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Sample records for synthetic mammalian electro-genetic

  1. Genetic control of mammalian T-cell proliferation with synthetic RNA regulatory systems

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Yvonne Y.; Jensen, Michael C.; Smolke, Christina D.

    2010-01-01

    RNA molecules perform diverse regulatory functions in natural biological systems, and numerous synthetic RNA-based control devices that integrate sensing and gene-regulatory functions have been demonstrated, predominantly in bacteria and yeast. Despite potential advantages of RNA-based genetic control strategies in clinical applications, there has been limited success in extending engineered RNA devices to mammalian gene-expression control and no example of their application to functional res...

  2. Mammalian Synthetic Biology: Engineering Biological Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, Joshua B; Perez-Pinera, Pablo; Gersbach, Charles A

    2017-06-21

    The programming of new functions into mammalian cells has tremendous application in research and medicine. Continued improvements in the capacity to sequence and synthesize DNA have rapidly increased our understanding of mechanisms of gene function and regulation on a genome-wide scale and have expanded the set of genetic components available for programming cell biology. The invention of new research tools, including targetable DNA-binding systems such as CRISPR/Cas9 and sensor-actuator devices that can recognize and respond to diverse chemical, mechanical, and optical inputs, has enabled precise control of complex cellular behaviors at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. These tools have been critical for the expansion of synthetic biology techniques from prokaryotic and lower eukaryotic hosts to mammalian systems. Recent progress in the development of genome and epigenome editing tools and in the engineering of designer cells with programmable genetic circuits is expanding approaches to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease and to establish personalized theranostic strategies for next-generation medicines. This review summarizes the development of these enabling technologies and their application to transforming mammalian synthetic biology into a distinct field in research and medicine.

  3. Mammalian Synthetic Biology: Time for Big MACs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martella, Andrea; Pollard, Steven M; Dai, Junbiao; Cai, Yizhi

    2016-10-21

    The enabling technologies of synthetic biology are opening up new opportunities for engineering and enhancement of mammalian cells. This will stimulate diverse applications in many life science sectors such as regenerative medicine, development of biosensing cell lines, therapeutic protein production, and generation of new synthetic genetic regulatory circuits. Harnessing the full potential of these new engineering-based approaches requires the design and assembly of large DNA constructs-potentially up to chromosome scale-and the effective delivery of these large DNA payloads to the host cell. Random integration of large transgenes, encoding therapeutic proteins or genetic circuits into host chromosomes, has several drawbacks such as risks of insertional mutagenesis, lack of control over transgene copy-number and position-specific effects; these can compromise the intended functioning of genetic circuits. The development of a system orthogonal to the endogenous genome is therefore beneficial. Mammalian artificial chromosomes (MACs) are functional, add-on chromosomal elements, which behave as normal chromosomes-being replicating and portioned to daughter cells at each cell division. They are deployed as useful gene expression vectors as they remain independent from the host genome. MACs are maintained as a single-copy and can accommodate multiple gene expression cassettes of, in theory, unlimited DNA size (MACs up to 10 megabases have been constructed). MACs therefore enabled control over ectopic gene expression and represent an excellent platform to rapidly prototype and characterize novel synthetic gene circuits without recourse to engineering the host genome. This review describes the obstacles synthetic biologists face when working with mammalian systems and how the development of improved MACs can overcome these-particularly given the spectacular advances in DNA synthesis and assembly that are fuelling this research area.

  4. Mammalian synthetic biology for studying the cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathur, Melina; Xiang, Joy S; Smolke, Christina D

    2017-01-02

    Synthetic biology is advancing the design of genetic devices that enable the study of cellular and molecular biology in mammalian cells. These genetic devices use diverse regulatory mechanisms to both examine cellular processes and achieve precise and dynamic control of cellular phenotype. Synthetic biology tools provide novel functionality to complement the examination of natural cell systems, including engineered molecules with specific activities and model systems that mimic complex regulatory processes. Continued development of quantitative standards and computational tools will expand capacities to probe cellular mechanisms with genetic devices to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the cell. In this study, we review synthetic biology tools that are being applied to effectively investigate diverse cellular processes, regulatory networks, and multicellular interactions. We also discuss current challenges and future developments in the field that may transform the types of investigation possible in cell biology. © 2017 Mathur et al.

  5. Mammalian synthetic biology: emerging medical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kis, Zoltán; Pereira, Hugo Sant'Ana; Homma, Takayuki; Pedrigi, Ryan M; Krams, Rob

    2015-05-06

    In this review, we discuss new emerging medical applications of the rapidly evolving field of mammalian synthetic biology. We start with simple mammalian synthetic biological components and move towards more complex and therapy-oriented gene circuits. A comprehensive list of ON-OFF switches, categorized into transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational and post-translational, is presented in the first sections. Subsequently, Boolean logic gates, synthetic mammalian oscillators and toggle switches will be described. Several synthetic gene networks are further reviewed in the medical applications section, including cancer therapy gene circuits, immuno-regulatory networks, among others. The final sections focus on the applicability of synthetic gene networks to drug discovery, drug delivery, receptor-activating gene circuits and mammalian biomanufacturing processes. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  6. A platform for rapid prototyping of synthetic gene networks in mammalian cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duportet, Xavier; Wroblewska, Liliana; Guye, Patrick; Li, Yinqing; Eyquem, Justin; Rieders, Julianne; Rimchala, Tharathorn; Batt, Gregory; Weiss, Ron

    2014-01-01

    Mammalian synthetic biology may provide novel therapeutic strategies, help decipher new paths for drug discovery and facilitate synthesis of valuable molecules. Yet, our capacity to genetically program cells is currently hampered by the lack of efficient approaches to streamline the design, construction and screening of synthetic gene networks. To address this problem, here we present a framework for modular and combinatorial assembly of functional (multi)gene expression vectors and their efficient and specific targeted integration into a well-defined chromosomal context in mammalian cells. We demonstrate the potential of this framework by assembling and integrating different functional mammalian regulatory networks including the largest gene circuit built and chromosomally integrated to date (6 transcription units, 27kb) encoding an inducible memory device. Using a library of 18 different circuits as a proof of concept, we also demonstrate that our method enables one-pot/single-flask chromosomal integration and screening of circuit libraries. This rapid and powerful prototyping platform is well suited for comparative studies of genetic regulatory elements, genes and multi-gene circuits as well as facile development of libraries of isogenic engineered cell lines. PMID:25378321

  7. 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

  8. A mammalianized synthetic nitroreductase gene for high-level expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grohmann, Maik; Paulmann, Nils; Fleischhauer, Sebastian; Vowinckel, Jakob; Priller, Josef; Walther, Diego J

    2009-01-01

    The nitroreductase/5-(azaridin-1-yl)-2,4-dinitrobenzamide (NTR/CB1954) enzyme/prodrug system is considered as a promising candidate for anti-cancer strategies by gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) and has recently entered clinical trials. It requires the genetic modification of tumor cells to express the E. coli enzyme nitroreductase that bioactivates the prodrug CB1954 to a powerful cytotoxin. This metabolite causes apoptotic cell death by DNA interstrand crosslinking. Enhancing the enzymatic NTR activity for CB1954 should improve the therapeutical potential of this enzyme-prodrug combination in cancer gene therapy. We performed de novo synthesis of the bacterial nitroreductase gene adapting codon usage to mammalian preferences. The synthetic gene was investigated for its expression efficacy and ability to sensitize mammalian cells to CB1954 using western blotting analysis and cytotoxicity assays. In our study, we detected cytoplasmic protein aggregates by expressing GFP-tagged NTR in COS-7 cells, suggesting an impaired translation by divergent codon usage between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Therefore, we generated a synthetic variant of the nitroreductase gene, called ntro, adapted for high-level expression in mammalian cells. A total of 144 silent base substitutions were made within the bacterial ntr gene to change its codon usage to mammalian preferences. The codon-optimized ntro either tagged to gfp or c-myc showed higher expression levels in mammalian cell lines. Furthermore, the ntro rendered several cell lines ten times more sensitive to the prodrug CB1954 and also resulted in an improved bystander effect. Our results show that codon optimization overcomes expression limitations of the bacterial ntr gene in mammalian cells, thereby improving the NTR/CB1954 system at translational level for cancer gene therapy in humans

  9. Integrated In Silico Analysis of Pathway Designs for Synthetic Photo-Electro-Autotrophy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Volpers

    Full Text Available The strong advances in synthetic biology enable the engineering of novel functions and complex biological features in unprecedented ways, such as implementing synthetic autotrophic metabolism into heterotrophic hosts. A key challenge for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals entails the engineering of synthetic autotrophic organisms that can effectively and efficiently fix carbon dioxide by using sustainable energy sources. This challenge involves the integration of carbon fixation and energy uptake systems. A variety of carbon fixation pathways and several types of photosystems and other energy uptake systems can be chosen and, potentially, modularly combined to design synthetic autotrophic metabolism. Prior to implementation, these designs can be evaluated by the combination of several computational pathway analysis techniques. Here we present a systematic, integrated in silico analysis of photo-electro-autotrophic pathway designs, consisting of natural and synthetic carbon fixation pathways, a proton-pumping rhodopsin photosystem for ATP regeneration and an electron uptake pathway. We integrated Flux Balance Analysis of the heterotrophic chassis Escherichia coli with kinetic pathway analysis and thermodynamic pathway analysis (Max-min Driving Force. The photo-electro-autotrophic designs are predicted to have a limited potential for anaerobic, autotrophic growth of E. coli, given the relatively low ATP regenerating capacity of the proton pumping rhodopsin photosystems and the high ATP maintenance of E. coli. If these factors can be tackled, our analysis indicates the highest growth potential for the natural reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle and the synthetic pyruvate synthase-pyruvate carboxylate -glyoxylate bicycle. Both carbon fixation cycles are very ATP efficient, while maintaining fast kinetics, which also results in relatively low estimated protein costs for these pathways. Furthermore, the synthetic bicycles are highly

  10. [Research progress of mammalian synthetic biology in biomedical field].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Linfeng; Yin, Jianli; Wang, Meiyan; Ye, Haifeng

    2017-03-25

    Although still in its infant stage, synthetic biology has achieved remarkable development and progress during the past decade. Synthetic biology applies engineering principles to design and construct gene circuits uploaded into living cells or organisms to perform novel or improved functions, and it has been widely used in many fields. In this review, we describe the recent advances of mammalian synthetic biology for the treatment of diseases. We introduce common tools and design principles of synthetic gene circuits, and then we demonstrate open-loop gene circuits induced by different trigger molecules used in disease diagnosis and close-loop gene circuits used for biomedical applications. Finally, we discuss the perspectives and potential challenges of synthetic biology for clinical applications.

  11. Synthetic Biology Platform for Sensing and Integrating Endogenous Transcriptional Inputs in Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelici, Bartolomeo; Mailand, Erik; Haefliger, Benjamin; Benenson, Yaakov

    2016-08-30

    One of the goals of synthetic biology is to develop programmable artificial gene networks that can transduce multiple endogenous molecular cues to precisely control cell behavior. Realizing this vision requires interfacing natural molecular inputs with synthetic components that generate functional molecular outputs. Interfacing synthetic circuits with endogenous mammalian transcription factors has been particularly difficult. Here, we describe a systematic approach that enables integration and transduction of multiple mammalian transcription factor inputs by a synthetic network. The approach is facilitated by a proportional amplifier sensor based on synergistic positive autoregulation. The circuits efficiently transduce endogenous transcription factor levels into RNAi, transcriptional transactivation, and site-specific recombination. They also enable AND logic between pairs of arbitrary transcription factors. The results establish a framework for developing synthetic gene networks that interface with cellular processes through transcriptional regulators. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Next-generation mammalian genetics toward organism-level systems biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susaki, Etsuo A; Ukai, Hideki; Ueda, Hiroki R

    2017-01-01

    Organism-level systems biology in mammals aims to identify, analyze, control, and design molecular and cellular networks executing various biological functions in mammals. In particular, system-level identification and analysis of molecular and cellular networks can be accelerated by next-generation mammalian genetics. Mammalian genetics without crossing, where all production and phenotyping studies of genome-edited animals are completed within a single generation drastically reduce the time, space, and effort of conducting the systems research. Next-generation mammalian genetics is based on recent technological advancements in genome editing and developmental engineering. The process begins with introduction of double-strand breaks into genomic DNA by using site-specific endonucleases, which results in highly efficient genome editing in mammalian zygotes or embryonic stem cells. By using nuclease-mediated genome editing in zygotes, or ~100% embryonic stem cell-derived mouse technology, whole-body knock-out and knock-in mice can be produced within a single generation. These emerging technologies allow us to produce multiple knock-out or knock-in strains in high-throughput manner. In this review, we discuss the basic concepts and related technologies as well as current challenges and future opportunities for next-generation mammalian genetics in organism-level systems biology.

  13. [Synthetic biology and rearrangements of microbial genetic material].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Quan-Feng; Wang, Qian; Qi, Qing-Sheng

    2011-10-01

    As an emerging discipline, synthetic biology has shown great scientific values and application prospects. Although there have been many reviews of various aspects on synthetic biology over the last years, this article, for the first time, attempted to discuss the relationship and difference between microbial genetics and synthetic biology. We summarized the recent development of synthetic biology in rearranging microbial genetic materials, including synthesis, design and reduction of genetic materials, standardization of genetic parts and modularization of genetic circuits. The relationship between synthetic biology and microbial genetic engineering was also discussed in the paper.

  14. Mammalian developmental genetics in the twentieth century.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artzt, Karen

    2012-12-01

    This Perspectives is a review of the breathtaking history of mammalian genetics in the past century and, in particular, of the ways in which genetic thinking has illuminated aspects of mouse development. To illustrate the power of that thinking, selected hypothesis-driven experiments and technical advances are discussed. Also included in this account are the beginnings of mouse genetics at the Bussey Institute, Columbia University, and The Jackson Laboratory and a retrospective discussion of one of the classic problems in developmental genetics, the T/t complex and its genetic enigmas.

  15. Synthetic biology in mammalian cells: Next generation research tools and therapeutics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lienert, Florian; Lohmueller, Jason J; Garg, Abhishek; Silver, Pamela A

    2014-01-01

    Recent progress in DNA manipulation and gene circuit engineering has greatly improved our ability to programme and probe mammalian cell behaviour. These advances have led to a new generation of synthetic biology research tools and potential therapeutic applications. Programmable DNA-binding domains and RNA regulators are leading to unprecedented control of gene expression and elucidation of gene function. Rebuilding complex biological circuits such as T cell receptor signalling in isolation from their natural context has deepened our understanding of network motifs and signalling pathways. Synthetic biology is also leading to innovative therapeutic interventions based on cell-based therapies, protein drugs, vaccines and gene therapies. PMID:24434884

  16. Generation of a synthetic mammalian promoter library by modification of sequences spacing transcription factor binding sites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tornøe, Jens; Kusk, P.; Johansen, T.E.

    2002-01-01

    The development of a set of synthetic mammalian promoters with different specific activities is described. The library is based on a synthetic promoter, JeT, constructed as a 200 bp chimeric promoter built from fragments of the viral SV40 early promoter and the human beta-actin and ubiquitin C...

  17. Modularization of genetic elements promotes synthetic metabolic engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Hao; Li, Bing-Zhi; Zhang, Wen-Qian; Liu, Duo; Yuan, Ying-Jin

    2015-11-15

    In the context of emerging synthetic biology, metabolic engineering is moving to the next stage powered by new technologies. Systematical modularization of genetic elements makes it more convenient to engineer biological systems for chemical production or other desired purposes. In the past few years, progresses were made in engineering metabolic pathway using synthetic biology tools. Here, we spotlighted the topic of implementation of modularized genetic elements in metabolic engineering. First, we overviewed the principle developed for modularizing genetic elements and then discussed how the genetic modules advanced metabolic engineering studies. Next, we picked up some milestones of engineered metabolic pathway achieved in the past few years. Last, we discussed the rapid raised synthetic biology field of "building a genome" and the potential in metabolic engineering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Genetic Analysis of a Mammalian Chromosomal Origin of Replication

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Altman, Amy

    2001-01-01

    The main goal of the research proposal was to develop an assay system for studying the specific genetic elements, if any, involved in the initiation of DNA replication in mammalian cells as outlined in Task 1...

  19. Generation of a synthetic mammalian promoter library by modification of sequences spacing transcription factor binding sites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tornøe, Jens; Kusk, P.; Johansen, T.E.

    2002-01-01

    The development of a set of synthetic mammalian promoters with different specific activities is described. The library is based on a synthetic promoter, JeT, constructed as a 200 bp chimeric promoter built from fragments of the viral SV40 early promoter and the human beta-actin and ubiquitin C......, was obtained. The measured activity of each promoter in the library was highly specific and reproducible when tested in HiB5 and ARPE-19 cell culture....

  20. Synthetic Genetic Targeting of Genome Instability in Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sajesh, Babu V.; Guppy, Brent J.; McManus, Kirk J.

    2013-01-01

    Cancer is a leading cause of death throughout the World. A limitation of many current chemotherapeutic approaches is that their cytotoxic effects are not restricted to cancer cells, and adverse side effects can occur within normal tissues. Consequently, novel strategies are urgently needed to better target cancer cells. As we approach the era of personalized medicine, targeting the specific molecular defect(s) within a given patient’s tumor will become a more effective treatment strategy than traditional approaches that often target a given cancer type or sub-type. Synthetic genetic interactions are now being examined for their therapeutic potential and are designed to target the specific genetic and epigenetic phenomena associated with tumor formation, and thus are predicted to be highly selective. In general, two complementary approaches have been employed, including synthetic lethality and synthetic dosage lethality, to target aberrant expression and/or function associated with tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, respectively. Here we discuss the concepts of synthetic lethality and synthetic dosage lethality, and explain three general experimental approaches designed to identify novel genetic interactors. We present examples and discuss the merits and caveats of each approach. Finally, we provide insight into the subsequent pre-clinical work required to validate novel candidate drug targets

  1. Genetic dissection of mammalian ERAD through comparative haploid and CRISPR forward genetic screens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Timms, Richard T.; Menzies, Sam A.; Tchasovnikarova, Iva A.

    2016-01-01

    The application of forward genetic screens to cultured human cells represents a powerful method to study gene function. The repurposing of the bacterial CRISPR/Cas9 system provides an effective method to disrupt gene function in mammalian cells, and has been applied to genome-wide screens. Here, we...... compare the efficacy of genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9-mediated forward genetic screens versus gene-trap mutagenesis screens in haploid human cells, which represent the existing ‘gold standard’ method. This head-to-head comparison aimed to identify genes required for the endoplasmic reticulum....../3-associated disulphide reductase. Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9-mediated screens together with haploid genetic screens provide a powerful addition to the forward genetic toolbox....

  2. Physiological, anatomical and genetic identification of CPG neurons in the developing mammalian spinal cord

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiehn, Ole; Butt, Simon J.B.

    2003-01-01

    . These latter experiments have defined EphA4 as a molecular marker for mammalian excitatory hindlimb CPG neurons. We also review genetic approaches that can be applied to the mouse spinal cord. These include methods for identifying sub-populations of neurons by genetically encoded reporters, techniques to trace...... network connectivity with cell-specific genetically encoded tracers, and ways to selectively ablate or eliminate neuron populations from the CPG. We propose that by applying a multidisciplinary approach it will be possible to understand the network structure of the mammalian locomotor CPG...

  3. Quantitative Analyses of Core Promoters Enable Precise Engineering of Regulated Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ede, Christopher; Chen, Ximin; Lin, Meng-Yin; Chen, Yvonne Y.

    2016-01-01

    Inducible transcription systems play a crucial role in a wide array of synthetic biology circuits. However, the majority of inducible promoters are constructed from a limited set of tried-and-true promoter parts, which are susceptible to common shortcomings such as high basal expression levels (i.e., leakiness). To expand the toolbox for regulated mammalian gene expression and facilitate the construction of mammalian genetic circuits with precise functionality, we quantitatively characterized a panel of eight core promoters, including sequences with mammalian, viral, and synthetic origins. We demonstrate that this selection of core promoters can provide a wide range of basal gene expression levels and achieve a gradient of fold-inductions spanning two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, commonly used parts such as minimal CMV and minimal SV40 promoters were shown to achieve robust gene expression upon induction, but also suffer from high levels of leakiness. In contrast, a synthetic promoter, YB_TATA, was shown to combine low basal expression with high transcription rate in the induced state to achieve significantly higher fold-induction ratios compared to all other promoters tested. These behaviors remain consistent when the promoters are coupled to different genetic outputs and different response elements, as well as across different host-cell types and DNA copy numbers. We apply this quantitative understanding of core promoter properties to the successful engineering of human T cells that respond to antigen stimulation via chimeric antigen receptor signaling specifically under hypoxic environments. Results presented in this study can facilitate the design and calibration of future mammalian synthetic biology systems capable of precisely programmed functionality. PMID:26883397

  4. Synthetic mRNA devices that detect endogenous proteins and distinguish mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawasaki, Shunsuke; Fujita, Yoshihiko; Nagaike, Takashi; Tomita, Kozo; Saito, Hirohide

    2017-07-07

    Synthetic biology has great potential for future therapeutic applications including autonomous cell programming through the detection of protein signals and the production of desired outputs. Synthetic RNA devices are promising for this purpose. However, the number of available devices is limited due to the difficulty in the detection of endogenous proteins within a cell. Here, we show a strategy to construct synthetic mRNA devices that detect endogenous proteins in living cells, control translation and distinguish cell types. We engineered protein-binding aptamers that have increased stability in the secondary structures of their active conformation. The designed devices can efficiently respond to target proteins including human LIN28A and U1A proteins, while the original aptamers failed to do so. Moreover, mRNA delivery of an LIN28A-responsive device into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) revealed that we can distinguish living hiPSCs and differentiated cells by quantifying endogenous LIN28A protein expression level. Thus, our endogenous protein-driven RNA devices determine live-cell states and program mammalian cells based on intracellular protein information. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  5. Engineering genetic circuit interactions within and between synthetic minimal cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamala, Katarzyna P.; Martin-Alarcon, Daniel A.; Guthrie-Honea, Katriona R.; Boyden, Edward S.

    2017-05-01

    Genetic circuits and reaction cascades are of great importance for synthetic biology, biochemistry and bioengineering. An open question is how to maximize the modularity of their design to enable the integration of different reaction networks and to optimize their scalability and flexibility. One option is encapsulation within liposomes, which enables chemical reactions to proceed in well-isolated environments. Here we adapt liposome encapsulation to enable the modular, controlled compartmentalization of genetic circuits and cascades. We demonstrate that it is possible to engineer genetic circuit-containing synthetic minimal cells (synells) to contain multiple-part genetic cascades, and that these cascades can be controlled by external signals as well as inter-liposomal communication without crosstalk. We also show that liposomes that contain different cascades can be fused in a controlled way so that the products of incompatible reactions can be brought together. Synells thus enable a more modular creation of synthetic biology cascades, an essential step towards their ultimate programmability.

  6. Mammalian Genetics and Teratology Section

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1980-01-01

    The work of the Mammalian Genetics and Teratology Section includes research in mutagenesis, basic genetics, reproductive biology, and teratogenesis involving basic studies, method development, including exploration of the biological material, and testing. The basic studies make good use of the genetic material accumulated in mutagenesis experiments of various kinds, or of the findings of mutagenesis experiments themselves. In the latter category is the finding of a repair system in the fertilized egg. The genetics of repair competency or deficiency are now under study. A linear relationship between gene dosage and level of expression of an enzyme has been demonstrated. Opportunities for the study of gene action are provided by a number of X-autosome translocations which continue to be discovered in the course of mutagenesis experiments. In these rearrangements, X-chromosome inactivation extends to neighboring autosomal loci. Considerable progress has been made in developing the skeletal mutation system, which provides information on dominants that is highly useful for risk assessment. A sensitive-indicator test is now under development which will make the screening for skeletal mutations much faster and easier. Method development has also progressed on the in vivo somatic-mutation test now being widely used as an in vivo screen for mutagens. Another method developed here is the numerical sex-chromosome anomaly (NSA) test for nondisjunction. The NSA method is being used to explore the effects of female age on chromosome loss and nondisjunction. A model for estimating the misclassification error was experimentally established for the heritable translocation test. A rapid, easy, and sensitive in vivo screening test for teratogenesis was developed. An in vitro teratogenic prescreen being developed makes use of teratocarcinoma-derived cell lines

  7. Benchmarking of TALE- and CRISPR/dCas9-Based Transcriptional Regulators in Mammalian Cells for the Construction of Synthetic Genetic Circuits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebar, Tina; Jerala, Roman

    2016-10-21

    Transcriptional activator-like effector (TALE)- and CRISPR/Cas9-based designable recognition domains represent a technological breakthrough not only for genome editing but also for building designed genetic circuits. Both platforms are able to target rarely occurring DNA segments, even within complex genomes. TALE and dCas9 domains, genetically fused to transcriptional regulatory domains, can be used for the construction of engineered logic circuits. Here we benchmarked the performance of the two platforms, targeting the same DNA sequences, to compare their advantages for the construction of designed circuits in mammalian cells. Optimal targeting strands for repression and activation of dCas9-based designed transcription factors were identified; both platforms exhibited good orthogonality and were used to construct functionally complete NOR gates. Although the CRISPR/dCas9 system is clearly easier to construct, TALE-based activators were significantly stronger, and the TALE-based platform performed better, especially for the construction of layered circuits.

  8. Desorption electro-spray ionization - orbitrap mass spectrometry of synthetic polymers and copolymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Friia, Manel; Legros, Veronique; Tortajada, Jeanine; Buchmann, William

    2012-01-01

    Desorption Electro-Spray Ionization (DESI) - Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry (MS) was evaluated as a new tool for the characterization of various industrial synthetic polymers (poly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol), poly(methylmethacrylate), poly(dimethylsiloxane)) and copolymers, with masses ranging from 500 g.mol -1 up to more than 20000 g.mol -1 . Satisfying results in terms of signal stability and sensitivity were obtained from hydrophobic surfaces (HTC Prosolia) with a mixture water/methanol (10/90) as spray solvent in the presence of sodium salt. Taking into account the formation of multiplied charged species by DESI-MS, a strategy based on the use of a deconvolution software followed by the automatic assignment of the ions was described allowing the rapid determination of Mn, Mw and PDI values. DESI-Orbitrap MS results were compared to those obtained from matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization- time-of-flight MS and gel permeation chromatography. An application of DESI-Orbitrap MS for the detection and identification of polymers directly from cosmetics was described. (authors)

  9. The population genetics of X-autosome synthetic lethals and steriles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lachance, Joseph; Johnson, Norman A; True, John R

    2011-11-01

    Epistatic interactions are widespread, and many of these interactions involve combinations of alleles at different loci that are deleterious when present in the same individual. The average genetic environment of sex-linked genes differs from that of autosomal genes, suggesting that the population genetics of interacting X-linked and autosomal alleles may be complex. Using both analytical theory and computer simulations, we analyzed the evolutionary trajectories and mutation-selection balance conditions for X-autosome synthetic lethals and steriles. Allele frequencies follow a set of fundamental trajectories, and incompatible alleles are able to segregate at much higher frequencies than single-locus expectations. Equilibria exist, and they can involve fixation of either autosomal or X-linked alleles. The exact equilibrium depends on whether synthetic alleles are dominant or recessive and whether fitness effects are seen in males, females, or both sexes. When single-locus fitness effects and synthetic incompatibilities are both present, population dynamics depend on the dominance of alleles and historical contingency (i.e., whether X-linked or autosomal mutations occur first). Recessive synthetic lethality can result in high-frequency X-linked alleles, and dominant synthetic lethality can result in high-frequency autosomal alleles. Many X-autosome incompatibilities in natural populations may be cryptic, appearing to be single-locus effects because one locus is fixed. We also discuss the implications of these findings with respect to standing genetic variation and the origins of Haldane's rule.

  10. Genetic variation associated with mammalian feeding in Culex pipiens from a West Nile virus epidemic region in Chicago, Illinois.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shaoming; Hamer, Gabriel L; Molaei, Goudarz; Walker, Edward D; Goldberg, Tony L; Kitron, Uriel D; Andreadis, Theodore G

    2009-12-01

    Mosquitoes of the Culex pipiens complex are important vectors of West Nile virus in the United States. We examined the genetic variations of Cx. pipiens mosquitoes from Chicago, Illinois that were determined to be principally ornithophilic but exhibited a relatively higher inclination for mammalian hosts including humans. Microsatellite analysis of 10 polymorphic markers was performed on 346 engorged Cx. pipiens specimens with identified avian or mammalian blood meals. Our results indicated that there were no significant differences in allelic richness, the pattern of conformity to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and linkage disequilibrium, nor was there overall genetic differentiation between specimens with avian- and mammalian-derived blood meals. However, Cx. pipiens form pipiens with mammalian- (including human-) derived blood meals had significantly higher ancestry (p 0.05) and the proportion of hybrids (p > 0.05) from Cx. quinquefasciatus (population from Harris Country, Texas). No temporal genetic variation was detected in accordance with the observation that there was no shift in blood feeding from birds to mammals. The results of this study in conjunction with regional host-feeding behavior suggest that the probability of genetic ancestry from Cx. pipiens f. molestus may predispose mosquitoes to feed more readily on mammals; however, the genetic mechanisms are unknown.

  11. Adaptive logical stochastic resonance in time-delayed synthetic genetic networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lei; Zheng, Wenbin; Song, Aiguo

    2018-04-01

    In the paper, the concept of logical stochastic resonance is applied to implement logic operation and latch operation in time-delayed synthetic genetic networks derived from a bacteriophage λ. Clear logic operation and latch operation can be obtained when the network is tuned by modulated periodic force and time-delay. In contrast with the previous synthetic genetic networks based on logical stochastic resonance, the proposed system has two advantages. On one hand, adding modulated periodic force to the background noise can increase the length of the optimal noise plateau of obtaining desired logic response and make the system adapt to varying noise intensity. On the other hand, tuning time-delay can extend the optimal noise plateau to larger range. The result provides possible help for designing new genetic regulatory networks paradigm based on logical stochastic resonance.

  12. Synthetic biology devices and circuits for RNA-based 'smart vaccines': a propositional review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andries, Oliwia; Kitada, Tasuku; Bodner, Katie; Sanders, Niek N; Weiss, Ron

    2015-02-01

    Nucleic acid vaccines have been gaining attention as an alternative to the standard attenuated pathogen or protein based vaccine. However, an unrealized advantage of using such DNA or RNA based vaccination modalities is the ability to program within these nucleic acids regulatory devices that would provide an immunologist with the power to control the production of antigens and adjuvants in a desirable manner by administering small molecule drugs as chemical triggers. Advances in synthetic biology have resulted in the creation of highly predictable and modular genetic parts and devices that can be composed into synthetic gene circuits with complex behaviors. With the recent advent of modified RNA gene delivery methods and developments in the RNA replicon platform, we foresee a future in which mammalian synthetic biologists will create genetic circuits encoded exclusively on RNA. Here, we review the current repertoire of devices used in RNA synthetic biology and propose how programmable 'smart vaccines' will revolutionize the field of RNA vaccination.

  13. Synthetic Biology: Engineering, Evolution and Design (SEED) Conference 2014

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Voigt, Christopher [Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    2014-07-01

    SEED2014 focused on advances in the science and technology emerging from the field of synthetic biology. We broadly define this as technologies that accelerate the process of genetic engineering. It highlighted new tool development, as well as the application of these tools to diverse problems in biotechnology, including therapeutics, industrial chemicals and fuels, natural products, and agriculture. Systems spanned from in vitro experiments and viruses, through diverse bacteria, to eukaryotes (yeast, mammalian cells, plants).

  14. Bacteria Facilitate Enteric Virus Co-infection of Mammalian Cells and Promote Genetic Recombination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, Andrea K; Jesudhasan, Palmy R; Mayer, Melinda J; Narbad, Arjan; Winter, Sebastian E; Pfeiffer, Julie K

    2018-01-10

    RNA viruses exist in genetically diverse populations due to high levels of mutations, many of which reduce viral fitness. Interestingly, intestinal bacteria can promote infection of several mammalian enteric RNA viruses, but the mechanisms and consequences are unclear. We screened a panel of 41 bacterial strains as a platform to determine how different bacteria impact infection of poliovirus, a model enteric virus. Most bacterial strains, including those extracted from cecal contents of mice, bound poliovirus, with each bacterium binding multiple virions. Certain bacterial strains increased viral co-infection of mammalian cells even at a low virus-to-host cell ratio. Bacteria-mediated viral co-infection correlated with bacterial adherence to cells. Importantly, bacterial strains that induced viral co-infection facilitated genetic recombination between two different viruses, thereby removing deleterious mutations and restoring viral fitness. Thus, bacteria-virus interactions may increase viral fitness through viral recombination at initial sites of infection, potentially limiting abortive infections. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Towards a synthetic chloroplast.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina M Agapakis

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The evolution of eukaryotic cells is widely agreed to have proceeded through a series of endosymbiotic events between larger cells and proteobacteria or cyanobacteria, leading to the formation of mitochondria or chloroplasts, respectively. Engineered endosymbiotic relationships between different species of cells are a valuable tool for synthetic biology, where engineered pathways based on two species could take advantage of the unique abilities of each mutualistic partner.We explored the possibility of using the photosynthetic bacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 as a platform for studying evolutionary dynamics and for designing two-species synthetic biological systems. We observed that the cyanobacteria were relatively harmless to eukaryotic host cells compared to Escherichia coli when injected into the embryos of zebrafish, Danio rerio, or taken up by mammalian macrophages. In addition, when engineered with invasin from Yersinia pestis and listeriolysin O from Listeria monocytogenes, S. elongatus was able to invade cultured mammalian cells and divide inside macrophages.Our results show that it is possible to engineer photosynthetic bacteria to invade the cytoplasm of mammalian cells for further engineering and applications in synthetic biology. Engineered invasive but non-pathogenic or immunogenic photosynthetic bacteria have great potential as synthetic biological devices.

  16. EMMA: An Extensible Mammalian Modular Assembly Toolkit for the Rapid Design and Production of Diverse Expression Vectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martella, Andrea; Matjusaitis, Mantas; Auxillos, Jamie; Pollard, Steven M; Cai, Yizhi

    2017-07-21

    Mammalian plasmid expression vectors are critical reagents underpinning many facets of research across biology, biomedical research, and the biotechnology industry. Traditional cloning methods often require laborious manual design and assembly of plasmids using tailored sequential cloning steps. This process can be protracted, complicated, expensive, and error-prone. New tools and strategies that facilitate the efficient design and production of bespoke vectors would help relieve a current bottleneck for researchers. To address this, we have developed an extensible mammalian modular assembly kit (EMMA). This enables rapid and efficient modular assembly of mammalian expression vectors in a one-tube, one-step golden-gate cloning reaction, using a standardized library of compatible genetic parts. The high modularity, flexibility, and extensibility of EMMA provide a simple method for the production of functionally diverse mammalian expression vectors. We demonstrate the value of this toolkit by constructing and validating a range of representative vectors, such as transient and stable expression vectors (transposon based vectors), targeting vectors, inducible systems, polycistronic expression cassettes, fusion proteins, and fluorescent reporters. The method also supports simple assembly combinatorial libraries and hierarchical assembly for production of larger multigenetic cargos. In summary, EMMA is compatible with automated production, and novel genetic parts can be easily incorporated, providing new opportunities for mammalian synthetic biology.

  17. Synthetic biology and molecular genetics in non-conventional yeasts: Current tools and future advances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, James M; Alper, Hal S

    2016-04-01

    Coupling the tools of synthetic biology with traditional molecular genetic techniques can enable the rapid prototyping and optimization of yeast strains. While the era of yeast synthetic biology began in the well-characterized model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it is swiftly expanding to include non-conventional yeast production systems such as Hansenula polymorpha, Kluyveromyces lactis, Pichia pastoris, and Yarrowia lipolytica. These yeasts already have roles in the manufacture of vaccines, therapeutic proteins, food additives, and biorenewable chemicals, but recent synthetic biology advances have the potential to greatly expand and diversify their impact on biotechnology. In this review, we summarize the development of synthetic biological tools (including promoters and terminators) and enabling molecular genetics approaches that have been applied in these four promising alternative biomanufacturing platforms. An emphasis is placed on synthetic parts and genome editing tools. Finally, we discuss examples of synthetic tools developed in other organisms that can be adapted or optimized for these hosts in the near future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Understanding mammalian genetic systems: the challenge of phenotyping in the mouse.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steve D M Brown

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Understanding mammalian genetic systems is predicated on the determination of the relationship between genetic variation and phenotype. Several international programmes are under way to deliver mutations in every gene in the mouse genome. The challenge for mouse geneticists is to develop approaches that will provide comprehensive phenotype datasets for these mouse mutant libraries. Several factors are critical to success in this endeavour. It will be important to catalogue assay and environment and where possible to adopt standardised procedures for phenotyping tests along with common environmental conditions to ensure comparable datasets of phenotypes. Moreover, the scale of the task underlines the need to invest in technological development improving both the speed and cost of phenotyping platforms. In addition, it will be necessary to develop new informatics standards that capture the phenotype assay as well as other factors, genetic and environmental, that impinge upon phenotype outcome.

  19. Synthetic alienation of microbial organisms by using genetic code engineering: Why and how?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubyshkin, Vladimir; Budisa, Nediljko

    2017-08-01

    The main goal of synthetic biology (SB) is the creation of biodiversity applicable for biotechnological needs, while xenobiology (XB) aims to expand the framework of natural chemistries with the non-natural building blocks in living cells to accomplish artificial biodiversity. Protein and proteome engineering, which overcome limitation of the canonical amino acid repertoire of 20 (+2) prescribed by the genetic code by using non-canonic amino acids (ncAAs), is one of the main focuses of XB research. Ideally, estranging the genetic code from its current form via systematic introduction of ncAAs should enable the development of bio-containment mechanisms in synthetic cells potentially endowing them with a "genetic firewall" i.e. orthogonality which prevents genetic information transfer to natural systems. Despite rapid progress over the past two decades, it is not yet possible to completely alienate an organism that would use and maintain different genetic code associations permanently. In order to engineer robust bio-contained life forms, the chemical logic behind the amino acid repertoire establishment should be considered. Starting from recent proposal of Hartman and Smith about the genetic code establishment in the RNA world, here the authors mapped possible biotechnological invasion points for engineering of bio-contained synthetic cells equipped with non-canonical functionalities. Copyright © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Sensitive detection of proteasomal activation using the Deg-On mammalian synthetic gene circuit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Wenting; Bonem, Matthew; McWhite, Claire; Silberg, Jonathan J; Segatori, Laura

    2014-04-08

    The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) has emerged as a drug target for diverse diseases characterized by altered proteostasis, but pharmacological agents that enhance UPS activity have been challenging to establish. Here we report the Deg-On system, a genetic inverter that translates proteasomal degradation of the transcriptional regulator TetR into a fluorescent signal, thereby linking UPS activity to an easily detectable output, which can be tuned using tetracycline. We demonstrate that this circuit responds to modulation of UPS activity in cell culture arising from the inhibitor MG-132 and activator PA28γ. Guided by predictive modelling, we enhanced the circuit's signal sensitivity and dynamic range by introducing a feedback loop that enables self-amplification of TetR. By linking UPS activity to a simple and tunable fluorescence output, these genetic inverters will enable a variety of applications, including screening for UPS activating molecules and selecting for mammalian cells with different levels of proteasome activity.

  1. A versatile cis-acting inverter module for synthetic translational switches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endo, Kei; Hayashi, Karin; Inoue, Tan; Saito, Hirohide

    2013-01-01

    Artificial genetic switches have been designed and tuned individually in living cells. A method to directly invert an existing OFF switch to an ON switch should be highly convenient to construct complex circuits from well-characterized modules, but developing such a technique has remained a challenge. Here we present a cis-acting RNA module to invert the function of a synthetic translational OFF switch to an ON switch in mammalian cells. This inversion maintains the property of the parental switch in response to a particular input signal. In addition, we demonstrate simultaneous and specific expression control of both the OFF and ON switches. The module fits the criteria of universality and expands the versatility of mRNA-based information processing systems developed for artificially controlling mammalian cellular behaviour.

  2. Stimulation of electro-fermentation in single-chamber microbial electrolysis cells driven by genetically engineered anode biofilms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awate, Bhushan; Steidl, Rebecca J.; Hamlischer, Thilo; Reguera, Gemma

    2017-07-01

    Unwanted metabolites produced during fermentations reduce titers and productivity and increase the cost of downstream purification of the targeted product. As a result, the economic feasibility of otherwise attractive fermentations is low. Using ethanol fermentation by the consolidated bioprocessing cellulolytic bacterium Cellulomonas uda, we demonstrate the effectiveness of anodic electro-fermentations at maximizing titers and productivity in a single-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (SCMEC) without the need for metabolic engineering of the fermentative microbe. The performance of the SCMEC platform relied on the genetic improvements of anode biofilms of the exoelectrogen Geobacter sulfurreducens that prevented the oxidation of cathodic hydrogen and improved lactate oxidation. Furthermore, a hybrid bioanode was designed that maximized the removal of organic acids in the fermentation broth. The targeted approach increased cellobiose consumption rates and ethanol titers, yields, and productivity three-fold or more, prevented pH imbalances and reduced batch-to-batch variability. In addition, the sugar substrate was fully consumed and ethanol was enriched in the broth during the electro-fermentation, simplifying its downstream purification. Such improvements and the possibility of scaling up SCMEC configurations highlight the potential of anodic electro-fermentations to stimulate fermentative bacteria beyond their natural capacity and to levels required for industrial implementation.

  3. A Unifying Mathematical Framework for Genetic Robustness, Environmental Robustness, Network Robustness and their Trade-offs on Phenotype Robustness in Biological Networks. Part III: Synthetic Gene Networks in Synthetic Biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Bor-Sen; Lin, Ying-Po

    2013-01-01

    Robust stabilization and environmental disturbance attenuation are ubiquitous systematic properties that are observed in biological systems at many different levels. The underlying principles for robust stabilization and environmental disturbance attenuation are universal to both complex biological systems and sophisticated engineering systems. In many biological networks, network robustness should be large enough to confer: intrinsic robustness for tolerating intrinsic parameter fluctuations; genetic robustness for buffering genetic variations; and environmental robustness for resisting environmental disturbances. Network robustness is needed so phenotype stability of biological network can be maintained, guaranteeing phenotype robustness. Synthetic biology is foreseen to have important applications in biotechnology and medicine; it is expected to contribute significantly to a better understanding of functioning of complex biological systems. This paper presents a unifying mathematical framework for investigating the principles of both robust stabilization and environmental disturbance attenuation for synthetic gene networks in synthetic biology. Further, from the unifying mathematical framework, we found that the phenotype robustness criterion for synthetic gene networks is the following: if intrinsic robustness + genetic robustness + environmental robustness ≦ network robustness, then the phenotype robustness can be maintained in spite of intrinsic parameter fluctuations, genetic variations, and environmental disturbances. Therefore, the trade-offs between intrinsic robustness, genetic robustness, environmental robustness, and network robustness in synthetic biology can also be investigated through corresponding phenotype robustness criteria from the systematic point of view. Finally, a robust synthetic design that involves network evolution algorithms with desired behavior under intrinsic parameter fluctuations, genetic variations, and environmental

  4. Alternative Watson-Crick Synthetic Genetic Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benner, Steven A; Karalkar, Nilesh B; Hoshika, Shuichi; Laos, Roberto; Shaw, Ryan W; Matsuura, Mariko; Fajardo, Diego; Moussatche, Patricia

    2016-11-01

    In its "grand challenge" format in chemistry, "synthesis" as an activity sets out a goal that is substantially beyond current theoretical and technological capabilities. In pursuit of this goal, scientists are forced across uncharted territory, where they must answer unscripted questions and solve unscripted problems, creating new theories and new technologies in ways that would not be created by hypothesis-directed research. Thus, synthesis drives discovery and paradigm changes in ways that analysis cannot. Described here are the products that have arisen so far through the pursuit of one grand challenge in synthetic biology: Recreate the genetics, catalysis, evolution, and adaptation that we value in life, but using genetic and catalytic biopolymers different from those that have been delivered to us by natural history on Earth. The outcomes in technology include new diagnostic tools that have helped personalize the care of hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide. In science, the effort has generated a fundamentally different view of DNA, RNA, and how they work. Copyright © 2016 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  5. Mammalian small nucleolar RNAs are mobile genetic elements.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michel J Weber

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs of the H/ACA box and C/D box categories guide the pseudouridylation and the 2'-O-ribose methylation of ribosomal RNAs by forming short duplexes with their target. Similarly, small Cajal body-specific RNAs (scaRNAs guide modifications of spliceosomal RNAs. The vast majority of vertebrate sno/scaRNAs are located in introns of genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II and processed by exonucleolytic trimming after splicing. A bioinformatic search for orthologues of human sno/scaRNAs in sequenced mammalian genomes reveals the presence of species- or lineage-specific sno/scaRNA retroposons (sno/scaRTs characterized by an A-rich tail and an approximately 14-bp target site duplication that corresponds to their insertion site, as determined by interspecific genomic alignments. Three classes of snoRTs are defined based on the extent of intron and exon sequences from the snoRNA parental host gene they contain. SnoRTs frequently insert in gene introns in the sense orientation at genomic hot spots shared with other genetic mobile elements. Previously characterized human snoRNAs are encoded in retroposons whose parental copies can be identified by phylogenic analysis, showing that snoRTs can be faithfully processed. These results identify snoRNAs as a new family of mobile genetic elements. The insertion of new snoRNA copies might constitute a safeguard mechanism by which the biological activity of snoRNAs is maintained in spite of the risk of mutations in the parental copy. I furthermore propose that retroposition followed by genetic drift is a mechanism that increased snoRNA diversity during vertebrate evolution to eventually acquire new RNA-modification functions.

  6. Biocontainment of genetically modified organisms by synthetic protein design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandell, Daniel J.; Lajoie, Marc J.; Mee, Michael T.; Takeuchi, Ryo; Kuznetsov, Gleb; Norville, Julie E.; Gregg, Christopher J.; Stoddard, Barry L.; Church, George M.

    2015-02-01

    Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are increasingly deployed at large scales and in open environments. Genetic biocontainment strategies are needed to prevent unintended proliferation of GMOs in natural ecosystems. Existing biocontainment methods are insufficient because they impose evolutionary pressure on the organism to eject the safeguard by spontaneous mutagenesis or horizontal gene transfer, or because they can be circumvented by environmentally available compounds. Here we computationally redesign essential enzymes in the first organism possessing an altered genetic code (Escherichia coli strain C321.ΔA) to confer metabolic dependence on non-standard amino acids for survival. The resulting GMOs cannot metabolically bypass their biocontainment mechanisms using known environmental compounds, and they exhibit unprecedented resistance to evolutionary escape through mutagenesis and horizontal gene transfer. This work provides a foundation for safer GMOs that are isolated from natural ecosystems by a reliance on synthetic metabolites.

  7. Molecular analysis of genetic diversity in elite II synthetic hexaploid ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The present study was conducted to assess the genetic diversity of Elite-II synthetic hexaploid (SH) wheat by genome DNA fingerprinting as revealed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Ten decamer RAPD primers (OPG-1, OPG-2, OPG-3, OPG-4, OPG-5, OPA-3, OPA-4, OPA-5, OPA-8, and OPA-15) ...

