulated.

Identification of electrons in the ZEUS hadron-electron separator with neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carstens, J.O.

1994-10-01

An electron finder for the ZEUS experiment was constructed, which is specialized to electrons in the momentum range 0.5 to 3.0 GeV/c. For the first time this electron finder connects the informations of the calorimeter with those of the hadron-electron separator (HES). For this purpose the electron finder was equipped with a neural network. The electron finder reached on a data set of photoproduction events with conversion electrons an efficiency and discriminance of E=(62.9±2.2±0.6)% and D=(91.4±0.8±1.1)%. From these two quantities it can be calculated that the electron finder the ratio electrons to background increases by the factoe E/(1-D)=7.4 (Signal amplification). For the comparison: A neural net, to which only calorimeter informations have been made available, reached at the same efficiency a signal amplification of 2.4. A simple cut in the variable HES-signal reaches a signal amplification of 6.3. Hints were given, how training data sets with electrons and hadrons of higher energies can be obtained. With such data sets the working range of the electron finder can be without problems extended to higher momenta. As preparation for the construction of the electron finder an introduction to the foundations of the mathematics and the application of neural networks was given. By means of examples different methods for the convergence improvement have been tested. Numerous representations mediate illustrative imaginations on the mathematical process of the training of neural networks

Fate factors and emission flux estimates for emerging contaminants in surface waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoa T. Trinh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, hormones, and wastewater products are emerging environmental concerns for manifold reasons, including the potential of some compounds found in these products for endocrine disruption at a very low chronic exposure level. The environmental occurrences and sources of these contaminants in the water, soil, sediment and biota in European nations and the United States are well documented. This work reports a screening-level emission and fate assessment of thirty compounds, listed in the National Reconnaissance of the United States Geological Survey (USGS, 1999–2000 as the most frequently detected organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams and rivers. Estimations of the surface water fate factors were based on Level II and Level III multimedia fugacity models for a 1000 km2 model environment, the size of a typical county in the eastern United States. The compounds are categorized into three groups based upon the sensitivity of their predicted surface water fate factors to uncertainties in their physicochemical property values and the landscape parameters. The environmental fate factors, mass distributions, and loss pathways of all of the compounds are strongly affected by their assumed modes of entry into the environment. It is observed that for thirteen of the thirty organic wastewater contaminants most commonly detected in surface waters, conventional treatment strategies may be ineffective for their removal from wastewater effluents. The surface water fate factors predicted by the fugacity models were used in conjunction with the surface water concentrations measured in the USGS reconnaissance to obtain emission flux estimates for the compounds into U.S. streams and rivers. These include estimated fluxes of 6.8 × 10−5 to 0.30 kg/h km2 for the biomarker coprostanol; 1.7 × 10−5 to 6.5 × 10−5 kg/h km2 for the insect repellent N,N-diethyltoluamide; and 4.3 × 10−6 to 3.1 × 10−5 kg/h km2 for

Msx2 alters the timing of retinal ganglion cells fate commitment and differentiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Shao-Yun, E-mail: jiangshaoyun@yahoo.com [School of Dentistry, Tianjin Medical University, 12 Qi Xiang Tai Street, Tianjin 300070 (China); Wang, Jian-Tao, E-mail: wangjiantao65@hotmail.com [Eye Center, Tianjin Medical University, 64 Tongan Road, Tianjin 300070 (China); Dohney Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1355 San Pablo Street, DOH 314, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States)

2010-05-14

Timing of cell fate commitment determines distinct retinal cell types, which is believed to be controlled by a tightly coordinated regulatory program of proliferation, cell cycle exit and differentiation. Although homeobox protein Msx2 could induce apoptosis of optic vesicle, it is unclear whether Msx2 regulates differentiation and cell fate commitment of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In this study, we show that overexpression of Msx2 transiently suppressed the expression of Cyclin D1 and blocked cell proliferation. Meanwhile, overexpression of Msx2 delayed the expression of RGC-specific differentiation markers (Math5 and Brn3b), which showed that Msx2 could affect the timing of RGCs fate commitment and differentiation by delaying the timing of cell cycle exit of retinal progenitors. These results indicate Msx2 possesses dual regulatory functions in controlling cell cycle progression of retinal RPCs and timing of RGCs differentiation.

Uranium conversion; Urankonvertering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliver, Lena; Peterson, Jenny; Wilhelmsen, Katarina [Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), Stockholm (Sweden)

2006-03-15

FOI, has performed a study on uranium conversion processes that are of importance in the production of different uranium compounds in the nuclear industry. The same conversion processes are of interest both when production of nuclear fuel and production of fissile material for nuclear weapons are considered. Countries that have nuclear weapons ambitions, with the intention to produce highly enriched uranium for weapons purposes, need some degree of uranium conversion capability depending on the uranium feed material available. This report describes the processes that are needed from uranium mining and milling to the different conversion processes for converting uranium ore concentrate to uranium hexafluoride. Uranium hexafluoride is the uranium compound used in most enrichment facilities. The processes needed to produce uranium dioxide for use in nuclear fuel and the processes needed to convert different uranium compounds to uranium metal - the form of uranium that is used in a nuclear weapon - are also presented. The production of uranium ore concentrate from uranium ore is included since uranium ore concentrate is the feed material required for a uranium conversion facility. Both the chemistry and principles or the different uranium conversion processes and the equipment needed in the processes are described. Since most of the equipment that is used in a uranium conversion facility is similar to that used in conventional chemical industry, it is difficult to determine if certain equipment is considered for uranium conversion or not. However, the chemical conversion processes where UF{sub 6} and UF{sub 4} are present require equipment that is made of corrosion resistant material.

Chaotic diagonal recurrent neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xing-Yuan; Zhang Yi

2012-01-01

We propose a novel neural network based on a diagonal recurrent neural network and chaos, and its structure and learning algorithm are designed. The multilayer feedforward neural network, diagonal recurrent neural network, and chaotic diagonal recurrent neural network are used to approach the cubic symmetry map. The simulation results show that the approximation capability of the chaotic diagonal recurrent neural network is better than the other two neural networks. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Computational modeling of neural plasticity for self-organization of neural networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Chrol-Cannon, Joseph; Jin, Yaochu

2014-11-01

Self-organization in biological nervous systems during the lifetime is known to largely occur through a process of plasticity that is dependent upon the spike-timing activity in connected neurons. In the field of computational neuroscience, much effort has been dedicated to building up computational models of neural plasticity to replicate experimental data. Most recently, increasing attention has been paid to understanding the role of neural plasticity in functional and structural neural self-organization, as well as its influence on the learning performance of neural networks for accomplishing machine learning tasks such as classification and regression. Although many ideas and hypothesis have been suggested, the relationship between the structure, dynamics and learning performance of neural networks remains elusive. The purpose of this article is to review the most important computational models for neural plasticity and discuss various ideas about neural plasticity's role. Finally, we suggest a few promising research directions, in particular those along the line that combines findings in computational neuroscience and systems biology, and their synergetic roles in understanding learning, memory and cognition, thereby bridging the gap between computational neuroscience, systems biology and computational intelligence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Illustrating sensitivity in environmental fate models using partitioning maps - application to selected contaminants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, T.; Wania, F. [Univ. of Toronto at Scarborough - DPES, Toronto (Canada)

2004-09-15

Generic environmental multimedia fate models are important tools in the assessment of the impact of organic pollutants. Because of limited possibilities to evaluate generic models by comparison with measured data and the increasing regulatory use of such models, uncertainties of model input and output are of considerable concern. This led to a demand for sensitivity and uncertainty analyses for the outputs of environmental fate models. Usually, variations of model predictions of the environmental fate of organic contaminants are analyzed for only one or at most a few selected chemicals, even though parameter sensitivity and contribution to uncertainty are widely different for different chemicals. We recently presented a graphical method that allows for the comprehensive investigation of model sensitivity and uncertainty for all neutral organic chemicals simultaneously. This is achieved by defining a two-dimensional hypothetical ''chemical space'' as a function of the equilibrium partition coefficients between air, water, and octanol (K{sub OW}, K{sub AW}, K{sub OA}), and plotting sensitivity and/or uncertainty of a specific model result to each input parameter as function of this chemical space. Here we show how such sensitivity maps can be used to quickly identify the variables with the highest influence on the environmental fate of selected, chlorobenzenes, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and brominated flame retardents (BFRs).

Sources and fate of environmental radioactivity at the earth's surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Daoushy, F.

2010-01-01

Sources and fate of environmental radioactivity at the earth surface This is to link environmental radioactivity to RP in Africa? To describe the benefits of Africa from this field in terms of RP, safety and security policies. To create a mission and a vision to fulfil the needs of ONE PEOPLE, ONE GOAL, ONE FAITH. Sources, processes and fate of environmental radioactivity Previous experience helps setting up an African agenda.(1) Factors influencing cosmogenic radionuclides(2) Factors influencing artificial radionuclides: (a) nuclear weapon-tests (b) nuclear accidents (c) Energy, mining and industrial waste (3) Factors influencing the global Rn-222 and its daughters. (4) Dynamics of cycles of natural radioactivity, e.g. Pb-210. (5) Environmental radiotracers act as DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS to assess air and water quality and impacts of the atmospheric and hydrospheric compartments on ecosystems.6) Definition of base-lines for rehabilitation and protection. Climate influences sources/behaviour/fate of environmental radioactivity. Impacts on life forms in Africa would be severe. Assessing environmental radioactivity resolves these issue

Fates of trees damaged by logging in Amazonian Bolivia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shenkin, A.; Bolker, B.; Peña Claros, M.; Licona, J.C.; Putz, F.E.

2015-01-01

Estimation of carbon losses from trees felled and incidentally-killed during selective logging of tropical forests is relatively straightforward and well-documented, but less is known about the fates of collaterally-damaged trees that initially survive. Tree response to logging damage is an

CD133-enriched Xeno-Free human embryonic-derived neural stem cells expand rapidly in culture and do not form teratomas in immunodeficient mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel L. Haus

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Common methods for the generation of human embryonic-derived neural stem cells (hNSCs result in cells with potentially compromised safety profiles due to maintenance of cells in conditions containing non-human proteins (e.g. in bovine serum or on mouse fibroblast feeders. Additionally, sufficient expansion of resulting hNSCs for scaling out or up in a clinically relevant time frame has proven to be difficult. Here, we report a strategy that produces hNSCs in completely “Xeno-Free” culture conditions. Furthermore, we have enriched the hNSCs for the cell surface marker CD133 via magnetic sorting, which has led to an increase in the expansion rate and neuronal fate specification of the hNSCs in vitro. Critically, we have also confirmed neural lineage specificity upon sorted hNSC transplantation into the immunodeficient NOD-scid mouse brain. The future use or adaptation of these protocols has the potential to better facilitate the advancement of pre-clinical strategies from the bench to the bedside.

Neural Parallel Engine: A toolbox for massively parallel neural signal processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Tam, Wing-Kin; Yang, Zhi

2018-05-01

Large-scale neural recordings provide detailed information on neuronal activities and can help elicit the underlying neural mechanisms of the brain. However, the computational burden is also formidable when we try to process the huge data stream generated by such recordings. In this study, we report the development of Neural Parallel Engine (NPE), a toolbox for massively parallel neural signal processing on graphical processing units (GPUs). It offers a selection of the most commonly used routines in neural signal processing such as spike detection and spike sorting, including advanced algorithms such as exponential-component-power-component (EC-PC) spike detection and binary pursuit spike sorting. We also propose a new method for detecting peaks in parallel through a parallel compact operation. Our toolbox is able to offer a 5× to 110× speedup compared with its CPU counterparts depending on the algorithms. A user-friendly MATLAB interface is provided to allow easy integration of the toolbox into existing workflows. Previous efforts on GPU neural signal processing only focus on a few rudimentary algorithms, are not well-optimized and often do not provide a user-friendly programming interface to fit into existing workflows. There is a strong need for a comprehensive toolbox for massively parallel neural signal processing. A new toolbox for massively parallel neural signal processing has been created. It can offer significant speedup in processing signals from large-scale recordings up to thousands of channels. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Building 235-F Goldsim Fate And Transport Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, G. A.; Phifer, M. A.

2012-09-14

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) personnel, at the request of Area Completion Projects (ACP), evaluated In-Situ Disposal (ISD) alternatives that are under consideration for deactivation and decommissioning (D&D) of Building 235-F and the Building 294-2F Sand Filter. SRNL personnel developed and used a GoldSim fate and transport model, which is consistent with Musall 2012, to evaluate relative to groundwater protection, ISD alternatives that involve either source removal and/or the grouting of portions or all of 235-F. This evaluation was conducted through the development and use of a Building 235-F GoldSim fate and transport model. The model simulates contaminant release from four 235-F process areas and the 294-2F Sand Filter. In addition, it simulates the fate and transport through the vadose zone, the Upper Three Runs (UTR) aquifer, and the Upper Three Runs (UTR) creek. The model is designed as a stochastic model, and as such it can provide both deterministic and stochastic (probabilistic) results. The results show that the median radium activity concentrations exceed the 5 ?Ci/L radium MCL at the edge of the building for all ISD alternatives after 10,000 years, except those with a sufficient amount of inventory removed. A very interesting result was that grouting was shown to basically have minimal effect on the radium activity concentration. During the first 1,000 years grouting may have some small positive benefit relative to radium, however after that it may have a slightly deleterious effect. The Pb-210 results, relative to its 0.06 ?Ci/L PRG, are essentially identical to the radium results, but the Pb-210 results exhibit a lesser degree of exceedance. In summary, some level of inventory removal will be required to ensure that groundwater standards are met.

Building 235-F Goldsim Fate And Transport Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, G. A.; Phifer, M. A.