  8. Intraperitoneal Infection of Wild-Type Mice with Synthetically Generated Mammalian Prion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinhe Wang

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The prion hypothesis postulates that the infectious agent in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs is an unorthodox protein conformation based agent. Recent successes in generating mammalian prions in vitro with bacterially expressed recombinant prion protein provide strong support for the hypothesis. However, whether the pathogenic properties of synthetically generated prion (rec-Prion recapitulate those of naturally occurring prions remains unresolved. Using end-point titration assay, we showed that the in vitro prepared rec-Prions have infectious titers of around 104 LD50/μg. In addition, intraperitoneal (i.p. inoculation of wild-type mice with rec-Prion caused prion disease with an average survival time of 210-220 days post inoculation. Detailed pathological analyses revealed that the nature of rec-Prion induced lesions, including spongiform change, disease specific prion protein accumulation (PrP-d and the PrP-d dissemination amongst lymphoid and peripheral nervous system tissues, the route and mechanisms of neuroinvasion were all typical of classical rodent prions. Our results revealed that, similar to naturally occurring prions, the rec-Prion has a titratable infectivity and is capable of causing prion disease via routes other than direct intra-cerebral challenge. More importantly, our results established that the rec-Prion caused disease is pathogenically and pathologically identical to naturally occurring contagious TSEs, supporting the concept that a conformationally altered protein agent is responsible for the infectivity in TSEs.

  9. Persistency of Prediction Accuracy and Genetic Gain in Synthetic Populations Under Recurrent Genomic Selection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dominik Müller

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Recurrent selection (RS has been used in plant breeding to successively improve synthetic and other multiparental populations. Synthetics are generated from a limited number of parents ( Np , but little is known about how Np affects genomic selection (GS in RS, especially the persistency of prediction accuracy (rg , g ^ and genetic gain. Synthetics were simulated by intermating Np= 2–32 parent lines from an ancestral population with short- or long-range linkage disequilibrium (LDA and subjected to multiple cycles of GS. We determined rg , g ^ and genetic gain across 30 cycles for different training set (TS sizes, marker densities, and generations of recombination before model training. Contributions to rg , g ^ and genetic gain from pedigree relationships, as well as from cosegregation and LDA between QTL and markers, were analyzed via four scenarios differing in (i the relatedness between TS and selection candidates and (ii whether selection was based on markers or pedigree records. Persistency of rg , g ^ was high for small Np , where predominantly cosegregation contributed to rg , g ^ , but also for large Np , where LDA replaced cosegregation as the dominant information source. Together with increasing genetic variance, this compensation resulted in relatively constant long- and short-term genetic gain for increasing Np > 4, given long-range LDA in the ancestral population. Although our scenarios suggest that information from pedigree relationships contributed to rg , g ^ for only very few generations in GS, we expect a longer contribution than in pedigree BLUP, because capturing Mendelian sampling by markers reduces selective pressure on pedigree relationships. Larger TS size (NTS and higher marker density improved persistency of rg , g ^ and hence genetic gain, but additional recombinations could not increase genetic gain.

  10. Computational Re-design of Synthetic Genetic Oscillators for Independent Amplitude and Frequency Modulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomazou, Marios; Barahona, Mauricio; Polizzi, Karen M; Stan, Guy-Bart

    2018-04-25

    To perform well in biotechnology applications, synthetic genetic oscillators must be engineered to allow independent modulation of amplitude and period. This need is currently unmet. Here, we demonstrate computationally how two classic genetic oscillators, the dual-feedback oscillator and the repressilator, can be re-designed to provide independent control of amplitude and period and improve tunability-that is, a broad dynamic range of periods and amplitudes accessible through the input "dials." Our approach decouples frequency and amplitude modulation by incorporating an orthogonal "sink module" where the key molecular species are channeled for enzymatic degradation. This sink module maintains fast oscillation cycles while alleviating the translational coupling between the oscillator's transcription factors and output. We characterize the behavior of our re-designed oscillators over a broad range of physiologically reasonable parameters, explain why this facilitates broader function and control, and provide general design principles for building synthetic genetic oscillators that are more precisely controllable. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Electro-active bio-films: formation, characterization and mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parot, Sandrine

    2007-01-01

    Some bacteria, which are able to exchange electrons with a conductive material without mediator form on conductive surfaces electro-active bio-films. This bacterial property has been recently discovered (2001). Objectives of this work are to develop electro-active bio-films in various natural environments from indigenous flora, then through complementary electrochemical techniques (chrono-amperometry and cyclic voltammetry), to evaluate electro-activity of isolates coming from so-formed bio-films and to characterize mechanisms of electron transfer between bacteria and materials. First, electro-active bio-films have been developed under chrono-amperometry in garden compost and in water coming from Guyana mangrove. These bio-films were respectively able to use an electrode as electron acceptor (oxidation) or as electron donor (reduction). In compost, results obtained in chrono-amperometry and cyclic voltammetry suggest a two-step electron transfer: slow substrate consumption, then rapid electron transfer between bacteria and the electrode. Thereafter, the ability to reduce oxygen was demonstrated with cyclic voltammetry for facultative aerobic isolates from compost bio-films (Enterobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp.) and for aerobic isolates obtained from marine electro-active bio-films (Roseobacter spp. in majority). Finally, bio-films inducing current increase in chrono-amperometry were developed in bioreactor with synthetic medium from a pure culture of isolates. Hence, for the first time, electro-activity of several anaerobic strains of Geobacter bremensis isolated from compost bio-films was highlighted. (author) [fr

  12. Recent Progress on Cellulose-Based Electro-Active Paper, Its Hybrid Nanocomposites and Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Asif; Abas, Zafar; Kim, Heung Soo; Kim, Jaehwan

    2016-07-26

    We report on the recent progress and development of research into cellulose-based electro-active paper for bending actuators, bioelectronics devices, and electromechanical transducers. The cellulose electro-active paper is characterized in terms of its biodegradability, chirality, ample chemically modifying capacity, light weight, actuation capability, and ability to form hybrid nanocomposites. The mechanical, electrical, and chemical characterizations of the cellulose-based electro-active paper and its hybrid composites such as blends or coatings with synthetic polymers, biopolymers, carbon nanotubes, chitosan, and metal oxides, are explained. In addition, the integration of cellulose electro-active paper is highlighted to form various functional devices including but not limited to bending actuators, flexible speaker, strain sensors, energy harvesting transducers, biosensors, chemical sensors and transistors for electronic applications. The frontiers in cellulose paper devices are reviewed together with the strategies and perspectives of cellulose electro-active paper and cellulose nanocomposite research and applications.

  13. Recent Progress on Cellulose-Based Electro-Active Paper, Its Hybrid Nanocomposites and Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asif Khan

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available We report on the recent progress and development of research into cellulose-based electro-active paper for bending actuators, bioelectronics devices, and electromechanical transducers. The cellulose electro-active paper is characterized in terms of its biodegradability, chirality, ample chemically modifying capacity, light weight, actuation capability, and ability to form hybrid nanocomposites. The mechanical, electrical, and chemical characterizations of the cellulose-based electro-active paper and its hybrid composites such as blends or coatings with synthetic polymers, biopolymers, carbon nanotubes, chitosan, and metal oxides, are explained. In addition, the integration of cellulose electro-active paper is highlighted to form various functional devices including but not limited to bending actuators, flexible speaker, strain sensors, energy harvesting transducers, biosensors, chemical sensors and transistors for electronic applications. The frontiers in cellulose paper devices are reviewed together with the strategies and perspectives of cellulose electro-active paper and cellulose nanocomposite research and applications.

  14. Persistency of Prediction Accuracy and Genetic Gain in Synthetic Populations Under Recurrent Genomic Selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Dominik; Schopp, Pascal; Melchinger, Albrecht E

    2017-03-10

    Recurrent selection (RS) has been used in plant breeding to successively improve synthetic and other multiparental populations. Synthetics are generated from a limited number of parents [Formula: see text] but little is known about how [Formula: see text] affects genomic selection (GS) in RS, especially the persistency of prediction accuracy ([Formula: see text]) and genetic gain. Synthetics were simulated by intermating [Formula: see text]= 2-32 parent lines from an ancestral population with short- or long-range linkage disequilibrium ([Formula: see text]) and subjected to multiple cycles of GS. We determined [Formula: see text] and genetic gain across 30 cycles for different training set ( TS ) sizes, marker densities, and generations of recombination before model training. Contributions to [Formula: see text] and genetic gain from pedigree relationships, as well as from cosegregation and [Formula: see text] between QTL and markers, were analyzed via four scenarios differing in (i) the relatedness between TS and selection candidates and (ii) whether selection was based on markers or pedigree records. Persistency of [Formula: see text] was high for small [Formula: see text] where predominantly cosegregation contributed to [Formula: see text], but also for large [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] replaced cosegregation as the dominant information source. Together with increasing genetic variance, this compensation resulted in relatively constant long- and short-term genetic gain for increasing [Formula: see text] > 4, given long-range LD A in the ancestral population. Although our scenarios suggest that information from pedigree relationships contributed to [Formula: see text] for only very few generations in GS, we expect a longer contribution than in pedigree BLUP, because capturing Mendelian sampling by markers reduces selective pressure on pedigree relationships. Larger TS size ([Formula: see text]) and higher marker density improved persistency of

  15. Synthetic biology approaches in cancer immunotherapy, genetic network engineering, and genome editing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakravarti, Deboki; Cho, Jang Hwan; Weinberg, Benjamin H; Wong, Nicole M; Wong, Wilson W

    2016-04-18

    Investigations into cells and their contents have provided evolving insight into the emergence of complex biological behaviors. Capitalizing on this knowledge, synthetic biology seeks to manipulate the cellular machinery towards novel purposes, extending discoveries from basic science to new applications. While these developments have demonstrated the potential of building with biological parts, the complexity of cells can pose numerous challenges. In this review, we will highlight the broad and vital role that the synthetic biology approach has played in applying fundamental biological discoveries in receptors, genetic circuits, and genome-editing systems towards translation in the fields of immunotherapy, biosensors, disease models and gene therapy. These examples are evidence of the strength of synthetic approaches, while also illustrating considerations that must be addressed when developing systems around living cells.

  16. Fluorescent genetic barcoding in mammalian cells for enhanced multiplexing capabilities in flow cytometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smurthwaite, Cameron A; Hilton, Brett J; O'Hanlon, Ryan; Stolp, Zachary D; Hancock, Bryan M; Abbadessa, Darin; Stotland, Aleksandr; Sklar, Larry A; Wolkowicz, Roland

    2014-01-01

    The discovery of the green fluorescent protein from Aequorea victoria has revolutionized the field of cell and molecular biology. Since its discovery a growing panel of fluorescent proteins, fluorophores and fluorescent-coupled staining methodologies, have expanded the analytical capabilities of flow cytometry. Here, we exploit the power of genetic engineering to barcode individual cells with genes encoding fluorescent proteins. For genetic engineering, we utilize retroviral technology, which allows for the expression of ectopic genetic information in a stable manner in mammalian cells. We have genetically barcoded both adherent and nonadherent cells with different fluorescent proteins. Multiplexing power was increased by combining both the number of distinct fluorescent proteins, and the fluorescence intensity in each channel. Moreover, retroviral expression has proven to be stable for at least a 6-month period, which is critical for applications such as biological screens. We have shown the applicability of fluorescent barcoded multiplexing to cell-based assays that rely themselves on genetic barcoding, or on classical staining protocols. Fluorescent genetic barcoding gives the cell an inherited characteristic that distinguishes it from its counterpart. Once cell lines are developed, no further manipulation or staining is required, decreasing time, nonspecific background associated with staining protocols, and cost. The increasing number of discovered and/or engineered fluorescent proteins with unique absorbance/emission spectra, combined with the growing number of detection devices and lasers, increases multiplexing versatility, making fluorescent genetic barcoding a powerful tool for flow cytometry-based analysis. © 2013 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

  17. Enhancer evolution across 20 mammalian species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villar, Diego; Berthelot, Camille; Aldridge, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    The mammalian radiation has corresponded with rapid changes in noncoding regions of the genome, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of regulatory evolution in mammals. Here, we track the evolution of promoters and enhancers active in liver across 20 mammalian species from six diverse orders...... by profiling genomic enrichment of H3K27 acetylation and H3K4 trimethylation. We report that rapid evolution of enhancers is a universal feature of mammalian genomes. Most of the recently evolved enhancers arise from ancestral DNA exaptation, rather than lineage-specific expansions of repeat elements....... These results provide important insight into the functional genetics underpinning mammalian regulatory evolution....

  18. Robust synchronization control scheme of a population of nonlinear stochastic synthetic genetic oscillators under intrinsic and extrinsic molecular noise via quorum sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Bor-Sen; Hsu, Chih-Yuan

    2012-10-26

    Collective rhythms of gene regulatory networks have been a subject of considerable interest for biologists and theoreticians, in particular the synchronization of dynamic cells mediated by intercellular communication. Synchronization of a population of synthetic genetic oscillators is an important design in practical applications, because such a population distributed over different host cells needs to exploit molecular phenomena simultaneously in order to emerge a biological phenomenon. However, this synchronization may be corrupted by intrinsic kinetic parameter fluctuations and extrinsic environmental molecular noise. Therefore, robust synchronization is an important design topic in nonlinear stochastic coupled synthetic genetic oscillators with intrinsic kinetic parameter fluctuations and extrinsic molecular noise. Initially, the condition for robust synchronization of synthetic genetic oscillators was derived based on Hamilton Jacobi inequality (HJI). We found that if the synchronization robustness can confer enough intrinsic robustness to tolerate intrinsic parameter fluctuation and extrinsic robustness to filter the environmental noise, then robust synchronization of coupled synthetic genetic oscillators is guaranteed. If the synchronization robustness of a population of nonlinear stochastic coupled synthetic genetic oscillators distributed over different host cells could not be maintained, then robust synchronization could be enhanced by external control input through quorum sensing molecules. In order to simplify the analysis and design of robust synchronization of nonlinear stochastic synthetic genetic oscillators, the fuzzy interpolation method was employed to interpolate several local linear stochastic coupled systems to approximate the nonlinear stochastic coupled system so that the HJI-based synchronization design problem could be replaced by a simple linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based design problem, which could be solved with the help of LMI

  19. From noise to synthetic nucleoli: can synthetic biology achieve new insights?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciechonska, Marta; Grob, Alice; Isalan, Mark

    2016-04-18

    Synthetic biology aims to re-organise and control biological components to make functional devices. Along the way, the iterative process of designing and testing gene circuits has the potential to yield many insights into the functioning of the underlying chassis of cells. Thus, synthetic biology is converging with disciplines such as systems biology and even classical cell biology, to give a new level of predictability to gene expression, cell metabolism and cellular signalling networks. This review gives an overview of the contributions that synthetic biology has made in understanding gene expression, in terms of cell heterogeneity (noise), the coupling of growth and energy usage to expression, and spatiotemporal considerations. We mainly compare progress in bacterial and mammalian systems, which have some of the most-developed engineering frameworks. Overall, one view of synthetic biology can be neatly summarised as "creating in order to understand."

  20. [Progress in synthetic biology of "973 Funding Program" in China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Guoqiang; Wang, Ying

    2015-06-01

    This paper reviews progresses made in China from 2011 in areas of "Synthetic Biology" supported by State Basic Research 973 Program. Till the end of 2014, 9 "synthetic biology" projects have been initiated with emphasis on "microbial manufactures" with the 973 Funding Program. Combined with the very recent launch of one project on "mammalian cell synthetic biology" and another on "plant synthetic biology", Chinese "synthetic biology" research reflects its focus on "manufactures" while not giving up efforts on "synthetic biology" of complex systems.

  1. Antagonistic control of a dual-input mammalian gene switch by food additives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Mingqi; Ye, Haifeng; Hamri, Ghislaine Charpin-El; Fussenegger, Martin

    2014-08-01

    Synthetic biology has significantly advanced the design of mammalian trigger-inducible transgene-control devices that are able to programme complex cellular behaviour. Fruit-based benzoate derivatives licensed as food additives, such as flavours (e.g. vanillate) and preservatives (e.g. benzoate), are a particularly attractive class of trigger compounds for orthogonal mammalian transgene control devices because of their innocuousness, physiological compatibility and simple oral administration. Capitalizing on the genetic componentry of the soil bacterium Comamonas testosteroni, which has evolved to catabolize a variety of aromatic compounds, we have designed different mammalian gene expression systems that could be induced and repressed by the food additives benzoate and vanillate. When implanting designer cells engineered for gene switch-driven expression of the human placental secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) into mice, blood SEAP levels of treated animals directly correlated with a benzoate-enriched drinking programme. Additionally, the benzoate-/vanillate-responsive device was compatible with other transgene control systems and could be assembled into higher-order control networks providing expression dynamics reminiscent of a lap-timing stopwatch. Designer gene switches using licensed food additives as trigger compounds to achieve antagonistic dual-input expression profiles and provide novel control topologies and regulation dynamics may advance future gene- and cell-based therapies. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  2. Genetic interaction motif finding by expectation maximization – a novel statistical model for inferring gene modules from synthetic lethality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ye Ping

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Synthetic lethality experiments identify pairs of genes with complementary function. More direct functional associations (for example greater probability of membership in a single protein complex may be inferred between genes that share synthetic lethal interaction partners than genes that are directly synthetic lethal. Probabilistic algorithms that identify gene modules based on motif discovery are highly appropriate for the analysis of synthetic lethal genetic interaction data and have great potential in integrative analysis of heterogeneous datasets. Results We have developed Genetic Interaction Motif Finding (GIMF, an algorithm for unsupervised motif discovery from synthetic lethal interaction data. Interaction motifs are characterized by position weight matrices and optimized through expectation maximization. Given a seed gene, GIMF performs a nonlinear transform on the input genetic interaction data and automatically assigns genes to the motif or non-motif category. We demonstrate the capacity to extract known and novel pathways for Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast. Annotations suggested for several uncharacterized genes are supported by recent experimental evidence. GIMF is efficient in computation, requires no training and automatically down-weights promiscuous genes with high degrees. Conclusion GIMF effectively identifies pathways from synthetic lethality data with several unique features. It is mostly suitable for building gene modules around seed genes. Optimal choice of one single model parameter allows construction of gene networks with different levels of confidence. The impact of hub genes the generic probabilistic framework of GIMF may be used to group other types of biological entities such as proteins based on stochastic motifs. Analysis of the strongest motifs discovered by the algorithm indicates that synthetic lethal interactions are depleted between genes within a motif, suggesting that synthetic

  3. Precision control of recombinant gene transcription for CHO cell synthetic biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Adam J; James, David C

    2016-01-01

    The next generation of mammalian cell factories for biopharmaceutical production will be genetically engineered to possess both generic and product-specific manufacturing capabilities that may not exist naturally. Introduction of entirely new combinations of synthetic functions (e.g. novel metabolic or stress-response pathways), and retro-engineering of existing functional cell modules will drive disruptive change in cellular manufacturing performance. However, before we can apply the core concepts underpinning synthetic biology (design, build, test) to CHO cell engineering we must first develop practical and robust enabling technologies. Fundamentally, we will require the ability to precisely control the relative stoichiometry of numerous functional components we simultaneously introduce into the host cell factory. In this review we discuss how this can be achieved by design of engineered promoters that enable concerted control of recombinant gene transcription. We describe the specific mechanisms of transcriptional regulation that affect promoter function during bioproduction processes, and detail the highly-specific promoter design criteria that are required in the context of CHO cell engineering. The relative applicability of diverse promoter development strategies are discussed, including re-engineering of natural sequences, design of synthetic transcription factor-based systems, and construction of synthetic promoters. This review highlights the potential of promoter engineering to achieve precision transcriptional control for CHO cell synthetic biology. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. Electro-volatilization of ruthenium in nitric medium: influences of ruthenium species nature and models solutions composition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mousset, F.

    2004-12-01

    Ruthenium is one of the fission products in the reprocessing of irradiated fuels that requires a specific processing management. Its elimination, upstream by the PUREX process, has been considered. A process, called electro-volatilization, which take advantage of the RuO 4 volatility, has been optimised in the present study. It consists in a continuous electrolysis of ruthenium solutions in order to generate RuO 4 species that is volatilized and easily trapped. This process goes to satisfying ruthenium elimination yields with RuNO(NO 3 ) 3 (H 2 O) 2 synthetic solutions but not with fuel dissolution solutions. Consequently, this work consisted in the speciation studies of dissolved ruthenium species were carried out by simulating fuel solutions produced by hot acid attack of several ruthenium compounds (Ru(0), RuO 2 ,xH 2 O, polymetallic alloy). In parallel with dissolution kinetic studies, the determination of dissolved species was performed using voltammetry, spectrometry and spectro-electrochemistry. The results showed the co-existence of Ru(IV) and RuNO(NO 2 ) 2 (H 2 O) 3 . Although these species are different from synthetic RuNO(NO 3 ) 3 (H 2 O) 2 , their electro-oxidation behaviour are similar. The electro-volatilization tests of these dissolution solutions yielded to comparable results as the synthetic RuNO(NO 3 ) 3 (H 2 O) 2 solutions. Then, complexity increase of models solutions was performed by in-situ generation of nitrous acid during ruthenium dissolution. Nitrous acid showed a catalytic effect on ruthenium dissolution. Its presence goes to quasi exclusively RuNO(NO 2 ) 2 (H 2 O) 3 species. It is also responsible of the strong n-bond formation between Ru 2+ and NO + . In addition, it has been shown that its reducing action on RuO 4 hinders the electro-volatilization process. Mn 2+ and Ce 3+ cations also reveal, but to a lesser extent, an electro-eater behaviour as well as Pu 4+ and Cr 3+ according to the thermodynamics data. These results allow one to

  5. Dynamics of radioecological and genetic processes in populations of mammalian model species at contamination of ecosystems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryabokon', N.I.; Goncharova, R.I.

    2008-01-01

    A short review of data on the time course of radiobiological and genetic processes in natural populations of mammalian model species inhabiting radiocontaminated ecosystems over many generations is presented here. The described time-courses of biological end-points in these populations do not reflect the time course of the whole-body dose rates, but do the outcome of multiple processes, including the direct response to individual irradiation, the transgeneration transmission and accumulation of induced damages and the development of adaptation. (authors)

  6. [Smart therapeutics based on synthetic gene circuits].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Shuguang; Xie, Zhen

    2017-03-25

    Synthetic biology has an important impact on biology research since its birth. Applying the thought and methods that reference from electrical engineering, synthetic biology uncovers many regulatory mechanisms of life systems, transforms and expands a series of biological components. Therefore, it brings a wide range of biomedical applications, including providing new ideas for disease diagnosis and treatment. This review describes the latest advances in the field of disease diagnosis and therapy based on mammalian cell or bacterial synthetic gene circuits, and provides new ideas for future smart therapy design.

  7. DNA repair and radiation sensitivity in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, D.J.C.; Stackhouse, M.; Chen, D.S.

    1993-01-01

    Ionizing radiation induces various types of damage in mammalian cells including DNA single-strand breaks, DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), DNA-protein cross links, and altered DNA bases. Although human cells can repair many of these lesions there is little detailed knowledge of the nature of the genes and the encoded enzymes that control these repair processes. We report here on the cellular and genetic analyses of DNA double-strand break repair deficient mammalian cells. It has been well established that the DNA double-strand break is one of the major lesions induced by ionizing radiation. Utilizing rodent repair-deficient mutant, we have shown that the genes responsible for DNA double-strand break repair are also responsible for the cellular expression of radiation sensitivity. The molecular genetic analysis of DSB repair in rodent/human hybrid cells indicate that at least 6 different genes in mammalian cells are responsible for the repair of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks. Mapping and the prospect of cloning of human radiation repair genes are reviewed. Understanding the molecular and genetic basis of radiation sensitivity and DNA repair in man will provide a rational foundation to predict the individual risk associated with radiation exposure and to prevent radiation-induced genetic damage in the human population

  8. Molecular Imaging in Synthetic Biology, and Synthetic Biology in Molecular Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilad, Assaf A; Shapiro, Mikhail G

    2017-06-01

    Biomedical synthetic biology is an emerging field in which cells are engineered at the genetic level to carry out novel functions with relevance to biomedical and industrial applications. This approach promises new treatments, imaging tools, and diagnostics for diseases ranging from gastrointestinal inflammatory syndromes to cancer, diabetes, and neurodegeneration. As these cellular technologies undergo pre-clinical and clinical development, it is becoming essential to monitor their location and function in vivo, necessitating appropriate molecular imaging strategies, and therefore, we have created an interest group within the World Molecular Imaging Society focusing on synthetic biology and reporter gene technologies. Here, we highlight recent advances in biomedical synthetic biology, including bacterial therapy, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine. We then discuss emerging molecular imaging approaches to facilitate in vivo applications, focusing on reporter genes for noninvasive modalities such as magnetic resonance, ultrasound, photoacoustic imaging, bioluminescence, and radionuclear imaging. Because reporter genes can be incorporated directly into engineered genetic circuits, they are particularly well suited to imaging synthetic biological constructs, and developing them provides opportunities for creative molecular and genetic engineering.

  9. Inhibition of Dengue Virus 3 in Mammalian Cell Culture by Synthetic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP

    Purpose: To evaluate the inhibition of Dengue virus 3 by synthetic siRNAs targeting the untranslated regions UTR and structural regions of DENV3 genome in Vero-81 cell line. Methods: Vero-81 cells transfected with synthetic siRNAs were challenged by DENV3. The effectiveness of siRNAs was confirmed by four ...

  10. Hydrolysis of synthetic mixed-acid phosphatides by phospholipase A from human pancreas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Deenen, L.L.M. van; Haas, Gerard H. de; Heemskerk, C.H.Th.

    1963-01-01

    An investigation was made into the action of a human pancreatic phospholipase A on various synthetic phosphatides. L-α-Phosphatidyl ethanolamines were readily hydrolysed in an aqueous system by this enzyme. Synthetic lecithins, however, were not attacked in an appreciable rate by the mammalian

  11. Plant synthetic biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wusheng; Stewart, C Neal

    2015-05-01

    Plant synthetic biology is an emerging field that combines engineering principles with plant biology toward the design and production of new devices. This emerging field should play an important role in future agriculture for traditional crop improvement, but also in enabling novel bioproduction in plants. In this review we discuss the design cycles of synthetic biology as well as key engineering principles, genetic parts, and computational tools that can be utilized in plant synthetic biology. Some pioneering examples are offered as a demonstration of how synthetic biology can be used to modify plants for specific purposes. These include synthetic sensors, synthetic metabolic pathways, and synthetic genomes. We also speculate about the future of synthetic biology of plants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Enhancer Evolution across 20 Mammalian Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villar, Diego; Berthelot, Camille; Aldridge, Sarah; Rayner, Tim F.; Lukk, Margus; Pignatelli, Miguel; Park, Thomas J.; Deaville, Robert; Erichsen, Jonathan T.; Jasinska, Anna J.; Turner, James M.A.; Bertelsen, Mads F.; Murchison, Elizabeth P.; Flicek, Paul; Odom, Duncan T.

    2015-01-01

    Summary The mammalian radiation has corresponded with rapid changes in noncoding regions of the genome, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of regulatory evolution in mammals. Here, we track the evolution of promoters and enhancers active in liver across 20 mammalian species from six diverse orders by profiling genomic enrichment of H3K27 acetylation and H3K4 trimethylation. We report that rapid evolution of enhancers is a universal feature of mammalian genomes. Most of the recently evolved enhancers arise from ancestral DNA exaptation, rather than lineage-specific expansions of repeat elements. In contrast, almost all liver promoters are partially or fully conserved across these species. Our data further reveal that recently evolved enhancers can be associated with genes under positive selection, demonstrating the power of this approach for annotating regulatory adaptations in genomic sequences. These results provide important insight into the functional genetics underpinning mammalian regulatory evolution. PMID:25635462

  13. Multi-objective optimization of the control strategy of electric vehicle electro-hydraulic composite braking system with genetic algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Fengjiao

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Optimization of the control strategy plays an important role in improving the performance of electric vehicles. In order to improve the braking stability and recover the braking energy, a multi-objective genetic algorithm is applied to optimize the key parameters in the control strategy of electric vehicle electro-hydraulic composite braking system. Various limitations are considered in the optimization process, and the optimization results are verified by a software simulation platform of electric vehicle regenerative braking system in typical brake conditions. The results show that optimization objectives achieved a good astringency, and the optimized control strategy can increase the brake energy recovery effectively under the condition of ensuring the braking stability.

  14. Electro-volatilization of ruthenium in nitric medium: influences of ruthenium species nature and models solutions composition; Electro-volatilisation du ruthenium en milieu nitrique: influence de la nature des formes chimiques du ruthenium et de la composition des solutions modeles de dissolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mousset, F

    2004-12-15

    Ruthenium is one of the fission products in the reprocessing of irradiated fuels that requires a specific processing management. Its elimination, upstream by the PUREX process, has been considered. A process, called electro-volatilization, which take advantage of the RuO{sub 4} volatility, has been optimised in the present study. It consists in a continuous electrolysis of ruthenium solutions in order to generate RuO{sub 4} species that is volatilized and easily trapped. This process goes to satisfying ruthenium elimination yields with RuNO(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2} synthetic solutions but not with fuel dissolution solutions. Consequently, this work consisted in the speciation studies of dissolved ruthenium species were carried out by simulating fuel solutions produced by hot acid attack of several ruthenium compounds (Ru(0), RuO{sub 2},xH{sub 2}O, polymetallic alloy). In parallel with dissolution kinetic studies, the determination of dissolved species was performed using voltammetry, spectrometry and spectro-electrochemistry. The results showed the co-existence of Ru(IV) and RuNO(NO{sub 2}){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 3}. Although these species are different from synthetic RuNO(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}, their electro-oxidation behaviour are similar. The electro-volatilization tests of these dissolution solutions yielded to comparable results as the synthetic RuNO(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2} solutions. Then, complexity increase of models solutions was performed by in-situ generation of nitrous acid during ruthenium dissolution. Nitrous acid showed a catalytic effect on ruthenium dissolution. Its presence goes to quasi exclusively RuNO(NO{sub 2}){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 3} species. It is also responsible of the strong n-bond formation between Ru{sup 2+} and NO{sup +}. In addition, it has been shown that its reducing action on RuO{sub 4} hinders the electro-volatilization process. Mn{sup 2+} and Ce{sup 3+} cations also reveal, but to a lesser

  15. Electro photographic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buzdugan, A.; Andries, A.; Iovu, M.

    2000-01-01

    The invention relates to the creation of electro photographic materials . The invention allows to extend the material photosensitivity into the infrared range of the spectrum. An electro photographic materials contains an electro conducting base, including a dielectric base 1, for example glass, an electro conducting layer 2, for example of Al, Ni, Cr, an injecting layer 3, consisting of amorphous indium phosphide, a vitreous layer 4 of the arsenic sulphide - antimony sulphide system and a transporting layer 5 of the arsenic sulphide or arsenic selenide

  16. Directed genetic modification of African horse sickness virus by reverse genetics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaine Vermaak

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available African horse sickness virus (AHSV, a member of the Orbivirus genus in the family Reoviridae, is an arthropod-transmitted pathogen that causes a devastating disease in horses with a mortality rate greater than 90%. Fundamental research on AHSV and the development of safe, efficacious vaccines could benefit greatly from an uncomplicated genetic modification method to generate recombinant AHSV. We demonstrate that infectious AHSV can be recovered by transfection of permissive mammalian cells with transcripts derived in vitro from purified AHSV core particles. These findings were expanded to establish a genetic modification system for AHSV that is based on transfection of the cells with a mixture of purified core transcripts and a synthetic T7 transcript. This approach was applied successfully to recover a directed cross-serotype reassortant AHSV and to introduce a marker sequence into the viral genome. The ability to manipulate the AHSV genome and engineer specific mutants will increase understanding of AHSV replication and pathogenicity, as well as provide a tool for generating designer vaccine strains.

  17. DNA repair in non-mammalian animals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitani, Hiroshi

    1984-01-01

    Studies on DNA repair have been performed using microorganisms such as Escherichia coli and cultured human and mammalian cells. However, it is well known that cultured organic cells differ from each other in many respects, although DNA repair is an extremely fundamental function of organisms to protect genetic information from environmental mutagens such as radiation and 0 radicals developing in the living body. To answer the question of how DNA repair is different between the animal species, current studies on DNA repair of cultured vertebrate cells using the methods similar to those in mammalian experiments are reviewed. (Namekawa, K.)

  18. Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephanopoulos, Gregory

    2012-11-16

    Metabolic engineering emerged 20 years ago as the discipline occupied with the directed modification of metabolic pathways for the microbial synthesis of various products. As such, it deals with the engineering (design, construction, and optimization) of native as well as non-natural routes of product synthesis, aided in this task by the availability of synthetic DNA, the core enabling technology of synthetic biology. The two fields, however, only partially overlap in their interest in pathway engineering. While fabrication of biobricks, synthetic cells, genetic circuits, and nonlinear cell dynamics, along with pathway engineering, have occupied researchers in the field of synthetic biology, the sum total of these areas does not constitute a coherent definition of synthetic biology with a distinct intellectual foundation and well-defined areas of application. This paper reviews the origins of the two fields and advances two distinct paradigms for each of them: that of unit operations for metabolic engineering and electronic circuits for synthetic biology. In this context, metabolic engineering is about engineering cell factories for the biological manufacturing of chemical and pharmaceutical products, whereas the main focus of synthetic biology is fundamental biological research facilitated by the use of synthetic DNA and genetic circuits.

  19. Loads Bias Genetic and Signaling Switches in Synthetic and Natural Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medford, June; Prasad, Ashok

    2014-01-01

    Biological protein interactions networks such as signal transduction or gene transcription networks are often treated as modular, allowing motifs to be analyzed in isolation from the rest of the network. Modularity is also a key assumption in synthetic biology, where it is similarly expected that when network motifs are combined together, they do not lose their essential characteristics. However, the interactions that a network module has with downstream elements change the dynamical equations describing the upstream module and thus may change the dynamic and static properties of the upstream circuit even without explicit feedback. In this work we analyze the behavior of a ubiquitous motif in gene transcription and signal transduction circuits: the switch. We show that adding an additional downstream component to the simple genetic toggle switch changes its dynamical properties by changing the underlying potential energy landscape, and skewing it in favor of the unloaded side, and in some situations adding loads to the genetic switch can also abrogate bistable behavior. We find that an additional positive feedback motif found in naturally occurring toggle switches could tune the potential energy landscape in a desirable manner. We also analyze autocatalytic signal transduction switches and show that a ubiquitous positive feedback switch can lose its switch-like properties when connected to a downstream load. Our analysis underscores the necessity of incorporating the effects of downstream components when understanding the physics of biochemical network motifs, and raises the question as to how these effects are managed in real biological systems. This analysis is particularly important when scaling synthetic networks to more complex organisms. PMID:24676102

  20. Decolourisation of dyes under electro-Fenton process using Fe alginate gel beads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosales, E.; Iglesias, O.; Pazos, M.; Sanromán, M.A.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater was tested. ► New electro-Fenton process for the remediation of polluted wastewater. ► Continuous dye treatment without operational problem with high removal. - Abstract: This study focuses on the application of electro-Fenton technique by use of catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater contaminated with synthetic dyes. The Fe alginate gel beads were evaluated for decolourisation of two typical dyes, Lissamine Green B and Azure B under electro-Fenton process. After characterization of Fe alginate gel beads, the pH effect on the process with Fe alginate beads and a comparative study of the electro-Fenton process with free Fe and Fe alginate bead was done. The results showed that the use of Fe alginate beads increases the efficiency of the process; moreover the developed particles show a physical integrity in a wide range of pH (2–8). Around 98–100% of dye decolourisation was obtained for both dyes by electro-Fenton process in successive batches. Therefore, the process was performed with Fe alginate beads in a bubble continuous reactor. High color removal (87–98%) was attained for both dyes operating at a residence time of 30 min, without operational problems and maintaining particle shapes throughout the oxidation process. Consequently, the stable performance of Fe alginate beads opens promising perspectives for fast and economical treatment of wastewater polluted by dyes or similar organic contaminants.

  1. Decolourisation of dyes under electro-Fenton process using Fe alginate gel beads

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosales, E.; Iglesias, O.; Pazos, M. [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Vigo, Isaac Newton Building, Campus As Lagoas, Marcosende 36310, Vigo (Spain); Sanroman, M.A., E-mail: sanroman@uvigo.es [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Vigo, Isaac Newton Building, Campus As Lagoas, Marcosende 36310, Vigo (Spain)

    2012-04-30

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater was tested. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer New electro-Fenton process for the remediation of polluted wastewater. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Continuous dye treatment without operational problem with high removal. - Abstract: This study focuses on the application of electro-Fenton technique by use of catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater contaminated with synthetic dyes. The Fe alginate gel beads were evaluated for decolourisation of two typical dyes, Lissamine Green B and Azure B under electro-Fenton process. After characterization of Fe alginate gel beads, the pH effect on the process with Fe alginate beads and a comparative study of the electro-Fenton process with free Fe and Fe alginate bead was done. The results showed that the use of Fe alginate beads increases the efficiency of the process; moreover the developed particles show a physical integrity in a wide range of pH (2-8). Around 98-100% of dye decolourisation was obtained for both dyes by electro-Fenton process in successive batches. Therefore, the process was performed with Fe alginate beads in a bubble continuous reactor. High color removal (87-98%) was attained for both dyes operating at a residence time of 30 min, without operational problems and maintaining particle shapes throughout the oxidation process. Consequently, the stable performance of Fe alginate beads opens promising perspectives for fast and economical treatment of wastewater polluted by dyes or similar organic contaminants.

  2. Chromatin regulation at the frontier of synthetic biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keung, Albert J.; Joung, J. Keith; Khalil, Ahmad S.; Collins, James J.

    2016-01-01

    As synthetic biology approaches are extended to diverse applications throughout medicine, biotechnology and basic biological research, there is an increasing need to engineer yeast, plant and mammalian cells. Eukaryotic genomes are regulated by the diverse biochemical and biophysical states of chromatin, which brings distinct challenges, as well as opportunities, over applications in bacteria. Recent synthetic approaches, including `epigenome editing', have allowed the direct and functional dissection of many aspects of physiological chromatin regulation. These studies lay the foundation for biomedical and biotechnological engineering applications that could take advantage of the unique combinatorial and spatiotemporal layers of chromatin regulation to create synthetic systems of unprecedented sophistication. PMID:25668787

  3. Surgical manipulation of mammalian embryos in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naruse, I; Keino, H; Taniguchi, M

    1997-04-01

    Whole-embryo culture systems are useful in the fields of not only embryology but also teratology, toxicology, pharmacology, and physiology. Of the many advantages of whole-embryo culture, we focus here on the surgical manipulation of mammalian embryos. Whole-embryo culture allows us to manipulate mammalian embryos, similarly to fish, amphibian and avian embryos. Many surgical experiments have been performed in mammalian embryos in vitro. Such surgical manipulation alters the destiny of morphogenesis of the embryos and can answer many questions concerning developmental issues. As an example of surgical manipulation using whole-embryo culture systems, one of our experiments is described. Microsurgical electrocauterization of the deep preaxial mesodermal programmed cell death zone (fpp) in the footplate prevented the manifestation of polydactyly in genetic polydactyly mouse embryos (Pdn/Pdn), in which fpp was abolished.

  4. Electro-Deposition Laboratory

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — The electro-deposition laboratory can electro-deposit various coatings onto small test samples and bench level prototypes. This facility provides the foundation for...

  5. Evolutionary changes of Hox genes and relevant regulatory factors provide novel insights into mammalian morphological modifications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kui; Sun, Xiaohui; Chen, Meixiu; Sun, Yingying; Tian, Ran; Wang, Zhengfei; Xu, Shixia; Yang, Guang

    2018-01-01

    The diversity of body plans of mammals accelerates the innovation of lifestyles and the extensive adaptation to different habitats, including terrestrial, aerial and aquatic habitats. However, the genetic basis of those phenotypic modifications, which have occurred during mammalian evolution, remains poorly explored. In the present study, we synthetically surveyed the evolutionary pattern of Hox clusters that played a powerful role in the morphogenesis along the head-tail axis of animal embryos and the main regulatory factors (Mll, Bmi1 and E2f6) that control the expression of Hox genes. A deflected density of repetitive elements and lineage-specific radical mutations of Mll have been determined in marine mammals with morphological changes, suggesting that evolutionary changes may alter Hox gene expression in these lineages, leading to the morphological modification of these lineages. Although no positive selection was detected at certain ancestor nodes of lineages, the increased ω values of Hox genes implied the relaxation of functional constraints of these genes during the mammalian evolutionary process. More importantly, 49 positively-selected sites were identified in mammalian lineages with phenotypic modifications, indicating adaptive evolution acting on Hox genes and regulatory factors. In addition, 3 parallel amino acid substitutions in some Hox genes were examined in marine mammals, which might be responsible for their streamlined body. © 2017 The Authors. Integrative Zoology published by International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  6. Mammalian designer cells: Engineering principles and biomedical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Mingqi; Fussenegger, Martin

    2015-07-01

    Biotechnology is a widely interdisciplinary field focusing on the use of living cells or organisms to solve established problems in medicine, food production and agriculture. Synthetic biology, the science of engineering complex biological systems that do not exist in nature, continues to provide the biotechnology industry with tools, technologies and intellectual property leading to improved cellular performance. One key aspect of synthetic biology is the engineering of deliberately reprogrammed designer cells whose behavior can be controlled over time and space. This review discusses the most commonly used techniques to engineer mammalian designer cells; while control elements acting on the transcriptional and translational levels of target gene expression determine the kinetic and dynamic profiles, coupling them to a variety of extracellular stimuli permits their remote control with user-defined trigger signals. Designer mammalian cells with novel or improved biological functions not only directly improve the production efficiency during biopharmaceutical manufacturing but also open the door for cell-based treatment strategies in molecular and translational medicine. In the future, the rational combination of multiple sets of designer cells could permit the construction and regulation of higher-order systems with increased complexity, thereby enabling the molecular reprogramming of tissues, organisms or even populations with highest precision. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Rewiring protein synthesis: From natural to synthetic amino acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Yongqiang; Evans, Christopher R; Ling, Jiqiang

    2017-11-01

    The protein synthesis machinery uses 22 natural amino acids as building blocks that faithfully decode the genetic information. Such fidelity is controlled at multiple steps and can be compromised in nature and in the laboratory to rewire protein synthesis with natural and synthetic amino acids. This review summarizes the major quality control mechanisms during protein synthesis, including aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, elongation factors, and the ribosome. We will discuss evolution and engineering of such components that allow incorporation of natural and synthetic amino acids at positions that deviate from the standard genetic code. The protein synthesis machinery is highly selective, yet not fixed, for the correct amino acids that match the mRNA codons. Ambiguous translation of a codon with multiple amino acids or complete reassignment of a codon with a synthetic amino acid diversifies the proteome. Expanding the genetic code with synthetic amino acids through rewiring protein synthesis has broad applications in synthetic biology and chemical biology. Biochemical, structural, and genetic studies of the translational quality control mechanisms are not only crucial to understand the physiological role of translational fidelity and evolution of the genetic code, but also enable us to better design biological parts to expand the proteomes of synthetic organisms. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Biochemistry of Synthetic Biology - Recent Developments" Guest Editor: Dr. Ilka Heinemann and Dr. Patrick O'Donoghue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Proposal for electro-optic multiplier based on dual transverse electro-optic Kerr effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Changsheng

    2008-10-20

    A novel electro-optic multiplier is proposed, which can perform voltage multiplication operation by use of the Kerr medium exhibiting dual transverse electro-optic Kerr effect. In this kind of Kerr medium, electro-optic phase retardation is proportional to the square of its applied electric field, and orientations of the field-induced birefringent axes are only related to the direction of the field. Based on this effect, we can design an electro-optic multiplier by selecting the crystals of 6/mmm, 432, and m3m classes and isotropic Kerr media such as glass. Simple calculation demonstrates that a kind of glass-ceramic material with a large Kerr constant can be used for the design of the proposed electro-optic multiplier.

  9. TREATMENT OF HEAVY METALS FROM WATER BY ELECTRO-PHYTOREMEDIATION TECHNIQUE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harikumar Puthenveedu Sadasivan Pillai

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The performance of electrically stimulated phytoremediation in the removal of lead, cadmium and copper was assessed in this study. A combination of phyto and electro remediation was attempted in this study for the remediation of the metals from water. Three tanks were setup with different operating conditions for this experiment: control A (only phytoremediation system, control B (only electro remediation and treatment (combination of phyto and electro remediation. The electrically enhanced phytoremediation system and electro remediation system were operated 2h/day at voltages of 4V for 25 days continuously. In this experiment, the Eichhornia crassipes, an able phyto-remediator exhibited efficient and fast removal of heavy metals from synthetic solution in electro assisted phytoremediation system. The electrically enhanced phytoremediation using aluminum sheet electrodes showed better and effective removal of Cd, Pb and Cu than aluminum rod electrodes. A more favorable and moderate increase of pH was noticed in electrically stimulated phytoremediation system. Eichhornia crassipes has tremendous potential to reduce maximum amount of cadmium (within 15 days, lead (within 15 days and copper (within 10 days under electrically stimulated condition. Under electrified condition, maximum amount of Cd and Cu was accumulated in the aerial parts of Eichhornia crassipes but maximum concentration of Pb was attained by roots. This indicates the high heavy metal accumulation capacity of Eichhornia crassipes under electrified conditions. The results showed that 4V voltage is probably suitable to stimulate the Eichhornia crassipes to synthesize more chlorophyll and voltage can improve growth and ability to resist adverse circumstances by promoting chlorophyll synthesis. Eichhornia crassipes stimulated by an electric field has grown better and assimilated more metal. Bioconcentration factor (BCF an index of hyperaccumulation, indicates that electrically

  10. The emerging age of cell-free synthetic biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Mark Thomas; Wilding, Kristen M; Hunt, Jeremy M; Bennett, Anthony M; Bundy, Bradley C

    2014-08-25

    The engineering of and mastery over biological parts has catalyzed the emergence of synthetic biology. This field has grown exponentially in the past decade. As increasingly more applications of synthetic biology are pursued, more challenges are encountered, such as delivering genetic material into cells and optimizing genetic circuits in vivo. An in vitro or cell-free approach to synthetic biology simplifies and avoids many of the pitfalls of in vivo synthetic biology. In this review, we describe some of the innate features that make cell-free systems compelling platforms for synthetic biology and discuss emerging improvements of cell-free technologies. We also select and highlight recent and emerging applications of cell-free synthetic biology. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. In-tube electro-membrane extraction with a sub-microliter organic solvent consumption as an efficient technique for synthetic food dyes determination in foodstuff samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazregar, Mohammad; Rajabi, Maryam; Yamini, Yadollah; Asghari, Alireza; Abdossalami asl, Yousef

    2015-09-04

    A simple and efficient extraction technique with a sub-microliter organic solvent consumption termed as in-tube electro-membrane extraction (IEME) is introduced. This method is based upon the electro-kinetic migration of ionized compounds by the application of an electrical potential difference. For this purpose, a thin polypropylene (PP) sheet placed inside a tube acts as a support for the membrane solvent, and 30μL of an aqueous acceptor solution is separated by this solvent from 1.2mL of an aqueous donor solution. This method yielded high extraction recoveries (63-81%), and the consumption of the organic solvent used was only 0.5μL. By performing this method, the purification is high, and the utilization of the organic solvent, used as a mediator, is very simple and repeatable. The proposed method was evaluated by extraction of four synthetic food dyes (Amaranth, Ponceau 4R, Allura Red, and Carmoisine) as the model analytes. Optimization of variables affecting the method was carried out in order to achieve the best extraction efficiency. These variables were the type of membrane solvent, applied extraction voltage, extraction time, pH range, and concentration of salt added. Under the optimized conditions, IEME-HPLC-UV provided a good linearity in the range of 1.00-800ngmL(-1), low limits of detection (0.3-1ngmL(-1)), and good extraction repeatabilities (RSDs below 5.2%, n=5). It seems that this design is a proper one for the automation of the method. Also the consumption of the organic solvent in a sub-microliter scale, and its simplicity, high efficiency, and high purification can help one getting closer to the objectives of the green chemistry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Apple derived cellulose scaffolds for 3D mammalian cell culture.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel J Modulevsky

    Full Text Available There are numerous approaches for producing natural and synthetic 3D scaffolds that support the proliferation of mammalian cells. 3D scaffolds better represent the natural cellular microenvironment and have many potential applications in vitro and in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that 3D cellulose scaffolds produced by decellularizing apple hypanthium tissue can be employed for in vitro 3D culture of NIH3T3 fibroblasts, mouse C2C12 muscle myoblasts and human HeLa epithelial cells. We show that these cells can adhere, invade and proliferate in the cellulose scaffolds. In addition, biochemical functionalization or chemical cross-linking can be employed to control the surface biochemistry and/or mechanical properties of the scaffold. The cells retain high viability even after 12 continuous weeks of culture and can achieve cell densities comparable with other natural and synthetic scaffold materials. Apple derived cellulose scaffolds are easily produced, inexpensive and originate from a renewable source. Taken together, these results demonstrate that naturally derived cellulose scaffolds offer a complementary approach to existing techniques for the in vitro culture of mammalian cells in a 3D environment.