2012-01-01

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) personnel, at the request of Area Completion Projects (ACP), evaluated In-Situ Disposal (ISD) alternatives that are under consideration for deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) of Building 235-F and the Building 294-2F Sand Filter. SRNL personnel developed and used a GoldSim fate and transport model, which is consistent with Musall 2012, to evaluate relative to groundwater protection, ISD alternatives that involve either source removal and/or the grouting of portions or all of 235-F. This evaluation was conducted through the development and use of a Building 235-F GoldSim fate and transport model. The model simulates contaminant release from four 235-F process areas and the 294-2F Sand Filter. In addition, it simulates the fate and transport through the vadose zone, the Upper Three Runs (UTR) aquifer, and the Upper Three Runs (UTR) creek. The model is designed as a stochastic model, and as such it can provide both deterministic and stochastic (probabilistic) results. The results show that the median radium activity concentrations exceed the 5 ρCi/L radium MCL at the edge of the building for all ISD alternatives after 10,000 years, except those with a sufficient amount of inventory removed. A very interesting result was that grouting was shown to basically have minimal effect on the radium activity concentration. During the first 1,000 years grouting may have some small positive benefit relative to radium, however after that it may have a slightly deleterious effect. The Pb-210 results, relative to its 0.06 ρCi/L PRG, are essentially identical to the radium results, but the Pb-210 results exhibit a lesser degree of exceedance. In summary, some level of inventory removal will be required to ensure that groundwater standards are met

Effect of 3D-scaffold formation on differentiation and survival in human neural progenitor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortinau, Stefanie; Schmich, Jürgen; Block, Stephan; Liedmann, Andrea; Jonas, Ludwig; Weiss, Dieter G; Helm, Christiane A; Rolfs, Arndt; Frech, Moritz J

2010-11-11

3D-scaffolds have been shown to direct cell growth and differentiation in many different cell types, with the formation and functionalisation of the 3D-microenviroment being important in determining the fate of the embedded cells. Here we used a hydrogel-based scaffold to investigate the influences of matrix concentration and functionalisation with laminin on the formation of the scaffolds, and the effect of these scaffolds on human neural progenitor cells cultured within them. In this study we used different concentrations of the hydrogel-based matrix PuraMatrix. In some experiments we functionalised the matrix with laminin I. The impact of concentration and treatment with laminin on the formation of the scaffold was examined with atomic force microscopy. Cells from a human fetal neural progenitor cell line were cultured in the different matrices, as well as in a 2D culture system, and were subsequently analysed with antibody stainings against neuronal markers. In parallel, the survival rate of the cells was determined by a live/dead assay. Atomic force microscopy measurements demonstrated that the matrices are formed by networks of isolated PuraMatrix fibres and aggregates of fibres. An increase of the hydrogel concentration led to a decrease in the mesh size of the scaffolds and functionalisation with laminin promoted aggregation of the fibres (bundle formation), which further reduces the density of isolated fibres. We showed that laminin-functionalisation is essential for human neural progenitor cells to build up 3D-growth patterns, and that proliferation of the cells is also affected by the concentration of matrix. In addition we found that 3D-cultures enhanced neuronal differentiation and the survival rate of the cells compared to 2D-cultures. Taken together, we have demonstrated a direct influence of the 3D-scaffold formation on the survival and neuronal differentiation of human neural progenitor cells. These findings emphasize the importance of optimizing 3

Regulation of adult neural progenitor cell functions by purinergic signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yong; Illes, Peter

2017-02-01

Extracellular purines are signaling molecules in the neurogenic niches of the brain and spinal cord, where they activate cell surface purinoceptors at embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs) and adult neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Although mRNA and protein are expressed at NSCs/NPCs for almost all subtypes of the nucleotide-sensitive P2X/P2Y, and the nucleoside-sensitive adenosine receptors, only a few of those have acquired functional significance. ATP is sequentially degraded by ecto-nucleotidases to ADP, AMP, and adenosine with agonistic properties for distinct receptor-classes. Nucleotides/nucleosides facilitate or inhibit NSC/NPC proliferation, migration and differentiation. The most ubiquitous effect of all agonists (especially of ATP and ADP) appears to be the facilitation of cell proliferation, usually through P2Y1Rs and sometimes through P2X7Rs. However, usually P2X7R activation causes necrosis/apoptosis of NPCs. Differentiation can be initiated by P2Y2R-activation or P2X7R-blockade. A key element in the transduction mechanism of either receptor is the increase of the intracellular free Ca 2+ concentration, which may arise due to its release from intracellular storage sites (G protein-coupling; P2Y) or due to its passage through the receptor-channel itself from the extracellular space (ATP-gated ion channel; P2X). Further research is needed to clarify how purinergic signaling controls NSC/NPC fate and how the balance between the quiescent and activated states is established with fine and dynamic regulation. GLIA 2017;65:213-230. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neural chips, neural computers and application in high and superhigh energy physics experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikityuk, N.M.; )

2001-01-01

Architecture peculiarity and characteristics of series of neural chips and neural computes used in scientific instruments are considered. Tendency of development and use of them in high energy and superhigh energy physics experiments are described. Comparative data which characterize the efficient use of neural chips for useful event selection, classification elementary particles, reconstruction of tracks of charged particles and for search of hypothesis Higgs particles are given. The characteristics of native neural chips and accelerated neural boards are considered [ru

The C. elegans TPR Containing Protein, TRD-1, Regulates Cell Fate Choice in the Developing Germ Line and Epidermis.

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Samantha Hughes

Full Text Available Correct cell fate choice is crucial in development. In post-embryonic development of the hermaphroditic Caenorhabitis elegans, distinct cell fates must be adopted in two diverse tissues. In the germline, stem cells adopt one of three possible fates: mitotic cell cycle, or gamete formation via meiosis, producing either sperm or oocytes. In the epidermis, the stem cell-like seam cells divide asymmetrically, with the daughters taking on either a proliferative (seam or differentiated (hypodermal or neuronal fate. We have isolated a novel conserved C. elegans tetratricopeptide repeat containing protein, TRD-1, which is essential for cell fate determination in both the germline and the developing epidermis and has homologs in other species, including humans (TTC27. We show that trd-1(RNAi and mutant animals have fewer seam cells as a result of inappropriate differentiation towards the hypodermal fate. In the germline, trd-1 RNAi results in a strong masculinization phenotype, as well as defects in the mitosis to meiosis switch. Our data suggests that trd-1 acts downstream of tra-2 but upstream of fem-3 in the germline sex determination pathway, and exhibits a constellation of phenotypes in common with other Mog (masculinization of germline mutants. Thus, trd-1 is a new player in both the somatic and germline cell fate determination machinery, suggestive of a novel molecular connection between the development of these two diverse tissues.

Neural tissue-spheres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Rikke K; Johansen, Mathias; Blaabjerg, Morten

2007-01-01

By combining new and established protocols we have developed a procedure for isolation and propagation of neural precursor cells from the forebrain subventricular zone (SVZ) of newborn rats. Small tissue blocks of the SVZ were dissected and propagated en bloc as free-floating neural tissue...... content, thus allowing experimental studies of neural precursor cells and their niche...

The Wnt-target gene Dlk-1 is regulated by the Prmt5-associated factor Copr5 during adipogenic conversion

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Conception Paul

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Protein arginine methyl transferase 5 (Prmt5 regulates various differentiation processes, including adipogenesis. Here, we investigated adipogenic conversion in cells and mice in which Copr5, a Prmt5- and histone-binding protein, was genetically invalidated. Compared to control littermates, the retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (WAT of Copr5 KO mice was slightly but significantly reduced between 8 and 16 week/old and contained fewer and larger adipocytes. Moreover, the adipogenic conversion of Copr5 KO embryoid bodies (EB and of primary embryo fibroblasts (Mefs was markedly delayed. Differential transcriptomic analysis identified Copr5 as a negative regulator of the Dlk-1 gene, a Wnt target gene involved in the control of adipocyte progenitors cell fate. Dlk-1 expression was upregulated in Copr5 KO Mefs and the Vascular Stromal Fraction (VSF of Copr5 KO WAT. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP show that the ablation of Copr5 has impaired both the recruitment of Prmt5 and β-catenin at the Dlk-1 promoter. Overall, our data suggest that Copr5 is involved in the transcriptional control exerted by the Wnt pathway on early steps of adipogenesis.

Fate and transformation of graphene oxide in marine waters

Science.gov (United States)

One common use of graphene family nanomaterials (GFNs) is as functional and/or antifouling coatings, which may ultimately lead to their release into the natural environment. The fate of graphene oxide (GO), a common type of GFN, in natural waters is currently not well understood....

40 CFR 158.1300 - Environmental fate data requirements table.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... transformation products. 7. Environmental chemistry methods used to generate data associated with this study must... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Environmental fate data requirements table. 158.1300 Section 158.1300 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED...

DNA Damage Signaling Instructs Polyploid Macrophage Fate in Granulomas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herrtwich, Laura; Nanda, Indrajit; Evangelou, Konstantinos

2016-01-01

to a chronic stimulus, though critical for disease outcome, have not been defined. Here, we delineate a macrophage differentiation pathway by which a persistent Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 signal instructs polyploid macrophage fate by inducing replication stress and activating the DNA damage response. Polyploid...

Formate-Dependent Microbial Conversion of CO2 and the Dominant Pathways of methanogenesis in production water of high-temperature oil reservoirs amended with bicarbonate

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Guang-Chao eYang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available CO2 sequestration in deep-subsurface formations including oil reservoirs is a potential measure to reduce the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. However, the fate of the CO2 and the ecological influences in Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CDCS facilities is not understood clearly. In the current study, the fate of CO2 (in bicarbonate form (0~90 mM with 10 mM of formate as electron donor and carbon source was investigated with high-temperature production water from oilfield in China. The isotope data showed that bicarbonate could be reduced to methane by methanogens and major pathway of methanogenesis could be syntrophic formate oxidation coupled with CO2 reduction and formate methanogenesis under the anaerobic conditions. The bicarbonate addition induced the shift of microbial community. Addition of bicarbonate and formate was associated with a decrease of Methanosarcinales, but promotion of Methanobacteriales in all treatments. Thermodesulfovibrio was the major group in all the samples and Thermacetogenium dominated in the high bicarbonate treatments. The results indicated that CO2 from CDCS could be transformed to methane and the possibility of microbial CO2 conversion for enhanced microbial energy recovery in oil reservoirs.

Explanation of the degree of Divine Knowledge in the degree of Decrees of fate in Molla Sadra and Allama Tabatabai's views

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Ali Reza Khwajegir

Full Text Available The Sadraee's transcendental philosophy in theology affected by the authentic Divinity texts and discussions and has inspired in resolving many of the theological and philosophical problems of this school. Therefore, this school can be considered as the most prominent school. Although, Molla sadra does not know enough the argument and arguing without conscience and purification of self, but, the most based on imported sources of revelation and interpretations of Imams (AS and believes that truths of faith are not possible except by purifying heart from the whims, thinking of the Divine verses, hadith of the Prophet (The Prophet's massage and his tribe, and following the way of the pious men. Proposing the problem of Divine Decrees of fate in transcendental philosophy and explaining its principles that brought up in both the philosophical texts and exegesis of the followers of transcendental philosophy are of the most important Instances that this school takes impression from religious texts. Decrees of fate has various levels, such as essential and actual, scientific and objective, divine creation and divine legislation, fixed and variable, that is every level take into consideration the discussion of Divine Decrees of fate from a particular direction. Divine Decrees of fate in one dimension is related to the degrees of Divine knowledge and the quality of Divine knowledge on what is apart from God, on the other dimension, is related to the question of the necessity of The existence system and the quality of causal connection between the elements of the universe and the origin of necessity of The existence system that has been expressed in these schools with a certain thoughtfulness in both theology and cosmology. Divine Decrees of fate in comparing with universal realms of existence is considered the same as degree of intellectual forms beyond the spiritual and natural forms that emanated from the god, suddenly and timelessly and called one of

Explanation of the degree of Divine Knowledge in the degree of Decrees of fate in Molla Sadra and Allama Tabatabai's views

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Khajegir

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The Sadraee's transcendental philosophy in theology affected by the authentic Divinity texts and discussions and has inspired in resolving many of the theological and philosophical problems of this school. Therefore, this school can be considered as the most prominent school. Although, Molla sadra does not know enough the argument and arguing without conscience and purification of self, but, the most based on imported sources of revelation and interpretations of Imams (AS and believes that truths of faith are not possible except by purifying heart from the whims, thinking of the Divine verses, hadith of the Prophet (The Prophet's massage and his tribe, and following the way of the pious men. Proposing the problem of Divine Decrees of fate in transcendental philosophy and explaining its principles that brought up in both the philosophical texts and exegesis of the followers of transcendental philosophy are of the most important Instances that this school takes impression from religious texts.    Decrees of fate has various levels,  such as essential and actual, scientific and objective, divine creation and divine legislation, fixed and variable, that is every level take into consideration the discussion of Divine Decrees of fate from a particular direction. Divine Decrees of fate in one dimension is related to the degrees of Divine knowledge and the quality of Divine knowledge on what is apart from God, on the other dimension, is related to the question of the necessity of The existence system and the quality of causal connection between the elements of the universe and the origin of necessity of The existence system that has been expressed in these schools with a certain thoughtfulness in both theology and cosmology. Divine Decrees of fate in comparing with universal realms of existence is considered the same as degree of intellectual forms beyond the spiritual and natural forms that emanated from the god, suddenly and timelessly and called

Computers and conversation

CERN Document Server

Luff, Paul; Gilbert, Nigel G

1986-01-01

In the past few years a branch of sociology, conversation analysis, has begun to have a significant impact on the design of human*b1computer interaction (HCI). The investigation of human*b1human dialogue has emerged as a fruitful foundation for interactive system design.****This book includes eleven original chapters by leading researchers who are applying conversation analysis to HCI. The fundamentals of conversation analysis are outlined, a number of systems are described, and a critical view of their value for HCI is offered.****Computers and Conversation will be of interest to all concerne

Modeling Engineered Nanomaterials (ENMs) Fate and Transport in Aquatic Ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to perform new chemical reviews of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) identified in pre-manufacture notices. However, environmental fate models developed for traditional contaminants...

Neural Network Based Recognition of Signal Patterns in Application to Automatic Testing of Rails

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Ciszewski

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The paper describes the application of neural network for recognition of signal patterns in measuring data gathered by the railroad ultrasound testing car. Digital conversion of the measuring signal allows to store and process large quantities of data. The elaboration of smart, effective and automatic procedures recognizing the obtained patterns on the basisof measured signal amplitude has been presented. The test shows only two classes of pattern recognition. In authors’ opinion if we deliver big enough quantity of training data, presented method is applicable to a system that recognizes many classes.

Multiphase CFD modeling of nearfield fate of sediment plumes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saremi, Sina; Hjelmager Jensen, Jacob

2014-01-01

Disposal of dredged material and the overflow discharge during the dredging activities is a matter of concern due to the potential risks imposed by the plumes on surrounding marine environment. This gives rise to accurately prediction of the fate of the sediment plumes released in ambient waters...

Environmental fate of pesticides applied on coffee crops in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this paper was evaluate the environmental fate of pesticides applied in coffee crops in southeast of Brazil, using the level I fugacity model. Chemical and physical characteristics of the pesticides were considered in different environmental compartments and applied fugacity equations. The preliminary evaluation ...

γ-Secretase modulators reduce endogenous amyloid β42 levels in human neural progenitor cells without altering neuronal differentiation

Science.gov (United States)

D’Avanzo, Carla; Sliwinski, Christopher; Wagner, Steven L.; Tanzi, Rudolph E.; Kim, Doo Yeon; Kovacs, Dora M.

2015-01-01

Soluble γ-secretase modulators (SGSMs) selectively decrease toxic amyloid β (Aβ) peptides (Aβ42). However, their effect on the physiologic functions of γ-secretase has not been tested in human model systems. γ-Secretase regulates fate determination of neural progenitor cells. Thus, we studied the impact of SGSMs on the neuronal differentiation of ReNcell VM (ReN) human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs). Quantitative PCR analysis showed that treatment of neurosphere-like ReN cell aggregate cultures with γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), but not SGSMs, induced a 2- to 4-fold increase in the expression of the neuronal markers Tuj1 and doublecortin. GSI treatment also induced neuronal marker protein expression, as shown by Western blot analysis. In the same conditions, SGSM treatment selectively reduced endogenous Aβ42 levels by ∼80%. Mechanistically, we found that Notch target gene expressions were selectively inhibited by a GSI, not by SGSM treatment. We can assert, for the first time, that SGSMs do not affect the neuronal differentiation of hNPCs while selectively decreasing endogenous Aβ42 levels in the same conditions. Our results suggest that our hNPC differentiation system can serve as a useful model to test the impact of GSIs and SGSMs on both endogenous Aβ levels and γ-secretase physiologic functions including endogenous Notch signaling.—D’Avanzo, C., Sliwinski, C., Wagner, S. L., Tanzi, R. E., Kim, D. Y., Kovacs, D. M. γ-Secretase modulators reduce endogenous amyloid β42 levels in human neural progenitor cells without altering neuronal differentiation. PMID:25903103

Connecting Mitochondria, Metabolism, and Stem Cell Fate

Science.gov (United States)

Wanet, Anaïs; Arnould, Thierry; Najimi, Mustapha

2015-01-01

As sites of cellular respiration and energy production, mitochondria play a central role in cell metabolism. Cell differentiation is associated with an increase in mitochondrial content and activity and with a metabolic shift toward increased oxidative phosphorylation activity. The opposite occurs during reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. Studies have provided evidence of mitochondrial and metabolic changes during the differentiation of both embryonic and somatic (or adult) stem cells (SSCs), such as hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and tissue-specific progenitor cells. We thus propose to consider those mitochondrial and metabolic changes as hallmarks of differentiation processes. We review how mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics, and function are directly involved in embryonic and SSC differentiation and how metabolic and sensing pathways connect mitochondria and metabolism with cell fate and pluripotency. Understanding the basis of the crosstalk between mitochondria and cell fate is of critical importance, given the promising application of stem cells in regenerative medicine. In addition to the development of novel strategies to improve the in vitro lineage-directed differentiation of stem cells, understanding the molecular basis of this interplay could lead to the identification of novel targets to improve the treatment of degenerative diseases. PMID:26134242

Hypoxia Epigenetically Confers Astrocytic Differentiation Potential on Human Pluripotent Cell-Derived Neural Precursor Cells

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Tetsuro Yasui

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Human neural precursor cells (hNPCs derived from pluripotent stem cells display a high propensity for neuronal differentiation, but they require long-term culturing to differentiate efficiently into astrocytes. The mechanisms underlying this biased fate specification of hNPCs remain elusive. Here, we show that hypoxia confers astrocytic differentiation potential on hNPCs through epigenetic gene regulation, and that this was achieved by cooperation between hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and Notch signaling, accompanied by a reduction of DNA methylation level in the promoter region of a typical astrocyte-specific gene, Glial fibrillary acidic protein. Furthermore, we found that this hypoxic culture condition could be applied to rapid generation of astrocytes from Rett syndrome patient-derived hNPCs, and that these astrocytes impaired neuronal development. Thus, our findings shed further light on the molecular mechanisms regulating hNPC differentiation and provide attractive tools for the development of therapeutic strategies for treating astrocyte-mediated neurological disorders.

Dll1 maintains quiescence of adult neural stem cells and segregates asymmetrically during mitosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, Daichi; Furutachi, Shohei; Kawai, Hiroki; Hozumi, Katsuto; Gotoh, Yukiko

2013-01-01

Stem cells often divide asymmetrically to produce one stem cell and one differentiating cell, thus maintaining the stem cell pool. Although neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult mouse subventricular zone have been suggested to divide asymmetrically, intrinsic cell fate determinants for asymmetric NSC division are largely unknown. Stem cell niches are important for stem cell maintenance, but the niche for the maintenance of adult quiescent NSCs has remained obscure. Here we show that the Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (Dll1) is required to maintain quiescent NSCs in the adult mouse subventricular zone. Dll1 protein is induced in activated NSCs and segregates to one daughter cell during mitosis. Dll1-expressing cells reside in close proximity to quiescent NSCs, suggesting a feedback signal for NSC maintenance by their sister cells and progeny. Our data suggest a model in which NSCs produce their own niche cells for their maintenance through asymmetric Dll1 inheritance at mitosis.

Selected microRNAs define cell fate determination of murine central memory CD8 T cells.

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Gonzalo Almanza

2010-06-01

Full Text Available During an immune response T cells enter memory fate determination, a program that divides them into two main populations: effector memory and central memory T cells. Since in many systems protection appears to be preferentially mediated by T cells of the central memory it is important to understand when and how fate determination takes place. To date, cell intrinsic molecular events that determine their differentiation remains unclear. MicroRNAs are a class of small, evolutionarily conserved RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression, causing translational repression and/or messenger RNA degradation. Here, using an in vitro system where activated CD8 T cells driven by IL-2 or IL-15 become either effector memory or central memory cells, we assessed the role of microRNAs in memory T cell fate determination. We found that fate determination to central memory T cells is under the balancing effects of a discrete number of microRNAs including miR-150, miR-155 and the let-7 family. Based on miR-150 a new target, KChIP.1 (K (+ channel interacting protein 1, was uncovered, which is specifically upregulated in developing central memory CD8 T cells. Our studies indicate that cell fate determination such as surface phenotype and self-renewal may be decided at the pre-effector stage on the basis of the balancing effects of a discrete number of microRNAs. These results may have implications for the development of T cell vaccines and T cell-based adoptive therapies.

Forecasting Areas Vulnerable to Forest Conversion in the Tam Dao National Park Region, Vietnam

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Duong Dang Khoi

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Tam Dao National Park (TDNP is a remaining primary forest that supports some of the highest levels of biodiversity in Vietnam. Forest conversion due to illegal logging and agricultural expansion is a major problem that is hampering biodiversity conservation efforts in the TDNP region. Yet, areas vulnerable to forest conversion are unknown. In this paper, we predicted areas vulnerable to forest changes in the TDNP region using multi-temporal remote sensing data and a multi-layer perceptron neural network (MLPNN with a Markov chain model (MLPNN-M. The MLPNN-M model predicted increasing pressure in the remaining primary forest within the park as well as on the secondary forest in the surrounding areas. The primary forest is predicted to decrease from 18.03% in 2007 to 15.10% in 2014 and 12.66% in 2021. Our results can be used to prioritize locations for future biodiversity conservation and forest management efforts. The combined use of remote sensing and spatial modeling techniques provides an effective tool for monitoring the remaining forests in the TDNP region.

Tbx1 and Jag1 act in concert to modulate the fate of neurosensory cells of the mouse otic vesicle

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Stephania Macchiarulo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The domain within the otic vesicle (OV known as the neurosensory domain (NSD, contains cells that will give rise to the hair and support cells of the otic sensory organs, as well as the neurons that form the cochleovestibular ganglion (CVG. The molecular dynamics that occur at the NSD boundary relative to adjacent OV cells is not well defined. The Tbx1 transcription factor gene expression pattern is complementary to the NSD, and inactivation results in expansion of the NSD and expression of the Notch ligand, Jag1 mapping, in part of the NSD. To shed light on the role of Jag1 in NSD development, as well as to test whether Tbx1 and Jag1 might genetically interact to regulate this process, we inactivated Jag1 within the Tbx1 expression domain using a knock-in Tbx1Cre allele. We observed an enlarged neurogenic domain marked by a synergistic increase in expression of NeuroD and other proneural transcription factor genes in double Tbx1 and Jag1 conditional loss-of-function embryos. We noted that neuroblasts preferentially expanded across the medial-lateral axis and that an increase in cell proliferation could not account for this expansion, suggesting that there was a change in cell fate. We also found that inactivation of Jag1 with Tbx1Cre resulted in failed development of the cristae and semicircular canals, as well as notably fewer hair cells in the ventral epithelium of the inner ear rudiment when inactivated on a Tbx1 null background, compared to Tbx1Cre/− mutant embryos. We propose that loss of expression of Tbx1 and Jag1 within the Tbx1 expression domain tips the balance of cell fates in the NSD, resulting in an overproduction of neuroblasts at the expense of non-neural cells within the OV.

Modeling bistable cell-fate choices in the Drosophila eye: qualitative and quantitative perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Thomas G. W.; Tabei, S. M. Ali; Dinner, Aaron R.; Rebay, Ilaria

2010-01-01

A major goal of developmental biology is to understand the molecular mechanisms whereby genetic signaling networks establish and maintain distinct cell types within multicellular organisms. Here, we review cell-fate decisions in the developing eye of Drosophila melanogaster and the experimental results that have revealed the topology of the underlying signaling circuitries. We then propose that switch-like network motifs based on positive feedback play a central role in cell-fate choice, and discuss how mathematical modeling can be used to understand and predict the bistable or multistable behavior of such networks. PMID:20570936

Elements of energy conversion

CERN Document Server

Russell, Charles R

2013-01-01

Elements of Energy Conversion brings together scattered information on the subject of energy conversion and presents it in terms of the fundamental thermodynamics that apply to energy conversion by any process. Emphasis is given to the development of the theory of heat engines because these are and will remain most important power sources. Descriptive material is then presented to provide elementary information on all important energy conversion devices. The book contains 10 chapters and opens with a discussion of forms of energy, energy sources and storage, and energy conversion. This is foll

Making fate and exposure models for freshwater ecotoxicity in life cycle assessment suitable for organic acids and bases.

Science.gov (United States)

van Zelm, Rosalie; Stam, Gea; Huijbregts, Mark A J; van de Meent, Dik

2013-01-01

Freshwater fate and exposure factors were determined for organic acids and bases, making use of the knowledge on electrical interaction of ionizing chemicals and their sorption to particles. The fate factor represents the residence time in the environment whereas exposure factors equal the dissolved fraction of a chemical. Multimedia fate, exposure, and effect model USES-LCA was updated to take into account the influence of ionization, based upon the acid dissociation constant (pK(a)) of a chemical, and the environmental pH. Freshwater fate (FF) and exposure (XF) factors were determined for 415 acids and 496 bases emitted to freshwater, air, and soil. The relevance of taking account of the degree of ionization of chemicals was tested by determining the ratio (R) of the new vs. fate and exposure factors determined with USES-LCA suitable for neutral chemicals only. Our results show that the majority of freshwater fate and exposure factors of chemicals that are largely ionized in the environment are larger with the ionics model compared to the factors determined with the neutrals model version. R(FF) ranged from 2.4×10(-1) to 1.6×10(1) for freshwater emissions, from 1.2×10(-2) to 2.0×10(4) for soil emissions and from 5.8×10(-2) to 6.0×10(3) for air emissions, and R(XF) from 5.3×10(-1) to 2.2×10(1). Prediction of changed solid-water partitioning, implying a change in runoff and in removal via sedimentation, and prediction of negligible air-water partition coefficient, leading to negligible volatilization were the main contributors to the changes in freshwater fate factors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fate of pesticides in field ditches: the TOXSWA simulation model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Adriaanse, P.I.

1996-01-01

The TOXSWA model describes the fate of pesticides entering field ditches by spray drift, atmospheric deposition, surface run-off, drainage or leaching. It considers four processes: transport, transformation, sorption and volatilization. Analytical andnumerical solutions corresponded well. A sample

Fate of Salmonella Typhimurium in laboratory-scale drinking water biofilms

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Schaefer, Lisa M

2013-08-01

Full Text Available biofilms in monoculture and the fate and persistence of Salmonella in a mixed aquatic biofilm was examined. In monoculture S. Typhimurium formed loosely structured biofilms. Salmonella colonized established multi-species drinking water biofilms within 24...

Neural networks for aircraft control

Science.gov (United States)

Linse, Dennis

1990-01-01

Current research in Artificial Neural Networks indicates that networks offer some potential advantages in adaptation and fault tolerance. This research is directed at determining the possible applicability of neural networks to aircraft control. The first application will be to aircraft trim. Neural network node characteristics, network topology and operation, neural network learning and example histories using neighboring optimal control with a neural net are discussed.

Fate and transport of pathogens in lakes and reservoirs.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookes, Justin D; Antenucci, Jason; Hipsey, Matthew; Burch, Michael D; Ashbolt, Nicholas J; Ferguson, Christobel

2004-07-01

Outbreaks of water-borne disease via public water supplies continue to be reported in developed countries even though there is increased awareness of, and treatment for, pathogen contamination. Pathogen episodes in lakes and reservoirs are often associated with rain events, and the riverine inflow is considered to be major source of pathogens. Consequently, the behaviour of these inflows is of particular importance in determining pathogen transport and distribution. Inflows are controlled by their density relative to that of the lake, such that warm inflows will flow over the surface of the lake as a buoyant surface flow and cold, dense inflows will sink beneath the lake water where they will flow along the bathymetry towards the deepest point. The fate of pathogens is determined by loss processes including settling and inactivation by temperature, UV and grazing. The general trend is for the insertion timescale to be shortest, followed by sedimentation losses and temperature inactivity. The fate of Cryptosporidium due to UV light inactivation can occur at opposite ends of the scale, depending on the location of the oocysts in the water column and the extinction coefficient for UV light. For this reason, the extinction coefficient for UV light appears to be a vitally important parameter for determining the risk of Cryptosporidium contamination. For risk assessment of pathogens in supply reservoirs, it is important to understand the role of hydrodynamics in determining the timescale of transport to the off-take relative to the timescale of inactivation. The characteristics of the riverine intrusion must also be considered when designing a sampling program for pathogens. A risk management framework is presented that accounts for pathogen fate and transport for reservoirs.

Simulation of Reactive Constituent Fate and Transport in Hydrologic Simulator GSSHA

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Downer, Charles W

2009-01-01

The purpose of this System-Wide Water Resources Program (SWWRP) technical note is to describe the new fate and transport routines in the Gridded Surface Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA) model...

The Neural Border: Induction, Specification and Maturation of the territory that generates Neural Crest cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Pla, Patrick; Monsoro-Burq, Anne H

2018-05-28

The neural crest is induced at the edge between the neural plate and the nonneural ectoderm, in an area called the neural (plate) border, during gastrulation and neurulation. In recent years, many studies have explored how this domain is patterned, and how the neural crest is induced within this territory, that also participates to the prospective dorsal neural tube, the dorsalmost nonneural ectoderm, as well as placode derivatives in the anterior area. This review highlights the tissue interactions, the cell-cell signaling and the molecular mechanisms involved in this dynamic spatiotemporal patterning, resulting in the induction of the premigratory neural crest. Collectively, these studies allow building a complex neural border and early neural crest gene regulatory network, mostly composed by transcriptional regulations but also, more recently, including novel signaling interactions. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Iterated multidimensional wave conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brizard, A. J.; Tracy, E. R.; Johnston, D.; Kaufman, A. N.; Richardson, A. S.; Zobin, N.

2011-01-01

Mode conversion can occur repeatedly in a two-dimensional cavity (e.g., the poloidal cross section of an axisymmetric tokamak). We report on two novel concepts that allow for a complete and global visualization of the ray evolution under iterated conversions. First, iterated conversion is discussed in terms of ray-induced maps from the two-dimensional conversion surface to itself (which can be visualized in terms of three-dimensional rooms). Second, the two-dimensional conversion surface is shown to possess a symplectic structure derived from Dirac constraints associated with the two dispersion surfaces of the interacting waves.

Environmental Fate and Transport of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances at Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Impacted Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, C.

2017-12-01

Poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are constituents in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used to extinguish fuel fires. Substantially elevated PFAS groundwater concentrations have been observed at firefighter protection training areas, where co-contaminants such as chlorinated solvents and fuel hydrocarbons are also commonly present. Research into the fate and transport potential of PFASs at AFFF-impacted sites will be presented, with a particular focus on how co-contaminants and co-contaminant remediation technologies may alter the composition and transport behavior of PFASs at these sites. A detailed analysis of data collected from a U.S. Air Force site (Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota) indicates that that conversion of polyfluoroalkyl chemicals to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in situ due to natural and enhanced remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons. In addition, bench-scale studies examining the effects of various chemical oxidants, typically employed via in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO), indicates that oxidation-based remediation technologies have the potential to alter the release and composition of PFASs in AFFF-impacted source zones. Future challenges in addressing PFAS contamination will be discussed, particularly with respect to closing the mass balance on PFAAs and their precursors at AFFF-impacted sites.

Fate and transformation of graphene oxide in marine systems

Science.gov (United States)

Graphene oxide (GO) may be released into natural waters at different phases of its life cycle. Currently, there is no study on the fate of GO in seawater, which is predicted to be a major sink for many engineered nanomaterials. In this study, the influences of salinity (0-50 &per...

Evaluating the fate of organic compounds in the Cameroon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the key input parameters. Model simulations indicated significant differences in the fate of the chemicals that could be explained by the variation in physical-chemical properties. The log KOW, emission rate to water (EW), volume of the water compartment (VW) and ...