  13. The Influence of LINE-1 and SINE Retrotransposons on Mammalian Genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Sandra R; Doucet, Aurélien J; Kopera, Huira C; Moldovan, John B; Garcia-Perez, José Luis; Moran, John V

    2015-04-01

    Transposable elements have had a profound impact on the structure and function of mammalian genomes. The retrotransposon Long INterspersed Element-1 (LINE-1 or L1), by virtue of its replicative mobilization mechanism, comprises ∼17% of the human genome. Although the vast majority of human LINE-1 sequences are inactive molecular fossils, an estimated 80-100 copies per individual retain the ability to mobilize by a process termed retrotransposition. Indeed, LINE-1 is the only active, autonomous retrotransposon in humans and its retrotransposition continues to generate both intra-individual and inter-individual genetic diversity. Here, we briefly review the types of transposable elements that reside in mammalian genomes. We will focus our discussion on LINE-1 retrotransposons and the non-autonomous Short INterspersed Elements (SINEs) that rely on the proteins encoded by LINE-1 for their mobilization. We review cases where LINE-1-mediated retrotransposition events have resulted in genetic disease and discuss how the characterization of these mutagenic insertions led to the identification of retrotransposition-competent LINE-1s in the human and mouse genomes. We then discuss how the integration of molecular genetic, biochemical, and modern genomic technologies have yielded insight into the mechanism of LINE-1 retrotransposition, the impact of LINE-1-mediated retrotransposition events on mammalian genomes, and the host cellular mechanisms that protect the genome from unabated LINE-1-mediated retrotransposition events. Throughout this review, we highlight unanswered questions in LINE-1 biology that provide exciting opportunities for future research. Clearly, much has been learned about LINE-1 and SINE biology since the publication of Mobile DNA II thirteen years ago. Future studies should continue to yield exciting discoveries about how these retrotransposons contribute to genetic diversity in mammalian genomes.

  14. Synthetic Biology Parts for the Storage of Increased Genetic Information in Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Sydney E; Feldman, Aaron W; Romesberg, Floyd E

    2017-10-20

    To bestow cells with novel forms and functions, the goal of synthetic biology, we have developed the unnatural nucleoside triphosphates dNaMTP and dTPT3TP, which form an unnatural base pair (UBP) and expand the genetic alphabet. While the UBP may be retained in the DNA of a living cell, its retention is sequence-dependent. We now report a steady-state kinetic characterization of the rate with which the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I synthesizes the UBP and its mispairs in a variety of sequence contexts. Correct UBP synthesis is as efficient as for a natural base pair, except in one sequence context, and in vitro performance is correlated with in vivo performance. The data elucidate the determinants of efficient UBP synthesis, show that the dNaM-dTPT3 UBP is the first generally recognized natural-like base pair, and importantly, demonstrate that dNaMTP and dTPT3TP are well optimized and standardized parts for the expansion of the genetic alphabet.

  15. An interfacially plasticized electro-responsive hydrogel for transdermal electro-activated and modulated (TEAM) drug delivery

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Indermun, S.; Choonara, Y.E.; Kumar, Pradeep; Toit, Du L.C.; Modi, G.; Luttge, R.; Pillay, V.

    2014-01-01

    This paper highlights the use of hydrogels in controlled drug delivery, and their application in stimuli responsive, especially electro-responsive, drug release. electro-conductive hydrogels (ECHs) displaying electro-responsive drug release were synthesized from semi-interpenetrating networks

  16. Induction of cytoplasmic rods and rings structures by inhibition of the CTP and GTP synthetic pathway in mammalian cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wendy C Carcamo

    Full Text Available Cytoplasmic filamentous rods and rings (RR structures were identified using human autoantibodies as probes. In the present study, the formation of these conserved structures in mammalian cells and functions linked to these structures were examined.Distinct cytoplasmic rods (∼3-10 µm in length and rings (∼2-5 µm in diameter in HEp-2 cells were initially observed in immunofluorescence using human autoantibodies. Co-localization studies revealed that, although RR had filament-like features, they were not enriched in actin, tubulin, or vimentin, and not associated with centrosomes or other known cytoplasmic structures. Further independent studies revealed that two key enzymes in the nucleotide synthetic pathway cytidine triphosphate synthase 1 (CTPS1 and inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase 2 (IMPDH2 were highly enriched in RR. CTPS1 enzyme inhibitors 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine and Acivicin as well as the IMPDH2 inhibitor Ribavirin exhibited dose-dependent induction of RR in >95% of cells in all cancer cell lines tested as well as mouse primary cells. RR formation by lower concentration of Ribavirin was enhanced in IMPDH2-knockdown HeLa cells whereas it was inhibited in GFP-IMPDH2 overexpressed HeLa cells. Interestingly, RR were detected readily in untreated mouse embryonic stem cells (>95%; upon retinoic acid differentiation, RR disassembled in these cells but reformed when treated with Acivicin.RR formation represented response to disturbances in the CTP or GTP synthetic pathways in cancer cell lines and mouse primary cells and RR are the convergence physical structures in these pathways. The availability of specific markers for these conserved structures and the ability to induce formation in vitro will allow further investigations in structure and function of RR in many biological systems in health and diseases.

  17. Peromyscus as a Mammalian Epigenetic Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimberly R. Shorter

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Deer mice (Peromyscus offer an opportunity for studying the effects of natural genetic/epigenetic variation with several advantages over other mammalian models. These advantages include the ability to study natural genetic variation and behaviors not present in other models. Moreover, their life histories in diverse habitats are well studied. Peromyscus resources include genome sequencing in progress, a nascent genetic map, and >90,000 ESTs. Here we review epigenetic studies and relevant areas of research involving Peromyscus models. These include differences in epigenetic control between species and substance effects on behavior. We also present new data on the epigenetic effects of diet on coat-color using a Peromyscus model of agouti overexpression. We suggest that in terms of tying natural genetic variants with environmental effects in producing specific epigenetic effects, Peromyscus models have a great potential.

  18. Design and construction of "synthetic species".

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Moreno

    Full Text Available Synthetic biology is an area of biological research that combines science and engineering. Here, I merge the principles of synthetic biology and regulatory evolution to create a new species with a minimal set of known elements. Using preexisting transgenes and recessive mutations of Drosophila melanogaster, a transgenic population arises with small eyes and a different venation pattern that fulfils the criteria of a new species according to Mayr's Biological Species Concept. The population described here is the first transgenic organism that cannot hybridize with the original wild type population but remains fertile when crossed with other identical transgenic animals. I therefore propose the term "synthetic species" to distinguish it from "natural species", not only because it has been created by genetic manipulation, but also because it may never be able to survive outside the laboratory environment. The use of genetic engineering to design artificial species barriers could help us understand natural speciation and may have practical applications. For instance, the transition from transgenic organisms towards synthetic species could constitute a safety mechanism to avoid the hybridization of genetically modified animals with wild type populations, preserving biodiversity.

  19. Mammalian genetics and biostatistics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grahn, D.; Carnes, B.A.; Farrington, B.H.; Lee, C.H.

    1985-01-01

    This program seeks to assess genetic hazards of single, weekly, and continuous doses of 60 Co gamma rays and single and weekly doses of fission neutrons to provide a basis for estimating relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of fission neutrons, to develop detailed dose-response data at low doses as a basis for studying relationships between linear energy transfer (LET) and the sensitivity of various cell stages, and to develop improved statistical approaches to analytical issues in chemical and radiation toxicology. 3 refs

  20. pBAM1: an all-synthetic genetic tool for analysis and construction of complex bacterial phenotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arévalo-Rodríguez Miguel

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Since publication in 1977 of plasmid pBR322, many breakthroughs in Biology have depended on increasingly sophisticated vector platforms for analysis and engineering of given bacterial strains. Although restriction sites impose a certain format in the procedures for assembling cloned genes, every attempt thus far to standardize vector architecture and nomenclature has ended up in failure. While this state of affairs may still be tolerable for traditional one-at-a-time studies of single genes, the onset of systems and synthetic biology calls for a simplification -along with an optimization- of the currently unwieldy pool of genetic tools. Results The functional DNA sequences present in the natural bacterial transposon Tn5 have been methodically edited and refactored for the production of a multi-purpose genetic tool named pBAM1, which allows a range of manipulations in the genome of Gram-negative bacteria. This all-synthetic construct enhances the power of mini-transposon vectors for either de-construction or re-construction of phenotypes á la carte by incorporating features inspired in systems engineering: modularity, re-usability, minimization, and compatibility with other genetic tools. pBAM1 bears an streamlined, restriction site-freed and narrow-host range replication frame bearing the sequences of R6K oriV, oriT and an ampicillin resistance marker. These go along with a business module that contains a host-independent and hyperactive transposition platform for in vivo or in vitro insertion of desired DNA into the genome of the target bacterium. All functional sequences were standardized for a straightforward replacement by equivalent counterparts, if required. pBAM1 can be delivered into recipient cells by either mating or electroporation, producing transposon insertion frequencies of 1.8 × 10-3 and 1.02 × 10-7, respectively in the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida. Analyses of the resulting clones revealed a 100% of

  1. Bisphenol A Effects on Mammalian Oogenesis and Epigenetic Integrity of Oocytes: A Case Study Exploring Risks of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ursula Eichenlaub-Ritter

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Bisphenol A (BPA, originally developed as a synthetic oestrogen, is nowadays extensively used in the production of polymeric plastics. Under harsh conditions, these plastics may release BPA, which then can leach into the environment. Detectable concentrations of BPA have been measured in most analysed samples of human serum, plasma, or urine, as well as in follicular fluid, foetal serum, and amniotic fluid. Here we summarize the evidence about adverse BPA effects on the genetic and epigenetic integrity of mammalian oocytes. We conclude that increasing evidence supports the notion that low BPA concentrations adversely affect the epigenome of mammalian female germ cells, with functional consequences on gene expression, chromosome dynamics in meiosis, and oocyte development. Specific time windows, during which profound chromatin remodelling occurs and maternal imprints are established or protected, appear particularly vulnerable to epigenetic deregulation by BPA. Transgenerational effects have been also observed in the offspring of BPA-treated rodents, although the epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance still need to be clarified. The relevance of these findings for human health protection still needs to be fully assessed, but they warrant further investigation in both experimental models and humans.

  2. Green Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Hybrid N-Doped ORR Electro-Catalysts Derived from Apricot Sap

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramesh Karunagaran

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Rapid depletion of fossil fuel and increased energy demand has initiated a need for an alternative energy source to cater for the growing energy demand. Fuel cells are an enabling technology for the conversion of sustainable energy carriers (e.g., renewable hydrogen or bio-gas into electrical power and heat. However, the hazardous raw materials and complicated experimental procedures used to produce electro-catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR in fuel cells has been a concern for the effective implementation of these catalysts. Therefore, environmentally friendly and low-cost oxygen reduction electro-catalysts synthesised from natural products are considered as an attractive alternative to currently used synthetic materials involving hazardous chemicals and waste. Herein, we describe a unique integrated oxygen reduction three-dimensional composite catalyst containing both nitrogen-doped carbon fibers (N-CF and carbon microspheres (N-CMS synthesised from apricot sap from an apricot tree. The synthesis was carried out via three-step process, including apricot sap resin preparation, hydrothermal treatment, and pyrolysis with a nitrogen precursor. The nitrogen-doped electro-catalysts synthesised were characterised by SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman, and BET techniques followed by electro-chemical testing for ORR catalysis activity. The obtained catalyst material shows high catalytic activity for ORR in the basic medium by facilitating the reaction via a four-electron transfer mechanism.

  3. Green Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Hybrid N-Doped ORR Electro-Catalysts Derived from Apricot Sap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karunagaran, Ramesh; Coghlan, Campbell; Shearer, Cameron; Tran, Diana; Gulati, Karan; Tung, Tran Thanh; Doonan, Christian; Losic, Dusan

    2018-01-28

    Rapid depletion of fossil fuel and increased energy demand has initiated a need for an alternative energy source to cater for the growing energy demand. Fuel cells are an enabling technology for the conversion of sustainable energy carriers (e.g., renewable hydrogen or bio-gas) into electrical power and heat. However, the hazardous raw materials and complicated experimental procedures used to produce electro-catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells has been a concern for the effective implementation of these catalysts. Therefore, environmentally friendly and low-cost oxygen reduction electro-catalysts synthesised from natural products are considered as an attractive alternative to currently used synthetic materials involving hazardous chemicals and waste. Herein, we describe a unique integrated oxygen reduction three-dimensional composite catalyst containing both nitrogen-doped carbon fibers (N-CF) and carbon microspheres (N-CMS) synthesised from apricot sap from an apricot tree. The synthesis was carried out via three-step process, including apricot sap resin preparation, hydrothermal treatment, and pyrolysis with a nitrogen precursor. The nitrogen-doped electro-catalysts synthesised were characterised by SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman, and BET techniques followed by electro-chemical testing for ORR catalysis activity. The obtained catalyst material shows high catalytic activity for ORR in the basic medium by facilitating the reaction via a four-electron transfer mechanism.

  4. Synchronous long-term oscillations in a synthetic gene circuit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potvin-Trottier, Laurent; Lord, Nathan D; Vinnicombe, Glenn; Paulsson, Johan

    2016-10-27

    Synthetically engineered genetic circuits can perform a wide variety of tasks but are generally less accurate than natural systems. Here we revisit the first synthetic genetic oscillator, the repressilator, and modify it using principles from stochastic chemistry in single cells. Specifically, we sought to reduce error propagation and information losses, not by adding control loops, but by simply removing existing features. We show that this modification created highly regular and robust oscillations. Furthermore, some streamlined circuits kept 14 generation periods over a range of growth conditions and kept phase for hundreds of generations in single cells, allowing cells in flasks and colonies to oscillate synchronously without any coupling between them. Our results suggest that even the simplest synthetic genetic networks can achieve a precision that rivals natural systems, and emphasize the importance of noise analyses for circuit design in synthetic biology.

  5. Targeting the Synthetic Essential Kinases of Breast Cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-05-01

    engineering via Cas9. Science 2013, 339(6121):823-826. 31. Koike-Yusa H, Li Y, Tan EP, Velasco- Herrera MD, Yusa K: Genome-wide recessive genetic screening in...Yusa H, Li Y, Tan EP, Velasco- Herrera Mdel C, Yusa K: Genome-wide recessive genetic screening in mammalian cells with a lentiviral CRISPR-guide RNA

  6. Enhanced methanol electro-oxidation reaction on Pt-CoOx/MWCNTs hybrid electro-catalyst

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nouralishahi, Amideddin; Rashidi, Ali Morad; Mortazavi, Yadollah; Khodadadi, Abbas Ali; Choolaei, Mohammadmehdi

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Promoting effects of Cobalt oxide on methanol electro-oxidation over Pt/MWCNTs are investigated. • Higher activity, about 2.9 times, and enhanced stability are observed on Pt-CoO x /MWCNTs. • Electrochemical active surface area of Pt nanoparticles is significantly improved upon CoO x addition. • Bi-functional mechanism is facilitated in presence of CoO x . - Abstract: The electro-catalytic behavior of Pt-CoO x /MWCNTs in methanol electro-oxidation reaction (MOR) is investigated and compared to that of Pt/MWCNTs. The electro-catalysts were synthesized by an impregnation method using NaBH 4  as the reducing agent. The morphological and physical characteristics of samples are examined by XRD, TEM, ICP and EDS techniques. In the presence of CoO x , Pt nanoparticles were highly distributed on the support with an average particle size of 2 nm, an obvious decrease from 5.1 nm for Pt/MWCNTs. Cyclic voltammetry, CO-stripping, Chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements are used to study the electrochemical behavior of the electro-catalysts. The results revealed a considerable enhancement in the oxidation kinetics of CO ads on Pt active sites by the participation of CoO x . Compared to Pt/MWCNTs, Pt-CoO x /MWCNTs sample has a larger electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) and higher electro-catalytic activity and stability toward methanol electro-oxidation. According to the results of cyclic voltammetry, the forward anodic peak current density enhances more than 89% at the optimum atomic ratio of Pt:Co = 2:1. Furthermore, inclusion of cobalt oxide species causes the onset potential of methanol electro-oxidation reaction to shift 84 mV to negative values compared to that on Pt/MWCNTs. Based on EIS data, dehydrogenation of methanol is the rate-determining step of MOR on both Pt/MWCNTs and Pt-CoO x /MWCNTs, at small overpotentials. However, at higher overpotentials, the oxidation of adsorbed oxygen-containing groups

  7. A validated system for ligation-free USER™ -based assembly of expression vectors for mammalian cell engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Anne Mathilde; Kildegaard, Helene Faustrup; Hansen, Bjarne Gram

    The development in the field of mammalian cell factories require fast and high-throughput methods, this means a high need for simpler and more efficient cloning techniques. For optimization of protein expression by genetic engineering and for allowing metabolic engineering in mammalian cells, a new...

  8. Molecular Markers for Interspecies Transmission of Avian Influenza Viruses in Mammalian Hosts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Taehyung

    2017-01-01

    In the last decade, a wide range of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have infected various mammalian hosts and continuously threaten both human and animal health. It is a result of overcoming the inter-species barrier which is mostly associated with gene reassortment and accumulation of mutations in their gene segments. Several recent studies have shed insights into the phenotypic and genetic changes that are involved in the interspecies transmission of AIVs. These studies have a major focus on transmission from avian to mammalian species due to the high zoonotic potential of the viruses. As more mammalian species have been infected with these viruses, there is higher risk of genetic evolution of these viruses that may lead to the next human pandemic which represents and raises public health concern. Thus, understanding the mechanism of interspecies transmission and molecular determinants through which the emerging AIVs can acquire the ability to transmit to humans and other mammals is an important key in evaluating the potential risk caused by AIVs among humans. Here, we summarize previous and recent studies on molecular markers that are specifically involved in the transmission of avian-derived influenza viruses to various mammalian hosts including humans, pigs, horses, dogs, and marine mammals. PMID:29236050

  9. On nonlinear thermo-electro-elasticity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehnert, Markus; Hossain, Mokarram; Steinmann, Paul

    2016-06-01

    Electro-active polymers (EAPs) for large actuations are nowadays well-known and promising candidates for producing sensors, actuators and generators. In general, polymeric materials are sensitive to differential temperature histories. During experimental characterizations of EAPs under electro-mechanically coupled loads, it is difficult to maintain constant temperature not only because of an external differential temperature history but also because of the changes in internal temperature caused by the application of high electric loads. In this contribution, a thermo-electro-mechanically coupled constitutive framework is proposed based on the total energy approach. Departing from relevant laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamically consistent constitutive equations are formulated. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed thermo-electro-mechanically coupled framework, a frequently used non-homogeneous boundary-value problem, i.e. the extension and inflation of a cylindrical tube, is solved analytically. The results illustrate the influence of various thermo-electro-mechanical couplings.

  10. Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Mammalian Endangered Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Nun, Inbar Friedrich; Montague, Susanne C; Houck, Marlys L; Ryder, Oliver; Loring, Jeanne F

    2015-01-01

    For some highly endangered species there are too few reproductively capable animals to maintain adequate genetic diversity, and extraordinary measures are necessary to prevent their extinction. Cellular reprogramming is a means to capture the genomes of individual animals as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which may eventually facilitate reintroduction of genetic material into breeding populations. Here, we describe a method for generating iPSCs from fibroblasts of mammalian endangered species.

  11. DEOXYRIBONUCLEASE IV: A NEW EXONUCLEASE FROM MAMMALIAN TISSUES*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindahl, Tomas; Gally, Joseph A.; Edelman, Gerald M.

    1969-01-01

    An exonuclease which specifically degrades double-standard DNA has been isolated from rabbit tissues. The enzyme has an approximate molecular weight of 42,000, requires a divalent metal ion as cofactor, and attacks DNA at the 5′-terminal ends, thereby liberating 5′-mononucleotides. It degrades several synthetic polydeoxynucleotides of single repeating base sequences more rapidly than DNA from natural sources. The specificity of this mammalian enzyme resembles that of several microbial enzymes (phage λ exonuclease and DNA polymerase) which appear to be required for repair and recombination of DNA. PMID:5256235

  12. Synthetic multicellular oscillatory systems: controlling protein dynamics with genetic circuits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koseska, Aneta; Volkov, Evgenii; Kurths, Juergen

    2011-01-01

    Synthetic biology is a relatively new research discipline that combines standard biology approaches with the constructive nature of engineering. Thus, recent efforts in the field of synthetic biology have given a perspective to consider cells as 'programmable matter'. Here, we address the possibility of using synthetic circuits to control protein dynamics. In particular, we show how intercellular communication and stochasticity can be used to manipulate the dynamical behavior of a population of coupled synthetic units and, in this manner, finely tune the expression of specific proteins of interest, e.g. in large bioreactors.

  13. Electro-weak theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deshpande, N.G.

    1980-01-01

    By electro-weak theory is meant the unified field theory that describes both weak and electro-magnetic interactions. The development of a unified electro-weak theory is certainly the most dramatic achievement in theoretical physics to occur in the second half of this century. It puts weak interactions on the same sound theoretical footing as quantum elecrodynamics. Many theorists have contributed to this development, which culminated in the works of Glashow, Weinberg and Salam, who were jointly awarded the 1979 Nobel Prize in physics. Some of the important ideas that contributed to this development are the theory of beta decay formulated by Fermi, Parity violation suggested by Lee and Yang, and incorporated into immensely successful V-A theory of weak interactions by Sudarshan and Marshak. At the same time ideas of gauge invariance were applied to weak interaction by Schwinger, Bludman and Glashow. Weinberg and Salam then went one step further and wrote a theory that is renormalizable, i.e., all higher order corrections are finite, no mean feat for a quantum field theory. The theory had to await the development of the quark model of hadrons for its completion. A description of the electro-weak theory is given

  14. A synthetic multifunctional mammalian pH sensor and CO2 transgene-control device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ausländer, David; Ausländer, Simon; Charpin-El Hamri, Ghislaine; Sedlmayer, Ferdinand; Müller, Marius; Frey, Olivier; Hierlemann, Andreas; Stelling, Jörg; Fussenegger, Martin

    2014-08-07

    All metabolic activities operate within a narrow pH range that is controlled by the CO2-bicarbonate buffering system. We hypothesized that pH could serve as surrogate signal to monitor and respond to the physiological state. By functionally rewiring the human proton-activated cell-surface receptor TDAG8 to chimeric promoters, we created a synthetic signaling cascade that precisely monitors extracellular pH within the physiological range. The synthetic pH sensor could be adjusted by organic acids as well as gaseous CO2 that shifts the CO2-bicarbonate balance toward hydrogen ions. This enabled the design of gas-programmable logic gates, provided remote control of cellular behavior inside microfluidic devices, and allowed for CO2-triggered production of biopharmaceuticals in standard bioreactors. When implanting cells containing the synthetic pH sensor linked to production of insulin into type 1 diabetic mice developing diabetic ketoacidosis, the prosthetic network automatically scored acidic pH and coordinated an insulin expression response that corrected ketoacidosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. A standard-enabled workflow for synthetic biology

    KAUST Repository

    Myers, Chris J.

    2017-06-15

    A synthetic biology workflow is composed of data repositories that provide information about genetic parts, sequence-level design tools to compose these parts into circuits, visualization tools to depict these designs, genetic design tools to select parts to create systems, and modeling and simulation tools to evaluate alternative design choices. Data standards enable the ready exchange of information within such a workflow, allowing repositories and tools to be connected from a diversity of sources. The present paper describes one such workflow that utilizes, among others, the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) to describe genetic designs, the Systems Biology Markup Language to model these designs, and SBOL Visual to visualize these designs. We describe how a standard-enabled workflow can be used to produce types of design information, including multiple repositories and software tools exchanging information using a variety of data standards. Recently, the ACS Synthetic Biology journal has recommended the use of SBOL in their publications.

  16. Mammalian-specific genomic functions: Newly acquired traits generated by genomic imprinting and LTR retrotransposon-derived genes in mammals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaneko-Ishino, Tomoko; Ishino, Fumitoshi

    2015-01-01

    Mammals, including human beings, have evolved a unique viviparous reproductive system and a highly developed central nervous system. How did these unique characteristics emerge in mammalian evolution, and what kinds of changes did occur in the mammalian genomes as evolution proceeded? A key conceptual term in approaching these issues is "mammalian-specific genomic functions", a concept covering both mammalian-specific epigenetics and genetics. Genomic imprinting and LTR retrotransposon-derived genes are reviewed as the representative, mammalian-specific genomic functions that are essential not only for the current mammalian developmental system, but also mammalian evolution itself. First, the essential roles of genomic imprinting in mammalian development, especially related to viviparous reproduction via placental function, as well as the emergence of genomic imprinting in mammalian evolution, are discussed. Second, we introduce the novel concept of "mammalian-specific traits generated by mammalian-specific genes from LTR retrotransposons", based on the finding that LTR retrotransposons served as a critical driving force in the mammalian evolution via generating mammalian-specific genes.

  17. A standard-enabled workflow for synthetic biology

    KAUST Repository

    Myers, Chris J.; Beal, Jacob; Gorochowski, Thomas E.; Kuwahara, Hiroyuki; Madsen, Curtis; McLaughlin, James Alastair; Mısırlı, Gö ksel; Nguyen, Tramy; Oberortner, Ernst; Samineni, Meher; Wipat, Anil; Zhang, Michael; Zundel, Zach

    2017-01-01

    A synthetic biology workflow is composed of data repositories that provide information about genetic parts, sequence-level design tools to compose these parts into circuits, visualization tools to depict these designs, genetic design tools to select

  18. Freedom and Responsibility in Synthetic Genomics: The Synthetic Yeast Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sliva, Anna; Yang, Huanming; Boeke, Jef D; Mathews, Debra J H

    2015-08-01

    First introduced in 2011, the Synthetic Yeast Genome (Sc2.0) PROJECT is a large international synthetic genomics project that will culminate in the first eukaryotic cell (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with a fully synthetic genome. With collaborators from across the globe and from a range of institutions spanning from do-it-yourself biology (DIYbio) to commercial enterprises, it is important that all scientists working on this project are cognizant of the ethical and policy issues associated with this field of research and operate under a common set of principles. In this commentary, we survey the current ethics and regulatory landscape of synthetic biology and present the Sc2.0 Statement of Ethics and Governance to which all members of the project adhere. This statement focuses on four aspects of the Sc2.0 PROJECT: societal benefit, intellectual property, safety, and self-governance. We propose that such project-level agreements are an important, valuable, and flexible model of self-regulation for similar global, large-scale synthetic biology projects in order to maximize the benefits and minimize potential harms. Copyright © 2015 by the Genetics Society of America.

  19. A semi-supervised learning approach to predict synthetic genetic interactions by combining functional and topological properties of functional gene network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han Kyungsook

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Genetic interaction profiles are highly informative and helpful for understanding the functional linkages between genes, and therefore have been extensively exploited for annotating gene functions and dissecting specific pathway structures. However, our understanding is rather limited to the relationship between double concurrent perturbation and various higher level phenotypic changes, e.g. those in cells, tissues or organs. Modifier screens, such as synthetic genetic arrays (SGA can help us to understand the phenotype caused by combined gene mutations. Unfortunately, exhaustive tests on all possible combined mutations in any genome are vulnerable to combinatorial explosion and are infeasible either technically or financially. Therefore, an accurate computational approach to predict genetic interaction is highly desirable, and such methods have the potential of alleviating the bottleneck on experiment design. Results In this work, we introduce a computational systems biology approach for the accurate prediction of pairwise synthetic genetic interactions (SGI. First, a high-coverage and high-precision functional gene network (FGN is constructed by integrating protein-protein interaction (PPI, protein complex and gene expression data; then, a graph-based semi-supervised learning (SSL classifier is utilized to identify SGI, where the topological properties of protein pairs in weighted FGN is used as input features of the classifier. We compare the proposed SSL method with the state-of-the-art supervised classifier, the support vector machines (SVM, on a benchmark dataset in S. cerevisiae to validate our method's ability to distinguish synthetic genetic interactions from non-interaction gene pairs. Experimental results show that the proposed method can accurately predict genetic interactions in S. cerevisiae (with a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 91%. Noticeably, the SSL method is more efficient than SVM, especially for

  20. GENETIC VARIATION IN RED RASPBERRIES (RUBUS IDAEUS L.; ROSACEAE) FROM SITES DIFFERING IN ORGANIC POLLUTANTS COMPARED WITH SYNTHETIC TANDEM REPEAT DNA PROBES

    Science.gov (United States)

    Two synthetic tandem repetitive DNA probes were used to compare genetic variation at variable-number-tandem-repeat (VNTR) loci among Rubus idaeus L. var. strigosus (Michx.) Maxim. (Rosaceae) individuals sampled at eight sites contaminated by pollutants (N = 39) and eight adjacent...

  1. Electro-optic transceivers for terahertz-wave applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Q.; Tani, M.; Jiang, Zhiping; Zhang, X.-C.

    2001-01-01

    Because of the reciprocal behavior of the optical rectification and the electro-optic effect in a nonlinear optical crystal, an electro-optic transceiver can alternately transmit pulsed electromagnetic radiation (optical rectification) and detect the return signal (electro-optic effect) in the same crystal. However, the optimal condition of the electro-optic transceiver may be very different from that of the spatially separated emitter and receiver. We present a detailed description of the crystal-orientation dependence of the electro-optic terahertz devices (transmitter, receiver, and transceiver). It is found that for a (110) zinc-blende electro-optical crystal, the efficiency of the electro-optic transceiver will be optimized when the angle between the polarization of the optical pump beam and the crystallographic z axis [0,0,1] is 26 degree. Meanwhile, for a (111) crystal, the angle between the optical beam and the crystallographic direction [-1,-1,2] should be 23 degree. The experimental results from a (110) ZnTe transceiver verify theoretical calculations and demonstrate a direct way to optimize the working efficiency of an electro-optic terahertz transceiver. [copyright] 2001 Optical Society of America

  2. An evaluation of multiple annealing and looping based genome amplification using a synthetic bacterial community

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Yong; Gao, Zhaoming; Xu, Ying; Li, Guangyu; He, Lisheng; Qian, Peiyuan

    2016-01-01

    -generation-sequencing technology. Using a synthetic bacterial community, the amplification efficiency of the Multiple Annealing and Looping Based Amplification Cycles (MALBAC) kit that is originally developed to amplify the single-cell genomic DNA of mammalian organisms

  3. Norbadione A: synthetic approach and cesium complexation studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desage - El Murr, M.

    2003-10-01

    This work was dedicated to the study of the synthesis and complexation studies of norbadione A: a pigment originating from a mushroom. A synthetic approach, based on a double Suzuki-Miyaura coupling, was developed. This strategy was applied with high yields to the synthesis of various norbadione A analogues, as well as to the synthesis of simple pulvinic acids. Access to functionalized precursors of the molecule was also studied and the final coupling remains to be done. Besides, a speciation study based on electro-spray ionization mass spectrometry was conducted with norbadione A and one of the analogues. This study allowed the assessment of the cesium complexation abilities of each molecule. Structural data was also obtained and complexation constants were calculated. Finally, norbadione A and various synthetic products have been tested via high-throughput screening methods and strong antioxidant properties were observed. Other biological results are also reported. (author)

  4. Electro-optic diffraction grating tuned laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hughes, R.S.

    1975-01-01

    An electro-optic diffraction grating tuned laser comprising a laser medium, output mirror, retro-reflective grating and an electro-optic diffraction grating beam deflector positioned between the laser medium and the reflective diffraction grating is described. An optional angle multiplier may be used between the electro-optic diffraction grating and the reflective grating. (auth)

  5. The food additive vanillic acid controls transgene expression in mammalian cells and mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gitzinger, Marc; Kemmer, Christian; Fluri, David A; El-Baba, Marie Daoud; Weber, Wilfried; Fussenegger, Martin

    2012-03-01

    Trigger-inducible transcription-control devices that reversibly fine-tune transgene expression in response to molecular cues have significantly advanced the rational reprogramming of mammalian cells. When designed for use in future gene- and cell-based therapies the trigger molecules have to be carefully chosen in order to provide maximum specificity, minimal side-effects and optimal pharmacokinetics in a mammalian organism. Capitalizing on control components that enable Caulobacter crescentus to metabolize vanillic acid originating from lignin degradation that occurs in its oligotrophic freshwater habitat, we have designed synthetic devices that specifically adjust transgene expression in mammalian cells when exposed to vanillic acid. Even in mice transgene expression was robust, precise and tunable in response to vanillic acid. As a licensed food additive that is regularly consumed by humans via flavoured convenience food and specific fresh vegetable and fruits, vanillic acid can be considered as a safe trigger molecule that could be used for diet-controlled transgene expression in future gene- and cell-based therapies.

  6. Fundamentals of electro-engineering I

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rapsik, M.; Smola, M.; Bohac, M.; Mucha, M.

    2004-01-01

    This is the text-book of the fundamentals of electro-engineering. It contains the following chapters: (1) Selected terms in electro-engineering; (2) Fundamental electric values; (3) Energy and their transformations; (4) Water, hydro-energy and hydro-energetic potential of the Slovak Republic; (5) Nuclear power engineering; (6) Conventional thermal power plants; (7) Heating and cogeneration of electric power and heat production; (8) Equipment of electricity supply system; (9) Measurements in electro-engineering ; (10) Regulation of frequency and voltage, electric power quality

  7. Complete removal of AHPS synthetic dye from water using new electro-fenton oxidation catalyzed by natural pyrite as heterogeneous catalyst.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labiadh, Lazhar; Oturan, Mehmet A; Panizza, Marco; Hamadi, Nawfel Ben; Ammar, Salah

    2015-10-30

    The mineralization of a new azo dye - the (4-amino-3-hydroxy-2-p-tolylazo-naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid) (AHPS) - has been studied by a novel electrochemical advanced oxidation process (EAOP), consisting in electro-Fenton (EF) oxidation, catalyzed by pyrite as the heterogeneous catalyst - the so-called 'pyrite-EF'. This solid pyrite used as heterogeneous catalyst instead of a soluble iron salt, is the catalyst the system needs for production of hydroxyl radicals. Experiments were performed in an undivided cell equipped with a BDD anode and a commercial carbon felt cathode to electrogenerate in situ H2O2 and regenerate ferrous ions as catalyst. The effects on operating parameters, such as applied current, pyrite concentration and initial dye content, were investigated. AHPS decay and mineralization efficiencies were monitored by HPLC analyses and TOC measurements, respectively. Experimental results showed that AHPS was quickly oxidized by hydroxyl radicals (OH) produced simultaneously both on BDD surface by water discharge and in solution bulk from electrochemically assisted Fenton's reaction with a pseudo-first-order reaction. AHPS solutions with 175 mg L(-1) (100 mg L(-1) initial TOC) content were then almost completely mineralized in 8h. Moreover, the results demonstrated that, under the same conditions, AHPS degradation by pyrite electro-Fenton process was more powerful than the conventional electro-Fenton process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Electro-optic polymers for high speed modulators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Balakrishnan, M.; Diemeer, Mart; Driessen, A.; Faccini, M.; Verboom, Willem; Reinhoudt, David; Leinse, Arne; Megret, P.; Wuilpart, M.; Bette, S.; Staquet, N.

    2005-01-01

    Different electro-optic polymer systems are analyzed with respect to their electro-optic activity, glass transition temperature $(T_g)$ and photodefinable properties. The polymers tested are polysulfone (PS) and polycarbonate (PC). The electro-optic chromophore,

  9. Genetic and epigenetic control of gene expression by CRISPR–Cas systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo, Albert; Qi, Lei

    2017-01-01

    The discovery and adaption of bacterial clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems has revolutionized the way researchers edit genomes. Engineering of catalytically inactivated Cas variants (nuclease-deficient or nuclease-deactivated [dCas]) combined with transcriptional repressors, activators, or epigenetic modifiers enable sequence-specific regulation of gene expression and chromatin state. These CRISPR–Cas-based technologies have contributed to the rapid development of disease models and functional genomics screening approaches, which can facilitate genetic target identification and drug discovery. In this short review, we will cover recent advances of CRISPR–dCas9 systems and their use for transcriptional repression and activation, epigenome editing, and engineered synthetic circuits for complex control of the mammalian genome. PMID:28649363

  10. An analytical solution for two-dimensional vacuum preloading combined with electro-osmosis consolidation using EKG electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Chenchen; Li, Yande

    2017-01-01

    China is a country with vast territory, but economic development and population growth have reduced the usable land resources in recent years. Therefore, reclamation by pumping and filling is carried out in eastern coastal regions of China in order to meet the needs of urbanization. However, large areas of reclaimed land need rapid drainage consolidation treatment. Based on past researches on how to improve the treatment efficiency of soft clay using vacuum preloading combined with electro-osmosis, a two-dimensional drainage plane model was proposed according to the Terzaghi and Esrig consolidation theory. However, the analytical solution using two-dimensional plane model was never involved. Current analytical solutions can’t have a thorough theoretical analysis of practical engineering and give relevant guidance. Considering the smearing effect and the rectangle arrangement pattern, an analytical solution is derived to describe the behavior of pore-water and the consolidation process by using EKG (electro-kinetic geo synthetics) materials. The functions of EKG materials include drainage, electric conduction and corrosion resistance. Comparison with test results is carried out to verify the analytical solution. It is found that the measured value is larger than the applied vacuum degree because of the stacking effect of the vacuum preloading and electro-osmosis. The trends of the mean measured value and the mean analytical value processes are comparable. Therefore, the consolidation model can accurately assess the change in pore-water pressure and the consolidation process during vacuum preloading combined with electro-osmosis. PMID:28771496

  11. An analytical solution for two-dimensional vacuum preloading combined with electro-osmosis consolidation using EKG electrodes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Shen

    Full Text Available China is a country with vast territory, but economic development and population growth have reduced the usable land resources in recent years. Therefore, reclamation by pumping and filling is carried out in eastern coastal regions of China in order to meet the needs of urbanization. However, large areas of reclaimed land need rapid drainage consolidation treatment. Based on past researches on how to improve the treatment efficiency of soft clay using vacuum preloading combined with electro-osmosis, a two-dimensional drainage plane model was proposed according to the Terzaghi and Esrig consolidation theory. However, the analytical solution using two-dimensional plane model was never involved. Current analytical solutions can't have a thorough theoretical analysis of practical engineering and give relevant guidance. Considering the smearing effect and the rectangle arrangement pattern, an analytical solution is derived to describe the behavior of pore-water and the consolidation process by using EKG (electro-kinetic geo synthetics materials. The functions of EKG materials include drainage, electric conduction and corrosion resistance. Comparison with test results is carried out to verify the analytical solution. It is found that the measured value is larger than the applied vacuum degree because of the stacking effect of the vacuum preloading and electro-osmosis. The trends of the mean measured value and the mean analytical value processes are comparable. Therefore, the consolidation model can accurately assess the change in pore-water pressure and the consolidation process during vacuum preloading combined with electro-osmosis.

  12. A standard-enabled workflow for synthetic biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Chris J; Beal, Jacob; Gorochowski, Thomas E; Kuwahara, Hiroyuki; Madsen, Curtis; McLaughlin, James Alastair; Mısırlı, Göksel; Nguyen, Tramy; Oberortner, Ernst; Samineni, Meher; Wipat, Anil; Zhang, Michael; Zundel, Zach

    2017-06-15

    A synthetic biology workflow is composed of data repositories that provide information about genetic parts, sequence-level design tools to compose these parts into circuits, visualization tools to depict these designs, genetic design tools to select parts to create systems, and modeling and simulation tools to evaluate alternative design choices. Data standards enable the ready exchange of information within such a workflow, allowing repositories and tools to be connected from a diversity of sources. The present paper describes one such workflow that utilizes, among others, the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) to describe genetic designs, the Systems Biology Markup Language to model these designs, and SBOL Visual to visualize these designs. We describe how a standard-enabled workflow can be used to produce types of design information, including multiple repositories and software tools exchanging information using a variety of data standards. Recently, the ACS Synthetic Biology journal has recommended the use of SBOL in their publications. © 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  13. Prdm9 controls activation of mammalian recombination hotspots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parvanov, Emil D; Petkov, Petko M; Paigen, Kenneth

    2010-02-12

    Mammalian meiotic recombination, which preferentially occurs at specialized sites called hotspots, ensures the orderly segregation of meiotic chromosomes and creates genetic variation among offspring. A locus on mouse chromosome 17, which controls activation of recombination at multiple distant hotspots, has been mapped within a 181-kilobase interval, three of whose genes can be eliminated as candidates. The remaining gene, Prdm9, codes for a zinc finger containing histone H3K4 trimethylase that is expressed in early meiosis and whose deficiency results in sterility in both sexes. Mus musculus exhibits five alleles of Prdm9; human populations exhibit two predominant alleles and multiple minor alleles. The identification of Prdm9 as a protein regulating mammalian recombination hotspots initiates molecular studies of this important biological control system.

  14. Enhanced methanol electro-oxidation reaction on Pt-CoO{sub x}/MWCNTs hybrid electro-catalyst

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nouralishahi, Amideddin, E-mail: Nouralishahi@ut.ac.ir [Catalysis and Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155/4563, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Caspian Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 43841-119, Rezvanshahr (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Catalysis and Nanotechnology Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), P.O. Box 14665-1998, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rashidi, Ali Morad, E-mail: Rashidiam@ripi.ir [Catalysis and Nanotechnology Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), P.O. Box 14665-1998, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mortazavi, Yadollah, E-mail: Mortazav@ut.ac.ir [Catalysis and Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155/4563, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khodadadi, Abbas Ali, E-mail: Khodadad@ut.ac.ir [Catalysis and Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155/4563, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Choolaei, Mohammadmehdi, E-mail: Choolaeimm@ripi.ir [Catalysis and Nanotechnology Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), P.O. Box 14665-1998, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-04-30

    Highlights: • Promoting effects of Cobalt oxide on methanol electro-oxidation over Pt/MWCNTs are investigated. • Higher activity, about 2.9 times, and enhanced stability are observed on Pt-CoO{sub x}/MWCNTs. • Electrochemical active surface area of Pt nanoparticles is significantly improved upon CoO{sub x} addition. • Bi-functional mechanism is facilitated in presence of CoO{sub x}. - Abstract: The electro-catalytic behavior of Pt-CoO{sub x}/MWCNTs in methanol electro-oxidation reaction (MOR) is investigated and compared to that of Pt/MWCNTs. The electro-catalysts were synthesized by an impregnation method using NaBH{sub 4} as the reducing agent. The morphological and physical characteristics of samples are examined by XRD, TEM, ICP and EDS techniques. In the presence of CoO{sub x}, Pt nanoparticles were highly distributed on the support with an average particle size of 2 nm, an obvious decrease from 5.1 nm for Pt/MWCNTs. Cyclic voltammetry, CO-stripping, Chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements are used to study the electrochemical behavior of the electro-catalysts. The results revealed a considerable enhancement in the oxidation kinetics of CO{sub ads} on Pt active sites by the participation of CoO{sub x}. Compared to Pt/MWCNTs, Pt-CoO{sub x}/MWCNTs sample has a larger electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) and higher electro-catalytic activity and stability toward methanol electro-oxidation. According to the results of cyclic voltammetry, the forward anodic peak current density enhances more than 89% at the optimum atomic ratio of Pt:Co = 2:1. Furthermore, inclusion of cobalt oxide species causes the onset potential of methanol electro-oxidation reaction to shift 84 mV to negative values compared to that on Pt/MWCNTs. Based on EIS data, dehydrogenation of methanol is the rate-determining step of MOR on both Pt/MWCNTs and Pt-CoO{sub x}/MWCNTs, at small overpotentials. However, at higher overpotentials, the

  15. Exploring Synthetic and Systems Biology at the University of Edinburgh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fletcher, Liz; Rosser, Susan; Elfick, Alistair

    2016-06-15

    The Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology ('SynthSys') was originally established in 2007 as the Centre for Integrative Systems Biology, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Today, SynthSys embraces an extensive multidisciplinary community of more than 200 researchers from across the University with a common interest in synthetic and systems biology. Our research is broad and deep, addressing a diversity of scientific questions, with wide ranging impact. We bring together the power of synthetic biology and systems approaches to focus on three core thematic areas: industrial biotechnology, agriculture and the environment, and medicine and healthcare. In October 2015, we opened a newly refurbished building as a physical hub for our new U.K. Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology funded by the BBSRC/EPSRC/MRC as part of the U.K. Research Councils' Synthetic Biology for Growth programme. © 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  16. Synthetic Biology and Personalized Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, K.K.

    2013-01-01

    Synthetic biology, application of synthetic chemistry to biology, is a broad term that covers the engineering of biological systems with structures and functions not found in nature to process information, manipulate chemicals, produce energy, maintain cell environment and enhance human health. Synthetic biology devices contribute not only to improve our understanding of disease mechanisms, but also provide novel diagnostic tools. Methods based on synthetic biology enable the design of novel strategies for the treatment of cancer, immune diseases metabolic disorders and infectious diseases as well as the production of cheap drugs. The potential of synthetic genome, using an expanded genetic code that is designed for specific drug synthesis as well as delivery and activation of the drug in vivo by a pathological signal, was already pointed out during a lecture delivered at Kuwait University in 2005. Of two approaches to synthetic biology, top-down and bottom-up, the latter is more relevant to the development of personalized medicines as it provides more flexibility in constructing a partially synthetic cell from basic building blocks for a desired task. PMID:22907209

  17. Electron microscopy using the genetically encoded APEX2 tag in cultured mammalian cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martell, Jeffrey D; Deerinck, Thomas J; Lam, Stephanie S; Ellisman, Mark H; Ting, Alice Y

    2018-01-01

    Electron microscopy (EM) is the premiere technique for high-resolution imaging of cellular ultrastructure. Unambiguous identification of specific proteins or cellular compartments in electron micrographs, however, remains challenging because of difficulties in delivering electron-dense contrast agents to specific subcellular targets within intact cells. We recently reported enhanced ascorbate peroxidase 2 (APEX2) as a broadly applicable genetic tag that generates EM contrast on a specific protein or subcellular compartment of interest. This protocol provides guidelines for designing and validating APEX2 fusion constructs, along with detailed instructions for cell culture, transfection, fixation, heavy-metal staining, embedding in resin, and EM imaging. Although this protocol focuses on EM in cultured mammalian cells, APEX2 is applicable to many cell types and contexts, including intact tissues and organisms, and is useful for numerous applications beyond EM, including live-cell proteomic mapping. This protocol, which describes procedures for sample preparation from cell monolayers and cell pellets, can be completed in 10 d, including time for APEX2 fusion construct validation, cell growth, and solidification of embedding resins. Notably, the only additional steps required relative to a standard EM sample preparation are cell transfection and a 2- to 45-min staining period with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). PMID:28796234

  18. Novel synthetic Medea selfish genetic elements drive population replacement in Drosophila; a theoretical exploration of Medea-dependent population suppression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbari, Omar S; Chen, Chun-Hong; Marshall, John M; Huang, Haixia; Antoshechkin, Igor; Hay, Bruce A

    2014-12-19

    Insects act as vectors for diseases of plants, animals, and humans. Replacement of wild insect populations with genetically modified individuals unable to transmit disease provides a potentially self-perpetuating method of disease prevention. Population replacement requires a gene drive mechanism in order to spread linked genes mediating disease refractoriness through wild populations. We previously reported the creation of synthetic Medea selfish genetic elements able to drive population replacement in Drosophila. These elements use microRNA-mediated silencing of myd88, a maternally expressed gene required for embryonic dorso-ventral pattern formation, coupled with early zygotic expression of a rescuing transgene, to bring about gene drive. Medea elements that work through additional mechanisms are needed in order to be able to carry out cycles of population replacement and/or remove existing transgenes from the population, using second-generation elements that spread while driving first-generation elements out of the population. Here we report the synthesis and population genetic behavior of two new synthetic Medea elements that drive population replacement through manipulation of signaling pathways involved in cellular blastoderm formation or Notch signaling, demonstrating that in Drosophila Medea elements can be generated through manipulation of diverse signaling pathways. We also describe the mRNA and small RNA changes in ovaries and early embryos associated from Medea-bearing females. Finally, we use modeling to illustrate how Medea elements carrying genes that result in diapause-dependent female lethality could be used to bring about population suppression.

  19. Synthetic virus seeds for improved vaccine safety: Genetic reconstruction of poliovirus seeds for a PER.C6 cell based inactivated poliovirus vaccine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Barbara P; Edo-Matas, Diana; Papic, Natasa; Schuitemaker, Hanneke; Custers, Jerome H H V

    2015-10-13

    Safety of vaccines can be compromised by contamination with adventitious agents. One potential source of adventitious agents is a vaccine seed, typically derived from historic clinical isolates with poorly defined origins. Here we generated synthetic poliovirus seeds derived from chemically synthesized DNA plasmids encoding the sequence of wild-type poliovirus strains used in marketed inactivated poliovirus vaccines. The synthetic strains were phenotypically identical to wild-type polioviruses as shown by equivalent infectious titers in culture supernatant and antigenic content, even when infection cultures are scaled up to 10-25L bioreactors. Moreover, the synthetic seeds were genetically stable upon extended passaging on the PER.C6 cell culture platform. Use of synthetic seeds produced on the serum-free PER.C6 cell platform ensures a perfectly documented seed history and maximum control over starting materials. It provides an opportunity to maximize vaccine safety which increases the prospect of a vaccine end product that is free from adventitious agents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Polymer Coatings Reduce Electro-osmosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herren, Blair J.; Snyder, Robert; Shafer, Steven G.; Harris, J. Milton; Van Alstine, James M.

    1989-01-01

    Poly(ethylene glycol) film controls electrostatic potential. Electro-osmosis in quartz or glass chambers reduced or reversed by coating inside surface of chambers with monomacromolecular layers of poly(ethylene glycol). Stable over long times. Electrostatic potential across surface of untreated glass or plastic chamber used in electro-phoresis is negative and attracts cations in aqueous electrolyte. Cations solvated, entrains flow of electrolyte migrating toward cathode. Electro-osmotic flow interferes with desired electrophoresis of particles suspended in electrolyte. Polymer coats nontoxic, transparent, and neutral, advantageous for use in electrophoresis.

  1. Genetic regulation of bone metabolism in the chicken: similarities and differences to Mammalian systems.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Johnsson

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Birds have a unique bone physiology, due to the demands placed on them through egg production. In particular their medullary bone serves as a source of calcium for eggshell production during lay and undergoes continuous and rapid remodelling. We take advantage of the fact that bone traits have diverged massively during chicken domestication to map the genetic basis of bone metabolism in the chicken. We performed a quantitative trait locus (QTL and expression QTL (eQTL mapping study in an advanced intercross based on Red Junglefowl (the wild progenitor of the modern domestic chicken and White Leghorn chickens. We measured femoral bone traits in 456 chickens by peripheral computerised tomography and femoral gene expression in a subset of 125 females from the cross with microarrays. This resulted in 25 loci for female bone traits, 26 loci for male bone traits and 6318 local eQTL loci. We then overlapped bone and gene expression loci, before checking for an association between gene expression and trait values to identify candidate quantitative trait genes for bone traits. A handful of our candidates have been previously associated with bone traits in mice, but our results also implicate unexpected and largely unknown genes in bone metabolism. In summary, by utilising the unique bone metabolism of an avian species, we have identified a number of candidate genes affecting bone allocation and metabolism. These findings can have ramifications not only for the understanding of bone metabolism genetics in general, but could also be used as a potential model for osteoporosis as well as revealing new aspects of vertebrate bone regulation or features that distinguish avian and mammalian bone.

  2. The Next Generation of Synthetic Biology Chassis: Moving Synthetic Biology from the Laboratory to the Field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Bryn L

    2016-12-16

    Escherichia coli (E. coli) has played a pivotal role in the development of genetics and molecular biology as scientific fields. It is therefore not surprising that synthetic biology (SB) was built upon E. coli and continues to dominate the field. However, scientific capabilities have advanced from simple gene mutations to the insertion of rationally designed, complex synthetic circuits and creation of entirely synthetic genomes. The point is rapidly approaching where E. coli is no longer an adequate host for the increasingly sophisticated genetic designs of SB. It is time to develop the next generation of SB chassis; robust organisms that can provide the advanced physiology novel synthetic circuits will require to move SB from the laboratory into fieldable technologies. This can be accomplished by developing chassis-specific genetic toolkits that are as extensive as those for E. coli. However, the holy grail of SB would be the development of a universal toolkit that can be ported into any chassis. This viewpoint article underscores the need for new bacterial chassis, as well as discusses some of the important considerations in their selection. It also highlights a few examples of robust, tractable bacterial species that can meet the demands of tomorrow's state-of-the-art in SB. Significant advances have been made in the first 15 years since this field has emerged. However, the advances over the next 15 years will occur not in laboratory organisms, but in fieldable species where the potential of SB can be fully realized in game changing technology.

  3. Influence of Polyplex Formation on the Performance of Star-Shaped Polycationic Transfection Agents for Mammalian Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Raup

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Genetic modification (“transfection” of mammalian cells using non-viral, synthetic agents such as polycations, is still a challenge. Polyplex formation between the DNA and the polycation is a decisive step in such experiments. Star-shaped polycations have been proposed as superior transfection agents, yet have never before been compared side-by-side, e.g., in view of structural effects. Herein four star-shaped polycationic structures, all based on (2-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA building blocks, were investigated for their potential to deliver DNA to adherent (CHO, L929, HEK-293 and non-adherent (Jurkat, primary human T lymphocytes mammalian cells. The investigated vectors included three structures where the PDMAEMA arms (different arm length and grafting densities had been grown from a center silsesquioxane or silica-coated γ-Fe2O3-core and one micellar structure self-assembled from poly(1,2-butadiene-block PDMAEMA polymers. All nano-stars combined high transfection potential with excellent biocompatibility. The micelles slightly outperformed the covalently linked agents. For method development and optimization, the absolute amount of polycation added to the cells was more important than the N/P-ratio (ratio between polycation nitrogen and DNA phosphate, provided a lower limit was passed and enough polycation was present to overcompensate the negative charge of the plasmid DNA. Finally, the matrix (NaCl vs. HEPES-buffered glucose solution, but also the concentrations adjusted during polyplex formation, affected the results.

  4. Synthetic biology: Emerging bioengineering in Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suhandono, Sony

    2017-05-01

    The development of synthetic biology will shape the new era of science and technology. It is an emerging bioengineering technique involving genetic engineering which can alter the phenotype and behavior of the cell or the new product. Synthetic biology may produce biomaterials, drugs, vaccines, biosensors, and even a recombinant secondary metabolite used in herbal and complementary medicine, such as artemisinin, a malaria drug which is usually extracted from the plant Artemisia annua. The power of synthetic biology has encouraged scientists in Indonesia, and is still in early development. This paper also covers some research from an Indonesian research institute in synthetic biology such as observing the production of bio surfactants and the enhanced production of artemisinin using a transient expression system. Synthetic biology development in Indonesia may also be related to the iGEM competition, a large synthetic biology research competition which was attended by several universities in Indonesia. The application of synthetic biology for drug discovery will be discussed.

  5. Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) Version 2.2.0.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, Robert Sidney; Madsen, Curtis; McLaughlin, James Alastair; Nguyen, Tramy; Roehner, Nicholas; Bartley, Bryan; Beal, Jacob; Bissell, Michael; Choi, Kiri; Clancy, Kevin; Grünberg, Raik; Macklin, Chris; Misirli, Goksel; Oberortner, Ernst; Pocock, Matthew; Samineni, Meher; Zhang, Michael; Zhang, Zhen; Zundel, Zach; Gennari, John H; Myers, Chris; Sauro, Herbert; Wipat, Anil

    2018-04-02

    Synthetic biology builds upon the techniques and successes of genetics, molecular biology, and metabolic engineering by applying engineering principles to the design of biological systems. The field still faces substantial challenges, including long development times, high rates of failure, and poor reproducibility. One method to ameliorate these problems would be to improve the exchange of information about designed systems between laboratories. The synthetic biology open language (SBOL) has been developed as a standard to support the specification and exchange of biological design information in synthetic biology, filling a need not satisfied by other pre-existing standards. This document details version 2.2.0 of SBOL that builds upon version 2.1.0 published in last year's JIB special issue. In particular, SBOL 2.2.0 includes improved description and validation rules for genetic design provenance, an extension to support combinatorial genetic designs, a new class to add non-SBOL data as attachments, a new class for genetic design implementations, and a description of a methodology to describe the entire design-build-test-learn cycle within the SBOL data model.

  6. Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) Version 2.2.0

    KAUST Repository

    Cox, Robert Sidney

    2018-04-04

    Synthetic biology builds upon the techniques and successes of genetics, molecular biology, and metabolic engineering by applying engineering principles to the design of biological systems. The field still faces substantial challenges, including long development times, high rates of failure, and poor reproducibility. One method to ameliorate these problems would be to improve the exchange of information about designed systems between laboratories. The synthetic biology open language (SBOL) has been developed as a standard to support the specification and exchange of biological design information in synthetic biology, filling a need not satisfied by other pre-existing standards. This document details version 2.2.0 of SBOL that builds upon version 2.1.0 published in last year\\'s JIB special issue. In particular, SBOL 2.2.0 includes improved description and validation rules for genetic design provenance, an extension to support combinatorial genetic designs, a new class to add non-SBOL data as attachments, a new class for genetic design implementations, and a description of a methodology to describe the entire design-build-test-learn cycle within the SBOL data model.

  7. Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL Version 2.2.0

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cox Robert Sidney

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Synthetic biology builds upon the techniques and successes of genetics, molecular biology, and metabolic engineering by applying engineering principles to the design of biological systems. The field still faces substantial challenges, including long development times, high rates of failure, and poor reproducibility. One method to ameliorate these problems would be to improve the exchange of information about designed systems between laboratories. The synthetic biology open language (SBOL has been developed as a standard to support the specification and exchange of biological design information in synthetic biology, filling a need not satisfied by other pre-existing standards. This document details version 2.2.0 of SBOL that builds upon version 2.1.0 published in last year’s JIB special issue. In particular, SBOL 2.2.0 includes improved description and validation rules for genetic design provenance, an extension to support combinatorial genetic designs, a new class to add non-SBOL data as attachments, a new class for genetic design implementations, and a description of a methodology to describe the entire design-build-test-learn cycle within the SBOL data model.

  8. Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) Version 2.2.0

    KAUST Repository

    Cox, Robert Sidney; Madsen, Curtis; McLaughlin, James Alastair; Nguyen, Tramy; Roehner, Nicholas; Bartley, Bryan; Beal, Jacob; Bissell, Michael; Choi, Kiri; Clancy, Kevin; Grunberg, Raik; Macklin, Chris; Misirli, Goksel; Oberortner, Ernst; Pocock, Matthew; Samineni, Meher; Zhang, Michael; Zhang, Zhen; Zundel, Zach; Gennari, John H.; Myers, Chris; Sauro, Herbert; Wipat, Anil

    2018-01-01

    Synthetic biology builds upon the techniques and successes of genetics, molecular biology, and metabolic engineering by applying engineering principles to the design of biological systems. The field still faces substantial challenges, including long development times, high rates of failure, and poor reproducibility. One method to ameliorate these problems would be to improve the exchange of information about designed systems between laboratories. The synthetic biology open language (SBOL) has been developed as a standard to support the specification and exchange of biological design information in synthetic biology, filling a need not satisfied by other pre-existing standards. This document details version 2.2.0 of SBOL that builds upon version 2.1.0 published in last year's JIB special issue. In particular, SBOL 2.2.0 includes improved description and validation rules for genetic design provenance, an extension to support combinatorial genetic designs, a new class to add non-SBOL data as attachments, a new class for genetic design implementations, and a description of a methodology to describe the entire design-build-test-learn cycle within the SBOL data model.

  9. A genetically optimized kinetic model for ethanol electro-oxidation on Pt-based binary catalysts used in direct ethanol fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Monreal, Juan; García-Salaberri, Pablo A.; Vera, Marcos

    2017-09-01

    A one-dimensional model is proposed for the anode of a liquid-feed direct ethanol fuel cell. The complex kinetics of the ethanol electro-oxidation reaction is described using a multi-step reaction mechanism that considers free and adsorbed intermediate species on Pt-based binary catalysts. The adsorbed species are modeled using coverage factors to account for the blockage of the active reaction sites on the catalyst surface. The reaction rates are described by Butler-Volmer equations that are coupled to a one-dimensional mass transport model, which incorporates the effect of ethanol and acetaldehyde crossover. The proposed kinetic model circumvents the acetaldehyde bottleneck effect observed in previous studies by incorporating CH3CHOHads among the adsorbed intermediates. A multi-objetive genetic algorithm is used to determine the reaction constants using anode polarization and product selectivity data obtained from the literature. By adjusting the reaction constants using the methodology developed here, different catalyst layers could be modeled and their selectivities could be successfully reproduced.

  10. Transfer of genetic information via isolated mammalian chromosomes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    G.J. Wullems

    1976-01-01

    textabstractRecombination of genetic information from different origin has provided insight in many aspects of the genetic mechanisms of the living cell. These aspects concern the location of genes on chromosomes, the regulation of gene expression and the interaction of different genes in the

  11. Assessment of genetic fidelity in Rauvolfia serpentina plantlets grown from synthetic (encapsulated) seeds following in vitro storage at 4 °C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faisal, Mohammad; Alatar, Abdulrahman A; Ahmad, Naseem; Anis, Mohammad; Hegazy, Ahmad K

    2012-05-03

    An efficient method was developed for plant regeneration and establishment from alginate encapsulated synthetic seeds of Rauvolfia serpentina. Synthetic seeds were produced using in vitro proliferated microshoots upon complexation of 3% sodium alginate prepared in Llyod and McCown woody plant medium (WPM) and 100 mM calcium chloride. Re-growth ability of encapsulated nodal segments was evaluated after storage at 4 °C for 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks and compared with non-encapsulated buds. Effects of different media viz; Murashige and Skoog medium; Lloyd and McCown woody Plant medium, Gamborg’s B5 medium and Schenk and Hildebrandt medium was also investigated for conversion into plantlets. The maximum frequency of conversion into plantlets from encapsulated nodal segments stored at 4 °C for 4 weeks was achieved on woody plant medium supplement with 5.0 μM BA and 1.0 μM NAA. Rooting in plantlets was achieved in half-strength Murashige and Skoog liquid medium containing 0.5 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on filter paper bridges. Plantlets obtained from stored synseeds were hardened, established successfully ex vitro and were morphologically similar to each other as well as their mother plant. The genetic fidelity of Rauvolfia clones raised from synthetic seeds following four weeks of storage at 4 °C were assessed by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. All the RAPD and ISSR profiles from generated plantlets were monomorphic and comparable to the mother plant, which confirms the genetic stability among the clones. This synseed protocol could be useful for establishing a particular system for conservation, short-term storage and production of genetically identical and stable plants before it is released for commercial purposes.

  12. Positive Selection Linked with Generation of Novel Mammalian Dentition Patterns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, João Paulo; Philip, Siby; Maldonado, Emanuel; O'Brien, Stephen J; Johnson, Warren E; Antunes, Agostinho

    2016-09-11

    A diverse group of genes are involved in the tooth development of mammals. Several studies, focused mainly on mice and rats, have provided a detailed depiction of the processes coordinating tooth formation and shape. Here we surveyed 236 tooth-associated genes in 39 mammalian genomes and tested for signatures of selection to assess patterns of molecular adaptation in genes regulating mammalian dentition. Of the 236 genes, 31 (∼13.1%) showed strong signatures of positive selection that may be responsible for the phenotypic diversity observed in mammalian dentition. Mammalian-specific tooth-associated genes had accelerated mutation rates compared with older genes found across all vertebrates. More recently evolved genes had fewer interactions (either genetic or physical), were associated with fewer Gene Ontology terms and had faster evolutionary rates compared with older genes. The introns of these positively selected genes also exhibited accelerated evolutionary rates, which may reflect additional adaptive pressure in the intronic regions that are associated with regulatory processes that influence tooth-gene networks. The positively selected genes were mainly involved in processes like mineralization and structural organization of tooth specific tissues such as enamel and dentin. Of the 236 analyzed genes, 12 mammalian-specific genes (younger genes) provided insights on diversification of mammalian teeth as they have higher evolutionary rates and exhibit different expression profiles compared with older genes. Our results suggest that the evolution and development of mammalian dentition occurred in part through positive selection acting on genes that previously had other functions. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  13. Radiation effects in mammalian cells in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, C.K.; Han, A.; Elkind, M.M.; Wells, R.L.; Buess, E.M.; Lin, C.M.

    1985-01-01

    The purpose of this research effort is to elucidate the mechanisms for the radiation-induced changes in mammalian cells that lead to cell death, mutation, neoplastic transformation, DNA damage, and chromosomal alterations. Of particular interest are the effects of low-dose-rate and fractionated irradiation on these end points with respect to the mechanisms whereby these effects are influenced by cellular repair processes, inhibitors, and promoters that act at the genetic or biochemical level. 17 refs

  14. Novel Synthetic Medea selfish genetic elements drive population replacement in Drosophila, and a theoretical exploration of Medea-dependent population suppression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbari, Omar S.; Chen, Chun-Hong; Marshall, John M.; Huang, Haixia; Antoshechkin, Igor; Hay, Bruce A.

    2013-01-01

    Insects act as vectors for diseases of plants, animals and humans. Replacement of wild insect populations with genetically modified individuals unable to transmit disease provides a potentially self-perpetuating method of disease prevention. Population replacement requires a gene drive mechanism in order to spread linked genes mediating disease refractoriness through wild populations. We previously reported the creation of synthetic Medea selfish genetic elements able to drive population replacement in Drosophila. These elements use microRNA-mediated silencing of myd88, a maternally expressed gene required for embryonic dorso-ventral pattern formation, coupled with early zygotic expression of a rescuing transgene, to bring about gene drive. Medea elements that work through additional mechanisms are needed in order to be able to carry out cycles of population replacement and/or remove existing transgenes from the population, using second-generation elements that spread while driving first-generation elements out of the population. Here we report the synthesis and population genetic behavior of two new synthetic Medea elements that drive population replacement through manipulation of signaling pathways involved in cellular blastoderm formation or Notch signaling, demonstrating that in Drosophila Medea elements can be generated through manipulation of diverse signaling pathways. We also describe the mRNA and small RNA changes in ovaries and early embryos associated from Medea-bearing females. Finally, we use modeling to illustrate how Medea elements carrying genes that result in diapause-dependent female lethality could be used to bring about population suppression. PMID:23654248

  15. Approaches to chemical synthetic biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiarabelli, Cristiano; Stano, Pasquale; Anella, Fabrizio; Carrara, Paolo; Luisi, Pier Luigi

    2012-07-16

    Synthetic biology is first represented in terms of two complementary aspects, the bio-engineering one, based on the genetic manipulation of extant microbial forms in order to obtain forms of life which do not exist in nature; and the chemical synthetic biology, an approach mostly based on chemical manipulation for the laboratory synthesis of biological structures that do not exist in nature. The paper is mostly devoted to shortly review chemical synthetic biology projects currently carried out in our laboratory. In particular, we describe: the minimal cell project, then the "Never Born Proteins" and lastly the Never Born RNAs. We describe and critically analyze the main results, emphasizing the possible relevance of chemical synthetic biology for the progress in basic science and biotechnology. Copyright © 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. 1999 Gordon Research Conference on Mammalian DNA Repair. Final Progress Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    NONE

    1999-01-01

    This Conference will examine DNA repair as the key component in genomic surveillance that is so crucial to the overall integrity and function of mammalian cells. Recent discoveries have catapulted the field of DNA repair into a pivotal position for fundamental investigations into oncology, aging, environmental health, and developmental biology. We hope to highlight the most promising and exciting avenues of research in robust discussions at this conference. This Mammalian DNA Repair Gordon Conference differs from the past conferences in this series, in which the programs were broader in scope, with respect to topics and biological systems covered. A conference sponsored by the Genetics Society in April 1998 emphasized recombinational mechanisms for double-strand break repair and the role of mismatch repair deficiency in colorectal cancer. These topics will therefore receive somewhat less emphasis in the upcoming Conference. In view of the recent mechanistic advances in mammalian DNA repair, an upcoming comprehensive DNA repair meeting next autumn at Hilton Head; and the limited enrollment for Gordon Conferences we have decided to focus session-by-session on particular areas of controversy and/or new developments specifically in mammalian systems. Thus, the principal presentations will draw upon results from other cellular systems only to the extent that they impact our understanding of mammalian DNA repair

  17. 1999 Gordon Research Conference on Mammalian DNA Repair. Final Progress Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1999-02-12

    This Conference will examine DNA repair as the key component in genomic surveillance that is so crucial to the overall integrity and function of mammalian cells. Recent discoveries have catapulted the field of DNA repair into a pivotal position for fundamental investigations into oncology, aging, environmental health, and developmental biology. We hope to highlight the most promising and exciting avenues of research in robust discussions at this conference. This Mammalian DNA Repair Gordon Conference differs from the past conferences in this series, in which the programs were broader in scope, with respect to topics and biological systems covered. A conference sponsored by the Genetics Society in April 1998 emphasized recombinational mechanisms for double-strand break repair and the role of mismatch repair deficiency in colorectal cancer. These topics will therefore receive somewhat less emphasis in the upcoming Conference. In view of the recent mechanistic advances in mammalian DNA repair, an upcoming comprehensive DNA repair meeting next autumn at Hilton Head; and the limited enrollment for Gordon Conferences we have decided to focus session-by-session on particular areas of controversy and/or new developments specifically in mammalian systems. Thus, the principal presentations will draw upon results from other cellular systems only to the extent that they impact our understanding of mammalian DNA repair.

  18. A Blueprint for a Synthetic Genetic Feedback Controller to Reprogram Cell Fate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Vecchio, Domitilla; Abdallah, Hussein; Qian, Yili; Collins, James J

    2017-01-25

    To artificially reprogram cell fate, experimentalists manipulate the gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that maintain a cell's phenotype. In practice, reprogramming is often performed by constant overexpression of specific transcription factors (TFs). This process can be unreliable and inefficient. Here, we address this problem by introducing a new approach to reprogramming based on mathematical analysis. We demonstrate that reprogramming GRNs using constant overexpression may not succeed in general. Instead, we propose an alternative reprogramming strategy: a synthetic genetic feedback controller that dynamically steers the concentration of a GRN's key TFs to any desired value. The controller works by adjusting TF expression based on the discrepancy between desired and actual TF concentrations. Theory predicts that this reprogramming strategy is guaranteed to succeed, and its performance is independent of the GRN's structure and parameters, provided that feedback gain is sufficiently high. As a case study, we apply the controller to a model of induced pluripotency in stem cells. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Factors affecting the spontaneous mutational spectra in somatic mammalian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    О.А. Ковальова

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available  In our survey of references we are discussed the influence of factors biological origin on the spontaneous mutation specters in mammalian. Seasonal and age components influence on the frequence of cytogenetic anomalies. The immune and endocrinous systems are take part in control of the alteration of the spontaneous mutation specters. Genetical difference of sensibility in animal and human at the alteration of factors enviroment as and  genetical differences of repair systems activity are may influence on individual variation of spontaneous destabilization characters of chromosomal apparatus.

  20. Programming Morphogenesis through Systems and Synthetic Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velazquez, Jeremy J; Su, Emily; Cahan, Patrick; Ebrahimkhani, Mo R

    2018-04-01

    Mammalian tissue development is an intricate, spatiotemporal process of self-organization that emerges from gene regulatory networks of differentiating stem cells. A major goal in stem cell biology is to gain a sufficient understanding of gene regulatory networks and cell-cell interactions to enable the reliable and robust engineering of morphogenesis. Here, we review advances in synthetic biology, single cell genomics, and multiscale modeling, which, when synthesized, provide a framework to achieve the ambitious goal of programming morphogenesis in complex tissues and organoids. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Performance Evaluation of Electro-Fenton Process (EFP in Removal of Hexavalent Chromium in the Presence of Cyanide, as an Interfering Agent, from Synthetic Wastewaters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Reza Rahmani

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Chromium (VI is a hazardous pollutant that enters into the environment through different industrial wastewater. Therefore, Choice a suitable method for removal of the pollutant before discharging into the environment is necessary. The aim of this work was performance evaluation of Electro-Fenton process (EFP in removal of hexavalent chromium in the presence of cyanide, as an interfering agent, from synthetic wastewaters. Methods: In this experimental study, a reactor with 1 L useful volume and 4 electrodes made ​​of iron was used. pH, initial concentration of  chromium (VI, voltage, hydrogen peroxide and cyanide concentration, as an interfering agent, were investigated in order to determine the process efficiency. Results: Results reveals that the considered parameters were affected on the efficiency of the process. In optimum condition, pH=3 and voltage=20 V, initial concentration=100 mg/L, concentration of hydrogen peroxide=50 mL/L the maximum efficiency was reached up to 97%. Cyanide Presence, in the same condition, reduced the efficiency under 50 % and also, the efficiency was decreased by changing the parameters level from optimum condition. Conclusion: Results indicate the proper efficiency of chromium (VI by EFP process; however presence of other pollutants such as cyanide can cause efficiency decrease which must be considered in the process application.

  2. Synthetic Biology: Applications in the Food Sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyagi, Ashish; Kumar, Ashwani; Aparna, S V; Mallappa, Rashmi H; Grover, Sunita; Batish, Virender Kumar

    2016-08-17

    Synthetic biology also termed as "genomic alchemy" represents a powerful area of science that is based on the convergence of biological sciences with systems engineering. It has been fittingly described as "moving from reading the genetic code to writing it" as it focuses on building, modeling, designing and fabricating novel biological systems using customized gene components that result in artificially created genetic circuitry. The scientifically compelling idea of the technological manipulation of life has been advocated since long time. Realization of this idea has gained momentum with development of high speed automation and the falling cost of gene sequencing and synthesis following the completion of the human genome project. Synthetic biology will certainly be instrumental in shaping the development of varying areas ranging from biomedicine, biopharmaceuticals, chemical production, food and dairy quality monitoring, packaging, and storage of food and dairy products, bioremediation and bioenergy production, etc. However, potential dangers of using synthetic life forms have to be acknowledged and adoption of policies by the scientific community to ensure safe practice while making important advancements in the ever expanding field of synthetic biology is to be fully supported and implemented.

  3. Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array Type L-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) mosaic for the Kahiltna terrane, Alaska, 2007-2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Christopher J.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Graham, Garth E.

    2015-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has initiated a multi-disciplinary study investigating the applicability of remote sensing technologies for geologic mapping and identification of prospective areas for base and precious metal deposits in remote parts of Alaska. The Kahiltna terrane in southwestern Alaska was selected for investigation because of its known mineral deposits and potential for additional mineral resources. An assortment of technologies is being investigated to aid in remote analysis of terrain, and includes imaging spectroscopy (hyperspectral remote sensing), high spatial resolution electro-optical imagery, and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). However, there are significant challenges to applying imaging spectroscopy and electro-optical imagery technologies in this area because of the low solar angle for parts of the year, seasonal periods of darkness and snow cover, and the frequently cloudy weather that characterizes Alaska. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) was selected because this technology does not rely on solar illumination and has all-weather capability.

  4. Medically relevant ElectroNeedle technology development.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schmidt, Carrie Frances; Thomas, Michael Loren; McClain, Jaime L.; Harper, Jason C.; Achyuthan, Komandoor E.; Ten Eyck, Gregory A.

    2008-11-01

    ElectroNeedles technology was developed as part of an earlier Grand Challenge effort on Bio-Micro Fuel Cell project. During this earlier work, the fabrication of the ElectroNeedles was accomplished along with proof-of-concept work on several electrochemically active analytes such as glucose, quinone and ferricyanide. Additionally, earlier work demonstrated technology potential in the field of immunosensors by specifically detecting Troponin, a cardiac biomarker. The current work focused upon fabrication process reproducibility of the ElectroNeedles and then using the devices to sensitively detect p-cresol, a biomarker for kidney failure or nephrotoxicity. Valuable lessons were learned regarding fabrication assurance and quality. The detection of p-cresol was accomplished by electrochemistry as well as using fluorescence to benchmark ElectroNeedles performance. Results from these studies will serve as a guide for the future fabrication processes involving ElectroNeedles as well as provide the groundwork necessary to expand technology applications. One paper has been accepted for publication acknowledging LDRD funding (K. E. Achyuthan et al, Comb. Chem. & HTS, 2008). We are exploring the scope for a second paper describing the applications potential of this technology.

  5. Radiation- induced aneuploidy in mammalian germ cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tease, C.

    1989-01-01

    The ability of ionizing radiation to induce aneuploidy in mammalian germ cells has been investigated experimentally in the laboratory mouse using a variety of cytogenetic and genetic methods. These studies have provided unambiguous evidence of induced nondisjunction in both male and female germ cells when the effect of irradiation is screened in meiotic cells or preimplantation embryos. In contrast, however, cytogenetic analyses of post-implantation embryos and genetic assays for induced chromosome gains have not found a significant radiation effect. These apparently contradictory findings may be reconciled if (a) radiation induces tertiary rather than primary trisomy, or (b) induces embryo-lethal genetic damage, such as deletions, in addition to numerical anomalies. Either or both of these explanations may account for the apparent loss during gestation of radiation-induced trisomic embryos. Extrapolating from the information so far available, it seems unlikely that environmental exposure to low doses if low dose rate radiation will result in a detectable increase in the rate of aneuploidy in the human population. (author)

  6. Philosophy of Systems and Synthetic Biology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Green, Sara

    2017-01-01

    This entry aims to clarify how systems and synthetic biology contribute to and extend discussions within philosophy of science. Unlike fields such as developmental biology or molecular biology, systems and synthetic biology are not easily demarcated by a focus on a specific subject area or level...... of organization. Rather, they are characterized by the development and application of mathematical, computational, and synthetic modeling strategies in response to complex problems and challenges within the life sciences. Proponents of systems and synthetic biology often stress the necessity of a perspective...... that goes beyond the scope of molecular biology and genetic engineering, respectively. With the emphasis on systems and interaction networks, the approaches explicitly engage in one of the oldest philosophical discussions on the relationship between parts and wholes, or between reductionism and holism...

  7. Synthetic smooth muscle in the outer blood plexus of the rhinarium skin of Lemur catta L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elofsson, Rolf; Kröger, Ronald H H

    2017-01-01

    The skin of the lemur nose tip (rhinarium) has arterioles in the outer vascular plexus that are endowed with an unusual coat of smooth muscle cells. Comparison with the arterioles of the same area in a number of unrelated mammalians shows that the lemur pattern is unique. The vascular smooth muscle cells belong to the synthetic type. The function of synthetic smooth muscles around the terminal vessels in the lemur rhinarium is unclear but may have additional functions beyond regulation of vessel diameter.

  8. Robust Position Control of Electro-mechanical Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Rong Mei; Mou Chen

    2013-01-01

    In this work, the robust position control scheme is proposed for the electro-mechanical system using the disturbance observer and backstepping control method. To the external unknown load of the electro-mechanical system, the nonlinear disturbance observer is given to estimate the external unknown load. Combining the output of the developed nonlinear disturbance observer with backstepping technology, the robust position control scheme is proposed for the electro-mechanical system. The stabili...

  9. Synthetic Botany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boehm, Christian R; Pollak, Bernardo; Purswani, Nuri; Patron, Nicola; Haseloff, Jim

    2017-07-05

    Plants are attractive platforms for synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. Plants' modular and plastic body plans, capacity for photosynthesis, extensive secondary metabolism, and agronomic systems for large-scale production make them ideal targets for genetic reprogramming. However, efforts in this area have been constrained by slow growth, long life cycles, the requirement for specialized facilities, a paucity of efficient tools for genetic manipulation, and the complexity of multicellularity. There is a need for better experimental and theoretical frameworks to understand the way genetic networks, cellular populations, and tissue-wide physical processes interact at different scales. We highlight new approaches to the DNA-based manipulation of plants and the use of advanced quantitative imaging techniques in simple plant models such as Marchantia polymorpha. These offer the prospects of improved understanding of plant dynamics and new approaches to rational engineering of plant traits. Copyright © 2017 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  10. Molecular Cloning Designer Simulator (MCDS: All-in-one molecular cloning and genetic engineering design, simulation and management software for complex synthetic biology and metabolic engineering projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhenyu Shi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Molecular Cloning Designer Simulator (MCDS is a powerful new all-in-one cloning and genetic engineering design, simulation and management software platform developed for complex synthetic biology and metabolic engineering projects. In addition to standard functions, it has a number of features that are either unique, or are not found in combination in any one software package: (1 it has a novel interactive flow-chart user interface for complex multi-step processes, allowing an integrated overview of the whole project; (2 it can perform a user-defined workflow of cloning steps in a single execution of the software; (3 it can handle multiple types of genetic recombineering, a technique that is rapidly replacing classical cloning for many applications; (4 it includes experimental information to conveniently guide wet lab work; and (5 it can store results and comments to allow the tracking and management of the whole project in one platform. MCDS is freely available from https://mcds.codeplex.com. Keywords: BioCAD, Genetic engineering software, Molecular cloning software, Synthetic biology, Workflow simulation and management

  11. Electro-Synthetic Optimization of Host Material Based on MIL-100(Fe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Witri Wahyu Lestari

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Electro-synthesis of Metal-Organic Frameworks types of MIL-100(Fe (MIL = Material Institute of Lavoisier in ethanol: water (1: 1 with electrolyte TBATFB 0.1 M has been optimized by varying voltage (12, 13, 14 and 15 Volt and temperature (room temperature, 40, 60 and 80 °C. The product showed light brown powder which upon activation becomes dark brown. Optimum condition achieved during use voltage of 15 Volts and at a temperature of 40 °C with 33% yield. The obtained material was characterized by XRD and compared to CCDC 640536 simulated patterns to confirm the phase purity of the product. As comparison hydrothermal and reflux method have been carried out. Characterization by FTIR has also undertaken to ensure the coordination between the metal cation (Fe3+ and the BTC ligand (BTC = 1,3,5-Benzene Tri Carboxylate. Meanwhile pore analysis using SAA confirmed that MIL-100(Fe obtained by electrolysis method has a BET surface area reached till 569.191 m²/g with a total pore volume of 0.4540 cc/g and an average pore diameter reached 16 Å. Based on SEM analysis, morphology material show particle size between 0.4-8.6 μm and has a thermal stability up to 350 °C according thermo-gravimetric analysis. Due to the presence of Lewis acid sites on Fe-trimeric unit, porosity features on MIL-100(Fe and a fairly high thermal stability, this material is potentially used as the host material for the catalyst in the conversion reactions model for green diesel production.

  12. Synthetic biology for pharmaceutical drug discovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trosset JY

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Jean-Yves Trosset,1 Pablo Carbonell2,3 1Bioinformation Research Laboratory, Sup’Biotech, Villejuif, France; 2Faculty of Life Sciences, SYNBIOCHEM Centre, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; 3Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (DCEXS, Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF, Barcelona, Spain Abstract: Synthetic biology (SB is an emerging discipline, which is slowly reorienting the field of drug discovery. For thousands of years, living organisms such as plants were the major source of human medicines. The difficulty in resynthesizing natural products, however, often turned pharmaceutical industries away from this rich source for human medicine. More recently, progress on transformation through genetic manipulation of biosynthetic units in microorganisms has opened the possibility of in-depth exploration of the large chemical space of natural products derivatives. Success of SB in drug synthesis culminated with the bioproduction of artemisinin by microorganisms, a tour de force in protein and metabolic engineering. Today, synthetic cells are not only used as biofactories but also used as cell-based screening platforms for both target-based and phenotypic-based approaches. Engineered genetic circuits in synthetic cells are also used to decipher disease mechanisms or drug mechanism of actions and to study cell–cell communication within bacteria consortia. This review presents latest developments of SB in the field of drug discovery, including some challenging issues such as drug resistance and drug toxicity. Keywords: metabolic engineering, plant synthetic biology, natural products, synthetic quorum sensing, drug resistance

  13. Extinction of mammalian populations in conservation units of the Brazilian Cerrado by inbreeding depression in stochastic environments

    OpenAIRE

    Silva, Marcel Müller Fernandes Pereira da; Diniz-Filho, José Alexandre Felizola

    2008-01-01

    Despite methodological and theoretical advances in conservation genetics, data on genetic variation on broad regional spatial scales are still scarce, leading conservation planners to use general heuristic or simulation models for an integrated analysis of genetic, demographic and landscape parameters. Here, we extended previous results by evaluating spatial patterns of extinction by inbreeding depression under stochastic variation of environments for mammalian populations in 31 conservation ...

  14. Electro-active sensor, method for constructing the same; apparatus and circuitry for detection of electro-active species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buehler, Martin (Inventor)

    2009-01-01

    An electro-active sensor includes a nonconductive platform with a first electrode set attached with a first side of a nonconductive platform. The first electrode set serves as an electrochemical cell that may be utilized to detect electro-active species in solution. A plurality of electrode sets and a variety of additional electrochemical cells and sensors may be attached with the nonconductive platform. The present invention also includes a method for constructing the aforementioned electro-active sensor. Additionally, an apparatus for detection and observation is disclosed, where the apparatus includes a sealable chamber for insertion of a portion of an electro-active sensor. The apparatus allows for monitoring and detection activities. Allowing for control of attached cells and sensors, a dual-mode circuitry is also disclosed. The dual-mode circuitry includes a switch, allowing the circuitry to be switched from a potentiostat to a galvanostat mode.

  15. Prdm9 Controls Activation of Mammalian Recombination Hotspots

    OpenAIRE

    Parvanov, Emil D.; Petkov, Petko M.; Paigen, Kenneth

    2009-01-01

    Mammalian meiotic recombination, which preferentially occurs at specialized sites called hotspots, assures the orderly segregation of meiotic chromosomes and creates genetic variation among offspring. A locus on mouse Chr 17, that controls activation of recombination at multiple distant hotspots, has been mapped within a 181 Kb interval, three of whose genes can be eliminated as candidates. The remaining gene, Prdm9, codes for a zinc finger containing histone H3K4 trimethylase that is uniquel...

  16. Improved Alkane Production in Nitrogen-Fixing and Halotolerant Cyanobacteria via Abiotic Stresses and Genetic Manipulation of Alkane Synthetic Genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kageyama, Hakuto; Waditee-Sirisattha, Rungaroon; Sirisattha, Sophon; Tanaka, Yoshito; Mahakhant, Aparat; Takabe, Teruhiro

    2015-07-01

    Cyanobacteria possess the unique capacity to produce alkane. In this study, effects of nitrogen deficiency and salt stress on biosynthesis of alkanes were investigated in three kinds of cyanobacteria. Intracellular alkane accumulation was increased in nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC7120, but decreased in non-diazotrophic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 and constant in a halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica under nitrogen-deficient condition. We also found that salt stress increased alkane accumulation in Anabaena sp. PCC7120 and A. halophytica. The expression levels of two alkane synthetic genes were not upregulated significantly under nitrogen deficiency or salt stress in Anabaena sp. PCC7120. The transformant Anabaena sp. PCC7120 cells with additional alkane synthetic gene set from A. halophytica increased intracellular alkane accumulation level compared to control cells. These results provide a prospect to improve bioproduction of alkanes in nitrogen-fixing halotolerant cyanobacteria via abiotic stresses and genetic engineering.

  17. 40 CFR 798.5385 - In vivo mammalian bone marrow cytogenetics tests: Chromosomal analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Genetic Toxicity § 798.5385 In vivo mammalian bone marrow cytogenetics tests: Chromosomal analysis. (a... chosen for the test. Slides shall be coded before microscopic analysis. (f) Data and report—(1) Treatment... cytogenetics tests: Chromosomal analysis. 798.5385 Section 798.5385 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

  18. Enhanced methanol electro-oxidation activity of Pt/MWCNTs electro-catalyst using manganese oxide deposited on MWCNTs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nouralishahi, Amideddin; Khodadadi, Abbas Ali; Mortazavi, Yadollah; Rashidi, Alimorad; Choolaei, Mohammadmehdi

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Promoting effects of manganese oxide (MnO x ) on methanol electro-oxidation over Pt/MWCNTs are studied. • 3.3 times higher activity and improved stability are observed on Pt/MnO x -MWCNTs in MOR. • Both hydrogen spill over and bi-functional mechanism are facilitated in presence of MnO x . • MnO x significantly enhances electrochemical active surface area and dispersion of Pt nanoparticles. • Proton conductivity of electrocatalyst layer is improved upon MnO x incorporation. - Abstract: Electro-oxidation of methanol on platinum nanoparticles supported on a nanocomposite of manganese oxide (MnO x ) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is investigated. The morphology, structure, and chemical composition of the electro-catalysts are characterized by TEM, XRD, EDS, TGA, and H 2 -TPR. The electro-catalytic properties of electrodes are examined by cyclic voltammetry, CO-stripping, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). Compared to Pt/MWCNTs, the Pt/MnO x -MWCNTs electro-catalyst exhibits about 3.3 times higher forward peak current density, during cyclic voltammetry, and 4.6 times higher exchange current density in methanol electro-oxidation reaction. In addition, deposition of manganese oxide onto MWCNTs dramatically increases the electrochemical active surface area from 29.7 for Pt/MWCNTs to 89.4 m 2 g −1 Pt for Pt/MnO x -MWCNTs. The results of long-term cyclic voltammetry show superior stability of Pt nanoparticles upon addition of manganese oxide to the support. Furthermore, the kinetics of formation of the chemisorbed OH groups improves upon manganese oxide incorporation. This leads to a lower onset potential of CO ads oxidation on Pt/MnO x -MWCNTs than on Pt/MWCNTs

  19. Transcriptomic insights into the genetic basis of mammalian limb diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maier, Jennifer A; Rivas-Astroza, Marcelo; Deng, Jenny; Dowling, Anna; Oboikovitz, Paige; Cao, Xiaoyi; Behringer, Richard R; Cretekos, Chris J; Rasweiler, John J; Zhong, Sheng; Sears, Karen E

    2017-03-23

    From bat wings to whale flippers, limb diversification has been crucial to the evolutionary success of mammals. We performed the first transcriptome-wide study of limb development in multiple species to explore the hypothesis that mammalian limb diversification has proceeded through the differential expression of conserved shared genes, rather than by major changes to limb patterning. Specifically, we investigated the manner in which the expression of shared genes has evolved within and among mammalian species. We assembled and compared transcriptomes of bat, mouse, opossum, and pig fore- and hind limbs at the ridge, bud, and paddle stages of development. Results suggest that gene expression patterns exhibit larger variation among species during later than earlier stages of limb development, while within species results are more mixed. Consistent with the former, results also suggest that genes expressed at later developmental stages tend to have a younger evolutionary age than genes expressed at earlier stages. A suite of key limb-patterning genes was identified as being differentially expressed among the homologous limbs of all species. However, only a small subset of shared genes is differentially expressed in the fore- and hind limbs of all examined species. Similarly, a small subset of shared genes is differentially expressed within the fore- and hind limb of a single species and among the forelimbs of different species. Taken together, results of this study do not support the existence of a phylotypic period of limb development ending at chondrogenesis, but do support the hypothesis that the hierarchical nature of development translates into increasing variation among species as development progresses.

  20. A biotin-triggered genetic switch in mammalian cells and mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Wilfried; Lienhart, Cédric; Baba, Marie Daoud-El; Fussenegger, Martin

    2009-03-01

    Adjustable and reversible transgene expression systems enabling precise control of metabolic pathways and tunable production of specific target proteins have been essential for conditional reprogramming of mammalian cells to achieve progress in basic and applied bioengineering disciplines. Most of the currently available transgene control modalities have been designed to be responsive to clinically licensed pharmacologically active drugs which were expected to prevail in future clinical trials yet raised concerns about side effects when administered long term at subclinical doses. We have chosen vitamin H, also known as biotin, to control target gene transcription in mammalian cells in a potentially side effect-free manner. BirA, the Escherichia coli repressor of the biotin biosynthesis operon, was fused to the Herpes simplex transactivation domain to generate a biotin-dependent transactivator(BIT), which, in the presence of biotin, binds and activates chimeric target promoters (P(BIT)) harboring BirA-specific operator sites 5' of a minimal promoter. Biotin-inducible transgene expression was functional in a variety of rodent, monkey and human cell lines, showed excellent adjustability and reversibility in transgenic Chinese hamster ovary cell lines, provided precise product gene control in standard bioreactor cultures and enabled dose-dependent vitamin H control of a human glycoprotein in mice. The combination of a side effect-free inducer, precise and reversible transcription tunability and broad functionality in different cell types as well as in entire animals represents a unique asset for the use of biotin-inducible transgene control in future gene therapy, tissue engineering and biopharmaceutical manufacturing scenarios.