Transcriptional control of stem cell fate by E2Fs and pocket proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Julian, Lisa M.; Blais, Alexandre

2015-01-01

E2F transcription factors and their regulatory partners, the pocket proteins (PPs), have emerged as essential regulators of stem cell fate control in a number of lineages. In mammals, this role extends from both pluripotent stem cells to those encompassing all embryonic germ layers, as well as extra-embryonic lineages. E2F/PP-mediated regulation of stem cell decisions is highly evolutionarily conserved, and is likely a pivotal biological mechanism underlying stem cell homeostasis. This has immense implications for organismal development, tissue maintenance, and regeneration. In this article, we discuss the roles of E2F factors and PPs in stem cell populations, focusing on mammalian systems. We discuss emerging findings that position the E2F and PP families as widespread and dynamic epigenetic regulators of cell fate decisions. Additionally, we focus on the ever expanding landscape of E2F/PP target genes, and explore the possibility that E2Fs are not simply regulators of general ‘multi-purpose’ cell fate genes but can execute tissue- and cell type-specific gene regulatory programs. PMID:25972892

Transcriptional control of stem cell fate by E2Fs and Pocket Proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa Marie Julian

2015-04-01

Full Text Available E2F transcription factors and their regulatory partners, the pocket proteins (PPs, have emerged as essential regulators of stem cell fate control in a number of lineages. In mammals, this role extends from both pluripotent stem cells to those encompassing all embryonic germ layers, as well as extra-embryonic lineages. E2F/PP-mediated regulation of stem cell decisions is highly evolutionarily conserved, and is likely a pivotal biological mechanism underlying stem cell homeostasis. This has immense implications for organismal development, tissue maintenance and regeneration. In this article, we discuss the roles of E2F factors and PPs in stem cell populations, focusing on mammalian systems. We discuss emerging findings that position the E2F and PP families as widespread and dynamic epigenetic regulators of cell fate decisions. Additionally, we focus on the ever expanding landscape of E2F/PP target genes, and explore the possibility that E2Fs are not simply regulators of general ‘multi-purpose’ cell fate genes but can execute tissue- and cell type-specific gene regulatory programs.

Human mammary progenitor cell fate decisions are products of interactions with combinatorial microenvironments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaBarge, Mark A; Nelson, Celeste M; Villadsen, Rene; Fridriksdottir, Agla; Ruth, Jason R; Stampfer, Martha R; Petersen, Ole W; Bissell, Mina J

2008-09-19

In adult tissues, multi-potent progenitor cells are some of the most primitive members of the developmental hierarchies that maintain homeostasis. That progenitors and their more mature progeny share identical genomes, suggests that fate decisions are directed by interactions with extrinsic soluble factors, ECM, and other cells, as well as physical properties of the ECM. To understand regulation of fate decisions, therefore, would require a means of understanding carefully choreographed combinatorial interactions. Here we used microenvironment protein microarrays to functionally identify combinations of cell-extrinsic mammary gland proteins and ECM molecules that imposed specific cell fates on bipotent human mammary progenitor cells. Micropatterned cell culture surfaces were fabricated to distinguish between the instructive effects of cell-cell versus cell-ECM interactions, as well as constellations of signaling molecules; and these were used in conjunction with physiologically relevant 3 dimensional human breast cultures. Both immortalized and primary human breast progenitors were analyzed. We report on the functional ability of those proteins of the mammary gland that maintain quiescence, maintain the progenitor state, and guide progenitor differentiation towards myoepithelial and luminal lineages.

Neural network regulation driven by autonomous neural firings

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Myoung Won

2016-07-01

Biological neurons naturally fire spontaneously due to the existence of a noisy current. Such autonomous firings may provide a driving force for network formation because synaptic connections can be modified due to neural firings. Here, we study the effect of autonomous firings on network formation. For the temporally asymmetric Hebbian learning, bidirectional connections lose their balance easily and become unidirectional ones. Defining the difference between reciprocal connections as new variables, we could express the learning dynamics as if Ising model spins interact with each other in magnetism. We present a theoretical method to estimate the interaction between the new variables in a neural system. We apply the method to some network systems and find some tendencies of autonomous neural network regulation.

Explanation of the degree of Divine Knowledge in the degree of Decrees of fate in Molla Sadra and Allama Tabatabai\\\\\\'s views

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Khajegir

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The Sadraee's transcendental philosophy in theology affected by the authentic Divinity texts and discussions and has inspired in resolving many of the theological and philosophical problems of this school. Therefore, this school can be considered as the most prominent school. Although, Molla sadra does not know enough the argument and arguing without conscience and purification of self, but, the most based on imported sources of revelation and interpretations of Imams (AS and believes that truths of faith are not possible except by purifying heart from the whims, thinking of the Divine verses, hadith of the Prophet (The Prophet's massage and his tribe, and following the way of the pious men. Proposing the problem of Divine Decrees of fate in transcendental philosophy and explaining its principles that brought up in both the philosophical texts and exegesis of the followers of transcendental philosophy are of the most important Instances that this school takes impression from religious texts.    Decrees of fate has various levels,  such as essential and actual, scientific and objective, divine creation and divine legislation, fixed and variable, that is every level take into consideration the discussion of Divine Decrees of fate from a particular direction. Divine Decrees of fate in one dimension is related to the degrees of Divine knowledge and the quality of Divine knowledge on what is apart from God, on the other dimension, is related to the question of the necessity of The existence system and the quality of causal connection between the elements of the universe and the origin of necessity of The existence system that has been expressed in these schools with a certain thoughtfulness in both theology and cosmology. Divine Decrees of fate in comparing with universal realms of existence is considered the same as degree of intellectual forms beyond the spiritual and natural forms that emanated from the god, suddenly and timelessly and called

Circadian Clock Genes Are Essential for Normal Adult Neurogenesis, Differentiation, and Fate Determination.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Astha Malik

proliferation during differentiation, but they generated normal percentages of neuronal cells. Neuronal fate commitment therefore appears to be controlled through a non-clock function of BMAL1. This study provides insight into how cell autonomous circadian clocks and clock genes regulate adult neural stem cells with implications for treating neurodegenerative disorders and impaired brain functions by manipulating neurogenesis.

Dynamics of neural cryptography.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruttor, Andreas; Kinzel, Wolfgang; Kanter, Ido

2007-05-01

Synchronization of neural networks has been used for public channel protocols in cryptography. In the case of tree parity machines the dynamics of both bidirectional synchronization and unidirectional learning is driven by attractive and repulsive stochastic forces. Thus it can be described well by a random walk model for the overlap between participating neural networks. For that purpose transition probabilities and scaling laws for the step sizes are derived analytically. Both these calculations as well as numerical simulations show that bidirectional interaction leads to full synchronization on average. In contrast, successful learning is only possible by means of fluctuations. Consequently, synchronization is much faster than learning, which is essential for the security of the neural key-exchange protocol. However, this qualitative difference between bidirectional and unidirectional interaction vanishes if tree parity machines with more than three hidden units are used, so that those neural networks are not suitable for neural cryptography. In addition, the effective number of keys which can be generated by the neural key-exchange protocol is calculated using the entropy of the weight distribution. As this quantity increases exponentially with the system size, brute-force attacks on neural cryptography can easily be made unfeasible.

Dynamics of neural cryptography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruttor, Andreas; Kinzel, Wolfgang; Kanter, Ido

2007-01-01

Synchronization of neural networks has been used for public channel protocols in cryptography. In the case of tree parity machines the dynamics of both bidirectional synchronization and unidirectional learning is driven by attractive and repulsive stochastic forces. Thus it can be described well by a random walk model for the overlap between participating neural networks. For that purpose transition probabilities and scaling laws for the step sizes are derived analytically. Both these calculations as well as numerical simulations show that bidirectional interaction leads to full synchronization on average. In contrast, successful learning is only possible by means of fluctuations. Consequently, synchronization is much faster than learning, which is essential for the security of the neural key-exchange protocol. However, this qualitative difference between bidirectional and unidirectional interaction vanishes if tree parity machines with more than three hidden units are used, so that those neural networks are not suitable for neural cryptography. In addition, the effective number of keys which can be generated by the neural key-exchange protocol is calculated using the entropy of the weight distribution. As this quantity increases exponentially with the system size, brute-force attacks on neural cryptography can easily be made unfeasible

Dynamics of neural cryptography

Science.gov (United States)

Ruttor, Andreas; Kinzel, Wolfgang; Kanter, Ido

2007-05-01

Synchronization of neural networks has been used for public channel protocols in cryptography. In the case of tree parity machines the dynamics of both bidirectional synchronization and unidirectional learning is driven by attractive and repulsive stochastic forces. Thus it can be described well by a random walk model for the overlap between participating neural networks. For that purpose transition probabilities and scaling laws for the step sizes are derived analytically. Both these calculations as well as numerical simulations show that bidirectional interaction leads to full synchronization on average. In contrast, successful learning is only possible by means of fluctuations. Consequently, synchronization is much faster than learning, which is essential for the security of the neural key-exchange protocol. However, this qualitative difference between bidirectional and unidirectional interaction vanishes if tree parity machines with more than three hidden units are used, so that those neural networks are not suitable for neural cryptography. In addition, the effective number of keys which can be generated by the neural key-exchange protocol is calculated using the entropy of the weight distribution. As this quantity increases exponentially with the system size, brute-force attacks on neural cryptography can easily be made unfeasible.

Watch Out for the “Living Dead”: Cell-Free Enzymes and Their Fate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federico Baltar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Microbes are the engines driving biogeochemical cycles. Microbial extracellular enzymatic activities (EEAs are the “gatekeepers” of the carbon cycle. The total EEA is the sum of cell-bound (i.e., cell-attached, and dissolved (i.e., cell-free enzyme activities. Cell-free enzymes make up a substantial proportion (up to 100% of the total marine EEA. Although we are learning more about how microbial diversity and function (including total EEA will be affected by environmental changes, little is known about what factors control the importance of the abundant cell-free enzymes. Since cell-attached EEAs are linked to the cell, their fate will likely be linked to the factors controlling the cell’s fate. In contrast, cell-free enzymes belong to a kind of “living dead” realm because they are not attached to a living cell but still are able to perform their function away from the cell; and as such, the factors controlling their activity and fate might differ from those affecting cell-attached enzymes. This article aims to place cell-free EEA into the wider context of hydrolysis of organic matter, deal with recent studies assessing what controls the production, activity and lifetime of cell-free EEA, and what their fate might be in response to environmental stressors. This perspective article advocates the need to go “beyond the living things,” studying the response of cells/organisms to different stressors, but also to study cell-free enzymes, in order to fully constrain the future and evolution of marine biogeochemical cycles.

Watch Out for the “Living Dead”: Cell-Free Enzymes and Their Fate

Science.gov (United States)

Baltar, Federico

2018-01-01

Microbes are the engines driving biogeochemical cycles. Microbial extracellular enzymatic activities (EEAs) are the “gatekeepers” of the carbon cycle. The total EEA is the sum of cell-bound (i.e., cell-attached), and dissolved (i.e., cell-free) enzyme activities. Cell-free enzymes make up a substantial proportion (up to 100%) of the total marine EEA. Although we are learning more about how microbial diversity and function (including total EEA) will be affected by environmental changes, little is known about what factors control the importance of the abundant cell-free enzymes. Since cell-attached EEAs are linked to the cell, their fate will likely be linked to the factors controlling the cell’s fate. In contrast, cell-free enzymes belong to a kind of “living dead” realm because they are not attached to a living cell but still are able to perform their function away from the cell; and as such, the factors controlling their activity and fate might differ from those affecting cell-attached enzymes. This article aims to place cell-free EEA into the wider context of hydrolysis of organic matter, deal with recent studies assessing what controls the production, activity and lifetime of cell-free EEA, and what their fate might be in response to environmental stressors. This perspective article advocates the need to go “beyond the living things,” studying the response of cells/organisms to different stressors, but also to study cell-free enzymes, in order to fully constrain the future and evolution of marine biogeochemical cycles. PMID:29354095

Bioprinting for Neural Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Knowlton, Stephanie; Anand, Shivesh; Shah, Twisha; Tasoglu, Savas

2018-01-01

Bioprinting is a method by which a cell-encapsulating bioink is patterned to create complex tissue architectures. Given the potential impact of this technology on neural research, we review the current state-of-the-art approaches for bioprinting neural tissues. While 2D neural cultures are ubiquitous for studying neural cells, 3D cultures can more accurately replicate the microenvironment of neural tissues. By bioprinting neuronal constructs, one can precisely control the microenvironment by specifically formulating the bioink for neural tissues, and by spatially patterning cell types and scaffold properties in three dimensions. We review a range of bioprinted neural tissue models and discuss how they can be used to observe how neurons behave, understand disease processes, develop new therapies and, ultimately, design replacement tissues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoted neuronal differentiation after activation of alpha4/beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in undifferentiated neural progenitors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takeshi Takarada

defective of NMDA receptor subunit-1, nicotine was still effective in significantly inhibiting the proliferation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Functional α4β2 nAChR subtype would be constitutively expressed to play a role in the mechanism underlying the determination of proliferation and subsequent differentiation fate into a neuronal lineage in association with preferential promotion of Math1 expression in undifferentiated neural progenitors of developing rodent neocortex independently of NMDA receptor activation.

Stem Cell Fate Determination during Development and Regeneration of Ectodermal Organs

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez-Rojo, Lucía; Granchi, Zoraide; Graf, Daniel; Mitsiadis, Thimios A.

2012-01-01

The development of ectoderm-derived appendages results in a large variety of highly specialized organs such as hair follicles, mammary glands, salivary glands, and teeth. Despite varying in number, shape, and function, all these ectodermal organs develop through continuous and reciprocal epithelial–mesenchymal interactions, sharing common morphological and molecular features especially during their embryonic development. Diseases such as ectodermal dysplasias can affect simultaneously these organs, suggesting that they may arise from common multipotent precursors residing in the embryonic ectoderm. During embryogenesis, these putative ectodermal stem cells may adopt different fates and consequently be able to generate a variety of tissue-specific stem cells, which are the sources for the various cell lineages that form the diverse organs. The specification of those common epithelial precursors, as well as their further lineage commitment to tissue-specific stem cells, might be controlled by specific signals. It has been well documented that Notch, Wnt, bone morphogenetic protein, and fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways regulate cell fate decisions during the various stages of ectodermal organ development. However, the in vivo spatial and temporal dynamics of these signaling pathways are not yet well understood. Improving the current knowledge on the mechanisms involved in stem cell fate determination during organogenesis and homeostasis of ectodermal organs is crucial to develop effective stem cell-based therapies in order to regenerate or replace pathological and damaged tissues. PMID:22539926

S-to-P Conversions from Mid-mantle Slow Scatterers in Slab Regions: Observations of Deep/Stagnated Oceanic Crust?

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiaobo; Zheng, Yixian

2018-02-01

The fate of a subducted slab is a key ingredient in the context of plate tectonics, yet it remains enigmatic especially in terms of its crustal component. In this study, our efforts are devoted to resolve slab-related structures in the mid-mantle below eastern Indonesia, the Izu-Bonin region, and the Peru area by employing seismic array analysing techniques on high-frequency waveform data from F-net in Japan and the Alaska regional network and the USArray in North America. A pronounced arrival after the direct P wave is observed in the recordings of four deep earthquakes (depths greater than 400 km) from three subduction systems including the Philippines, the Izu-Bonin, and the Peru. This later arrival displays a slightly lower slowness compared to the direct P wave and its back-azimuth deviates somewhat from the great-circle direction. We explain it as an S-to-P conversion at a deep scatterer below the sources in the source region. In total, five scatterers are seen at depths ranging from 930 to 1500 km. Those scatterers appear to be characterised by an 7 km-thick low-velocity layer compared to the ambient mantle. Combined evidence from published mineral physical analysis suggests that past subducted oceanic crust, possibly fragmented, is most likely responsible for these thin-layer compositional heterogeneities trapped in the mid-mantle beneath the study regions. Our observations give a clue to the potential fate of subducted oceanic crust.

Diversity among POU transcription factors in chromatin recognition and cell fate reprogramming.

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, Vikas; Zimmer, Dennis; Jauch, Ralf

2018-05-01

The POU (Pit-Oct-Unc) protein family is an evolutionary ancient group of transcription factors (TFs) that bind specific DNA sequences to direct gene expression programs. The fundamental importance of POU TFs to orchestrate embryonic development and to direct cellular fate decisions is well established, but the molecular basis for this activity is insufficiently understood. POU TFs possess a bipartite 'two-in-one' DNA binding domain consisting of two independently folding structural units connected by a poorly conserved and flexible linker. Therefore, they represent a paradigmatic example to study the molecular basis for the functional versatility of TFs. Their modular architecture endows POU TFs with the capacity to accommodate alternative composite DNA sequences by adopting different quaternary structures. Moreover, associations with partner proteins crucially influence the selection of their DNA binding sites. The plentitude of DNA binding modes confers the ability to POU TFs to regulate distinct genes in the context of different cellular environments. Likewise, different binding modes of POU proteins to DNA could trigger alternative regulatory responses in the context of different genomic locations of the same cell. Prominent POU TFs such as Oct4, Brn2, Oct6 and Brn4 are not only essential regulators of development but have also been successfully employed to reprogram somatic cells to pluripotency and neural lineages. Here we review biochemical, structural, genomic and cellular reprogramming studies to examine how the ability of POU TFs to select regulatory DNA, alone or with partner factors, is tied to their capacity to epigenetically remodel chromatin and drive specific regulatory programs that give cells their identities.

Influences of aquatic plants on the fate of the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin in aquatic environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Hand, L H; Kuet, S F; Lane, M C; Maund, S J; Warinton, J S; Hill, I R

2001-08-01

Aquatic exposure assessments for pesticides are generally based on laboratory studies performed in water alone or water sediment systems. Although aquatic macrophytes, which include a variety of bryophytes, macroalgae, and angiosperms, can be a significant component of many aquatic ecosystems, their impact on pesticide fate is generally not included in exposure assessments. To investigate the influence of aquatic plants on the fate and behavior of the pyrethroid insecticide lambda (lambda)-cyhalothrin, two laboratory experiments (to assess adsorption and degradation) and an indoor microcosm study (to assess fate under semirealistic conditions) were conducted. In the laboratory studies, adsorption to macrophytes was extensive and essentially irreversible, and degradation occurred rapidly by cleavage of the ester bond. In the indoor microcosm, which contained water, sediment, and macrophytes from a pond, degradation was also rapid, with DT50 and DT90 values of less than 3 and 19 h, respectively, for dissipation from the water column and of less than 3 and 56 h, respectively, for the whole system. For adsorptive and readily degraded pesticides like lambda-cyhalothrin, we conclude that macrophytes have considerable influence on fate and behavior in surface waters.

Infrared up-conversion microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

There is presented an up-conversion infrared microscope (110) arranged for imaging an associated object (130), wherein the up-conversion infrared microscope (110) comprises a non-linear crystal (120) arranged for up-conversion of infrared electromagnetic radiation, and wherein an objective optical...

Infrared up-conversion telescope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

There is presented to an up-conversion infrared telescope (110) arranged for imaging an associated scene (130), wherein the up-conversion infrared telescope (110) comprises a non-linear crystal (120) arranged for up-conversion of infrared electromagnetic radiation, and wherein a first optical...

Neural correlates and neural computations in posterior parietal cortex during perceptual decision-making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander eHuk

2012-10-01

Full Text Available A recent line of work has found remarkable success in relating perceptual decision-making and the spiking activity in the macaque lateral intraparietal area (LIP. In this review, we focus on questions about the neural computations in LIP that are not answered by demonstrations of neural correlates of psychological processes. We highlight three areas of limitations in our current understanding of the precise neural computations that might underlie neural correlates of decisions: (1 empirical questions not yet answered by existing data; (2 implementation issues related to how neural circuits could actually implement the mechanisms suggested by both physiology and psychology; and (3 ecological constraints related to the use of well-controlled laboratory tasks and whether they provide an accurate window on sensorimotor computation. These issues motivate the adoption of a more general encoding-decoding framework that will be fruitful for more detailed contemplation of how neural computations in LIP relate to the formation of perceptual decisions.

Environmental Application, Fate, Effects, and Concerns of Ionic Liquids: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Amde, Meseret; Liu, Jing-Fu; Pang, Long

2015-11-03

Ionic liquids (ILs) comprise mostly of organic salts with negligible vapor pressure and low flammability that are proposed as replacements for volatile solvents. ILs have been promoted as "green" solvents and widely investigated for their various applications. Although the utility of these chemicals is unquestionable, their toxic effects have attracted great attention. In order to manage their potential hazards and design environmentally benign ILs, understanding their environmental behavior, fate and effects is important. In this review, environmentally relevant issues of ILs, including their environmental application, environmental behavior and toxicity are addressed. In addition, also presented are the influence of ILs on the environmental fate and toxicity of other coexisting contaminants, important routes for designing nontoxic ILs and the techniques that might be adopted for the removal of ILs.

Deep Learning Neural Networks and Bayesian Neural Networks in Data Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chernoded Andrey

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Most of the modern analyses in high energy physics use signal-versus-background classification techniques of machine learning methods and neural networks in particular. Deep learning neural network is the most promising modern technique to separate signal and background and now days can be widely and successfully implemented as a part of physical analysis. In this article we compare Deep learning and Bayesian neural networks application as a classifiers in an instance of top quark analysis.

A Model for Conversation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ayres, Phil

2012-01-01

This essay discusses models. It examines what models are, the roles models perform and suggests various intentions that underlie their construction and use. It discusses how models act as a conversational partner, and how they support various forms of conversation within the conversational activity...

Photochemical fate of beta-blockers in NOM enriched waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ling; Xu, Haomin; Cooper, William J.; Song, Weihua

2012-01-01

Beta-blockers, prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure and for long-term use after a heart attack, have been detected in surface and ground waters. This study examines the photochemical fate of three beta-blockers, atenolol, metoprolol, and nadolol. Hydrolysis accounted for minor losses of these beta-blockers in the pH range 4–10. The rate of direct photolysis at pH 7 in a solar simulator varied from 6.1 to 8.9 h −1 at pH 7. However, the addition of a natural organic matter (NOM) isolate enhanced the photochemical loss of all three compounds. Indirect photochemical fate, generally described by reactions with hydroxyl radical (·OH) and singlet oxygen ( 1 ΔO 2 ), and, the direct reaction with the triplet excited state, 3 NOM ⁎ , also varied but collectively appeared to be the major loss factor. Bimolecular reaction rate constants of the three beta-blockers with 1 ΔO 2 and ·OH were measured and accounted for 0.02–0.04% and 7.2–38.9% of their loss, respectively. These data suggest that the 3 NOM ⁎ contributed 50.6–85.4%. Experiments with various 3 NOM ⁎ quenchers supported the hypothesis that it was singly the most important reaction. Atenolol was chosen for more detailed investigation, with the photoproducts identified by LC–MS analysis. The results suggested that electron-transfer could be an important mechanism in photochemical fate of beta-blockers in the presence of NOM. - Highlights: ► Photochemical degradation of beta-blockers in the simulated natural waters. ► Reactive Oxygen Species play a minor role in the indirect photodegradation. ► The loss of beta-blockers results from direct reaction with 3 DOM ⁎ .

Neural Tube Defects

Science.gov (United States)

Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. They happen in the ... that she is pregnant. The two most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly. In ...

Cdc20 control of cell fate during prolonged mitotic arrest

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Jakob

2011-01-01

The fate of cells arrested in mitosis by antimitotic compounds is complex but is influenced by competition between pathways promoting cell death and pathways promoting mitotic exit. As components of both of these pathways are regulated by Cdc20-dependent degradation, I hypothesize that variations...

The Fate of ZnO Nanoparticles Administered to Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Benjamin; Fakra, Sirine C.; Xia, Tian; Pokhrel, Suman; Mädler, Lutz; Nel, André E.

2014-01-01

A particular challenge for nanotoxicology is the evaluation of the biological fate and toxicity of nanomaterials that dissolve in aqueous fluids. Zinc oxide nanomaterials are of particular concern because dissolution leads to release of the toxic divalent zinc ion. Although dissolved zinc ions have been implicated in ZnO cytotoxicity, direct identification of the chemical form of zinc taken up by cells exposed to ZnO nanoparticles, and its intracellular fate, has not yet been achieved. We combined high resolution X-ray spectromicroscopy and high elemental sensitivity X-ray microprobe analyses to determine the fate of ZnO and less soluble iron-doped ZnO nanoparticles following exposure to cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B. We complemented two-dimensional X-ray imaging methods with atomic force microscopy of cell surfaces to distinguish between nanoparticles that were transported inside the cells from those that adhered to the cell exterior. The data suggest cellular uptake of ZnO nanoparticles is a mechanism of zinc accumulation in cells. Following uptake, ZnO nanoparticles dissolved completely generating intracellular Zn2+ complexed by molecular ligands. These results corroborate a model for ZnO nanoparticle toxicity that is based on nanoparticle uptake followed by intracellular dissolution. PMID:22646753

Controlling gene networks and cell fate with precision-targeted DNA-binding proteins and small-molecule-based genome readers.

Science.gov (United States)

Eguchi, Asuka; Lee, Garrett O; Wan, Fang; Erwin, Graham S; Ansari, Aseem Z

2014-09-15

Transcription factors control the fate of a cell by regulating the expression of genes and regulatory networks. Recent successes in inducing pluripotency in terminally differentiated cells as well as directing differentiation with natural transcription factors has lent credence to the efforts that aim to direct cell fate with rationally designed transcription factors. Because DNA-binding factors are modular in design, they can be engineered to target specific genomic sequences and perform pre-programmed regulatory functions upon binding. Such precision-tailored factors can serve as molecular tools to reprogramme or differentiate cells in a targeted manner. Using different types of engineered DNA binders, both regulatory transcriptional controls of gene networks, as well as permanent alteration of genomic content, can be implemented to study cell fate decisions. In the present review, we describe the current state of the art in artificial transcription factor design and the exciting prospect of employing artificial DNA-binding factors to manipulate the transcriptional networks as well as epigenetic landscapes that govern cell fate.

Fate of the synergistic antioxidant system ascorbic acid, lecithin, and tocopherol in mayonnaise: Partion of ascorbic acid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyer, Anne Merete Boye; Jacobsen, Charlotte Munch

1996-01-01

Meyer, A. S. & C. Jacobsen, 1996. Fate of the synergistic antioxidant system ascorbic acid, lecithin, and tocopherol in mayonnaise: Partion of ascorbic acid, J. Food Lipids, 3, 139-147.......Meyer, A. S. & C. Jacobsen, 1996. Fate of the synergistic antioxidant system ascorbic acid, lecithin, and tocopherol in mayonnaise: Partion of ascorbic acid, J. Food Lipids, 3, 139-147....

Photopolymerized materials and patterning for improved performance of neural prosthetics

Science.gov (United States)

Tuft, Bradley William

correlates with the maximum feature slope. Neurite alignment is compared on unpatterned, unidirectional, and multidirectional photopolymerized micropatterns. The effect of substrate rigidity on neurite alignment to physical cues was determined by maintaining equivalent pattern microfeatures, afforded by the reaction control of photopolymerization, while concomitantly altering the composition of several copolymer platforms to tune matrix stiffness. For each platform, neurite alignment to unidirectional patterns increases with increasing substrate rigidity. Interestingly, SGN neurites respond to material stiffness cues that are orders of magnitude higher (GPa) than what is typically ascribed to neural environments (kPa). Finally, neurite behavior at bioactive borders of various adhesion modulating molecules was evaluated on micropatterned materials to determine which cues took precedence in establishing neurite directionality. At low microfeatures aspect ratios, neurites align to the pattern direction but are then caused to turn and repel from or turn and align to bioactive borders. Conversely, physical cues dominate neurite path-finding as pattern feature slope increases, i.e. aspect ratio of sloping photopolymerized features increases, causing neurites to readily cross bioactive borders. The photopolymerization method developed in this work to generate micro and nanopatterned materials serves as an additional surface engineering tool that enables investigation of cell-material interactions including directed de novo neurite growth. The results of this interdisciplinary effort contribute substantially to polymer neural regeneration technology and will lead to development of advanced biomaterials that improve neural prosthetic tissue integration and performance by spatially directing nerve growth.

Neural Correlates of Hostile Jokes: Cognitive and Motivational Processes in Humor Appreciation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Chen Chan

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Hostile jokes provide aggressive catharsis and a feeling of superiority. Behavioral research has found that hostile jokes are perceived as funnier than non-hostile jokes. The purpose of the present study was to identify the neural correlates of the interaction between type and humor by comparing hostile jokes (HJs, non-hostile jokes (NJs, and their corresponding hostile sentences (HSs and non-hostile sentences (NSs. Hostile jokes primarily showed activation in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC and midbrain compared with the corresponding hostile baseline. Conversely, non-hostile jokes primarily revealed activation in the ventromedial PFC (vmPFC, amygdala, midbrain, ventral anterior cingulate cortex, and nucleus accumbens (NAcc compared with the corresponding non-hostile baseline. These results support the critical role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC for the neural correlates of social cognition and socio-emotional processing in response to different types of jokes. Moreover, the processing of hostile jokes showed increased activation in the dmPFC, which suggested cognitive operations of social motivation, whereas the processing of non-hostile jokes displayed increased activation in the vmPFC, which suggested social-affective engagement. Hostile jokes versus non-hostile jokes primarily showed increased activation in the dmPFC and midbrain, whereas non-hostile jokes versus hostile jokes primarily displayed greater activation in the amygdala and midbrain. The psychophysiological interaction (PPI analysis demonstrated functional coupling of the dmPFC-dlPFC and midbrain-dmPFC for hostile jokes and functional coupling of the vmPFC-midbrain and amygdala-midbrain-NAcc for non-hostile jokes. Surprisingly, the neural correlates of hostile jokes were not perceived as funnier than non-hostile jokes. Future studies could further investigate the neural correlates of potentially important traits of high-hostility tendencies in humor appreciation

The influence of bedrock hydrogeology on catchment-scale nitrate fate and transport in fractured aquifers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orr, Alison [Arup, 50 Ringsend Road, Dublin 4 (Ireland); School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen' s University Belfast (United Kingdom); Nitsche, Janka [RPS, West Pier Business Campus, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin (Ireland); School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen' s University Belfast (United Kingdom); Archbold, Marie [School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen' s University Belfast (United Kingdom); Environmental Protection Agency, Richview, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14 (Ireland); Deakin, Jenny [Environmental Protection Agency, Richview, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14 (Ireland); Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin (Ireland); Ofterdinger, Ulrich; Flynn, Raymond [School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen' s University Belfast (United Kingdom)

2016-11-01

Characterising catchment scale biogeochemical processes controlling nitrate fate in groundwater constitutes a fundamental consideration when applying programmes of measures to reduce risks posed by diffuse agricultural pollutants to water quality. Combining hydrochemical analyses with nitrate isotopic data and physical hydrogeological measurements permitted characterisation of biogeochemical processes influencing nitrogen fate and transport in the groundwater in two fractured bedrock aquifers with contrasting hydrogeology but comparable nutrient loads. Hydrochemical and isotopic analyses of groundwater samples collected from moderately fractured, diffusely karstified limestone indicated nitrification controlled dissolved nitrogen fate and delivery to aquatic receptors. By contrast nitrate concentrations in groundwater were considerably lower in a low transmissivity highly lithified sandstone and pyrite-bearing shale unit with patchy subsoil cover. Geophysical and hydrochemical investigations showed shallower intervals contained hydraulically active fractures where denitrification was reflected through lower nitrogen levels and an isotopic enrichment ratio of 1.7 between δ{sup 15}N and δ{sup 18}O. Study findings highlight the influence of bedrock hydrogeological conditions on aqueous nitrogen mobility. Investigation results demonstrate that bedrock conditions need to be considered when implementing catchment management plans to reduce the impact of agricultural practices on the quality of groundwater and baseflow in receiving rivers. Nitrate isotopic signatures in the groundwater of a freely draining catchment underlain by a karstified aquifer and a poorly draining aquifer with a low transmissivity aquifer. - Graphical abstract: Contrasting nitrate isotope signatures of groundwater in a free draining catchment underlain by a karstified aquifer and a poorly drained catchment underlain by a low transmissivity aquifer. - Highlights: • Comparison of N fate and

Fate and lability of silver in soils: Effect of ageing

Science.gov (United States)

The fate and lability of added soluble Ag in soils over time was examined by measurement of labile metal (E-value) by isotopic dilution using the 110mAg radioactive isotope and the solid-phase speciation of Ag by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectrosco...