  1. Synthetic biology approaches: Towards sustainable exploitation of marine bioactive molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seghal Kiran, G; Ramasamy, Pasiyappazham; Sekar, Sivasankari; Ramu, Meenatchi; Hassan, Saqib; Ninawe, A S; Selvin, Joseph

    2018-06-01

    The discovery of genes responsible for the production of bioactive metabolites via metabolic pathways combined with the advances in synthetic biology tools, has allowed the establishment of numerous microbial cell factories, for instance the yeast cell factories, for the manufacture of highly useful metabolites from renewable biomass. Genome mining and metagenomics are two platforms provide base-line data for reconstruction of genomes and metabolomes which is based in the development of synthetic/semi-synthetic genomes for marine natural products discovery. Engineered biofilms are being innovated on synthetic biology platform using genetic circuits and cell signalling systems as represillators controlling biofilm formation. Recombineering is a process of homologous recombination mediated genetic engineering, includes insertion, deletion or modification of any sequence specifically. Although this discipline considered new to the scientific domain, this field has now developed as promising endeavor on the accomplishment of sustainable exploitation of marine natural products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Integrating biological redesign: where synthetic biology came from and where it needs to go.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Way, Jeffrey C; Collins, James J; Keasling, Jay D; Silver, Pamela A

    2014-03-27

    Synthetic biology seeks to extend approaches from engineering and computation to redesign of biology, with goals such as generating new chemicals, improving human health, and addressing environmental issues. Early on, several guiding principles of synthetic biology were articulated, including design according to specification, separation of design from fabrication, use of standardized biological parts and organisms, and abstraction. We review the utility of these principles over the past decade in light of the field's accomplishments in building complex systems based on microbial transcription and metabolism and describe the progress in mammalian cell engineering. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. An obligatory role of mind bomb-1 in notch signaling of mammalian development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bon-Kyoung Koo

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available The Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved intercellular signaling module essential for cell fate specification that requires endocytosis of Notch ligands. Structurally distinct E3 ubiquitin ligases, Neuralized (Neur and Mind bomb (Mib, cooperatively regulate the endocytosis of Notch ligands in Drosophila. However, the respective roles of the mammalian E3 ubiquitin ligases, Neur1, Neur2, Mib1, and Mib2, in mammalian development are poorly understood.Through extensive use of mammalian genetics, here we show that Neur1 and Neur2 double mutants and Mib2(-/- mice were viable and grossly normal. In contrast, conditional inactivation of Mib1 in various tissues revealed the representative Notch phenotypes: defects of arterial specification as deltalike4 mutants, abnormal cerebellum and skin development as jagged1 conditional mutants, and syndactylism as jagged2 mutants.Our data provide the first evidence that Mib1 is essential for Jagged as well as Deltalike ligand-mediated Notch signaling in mammalian development, while Neur1, Neur2, and Mib2 are dispensable.

  4. Control theory meets synthetic biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Vecchio, Domitilla; Dy, Aaron J; Qian, Yili

    2016-07-01

    The past several years have witnessed an increased presence of control theoretic concepts in synthetic biology. This review presents an organized summary of how these control design concepts have been applied to tackle a variety of problems faced when building synthetic biomolecular circuits in living cells. In particular, we describe success stories that demonstrate how simple or more elaborate control design methods can be used to make the behaviour of synthetic genetic circuits within a single cell or across a cell population more reliable, predictable and robust to perturbations. The description especially highlights technical challenges that uniquely arise from the need to implement control designs within a new hardware setting, along with implemented or proposed solutions. Some engineering solutions employing complex feedback control schemes are also described, which, however, still require a deeper theoretical analysis of stability, performance and robustness properties. Overall, this paper should help synthetic biologists become familiar with feedback control concepts as they can be used in their application area. At the same time, it should provide some domain knowledge to control theorists who wish to enter the rising and exciting field of synthetic biology. © 2016 The Author(s).

  5. Tertiary treatment of landfill leachate by an integrated Electro-Oxidation/Electro-Coagulation/Electro-Reduction process: Performance and mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Jing; Wei, Liangliang; Huang, Huibin; Zhao, Qingliang; Hou, Weizhu; Kabutey, Felix Tetteh; Yuan, Yixing; Dionysiou, Dionysios D

    2018-06-05

    This study presents an integrated Electro-Oxidation/Electro-Coagulation/Electro-Reduction (EO/EC/ER) process for tertiary landfill leachate treatment. The influence of variables including leachate characteristics and operation conditions on the performance of EO/EC/ER process was evaluated. The removal mechanisms were explored by comparing results of anode, cathode, and bipolar electrode substitution experiments. The performance of the process in a scaled-up reactor was investigated to assure the feasibility of the process. Results showed that simultaneous removal of carbonaceous and nitrogenous pollutants was achieved under optimal conditions. Ammonia removal was due to the free chlorine generation of EO while organic matter degradation was achieved by both EO and EC processes. Nitrate removal was attributed to both ER and EC processes, with the higher removal achieved by ER process. In a scaled-up reactor, the EO/EC/ER process was able to remove 50-60% organic matter and 100% ammonia at charge of 1.5 Ah/L with energy consumption of 15 kW h/m 3 . Considering energy cost, the process is more efficient to meet the requirement of organic removal efficiency less than 70%. These results show the feasibility and potential of the EO/EC/ER process as an alternative tertiary treatment to achieve the simultaneous removal of organic matter, ammonia, nitrate, and color of leachate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Photoinduced electro-optics measurements of biosilica transformation to cristobalite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fuchs, Ido [Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900 (Israel); Aluma, Yaniv; Ilan, Micha [Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801 (Israel); Kityk, Iwan [Institute of Electronic Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czestochowa University, Czestochowa 42-201 (Poland); Mastai, Yitzhak, E-mail: Yitzhak.Mastai@biu.ac.il [Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900 (Israel)

    2015-03-15

    In this paper we studied the photoinduced electro optics effects in the thermal transformation process of biosilica to cristobalite, at a relatively low temperature and ambient pressure. This process was characterized by a variety of standards techniques with emphasis on linear electro optic effect measurements. Overall we demonstrated that photoinduced electro optics measurements are very sensitive to the transformation from amorphous structure of silica in the natural sponge samples to laminar string morphology of cristobalite. With this technique we could probe the change in the samples chirality from achiral bio silica to chiral cristobalite structure. Furthermore it is shown that natural biosilica have photoinduced linear electro optics respond indicating the chiral natural of biosilica. - Graphical abstract: The phase transformation of biosilica from marine sponges to Cristobalite under thermal treatment was investigated using photoinduced electro optics measurements. The figure shows the changes of the electro-optic coefficient of cristobalite and biosilica. - Highlights: • We examine phase transformation of biosilica. • We report transition from amorphous biosilica to crystalline Cristobalite. • Biosilica transformation to Cristobalite at temperature of 850 °C. • Biosilica transformation is studied with photoinduced measurements. • We examine changes in the photoinduced linear electro optics properties.

  7. Photoinduced electro-optics measurements of biosilica transformation to cristobalite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuchs, Ido; Aluma, Yaniv; Ilan, Micha; Kityk, Iwan; Mastai, Yitzhak

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we studied the photoinduced electro optics effects in the thermal transformation process of biosilica to cristobalite, at a relatively low temperature and ambient pressure. This process was characterized by a variety of standards techniques with emphasis on linear electro optic effect measurements. Overall we demonstrated that photoinduced electro optics measurements are very sensitive to the transformation from amorphous structure of silica in the natural sponge samples to laminar string morphology of cristobalite. With this technique we could probe the change in the samples chirality from achiral bio silica to chiral cristobalite structure. Furthermore it is shown that natural biosilica have photoinduced linear electro optics respond indicating the chiral natural of biosilica. - Graphical abstract: The phase transformation of biosilica from marine sponges to Cristobalite under thermal treatment was investigated using photoinduced electro optics measurements. The figure shows the changes of the electro-optic coefficient of cristobalite and biosilica. - Highlights: • We examine phase transformation of biosilica. • We report transition from amorphous biosilica to crystalline Cristobalite. • Biosilica transformation to Cristobalite at temperature of 850 °C. • Biosilica transformation is studied with photoinduced measurements. • We examine changes in the photoinduced linear electro optics properties

  8. Synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Som, Abhigyan; Vemparala, Satyavani; Ivanov, Ivaylo; Tew, Gregory N

    2008-01-01

    Infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance are now considered the most imperative global healthcare problem. In the search for new treatments, host defense, or antimicrobial, peptides have attracted considerable attention due to their various unique properties; however, attempts to develop in vivo therapies have been severely limited. Efforts to develop synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides (SMAMPs) have increased significantly in the last decade, and this review will focus primarily on the structural evolution of SMAMPs and their membrane activity. This review will attempt to make a bridge between the design of SMAMPs and the fundamentals of SMAMP-membrane interactions. In discussions regarding the membrane interaction of SMAMPs, close attention will be paid to the lipid composition of the bilayer. Despite many years of study, the exact conformational aspects responsible for the high selectivity of these AMPs and SMAMPs toward bacterial cells over mammalian cells are still not fully understood. The ability to design SMAMPs that are potently antimicrobial, yet nontoxic to mammalian cells has been demonstrated with a variety of molecular scaffolds. Initial animal studies show very good tissue distribution along with more than a 4-log reduction in bacterial counts. The results on SMAMPs are not only extremely promising for novel antibiotics, but also provide an optimistic picture for the greater challenge of general proteomimetics.

  9. Interference of a synthetic C18 juvenile hormone with mammalian cells in vitro, I. Effects on growth and morphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zielińska, Z M; Laskowska-Bozek, H; Jastreboff, P

    1978-01-01

    Some of structural and functional analogs of juvenile hormones are now under field examinations as growth inhibitors of some pest-insect populations. So far however very little is known about the possible interference of these compounds with mammalian cells or organisms. In this research the interference of a synthetic preparation of the insect C18 juvenile hormone with mouse embryo fibroblasts (ME-cells) and mouse cells of an established line (L-cells) was studied. Aliquots of juvenile hormone solution or those of the solvent (DMSO plus ethanol, 9:1) were included into the culture medium and after defined times of contact the cells were tested for their morphology, pattern of growth, proliferation rate and viability. The data for the parameters under examination were evaluated by means of the analysis of variance and checked by the Tuckey test. The sensitivity of ME-cells and L-cells to the agent tested was compared by means of the analysis of variance of the data for mitotic indices of these cells and by evaluation of the number of dead cells in cultures under the particular conditions of the experiments. The main findings can be summarized as follows: 1. Cells of both types are evidently more sensitive to juvenile hormone than to the solvent. 2. ME-cells are more sensitive to both agents than are L-cells. 3. The concentrations of the hormone in the medium required to evoked the cytocidal effect on the mouse cells similarly as those affecting some insect non-target cells were far above concentrations found in insect blood, but they were of the same order of magnitude as those used in physiological experiments with insect organs in vitro.

  10. 40 CFR 798.5395 - In vivo mammalian bone marrow cytogenetics tests: Micronucleus assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Genetic Toxicity § 798.5395 In vivo mammalian bone marrow cytogenetics tests: Micronucleus assay. (a... and documented with data, only this one time point need be sampled. (ii) If a repeated treatment... slides, spread as a smear and stained. (2) Analysis. Slides shall be coded before microscopic analysis...

  11. Direct electro-optic effect in langasites and α-quartz

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivanov, Vadim

    2018-05-01

    Strain-constant (clamped) electro-optic coefficients r11S of langasite La3Ga5SiO14 (LGS), langatate La3Ga5.5Ta0.5O14 (LGT), catangasite Ca3TaGa3Si2O14 (CTGS) and α-quartz are measured at 1540 nm in the frequency range of 3-25 MHz. Experimental ratio of clamped and unclamped electro-optic coefficients r11S/r11T is 0.97 for LGS, 0.91 for LGT, 0.31 for CTGS, and 0.49 for quartz. Most of direct electro-optic effect in LGS and LGT is associated with lanthanum ions: clamped electro-optic coefficient r11S in lanthanum-free CTGS is 14 times less than in LGS. Low piezoelectric contribution to unclamped electro-optic coefficient r11T makes LGS and LGT promising materials for electro-optic devices, whose performance can be deteriorated by piezoelectric effect, especially, for high-voltage optical voltage sensors.

  12. Novel intron markers to study the phylogeny of closely related mammalian species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Castresana Jose

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multilocus phylogenies can be used to infer the species tree of a group of closely related species. In species trees, the nodes represent the actual separation between species, thus providing essential information about their evolutionary history. In addition, multilocus phylogenies can help in analyses of species delimitation, gene flow and genetic differentiation within species. However, few adequate markers are available for such studies. Results In order to develop nuclear markers that can be useful in multilocus studies of mammals, we analyzed the mammalian genomes of human, chimpanzee, macaque, dog and cow. Rodents were excluded due to their unusual genomic features. Introns were extracted from the mammalian genomes because of their greater genetic variability and ease of amplification from the flanking exons. To an initial set of more than 10,000 one-to-one orthologous introns we applied several filters to select introns that belong to single-copy genes, show neutral evolutionary rates and have an adequate length for their amplification. This analysis led to a final list of 224 intron markers randomly distributed along the genome. To experimentally test their validity, we amplified twelve of these introns in a panel of six mammalian species. The result was that seven of these introns gave rise to a PCR band of the expected size in all species. In addition, we sequenced these bands and analyzed the accumulation of substitutions in these introns in five pairs of closely related species. The results showed that the estimated genetic distances in the five species pairs was quite variable among introns and that this divergence cannot be directly predicted from the overall intron divergence in mammals. Conclusions We have designed a new set of 224 nuclear introns with optimal features for the phylogeny of closely related mammalian species. A large proportion of the introns tested experimentally showed a perfect amplification

  13. Multi-dimensional electro-omosis consolidation of clays

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yuan, J.; Hicks, M.A.; Dijkstra, J.

    2012-01-01

    Electro-osmosis consolidation is an innovative and effective ground improvement method for soft clays. But electro-osmosis is also a very complicated process, as the mechanical behaviour, and hydraulic and electrical properties of the soil are changing rapidly during the treatment process; this

  14. The mammalian ovary from genesis to revelation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edson, Mark A; Nagaraja, Ankur K; Matzuk, Martin M

    2009-10-01

    Two major functions of the mammalian ovary are the production of germ cells (oocytes), which allow continuation of the species, and the generation of bioactive molecules, primarily steroids (mainly estrogens and progestins) and peptide growth factors, which are critical for ovarian function, regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, and development of secondary sex characteristics. The female germline is created during embryogenesis when the precursors of primordial germ cells differentiate from somatic lineages of the embryo and take a unique route to reach the urogenital ridge. This undifferentiated gonad will differentiate along a female pathway, and the newly formed oocytes will proliferate and subsequently enter meiosis. At this point, the oocyte has two alternative fates: die, a common destiny of millions of oocytes, or be fertilized, a fate of at most approximately 100 oocytes, depending on the species. At every step from germline development and ovary formation to oogenesis and ovarian development and differentiation, there are coordinated interactions of hundreds of proteins and small RNAs. These studies have helped reproductive biologists to understand not only the normal functioning of the ovary but also the pathophysiology and genetics of diseases such as infertility and ovarian cancer. Over the last two decades, parallel progress has been made in the assisted reproductive technology clinic including better hormonal preparations, prenatal genetic testing, and optimal oocyte and embryo analysis and cryopreservation. Clearly, we have learned much about the mammalian ovary and manipulating its most important cargo, the oocyte, since the birth of Louise Brown over 30 yr ago.

  15. The DNA damage response in mammalian oocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John eCarroll

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available DNA damage is one of the most common insults that challenge all cells. To cope, an elaborate molecular and cellular response has evolved to sense, respond to and correct the damage. This allows the maintenance of DNA fidelity essential for normal cell viability and the prevention of genomic instability that can lead to tumour formation. In the context of oocytes, the impact of DNA damage is not one of tumour formation but of the maintenance of fertility. Mammalian oocytes are particularly vulnerable to DNA damage because physiologically they may lie dormant in the ovary for many years (>40 in humans until they receive the stimulus to grow and acquire the competence to become fertilized. The implication of this is that in some organisms, such as humans, oocytes face the danger of cumulative genetic damage for decades. Thus, the ability to detect and repair DNA damage is essential to maintain the supply of oocytes necessary for reproduction. Therefore, failure to confront DNA damage in oocytes could cause serious anomalies in the embryo that may be propagated in the form of mutations to the next generation allowing the appearance of hereditary disease. Despite the potential impact of DNA damage on reproductive capacity and genetic fidelity of embryos, the mechanisms available to the oocyte for monitoring and repairing such insults have remained largely unexplored until recently. Here, we review the different aspects of the response to DNA damage in mammalian oocytes. Specifically, we address the oocyte DNA damage response from embryonic life to adulthood and throughout oocyte development.

  16. Misconceptions of Synthetic Biology: Lessons from an Interdisciplinary Summer School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verseux, Cyprien; Acevedo-Rocha, Carlos G.; Chizzolini, Fabio; Rothschild, Lynn J.

    2016-01-01

    In 2014, an international group of scholars from various fields analysed the "societal dimensions" of synthetic biology in an interdisciplinary summer school. Here, we report and discuss the biologists' observations on the general perception of synthetic biology by non-biologists who took part in this event. Most attendees mainly associated synthetic biology with contributions from the best-known public figures of the field, rarely mentioning other scientists. Media extrapolations of those contributions appeared to have created unrealistic expectations and irrelevant fears that were widely disconnected from the current research in synthetic biology. Another observation was that when debating developments in synthetic biology, semantics strongly mattered: depending on the terms used to present an application of synthetic biology, attendees reacted in radically different ways. For example, using the term "GMOs" (genetically modified organisms) rather than the term "genetic engineering" led to very different reactions. Stimulating debates also happened with participants having unanticipated points of view, for instance biocentrist ethicists who argued that engineered microbes should not be used for human purposes. Another communication challenge emerged from the connotations and inaccuracies surrounding the word "life", which impaired constructive debates, thus leading to misconceptions about the abilities of scientists to engineer or even create living organisms. Finally, it appeared that synthetic biologists tend to overestimate the knowledge of non-biologists, further affecting communication. The motivation and ability of synthetic biologists to communicate their work outside their research field needs to be fostered, notably towards policymakers who need a more accurate and technical understanding of the field to make informed decisions. Interdisciplinary events gathering scholars working in and around synthetic biology are an effective tool in addressing those

  17. Synthetic Phage for Tissue Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    So Young Yoo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Controlling structural organization and signaling motif display is of great importance to design the functional tissue regenerating materials. Synthetic phage, genetically engineered M13 bacteriophage has been recently introduced as novel tissue regeneration materials to display a high density of cell-signaling peptides on their major coat proteins for tissue regeneration purposes. Structural advantages of their long-rod shape and monodispersity can be taken together to construct nanofibrous scaffolds which support cell proliferation and differentiation as well as direct orientation of their growth in two or three dimensions. This review demonstrated how functional synthetic phage is designed and subsequently utilized for tissue regeneration that offers potential cell therapy.

  18. Electro-optical Detection of Charged Particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lazarus, D.M.

    2001-01-01

    The electric field of charged particles can induce transient changes in the polarization of light that produce sub-picosecond modulation of a laser beam. This is a consequence of the electro-optical effect in which the presence of the electric field in an electro-optical medium produces a change in the index of refraction of the medium resulting in a phase retardation between polarization components parallel and perpendicular to the electric field. We have observed the electro-optical effect due to 10 picosecond electron beam bunches with rise times that were limited by the bandwidth of our data acquisition system. This technology is being applied to particle beam diagnostics and has the potential to produce charged particle detectors combining excellent spatial resolution with unprecedented temporal precision.

  19. Tunable signal processing in synthetic MAP kinase cascades.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Shaughnessy, Ellen C; Palani, Santhosh; Collins, James J; Sarkar, Casim A

    2011-01-07

    The flexibility of MAPK cascade responses enables regulation of a vast array of cell fate decisions, but elucidating the mechanisms underlying this plasticity is difficult in endogenous signaling networks. We constructed insulated mammalian MAPK cascades in yeast to explore how intrinsic and extrinsic perturbations affect the flexibility of these synthetic signaling modules. Contrary to biphasic dependence on scaffold concentration, we observe monotonic decreases in signal strength as scaffold concentration increases. We find that augmenting the concentration of sequential kinases can enhance ultrasensitivity and lower the activation threshold. Further, integrating negative regulation and concentration variation can decouple ultrasensitivity and threshold from the strength of the response. Computational analyses show that cascading can generate ultrasensitivity and that natural cascades with different kinase concentrations are innately biased toward their distinct activation profiles. This work demonstrates that tunable signal processing is inherent to minimal MAPK modules and elucidates principles for rational design of synthetic signaling systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Genetics and developmental biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnett, W.E.

    1975-01-01

    Progress is reported on research activities in the fields of mutagenesis in Haemophilus influenzae and Escherichia coli; radioinduced chromosomal aberrations in mammalian germ cells; effects of uv radiation on xeroderma pigmentosum skin cells; mutations in Chinese hamster ovary cells; radioinduced hemoglobin variants in the mouse; analysis of mutants in yeast; Drosophila genetics; biochemical genetics of Neurospora; DNA polymerase activity in Xenopus laevis oocytes; uv-induced damage in Bacillus subtilis; and others

  1. Synthetic Biology of Cyanobacteria: Unique Challenges and Opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bertram M Berla

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Photosynthetic organisms, and especially cyanobacteria, hold great promise as sources of renewably-produced fuels, bulk and specialty chemicals, and nutritional products. Synthetic biology tools can help unlock cyanobacteria’s potential for these functions, but unfortunately tool development for these organisms has lagged behind that for S. cerevisiae and E. coli. While these organisms may in many cases be more difficult to work with as ‘chassis’ strains for synthetic biology than certain heterotrophs, the unique advantages of autotrophs in biotechnology applications as well as the scientific importance of improved understanding of photosynthesis warrant the development of these systems into something akin to a ‘green E. coli’. In this review, we highlight unique challenges and opportunities for development of synthetic biology approaches in cyanobacteria. We review classical and recently developed methods for constructing targeted mutants in various cyanobacterial strains, and offer perspective on what genetic tools might most greatly expand the ability to engineer new functions in such strains. Similarly, we review what genetic parts are most needed for the development of cyanobacterial synthetic biology. Finally, we highlight recent methods to construct genome-scale models of cyanobacterial metabolism and to use those models to measure properties of autotrophic metabolism. Throughout this paper, we discuss some of the unique challenges of a diurnal, autotrophic lifestyle along with how the development of synthetic biology and biotechnology in cyanobacteria must fit within those constraints.

  2. Crosslinked polyimide electro-optic materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kowalczyk, T.C.; Kosc, T.Z.; Singer, K.D. [Case Western Reserve University, Department of Physics, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7079 (United States); Beuhler, A.J.; Wargowski, D.A. [Amoco Research Center, Amoco Chemical Co., Naperville, Illinois 60566 (United States); Cahill, P.A.; Seager, C.H.; Meinhardt, M.B. [Sandia National Laboratories, Division 1811, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1407 (United States); Ermer, S. [Lockheed Research and Development Division, Palo Alto, California 94304 (United States)

    1995-11-15

    We report studies of the optical and electro-optic properties of guest--host polymeric nonlinear optical materials based on aromatic, fluorinated, fully imidized, organic soluble, thermally, and photochemically crosslinkable, guest--host polyimides. We have introduced temperature stable nonlinear optical chromophores into these polyimides and studied optical losses, electric field poling, electro-optic properties, and orientational stability. We measured electro-optic coefficients of 5.5 and 12.0 pm/V for ((2,6-Bis(2-(3-(9-(ethyl)carbazolyl))ethenyl)4H-pyran-4-ylidene)propanedinitrile) (4-(Dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p -dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran) DCM-doped guest--host systems at 800 nm using a poling field of 1.3 MV/cm. Poling induced nonlinearities in single-layer films were in agreement with the oriented gas model, but were lower in three-layer films due to voltage division across the layers. {copyright} {ital 1995} {ital American} {ital Institute} {ital of} {ital Physics}.

  3. A synthetic prestin reveals protein domains and molecular operation of outer hair cell piezoelectricity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaechinger, Thorsten J; Gorbunov, Dmitry; Halaszovich, Christian R; Moser, Tobias; Kügler, Sebastian; Fakler, Bernd; Oliver, Dominik

    2011-06-24

    Prestin, a transporter-like protein of the SLC26A family, acts as a piezoelectric transducer that mediates the fast electromotility of outer hair cells required for cochlear amplification and auditory acuity in mammals. Non-mammalian prestin orthologues are anion transporters without piezoelectric activity. Here, we generated synthetic prestin (SynPres), a chimera of mammalian and non-mammalian prestin exhibiting both, piezoelectric properties and anion transport. SynPres delineates two distinct domains in the protein's transmembrane core that are necessary and sufficient for generating electromotility and associated non-linear charge movement (NLC). Functional analysis of SynPres showed that the amplitude of NLC and hence electromotility are determined by the transport of monovalent anions. Thus, prestin-mediated electromotility is a dual-step process: transport of anions by an alternate access cycle, followed by an anion-dependent transition generating electromotility. The findings define structural and functional determinants of prestin's piezoelectric activity and indicate that the electromechanical process evolved from the ancestral transport mechanism.

  4. De novo formed satellite DNA-based mammalian artificial chromosomes and their possible applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katona, Robert L

    2015-02-01

    Mammalian artificial chromosomes (MACs) are non-integrating, autonomously replicating natural chromosome-based vectors that may carry a vast amount of genetic material, which in turn enable potentially prolonged, safe, and regulated therapeutic transgene expression and render MACs as attractive genetic vectors for "gene replacement" or for controlling differentiation pathways in target cells. Satellite-DNA-based artificial chromosomes (SATACs) can be made by induced de novo chromosome formation in cells of different mammalian and plant species. These artificially generated accessory chromosomes are composed of predictable DNA sequences, and they contain defined genetic information. SATACs have already passed a number of obstacles crucial to their further development as gene therapy vectors, including large-scale purification, transfer of purified artificial chromosomes into different cells and embryos, generation of transgenic animals and germline transmission with purified SATACs, and the tissue-specific expression of a therapeutic gene from an artificial chromosome in the milk of transgenic animals. SATACs could be used in cell therapy protocols. For these methods, the most versatile target cell would be one that was pluripotent and self-renewing to address multiple disease target cell types, thus making multilineage stem cells, such as adult derived early progenitor cells and embryonic stem cells, as attractive universal host cells.

  5. Electro-optic methods for longitudinal bunch diagnostics at FLASH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steffen, B.R.

    2007-07-01

    Precise measurements of the temporal profile of sub-picosecond electron bunches are of high interest for the optimization and operation of VUV and X-ray free electron lasers. In this thesis, the shortest electro-optic signals measured so far for electron bunch diagnostics are presented, reaching a time resolution of better than 50 fs (rms). The e ects that introduce signal distortions and limit the time resolution are studied in numerical simulations for different electro-optic detection materials and techniques. The time resolution is mainly limited by lattice resonances of the electro-optic crystal. Electro-optic signals as short as 54 fs (rms) are obtained with gallium phosphide (GaP) crystals in a crossed polarizer detection scheme using temporally resolved electro-optic detection. Measuring near crossed polarization, where the electro-optic signal is proportional to the velocity field of the relativistic electron bunch, the shortest obtained signal width is 70 fs (rms). The electro-optic signals are compared to electron bunch shapes that are measured simultaneously with a transverse deflecting structure with 20 fs resolution. Numerical simulations using the bunch shapes as determined with the transverse deflecting cavity as input data are in excellent agreement with electro-optical signals obtained with GaP, both for temporally and spectrally resolved measurements. In the case of zinc telluride (ZnTe) the observed signals are slightly broader and significantly smaller than expected from simulations. These discrepancies are probably due to the poor optical quality of the available ZnTe crystals. (orig.)

  6. Electro-optic methods for longitudinal bunch diagnostics at FLASH

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steffen, B.R.

    2007-07-15

    Precise measurements of the temporal profile of sub-picosecond electron bunches are of high interest for the optimization and operation of VUV and X-ray free electron lasers. In this thesis, the shortest electro-optic signals measured so far for electron bunch diagnostics are presented, reaching a time resolution of better than 50 fs (rms). The e ects that introduce signal distortions and limit the time resolution are studied in numerical simulations for different electro-optic detection materials and techniques. The time resolution is mainly limited by lattice resonances of the electro-optic crystal. Electro-optic signals as short as 54 fs (rms) are obtained with gallium phosphide (GaP) crystals in a crossed polarizer detection scheme using temporally resolved electro-optic detection. Measuring near crossed polarization, where the electro-optic signal is proportional to the velocity field of the relativistic electron bunch, the shortest obtained signal width is 70 fs (rms). The electro-optic signals are compared to electron bunch shapes that are measured simultaneously with a transverse deflecting structure with 20 fs resolution. Numerical simulations using the bunch shapes as determined with the transverse deflecting cavity as input data are in excellent agreement with electro-optical signals obtained with GaP, both for temporally and spectrally resolved measurements. In the case of zinc telluride (ZnTe) the observed signals are slightly broader and significantly smaller than expected from simulations. These discrepancies are probably due to the poor optical quality of the available ZnTe crystals. (orig.)

  7. Proceedings of Synthetic Biology: Engineering, Evolution and Design (SEED) Conference 2015

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silver, Pamela [Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States); SEED 2015 Conference Chair; Flach, Evan [American Institute of Chemical Engineers; SEED 2015 Conference Organizer

    2016-10-27

    Synthetic Biology is an emerging discipline that seeks to accelerate the process of engineering biology. As such, the tools are broadly applicable to application areas, including chemicals and biofuels, materials, medicine and agriculture. A characteristic of the field is to look holistically at cellular design, from sensing and genetic circuitry to the manipulation of cellular processes and actuators, to controlling metabolism, to programming multicellular behaviors. Further, the types of cells that are manipulated are broad, from in vitro systems to microbes and fungi to mammalian and plant cells and living animals. Many of the projects in synthetic biology seek to move biochemical functions across organisms. The field is highly interdisciplinary with faculty and students spread across departments that focus on engineering (biological, chemical, electrical, mechanical, civil, computer science) and basic science (biology and systems biology, chemistry, physics). While there have been many one-off workshops and meeting on synthetic biology, the 2014 Synthetic Biology: Engineering, Evolution and Design (SEED) was the first of an annual conference series that serves as a reliable place to pull together the involved disciplines in order to organize and exchange advances in the science and technology in the field. Further, the SEED conferences have a strong focus on industry, with many companies represented and actively participating. A number of these companies have started major efforts in synthetic biology including large companies (e.g., Pfizer, Novartis, Dow, Dupont, BP, Total), smaller companies have recently gone public (e.g., Amyris, Gevo, Intrexon), and many start-ups (e.g., Teslagen, Refactored Materials, Pivot, Genomatica). There are a number of loosely affiliated Synthetic Biology Centers, including ones at MIT, Boston University, UCSD, UCSF, UC-Berkeley, Imperial College, Oxford, and ETH. SEED 2015 will serve as the primary meeting at which international

  8. Genetic Relationships among Reptilian and Mammalian Campylobacter fetus Strains Determined by Multilocus Sequence Typing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dingle, K.E.; Blaser, M.J.; Tu, Z.C.; Pruckler, J.; Fitzgerald, C.; Bergen, van M.A.P.; Lawson, A.J.; Owen, R.J.; Wagenaar, J.A.

    2010-01-01

    Reptile Campylobacter fetus isolates and closely related strains causing human disease were characterized by multilocus sequence typing. They shared similar to 90% nucleotide sequence identity with classical mammalian C. fetus, and there was evidence of recombination among members of these two

  9. Unconventional Trafficking of Mammalian Phospholipase D3 to Lysosomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Carolina Gonzalez

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Variants in the phospholipase D3 (PLD3 gene have genetically been linked to late-onset Alzheimer's disease. We present a detailed biochemical analysis of PLD3 and reveal its endogenous localization in endosomes and lysosomes. PLD3 reaches lysosomes as a type II transmembrane protein via a (for mammalian cells uncommon intracellular biosynthetic route that depends on the ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport machinery. PLD3 is sorted into intraluminal vesicles of multivesicular endosomes, and ESCRT-dependent sorting correlates with ubiquitination. In multivesicular endosomes, PLD3 is subjected to proteolytic cleavage, yielding a stable glycosylated luminal polypeptide and a rapidly degraded N-terminal membrane-bound fragment. This pathway closely resembles the delivery route of carboxypeptidase S to the yeast vacuole. Our experiments reveal a biosynthetic route of PLD3 involving proteolytic processing and ESCRT-dependent sorting for its delivery to lysosomes in mammalian cells.

  10. The Degradome database: mammalian proteases and diseases of proteolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quesada, Víctor; Ordóñez, Gonzalo R; Sánchez, Luis M; Puente, Xose S; López-Otín, Carlos

    2009-01-01

    The degradome is defined as the complete set of proteases present in an organism. The recent availability of whole genomic sequences from multiple organisms has led us to predict the contents of the degradomes of several mammalian species. To ensure the fidelity of these predictions, our methods have included manual curation of individual sequences and, when necessary, direct cloning and sequencing experiments. The results of these studies in human, chimpanzee, mouse and rat have been incorporated into the Degradome database, which can be accessed through a web interface at http://degradome.uniovi.es. The annotations about each individual protease can be retrieved by browsing catalytic classes and families or by searching specific terms. This web site also provides detailed information about genetic diseases of proteolysis, a growing field of great importance for multiple users. Finally, the user can find additional information about protease structures, protease inhibitors, ancillary domains of proteases and differences between mammalian degradomes.

  11. Synthetic mimetics of the endogenous gastrointestinal nanomineral: Silent constructs that trap macromolecules for intracellular delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pele, Laetitia C; Haas, Carolin T; Hewitt, Rachel E; Robertson, Jack; Skepper, Jeremy; Brown, Andy; Hernandez-Garrido, Juan Carlos; Midgley, Paul A; Faria, Nuno; Chappell, Helen; Powell, Jonathan J

    2017-02-01

    Amorphous magnesium-substituted calcium phosphate (AMCP) nanoparticles (75-150nm) form constitutively in large numbers in the mammalian gut. Collective evidence indicates that they trap and deliver luminal macromolecules to mucosal antigen presenting cells (APCs) and facilitate gut immune homeostasis. Here, we report on a synthetic mimetic of the endogenous AMCP and show that it has marked capacity to trap macromolecules during formation. Macromolecular capture into AMCP involved incorporation as shown by STEM tomography of the synthetic AMCP particle with 5nm ultra-fine iron (III) oxohydroxide. In vitro, organic cargo-loaded synthetic AMCP was taken up by APCs and tracked to lysosomal compartments. The AMCP itself did not regulate any gene, or modify any gene regulation by its cargo, based upon whole genome transcriptomic analyses. We conclude that synthetic AMCP can efficiently trap macromolecules and deliver them to APCs in a silent fashion, and may thus represent a new platform for antigen delivery. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Design Automation in Synthetic Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appleton, Evan; Madsen, Curtis; Roehner, Nicholas; Densmore, Douglas

    2017-04-03

    Design automation refers to a category of software tools for designing systems that work together in a workflow for designing, building, testing, and analyzing systems with a target behavior. In synthetic biology, these tools are called bio-design automation (BDA) tools. In this review, we discuss the BDA tools areas-specify, design, build, test, and learn-and introduce the existing software tools designed to solve problems in these areas. We then detail the functionality of some of these tools and show how they can be used together to create the desired behavior of two types of modern synthetic genetic regulatory networks. Copyright © 2017 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  13. Paper-based synthetic gene networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardee, Keith; Green, Alexander A; Ferrante, Tom; Cameron, D Ewen; DaleyKeyser, Ajay; Yin, Peng; Collins, James J

    2014-11-06

    Synthetic gene networks have wide-ranging uses in reprogramming and rewiring organisms. To date, there has not been a way to harness the vast potential of these networks beyond the constraints of a laboratory or in vivo environment. Here, we present an in vitro paper-based platform that provides an alternate, versatile venue for synthetic biologists to operate and a much-needed medium for the safe deployment of engineered gene circuits beyond the lab. Commercially available cell-free systems are freeze dried onto paper, enabling the inexpensive, sterile, and abiotic distribution of synthetic-biology-based technologies for the clinic, global health, industry, research, and education. For field use, we create circuits with colorimetric outputs for detection by eye and fabricate a low-cost, electronic optical interface. We demonstrate this technology with small-molecule and RNA actuation of genetic switches, rapid prototyping of complex gene circuits, and programmable in vitro diagnostics, including glucose sensors and strain-specific Ebola virus sensors.

  14. Paper-based Synthetic Gene Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardee, Keith; Green, Alexander A.; Ferrante, Tom; Cameron, D. Ewen; DaleyKeyser, Ajay; Yin, Peng; Collins, James J.

    2014-01-01

    Synthetic gene networks have wide-ranging uses in reprogramming and rewiring organisms. To date, there has not been a way to harness the vast potential of these networks beyond the constraints of a laboratory or in vivo environment. Here, we present an in vitro paper-based platform that provides a new venue for synthetic biologists to operate, and a much-needed medium for the safe deployment of engineered gene circuits beyond the lab. Commercially available cell-free systems are freeze-dried onto paper, enabling the inexpensive, sterile and abiotic distribution of synthetic biology-based technologies for the clinic, global health, industry, research and education. For field use, we create circuits with colorimetric outputs for detection by eye, and fabricate a low-cost, electronic optical interface. We demonstrate this technology with small molecule and RNA actuation of genetic switches, rapid prototyping of complex gene circuits, and programmable in vitro diagnostics, including glucose sensors and strain-specific Ebola virus sensors. PMID:25417167

  15. Functional consequences of inducible genetic elements from the p53 SOS response in a mammalian organ system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, O'neil W

    2017-10-01

    In response to DNA damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, bacteria deploy the SOS response in order to limit cell death. This bacterial SOS response is characterized by an increase in the recA gene that transactivates expression of multiple DNA repair genes. The current series of experiments demonstrate that a mammalian organ system (the cochlea) that is not evolutionarily conditioned to UV radiation can elicit SOS responses that are reminiscent of that of bacteria. This mammalian SOS response is characterized by an increase in the p53 gene with activation of multiple DNA repair genes that harbor p53 response elements in their promoters. Furthermore, the experimental results provide support for the notion of a convergent trigger paradox, where independent SOS triggers facilitate disparate physiologic sequelae (loss vs. recovery of function). Therefore, it is proposed that the mammalian SOS response is multifunctional and manipulation of this endogenous response could be exploited in future biomedical interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Localization of RNA and translation in the mammalian oocyte and embryo

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jansová, Denisa; Tětková, Anna; Končická, Markéta; Kubelka, Michal; Šušor, Andrej

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 13, č. 3 (2018), č. článku e0192544. E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-12291S; GA ČR GA15-22765S; GA MŠk EF15_003/0000460 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : RNA localization * mammalian oocyte Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology Impact factor: 2.806, year: 2016

  17. Physiological significance of polyploidization in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandit, Shusil K; Westendorp, Bart; de Bruin, Alain

    2013-11-01

    Programmed polyploidization occurs in all mammalian species during development and aging in selected tissues, but the biological properties of polyploid cells remain obscure. Spontaneous polyploidization arises during stress and has been observed in a variety of pathological conditions, such as cancer and degenerative diseases. A major challenge in the field is to test the predicted functions of polyploidization in vivo. However, recent genetic mouse models with diminished polyploidization phenotypes represent novel, powerful tools to unravel the biological function of polyploidization. Contrary to a longstanding hypothesis, polyploidization appears to not be required for differentiation and has no obvious impact on proliferation. Instead, polyploidization leads to increased cell size and genetic diversity, which could promote better adaptation to chronic injury or stress. We discuss here the consequences of reducing polyploidization in mice and review which stress responses and molecular signals trigger polyploidization during development and disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units in Concert

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trosset, Jean-Yves; Carbonell, Pablo

    2013-01-01

    Synthetic biology aims at translating the methods and strategies from engineering into biology in order to streamline the design and construction of biological devices through standardized parts. Modular synthetic biology devices are designed by means of an adequate elimination of cross-talk that makes circuits orthogonal and specific. To that end, synthetic constructs need to be adequately optimized through in silico modeling by choosing the right complement of genetic parts and by experimental tuning through directed evolution and craftsmanship. In this review, we consider an additional and complementary tool available to the synthetic biologist for innovative design and successful construction of desired circuit functionalities: biological synergies. Synergy is a prevalent emergent property in biological systems that arises from the concerted action of multiple factors producing an amplification or cancelation effect compared with individual actions alone. Synergies appear in domains as diverse as those involved in chemical and protein activity, polypharmacology, and metabolic pathway complementarity. In conventional synthetic biology designs, synergistic cross-talk between parts and modules is generally attenuated in order to verify their orthogonality. Synergistic interactions, however, can induce emergent behavior that might prove useful for synthetic biology applications, like in functional circuit design, multi-drug treatment, or in sensing and delivery devices. Synergistic design principles are therefore complementary to those coming from orthogonal design and may provide added value to synthetic biology applications. The appropriate modeling, characterization, and design of synergies between biological parts and units will allow the discovery of yet unforeseeable, novel synthetic biology applications. PMID:25022769

  19. Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units in Concert

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trosset, Jean-Yves; Carbonell, Pablo

    2013-01-01

    Synthetic biology aims at translating the methods and strategies from engineering into biology in order to streamline the design and construction of biological devices through standardized parts. Modular synthetic biology devices are designed by means of an adequate elimination of cross-talk that makes circuits orthogonal and specific. To that end, synthetic constructs need to be adequately optimized through in silico modeling by choosing the right complement of genetic parts and by experimental tuning through directed evolution and craftsmanship. In this review, we consider an additional and complementary tool available to the synthetic biologist for innovative design and successful construction of desired circuit functionalities: biological synergies. Synergy is a prevalent emergent property in biological systems that arises from the concerted action of multiple factors producing an amplification or cancelation effect compared with individual actions alone. Synergies appear in domains as diverse as those involved in chemical and protein activity, polypharmacology, and metabolic pathway complementarity. In conventional synthetic biology designs, synergistic cross-talk between parts and modules is generally attenuated in order to verify their orthogonality. Synergistic interactions, however, can induce emergent behavior that might prove useful for synthetic biology applications, like in functional circuit design, multi-drug treatment, or in sensing and delivery devices. Synergistic design principles are therefore complementary to those coming from orthogonal design and may provide added value to synthetic biology applications. The appropriate modeling, characterization, and design of synergies between biological parts and units will allow the discovery of yet unforeseeable, novel synthetic biology applications.

  20. Synthetic biology: Novel approaches for microbiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padilla-Vaca, Felipe; Anaya-Velázquez, Fernando; Franco, Bernardo

    2015-06-01

    In the past twenty years, molecular genetics has created powerful tools for genetic manipulation of living organisms. Whole genome sequencing has provided necessary information to assess knowledge on gene function and protein networks. In addition, new tools permit to modify organisms to perform desired tasks. Gene function analysis is speed up by novel approaches that couple both high throughput data generation and mining. Synthetic biology is an emerging field that uses tools for generating novel gene networks, whole genome synthesis and engineering. New applications in biotechnological, pharmaceutical and biomedical research are envisioned for synthetic biology. In recent years these new strategies have opened up the possibilities to study gene and genome editing, creation of novel tools for functional studies in virus, parasites and pathogenic bacteria. There is also the possibility to re-design organisms to generate vaccine subunits or produce new pharmaceuticals to combat multi-drug resistant pathogens. In this review we provide our opinion on the applicability of synthetic biology strategies for functional studies of pathogenic organisms and some applications such as genome editing and gene network studies to further comprehend virulence factors and determinants in pathogenic organisms. We also discuss what we consider important ethical issues for this field of molecular biology, especially for potential misuse of the new technologies. Copyright© by the Spanish Society for Microbiology and Institute for Catalan Studies.

  1. Applications of cell-free protein synthesis in synthetic biology: Interfacing bio-machinery with synthetic environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kyung-Ho; Kim, Dong-Myung

    2013-11-01

    Synthetic biology is built on the synthesis, engineering, and assembly of biological parts. Proteins are the first components considered for the construction of systems with designed biological functions because proteins carry out most of the biological functions and chemical reactions inside cells. Protein synthesis is considered to comprise the most basic levels of the hierarchical structure of synthetic biology. Cell-free protein synthesis has emerged as a powerful technology that can potentially transform the concept of bioprocesses. With the ability to harness the synthetic power of biology without many of the constraints of cell-based systems, cell-free protein synthesis enables the rapid creation of protein molecules from diverse sources of genetic information. Cell-free protein synthesis is virtually free from the intrinsic constraints of cell-based methods and offers greater flexibility in system design and manipulability of biological synthetic machinery. Among its potential applications, cell-free protein synthesis can be combined with various man-made devices for rapid functional analysis of genomic sequences. This review covers recent efforts to integrate cell-free protein synthesis with various reaction devices and analytical platforms. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. In vivo clonal analysis reveals lineage-restricted progenitor characteristics in mammalian kidney development, maintenance, and regeneration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rinkevich, Y.; Montoro, D.T.; Contreras-Trujillo, H.; Harari-Steinberg, O.; Newman, A.M.; Tsai, J.M.; Lim, X.; van Amerongen, R.; Bowman, A.; Januszyk, M.; Pleniceanu, O.; Nusse, R.; Longaker, M.T.; Weissman, I.L.; Dekel, B.

    2014-01-01

    The mechanism and magnitude by which the mammalian kidney generates and maintains its proximal tubules, distal tubules, and collecting ducts remain controversial. Here, we use long-term in vivo genetic lineage tracing and clonal analysis of individual cells from kidneys undergoing development,

  3. A Powerful Toolkit for Synthetic Biology: Over 3.8 Billion Years of Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothschild, Lynn J.

    2010-01-01

    The combination of evolutionary with engineering principles will enhance synthetic biology. Conversely, synthetic biology has the potential to enrich evolutionary biology by explaining why some adaptive space is empty, on Earth or elsewhere. Synthetic biology, the design and construction of artificial biological systems, substitutes bio-engineering for evolution, which is seen as an obstacle. But because evolution has produced the complexity and diversity of life, it provides a proven toolkit of genetic materials and principles available to synthetic biology. Evolution operates on the population level, with the populations composed of unique individuals that are historical entities. The source of genetic novelty includes mutation, gene regulation, sex, symbiosis, and interspecies gene transfer. At a phenotypic level, variation derives from regulatory control, replication and diversification of components, compartmentalization, sexual selection and speciation, among others. Variation is limited by physical constraints such as diffusion, and chemical constraints such as reaction rates and membrane fluidity. While some of these tools of evolution are currently in use in synthetic biology, all ought to be examined for utility. A hybrid approach of synthetic biology coupled with fine-tuning through evolution is suggested

  4. Electro-chemical grinding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feagans, P. L.

    1972-01-01

    Electro-chemical grinding technique has rotation speed control, constant feed rates, and contour control. Hypersonic engine parts of nickel alloys can be almost 100% machined, keeping tool pressure at virtual zero. Technique eliminates galling and permits constant surface finish and burr-free interrupted cutting.

  5. Modulating ectopic gene expression levels by using retroviral vectors equipped with synthetic promoters

    OpenAIRE

    Ferreira, Joshua P.; Peacock, Ryan W. S.; Lawhorn, Ingrid E. B.; Wang, Clifford L.

    2011-01-01

    The human cytomegalovirus and elongation factor 1α promoters are constitutive promoters commonly employed by mammalian expression vectors. These promoters generally produce high levels of expression in many types of cells and tissues. To generate a library of synthetic promoters capable of generating a range of low, intermediate, and high expression levels, the TATA and CAAT box elements of these promoters were mutated. Other promoter variants were also generated by random mutagenesis. Evalua...