Four questions and a conversation: Can theory enrich conversation partner training?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pound, Carole; Ahlsén, Elisabeth; Simmons-Mackie, NIna

Background and aimsConversation partner training (CPT) is an umbrella term for different approaches to intervention aiming to facilitate and improve communication between people with aphasia (PWA) and their conversation partners (CP). Some approaches are grounded in a bottom-up approach...... and interactions. Philosophically informed by existential-phenomenological perspectives, the humanisation framework encourages reflection on what practices can make people feel more (or less) human. Reviewing experiences of conversation against the eight suggested dimensions of what it means to be human may offer...

Direct Conversion of Energy.

Science.gov (United States)

Corliss, William R.

This publication is one of a series of information booklets for the general public published by the United States Atomic Energy Commission. Direct energy conversion involves energy transformation without moving parts. The concepts of direct and dynamic energy conversion plus the laws governing energy conversion are investigated. Among the topics…

A neural flow estimator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Ivan Harald Holger; Bogason, Gudmundur; Bruun, Erik

1995-01-01

This paper proposes a new way to estimate the flow in a micromechanical flow channel. A neural network is used to estimate the delay of random temperature fluctuations induced in a fluid. The design and implementation of a hardware efficient neural flow estimator is described. The system...... is implemented using switched-current technique and is capable of estimating flow in the μl/s range. The neural estimator is built around a multiplierless neural network, containing 96 synaptic weights which are updated using the LMS1-algorithm. An experimental chip has been designed that operates at 5 V...

Fate of accreting white dwarfs: Type I supernovae vs collapse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomoto, Ken'ichi.

1986-01-01

The final fate of accreting C + O white dwarfs is either thermonuclear explosion or collapse, if the white dwarf mass grows to the Chandrasekhar mass. We discuss how the fate depends on the initial mass, age, composition of the white dwarf and the mass accretion rate. Relatively fast accretion leads to a carbon deflagration at low central density that gives rise to a Type Ia supernova. Slower accretion induces a helium detonation that could be observed as a Type Ib supernova. If the initial mass of the C + O white dwarf is larger than 1.2 Msub solar, a carbon deflagration starts at high central density and induces a collapse of the white dwarf to form a neutron star. We examine the critical condition for which a carbon deflagration leads to collapse, not explosion. For the case of explosion, we discuss to what extent the nucleosynthesis models are consistent with spectra of Type Ia and Ib supernovae. 61 refs., 18 figs

Fate of phosphorus in Everglades agricultural soils after fertilizer application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wright, Alan L. [Everglades Research and Education Center, Belle Glade, FL (United States); Hanlon, Edward A. [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); McCray, J. Mabry [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

2012-07-01

Land use changes, agricultural drainage and conventional cultivation of winter vegetables and sugarcane cropping in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) may alter soil conditions and organic matter decomposition and ultimately influence the fate of phosphorus (P). Theses agricultural practices promote soil subsidence, reduce the soil depth to bedrock limestone and increase the potential for incorporation of limestone into the root zone of crops. The incorporation of limestone into surface soil has significantly increased soil pH which in turns causes greater fixation of P fertilizer into unavailable forms for plant growth. Additional P fertilization is thus required to satisfy crop nutrient requirements in plant-available P form. It is important to determine how the mixing of bedrock limestone into soils influences the behavior of P fertilizers after their application. To accomplish this task, P fertilizers were applied to (1) typical cultivated soils and to (2) soils that have never been fertilized or extensively tilled. The changes in P concentrations over time were then compared between the two land uses, with differences being attributable to the impacts of cultivation practices. The P distribution in soil varied between land uses, with sugarcane having more P in inorganic pools while the uncultivated soil had more in organic pools. Water-soluble P concentrations in soil increased with increasing fertilizer application rates for all sampling times and both land uses. However, concentrations in uncultivated soil increased proportionally to P-fertilized soil due to organic P mineralization. At all sampling times, plant-available P concentrations remained higher for uncultivated than sugarcane soil. Lower P concentrations for sugarcane were related to adsorption by mineral components (e.g. limestone). Cultivated soils have higher calcium concentrations resulting from incorporation of bedrock limestone into soil by tillage, which increased pH and fostered

Hidden neural networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogh, Anders Stærmose; Riis, Søren Kamaric

1999-01-01

A general framework for hybrids of hidden Markov models (HMMs) and neural networks (NNs) called hidden neural networks (HNNs) is described. The article begins by reviewing standard HMMs and estimation by conditional maximum likelihood, which is used by the HNN. In the HNN, the usual HMM probability...... parameters are replaced by the outputs of state-specific neural networks. As opposed to many other hybrids, the HNN is normalized globally and therefore has a valid probabilistic interpretation. All parameters in the HNN are estimated simultaneously according to the discriminative conditional maximum...... likelihood criterion. The HNN can be viewed as an undirected probabilistic independence network (a graphical model), where the neural networks provide a compact representation of the clique functions. An evaluation of the HNN on the task of recognizing broad phoneme classes in the TIMIT database shows clear...

NeuroMEMS: Neural Probe Microtechnologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam Musallam

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Neural probe technologies have already had a significant positive effect on our understanding of the brain by revealing the functioning of networks of biological neurons. Probes are implanted in different areas of the brain to record and/or stimulate specific sites in the brain. Neural probes are currently used in many clinical settings for diagnosis of brain diseases such as seizers, epilepsy, migraine, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. We find these devices assisting paralyzed patients by allowing them to operate computers or robots using their neural activity. In recent years, probe technologies were assisted by rapid advancements in microfabrication and microelectronic technologies and thus are enabling highly functional and robust neural probes which are opening new and exciting avenues in neural sciences and brain machine interfaces. With a wide variety of probes that have been designed, fabricated, and tested to date, this review aims to provide an overview of the advances and recent progress in the microfabrication techniques of neural probes. In addition, we aim to highlight the challenges faced in developing and implementing ultralong multi-site recording probes that are needed to monitor neural activity from deeper regions in the brain. Finally, we review techniques that can improve the biocompatibility of the neural probes to minimize the immune response and encourage neural growth around the electrodes for long term implantation studies.

Dual embryonic origin and patterning of the pharyngeal skeleton in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

Science.gov (United States)

Sefton, Elizabeth M; Piekarski, Nadine; Hanken, James

2015-01-01

The impressive morphological diversification of vertebrates was achieved in part by innovation and modification of the pharyngeal skeleton. Extensive fate mapping in amniote models has revealed a primarily cranial neural crest derivation of the pharyngeal skeleton. Although comparable fate maps of amphibians produced over several decades have failed to document a neural crest derivation of ventromedial elements in these vertebrates, a recent report provides evidence of a mesodermal origin of one of these elements, basibranchial 2, in the axolotl. We used a transgenic labeling protocol and grafts of labeled cells between GFP+ and white embryos to derive a fate map that describes contributions of both cranial neural crest and mesoderm to the axolotl pharyngeal skeleton, and we conducted additional experiments that probe the mechanisms that underlie mesodermal patterning. Our fate map confirms a dual embryonic origin of the pharyngeal skeleton in urodeles, including derivation of basibranchial 2 from mesoderm closely associated with the second heart field. Additionally, heterotopic transplantation experiments reveal lineage restriction of mesodermal cells that contribute to pharyngeal cartilage. The mesoderm-derived component of the pharyngeal skeleton appears to be particularly sensitive to retinoic acid (RA): administration of exogenous RA leads to loss of the second basibranchial, but not the first. Neural crest was undoubtedly critical in the evolution of the vertebrate pharyngeal skeleton, but mesoderm may have played a central role in forming ventromedial elements, in particular. When and how many times during vertebrate phylogeny a mesodermal contribution to the pharyngeal skeleton evolved remain to be resolved. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Energy conversion statics

CERN Document Server

Messerle, H K; Declaris, Nicholas

2013-01-01

Energy Conversion Statics deals with equilibrium situations and processes linking equilibrium states. A development of the basic theory of energy conversion statics and its applications is presented. In the applications the emphasis is on processes involving electrical energy. The text commences by introducing the general concept of energy with a survey of primary and secondary energy forms, their availability, and use. The second chapter presents the basic laws of energy conversion. Four postulates defining the overall range of applicability of the general theory are set out, demonstrating th

Uranium Conversion & Enrichment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karpius, Peter Joseph [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-02-06

The isotopes of uranium that are found in nature, and hence in ‘fresh’ Yellowcake’, are not in relative proportions that are suitable for power or weapons applications. The goal of conversion then is to transform the U₃O₈ yellowcake into UF₆. Conversion and enrichment of uranium is usually required to obtain material with enough ²³⁵U to be usable as fuel in a reactor or weapon. The cost, size, and complexity of practical conversion and enrichment facilities aid in nonproliferation by design.

Freely flowing conversations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aakjær, Marie Kirstejn; Andrade, David; Dexters, Peter

and in regards to rehabilitation efforts. In the context of prisons UDI is inspired by the complexity approach (Stacey 2005). We seek to facilitate freely flowing conversations between inmates, staff and managers – pushing the boundaries of existing norms, roles and beliefs. In the end however we rely...... relations by changing conversations. Through the theoretical framework of the complexity approach, we discuss how this may lead to organizational change. Finally we suggest that inviting inmates to take part in conversations about core organizational development may be a fundamental strategy in trying...

Political conversations on Facebook

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Mads P.

2016-01-01

Political conversations are according to theories on deliberative democracy essential to well-functioning democracies. Traditionally these conversations have taken place in face-to-face settings, in e.g. party meetings and town meetings. However, social media such as Facebook and Twitter offers new...... possibilities for online political conversations between citizens and politicians. This paper examines the presence on Facebook and Twitter of Members of the Danish national Parliament, the Folketing, and focusses on a quantitative mapping of the political conversation activities taking place in the threads...... following Facebook posts from Danish Members of Parliament (MPs). The paper shows that, in comparison with previous findings from other countries, Danish MPs have a relatively high degree of engagement in political conversations with citizens on Facebook – and that a large number of citizens follow MPs...

[Conversation analysis for improving nursing communication].

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Myungsun

2007-08-01

Nursing communication has become more important than ever before because quality of nursing services largely depends on the quality of communication in a very competitive health care environment. This article was to introduce ways to improve nursing communication using conversation analysis. This was a review study on conversation analysis, critically examining previous studies in nursing communication and interpersonal relationships. This study provided theoretical backgrounds and basic assumptions of conversation analysis which was influenced by ethnomethodology, phenomenology, and sociolinguistic. In addition, the characteristics and analysis methods of conversation analysis were illustrated in detail. Lastly, how conversation analysis could help improve communication was shown, by examining researches using conversation analysis not only for ordinary conversations but also for extraordinary or difficult conversations such as conversations between patients with dementia and their professional nurses. Conversation analysis can help in improving nursing communication by providing various structures and patterns as well as prototypes of conversation, and by suggesting specific problems and problem-solving strategies in communication.

Application of neural network technique to determine a corrector surface for global geopotential model using GPS/levelling measurements in Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Elshambaky, Hossam Talaat

2018-01-01

Owing to the appearance of many global geopotential models, it is necessary to determine the most appropriate model for use in Egyptian territory. In this study, we aim to investigate three global models, namely EGM2008, EIGEN-6c4, and GECO. We use five mathematical transformation techniques, i.e., polynomial expression, exponential regression, least-squares collocation, multilayer feed forward neural network, and radial basis neural networks to make the conversion from regional geometrical geoid to global geoid models and vice versa. From a statistical comparison study based on quality indexes between previous transformation techniques, we confirm that the multilayer feed forward neural network with two neurons is the most accurate of the examined transformation technique, and based on the mean tide condition, EGM2008 represents the most suitable global geopotential model for use in Egyptian territory to date. The final product gained from this study was the corrector surface that was used to facilitate the transformation process between regional geometrical geoid model and the global geoid model.

The C. elegans Tailless/TLX transcription factor nhr-67 controls neuronal identity and left/right asymmetric fate diversification.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarin, Sumeet; Antonio, Celia; Tursun, Baris; Hobert, Oliver

2009-09-01

An understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cell fate determination in the nervous system requires the elucidation of transcriptional regulatory programs that ultimately control neuron-type-specific gene expression profiles. We show here that the C. elegans Tailless/TLX-type, orphan nuclear receptor NHR-67 acts at several distinct steps to determine the identity and subsequent left/right (L/R) asymmetric subtype diversification of a class of gustatory neurons, the ASE neurons. nhr-67 controls several broad aspects of sensory neuron development and, in addition, triggers the expression of a sensory neuron-type-specific selector gene, che-1, which encodes a zinc-finger transcription factor. Subsequent to its induction of overall ASE fate, nhr-67 diversifies the fate of the two ASE neurons ASEL and ASER across the L/R axis by promoting ASER and inhibiting ASEL fate. This function is achieved through direct expression activation by nhr-67 of the Nkx6-type homeobox gene cog-1, an inducer of ASER fate, that is inhibited in ASEL through the miRNA lsy-6. Besides controlling bilateral and asymmetric aspects of ASE development, nhr-67 is also required for many other neurons of diverse lineage history and function to appropriately differentiate, illustrating the broad and diverse use of this type of transcription factor in neuronal development.

Fukushima Daiichi-Derived Radionuclides in the Ocean: Transport, Fate, and Impacts.

Science.gov (United States)

Buesseler, Ken; Dai, Minhan; Aoyama, Michio; Benitez-Nelson, Claudia; Charmasson, Sabine; Higley, Kathryn; Maderich, Vladimir; Masqué, Pere; Morris, Paul J; Oughton, Deborah; Smith, John N

2017-01-03

The events that followed the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, included the loss of power and overheating at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants, which led to extensive releases of radioactive gases, volatiles, and liquids, particularly to the coastal ocean. The fate of these radionuclides depends in large part on their oceanic geochemistry, physical processes, and biological uptake. Whereas radioactivity on land can be resampled and its distribution mapped, releases to the marine environment are harder to characterize owing to variability in ocean currents and the general challenges of sampling at sea. Five years later, it is appropriate to review what happened in terms of the sources, transport, and fate of these radionuclides in the ocean. In addition to the oceanic behavior of these contaminants, this review considers the potential health effects and societal impacts.