  6. Dedifferentiation and proliferation of mammalian cardiomyocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiqiang Zhang

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available It has long been thought that mammalian cardiomyocytes are terminally-differentiated and unable to proliferate. However, myocytes in more primitive animals such as zebrafish are able to dedifferentiate and proliferate to regenerate amputated cardiac muscle.Here we test the hypothesis that mature mammalian cardiomyocytes retain substantial cellular plasticity, including the ability to dedifferentiate, proliferate, and acquire progenitor cell phenotypes. Two complementary methods were used: 1 cardiomyocyte purification from rat hearts, and 2 genetic fate mapping in cardiac explants from bi-transgenic mice. Cardiomyocytes isolated from rodent hearts were purified by multiple centrifugation and Percoll gradient separation steps, and the purity verified by immunostaining and RT-PCR. Within days in culture, purified cardiomyocytes lost their characteristic electrophysiological properties and striations, flattened and began to divide, as confirmed by proliferation markers and BrdU incorporation. Many dedifferentiated cardiomyocytes went on to express the stem cell antigen c-kit, and the early cardiac transcription factors GATA4 and Nkx2.5. Underlying these changes, inhibitory cell cycle molecules were suppressed in myocyte-derived cells (MDCs, while microRNAs known to orchestrate proliferation and pluripotency increased dramatically. Some, but not all, MDCs self-organized into spheres and re-differentiated into myocytes and endothelial cells in vitro. Cell fate tracking of cardiomyocytes from 4-OH-Tamoxifen-treated double-transgenic MerCreMer/ZEG mouse hearts revealed that green fluorescent protein (GFP continues to be expressed in dedifferentiated cardiomyocytes, two-thirds of which were also c-kit(+.Contradicting the prevailing view that they are terminally-differentiated, postnatal mammalian cardiomyocytes are instead capable of substantial plasticity. Dedifferentiation of myocytes facilitates proliferation and confers a degree of stemness

  7. Cell-free protein synthesis enabled rapid prototyping for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lihong Jiang

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Advances in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology have facilitated the manufacturing of many valuable-added compounds and commodity chemicals using microbial cell factories in the past decade. However, due to complexity of cellular metabolism, the optimization of metabolic pathways for maximal production represents a grand challenge and an unavoidable barrier for metabolic engineering. Recently, cell-free protein synthesis system (CFPS has been emerging as an enabling alternative to address challenges in biomanufacturing. This review summarizes the recent progresses of CFPS in rapid prototyping of biosynthetic pathways and genetic circuits (biosensors to speed up design-build-test (DBT cycles of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. Keywords: Cell-free protein synthesis, Metabolic pathway optimization, Genetic circuits, Metabolic engineering, Synthetic biology

  8. US Competitiveness in Synthetic Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gronvall, Gigi Kwik

    2015-01-01

    Synthetic biology is an emerging technical field that aims to make biology easier to engineer; the field has applications in strategically important sectors for the US economy. While the United States currently leads in synthetic biology R&D, other nations are heavily investing in order to boost their economies, which will inevitably diminish the US leadership position. This outcome is not entirely negative--additional investments will expand markets--but it is critical that the US government take steps to remain competitive: There are applications from which the US population and economy may benefit; there are specific applications with importance for national defense; and US technical leadership will ensure that US experts have a leading role in synthetic biology governance, regulation, and oversight. Measures to increase competitiveness in S&T generally are broadly applicable for synthetic biology and should be pursued. However, the US government will also need to take action on fundamental issues that will affect the field's development, such as countering anti-GMO (genetically modified organism) sentiments and anti-GMO legislation. The United States should maintain its regulatory approach so that it is the product that is regulated, not the method used to create a product. At the same time, the United States needs to ensure that the regulatory framework is updated so that synthetic biology products do not fall into regulatory gaps. Finally, the United States needs to pay close attention to how synthetic biology applications may be governed internationally, such as through the Nagoya Protocol of the Convention on Biological Diversity, so that beneficial applications may be realized.

  9. Theory-inspired development of organic electro-optic materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dalton, Larry R., E-mail: dalton@chem.washington.ed [Department of Chemistry, Bagley Hall 202D, Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700 (United States); Department of Electrical Engineering, Bagley Hall 202D, Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700 (United States)

    2009-11-30

    Real-time, time-dependent density functional theory (RTTDDFT) and pseudo-atomistic Monte Carlo-molecular dynamics (PAMCMD) calculations have been used in a correlated manner to achieve quantitative definition of structure/function relationships necessary for the optimization of electro-optic activity in organic materials. Utilizing theoretical guidance, electro-optic coefficients (at telecommunication wavelengths) have been increased to 500 pm/V while keeping optical loss to less than 2 dB/cm. RTTDDFT affords the advantage of permitting explicit treatment of time-dependent electric fields, both applied fields and internal fields. This modification has permitted the quantitative simulation of the variation of linear and nonlinear optical properties of chromophores and the electro-optic activity of materials with optical frequency and dielectric permittivity. PAMCMD statistical mechanical calculations have proven an effective means of treating the full range of spatially-anisotropic intermolecular electrostatic interactions that play critical roles in defining the degree of noncentrosymmetric order that is achieved by electric field poling of organic electro-optic materials near their glass transition temperatures. New techniques have been developed for the experimental characterization of poling-induced acentric order including a modification of variable angle polarization absorption spectroscopy (VAPAS) permitting a meaningful correlation of theoretical and experimental data related to poling-induced order for a variety of complex organic electro-optic materials.

  10. Theory-inspired development of organic electro-optic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dalton, Larry R.

    2009-01-01

    Real-time, time-dependent density functional theory (RTTDDFT) and pseudo-atomistic Monte Carlo-molecular dynamics (PAMCMD) calculations have been used in a correlated manner to achieve quantitative definition of structure/function relationships necessary for the optimization of electro-optic activity in organic materials. Utilizing theoretical guidance, electro-optic coefficients (at telecommunication wavelengths) have been increased to 500 pm/V while keeping optical loss to less than 2 dB/cm. RTTDDFT affords the advantage of permitting explicit treatment of time-dependent electric fields, both applied fields and internal fields. This modification has permitted the quantitative simulation of the variation of linear and nonlinear optical properties of chromophores and the electro-optic activity of materials with optical frequency and dielectric permittivity. PAMCMD statistical mechanical calculations have proven an effective means of treating the full range of spatially-anisotropic intermolecular electrostatic interactions that play critical roles in defining the degree of noncentrosymmetric order that is achieved by electric field poling of organic electro-optic materials near their glass transition temperatures. New techniques have been developed for the experimental characterization of poling-induced acentric order including a modification of variable angle polarization absorption spectroscopy (VAPAS) permitting a meaningful correlation of theoretical and experimental data related to poling-induced order for a variety of complex organic electro-optic materials.

  11. Electro/powder separation process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dunn, J.P.

    1977-01-01

    A report is presented to introduce the ELECTRO/POWDER process to the P/M Industry. The process effectively uses electrostatic forces to convey, sort, meter, and blend fine powders. The major advantages of this separating process consist of the processing of primary particles, low particle energy due to particle velocity control and the pattern of particle movement over the sieve (vertical oscillation of particles above the sieve aperture). The report briefly describes the forces involved in both mechanical and sieving devices, with major emphasis on the operating principles of this process. Sieve separation of particulates is basically the result of two physical separating processes which occur simultaneously or independently; separation (dispersion) of particulates from each other and the size separation by passage through fixed apertures. In order to accomplish this goal, mechanical sieving devices utilize various motions to induce shear forces between the sieve surface and the particulates, and between the particulates themselves. It is noted that the ELECTRO/POWDER process is making steady progress in becoming an industrial tool for sieving and feeding of fine particles. Its potential extends into both the blending and admixing of powders, either by incorporating two opposing feeders, one being charged with the opposite polarity or by modifying the ELECTRO/SIEVE to incorporate more than one input and a solid electrode to replace the sieve electrode

  12. Cardiorespiratory interactions previously identified as mammalian are present in the primitive lungfish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monteiro, Diana A; Taylor, Edwin W; Sartori, Marina R; Cruz, André L; Rantin, Francisco T; Leite, Cleo A C

    2018-02-01

    The present study has revealed that the lungfish has both structural and functional features of its system for physiological control of heart rate, previously considered solely mammalian, that together generate variability (HRV). Ultrastructural and electrophysiological investigation revealed that the nerves connecting the brain to the heart are myelinated, conferring rapid conduction velocities, comparable to mammalian fibers that generate instantaneous changes in heart rate at the onset of each air breath. These respiration-related changes in beat-to-beat cardiac intervals were detected by complex analysis of HRV and shown to maximize oxygen uptake per breath, a causal relationship never conclusively demonstrated in mammals. Cardiac vagal preganglionic neurons, responsible for controlling heart rate via the parasympathetic vagus nerve, were shown to have multiple locations, chiefly within the dorsal vagal motor nucleus that may enable interactive control of the circulatory and respiratory systems, similar to that described for tetrapods. The present illustration of an apparently highly evolved control system for HRV in a fish with a proven ancient lineage, based on paleontological, morphological, and recent genetic evidence, questions much of the anthropocentric thinking implied by some mammalian physiologists and encouraged by many psychobiologists. It is possible that some characteristics of mammalian respiratory sinus arrhythmia, for which functional roles have been sought, are evolutionary relics that had their physiological role defined in ancient representatives of the vertebrates with undivided circulatory systems.

  13. Cardiorespiratory interactions previously identified as mammalian are present in the primitive lungfish

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monteiro, Diana A.; Taylor, Edwin W.; Sartori, Marina R.; Cruz, André L.; Rantin, Francisco T.; Leite, Cleo A. C.

    2018-01-01

    The present study has revealed that the lungfish has both structural and functional features of its system for physiological control of heart rate, previously considered solely mammalian, that together generate variability (HRV). Ultrastructural and electrophysiological investigation revealed that the nerves connecting the brain to the heart are myelinated, conferring rapid conduction velocities, comparable to mammalian fibers that generate instantaneous changes in heart rate at the onset of each air breath. These respiration-related changes in beat-to-beat cardiac intervals were detected by complex analysis of HRV and shown to maximize oxygen uptake per breath, a causal relationship never conclusively demonstrated in mammals. Cardiac vagal preganglionic neurons, responsible for controlling heart rate via the parasympathetic vagus nerve, were shown to have multiple locations, chiefly within the dorsal vagal motor nucleus that may enable interactive control of the circulatory and respiratory systems, similar to that described for tetrapods. The present illustration of an apparently highly evolved control system for HRV in a fish with a proven ancient lineage, based on paleontological, morphological, and recent genetic evidence, questions much of the anthropocentric thinking implied by some mammalian physiologists and encouraged by many psychobiologists. It is possible that some characteristics of mammalian respiratory sinus arrhythmia, for which functional roles have been sought, are evolutionary relics that had their physiological role defined in ancient representatives of the vertebrates with undivided circulatory systems. PMID:29507882

  14. Modelling electro-active polymers with a dispersion-type anisotropy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, Mokarram; Steinmann, Paul

    2018-02-01

    We propose a novel constitutive framework for electro-active polymers (EAPs) that can take into account anisotropy with a chain dispersion. To enhance actuation behaviour, particle-filled EAPs become promising candidates nowadays. Recent studies suggest that particle-filled EAPs, which can be cured under an electric field during the manufacturing time, do not necessarily form perfect anisotropic composites, rather they create composites with dispersed chains. Hence in this contribution, an electro-mechanically coupled constitutive model is devised that considers the chain dispersion with a probability distribution function in an integral form. To obtain relevant quantities in discrete form, numerical integration over the unit sphere is utilized. Necessary constitutive equations are derived exploiting the basic laws of thermodynamics that result in a thermodynamically consistent formulation. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed electro-mechanically coupled framework, we analytically solve a non-homogeneous boundary value problem, the extension and inflation of an axisymmetric cylindrical tube under electro-mechanically coupled load. The results capture various electro-mechanical couplings with the formulation proposed for EAP composites.

  15. Drying brick masonry by electro-osmosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Rörig-Dalgaard, Inge

    2006-01-01

    When a fine grained, porous medium is applied an electric DC field, transport of matter occurs, and the transport mechanism in focus of the present study is electro-osmosis, which is transport of water. In laboratory it was shown possible to transport water inside a brick and brick/mortar system...... movement of water towards the cathode was seen. Thus the basis for utilizing the electro-osmotic effect for drying brick masonry is present, but proper electrodes still needs to be developed....

  16. Transcription Factor Zbtb20 Controls Regional Specification of Mammalian Archicortex

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rosenthal, Eva Helga

    2010-01-01

    Combinatorial expression of sets of transcription factors (TFs) along the mammalian cortex controls its subdivision into functional areas. Unlike neocortex, only few recent data suggest genetic mechanisms controlling the regionalization of the archicortex. TF Emx2 plays a crucial role in patterning...... later on becoming restricted exclusively to postmitotic neurons of hippocampus (Hi) proper, dentate gyrus (DG), and two transitory zones, subiculum (S) and retrosplenial cortex (Rsp). Analysis of Zbtb20-/- mice revealed altered cortical patterning at the border between neocortex and archicortex...

  17. Reward-based hypertension control by a synthetic brain-dopamine interface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rössger, Katrin; Charpin-El Hamri, Ghislaine; Fussenegger, Martin

    2013-11-05

    Synthetic biology has significantly advanced the design of synthetic trigger-controlled devices that can reprogram mammalian cells to interface with complex metabolic activities. In the brain, the neurotransmitter dopamine coordinates communication with target neurons via a set of dopamine receptors that control behavior associated with reward-driven learning. This dopamine transmission has recently been suggested to increase central sympathetic outflow, resulting in plasma dopamine levels that correlate with corresponding brain activities. By functionally rewiring the human dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1) via the second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) to synthetic promoters containing cAMP response element-binding protein 1(CREB1)-specific cAMP-responsive operator modules, we have designed a synthetic dopamine-sensitive transcription controller that reversibly fine-tunes specific target gene expression at physiologically relevant brain-derived plasma dopamine levels. Following implantation of circuit-transgenic human cell lines insulated by semipermeable immunoprotective microcontainers into mice, the designer device interfaced with dopamine-specific brain activities and produced a systemic expression response when the animal's reward system was stimulated by food, sexual arousal, or addictive drugs. Reward-triggered brain activities were able to remotely program peripheral therapeutic implants to produce sufficient amounts of the atrial natriuretic peptide, which reduced the blood pressure of hypertensive mice to the normal physiologic range. Seamless control of therapeutic transgenes by subconscious behavior may provide opportunities for treatment strategies of the future.

  18. Synthetic genetic polymers capable of heredity and evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pinheiro, Vitor B; Taylor, Alexander I; Cozens, Christopher

    2012-01-01

    in and recovered from six alternative genetic polymers based on simple nucleic acid architectures not found in nature [xeno-nucleic acids (XNAs)]. We also select XNA aptamers, which bind their targets with high affinity and specificity, demonstrating that beyond heredity, specific XNAs have the capacity......Genetic information storage and processing rely on just two polymers, DNA and RNA, yet whether their role reflects evolutionary history or fundamental functional constraints is currently unknown. With the use of polymerase evolution and design, we show that genetic information can be stored...... for Darwinian evolution and folding into defined structures. Thus, heredity and evolution, two hallmarks of life, are not limited to DNA and RNA but are likely to be emergent properties of polymers capable of information storage....

  19. Space Synthetic Biology Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, David; Roman, Monsi; Mansell, James (Matt)

    2015-01-01

    Synthetic biology is an effort to make genetic engineering more useful by standardizing sections of genetic code. By standardizing genetic components, biological engineering will become much more similar to traditional fields of engineering, in which well-defined components and subsystems are readily available in markets. Specifications of the behavior of those components and subsystems can be used to model a system which incorporates them. Then, the behavior of the novel system can be simulated and optimized. Finally, the components and subsystems can be purchased and assembled to create the optimized system, which most often will exhibit behavior similar to that indicated by the model. The Space Synthetic Biology project began in 2012 as a multi-Center effort. The purpose of this project was to harness Synthetic Biology principals to enable NASA's missions. A central target for application was to Environmental Control & Life Support (ECLS). Engineers from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) ECLS Systems Development Branch (ES62) were brought into the project to contribute expertise in operational ECLS systems. Project lead scientists chose to pursue the development of bioelectrochemical technologies to spacecraft life support. Therefore, the ECLS element of the project became essentially an effort to develop a bioelectrochemical ECLS subsystem. Bioelectrochemical systems exploit the ability of many microorganisms to drive their metabolisms by direct or indirect utilization of electrical potential gradients. Whereas many microorganisms are capable of deriving the energy required for the processes of interest (such as carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation) from sunlight, it is believed that subsystems utilizing electrotrophs will exhibit smaller mass, volume, and power requirements than those that derive their energy from sunlight. In the first 2 years of the project, MSFC personnel conducted modeling, simulation, and conceptual design efforts to assist the

  20. Generating Systems Biology Markup Language Models from the Synthetic Biology Open Language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roehner, Nicholas; Zhang, Zhen; Nguyen, Tramy; Myers, Chris J

    2015-08-21

    In the context of synthetic biology, model generation is the automated process of constructing biochemical models based on genetic designs. This paper discusses the use cases for model generation in genetic design automation (GDA) software tools and introduces the foundational concepts of standards and model annotation that make this process useful. Finally, this paper presents an implementation of model generation in the GDA software tool iBioSim and provides an example of generating a Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) model from a design of a 4-input AND sensor written in the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL).

  1. Optimisation of decolourisation and degradation of Reactive Black 5 dye under electro-Fenton process using Fe alginate gel beads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iglesias, O; Fernández de Dios, M A; Rosales, E; Pazos, M; Sanromán, M A

    2013-04-01

    The aim of this work was to improve the ability of the electro-Fenton process using Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater contaminated with synthetic dyes and using a model diazo dye such as Reactive Black 5 (RB5). Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of main parameters, such as voltage, pH and iron concentration. Dye decolourisation, reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and energy consumption were studied. Central composite face-centred experimental design matrix and response surface methodology were applied to design the experiments and to evaluate the interactive effects of the three studied parameters. A total of 20 experimental runs were set, and the kinetic data were analysed using first-order and second-order models. In all cases, the experimental data were fitted to the empirical second-order model with a suitable degree for the maximum decolourisation of RB5, COD reduction and energy consumption by electro-Fenton-Fe alginate gel beads treatment. Working with the obtained empirical model, the optimisation of the process was carried out. The second-order polynomial regression model suggests that the optimum conditions for attaining maximum decolourisation, COD reduction and energy consumption are voltage, 5.69 V; pH 2.24 and iron concentration, 2.68 mM. Moreover, the fixation of iron on alginate beads suggests that the degradation process can be developed under this electro-Fenton process in repeated batches and in a continuous mode.

  2. Compliant electro-thermal microactuators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jonsmann, Jacques; Sigmund, Ole; Bouwstra, Siebe

    1999-01-01

    This paper describes design, microfabrication and characterisation of topology optimised compliant electro-thermal microactuators. The actuators are fabricated by a fast prototyping process using laser micromachining and electroplating. Actuators are characterised with respect to displacement...

  3. Novel method to load multiple genes onto a mammalian artificial chromosome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Tóth

    Full Text Available Mammalian artificial chromosomes are natural chromosome-based vectors that may carry a vast amount of genetic material in terms of both size and number. They are reasonably stable and segregate well in both mitosis and meiosis. A platform artificial chromosome expression system (ACEs was earlier described with multiple loading sites for a modified lambda-integrase enzyme. It has been shown that this ACEs is suitable for high-level industrial protein production and the treatment of a mouse model for a devastating human disorder, Krabbe's disease. ACEs-treated mutant mice carrying a therapeutic gene lived more than four times longer than untreated counterparts. This novel gene therapy method is called combined mammalian artificial chromosome-stem cell therapy. At present, this method suffers from the limitation that a new selection marker gene should be present for each therapeutic gene loaded onto the ACEs. Complex diseases require the cooperative action of several genes for treatment, but only a limited number of selection marker genes are available and there is also a risk of serious side-effects caused by the unwanted expression of these marker genes in mammalian cells, organs and organisms. We describe here a novel method to load multiple genes onto the ACEs by using only two selectable marker genes. These markers may be removed from the ACEs before therapeutic application. This novel technology could revolutionize gene therapeutic applications targeting the treatment of complex disorders and cancers. It could also speed up cell therapy by allowing researchers to engineer a chromosome with a predetermined set of genetic factors to differentiate adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS cells into cell types of therapeutic value. It is also a suitable tool for the investigation of complex biochemical pathways in basic science by producing an ACEs with several genes from a signal transduction pathway of interest.

  4. Novel method to load multiple genes onto a mammalian artificial chromosome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tóth, Anna; Fodor, Katalin; Praznovszky, Tünde; Tubak, Vilmos; Udvardy, Andor; Hadlaczky, Gyula; Katona, Robert L

    2014-01-01

    Mammalian artificial chromosomes are natural chromosome-based vectors that may carry a vast amount of genetic material in terms of both size and number. They are reasonably stable and segregate well in both mitosis and meiosis. A platform artificial chromosome expression system (ACEs) was earlier described with multiple loading sites for a modified lambda-integrase enzyme. It has been shown that this ACEs is suitable for high-level industrial protein production and the treatment of a mouse model for a devastating human disorder, Krabbe's disease. ACEs-treated mutant mice carrying a therapeutic gene lived more than four times longer than untreated counterparts. This novel gene therapy method is called combined mammalian artificial chromosome-stem cell therapy. At present, this method suffers from the limitation that a new selection marker gene should be present for each therapeutic gene loaded onto the ACEs. Complex diseases require the cooperative action of several genes for treatment, but only a limited number of selection marker genes are available and there is also a risk of serious side-effects caused by the unwanted expression of these marker genes in mammalian cells, organs and organisms. We describe here a novel method to load multiple genes onto the ACEs by using only two selectable marker genes. These markers may be removed from the ACEs before therapeutic application. This novel technology could revolutionize gene therapeutic applications targeting the treatment of complex disorders and cancers. It could also speed up cell therapy by allowing researchers to engineer a chromosome with a predetermined set of genetic factors to differentiate adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into cell types of therapeutic value. It is also a suitable tool for the investigation of complex biochemical pathways in basic science by producing an ACEs with several genes from a signal transduction pathway of interest.

  5. Synthetic Biology and the U.S. Biotechnology Regulatory System: Challenges and Options

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carter, Sarah R. [J. Craig Venter Inst., Rockville, MD (United States); Rodemeyer, Michael [Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Garfinkel, Michele S. [EMBO, Heidelberg (Germany); Friedman, Robert M. [J. Craig Venter Inst., Rockville, MD (United States)

    2014-05-01

    Synthetic Biology and the U.S. Biotechnology Regulatory System: Challenges and Options Sarah R. Carter, Ph.D., J. Craig Venter Institute; Michael Rodemeyer, J.D., University of Virginia; Michele S. Garfinkel, Ph.D., EMBO; Robert M. Friedman, Ph.D., J. Craig Venter Institute In recent years, a range of genetic engineering techniques referred to as “synthetic biology” has significantly expanded the tool kit available to scientists and engineers, providing them with far greater capabilities to engineer organisms than previous techniques allowed. The field of synthetic biology includes the relatively new ability to synthesize long pieces of DNA from chemicals, as well as improved methods for genetic manipulation and design of genetic pathways to achieve more precise control of biological systems. These advances will help usher in a new generation of genetically engineered microbes, plants, and animals. The JCVI Policy Center team, along with researchers at the University of Virginia and EMBO, examined how well the current U.S. regulatory system for genetically engineered products will handle the near-term introduction of organisms engineered using synthetic biology. In particular, the focus was on those organisms intended to be used or grown directly in the environment, outside of a contained facility. The study concludes that the U.S. regulatory agencies have adequate legal authority to address most, but not all, potential environmental, health and safety concerns posed by these organisms. Such near-term products are likely to represent incremental changes rather than a marked departure from previous genetically engineered organisms. However, the study also identified two key challenges for the regulatory system, which are detailed in the report. First, USDA’s authority over genetically engineered plants depends on the use of an older engineering technique that is no longer necessary for many applications. The shift to synthetic biology and other newer genetic

  6. Modulating ectopic gene expression levels by using retroviral vectors equipped with synthetic promoters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Joshua P; Peacock, Ryan W S; Lawhorn, Ingrid E B; Wang, Clifford L

    2011-12-01

    The human cytomegalovirus and elongation factor 1α promoters are constitutive promoters commonly employed by mammalian expression vectors. These promoters generally produce high levels of expression in many types of cells and tissues. To generate a library of synthetic promoters capable of generating a range of low, intermediate, and high expression levels, the TATA and CAAT box elements of these promoters were mutated. Other promoter variants were also generated by random mutagenesis. Evaluation using plasmid vectors integrated at a single site in the genome revealed that these various synthetic promoters were capable of expression levels spanning a 40-fold range. Retroviral vectors were equipped with the synthetic promoters and evaluated for their ability to reproduce the graded expression demonstrated by plasmid integration. A vector with a self-inactivating long terminal repeat could neither reproduce the full range of expression levels nor produce stable expression. Using a second vector design, the different synthetic promoters enabled stable expression over a broad range of expression levels in different cell lines. The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11693-011-9089-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

  7. Strategy revealing phenotypic differences among synthetic oscillator designs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lomnitz, Jason G; Savageau, Michael A

    2014-09-19

    Considerable progress has been made in identifying and characterizing the component parts of genetic oscillators, which play central roles in all organisms. Nonlinear interaction among components is sufficiently complex that mathematical models are required to elucidate their elusive integrated behavior. Although natural and synthetic oscillators exhibit common architectures, there are numerous differences that are poorly understood. Utilizing synthetic biology to uncover basic principles of simpler circuits is a way to advance understanding of natural circadian clocks and rhythms. Following this strategy, we address the following questions: What are the implications of different architectures and molecular modes of transcriptional control for the phenotypic repertoire of genetic oscillators? Are there designs that are more realizable or robust? We compare synthetic oscillators involving one of three architectures and various combinations of the two modes of transcriptional control using a methodology that provides three innovations: a rigorous definition of phenotype, a procedure for deconstructing complex systems into qualitatively distinct phenotypes, and a graphical representation for illuminating the relationship between genotype, environment, and the qualitatively distinct phenotypes of a system. These methods provide a global perspective on the behavioral repertoire, facilitate comparisons of alternatives, and assist the rational design of synthetic gene circuitry. In particular, the results of their application here reveal distinctive phenotypes for several designs that have been studied experimentally as well as a best design among the alternatives that has yet to be constructed and tested.

  8. Cryopreservation of mammalian semen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curry, Mark R

    2007-01-01

    Mammalian spermatozoa were among the very first cells to be successfully cryopreserved and over the last five decades the use of frozen-thawed semen for artificial insemination has come to play an important role in domestic livestock production. More recently, semen freezing has increasingly been utilized in the establishment of genetic resource banks for endangered species. Semen is collected, most commonly either by use of an artificial vagina or by electroejaculation of an anaesthetized animal, and basic sperm parameters assessed. Semen is extended using a TEST-egg yolk-glycerol diluent, packaged in 0.25-mL plastic straws and slowly cooled to 5 degrees C over a period of 1-2 h. Cooled straws are frozen by suspending within liquid nitrogen vapor above the liquid nitrogen surface before plunging into the liquid phase. Straws are thawed briefly in air before immersing in a 35 degrees C water bath for 15 s, and often are used directly for insemination without any further processing.

  9. Interaction theory of mammalian mitochondria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakada, K; Inoue, K; Hayashi, J

    2001-11-09

    We generated mice with deletion mutant mtDNA by its introduction from somatic cells into mouse zygotes. Expressions of disease phenotypes are limited to tissues expressing mitochondrial dysfunction. Considering that all these mice share the same nuclear background, these observations suggest that accumulation of the mutant mtDNA and resultant expressions of mitochondrial dysfunction are responsible for expression of disease phenotypes. On the other hand, mitochondrial dysfunction and expression of clinical abnormalities were not observed until the mutant mtDNA accumulated predominantly. This protection is due to the presence of extensive and continuous interaction between exogenous mitochondria from cybrids and recipient mitochondria from embryos. Thus, we would like to propose a new hypothesis on mitochondrial biogenesis, interaction theory of mitochondria: mammalian mitochondria exchange genetic contents, and thus lost the individuality and function as a single dynamic cellular unit. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  10. Rational design of organic electro-optic materials

    CERN Document Server

    Dalton, L R

    2003-01-01

    Quantum mechanical calculations are used to optimize the molecular first hyperpolarizability of organic chromophores and statistical mechanical calculations are used to optimize the translation of molecular hyperpolarizability to macroscopic electro-optic activity (to values of greater than 100 pm V sup - sup 1 at telecommunications wavelengths). Macroscopic material architectures are implemented exploiting new concepts in nanoscale architectural engineering. Multi-chromophore-containing dendrimers and dendronized polymers not only permit optimization of electro-optic activity but also of auxiliary properties including optical loss (both absorption and scattering), thermal and photochemical stability and processability. New reactive ion etching and photolithographic techniques permit the fabrication of three-dimensional optical circuitry and the integration of that circuitry with semiconductor very-large-scale integration electronics and silica fibre optics. Electro-optic devices have been fabricated exploiti...

  11. Study of the immunological relatedness of goldfish MSH in an RIA for synthetic mammalian α MSH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Follenius, Ernest; Schmitt, Gabrielle; Meunier, Annie

    1980-01-01

    α MSH from the neuro-intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland of the goldfish displays a competitive behaviour in an RIA for synthetic α MSH. The inhibition curves from neuro-intermediate homogenates parallel the standard curve (P [fr

  12. TALE activators regulate gene expression in a position- and strand-dependent manner in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uhde-Stone, Claudia; Cheung, Edna; Lu, Biao

    2014-01-24

    Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) are a class of transcription factors that are readily programmable to regulate gene expression. Despite their growing popularity, little is known about binding site parameters that influence TALE-mediated gene activation in mammalian cells. We demonstrate that TALE activators modulate gene expression in mammalian cells in a position- and strand-dependent manner. To study the effects of binding site location, we engineered TALEs customized to recognize specific DNA sequences located in either the promoter or the transcribed region of reporter genes. We found that TALE activators robustly activated reporter genes when their binding sites were located within the promoter region. In contrast, TALE activators inhibited the expression of reporter genes when their binding sites were located on the sense strand of the transcribed region. Notably, this repression was independent of the effector domain utilized, suggesting a simple blockage mechanism. We conclude that TALE activators in mammalian cells regulate genes in a position- and strand-dependent manner that is substantially different from gene activation by native TALEs in plants. These findings have implications for optimizing the design of custom TALEs for genetic manipulation in mammalian cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Magneto-optic and electro-optic modulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hutchinson, D.P.; Ma, C.H.; Price, T.R.; Staats, P.A.; Sluis, K.L.V.

    1982-01-01

    An important aspect of the Faraday rotation diagnostic for tokamak plasma measurement has been the development of suitable polarization modulators for submillimeter wavelength. The problems are to obtain high optical transmission and fast modulation frequencies. In ORNL, the authors have developed both a magneto-optic and an electro-optic submillimeter-wave modulators. These devices have been operated at modulation frequency of approximately 100 kHz, and both have high transmission. The original magneto-optic modulator consists of a 3 mm thick by 1.4 cm diameter 2-111 ferrite disk mounted at the center of an air core coil. Recently, a new ferrite modulator has been tested, which allows a much higher modulation frequency than the original device. A laboratory set-up designed to simulate a plasma heterodyne interferometer/polarimeter experiment has been used to determine the modulator characteristics. A mechanical polarization rotor was used to simulate the rotation by plasma. The transmission of the ferrite disk was 80 % at a wavelength of 0.447 mm. The authors have also performed preliminary measurement on an electro-optic modulator first demonstrated by Fetterman at Lincoln Laboratory, U.S. This device is a classical electro-optic modulator using a cryogenically cooled (4.2 K) LiTaO 3 crystal. Experiments are underway to determine the electro-optic properties of the crystal over the temperature range from 4.2 K to 77 K and over the range of wavelength from 0.118 mm to 0.447 mm. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

  14. Hydrogel Walkers with Electro-Driven Motility for Cargo Transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chao; Wang, Wei; Yao, Chen; Xie, Rui; Ju, Xiao-Jie; Liu, Zhuang; Chu, Liang-Yin

    2015-08-28

    In this study, soft hydrogel walkers with electro-driven motility for cargo transport have been developed via a facile mould-assisted strategy. The hydrogel walkers consisting of polyanionic poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid-co-acrylamide) exhibit an arc looper-like shape with two "legs" for walking. The hydrogel walkers can reversibly bend and stretch via repeated "on/off" electro-triggers in electrolyte solution. Based on such bending/stretching behaviors, the hydrogel walkers can move their two "legs" to achieve one-directional walking motion on a rough surface via repeated "on/off" electro-triggering cycles. Moreover, the hydrogel walkers loaded with very heavy cargo also exhibit excellent walking motion for cargo transport. Such hydrogel systems create new opportunities for developing electro-controlled soft systems with simple design/fabrication strategies in the soft robotic field for remote manipulation and transportation.

  15. Electro Spray Method for Flexible Display

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-05-12

    AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2016-0095 Electro Spray Method for Flexible Display Yukiharu Uraoka NARA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Final Report 11/26/2016...DATES COVERED (From - To)  20 Mar 2013 to 19 May 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Electro Spray Method for Flexible Display 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT...NUMBER FA2386-13-1-4024 5c.  PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 61102F 6. AUTHOR(S) Yukiharu Uraoka 5d.  PROJECT NUMBER 5e.  TASK NUMBER 5f.   WORK UNIT NUMBER 7

  16. BISRU: Synthetic Microbes for Moon, Mars and Beyond

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cumbers, J.; Rothchild, L.

    2010-04-01

    Synthetic biology and genomics will bring a new range of designer organisms into being and give us new tools for the manipulation and control of these organisms. BISRU or biological in situ resource utilization is the use of such genetically modified organisms in space.

  17. Electro-Optical Laser Technology. Curriculum Utilization. Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nawn, John H.

    This report describes a program to prepare students for employment as laser technicians and laser operators and to ensure that they have the necessary skills required by the industry. The objectives are to prepare a curriculum and syllabus for an associate degree program in Electro-Optical Laser Technology. The 2-year Electro-Optical Laser program…

  18. Cell-free synthetic biology for in vitro prototype engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Simon J; MacDonald, James T; Freemont, Paul S

    2017-06-15

    Cell-free transcription-translation is an expanding field in synthetic biology as a rapid prototyping platform for blueprinting the design of synthetic biological devices. Exemplar efforts include translation of prototype designs into medical test kits for on-site identification of viruses (Zika and Ebola), while gene circuit cascades can be tested, debugged and re-designed within rapid turnover times. Coupled with mathematical modelling, this discipline lends itself towards the precision engineering of new synthetic life. The next stages of cell-free look set to unlock new microbial hosts that remain slow to engineer and unsuited to rapid iterative design cycles. It is hoped that the development of such systems will provide new tools to aid the transition from cell-free prototype designs to functioning synthetic genetic circuits and engineered natural product pathways in living cells. © 2017 The Author(s).

  19. Bioactivity of cellulose acetate/hydroxyapatite nanoparticle composite fiber by an electro-spinning process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwak, Dae Hyun; Lee, Eun Ju; Kim, Deug Joong

    2014-11-01

    Hydroxyapatite/cellulose acetate composite webs were fabricated by an electro-spinning process. This electro-spinning process makes it possible to fabricate complex three-dimensional shapes. Nano fibrous web consisting of cellulose acetate and hydroxyapatite was produced from their mixture solution by using an electro-spinning process under high voltage. The surface of the electro-spun fiber was modified by a plasma and alkaline solution in order to increase its bioactivity. The structure, morphology and properties of the electro-spun fibers were investigated and an in-vitro bioactivity test was evaluated in simulated body fluid (SBF). Bioactivity of the electro-spun web was enhanced with the filler concentration and surface treatment. The surface changes of electro-spun fibers modified by plasma and alkaline solution were investigated by FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy).

  20. Synthetic biology for microbial heavy metal biosensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyun Ju; Jeong, Haeyoung; Lee, Sang Jun

    2018-02-01

    Using recombinant DNA technology, various whole-cell biosensors have been developed for detection of environmental pollutants, including heavy metal ions. Whole-cell biosensors have several advantages: easy and inexpensive cultivation, multiple assays, and no requirement of any special techniques for analysis. In the era of synthetic biology, cutting-edge DNA sequencing and gene synthesis technologies have accelerated the development of cell-based biosensors. Here, we summarize current technological advances in whole-cell heavy metal biosensors, including the synthetic biological components (bioparts), sensing and reporter modules, genetic circuits, and chassis cells. We discuss several opportunities for improvement of synthetic cell-based biosensors. First, new functional modules must be discovered in genome databases, and this knowledge must be used to upgrade specific bioparts through molecular engineering. Second, modules must be assembled into functional biosystems in chassis cells. Third, heterogeneity of individual cells in the microbial population must be eliminated. In the perspectives, the development of whole-cell biosensors is also discussed in the aspects of cultivation methods and synthetic cells.

  1. Selection platforms for directed evolution in synthetic biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tizei, Pedro A G; Csibra, Eszter; Torres, Leticia; Pinheiro, Vitor B

    2016-08-15

    Life on Earth is incredibly diverse. Yet, underneath that diversity, there are a number of constants and highly conserved processes: all life is based on DNA and RNA; the genetic code is universal; biology is limited to a small subset of potential chemistries. A vast amount of knowledge has been accrued through describing and characterizing enzymes, biological processes and organisms. Nevertheless, much remains to be understood about the natural world. One of the goals in Synthetic Biology is to recapitulate biological complexity from simple systems made from biological molecules-gaining a deeper understanding of life in the process. Directed evolution is a powerful tool in Synthetic Biology, able to bypass gaps in knowledge and capable of engineering even the most highly conserved biological processes. It encompasses a range of methodologies to create variation in a population and to select individual variants with the desired function-be it a ligand, enzyme, pathway or even whole organisms. Here, we present some of the basic frameworks that underpin all evolution platforms and review some of the recent contributions from directed evolution to synthetic biology, in particular methods that have been used to engineer the Central Dogma and the genetic code. © 2016 The Author(s).

  2. Wolf population genetics in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hindrikson, Maris; Remm, Jaanus; Pilot, Malgorzata

    2017-01-01

    genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the ‘pre-genomic era’ and the first insights of the ‘genomics era’. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal...

  3. Biosynthesis of therapeutic natural products using synthetic biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awan, Ali R; Shaw, William M; Ellis, Tom

    2016-10-01

    Natural products are a group of bioactive structurally diverse chemicals produced by microorganisms and plants. These molecules and their derivatives have contributed to over a third of the therapeutic drugs produced in the last century. However, over the last few decades traditional drug discovery pipelines from natural products have become far less productive and far more expensive. One recent development with promise to combat this trend is the application of synthetic biology to therapeutic natural product biosynthesis. Synthetic biology is a young discipline with roots in systems biology, genetic engineering, and metabolic engineering. In this review, we discuss the use of synthetic biology to engineer improved yields of existing therapeutic natural products. We further describe the use of synthetic biology to combine and express natural product biosynthetic genes in unprecedented ways, and how this holds promise for opening up completely new avenues for drug discovery and production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Electro-Optics/Low Observables Laboratory

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Electro-Optics/Low Observables Laboratory supports graduate instruction for students enrolled in the Low Observables program. Its purpose is to introduce these...

  5. Bifunctional Pt-Si Alloys for Small Organic Molecule Electro-oxidation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Permyakova, Anastasia Aleksandrovna; Suntivich, Jin; Han, Binghong

    Designing highly active catalysts for electro-oxidation of small organic molecules can help to reduce the anodic overpotential for more efficient utilization of hydrocarbon fuels. The challenge in developing more active electrocatalysts for electro-oxidation reactions is to satisfy the stringent...... adsorption site. We will discuss the enhanced activity of Pt-Si alloys for small organic molecule oxidation, which can be attributed to the improved CO electro-oxidation kinetics on Pt-Si....

  6. Modular design of artificial tissue homeostasis: robust control through synthetic cellular heterogeneity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miles Miller

    Full Text Available Synthetic biology efforts have largely focused on small engineered gene networks, yet understanding how to integrate multiple synthetic modules and interface them with endogenous pathways remains a challenge. Here we present the design, system integration, and analysis of several large scale synthetic gene circuits for artificial tissue homeostasis. Diabetes therapy represents a possible application for engineered homeostasis, where genetically programmed stem cells maintain a steady population of β-cells despite continuous turnover. We develop a new iterative process that incorporates modular design principles with hierarchical performance optimization targeted for environments with uncertainty and incomplete information. We employ theoretical analysis and computational simulations of multicellular reaction/diffusion models to design and understand system behavior, and find that certain features often associated with robustness (e.g., multicellular synchronization and noise attenuation are actually detrimental for tissue homeostasis. We overcome these problems by engineering a new class of genetic modules for 'synthetic cellular heterogeneity' that function to generate beneficial population diversity. We design two such modules (an asynchronous genetic oscillator and a signaling throttle mechanism, demonstrate their capacity for enhancing robust control, and provide guidance for experimental implementation with various computational techniques. We found that designing modules for synthetic heterogeneity can be complex, and in general requires a framework for non-linear and multifactorial analysis. Consequently, we adapt a 'phenotypic sensitivity analysis' method to determine how functional module behaviors combine to achieve optimal system performance. We ultimately combine this analysis with Bayesian network inference to extract critical, causal relationships between a module's biochemical rate-constants, its high level functional behavior in

  7. Modular design of artificial tissue homeostasis: robust control through synthetic cellular heterogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Miles; Hafner, Marc; Sontag, Eduardo; Davidsohn, Noah; Subramanian, Sairam; Purnick, Priscilla E M; Lauffenburger, Douglas; Weiss, Ron

    2012-01-01

    Synthetic biology efforts have largely focused on small engineered gene networks, yet understanding how to integrate multiple synthetic modules and interface them with endogenous pathways remains a challenge. Here we present the design, system integration, and analysis of several large scale synthetic gene circuits for artificial tissue homeostasis. Diabetes therapy represents a possible application for engineered homeostasis, where genetically programmed stem cells maintain a steady population of β-cells despite continuous turnover. We develop a new iterative process that incorporates modular design principles with hierarchical performance optimization targeted for environments with uncertainty and incomplete information. We employ theoretical analysis and computational simulations of multicellular reaction/diffusion models to design and understand system behavior, and find that certain features often associated with robustness (e.g., multicellular synchronization and noise attenuation) are actually detrimental for tissue homeostasis. We overcome these problems by engineering a new class of genetic modules for 'synthetic cellular heterogeneity' that function to generate beneficial population diversity. We design two such modules (an asynchronous genetic oscillator and a signaling throttle mechanism), demonstrate their capacity for enhancing robust control, and provide guidance for experimental implementation with various computational techniques. We found that designing modules for synthetic heterogeneity can be complex, and in general requires a framework for non-linear and multifactorial analysis. Consequently, we adapt a 'phenotypic sensitivity analysis' method to determine how functional module behaviors combine to achieve optimal system performance. We ultimately combine this analysis with Bayesian network inference to extract critical, causal relationships between a module's biochemical rate-constants, its high level functional behavior in isolation, and

  8. Electro-osmotic flows inside triangular microchannels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vocale, P; Spiga, M; Geri, M; Morini, G L

    2014-01-01

    This work presents a numerical investigation of both pure electro-osmotic and combined electro-osmotic/pressure-driven flows inside triangular microchannels. A finite element analysis has been adopted to solve the governing equations for the electric potential and the velocity field, accounting for a finite thickness of the electric double layer. The influence of non-dimensional parameters such as the aspect ratio of the cross-section, the electrokinetic diameter and the ratio of the pressure force to the electric force on the flow behavior has been investigated. Numerical results point out that the velocity field is significantly influenced by the aspect ratio of the cross section and the electrokinetic diameter. More specifically, the aspect ratio plays an important role in determining the maximum volumetric flow rate, while the electrokinetic diameter is crucial to establishing the range of pressures that may be sustained by the electro-osmotic flow. Numerical results are also compared with two correlations available in the literature which enable to assess the volumetric flow rate and the pressure head for microchannels featuring a rectangular, a trapezoidal or an elliptical cross-section.

  9. Precision Munition Electro-Sciences Facility

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — This facility allows the characterization of the electro-magnetic environment produced by a precision weapon in free flight. It can measure the radiofrequency (RF)...

  10. An Engineered Split Intein for Photoactivated Protein Trans-Splicing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanley Wong

    Full Text Available Protein splicing is mediated by inteins that auto-catalytically join two separated protein fragments with a peptide bond. Here we engineered a genetically encoded synthetic photoactivatable intein (named LOVInC, by using the light-sensitive LOV2 domain from Avena sativa as a switch to modulate the splicing activity of the split DnaE intein from Nostoc punctiforme. Periodic blue light illumination of LOVInC induced protein splicing activity in mammalian cells. To demonstrate the broad applicability of LOVInC, synthetic protein systems were engineered for the light-induced reassembly of several target proteins such as fluorescent protein markers, a dominant positive mutant of RhoA, caspase-7, and the genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator GCaMP2. Spatial precision of LOVInC was demonstrated by targeting activity to specific mammalian cells. Thus, LOVInC can serve as a general platform for engineering light-based control for modulating the activity of many different proteins.

  11. Factors impacting the electro conductivity variations of clayey soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouhadi, V. R.; Goodarzi, A. R.

    2007-01-01

    The variation of pore fluid properties in soil has a major effect on soil behaviour. This effect is a function of pore fluid properties and soil mineralogy. Such variation usually happens in the reservoirs of dams or in some geotechnical projects. The electro conductivity measurement is a simple method to monitor any variation in the pore fluid of soils. electro conductivity is the ability of a material to transmit (conduct) an electrical current. This paper focuses attention on the effect of soil-pore fluid interaction on the electro conductivity of clayey soils. A set of physico-chemical experiments are performed and the role of different factors including soil pH, soil mineralogy, soil: water ratio, cation and anion effects are investigated. The results of this study indicate that for soil that has a relatively low CEC, the anion type is an important factor, while the cation type does not noticeably affect the electro conductivity of the soil-solution. However, for such soil, an electrolyte property, i.e. its solubility, is much more effective than the CEC of the soil. In addition, it was observed that in the presence of neutral salts such as pore fluid, the pH of the soil-solution decreases causing an increase in the electro conductivity of the soil sample

  12. A multi-landing pad DNA integration platform for mammalian cell engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaidukov, Leonid; Wroblewska, Liliana; Teague, Brian; Nelson, Tom; Zhang, Xin; Liu, Yan; Jagtap, Kalpana; Mamo, Selamawit; Tseng, Wen Allen; Lowe, Alexis; Das, Jishnu; Bandara, Kalpanie; Baijuraj, Swetha; Summers, Nevin M; Zhang, Lin; Weiss, Ron

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Engineering mammalian cell lines that stably express many transgenes requires the precise insertion of large amounts of heterologous DNA into well-characterized genomic loci, but current methods are limited. To facilitate reliable large-scale engineering of CHO cells, we identified 21 novel genomic sites that supported stable long-term expression of transgenes, and then constructed cell lines containing one, two or three ‘landing pad’ recombination sites at selected loci. By using a highly efficient BxB1 recombinase along with different selection markers at each site, we directed recombinase-mediated insertion of heterologous DNA to selected sites, including targeting all three with a single transfection. We used this method to controllably integrate up to nine copies of a monoclonal antibody, representing about 100 kb of heterologous DNA in 21 transcriptional units. Because the integration was targeted to pre-validated loci, recombinant protein expression remained stable for weeks and additional copies of the antibody cassette in the integrated payload resulted in a linear increase in antibody expression. Overall, this multi-copy site-specific integration platform allows for controllable and reproducible insertion of large amounts of DNA into stable genomic sites, which has broad applications for mammalian synthetic biology, recombinant protein production and biomanufacturing. PMID:29617873

  13. Future electro-optical sensors and processing in urban operations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grönwall, C.; Schwering, P.B.; Rantakokko, J.; Benoist, K.W.; Kemp, R.A.W.; Steinvall, O.; Letalick, D.; Björkert, S.