Releasing characteristics and fate of heavy metals from phytoremediation crop residues during anaerobic digestion.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jongkeun; Park, Ki Young; Cho, Jinwoo; Kim, Jae Young

2018-01-01

In this study, lab-scale batch tests were conducted to investigate releasing characteristics of heavy metals according to degradation of heavy metal containing biomass. The fate of heavy metals after released from biomass was also determined through adsorption tests and Visual MINTEQ simulation. According to the anaerobic batch test results as well as volatile solids and carbon balance analyses, maximum of 60% by wt. of biomass was degraded. During the anaerobic biodegradation, among Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, only Cu and Zn were observed in soluble form (approximately 40% by wt. of input mass). The discrepancy between degradation ratio of biomass and ratio of released heavy metals mass from biomass was observed. It seems that this discordance was caused by the fate (i.e., precipitated with sulfur/hydroxide or adsorbed onto sorbents) of each heavy metal types in solution after being released from biomass. Thus, releasing characteristics and fate of heavy metal should be considered carefully to predict stability of anaerobic digestion process for heavy metal-containing biomass. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fate and Transport of Shale-derived, Biogenic Methane.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendry, M Jim; Schmeling, Erin E; Barbour, S Lee; Huang, M; Mundle, Scott O C

2017-07-07

Natural gas extraction from unconventional shale gas reservoirs is the subject of considerable public debate, with a key concern being the impact of leaking fugitive natural gases on shallow potable groundwater resources. Baseline data regarding the distribution, fate, and transport of these gases and their isotopes through natural formations prior to development are lacking. Here, we define the migration and fate of CH 4 and δ 13 C-CH 4 from an early-generation bacterial gas play in the Cretaceous of the Williston Basin, Canada to the water table. Our results show the CH 4 is generated at depth and diffuses as a conservative species through the overlying shale. We also show that the diffusive fractionation of δ 13 C-CH 4 (following glaciation) can complicate fugitive gas interpretations. The sensitivity of the δ 13 C-CH 4 profile to glacial timing suggests it may be a valuable tracer for characterizing the timing of geologic changes that control transport of CH 4 (and other solutes) and distinguishing between CH 4 that rapidly migrates upward through a well annulus or other conduit and CH 4 that diffuses upwards naturally. Results of this study were used to provide recommendations for designing baseline investigations.

Fate of a mutation in a fluctuating environment

Science.gov (United States)

Cvijović, Ivana; Good, Benjamin H.; Jerison, Elizabeth R.; Desai, Michael M.

2015-01-01

Natural environments are never truly constant, but the evolutionary implications of temporally varying selection pressures remain poorly understood. Here we investigate how the fate of a new mutation in a fluctuating environment depends on the dynamics of environmental variation and on the selective pressures in each condition. We find that even when a mutation experiences many environmental epochs before fixing or going extinct, its fate is not necessarily determined by its time-averaged selective effect. Instead, environmental variability reduces the efficiency of selection across a broad parameter regime, rendering selection unable to distinguish between mutations that are substantially beneficial and substantially deleterious on average. Temporal fluctuations can also dramatically increase fixation probabilities, often making the details of these fluctuations more important than the average selection pressures acting on each new mutation. For example, mutations that result in a trade-off between conditions but are strongly deleterious on average can nevertheless be more likely to fix than mutations that are always neutral or beneficial. These effects can have important implications for patterns of molecular evolution in variable environments, and they suggest that it may often be difficult for populations to maintain specialist traits, even when their loss leads to a decline in time-averaged fitness. PMID:26305937

A Robust Single Primate Neuroepithelial Cell Clonal Expansion System for Neural Tube Development and Disease Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoqing Zhu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Developing a model of primate neural tube (NT development is important to promote many NT disorder studies in model organisms. Here, we report a robust and stable system to allow for clonal expansion of single monkey neuroepithelial stem cells (NESCs to develop into miniature NT-like structures. Single NESCs can produce functional neurons in vitro, survive, and extensively regenerate neuron axons in monkey brain. NT formation and NESC maintenance depend on high metabolism activity and Wnt signaling. NESCs are regionally restricted to a telencephalic fate. Moreover, single NESCs can turn into radial glial progenitors (RGPCs. The transition is accurately regulated by Wnt signaling through regulation of Notch signaling and adhesion molecules. Finally, using the “NESC-TO-NTs” system, we model the functions of folic acid (FA on NT closure and demonstrate that FA can regulate multiple mechanisms to prevent NT defects. Our system is ideal for studying NT development and diseases.

Magical thinking in predictions of negative events: Evidence for tempting fate but not for a protection effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Job van Wolferen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we test two hypotheses regarding magical thinking about the perceived likelihood of future events. The first is that people believe that those who ``tempt fate'' by failing to take necessary precautions are more likely to suffer negative outcomes. The second is the ``protection effect'', where reminding people of precautions they have taken leads them to see related risks as less likely. To this end, we describe the results from three attempted direct replications of a protection effect experiment reported in Tykocinski (2008 and two replications of a tempting fate experiment reported in Risen and Gilovich (2008 in which we add a test of the protection effect. We did not replicate the protection effect but did replicate the tempting fate effect.

Cell fate determination in zebrafish embryonic and adult muscle development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tee, J.M.

2010-01-01

We are interested in how the genetic basis of muscle precursor cells determines the outcome of the muscle cell fate, and thus leading to disruption in muscle formation and maintenance. We utilized the zebrafish carrying mutations in both Axin1 and Apc1, resulting in overactivation of the

Estimation of hourly global solar irradiation on tilted planes from horizontal one using artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Notton, Gilles; Paoli, Christophe; Vasileva, Siyana; Nivet, Marie Laure; Canaletti, Jean-Louis; Cristofari, Christian

2012-01-01

Calculating global solar irradiation from global horizontal irradiation only is a difficult task, especially when the time step is small and the data are not averaged. We used an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to realize this conversion. The ANN is optimized and tested on the basis of five years of solar data; the accuracy of the optimal configuration is around 6% for the RRMSE (relative root mean square error) and around 3.5% for the RMAE (relative mean absolute value) i.e. a better performance than the empirical correlations available in the literature. -- Highlights: ► ANN (Artificial Neural Network) methodology applied to hourly global solar irradiation in order to estimate tilted irradiations. ► Model validation with more than 23,000 data. ► Comparison with “conventional” models. ► The precision in the results is better than with empirical correlations. ► 6% for the RMSE (root means square error) and around 3.5% for the RMAE (Relative Mean Absolute Value).

The fate of methanol in anaerobic bioreactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Florencio, L.

1994-01-01

Methanol is an important component of certain industrial wastewaters. In anaerobic environments, methanol can be utilized by methanogens and acetogens. In wastewater treatment plants, the conversion of methanol into methane is preferred because this conversion is responsible for chemical

Mega borg oil spill: Fate and effect studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The Mega Borg, a Norwegian tanker, released an estimated 5.1 million gallons (gal) of Palanca Angola crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico during a lightering accident and subsequent fire. The collection of reports was designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the spill chronology, the fate of the oil released, and subsequent studies that were conducted to assess the impacts of the oil spill on the environment and its biota

[The fate of nuclides in natural water systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turekian, K.K.

1989-01-01

Our research at Yale on the fate of nuclides in natural water systems has three components to it: the study of the atmospheric precipitation of radionuclides and other chemical species; the study of the behavior of natural radionuclides in groundwater and hydrothermal systems; and understanding the controls on the distribution of radionuclides and stable nuclides in the marine realm. In this section a review of our progress in each of these areas is presented

The influence of climate change on the global distribution and fate processes of anthropogenic persistent organic pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallenborn, Roland; Halsall, Crispin; Dellong, Maud; Carlsson, Pernilla

2012-11-01

The effect of climate change on the global distribution and fate of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is of growing interest to both scientists and policy makers alike. The impact of warmer temperatures and the resulting changes to earth system processes on chemical fate are, however, unclear, although there are a growing number of studies that are beginning to examine these impacts and changes in a quantitative way. In this review, we examine broad areas where changes are occurring or are likely to occur with regard to the environmental cycling and fate of chemical contaminants. For this purpose we are examining scientific information from long-term monitoring data with particular emphasis on the Arctic, to show apparent changes in chemical patterns and behaviour. In addition, we examine evidence of changing chemical processes for a number of environmental compartments and indirect effects of climate change on contaminant emissions and behaviour. We also recommend areas of research to address knowledge gaps. In general, our findings indicate that the indirect consequences of climate change (i.e. shifts in agriculture, resource exploitation opportunities, etc.) will have a more marked impact on contaminants distribution and fate than direct climate change.

Multimedia fate and source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a coking industry city in Northern China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.L.; Xia, Z.H.; Liu, D.; Qiu, W.X.; Duan, X.L.; Wang, R.; Liu, W.J.; Zhang, Y.H.; Wang, D.; Tao, S.; Liu, W.X.

2013-01-01

A steady state Level III fate model was established and applied to quantify source–receptor relationship in a coking industry city in Northern China. The local emission inventory of PAHs, as the model input, was acquired based on energy consumption and emission factors. The model estimations were validated by measured data and indicated remarkable variations in the paired isomeric ratios. When a rectification factor, based on the receptor-to-source ratio, was calculated by the fate model, the quantitatively verified molecular diagnostic ratios provided reasonable results of local PAH emission sources. Due to the local ban and measures on small scale coking activities implemented from the beginning of 2004, the model calculations indicated that the local emission amount of PAHs in 2009 decreased considerably compared to that in 2003. -- Highlights: •A steady-state fate model could well elucidate the multimedia fate of PAHs. •A rectification factor for correcting the paired isomeric ratio was calculated. •The corrected isomeric ratios were successfully applied to source apportionment. -- Based on multimedia model correction, the specific isomeric ratios could provide reasonable apportionments for the local PAHs emission sources

Differential fate of erythromycin and beta-lactam resistance genes from swine lagoon waste under different aquatic conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knapp, Charles W., E-mail: charles.knapp@strath.ac.u [David Livingstone Centre for Sustainability, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 50 Richmond Street, Glasgow, G1 1XN (United Kingdom); School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU (United Kingdom); Zhang, Wen; Sturm, Belinda S.M. [Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 (United States); Graham, David W. [School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU (United Kingdom); Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 (United States)

2010-05-15

The attenuation and fate of erythromycin-resistance-methylase (erm) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamse (bla) genes were quantified over time in aquatic systems by adding 20-L swine waste to 11,300-L outdoor mesocosms that simulated receiving water conditions below intensive agricultural operations. The units were prepared with two different light-exposure scenarios and included artificial substrates to assess gene movement into biofilms. Of eleven genes tested, only erm(B), erm(F), bla{sub SHV} and bla{sub TEM} were found in sufficient quantity for monitoring. The genes disappeared rapidly from the water column and first-order water-column disappearance coefficients were calculated. However, detected gene levels became elevated in the biofilms within 2 days, but then disappeared over time. Differences were observed between sunlight and dark treatments and among individual genes, suggesting that ecological and gene-specific factors play roles in the fate of these genes after release into the environment. Ultimately, this information will aid in generating better predictive models for gene fate. - The disappearance and fate of erythromycin-resistance-methylase and beta-lactamase genes were monitored in outdoor mesocosms under different light conditions.

The 'History and Fate of the Universe' chart debuts

CERN Multimedia

Yarris, L

2003-01-01

A chart that illustrates and summarizes what is now known about the history and fate of the universe has been developed by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in collaboration with the Contemporary Physics Education Project (CPEP). More than 11,000 copies will be distributed to high school science teachers across the nation for field-testing with their students (1 page).

Neural Networks: Implementations and Applications

OpenAIRE

Vonk, E.; Veelenturf, L.P.J.; Jain, L.C.

1996-01-01

Artificial neural networks, also called neural networks, have been used successfully in many fields including engineering, science and business. This paper presents the implementation of several neural network simulators and their applications in character recognition and other engineering areas

Markov Chain Monte Carlo Bayesian Learning for Neural Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Goodrich, Michael S.

2011-01-01

Conventional training methods for neural networks involve starting al a random location in the solution space of the network weights, navigating an error hyper surface to reach a minimum, and sometime stochastic based techniques (e.g., genetic algorithms) to avoid entrapment in a local minimum. It is further typically necessary to preprocess the data (e.g., normalization) to keep the training algorithm on course. Conversely, Bayesian based learning is an epistemological approach concerned with formally updating the plausibility of competing candidate hypotheses thereby obtaining a posterior distribution for the network weights conditioned on the available data and a prior distribution. In this paper, we developed a powerful methodology for estimating the full residual uncertainty in network weights and therefore network predictions by using a modified Jeffery's prior combined with a Metropolis Markov Chain Monte Carlo method.

A new method for brain tumor detection using the Bhattacharyya similarity coefficient, color conversions and neural network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bahman Mansori

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI is widely applied for examination and diagnosis of brain tumors based on its advantages of high resolution in detecting the soft tissues and especially of its harmless radiation damages to human bodies. The goal of the processing of images is automatic segmentation of brain edema and tumors, in different dimensions of the magnetic resonance images. Methods: The proposed method is based on the unsupervised method which discovers the tumor region, if there is any, by analyzing the similarities between two hemispheres and computes the image size of the goal function based on Bhattacharyya coefficient which is used in the next stage to detect the tumor region or some part of it. In this stage, for reducing the color variation, the gray brain image is segmented, then it is turned to gray again. The self-organizing map (SOM neural network is used the segmented brain image is colored and finally the tumor is detected by matching the detected region and the colored image. This method is proposed to analyze MRI images for discovering brain tumors, and done in Bu Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran, in 2014. Results: The results for 30 randomly selected images from data bank of MRI center in Hamedan was compared with manually segmentation of experts. The results showed that, our proposed method had the accuracy of more than 94% at Jaccard similarity index (JSI, 97% at Dice similarity score (DSS, and 98% and 99% at two measures of specificity and sensitivity. Conclusion: The experimental results showed that it was satisfactory and can be used in automatic separation of tumor from normal brain tissues and therefore it can be used in practical applications. The results showed that the use of SOM neural network to classify useful magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and demonstrated a good performance.

Models of Fate and Transport of Pollutants in Surface Waters

Science.gov (United States)

Okome, Gloria Eloho

2013-01-01

There is the need to answer very crucial questions of "what happens to pollutants in surface waters?" This question must be answered to determine the factors controlling fate and transport of chemicals and their evolutionary state in surface waters. Monitoring and experimental methods are used in establishing the environmental states.…

Restriction of neural precursor ability to respond to Nurr1 by early regional specification.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiara Soldati

Full Text Available During neural development, spatially regulated expression of specific transcription factors is crucial for central nervous system (CNS regionalization, generation of neural precursors (NPs and subsequent differentiation of specific cell types within defined regions. A critical role in dopaminergic differentiation in the midbrain (MB has been assigned to the transcription factor Nurr1. Nurr1 controls the expression of key genes involved in dopamine (DA neurotransmission, e.g. tyrosine hydroxylase (TH and the DA transporter (DAT, and promotes the dopaminergic phenotype in embryonic stem cells. We investigated whether cells derived from different areas of the mouse CNS could be directed to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons in vitro by forced expression of the transcription factor Nurr1. We show that Nurr1 overexpression can promote dopaminergic cell fate specification only in NPs obtained from E13.5 ganglionic eminence (GE and MB, but not in NPs isolated from E13.5 cortex (CTX and spinal cord (SC or from the adult subventricular zone (SVZ. Confirming previous studies, we also show that Nurr1 overexpression can increase the generation of TH-positive neurons in mouse embryonic stem cells. These data show that Nurr1 ability to induce a dopaminergic phenotype becomes restricted during CNS development and is critically dependent on the region of NPs derivation. Our results suggest that the plasticity of NPs and their ability to activate a dopaminergic differentiation program in response to Nurr1 is regulated during early stages of neurogenesis, possibly through mechanisms controlling CNS regionalization.

Postoperative conversion disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Afolabi, Kola; Ali, Sameer; Gahtan, Vivian; Gorji, Reza; Li, Fenghua; Nussmeier, Nancy A

2016-05-01

Conversion disorder is a psychiatric disorder in which psychological stress causes neurologic deficits. A 28-year-old female surgical patient had uneventful general anesthesia and emergence but developed conversion disorder 1 hour postoperatively. She reported difficulty speaking, right-hand numbness and weakness, and right-leg paralysis. Neurologic examination and imaging revealed no neuronal damage, herniation, hemorrhage, or stroke. The patient mentioned failing examinations the day before surgery and discontinuing her prescribed antidepressant medication, leading us to diagnose conversion disorder, with eventual confirmation by neuroimaging and follow-up examinations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uranium conversion wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vicente, R.; Dellamano, J.C.