    2013-01-01

    In the electro-optical sensors and processing in urban operations (ESUO) study we pave the way for the European Defence Agency (EDA) group of Electro-Optics experts (IAP03) for a common understanding of the optimal distribution of processing functions between the different platforms. Combinations of

  14. Electro-spun PLA-PEG-yarns for tissue engineering applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kruse, Magnus; Greuel, Marc; Kreimendahl, Franziska; Schneiders, Thomas; Bauer, Benedict; Gries, Thomas; Jockenhoevel, Stefan

    2018-01-01

    Electro-spinning is widely used in tissue-engineered applications mostly in form of non-woven structures. The development of e-spun yarn opens the door for textile fabrics which combine the micro to nanoscale dimension of electro-spun filaments with three-dimensional (3D) drapable textile fabrics.

  15. Plant synthetic biology: a new platform for industrial biotechnology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fesenko, Elena; Edwards, Robert

    2014-05-01

    Thirty years after the production of the first generation of genetically modified plants we are now set to move into a new era of recombinant crop technology through the application of synthetic biology to engineer new and complex input and output traits. The use of synthetic biology technologies will represent more than incremental additions of transgenes, but rather the directed design of completely new metabolic pathways, physiological traits, and developmental control strategies. The need to enhance our ability to improve crops through new engineering capability is now increasingly pressing as we turn to plants not just for food, but as a source of renewable feedstocks for industry. These accelerating and diversifying demands for new output traits coincide with a need to reduce inputs and improve agricultural sustainability. Faced with such challenges, existing technologies will need to be supplemented with new and far-more-directed approaches to turn valuable resources more efficiently into usable agricultural products. While these objectives are challenging enough, the use of synthetic biology in crop improvement will face public acceptance issues as a legacy of genetically modified technologies in many countries. Here we review some of the potential benefits of adopting synthetic biology approaches in improving plant input and output traits for their use as industrial chemical feedstocks, as linked to the rapidly developing biorefining industry. Several promising technologies and biotechnological targets are identified along with some of the key regulatory and societal challenges in the safe and acceptable introduction of such technology.

  16. Characterization of foot-and-mouth disease virus's viral peptides with LC-ESI-MS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pzdemir, Z.O.; Bulut, E.K.; Mustafeva, Z.; Karahan, M.

    2010-01-01

    Peptides and proteins play a central role in numerous biological and physiological processes in living organisms. Viral capsid peptides are part of the viruses' outer shell of genetic materials. Viruses are recognized by immune system via capsid peptides. Depending on this property of capsid peptides, prototypes synthetic peptide-based vaccine can be developed. In this work, we synthesized three different viral peptide sequences of foot-and-mouth disease virus with microwave enhanced solid phase synthesis method. These peptides were characterized by using liquid chromatography electro spray interface mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) with electro spray ionization. We briefly describe the essential facts for peptide characterization. (author)

  17. Genetic Expeditions with Haploid Human Cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jae, L.T.

    2015-01-01

    Random mutagenesis followed by phenotypic selection (forward genetics) is among the most powerful tools to elucidate the molecular basis of intricate biological processes and has been used in a suite of model organisms throughout the last century. However, its application to cultured mammalian cells

  18. ElectroChemical Arsenic Removal (ECAR) for Rural Bangladesh--Merging Technology with Sustainable Implementation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Addy, Susan E.A.; Gadgil, Ashok J.; Kowolik, Kristin; Kostecki, Robert

    2009-12-01

    Today, 35-77 million Bangladeshis drink arsenic-contaminated groundwater from shallow tube wells. Arsenic remediation efforts have focused on the development and dissemination of household filters that frequently fall into disuse due to the amount of attention and maintenance that they require. A community scale clean water center has many advantages over household filters and allows for both chemical and electricity-based technologies to be beneficial to rural areas. Full cost recovery would enable the treatment center to be sustainable over time. ElectroChemical Arsenic Remediation (ECAR) is compatible with community scale water treatment for rural Bangladesh. We demonstrate the ability of ECAR to reduce arsenic levels> 500 ppb to less than 10 ppb in synthetic and real Bangladesh groundwater samples and examine the influence of several operating parameters on arsenic removal effectiveness. Operating cost and waste estimates are provided. Policy implication recommendations that encourage sustainable community treatment centers are discussed.

  19. Lixiviation of plutonium contaminated solid wastes by aqueous solution of electro-generated reducing agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agarande, Michelle

    1991-01-01

    This study concerns the development of the new concept for the decontamination of plutonium bearing solid wastes, based on the lixiviation of the wastes using electro-generated reducing agents. First, a comparative study of the kinetics of the dissolution of pure PuO 2 (prepared by calcination of Pu (IV) oxalate at 450 C) in sulfuric acid media, with different reducing agents, was realized. Qualitatively these reagents can be sorted in three groups: 1 / fast kinetics for Cr(II), V(II) and U(III); 2 / slow kinetics for Ti(III); 3 / very slow kinetics for V(III) and U(VI). In order to contribute to the design of an electrochemical reactor for the generation of the reducing agents usable for the lixiviation of plutonium bearing solid wastes, the study of the diffusion coefficients of both oxidized and reduced forms of different redox couples, at different temperatures, was undertaken. The results of this study also permits, from the knowledge of the diffusional activation energy of the ions, to conclude that the dissolution of pure plutonium dioxide under the action of these reducing agents is not diffusion limited. The feasibility of the plutonium decontamination treatment of synthetic or real solid wastes was then studied at laboratory scale using electro-generated V(II), which is with Cr(II) among the best reagents. The efficiency of the treatment was good, (80 pc Pu solubilisation yield), especially in the case of cellulosic or miscellaneous organic wastes. (author) [fr

  20. Electro-optical frequency shifting of lasers for plasma diagnostics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forman, P.R.

    1977-07-01

    An electro-optical frequency shifting device is proposed as an aid for plasma physics heterodyne interferometry and heterodyne scattering experiments. The method has the advantage over other electro-optic shifters, that a pure separable frequency shifted beam can be obtained even when less than half wave voltage is applied. (orig.) [de

  1. [How to be prudent with synthetic biology. Synthetic Biology and the precautionary principle].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez López, Blanca

    2014-01-01

    Synthetic biology is a new discipline that is twofold: firstly it offers the promise to pay benefits that can alleviate some of the ills that plague mankind; On the other hand, like all technologies, holds risks. Given these, the most critical and concerned about the risks, invoke the application of the precautionary principle, common in cases where an activity or new technology creates risks to the environment and/or human health, but far from universally accepted happens to be currently one of the most controversial principles. In this paper the question of the risks and benefits of synthetic biology and the relevance of applying the precautionary principle are analyzed. To do this we proceed as follows. The first part focuses on synthetic biology. At first, this discipline is characterized, with special attention to what is novel compared to the known as "genetic engineering". In the second stage both the benefits and the risks associated with it are discussed. The first part concludes with a review of the efforts currently being made to control or minimize the risks. The second part aims to analyze the precautionary principle and its possible relevance to the case of Synthetic Biology. At first, the different versions and interpretations of the principle and the various criticisms of which has been the subject are reviewed. Finally, after discarding the Precautionary Principle as an useful tool, it is seen as more appropriate some recent proposals to treat technologies that take into account not only risks but also their benefits.

  2. Labeling proteins on live mammalian cells using click chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikić, Ivana; Kang, Jun Hee; Girona, Gemma Estrada; Aramburu, Iker Valle; Lemke, Edward A

    2015-05-01

    We describe a protocol for the rapid labeling of cell-surface proteins in living mammalian cells using click chemistry. The labeling method is based on strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC) and strain-promoted inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder cycloaddition (SPIEDAC) reactions, in which noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) bearing ring-strained alkynes or alkenes react, respectively, with dyes containing azide or tetrazine groups. To introduce ncAAs site specifically into a protein of interest (POI), we use genetic code expansion technology. The protocol can be described as comprising two steps. In the first step, an Amber stop codon is introduced--by site-directed mutagenesis--at the desired site on the gene encoding the POI. This plasmid is then transfected into mammalian cells, along with another plasmid that encodes an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA (RS/tRNA) pair that is orthogonal to the host's translational machinery. In the presence of the ncAA, the orthogonal RS/tRNA pair specifically suppresses the Amber codon by incorporating the ncAA into the polypeptide chain of the POI. In the second step, the expressed POI is labeled with a suitably reactive dye derivative that is directly supplied to the growth medium. We provide a detailed protocol for using commercially available ncAAs and dyes for labeling the insulin receptor, and we discuss the optimal surface-labeling conditions and the limitations of labeling living mammalian cells. The protocol involves an initial cloning step that can take 4-7 d, followed by the described transfections and labeling reaction steps, which can take 3-4 d.

  3. High performance electro-optical modulator based on photonic crystal and graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malekmohammad, M.; Asadi, R.

    2017-07-01

    An electro-optical modulator is demonstrated based on Fano-resonance effect in an out-of-plane illumination of one-dimensional slab photonic crystal composed of two graphene layers. It has been shown that high sensitivity of the Fano-resonance and electro-refractive tuning of graphene layers provides a suitable condition to obtain an electro-optical modulator with low energy consumption (8 pJ) with contrast of 0.4.

  4. Electro-decontamination of cementitious materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ben-Hadj-Hassine, S.

    2012-01-01

    The end of operations in nuclear facilities is followed by various decontamination and decommissioning operations. Similar to other electrochemical techniques such as re-alkalinisation and chloride extraction, an electrokinetic remediation process is being developed as a specific method for deeply contaminated concrete structures. Two cements, an ordinary Portland and a 30% slag cement, have been chosen for the conducted work.Mortars and concretes are contaminated by adding non-radioactive cesium in the batch water, cesium being a representative specie of deep encountered contaminants. The conducted experimental and numerical work have focused on three main aspects: characterizing and understanding the cesium transport mechanisms, assessing the electro-remediation process at lab-scale and evaluating the real scale constraints. Using existing knowledge of chloride transport mechanisms, experiments have been conducted to characterize the cesium interactions with cementitious phase and ionic transport in saturated materials. A numerical model have then been developed to describe the cesium transport, taking into account the ionic activity coefficients and interactions with solid phases. Indeed, lab-scale experiments have demonstrated that electro-remediation reduced to 20-50% the initially contained cesium after a three weeks treatment. Treated samples analysis confirmed that deeply diffused cesium is migrating to the surface. Moreover, conducted experiments showed the consistency between the different materials properties, applied currents and decontamination efficiency. A comparative analysis of experiments carried on samples with different shapes, formulations and contamination modes helped assessing and optimizing the process efficiency for various continuous and variable applied currents. Finally, electro-remediation experiments have also been carried on 1m 2 concrete slabs. Liquid catholyte and anolyte solutions are replaced by alumina gels and cellulose pastes

  5. Electro-optical hybrid slip ring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, En

    2005-11-01

    The slip ring is a rotary electrical interface, collector, swivel or rotary joint. It is a physical system that can perform continuous data transfer and data exchange between a stationary and a rotating structure. A slip ring is generally used to transfer data or power from an unrestrained, continuously rotating electro-mechanical system in real-time, thereby simplifying operations and eliminating damage-prone wires dangling from moving joints. Slip rings are widely used for testing, evaluating, developing and improving various technical equipment and facilities with rotating parts. They are widely used in industry, especially in manufacturing industries employing turbo machinery, as in aviation, shipbuilding, aerospace, defense, and in precise facilities having rotating parts such as medical Computerized Tomography (CT) and MRI scanners and so forth. Therefore, any improvement in slip ring technology can impact large markets. Research and development in this field will have broad prospects long into the future. The goal in developing the current slip ring technology is to improve and increase the reliability, stability, anti-interference, and high data fidelity between rotating and stationary structures. Up to now, there have been numerous approaches used for signal and data transfer utilizing a slip ring such as metal contacts, wires, radio transmission, and even liquid media. However, all suffer from drawbacks such as data transfer speed limitations, reliability, stability, electro-magnetic interference and durability. The purpose of the current research is to break through these basic limitations using an optical solution, thereby improving performance in current slip ring applications. This dissertation introduces a novel Electro-Optical Hybrid Slip Ring technology, which makes "through the air" digital-optical communication between stationary and rotating systems a reality with high data transfer speed, better reliability and low interference susceptibility

  6. Surface effects on anti-plane shear waves propagating in magneto-electro-elastic nanoplates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Bin; Zhang, Chunli; Chen, Weiqiu; Zhang, Chuanzeng

    2015-01-01

    Material surfaces may have a remarkable effect on the mechanical behavior of magneto-electro-elastic (or multiferroic) structures at nanoscale. In this paper, a surface magneto-electro-elasticity theory (or effective boundary condition formulation), which governs the motion of the material surface of magneto-electro-elastic nanoplates, is established by employing the state-space formalism. The properties of anti-plane shear (SH) waves propagating in a transversely isotropic magneto-electro-elastic plate with nanothickness are investigated by taking surface effects into account. The size-dependent dispersion relations of both antisymmetric and symmetric SH waves are presented. The thickness-shear frequencies and the asymptotic characteristics of the dispersion relations considering surface effects are determined analytically as well. Numerical results show that surface effects play a very pronounced role in elastic wave propagation in magneto-electro-elastic nanoplates, and the dispersion properties depend strongly on the chosen surface material parameters of magneto-electro-elastic nanoplates. As a consequence, it is possible to modulate the waves in magneto-electro-elastic nanoplates through surface engineering. (paper)

  7. Synthetic Biology and the Argument from Continuity with Established Technologies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Andreas

    2015-01-01

    ) that it ignores the distinction between what reasons we have and what we should do all things considered. I then illustrate the Continuity Argument and its problems in the case where human manipulation of organisms’ genetic makeup is a suggested reason for finding synthetic biology problematic. Finally, I suggest......Defenders of synthetic biology commonly make reference to the fact that established technologies, such as domestication or selective breeding, share some of the features of synthetic biology that critics argue make it ethically problematic. In this chapter, I reconstruct such references...... as instances of a type of argument which I dub the Continuity Argument. Roughly, the Continuity Argument seeks to show that if we are not disposed to reject the established technology, then features that this technology share with synthetic biology cannot provide reasons to find it ethically problematic. I...

  8. The transverse shear deformation behaviour of magneto-electro-elastic shell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albarody, Thar M. Badri; Al-Kayiem, Hussain H.; Faris, Waleed

    2016-01-01

    Compared to the large number of possible magneto-electro-elastic shell theories, very few exact solutions determining the in-plane stresses, electric displacements and magnetic inductions are possible. While, solving the magneto-electro-elastic shell equations in terms of thermo-magneto-electro-elastic generalized field functions on arbitrary domains and for general conditions exactly are not always possible. In the present work, a linear version of magneto-electro-elastic shell with simply supported boundary conditions, solved exactly, provided that the lamination scheme is cross-ply or anti-symmetric angle-ply laminates. The exact solution that introduced herein can measure the in-plane stresses, electric displacements and magnetic inductions. It also allow for an accurate and usually elegant and conclusive investigation of the various sensations in a shell structure. However, it is important for micro-electro-mechanical shell applications to have an approach available that gives the transverse shear deformation Behaviour for cases that cannot examine experimentally. An investigated examples were accompanied and noteworthy conclusions were drawn which highlight the issues of the implementation of the exact solution, implication of the effects of the material properties, lay-ups of the constituent layers, and shell parameters on the static Behaviour

  9. The transverse shear deformation behaviour of magneto-electro-elastic shell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Albarody, Thar M. Badri; Al-Kayiem, Hussain H. [UniversitiTeknologi PETRONAS, Perak (Malaysia); Faris, Waleed [International Islamic University Malaysia, Perak (Malaysia)

    2016-01-15

    Compared to the large number of possible magneto-electro-elastic shell theories, very few exact solutions determining the in-plane stresses, electric displacements and magnetic inductions are possible. While, solving the magneto-electro-elastic shell equations in terms of thermo-magneto-electro-elastic generalized field functions on arbitrary domains and for general conditions exactly are not always possible. In the present work, a linear version of magneto-electro-elastic shell with simply supported boundary conditions, solved exactly, provided that the lamination scheme is cross-ply or anti-symmetric angle-ply laminates. The exact solution that introduced herein can measure the in-plane stresses, electric displacements and magnetic inductions. It also allow for an accurate and usually elegant and conclusive investigation of the various sensations in a shell structure. However, it is important for micro-electro-mechanical shell applications to have an approach available that gives the transverse shear deformation Behaviour for cases that cannot examine experimentally. An investigated examples were accompanied and noteworthy conclusions were drawn which highlight the issues of the implementation of the exact solution, implication of the effects of the material properties, lay-ups of the constituent layers, and shell parameters on the static Behaviour.

  10. Synthetic biology in cell-based cancer immunotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakravarti, Deboki; Wong, Wilson W

    2015-08-01

    The adoptive transfer of genetically engineered T cells with cancer-targeting receptors has shown tremendous promise for eradicating tumors in clinical trials. This form of cellular immunotherapy presents a unique opportunity to incorporate advanced systems and synthetic biology approaches to create cancer therapeutics with novel functions. We first review the development of synthetic receptors, switches, and circuits to control the location, duration, and strength of T cell activity against tumors. In addition, we discuss the cellular engineering and genome editing of host cells (or the chassis) to improve the efficacy of cell-based cancer therapeutics, and to reduce the time and cost of manufacturing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Electro-optical rendezvous and docking sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tubbs, David J.; Kesler, Lynn O.; Sirko, Robert J.

    1991-01-01

    Electro-optical sensors provide unique and critical functionality for space missions requiring rendezvous, docking, and berthing. McDonnell Douglas is developing a complete rendezvous and docking system for both manned and unmanned missions. This paper examines our sensor development and the systems and missions which benefit from rendezvous and docking sensors. Simulation results quantifying system performance improvements in key areas are given, with associated sensor performance requirements. A brief review of NASA-funded development activities and the current performance of electro-optical sensors for space applications is given. We will also describe current activities at McDonnell Douglas for a fully functional demonstration to address specific NASA mission needs.

  12. A Synthetic Biology Framework for Programming Eukaryotic Transcription Functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalil, Ahmad S.; Lu, Timothy K.; Bashor, Caleb J.; Ramirez, Cherie L.; Pyenson, Nora C.; Joung, J. Keith; Collins, James J.

    2013-01-01

    SUMMARY Eukaryotic transcription factors (TFs) perform complex and combinatorial functions within transcriptional networks. Here, we present a synthetic framework for systematically constructing eukaryotic transcription functions using artificial zinc fingers, modular DNA-binding domains found within many eukaryotic TFs. Utilizing this platform, we construct a library of orthogonal synthetic transcription factors (sTFs) and use these to wire synthetic transcriptional circuits in yeast. We engineer complex functions, such as tunable output strength and transcriptional cooperativity, by rationally adjusting a decomposed set of key component properties, e.g., DNA specificity, affinity, promoter design, protein-protein interactions. We show that subtle perturbations to these properties can transform an individual sTF between distinct roles (activator, cooperative factor, inhibitory factor) within a transcriptional complex, thus drastically altering the signal processing behavior of multi-input systems. This platform provides new genetic components for synthetic biology and enables bottom-up approaches to understanding the design principles of eukaryotic transcriptional complexes and networks. PMID:22863014

  13. An analysis of electro-osmotic and magnetohydrodynamic heat pipes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harrison, M.A.

    1988-01-01

    Mechanically simple methods of improving heat transport in heat pipes are investigated. These methods are electro-osmotic and magnetohydrodynamic augmentation. For the electro-osmotic case, a detailed electrokinetic model is used. The electrokinetic model used includes the effects of pore surface curvature and multiple ion diffusivities. The electrokinetic model is extended to approximate the effects of elevated temperature. When the electro-osmotic model is combined with a suitable heat-pipe model, it is found that the electro-osmotic pump should be a thin membrane. Arguments are provided that support the use of a volatile electrolyte. For the magnetohydrodynamic case, a brief investigation is provided. A quasi-one-dimensional hydromagnetic duct flow model is used. This hydromagnetic model is extended to approximate flow effects unique to heat pipes. When combined with a suitable heat pipe model, it is found that there is no performance gain for the case considered. In fact, there are serious pressure-distribution problems that have not been previously recognized. Potential solutions to these pressure-distribution problems are suggested

  14. Electro-oxidation of methanol on copper in alkaline solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heli, H.; Jafarian, M.; Mahjani, M.G.; Gobal, F.

    2004-01-01

    The electro-oxidation of methanol on copper in alkaline solutions has been studied by the methods of cyclic voltammetry, quasi-steady state polarization and chronoamperometry. It has been found that in the course of an anodic potential sweep the electro-oxidation of methanol follows the formation of Cu III and is catalysed by this species through a mediated electron transfer mechanism. The reaction also continues in the early stages of the reversed cycle until it is stopped by the prohibitively negative potentials. The process is diffusion controlled and the current-time responses follow Cottrellian behavior. The rate constants, turnover frequency, anodic transfer coefficient and the apparent activation energy of the electro-oxidation reaction are reported

  15. Quantum model for electro-optical amplitude modulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capmany, José; Fernández-Pousa, Carlos R

    2010-11-22

    We present a quantum model for electro-optic amplitude modulation, which is built upon quantum models of the main photonic components that constitute the modulator, that is, the guided-wave beamsplitter and the electro-optic phase modulator and accounts for all the different available modulator structures. General models are developed both for single and dual drive configurations and specific results are obtained for the most common configurations currently employed. Finally, the operation with two-photon input for the control of phase-modulated photons and the important topic of multicarrier modulation are also addressed.

  16. Electro-Conductive Membranes for Permeation Enhancement and Fouling Mitigation: A Short Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrizia Formoso

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The research on electro-conductive membranes has expanded in recent years. These membranes have strong prospective as key components in next generation water treatment plants because they are engineered in order to enhance their performance in terms of separation, flux, fouling potential, and permselectivity. The present review summarizes recent developments in the preparation of electro-conductive membranes and the mechanisms of their response to external electric voltages in order to obtain an improvement in permeation and mitigation in the fouling growth. In particular, this paper deals with the properties of electro-conductive polymers and the preparation of electro-conductive polymer membranes with a focus on responsive membranes based on polyaniline, polypyrrole and carbon nanotubes. Then, some examples of electro-conductive membranes for permeation enhancement and fouling mitigation by electrostatic repulsion, hydrogen peroxide generation and electrochemical oxidation will be presented.

  17. Electro-Conductive Membranes for Permeation Enhancement and Fouling Mitigation: A Short Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Formoso, Patrizia; Pantuso, Elvira; De Filpo, Giovanni; Nicoletta, Fiore Pasquale

    2017-07-28

    The research on electro-conductive membranes has expanded in recent years. These membranes have strong prospective as key components in next generation water treatment plants because they are engineered in order to enhance their performance in terms of separation, flux, fouling potential, and permselectivity. The present review summarizes recent developments in the preparation of electro-conductive membranes and the mechanisms of their response to external electric voltages in order to obtain an improvement in permeation and mitigation in the fouling growth. In particular, this paper deals with the properties of electro-conductive polymers and the preparation of electro-conductive polymer membranes with a focus on responsive membranes based on polyaniline, polypyrrole and carbon nanotubes. Then, some examples of electro-conductive membranes for permeation enhancement and fouling mitigation by electrostatic repulsion, hydrogen peroxide generation and electrochemical oxidation will be presented.

  18. Antiangiogenic effects of synthetic analogs of curcumin in vivo ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The active compound curcumin is isolated from the spice turmeric. Curcumin, curcuminoids and their synthetic analogs have been shown to inhibit the progression of cancer in animal models. In colon and skin carcinogenesis the genetic changes engross different genes, but curcumin is effective in preventing ...

  19. Robust Hinfinity position control synthesis of an electro-hydraulic servo system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milić, Vladimir; Situm, Zeljko; Essert, Mario

    2010-10-01

    This paper focuses on the use of the techniques based on linear matrix inequalities for robust H(infinity) position control synthesis of an electro-hydraulic servo system. A nonlinear dynamic model of the hydraulic cylindrical actuator with a proportional valve has been developed. For the purpose of the feedback control an uncertain linearized mathematical model of the system has been derived. The structured (parametric) perturbations in the electro-hydraulic coefficients are taken into account. H(infinity) controller extended with an integral action is proposed. To estimate internal states of the electro-hydraulic servo system an observer is designed. Developed control algorithms have been tested experimentally in the laboratory model of an electro-hydraulic servo system. Copyright © 2010 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Missile Electro-Optical Countermeasures Simulation Laboratory

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — This laboratory comprises several hardware-in-the-loop missile flight simulations designed specifically to evaluate the effectiveness of electro-optical air defense...

  1. Basic science through engineering? Synthetic modeling and the idea of biology-inspired engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knuuttila, Tarja; Loettgers, Andrea

    2013-06-01

    Synthetic biology is often understood in terms of the pursuit for well-characterized biological parts to create synthetic wholes. Accordingly, it has typically been conceived of as an engineering dominated and application oriented field. We argue that the relationship of synthetic biology to engineering is far more nuanced than that and involves a sophisticated epistemic dimension, as shown by the recent practice of synthetic modeling. Synthetic models are engineered genetic networks that are implanted in a natural cell environment. Their construction is typically combined with experiments on model organisms as well as mathematical modeling and simulation. What is especially interesting about this combinational modeling practice is that, apart from greater integration between these different epistemic activities, it has also led to the questioning of some central assumptions and notions on which synthetic biology is based. As a result synthetic biology is in the process of becoming more "biology inspired." Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Synthetic addiction extends the productive life time of engineered Escherichia coli populations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rugbjerg, Peter; Sarup-Lytzen, Kira; Nagy, Mariann

    2018-01-01

    range of genetic variants that disrupt the biosynthetic capacity of the engineered organism. Synthetic product addiction that couples high-yield production of a desired metabolite to expression of nonconditionally essential genes could offer a solution to this problem by selectively favoring cells...... with biosynthetic capacity in the population without constraining the medium. We constructed such synthetic product addiction by controlling the expression of two nonconditionally essential genes with a mevalonic acid biosensor. The product-addicted production organism retained high-yield mevalonic acid production...... through 95 generations of cultivation, corresponding to the number of cell generations required for >200-m3 industrial-scale production, at which time the nonaddicted strain completely abolished production. Using deep DNA sequencing, we find that the product-addicted populations do not accumulate genetic...

  3. Synthetic biology, inspired by synthetic chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malinova, V; Nallani, M; Meier, W P; Sinner, E K

    2012-07-16

    The topic synthetic biology appears still as an 'empty basket to be filled'. However, there is already plenty of claims and visions, as well as convincing research strategies about the theme of synthetic biology. First of all, synthetic biology seems to be about the engineering of biology - about bottom-up and top-down approaches, compromising complexity versus stability of artificial architectures, relevant in biology. Synthetic biology accounts for heterogeneous approaches towards minimal and even artificial life, the engineering of biochemical pathways on the organismic level, the modelling of molecular processes and finally, the combination of synthetic with nature-derived materials and architectural concepts, such as a cellular membrane. Still, synthetic biology is a discipline, which embraces interdisciplinary attempts in order to have a profound, scientific base to enable the re-design of nature and to compose architectures and processes with man-made matter. We like to give an overview about the developments in the field of synthetic biology, regarding polymer-based analogs of cellular membranes and what questions can be answered by applying synthetic polymer science towards the smallest unit in life, namely a cell. Copyright © 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Synthetic Biology to Engineer Bacteriophage Genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rita Costa, Ana; Milho, Catarina; Azeredo, Joana; Pires, Diana Priscila

    2018-01-01

    Recent advances in the synthetic biology field have enabled the development of new molecular biology techniques used to build specialized bacteriophages with new functionalities. Bacteriophages have been engineered towards a wide range of applications including pathogen control and detection, targeted drug delivery, or even assembly of new materials.In this chapter, two strategies that have been successfully used to genetically engineer bacteriophage genomes are addressed: a yeast-based platform and bacteriophage recombineering of electroporated DNA.

  5. Molecular analysis of genetic diversity in elite II synthetic hexaploid ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-07-20

    Jul 20, 2009 ... The presence of sufficient genetic diversity in the germplam is an important ..... Figure 1. PCR amplification profile of Elite-II SH Wheat using the primer OPG-2. .... genetic relationships among cowpea breeding lines and local.

  6. Evaluation of cytoplasmic genetic effects for production and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    uvp

    2014-12-03

    Dec 3, 2014 ... Cytoplasmic genetic effects are transmitted directly only from mother to offspring through mitochondrial DNA. Normal genetic .... inheritance in three synthetic lines of beef cattle differing in mature size. J. Anim. Sci. 69, 745.

  7. Electromigration of Contaminated Soil by Electro-Bioremediation Technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azhar, A. T. S.; Nabila, A. T. A.; Nurshuhaila, M. S.; Shaylinda, M. Z. N.; Azim, M. A. M.

    2016-07-01

    Soil contamination with heavy metals poses major environmental and human health problems. This problem needs an efficient method and affordable technological solution such as electro-bioremediation technique. The electro-bioremediation technique used in this study is the combination of bacteria and electrokinetic process. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Pseudomonas putida bacteria as a biodegradation agent to remediate contaminated soil. 5 kg of kaolin soil was spiked with 5 g of zinc oxide. During this process, the anode reservoir was filled with Pseudomonas putida while the cathode was filled with distilled water for 5 days at 50 V of electrical gradient. The X-Ray Fluorescent (XRF) test indicated that there was a significant reduction of zinc concentration for the soil near the anode with 89% percentage removal. The bacteria count is high near the anode which is 1.3x107 cfu/gww whereas the bacteria count at the middle and near the cathode was 5.0x106 cfu/gww and 8.0x106 cfu/gww respectively. The migration of ions to the opposite charge of electrodes during the electrokinetic process resulted from the reduction of zinc. The results obtained proved that the electro-bioremediation reduced the level of contaminants in the soil sample. Thus, the electro-bioremediation technique has the potential to be used in the treatment of contaminated soil.

  8. Application of Electro Chemical Machining for materials used in extreme conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandilov, Z.

    2018-03-01

    Electro-Chemical Machining (ECM) is the generic term for a variety of electrochemical processes. ECM is used to machine work pieces from metal and metal alloys irrespective of their hardness, strength or thermal properties, through the anodic dissolution, in aerospace, automotive, construction, medical equipment, micro-systems and power supply industries. The Electro Chemical Machining is extremely suitable for machining of materials used in extreme conditions. General overview of the Electro-Chemical Machining and its application for different materials used in extreme conditions is presented.

  9. Recent highlights in electro-driven separations- selected applications of alkylthiol gold nanoparticles in capillary electrophoresis and capillary electro-chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guihen, Elizabeth

    2017-09-01

    To date, alkylthiol gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been widely used in electro-chromatographic separation techniques as a viable alternative to traditional stationary phases. This is mainly due to their stability, chemical inertness, ease of functionality, increased phase ratio, ability to form self-assembled monolayers. They also yield versatile stationary phases with highly specific targeted functionalities. At the nanoscale region, the chemical and physical properties of a molecule display different attributes to that of the parent molecules or material, hence these features can be harnessed in electro-driven chromatographic separations. Application areas illustrating the use of AuNPs in separation science continue to grow and expand to cover many different kinds of analysis. The last decade has witnessed a successful trend in miniaturisation of chemical separation systems toward the micro and nanoscale ranges. Nanoparticle-based stationary phases fit well with performing chemical separations on microfluidic and capillary platforms. In this review the theory of the use of alkylthiol gold nanoparticles in electro-chromatographic driven separation methods will be discussed. This will be followed by details of recent and selected applications showing alkylthiol gold nanoparticles in capillary electrophoretic and open-tubular electro-chromatographic separations. This review will focus solely on alkylthiol based gold nanoparticles, therefore other kinds of chemical moieties bonded to gold nanoparticles are outside the scope of this review. Finally the future outlook of this exciting technology will be outlined in some detail in the final section. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Preparing Synthetic Biology for the World

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerd H.G. Moe-Behrens

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Synthetic Biology promises low-cost, exponentially scalable products and global health solutions in the form of self-replicating organisms, or living devices. As these promises are realized, proof-of-concept systems will gradually migrate from tightly regulated laboratory or industrial environments into private spaces as, for instance, probiotic health products, food, and even do-it-yourself bioengineered systems. What additional steps, if any, should be taken before releasing engineered self-replicating organisms into a broader user space? In this review, we explain how studies of genetically modified organisms lay groundwork for the future landscape of biosafety. Early in the design process, biological engineers are anticipating potential hazards and developing innovative tools to mitigate risk. Here, we survey lessons learned, ongoing efforts to engineer intrinsic biocontainment, and how different stakeholders in synthetic biology can act to accomplish best practices for biosafety.

  11. Optical and electro-optic anisotropy of epitaxial PZT thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Minmin; Du, Zehui; Jing, Lin; Yoong Tok, Alfred Iing; Tong Teo, Edwin Hang

    2015-07-01

    Strong optical and electro-optic (EO) anisotropy has been investigated in ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.48Ti0.52)O3 thin films epitaxially grown on Nb-SrTiO3 (001), (011), and (111) substrates using magnetron sputtering. The refractive index, electro-optic, and ferroelectric properties of the samples demonstrate the significant dependence on the growth orientation. The linear electro-optic coefficients of the (001), (011), and (111)-oriented PZT thin films were 270.8, 198.8, and 125.7 pm/V, respectively. Such remarkable anisotropic EO behaviors have been explained according to the structure correlation between the orientation dependent distribution, spontaneous polarization, epitaxial strain, and domain pattern.

  12. Chaotic micromixer utilizing electro-osmosis and induced charge electro-osmosis in eccentric annulus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, Huicheng; Wong, Teck Neng; Marcos; Che, Zhizhao

    2016-01-01

    Efficient mixing is of significant importance in numerous chemical and biomedical applications but difficult to realize rapidly in microgeometries due to the lack of turbulence. We propose to enhance mixing by introducing Lagrangian chaos through electro-osmosis (EO) or induced charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) in an eccentric annulus. The analysis reveals that the created Lagrangian chaos can achieve a homogeneous mixing much more rapidly than either the pure EO or the pure ICEO. Our systematic investigations on the key parameters, ranging from the eccentricity, the alternating time period, the number of flow patterns in one time period, to the specific flow patterns utilized for the Lagrangian chaos creation, present that the Lagrangian chaos is considerably robust. The system can obtain a good mixing effect with wide ranges of eccentricity, alternating time period, and specific flow patterns utilized for the Lagrangian chaos creation as long as the number of flow patterns in one time period is two. As the electric field increases, the time consumption for homogenous mixing is reduced more remarkably for the Lagrangian chaos of the ICEO than that of the EO.

  13. Chaotic micromixer utilizing electro-osmosis and induced charge electro-osmosis in eccentric annulus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Huicheng; Wong, Teck Neng, E-mail: mtnwong@ntu.edu.sg; Marcos [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Che, Zhizhao [State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2016-06-15

    Efficient mixing is of significant importance in numerous chemical and biomedical applications but difficult to realize rapidly in microgeometries due to the lack of turbulence. We propose to enhance mixing by introducing Lagrangian chaos through electro-osmosis (EO) or induced charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) in an eccentric annulus. The analysis reveals that the created Lagrangian chaos can achieve a homogeneous mixing much more rapidly than either the pure EO or the pure ICEO. Our systematic investigations on the key parameters, ranging from the eccentricity, the alternating time period, the number of flow patterns in one time period, to the specific flow patterns utilized for the Lagrangian chaos creation, present that the Lagrangian chaos is considerably robust. The system can obtain a good mixing effect with wide ranges of eccentricity, alternating time period, and specific flow patterns utilized for the Lagrangian chaos creation as long as the number of flow patterns in one time period is two. As the electric field increases, the time consumption for homogenous mixing is reduced more remarkably for the Lagrangian chaos of the ICEO than that of the EO.

  14. Breeding value of primary synthetic wheat genotypes for grain yield

    Science.gov (United States)

    To introduce new genetic diversity into the bread wheat gene pool from its progenitor, Aegilops tauschii (Coss.) Schmalh, 33 primary synthetic hexaploid wheat genotypes (SYN) were crossed to 20 spring bread wheat (BW) cultivars at the International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center. Modified single...

  15. Automatic Control of Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fracassi, Chiara; Postiglione, Lorena; Fiore, Gianfranco; di Bernardo, Diego

    2016-04-15

    Automatic control of gene expression in living cells is paramount importance to characterize both endogenous gene regulatory networks and synthetic circuits. In addition, such a technology can be used to maintain the expression of synthetic circuit components in an optimal range in order to ensure reliable performance. Here we present a microfluidics-based method to automatically control gene expression from the tetracycline-inducible promoter in mammalian cells in real time. Our approach is based on the negative-feedback control engineering paradigm. We validated our method in a monoclonal population of cells constitutively expressing a fluorescent reporter protein (d2EYFP) downstream of a minimal CMV promoter with seven tet-responsive operator motifs (CMV-TET). These cells also constitutively express the tetracycline transactivator protein (tTA). In cells grown in standard growth medium, tTA is able to bind the CMV-TET promoter, causing d2EYFP to be maximally expressed. Upon addition of tetracycline to the culture medium, tTA detaches from the CMV-TET promoter, thus preventing d2EYFP expression. We tested two different model-independent control algorithms (relay and proportional-integral (PI)) to force a monoclonal population of cells to express an intermediate level of d2EYFP equal to 50% of its maximum expression level for up to 3500 min. The control input is either tetracycline-rich or standard growth medium. We demonstrated that both the relay and PI controllers can regulate gene expression at the desired level, despite oscillations (dampened in the case of the PI controller) around the chosen set point.

  16. Electro and gamma nuclear physics in Geant4

    CERN Document Server

    Wellisch, J P; Degtyarenko, P V

    2003-01-01

    Adequate description of electro and gamma nuclear physics is of utmost importance in studies of electron beam-dumps and intense electron beam accelerators. I also is mandatory to describe neutron backgrounds and activation in linear colliders. This physics was elaborated in Geant4 over the last year, and now entered into the stage of practical application. In the {\\sc Geant4} Photo-nuclear data base there are at present about 50 nuclei for which the Photo-nuclear absorption cross sections have been measured. Of these, data on 14 nuclei are used to parametrize the gamma nuclear reaction cross-section The resulting cross section is a complex, factorized function of $A$ and $e = log(E_\\gamma)$, where $E_\\gamma$ is the energy of the incident photon. Electro-nuclear reactions are so closely connected with Photo-nuclear reactions that sometimes they are often called ``Photo-nuclear''. The one-photon exchange mechanism dominates in Electro-nuclear reactions, and the electron can be substituted by a flux of photons. ...

  17. genetics, epigenetics and the story of mutual antagonisms

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Recent years have seen a rapid growth in mouse genetics resources that support research into fundamental mechanisms in organogenesis, including those controlling mammalian sex determinations. Numerous mouse mutants have shed light on molecular pathways of cell fate specification during gonadogenesis and the ...

  18. Annotating novel genes by integrating synthetic lethals and genomic information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faty Mahamadou

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Large scale screening for synthetic lethality serves as a common tool in yeast genetics to systematically search for genes that play a role in specific biological processes. Often the amounts of data resulting from a single large scale screen far exceed the capacities of experimental characterization of every identified target. Thus, there is need for computational tools that select promising candidate genes in order to reduce the number of follow-up experiments to a manageable size. Results We analyze synthetic lethality data for arp1 and jnm1, two spindle migration genes, in order to identify novel members in this process. To this end, we use an unsupervised statistical method that integrates additional information from biological data sources, such as gene expression, phenotypic profiling, RNA degradation and sequence similarity. Different from existing methods that require large amounts of synthetic lethal data, our method merely relies on synthetic lethality information from two single screens. Using a Multivariate Gaussian Mixture Model, we determine the best subset of features that assign the target genes to two groups. The approach identifies a small group of genes as candidates involved in spindle migration. Experimental testing confirms the majority of our candidates and we present she1 (YBL031W as a novel gene involved in spindle migration. We applied the statistical methodology also to TOR2 signaling as another example. Conclusion We demonstrate the general use of Multivariate Gaussian Mixture Modeling for selecting candidate genes for experimental characterization from synthetic lethality data sets. For the given example, integration of different data sources contributes to the identification of genetic interaction partners of arp1 and jnm1 that play a role in the same biological process.

  19. Validating and improving the correction of ocular artifacts in electro-encephalography

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kierkels, J.J.M.

    2007-01-01

    For modern applications of electro-encephalography, including brain computer interfaces and single-trial Event Related Potential detection, it is becoming increasingly important that artifacts are accurately removed from a recorded electro-encephalogram (EEG) without affecting the part of the EEG

  20. Sparse genetic tracing reveals regionally specific functional organization of mammalian nociceptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, William; Abdus-Saboor, Ishmail; Cui, Lian; Burdge, Justin; Raabe, Tobias; Ma, Minghong; Luo, Wenqin

    2017-10-12

    The human distal limbs have a high spatial acuity for noxious stimuli but a low density of pain-sensing neurites. To elucidate mechanisms underlying regional differences in processing nociception, we sparsely traced non-peptidergic nociceptors across the body using a newly generated Mrgprd CreERT2 mouse line. We found that mouse plantar paw skin is also innervated by a low density of Mrgprd + nociceptors, while individual arbors in different locations are comparable in size. Surprisingly, the central arbors of plantar paw and trunk innervating nociceptors have distinct morphologies in the spinal cord. This regional difference is well correlated with a heightened signal transmission for plantar paw circuits, as revealed by both spinal cord slice recordings and behavior assays. Taken together, our results elucidate a novel somatotopic functional organization of the mammalian pain system and suggest that regional central arbor structure could facilitate the "enlarged representation" of plantar paw regions in the CNS.

  1. Mammalian development in space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronca, April E.

    2003-01-01

    Life on Earth, and thus the reproductive and ontogenetic processes of all extant species and their ancestors, evolved under the constant influence of the Earth's l g gravitational field. These considerations raise important questions about the ability of mammals to reproduce and develop in space. In this chapter, I review the current state of our knowledge of spaceflight effects on developing mammals. Recent studies are revealing the first insights into how the space environment affects critical phases of mammalian reproduction and development, viz., those events surrounding fertilization, embryogenesis, pregnancy, birth, postnatal maturation and parental care. This review emphasizes fetal and early postnatal life, the developmental epochs for which the greatest amounts of mammalian spaceflight data have been amassed. The maternal-offspring system, the coordinated aggregate of mother and young comprising mammalian development, is of primary importance during these early, formative developmental phases. The existing research supports the view that biologically meaningful interactions between mothers and offspring are changed in the weightlessness of space. These changes may, in turn, cloud interpretations of spaceflight effects on developing offspring. Whereas studies of mid-pregnant rats in space have been extraordinarily successful, studies of young rat litters launched at 9 days of postnatal age or earlier, have been encumbered with problems related to the design of in-flight caging and compromised maternal-offspring interactions. Possibilities for mammalian birth in space, an event that has not yet transpired, are considered. In the aggregate, the results indicate a strong need for new studies of mammalian reproduction and development in space. Habitat development and systematic ground-based testing are important prerequisites to future research with young postnatal rodents in space. Together, the findings support the view that the environment within which young

  2. Deconvolution of Voltage Sensor Time Series and Electro-diffusion Modeling Reveal the Role of Spine Geometry in Controlling Synaptic Strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cartailler, Jerome; Kwon, Taekyung; Yuste, Rafael; Holcman, David

    2018-03-07

    Most synaptic excitatory connections are made on dendritic spines. But how the voltage in spines is modulated by its geometry remains unclear. To investigate the electrical properties of spines, we combine voltage imaging data with electro-diffusion modeling. We first present a temporal deconvolution procedure for the genetically encoded voltage sensor expressed in hippocampal cultured neurons and then use electro-diffusion theory to compute the electric field and the current-voltage conversion. We extract a range for the neck resistances of 〈R〉=100±35MΩ. When a significant current is injected in a spine, the neck resistance can be inversely proportional to its radius, but not to the radius square, as predicted by Ohm's law. We conclude that the postsynaptic voltage cannot only be modulated by changing the number of receptors, but also by the spine geometry. Thus, spine morphology could be a key component in determining synaptic transduction and plasticity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Parts & Pools: A Framework for Modular Design of Synthetic Gene Circuits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marchisio, Mario Andrea, E-mail: marchisio@hit.edu.cn [School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin (China)

    2014-10-06

    Published in 2008, Parts & Pools represents one of the first attempts to conceptualize the modular design of bacterial synthetic gene circuits with Standard Biological Parts (DNA segments) and Pools of molecules referred to as common signal carriers (e.g., RNA polymerases and ribosomes). The original framework for modeling bacterial components and designing prokaryotic circuits evolved over the last years and brought, first, to the development of an algorithm for the automatic design of Boolean gene circuits. This is a remarkable achievement since gene digital circuits have a broad range of applications that goes from biosensors for health and environment care to computational devices. More recently, Parts & Pools was enabled to give a proper formal description of eukaryotic biological circuit components. This was possible by employing a rule-based modeling approach, a technique that permits a faithful calculation of all the species and reactions involved in complex systems such as eukaryotic cells and compartments. In this way, Parts & Pools is currently suitable for the visual and modular design of synthetic gene circuits in yeast and mammalian cells too.

  4. Parts & Pools: A Framework for Modular Design of Synthetic Gene Circuits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marchisio, Mario Andrea

    2014-01-01

    Published in 2008, Parts & Pools represents one of the first attempts to conceptualize the modular design of bacterial synthetic gene circuits with Standard Biological Parts (DNA segments) and Pools of molecules referred to as common signal carriers (e.g., RNA polymerases and ribosomes). The original framework for modeling bacterial components and designing prokaryotic circuits evolved over the last years and brought, first, to the development of an algorithm for the automatic design of Boolean gene circuits. This is a remarkable achievement since gene digital circuits have a broad range of applications that goes from biosensors for health and environment care to computational devices. More recently, Parts & Pools was enabled to give a proper formal description of eukaryotic biological circuit components. This was possible by employing a rule-based modeling approach, a technique that permits a faithful calculation of all the species and reactions involved in complex systems such as eukaryotic cells and compartments. In this way, Parts & Pools is currently suitable for the visual and modular design of synthetic gene circuits in yeast and mammalian cells too.