1989-12-01

A set of mathematical equations was developed and used to estimate the radiological significance of each radionuclide potentially present in the uranium refining industry effluents. The equations described the evolution in time of the radionuclides activities in the uranium fuel cycle, from mining and milling, through the yellowcake, till the conversion effluents. Some radionuclides that are not usually monitored in conversion effluents (e.g. Pa-231 and Ac-227) were found to be potentially relevant from the radiological point of view in conversion facilities, and are certainly relevant in mining and milling industry, at least in a few waste streams. (author) [pt

5 CFR 317.302 - Conversion procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... conversion. (2) Pay. Upon conversion to the Senior Executive Service, an employee's SES rate will be... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Conversion procedures. 317.302 Section... IN THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE Conversion to the Senior Executive Service § 317.302 Conversion...

Steviol glycosides in purified stevia leaf extract sharing the same metabolic fate.

Science.gov (United States)

Purkayastha, Sidd; Markosyan, Avetik; Prakash, Indra; Bhusari, Sachin; Pugh, George; Lynch, Barry; Roberts, Ashley

2016-06-01

The safety of steviol glycosides is based on data available on several individual steviol glycosides and on the terminal absorbed metabolite, steviol. Many more steviol glycosides have been identified, but are not yet included in regulatory assessments. Demonstration that these glycosides share the same metabolic fate would indicate applicability of the same regulatory paradigm. In vitro incubation assays with pooled human fecal homogenates, using rebaudiosides A, B, C, D, E, F and M, as well as steviolbioside and dulcoside A, at two concentrations over 24-48 h, were conducted to assess the metabolic fate of various steviol glycoside classes and to demonstrate that likely all steviol glycosides are metabolized to steviol. The data show that glycosidic side chains containing glucose, rhamnose, xylose, fructose and deoxy-glucose, including combinations of α(1-2), β-1, β(1-2), β(1-3), and β(1-6) linkages, were degraded to steviol mostly within 24 h. Given a common metabolite structure and a shared metabolic fate, safety data available for individual steviol glycosides can be used to support safety of purified steviol glycosides in general. Therefore, steviol glycosides specifications adopted by the regulatory authorities should include all steviol glycosides belonging to the five groups of steviol glycosides and a group acceptable daily intake established. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Notch signaling and ghost cell fate in the calcifying cystig odontogenic tumor

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Siar CH

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that enables adjacent cells to adopt different fates. Ghost cells (GCs are anucleate cells with homogeneous pale eosinophilic cytoplasm and very pale to clear central areas (previous nucleus sites. Although GCs are present in a variety of odontogenic lesions notably the calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (GCOT, their nature and process of formation remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Notch signaling in the cell fate specification of GCs in CCOT. Immunohistochemical staining for four Notch receptors (Notch1, Notch2, Notch3 and Notch4 and three ligands (Jagged1, Jagged2 and Delta1 was performed on archival tissues of five CCOT cases. Level of positivity was quantified as negative (0, mild (+, moderate (2+ and strong (3+. Results revealed that GCs demonstrated overexpression for Notch1 and Jagged1 suggesting that Notch1Jagged1 signaling might serve as the main transduction mechanism in cell fate decision for GCs in CCOT. Protein localizations were largely membranous and/or cytoplasmic. Mineralized GCs also stained positive implicating that the calcification process might be associated with upregulation of these molecules. The other Notch receptors and ligands were weak to absent in GCs and tumoral epithelium. Stromal endothelium and fibroblasts were stained variably positive.

A key role for poly(ADP-ribose polymerase 3 in ectodermal specification and neural crest development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michèle Rouleau

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The PARP family member poly(ADP-ribose polymerase 3 (PARP3 is structurally related to the well characterized PARP1 that orchestrates cellular responses to DNA strand breaks and cell death by the synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose. In contrast to PARP1 and PARP2, the functions of PARP3 are undefined. Here, we reveal critical functions for PARP3 during vertebrate development.We have used several in vitro and in vivo approaches to examine the possible functions of PARP3 as a transcriptional regulator, a function suggested from its previously reported association with several Polycomb group (PcG proteins. We demonstrate that PARP3 gene occupancy in the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH occurs preferentially with developmental genes regulating cell fate specification, tissue patterning, craniofacial development and neurogenesis. Addressing the significance of this association during zebrafish development, we show that morpholino oligonucleotide-directed inhibition of parp3 expression in zebrafish impairs the expression of the neural crest cell specifier sox9a and of dlx3b/dlx4b, the formation of cranial sensory placodes, inner ears and pectoral fins. It delays pigmentation and severely impedes the development of the median fin fold and tail bud.Our findings demonstrate that Parp3 is crucial in the early stages of zebrafish development, possibly by exerting its transcriptional regulatory functions as early as during the specification of the neural plate border.

HIERtalker: A default hierarchy of high order neural networks that learns to read English aloud

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An, Z.G.; Mniszewski, S.M.; Lee, Y.C.; Papcun, G.; Doolen, G.D.

1988-01-01

A new learning algorithm based on a default hierarchy of high order neural networks has been developed that is able to generalize as well as handle exceptions. It learns the ''building blocks'' or clusters of symbols in a stream that appear repeatedly and convey certain messages. The default hierarchy prevents a combinatoric explosion of rules. A simulator of such a hierarchy, HIERtalker, has been applied to the conversion of English words to phonemes. Achieved accuracy is 99% for trained words and ranges from 76% to 96% for sets of new words. 8 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

Catalytic-Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Reactor For Methane and Carbon Dioxide Conversion

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Istadi Istadi

2007-10-01

Full Text Available A catalytic - DBD plasma reactor was designed and developed for co-generation of synthesis gas and C2+ hydrocarbons from methane. A hybrid Artificial Neural Network - Genetic Algorithm (ANN-GA was developed to model, simulate and optimize the reactor. Effects of CH4/CO2 feed ratio, total feed flow rate, discharge voltage and reactor wall temperature on the performance of catalytic DBD plasma reactor was explored. The Pareto optimal solutions and corresponding optimal operating parameters ranges based on multi-objectives can be suggested for catalytic DBD plasma reactor owing to two cases, i.e. simultaneous maximization of CH4 conversion and C2+ selectivity, and H2 selectivity and H2/CO ratio. It can be concluded that the hybrid catalytic DBD plasma reactor is potential for co-generation of synthesis gas and higher hydrocarbons from methane and carbon dioxide and showed better than the conventional fixed bed reactor with respect to CH4 conversion, C2+ yield and H2 selectivity for CO2 OCM process. © 2007 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reserved.[Presented at Symposium and Congress of MKICS 2007, 18-19 April 2007, Semarang, Indonesia][How to Cite: I. Istadi, N.A.S. Amin. (2007. Catalytic-Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Reactor For Methane and Carbon Dioxide Conversion. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering and Catalysis, 2 (2-3: 37-44.  doi:10.9767/bcrec.2.2-3.8.37-44][How to Link/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.2.2-3.8.37-44 || or local: http://ejournal.undip.ac.id/index.php/bcrec/article/view/8][Cited by: Scopus 1 |

Emissions and fate of brominated flame retardants in the indoor environment: A critical review of modelling approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liagkouridis, Ioannis, E-mail: ioannis.liagkouridis@ivl.se [IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, P.O. Box 21060, SE 100 31 Stockholm (Sweden); ITM Department of Applied Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Cousins, Ian T. [ITM Department of Applied Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Cousins, Anna Palm [IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, P.O. Box 21060, SE 100 31 Stockholm (Sweden)

2014-09-01

This review explores the existing understanding and the available approaches to estimating the emissions and fate of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and in particular focuses on the brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Volatilisation, an important emission mechanism for the more volatile compounds can be well described using current emission models. More research is needed, however, to better characterise alternative release mechanisms such as direct material–particle partitioning and material abrasion. These two particle-mediated emissions are likely to result in an increased chemical release from the source than can be accounted for by volatilisation, especially for low volatile compounds, and emission models need to be updated in order to account for these. Air–surface partitioning is an important fate process for SVOCs such as BFRs however it is still not well characterised indoors. In addition, the assumption of an instantaneous air–particle equilibrium adopted by current indoor fate models might not be valid for high-molecular weight, strongly sorbing compounds. A better description of indoor particle dynamics is required to assess the effect of particle-associated transport as this will control the fate of low volatile BFRs. We suggest further research steps that will improve modelling precision and increase our understanding of the factors that govern the indoor fate of a wide range of SVOCs. It is also considered that the appropriateness of the selected model for a given study relies on the individual characteristics of the study environment and scope of the study. - Highlights: • Current emission models likely underestimate the release of low volatile BFRs from products. • Material abrasion and direct material–dust partitioning are important, yet understudied emission mechanisms. • Indoor surfaces can be significant sinks, but the mechanism is poorly understood. • Indoor fate of low volatile BFRs is strongly associated with particle

Conversational flow promotes solidarity.

Science.gov (United States)

Koudenburg, Namkje; Postmes, Tom; Gordijn, Ernestine H

2013-01-01

Social interaction is fundamental to the development of various aspects of "we-ness". Previous research has focused on the role the content of interaction plays in establishing feelings of unity, belongingness and shared reality (a cluster of variables referred to as solidarity here). The present paper is less concerned with content, but focuses on the form of social interaction. We propose that the degree to which conversations flow smoothly or not is, of itself, a cue to solidarity. We test this hypothesis in samples of unacquainted and acquainted dyads who communicate via headsets. Conversational flow is disrupted by introducing a delay in the auditory feedback (vs. no delay). Results of three studies show that smoothly coordinated conversations (compared with disrupted conversations and a control condition) increase feelings of belonging and perceptions of group entitativity, independently of conversation content. These effects are driven by the subjective experience of conversational flow. Our data suggest that this process occurs largely beyond individuals' control. We conclude that the form of social interaction is a powerful cue for inferring group solidarity. Implications for the impact of modern communication technology on developing a shared social identity are discussed.

Conversational flow promotes solidarity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Namkje Koudenburg

Full Text Available Social interaction is fundamental to the development of various aspects of "we-ness". Previous research has focused on the role the content of interaction plays in establishing feelings of unity, belongingness and shared reality (a cluster of variables referred to as solidarity here. The present paper is less concerned with content, but focuses on the form of social interaction. We propose that the degree to which conversations flow smoothly or not is, of itself, a cue to solidarity. We test this hypothesis in samples of unacquainted and acquainted dyads who communicate via headsets. Conversational flow is disrupted by introducing a delay in the auditory feedback (vs. no delay. Results of three studies show that smoothly coordinated conversations (compared with disrupted conversations and a control condition increase feelings of belonging and perceptions of group entitativity, independently of conversation content. These effects are driven by the subjective experience of conversational flow. Our data suggest that this process occurs largely beyond individuals' control. We conclude that the form of social interaction is a powerful cue for inferring group solidarity. Implications for the impact of modern communication technology on developing a shared social identity are discussed.

Occurrence, fate and transformation of emerging contaminants in water: An overarching review of the field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkinson, John; Hooda, Peter S.; Barker, James; Barton, Stephen; Swinden, Julian

2017-01-01

Many of the products and drugs used commonly contain chemical components which may persist through sewage treatment works (STW) and eventually enter the aquatic environment as parent compounds, metabolites, or transformation products. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and other emerging contaminants (ECs) have been detected in waters (typically ng/L) as well as more recently bound to sediment and plastic particles (typically ng/g). Despite significant advancement of knowledge since the late 1990s, the fate of these contaminants/transformation products once introduced into the aquatic environment remains relatively unresolved. This review provides a unique focus on the fate of seven major groups of PPCPs/ECs in the aquatic environment, which is frequently not found in similar works which are often compound or topic-specific and limited in background knowledge. Key findings include: a) some replacements for regulation precluded/banned chemicals may be similarly persistent in the environment as those they replace, b) the adsorption of potentially bioactive chemicals to micro- and nanoplastics is a significant topic with risks to aquatic organisms potentially greater than previously thought, and c) micro-/nanoplastics are likely to remain of significant concern for centuries after regulatory limitations on their use become active due to the slow degradation of macro-plastics into smaller components. An interdisciplinary perspective on recent advances in the field is presented here in a unique way which highlights both the principle science and direction of research needed to elucidate the fate and transport patterns of aquatic PPCPs/ECs. Unlike similar reviews, which are often topic-specific, here we aim to present an overarching review of the field with focus on the occurrence, transformation and fate of emerging contaminants. Environmental presence of seven major classes of contaminants (analygesics, antibiotics, antineoplastics, beta

Strabismus-mediated primary archenteron invagination is uncoupled from Wnt/β-catenin-dependent endoderm cell fate specification in Nematostella vectensis (Anthozoa, Cnidaria: Implications for the evolution of gastrulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumburegama Shalika

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gastrulation is a uniquely metazoan character, and its genesis was arguably the key step that enabled the remarkable diversification within this clade. The process of gastrulation involves two tightly coupled events during embryogenesis of most metazoans. Morphogenesis produces a distinct internal epithelial layer in the embryo, and this epithelium becomes segregated as an endoderm/endomesodermal germ layer through the activation of a specific gene regulatory program. The developmental mechanisms that induced archenteron formation and led to the segregation of germ layers during metazoan evolution are unknown. But an increased understanding of development in early diverging taxa at the base of the metazoan tree may provide insights into the origins of these developmental mechanisms. Results In the anthozoan cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, initial archenteron formation begins with bottle cell-induced buckling of the blastula epithelium at the animal pole. Here, we show that bottle cell formation and initial gut invagination in Nematostella requires NvStrabismus (NvStbm, a maternally-expressed core component of the Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (PCP pathway. The NvStbm protein is localized to the animal pole of the zygote, remains asymmetrically expressed through the cleavage stages, and becomes restricted to the apical side of invaginating bottle cells at the blastopore. Antisense morpholino-mediated NvStbm-knockdown blocks bottle cell formation and initial archenteron invagination, but it has no effect on Wnt/ß-catenin signaling-mediated endoderm cell fate specification. Conversely, selectively blocking Wnt/ß-catenin signaling inhibits endoderm cell fate specification but does not affect bottle cell formation and initial archenteron invagination. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that Wnt/PCP-mediated initial archenteron invagination can be uncoupled from Wnt/ß-catenin-mediated endoderm cell fate specification in

Dynamic analysis of the combinatorial regulation involving transcription factors and microRNAs in cell fate decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Fang; Liu, Haihong; Liu, Zengrong

2014-01-01

P53 and E2F1 are critical transcription factors involved in the choices between different cell fates including cell differentiation, cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. Recent experiments have shown that two families of microRNAs (miRNAs), p53-responsive miR34 (miRNA-34 a, b and c) and E2F1-inducible miR449 (miRNA-449 a, b and c) are potent inducers of these different fates and might have an important role in sensitizing cancer cells to drug treatment and tumor suppression. Identifying the mechanisms responsible for the combinatorial regulatory roles of these two transcription factors and two miRNAs is an important and challenging problem. Here, based in part on the model proposed in Tongli Zhang et al. (2007), we developed a mathematical model of the decision process and explored the combinatorial regulation between these two transcription factors and two miRNAs in response to DNA damage. By analyzing nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the model, we found that p53 exhibits pulsatile behavior. Moreover, a comparison is given to reveal the subtle differences of the cell fate decision process between regulation and deregulation of miR34 on E2F1. It predicts that miR34 plays a critical role in promoting cell cycle arrest. In addition, a computer simulation result also predicts that the miR449 is necessary for apoptosis in response to sustained DNA damage. In agreement with experimental observations, our model can account for the intricate regulatory relationship between these two transcription factors and two miRNAs in the cell fate decision process after DNA damage. These theoretical results indicate that miR34 and miR449 are effective tumor suppressors and play critical roles in cell fate decisions. The work provides a dynamic mechanism that shows how cell fate decisions are coordinated by two transcription factors and two miRNAs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Computational Proteomics, Systems Biology and Clinical Implications. Guest Editor: Yudong Cai