  5. Building electro-optical systems making it all work

    CERN Document Server

    Hobbs, Philip C D

    2009-01-01

    Praise for the First Edition ""Now a new laboratory bible for optics researchers has joined the list: it is Phil Hobbs's Building Electro-Optical Systems: Making It All Work.""-Tony Siegman, Optics & Photonics News Building a modern electro-optical instrument may be the most interdisciplinary job in all of engineering. Be it a DVD player or a laboratory one-off, it involves physics, electrical engineering, optical engineering, and computer science interacting in complex ways. This book will help all kinds of technical people sort through the complexit

  6. Recent progress in GeSi electro-absorption modulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaisakul, Papichaya; Marris-Morini, Delphine; Rouifed, Mohamed-Said; Coudevylle, Jean-René; Roux, Xavier Le; Edmond, Samson; Vivien, Laurent; Frigerio, Jacopo; Chrastina, Daniel; Isella, Giovanni

    2014-01-01

    Electro-absorption from GeSi heterostructures is receiving growing attention as a high performance optical modulator for short distance optical interconnects. Ge incorporation with Si allows strong modulation mechanism using the Franz–Keldysh effect and the quantum-confined Stark effect from bulk and quantum well structures at telecommunication wavelengths. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge and the on-going challenges concerning the development of high performance GeSi electro-absorption modulators. We also provide feasible future prospects concerning this research topic. (review)

  7. Mammalian cell biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elkind, M.M.

    1975-01-01

    Progress is reported on the following research projects: the effects of N-ethyl-maleimide and hydroxyurea on hamster cells in culture; sensitization of synchronized human cells to x rays by N-ethylmaleimide; sensitization of hypoxic mammalian cells with a sulfhydryl inhibitor; damage interaction due to ionizing and nonionizing radiation in mammalian cells; DNA damage relative to radioinduced cell killing; spurious photolability of DNA labeled with methyl- 14 C-thymidine; radioinduced malignant transformation of cultured mouse cells; a comparison of properties of uv and near uv light relative to cell function and DNA damage; Monte Carlo simulation of DNA damage and repair mechanisms; and radiobiology of fast neutrons

  8. Fluorescence and confocal imaging of mammalian cells using conjugated oligoelectrolytes with phenylenevinylene core

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milczarek, Justyna; Pawlowska, Roza; Zurawinski, Remigiusz; Lukasik, Beata; Garner, Logan E.; Chworos, Arkadiusz

    2017-05-01

    Over the last few years, considerable efforts are taken, in order to find a molecular fluorescent probe fulfilling their applicability requirements. Due to a good optical properties and affinity to biological structures conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs) can be considered as a promising dyes for application in fluorescence-based bioimaging. In this work, we synthetized COEs with phenylenevinylene core (PV-COEs) and applied as fluorescent membranous-specific probes. Cytotoxicity effects of each COE were probed on cancerous and non-cancerous cell types and little to no toxicity effects were observed at the high range of concentrations. The intensity of cell fluorescence following the COE staining was determined by the photoluminescence analysis and fluorescence activated cell sorting method (FACS). Intercalation of tested COEs into mammalian cell membranes was revealed by fluorescent and confocal microscopy colocalization with commercial dyes specific for cellular structures including mitochondria, Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum. The phenylenevinylene conjugated oligoelectrolytes have been found to be suitable for fluorescent bioimaging of mammalian cells and membrane-rich organelles. Due to their water solubility coupled with spontaneous intercalation into cells, favorable photophysical features, ease of cell staining, low cytotoxicity and selectivity for membranous structures, PV-COEs can be applied as markers for fluorescence imaging of a variety of cell types.

  9. Photodynamic Inactivation of Mammalian Viruses and Bacteriophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliana Costa

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Photodynamic inactivation (PDI has been used to inactivate microorganisms through the use of photosensitizers. The inactivation of mammalian viruses and bacteriophages by photosensitization has been applied with success since the first decades of the last century. Due to the fact that mammalian viruses are known to pose a threat to public health and that bacteriophages are frequently used as models of mammalian viruses, it is important to know and understand the mechanisms and photodynamic procedures involved in their photoinactivation. The aim of this review is to (i summarize the main approaches developed until now for the photodynamic inactivation of bacteriophages and mammalian viruses and, (ii discuss and compare the present state of the art of mammalian viruses PDI with phage photoinactivation, with special focus on the most relevant mechanisms, molecular targets and factors affecting the viral inactivation process.

  10. Is there anything unique in the ethics of synthetic biology?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heyd, David

    2012-01-01

    Synthetic biology does not create any ethical dilemmas that have not already been raised in the development of practices such as genetic screening, genetic engineering, and other interventions in the evolutionary processes. The issue is, nevertheless, ethically serious. Two different angles are examined: the philosophical legitimacy of human intervention in the shaping of human nature, and the more pragmatic (though by no means less important) question of the risks involved in such a novel line of research. As for the first, the claim made here is that in principle there is no constraint in human intervention in the world, since ultimately the source of any value lies in human interests, welfare, and values. This is an approach that is opposite to Habermas's. As for the practical problem of risk, research in synthetic biology calls for particular caution, since in at least the first stages of a new research or program, there is no social regulation, and society is wholly dependent on the scientist's ethical integrity.

  11. Electro Thermal Chemical Gun Technology Study

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Diamond, P

    1999-01-01

    .... Michael Stroscio. Electro Thermal Chemical (ETC) gun technology refers to the use of plasma devices in place of traditional chemical ignitors to initiate the burning of high energy propellants in a controlled manner...

  12. Research Based on AMESim of Electro-hydraulic Servo Loading System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jinlong; Hu, Zhiyong

    2017-09-01

    Electro-hydraulic servo loading system is a subject studied by many scholars in the field of simulation and control at home and abroad. The electro-hydraulic servo loading system is a loading device simulation of stress objects by aerodynamic moment and other force in the process of movement, its function is all kinds of gas in the lab condition to analyze stress under dynamic load of objects. The purpose of this paper is the design of AMESim electro-hydraulic servo system, PID control technology is used to configure the parameters of the control system, complete the loading process under different conditions, the optimal design parameters, optimization of dynamic performance of the loading system.

  13. Hybrid electro-optics and chipscale integration of electronics and photonics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalton, L. R.; Robinson, B. H.; Elder, D. L.; Tillack, A. F.; Johnson, L. E.

    2017-08-01

    Taken together, theory-guided nano-engineering of organic electro-optic materials and hybrid device architectures have permitted dramatic improvement of the performance of electro-optic devices. For example, the voltage-length product has been improved by nearly a factor of 104 , bandwidths have been extended to nearly 200 GHz, device footprints reduced to less than 200 μm2 , and femtojoule energy efficiency achieved. This presentation discusses the utilization of new coarse-grained theoretical methods and advanced quantum mechanical methods to quantitatively simulate the physical properties of new classes of organic electro-optic materials and to evaluate their performance in nanoscopic device architectures, accounting for the effect on chromophore ordering at interfaces in nanoscopic waveguides.

  14. On activation of cholesterologenesis under the effect of ionizing radiation on mammalian body

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolomijtseva, I.K.

    1986-01-01

    The assumption is made that ionizing radiation induces cholesterologenesis activation in different cells of mammalian organism as an early reaction to the harmful effect necessary for restoration of biomembranes. Liver cells activate adaptively the cholesterol synthesis in the animal body irradiated with lethal doses in response to the injury to radiosensitive cells in order to make them recover and compensate for their functions (with the gastrointestinal syndrome, for instance, to compensate for the cholesterol-producing function of the intestine and to make it recover). With lethal radiation doses, a change in the lipid content and metabolism of microsomal membrane lipids of the liver is associated with activation of synthetic functions of the liver due to compensation of the injury to radiosensitive tissues

  15. Pulsed-diode-pumped, all-solid-state, electro-optically controlled picosecond Nd:YAG lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorbunkov, Mikhail V; Shabalin, Yu V; Konyashkin, A V; Kostryukov, P V; Olenin, A N; Tunkin, V G; Morozov, V B; Rusov, V A; Telegin, L S; Yakovlev, D V

    2005-01-01

    The results of the development of repetitively pulsed, diode-pumped, electro-optically controlled picosecond Nd:YAG lasers of two designs are presented. The first design uses the active-passive mode locking with electro-optical lasing control and semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAM). This design allows the generation of 15-50-ps pulses with an energy up to 0.5 mJ and a maximum pulse repetition rate of 100 Hz. The laser of the second design generates 30-ps pulses due to combination of positive and negative electro-optical feedback and the control of the electro-optical modulator by the photocurrent of high-speed semiconductor structures. (active media. lasers)

  16. Synthetic biology approaches in drug discovery and pharmaceutical biotechnology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumann, Heinz; Neumann-Staubitz, Petra

    2010-06-01

    Synthetic biology is the attempt to apply the concepts of engineering to biological systems with the aim to create organisms with new emergent properties. These organisms might have desirable novel biosynthetic capabilities, act as biosensors or help us to understand the intricacies of living systems. This approach has the potential to assist the discovery and production of pharmaceutical compounds at various stages. New sources of bioactive compounds can be created in the form of genetically encoded small molecule libraries. The recombination of individual parts has been employed to design proteins that act as biosensors, which could be used to identify and quantify molecules of interest. New biosynthetic pathways may be designed by stitching together enzymes with desired activities, and genetic code expansion can be used to introduce new functionalities into peptides and proteins to increase their chemical scope and biological stability. This review aims to give an insight into recently developed individual components and modules that might serve as parts in a synthetic biology approach to pharmaceutical biotechnology.

  17. Efficient engineering of marker-free synthetic allotetraploids of Saccharomyces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, William G; Peris, David; Pfannenstiel, Brandon T; Opulente, Dana A; Kuang, Meihua; Hittinger, Chris Todd

    2016-04-01

    Saccharomyces interspecies hybrids are critical biocatalysts in the fermented beverage industry, including in the production of lager beers, Belgian ales, ciders, and cold-fermented wines. Current methods for making synthetic interspecies hybrids are cumbersome and/or require genome modifications. We have developed a simple, robust, and efficient method for generating allotetraploid strains of prototrophic Saccharomyces without sporulation or nuclear genome manipulation. S. cerevisiae×S. eubayanus, S. cerevisiae×S. kudriavzevii, and S. cerevisiae×S. uvarum designer hybrid strains were created as synthetic lager, Belgian, and cider strains, respectively. The ploidy and hybrid nature of the strains were confirmed using flow cytometry and PCR-RFLP analysis, respectively. This method provides an efficient means for producing novel synthetic hybrids for beverage and biofuel production, as well as for constructing tetraploids to be used for basic research in evolutionary genetics and genome stability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Cell-free synthetic biology for environmental sensing and remediation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karig, David K

    2017-06-01

    The fields of biosensing and bioremediation leverage the phenomenal array of sensing and metabolic capabilities offered by natural microbes. Synthetic biology provides tools for transforming these fields through complex integration of natural and novel biological components to achieve sophisticated sensing, regulation, and metabolic function. However, the majority of synthetic biology efforts are conducted in living cells, and concerns over releasing genetically modified organisms constitute a key barrier to environmental applications. Cell-free protein expression systems offer a path towards leveraging synthetic biology, while preventing the spread of engineered organisms in nature. Recent efforts in the areas of cell-free approaches for sensing, regulation, and metabolic pathway implementation, as well as for preserving and deploying cell-free expression components, embody key steps towards realizing the potential of cell-free systems for environmental sensing and remediation. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. Recent Progress on Cellulose-Based Electro-Active Paper, Its Hybrid Nanocomposites and Applications

    OpenAIRE

    Asif Khan; Zafar Abas; Heung Soo Kim; Jaehwan Kim

    2016-01-01

    We report on the recent progress and development of research into cellulose-based electro-active paper for bending actuators, bioelectronics devices, and electromechanical transducers. The cellulose electro-active paper is characterized in terms of its biodegradability, chirality, ample chemically modifying capacity, light weight, actuation capability, and ability to form hybrid nanocomposites. The mechanical, electrical, and chemical characterizations of the cellulose-based electro-active pa...

  20. ElectroGraph - Graphene-based electrodes for application in supercapacitors

    OpenAIRE

    Kosidlo, Urszula

    2012-01-01

    The ElectroGraph project follows an integrated, technology driven approach in development of novel materials and components for realization of optimized supercapacitors. These are considered one of the newest innovations in the field of electrical energy storage. To design a supercapacitor with high energy and power density, it is crucial to select the correct electrode materials and the most suitable electrolytes. That is why ElectroGraph project focuses on development and use of graphene as...

  1. RAPD and SSR based genetic diversity analysis of elite-2 set of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Synthetic hexaploid wheats are artificially reconstituted hexaploid wheats that possess high genetic variation which could be utilized for the development of new improved wheat varieties. One such group of synthetic wheats is called the Elite-II set of synthetic wheats that are derived from crossing durum wheat ...

  2. Gradient effects in a new class of electro-elastic bodies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arvanitakis, Antonios

    2018-06-01

    Continuum theories for electro-elastic solids suggest the development of electric field or polarization-based models. Advanced versions of these models are the so-called gradient models, i.e., polarization gradient and electric field gradient models, which prove to be more than capable of explaining the behavior of a continuum in a wider range of length scales. In this work, implicit constitutive relations for electro-elastic bodies are considered with the introduction of polarization and electric field gradient effects. In this sense, the new class of electro-elastic bodies extends even further to account for nonlocality in constitutive equations, besides strain-limiting behavior and polarization saturation for large values of stresses and electric field, respectively. Nonlocality in constitutive equations is essential in modeling various phenomena.

  3. An Analysis of the Initiation Process of Electro-Explosive Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Cesar de Carvalho Faria

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Electro-explosive devices (an electric resistance encapsulated by a primary explosive fundamentally convert electrical energy into thermal energy, to start off an explosive chemical reaction. Obviously, the activation of those devices shall not happen by accident or, even worse, by intentional exogenous influence. From an ordinary differential equation, which describes the electro-explosive thermal behavior, a remarkable, but certainly not intuitive, dependence of the temperature response on the time constant of the heat transfer process is verified: the temperature profile dramatically changes as the time constant spans a wide range of values, from much lesser than the pulse width to much greater than the pulse period. Based on this dependence, important recommendations, concerning the efficient and safety operation of electro-explosive devices, are proposed.

  4. The Study on the Performance of Carbon Supported PtSnM (M = W, Pd, and Ni) Ternary Electro-Catalysts for Ethanol Electro-Oxidation Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noh, Chang Soo; Heo, Dong Hyun; Lee, Ki Rak; Jeon, Min Ku; Sohn, Jung Min

    2016-05-01

    PtSn/C and Pt5Sn4M/C (M = W, Pd, Ni) electrocatalysts were prepared by impregnation method using NaBH4 as a reducing agent. Chemical composition, crystalline size, and alloy formation were determined by EDX, XRD and TEM. The average particle sizes of the synthesized catalysts were approximately 3.64-4.95 nm. The electro-chemical properties were measured by CO stripping, cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. The maximum specific activity of the electro-catalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation was 406.08 mA m(-2) in Pt5Sn4Pd/C. The poisoning rate of the Pt5Sn4Pd/C (0.0017% s(-1)) was 4.5 times lower than that of the PtSn/C (0.0076% s(-1)).

  5. Electro-Optical Data Acquisition and Tracking System

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Electro-Optical Data Acquisition and Tracking System (EDATS) dynamically tracks and measures target signatures. It consists of an instrumentation van integrated...

  6. Synthetic Biology and Ethics: Past, Present, and Future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Häyry, Matti

    2017-04-01

    This article explores the ethical issues that have been identified in emerging technologies, from early genetic engineering to synthetic biology. The scientific advances in the field form a continuum, and some ethical considerations can be raised time and again when new developments occur. An underlying concern is the cumulative effect of scientific advances and ensuing technological innovation that can change our understanding of life and humanity.

  7. Present status of metrology of electro-optical surveillance systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chrzanowski, K.

    2017-10-01

    There has been a significant progress in equipment for testing electro-optical surveillance systems over the last decade. Modern test systems are increasingly computerized, employ advanced image processing and offer software support in measurement process. However, one great challenge, in form of relative low accuracy, still remains not solved. It is quite common that different test stations, when testing the same device, produce different results. It can even happen that two testing teams, while working on the same test station, with the same tested device, produce different results. Rapid growth of electro-optical technology, poor standardization, limited metrology infrastructure, subjective nature of some measurements, fundamental limitations from laws of physics, tendering rules and advances in artificial intelligence are major factors responsible for such situation. Regardless, next decade should bring significant improvements, since improvement in measurement accuracy is needed to sustain fast growth of electro-optical surveillance technology.

  8. Electro-catalytic degradation of sulfisoxazole by using graphene anode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yanyan; Liu, Shuan; Li, Ruiping; Huang, Yingping; Chen, Chuncheng

    2016-05-01

    Graphite and graphene electrodes were prepared by using pure graphite as precursor. The electrode materials were characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. The electro-catalytic activity for degradation of sulfisoxazole (SIZ) was investigated by using prepared graphene or graphite anode. The results showed that the degradation of SIZ was much more rapid on the graphene than that on the graphite electrode. Moreover, the graphene electrode exhibited good stability and recyclability. The analysis on the intermediate products and the measurement of active species during the SIZ degradation demonstrated that indirect oxidation is the dominant mechanism, involving the electro-catalytic generation of OH and O2(-) as the main active oxygen species. This study implies that graphene is a promising potential electrode material for long-term application to electro-catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by Electro-reduction Method and Their Application as an Electro-hyperthermia System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Young Il; Kim, Kwangsoo; Kwon, Yongsoo; Cho, Heesang; Yoon, Changjin; Yoon, Taejong; Lee, Hak Jong

    2014-01-01

    We report the successful preparation of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) using a novel electroreduction process, which is simple, fast, and environmentally friendly (toxic chemicals such as strong reducing agents are not required). Our process allows for the mass production of Au NPs and adequate particle size control. The Au NPs prepared show high biocompatibility and are non-toxic to healthy human cells. By applying radiofrequency (RF) ablation, we monitored the electro-hyperthermia effect of the Au NPs at different RFs. The Au NPs exhibit a fast increase in temperature to 55 .deg. C within 5 min during the application of an RF of 13 MHz. This temperature rise is sufficient to promote apoptosis through thermal stress. Our work suggests that the selective Au NP-mediated electro-hyperthermia therapy for tumor cells under an RF of 13 MHz has great potential as a clinical treatment for specific tumor ablation

  10. Electro-optically actuated liquid-lens zoom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pütsch, O.; Loosen, P.

    2012-06-01

    Progressive miniaturization and mass market orientation denote a challenge to the design of dynamic optical systems such as zoom-lenses. Two working principles can be identified: mechanical actuation and application of active optical components. Mechanical actuation changes the focal length of a zoom-lens system by varying the axial positions of optical elements. These systems are limited in speed and often require complex coupled movements. However, well established optical design approaches can be applied. In contrast, active optical components change their optical properties by varying their physical structure by means of applying external electric signals. An example are liquidlenses which vary their curvatures to change the refractive power. Zoom-lenses benefit from active optical components in two ways: first, no moveable structures are required and second, fast response characteristics can be realized. The precommercial development of zoom-lenses demands simplified and cost-effective system designs. However the number of efficient optical designs for electro-optically actuated zoom-lenses is limited. In this paper, the systematic development of an electro-optically actuated zoom-lens will be discussed. The application of aberration polynomials enables a better comprehension of the primary monochromatic aberrations at the lens elements during a change in magnification. This enables an enhanced synthesis of the system behavior and leads to a simplified zoom-lens design with no moving elements. The change of focal length is achieved only by varying curvatures of targeted integrated electro-optically actuated lenses.

  11. Effect of temperature on the electro-oxidation of ethanol on platinum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Paula M. Camargo

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available We present in this work an experimental investigation of the effect of temperature (from 25 to 180 ºC in the electro-oxidation of ethanol on platinum in two different phosphoric acid concentrations. We observed that the onset potential for ethanol electro-oxidation shifts to lower values and the reaction rates increase as temperature is increased for both electrolytes. The results were rationalized in terms of the effect of temperature on the adsorption of reaction intermediates, poisons, and anions. The formation of oxygenated species at high potentials, mainly in the more diluted electrolyte, also contributes to increase the electro-oxidation reaction rate.

  12. Electro-oxidation of methanol on gold in alkaline media: Adsorption characteristics of reaction intermediates studied using time resolved electro-chemical impedance and surface plasmon resonance techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assiongbon, K. A.; Roy, D.

    2005-12-01

    Electro-catalytic oxidation of methanol is the anode reaction in direct methanol fuel cells. We have studied the adsorption characteristics of the intermediate reactants of this multistep reaction on a gold film electrode in alkaline solutions by combining surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements with Fourier transform electro-chemical impedance spectroscopy (FT-EIS). Methanol oxidation in this system shows no significant effects of "site poisoning" by chemisorbed CO. Our results suggest that OH - chemisorbed onto Au acts as a stabilizing agent for the surface species of electro-active methanol. Double layer charging/discharging and adsorption/desorption of OH - show more pronounced effects than adsorption/oxidation of methanol in controlling the surface charge density of the Au substrate. These effects are manifested in both the EIS and the SPR data, and serve as key indicators of the surface reaction kinetics. The data presented here describe the important role of adsorbed OH - in electro-catalysis of methanol on Au, and demonstrate how SPR and FT-EIS can be combined for quantitative probing of catalytically active metal-solution interfaces.

  13. Electrode placement during electro-desalination of

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Andersson, Lovisa C. H.

    2017-01-01

    Carved stone sculptures and ornaments can be severely damaged by salt induced decay. Often the irregular surfaces are decomposed, and the artwork is lost. The present paper is an experimental investigation on the possibility for using electro-desalination for treatment of stone with irregular shape....... Electro-desalination experiments were made with different duration to follow the progress. Successful desalination of the whole stone piece was obtained, showing that also parts not being placed directly between the electrodes were desalinated. This is important in case of salt damaged carved stones......, where the most fragile parts thus can be desalinated without physically placing electrodes on them. The Cl removal rate was higher in the areas closest to the electrodes and slowest in the part, which was not placed directly between the electrodes. This is important to incorporate in the monitoring...

  14. Assessment of Genetic Fidelity in Rauvolfia serpentina Plantlets Grown from Synthetic (Encapsulated Seeds Following in Vitro Storage at 4 °C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Anis

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available An efficient method was developed for plant regeneration and establishment from alginate encapsulated synthetic seeds of Rauvolfia serpentina. Synthetic seeds were produced using in vitro proliferated microshoots upon complexation of 3% sodium alginate prepared in Llyod and McCown woody plant medium (WPM and 100 mM calcium chloride. Re-growth ability of encapsulated nodal segments was evaluated after storage at 4 °C for 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks and compared with non-encapsulated buds. Effects of different media viz; Murashige and Skoog medium; Lloyd and McCown woody Plant medium, Gamborg’s B5 medium and Schenk and Hildebrandt medium was also investigated for conversion into plantlets. The maximum frequency of conversion into plantlets from encapsulated nodal segments stored at 4 °C for 4 weeks was achieved on woody plant medium supplement with 5.0 μM BA and 1.0 μM NAA. Rooting in plantlets was achieved in half-strength Murashige and Skoog liquid medium containing 0.5 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA on filter paper bridges. Plantlets obtained from stored synseeds were hardened, established successfully ex vitro and were morphologically similar to each other as well as their mother plant. The genetic fidelity of Rauvolfia clones raised from synthetic seeds following four weeks of storage at 4 °C were assessed by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR markers. All the RAPD and ISSR profiles from generated plantlets were monomorphic and comparable to the mother plant, which confirms the genetic stability among the clones. This synseed protocol could be useful for establishing a particular system for conservation, short-term storage and production of genetically identical and stable plants before it is released for commercial purposes.

  15. Biotechnology by Design: An Introductory Level, Project-Based, Synthetic Biology Laboratory Program for Undergraduate Students†

    OpenAIRE

    Beach, Dale L.; Alvarez, Consuelo J.

    2015-01-01

    Synthetic biology offers an ideal opportunity to promote undergraduate laboratory courses with research-style projects, immersing students in an inquiry-based program that enhances the experience of the scientific process. We designed a semester-long, project-based laboratory curriculum using synthetic biology principles to develop a novel sensory device. Students develop subject matter knowledge of molecular genetics and practical skills relevant to molecular biology, recombinant DNA techniq...

  16. Electrical and mechanical characterization of nanoscale-layered cellulose-based electro-active paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Gyu-Young; Yun, Ki-Ju; Kim, Joo-Hyung; Kim, Jaehwan

    2011-01-01

    In order to understand the electro-mechanical behavior of piezoelectric electro active paper (EAPap), the converse and direct piezoelectric characterization of cellulose EAPap was studied and compared. A delay between the electrical field and the induced strain of EAPap was observed due to the inner nano-voids or the localized amorphous regions in layer-by-layered structure to capture or hold the electrical charges and remnant ions. The linear relation between electric field and induced strain is also observed. The electro-mechanical performance of EAPap is discussed in detail in this paper.

  17. Observation of nanometer-sized electro-active defects in insulating layers by fluorescence microscopy and electrochemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renault, Christophe; Marchuk, Kyle; Ahn, Hyun S; Titus, Eric J; Kim, Jiyeon; Willets, Katherine A; Bard, Allen J

    2015-06-02

    We report a method to study electro-active defects in passivated electrodes. This method couples fluorescence microscopy and electrochemistry to localize and size electro-active defects. The method was validated by comparison with a scanning probe technique, scanning electrochemical microscopy. We used our method for studying electro-active defects in thin TiO2 layers electrodeposited on 25 μm diameter Pt ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs). The permeability of the TiO2 layer was estimated by measuring the oxidation of ferrocenemethanol at the UME. Blocking of current ranging from 91.4 to 99.8% was achieved. Electro-active defects with an average radius ranging between 9 and 90 nm were observed in these TiO2 blocking layers. The distribution of electro-active defects over the TiO2 layer is highly inhomogeneous and the number of electro-active defect increases for lower degree of current blocking. The interest of the proposed technique is the possibility to quickly (less than 15 min) image samples as large as several hundreds of μm(2) while being able to detect electro-active defects of only a few tens of nm in radius.

  18. Electro-ultrafiltration of industrial enzyme solutions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Enevoldsen, Ann Dorrit; Hansen, Erik Børresen; Jonsson, Gunnar Eigil

    2007-01-01

    To reduce the problems with fouling and concentration polarization during crossflow ultrafiltration of industrial enzyme solutions an electric field is applied across the membrane. The filtration performance during electro-ultrafiltration (EUF) has been tested with several enzymes. Results show...

  19. Electro-chemo-hydro-mechanical coupling in clayey media; Couplage electro-chimio-hydro-mecaniques dans les milieux argileux

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lemaire, Th

    2004-12-15

    The aim of this study is to understand coupled phenomena that occur in swelling porous materials like clays. Electro-chemo-hydro-mechanical contributions are taken into account to analyze transfers in such minerals. In a first part, a general discussion is proposed to introduce mineralogical and physico- chemical considerations of clayey media. An important objective of this chapter is to show the crucial role of the microstructure. In a second part is presented an imbibition test in a MX80 bentonite powder. The hydraulic diffusivity versus water content curve's decrease is explained thanks to a double porosity model that shows the progressive collapse of meso-pores due to swelling effects at the micro-scale. Thus a multi-scale analysis is necessary to well describe clayey media behaviour. The third chapter exposes such a multi-scale modelling (periodic homogenization). It is based on the double-layer theory and introduces an innovative concept of virtual electrolyte solution. First numerical results are given in a simple geometry (parallel platelets). In the next part are proposed numerical simulations of two kinds: response of the system to a chemical gradient and simulation of electro-osmosis. The end of this chapter puts into relief the necessity to integrate pH effects in the model. In the last part, chemical surface exchanges are incorporated in the modelling to understand pH and ionic force roles in electro-osmotic process. (author)

  20. Designed Transcriptional Regulation in Mammalian Cells Based on TALE- and CRISPR/dCas9.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebar, Tina; Jerala, Roman

    2018-01-01

    Transcriptional regulation lies at the center of many cellular processes and is the result of cellular response to different external and internal signals. Control of transcription of selected genes enables an unprecedented access to shape the cellular response. While orthogonal transcription factors from bacteria, yeast, plants, or other cells have been used to introduce new cellular logic into mammalian cells, the discovery of designable modular DNA binding domains, such as Transcription Activator-Like Effectors (TALEs) and the CRISPR system, enable targeting of almost any selected DNA sequence. Fusion or conditional association of DNA targeting domain with transcriptional effector domains enables controlled regulation of almost any endogenous or ectopic gene. Moreover, the designed regulators can be linked into genetic circuits to implement complex responses, such as different types of Boolean functions and switches. In this chapter, we describe the protocols for achieving efficient transcriptional regulation with TALE- and CRISPR-based designed transcription factors in mammalian cells.

  1. Evolution of the archaeal and mammalian information processing systems: towards an archaeal model for human disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyu, Zhe; Whitman, William B

    2017-01-01

    Current evolutionary models suggest that Eukaryotes originated from within Archaea instead of being a sister lineage. To test this model of ancient evolution, we review recent studies and compare the three major information processing subsystems of replication, transcription and translation in the Archaea and Eukaryotes. Our hypothesis is that if the Eukaryotes arose within the archaeal radiation, their information processing systems will appear to be one of kind and not wholly original. Within the Eukaryotes, the mammalian or human systems are emphasized because of their importance in understanding health. Biochemical as well as genetic studies provide strong evidence for the functional similarity of archaeal homologs to the mammalian information processing system and their dissimilarity to the bacterial systems. In many independent instances, a simple archaeal system is functionally equivalent to more elaborate eukaryotic homologs, suggesting that evolution of complexity is likely an central feature of the eukaryotic information processing system. Because fewer components are often involved, biochemical characterizations of the archaeal systems are often easier to interpret. Similarly, the archaeal cell provides a genetically and metabolically simpler background, enabling convenient studies on the complex information processing system. Therefore, Archaea could serve as a parsimonious and tractable host for studying human diseases that arise in the information processing systems.

  2. Theory-Guided Design of Organic Electro-Optic Materials and Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie Benight

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Integrated (multi-scale quantum and statistical mechanical theoretical methods have guided the nano-engineering of controlled intermolecular electrostatic interactions for the dramatic improvement of acentric order and thus electro-optic activity of melt-processable organic polymer and dendrimer electro-optic materials. New measurement techniques have permitted quantitative determination of the molecular order parameters, lattice dimensionality, and nanoscale viscoelasticity properties of these new soft matter materials and have facilitated comparison of theoretically-predicted structures and thermodynamic properties with experimentally-defined structures and properties. New processing protocols have permitted further enhancement of material properties and have facilitated the fabrication of complex device structures. The integration of organic electro-optic materials into silicon photonic, plasmonic, and metamaterial device architectures has led to impressive new performance metrics for a variety of technological applications.

  3. A Parvovirus B19 synthetic genome: sequence features and functional competence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manaresi, Elisabetta; Conti, Ilaria; Bua, Gloria; Bonvicini, Francesca; Gallinella, Giorgio

    2017-08-01

    Central to genetic studies for Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is the availability of genomic clones that may possess functional competence and ability to generate infectious virus. In our study, we established a new model genetic system for Parvovirus B19. A synthetic approach was followed, by design of a reference genome sequence, by generation of a corresponding artificial construct and its molecular cloning in a complete and functional form, and by setup of an efficient strategy to generate infectious virus, via transfection in UT7/EpoS1 cells and amplification in erythroid progenitor cells. The synthetic genome was able to generate virus with biological properties paralleling those of native virus, its infectious activity being dependent on the preservation of self-complementarity and sequence heterogeneity within the terminal regions. A virus of defined genome sequence, obtained from controlled cell culture conditions, can constitute a reference tool for investigation of the structural and functional characteristics of the virus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Mammalian gastrointestinal parasites in rainforest remnants

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Here, we studied the gastrointestinal parasites of nonhuman mammalian hosts living in 10 rainforest patches of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, India. We examined 349 faecal samples of 17 mammalian species and successfully identified 24 gastroin-testinal parasite taxa including 1 protozoan, 2 trematode, 3 cestode and 18 ...

  5. Nickel as a catalyst for the electro-oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdel Rahim, M. A.; Abdel Hameed, R. M.; Khalil, M. W.

    The use of Ni as a catalyst for the electro-oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium was studied by cyclic voltammetry. It was found that only Ni dispersed on graphite shows a catalytic activity towards methanol oxidation but massive Ni does not. Ni was dispersed on graphite by the electro-deposition from acidic NiSO 4 solution using potentiostatic and galvanostatic techniques. The catalytic activity of the C/Ni electrodes towards methanol oxidation was found to vary with the amount of electro-deposited Ni. The dependence of the oxidation current on methanol concentration and scan rate was discussed. It was concluded from the electro-chemical measurements and SEM analysis that methanol oxidation starts as Ni-oxide is formed on the electrode surface.

  6. Genetic Regulation of Bone and Cells by Electromagnetic Stimulation Fields and Uses Thereof

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodwin, Thomas J. (Inventor); Shackelford, Linda C. (Inventor)

    2018-01-01

    The present invention provides methods to modify the genetic regulation of mammalian tissue, bone, cells or any combination thereof by preferential activation, up-regulation and/or down-regulation. The method comprises steps of tuning the predetermined profiles of one or more time-varying stimulation fields by manipulating the B-Field magnitude, rising slew rate, rise time, falling slew rate, fall time, frequency, wavelength, and duty cycle, and exposing mammalian cells or tissues to one or more tuned time-varying stimulation fields with predetermined profiles. Examples of mammalian cells or tissues are chondrocytes, osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts, nucleus pulposus, associated tissue, or any combination. The resulted modification on gene regulation of these cells, tissues or bones may promote the retention, repair of and reduction of compromised mammalian cartilage, bone, and associated tissue.

  7. Reverse engineering large-scale genetic networks: synthetic versus ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2010-04-19

    Apr 19, 2010 ... process computationally to describe the structure of the sys- tem and ... to the different mathematical formalisms used to model net-. Keywords. gene ..... All the algorithms were implemented in MATLAB 7.0 and run on all the 'gold ..... De Jong H. 2002 Medeling and simulation of genetic regulatory systems: a ...

  8. Night vision and electro-optics technology transfer, 1972 - 1981

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fulton, R. W.; Mason, G. F.

    1981-09-01

    The purpose of this special report, 'Night Vision and Electro-Optics Technology Transfer 1972-1981,' is threefold: To illustrate, through actual case histories, the potential for exploiting a highly developed and available military technology for solving non-military problems. To provide, in a layman's language, the principles behind night vision and electro-optical devices in order that an awareness may be developed relative to the potential for adopting this technology for non-military applications. To obtain maximum dollar return from research and development investments by applying this technology to secondary applications. This includes, but is not limited to, applications by other Government agencies, state and local governments, colleges and universities, and medical organizations. It is desired that this summary of Technology Transfer activities within Night Vision and Electro-Optics Laboratory (NV/EOL) will benefit those who desire to explore one of the vast technological resources available within the Defense Department and the Federal Government.

  9. Pt catalysts on PANI coated WC/C nanocomposites for methanol electro-oxidation and oxygen electro-reduction in DMFC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yaldagard, Maryam; Jahanshahi, Mohsen; Seghatoleslami, Naser

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • In this work nanosized WC/C were successfully coated by PANI. • Pt particles (10.56 nm) were uniformly dispersed on the surface of PANI/WC/C support. • The Pt/PANI/WC/C exhibited higher MOR activity and CO tolerance than Pt/C. • The Pt/PANI/WC/C exhibited higher activity for ORR than Pt/C in RDE experiments. • Pt/PANI/WC/C showed good stability than that of Pt/C in the presence of methanol. - Abstract: In the present study a Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst was developed to increase the methanol electro-oxidation and oxygen electro-reduction activity and stability of commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst. WC/C was coated with protonated polyaniline (PANI) in situ during the polymerization of aniline. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results illustrate the presence of PANI in the composite. The conductivity of PANI coated – WC/C has been compared with the conductivity of the corresponding mixtures of WC/C and Vulcan XC-72. X-ray diffraction results showed that Pt particles were dispersed on the support with mean particle size of about 10.56 nm. Transition electron microscopy images showed that the nanosized WC/C were successfully coated by PANI. Based on the electrochemical properties characterized by cyclic voltammetry, CO stripping and rotating disk electrode measurements it was found that the as prepared Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst exhibited a comparable activity for methanol oxidation reaction and oxygen reduction reaction with respect to the commercial one. A significant reduction in the potential of CO electro-oxidation peak from 0.75 V for Pt/C to 0.52 V for Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst indicates that an increase in the activity for CO electro-oxidation is achieved by replacing the carbon support by PANI coated WC/C. Chronoamerometry results also showed, in the presence of methanol the Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst still maintains a higher current density than Pt/WC/C and Pt/C

  10. Pt catalysts on PANI coated WC/C nanocomposites for methanol electro-oxidation and oxygen electro-reduction in DMFC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yaldagard, Maryam, E-mail: m_yaldagard@yahoo.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, P.O. Box 91775-1111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nanotechnology Research Institute, School of Chemical Engineering, Babol University of Technology (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jahanshahi, Mohsen, E-mail: mjahan@nit.um.ac.ir [Nanotechnology Research Institute, School of Chemical Engineering, Babol University of Technology (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Seghatoleslami, Naser, E-mail: Slami@um.ac.ir [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, P.O. Box 91775-1111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2014-10-30

    Highlights: • In this work nanosized WC/C were successfully coated by PANI. • Pt particles (10.56 nm) were uniformly dispersed on the surface of PANI/WC/C support. • The Pt/PANI/WC/C exhibited higher MOR activity and CO tolerance than Pt/C. • The Pt/PANI/WC/C exhibited higher activity for ORR than Pt/C in RDE experiments. • Pt/PANI/WC/C showed good stability than that of Pt/C in the presence of methanol. - Abstract: In the present study a Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst was developed to increase the methanol electro-oxidation and oxygen electro-reduction activity and stability of commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst. WC/C was coated with protonated polyaniline (PANI) in situ during the polymerization of aniline. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results illustrate the presence of PANI in the composite. The conductivity of PANI coated – WC/C has been compared with the conductivity of the corresponding mixtures of WC/C and Vulcan XC-72. X-ray diffraction results showed that Pt particles were dispersed on the support with mean particle size of about 10.56 nm. Transition electron microscopy images showed that the nanosized WC/C were successfully coated by PANI. Based on the electrochemical properties characterized by cyclic voltammetry, CO stripping and rotating disk electrode measurements it was found that the as prepared Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst exhibited a comparable activity for methanol oxidation reaction and oxygen reduction reaction with respect to the commercial one. A significant reduction in the potential of CO electro-oxidation peak from 0.75 V for Pt/C to 0.52 V for Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst indicates that an increase in the activity for CO electro-oxidation is achieved by replacing the carbon support by PANI coated WC/C. Chronoamerometry results also showed, in the presence of methanol the Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst still maintains a higher current density than Pt/WC/C and Pt/C.

  11. Barium Titanate Photonic Crystal Electro-Optic Modulators for Telecommunication and Data Network Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girouard, Peter D.

    The microwave, optical, and electro-optic properties of epitaxial barium titanate thin films grown on (100) MgO substrates and photonic crystal electro-optic modulators fabricated on these films were investigated to demonstrate the applicability of these devices for telecommunication and data networks. The electrical and electro-optical properties were characterized up to modulation frequencies of 50 GHz, and the optical properties of photonic crystal waveguides were determined for wavelengths spanning the optical C band between 1500 and 1580 nm. Microwave scattering parameters were measured on coplanar stripline devices with electrode gap spacings between 5 and 12 mum on barium titanate films with thicknesses between 230 and 680 nm. The microwave index and device characteristic impedance were obtained from the measurements. Larger (lower) microwave indices (impedances) were obtained for devices with narrower electrode gap spacings and on thicker films. Thinner film devices have both lower index mismatch between the co-propagating microwave and optical signals and lower impedance mismatch to a 50O system, resulting in a larger predicted electro-optical 3 dB bandwidth. This was experimentally verified with electro-optical frequency response measurements. These observations were applied to demonstrate a record high 28 GHz electro-optic bandwidth measured for a BaTiO3 conventional ridge waveguide modulator having 1mm long electrodes and 12 mum gap spacing on a 260nm thick film. The half-wave voltage and electro-optic coefficients of barium titanate modulators were measured for films having thicknesses between 260 and 500 nm. The half-wave voltage was directly measured at low frequencies using a polarizer-sample-compensator-analyzer setup by over-driving waveguide integrated modulators beyond their linear response regime. Effective in-device electro-optic coefficients were obtained from the measured half-wave voltages. The effective electro-optic coefficients were

  12. Genetic improvement of vegetables

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaramillo Vasquez, J.G.

    2001-01-01

    Some genetic bases of the improvement of vegetables are given. The objectives of the genetic improvement and the fundamental stages of this process are done. The sources of genetic variation are indicated and they are related the reproduction systems of the main horticultural species. It is analyzed the concept of genetic inheritance like base to determine the procedures more appropriate of improvement. The approaches are discussed, has more than enough phenotypic value, genetic action and genotypic variance; Equally the heredability concepts and value of improvement. The conventional methods of improvement are described, like they are: the introduction of species or varieties, the selection, the pure line, the pedigree method, the selection for families, the recurrent selection, the selection for unique seed, the haploids method, the selection for heterosis and the synthetic varieties

  13. Developmental mechanisms of the tympanic membrane in mammals and non-mammalian amniotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takechi, Masaki; Kitazawa, Taro; Hirasawa, Tatsuya; Hirai, Tamami; Iseki, Sachiko; Kurihara, Hiroki; Kuratani, Shigeru

    2016-01-01

    The tympanic membrane is a thin layer that originates from the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesenchyme. Molecular-genetic investigations have revealed that interaction between epithelial and mesenchymal cells in the pharyngeal arches is essential for development of the tympanic membrane. We have recently reported that developmental mechanisms underlying the tympanic membrane seem to be different between mouse and chicken, suggesting that the tympanic membrane evolved independently in mammals and non-mammalian amniotes. In this review, we summarize previous studies of tympanic membrane formation in the mouse. We also discuss its formation in amniotes from an evolutionary point of view. © 2015 Japanese Teratology Society.

  14. Highly stable and low loss electro-optic polymer waveguides for high speed microring modulators using photodefinition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Balakrishnan, M.; Diemeer, Mart; Driessen, A.; Faccini, M.; Verboom, Willem; Reinhoudt, David; Leinse, Arne; Sidorin, Y.; Waechter, C.A.

    2006-01-01

    Different electro-optic polymer systems are analyzed with respect to their electro-optic activity, glass transition temperature (Tg) and photodefinable properties. The polymers tested are polysulfone (PS) and SU8. The electro-optic chromophore, tricyanovinylidenediphenylaminobenzene (TCVDPA), which

  15. Defence electro-optics: European perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartikainen, Jari

    2011-11-01

    In 2009 the United States invested in defence R&T 3,6 times and in defence research and development 6,8 times as much as all member states of the European Defence Agency (EDA) combined while the ratio in the total defence expenditure was 2,6 in the US' favour. The European lack of investments in defence research and development has a negative impact on the competitiveness of European defence industry and on the European non-dependence. In addition, the efficiency of investment is reduced due to duplication of work in different member states. The Lisbon Treaty tasks EDA to support defence technology research, and coordinate and plan joint research activities and the study of technical solutions meeting future operational needs. This paper gives an overview how EDA meets the challenge of improving the efficiency of European defence R&T investment with an emphasis on electro-optics and describes shortly the ways that governmental and industrial partners can participate in the EDA cooperation. Examples of joint R&T projects addressing electro-optics are presented.

  16. Localization of two mammalian cyclin dependent kinases during mammalian meiosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ashley, T.; Walpita, D.; de rooij, D. G.

    2001-01-01

    Mammalian meiotic progression, like mitotic cell cycle progression, is regulated by cyclins and cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs). However, the unique requirements of meiosis (homologous synapsis, reciprocal recombination and the dual divisions that segregate first homologues, then sister chromatids)

  17. Performance of an Electro-Hydrostatic Actuator on the F-18 Systems Research Aircraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navarro, Robert

    1997-01-01

    An electro-hydrostatic actuator was evaluated at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The primary goal of testing this actuator system was the flight demonstration of power-by-wire technology on a primary flight control surface. The electro-hydrostatic actuator uses an electric motor to drive a hydraulic pump and relies on local hydraulics for force transmission. This actuator replaced the F-18 standard left aileron actuator on the F-18 Systems Research Aircraft and was evaluated throughout the Systems Research Aircraft flight envelope. As of July 24, 1997 the electro-hydrostatic actuator had accumulated 23.5 hours of flight time. This paper presents the electro-hydrostatic actuator system configuration and component description, ground and flight test plans, ground and flight test results, and lessons learned. This actuator performs as well as the standard actuator and has more load capability than required by aileron actuator specifications of McDonnell- Douglas Aircraft, St. Louis, Missouri. The electro-hydrostatic actuator system passed all of its ground tests with the exception of one power-off test during unloaded dynamic cycling.

  18. Designable DNA-binding domains enable construction of logic circuits in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaber, Rok; Lebar, Tina; Majerle, Andreja; Šter, Branko; Dobnikar, Andrej; Benčina, Mojca; Jerala, Roman

    2014-03-01

    Electronic computer circuits consisting of a large number of connected logic gates of the same type, such as NOR, can be easily fabricated and can implement any logic function. In contrast, designed genetic circuits must employ orthogonal information mediators owing to free diffusion within the cell. Combinatorial diversity and orthogonality can be provided by designable DNA- binding domains. Here, we employed the transcription activator-like repressors to optimize the construction of orthogonal functionally complete NOR gates to construct logic circuits. We used transient transfection to implement all 16 two-input logic functions from combinations of the same type of NOR gates within mammalian cells. Additionally, we present a genetic logic circuit where one input is used to select between an AND and OR function to process the data input using the same circuit. This demonstrates the potential of designable modular transcription factors for the construction of complex biological information-processing devices.

  19. Vertical electro-absorption modulator design and its integration in a VCSEL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marigo-Lombart, L.; Calvez, S.; Arnoult, A.; Thienpont, H.; Almuneau, G.; Panajotov, K.

    2018-04-01

    Electro-absorption modulators, either embedded in CMOS technology or integrated with a semiconductor laser, are of high interest for many applications such as optical communications, signal processing and 3D imaging. Recently, the integration of a surface-normal electro-absorption modulator into a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser has been considered. In this paper we implement a simple quantum well electro-absorption model and design and optimize an asymmetric Fabry-Pérot semiconductor modulator while considering all physical properties within figures of merit. We also extend this model to account for the impact of temperature on the different parameters involved in the calculation of the absorption, such as refractive indices and exciton transition broadening. Two types of vertical modulator structures have been fabricated and experimentally characterized by reflectivity and photocurrent measurements demonstrating a very good agreement with our model. Finally, preliminary results of an electro-absorption modulator vertically integrated with a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser device are presented, showing good modulation performances required for high speed communications.

  20. Knowledge-based Adaptive Tracking Control of Electro-hydraulic Actuator Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Poul Erik

    1997-01-01

    The paper deal with intelligent motion control and electro-hydraulic actuator systems for multiaxis machynes and robots.The research results are from the IMCIA research Programme supported by the Danish Technical Research Council, STVF.......The paper deal with intelligent motion control and electro-hydraulic actuator systems for multiaxis machynes and robots.The research results are from the IMCIA research Programme supported by the Danish Technical Research Council, STVF....

  1. Infra-red finiteness in quantum electro-dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawai, Takahiro

    1984-01-01

    The authors report some mathematical aspects of a recent solution of the infra-red catastrophe in quantum electro-dynamics. A principal result is that the coordinate space Feynman function can be separated into two factors the first of which is a unitary operator in photon space representing the classical electro-magnetic contribution to the amplitude, and the second of which is a residual factor representing the quantum fluctuation about the classical contribution. The main objectives were to verify: (i) the residual factor is free of infra-red divergences, and (ii) the dominant part of the singularity of the residual factor on the positive-α Landau surface has the same analytic form as it would have if the photons were massive. (Auth.)

  2. Natural - synthetic - artificial!

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Peter E

    2010-01-01

    The terms "natural," "synthetic" and "artificial" are discussed in relation to synthetic and artificial chromosomes and genomes, synthetic and artificial cells and artificial life.......The terms "natural," "synthetic" and "artificial" are discussed in relation to synthetic and artificial chromosomes and genomes, synthetic and artificial cells and artificial life....

  3. Electro Conductive Alumina Nanocomposites From Different Alumina-Carbides Mixtures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Díaz Luis A.

    2016-01-01

    SiC whiskers reinforced electrically conductive ceramic compositions provide a fully dense material with optimal mechanical properties. The capability of electro-discharge machining obtains good surface quality, chip-free edges, dimensional accuracy and complex shapes. The fracture toughness is improved two to three fold over individual ceramic components. Strength and hardness is also increased. Some composites were tested as a cutting tool to machine IN-718 nickel-base superalloy industrial laminating cylinders. The composites were formed and electro-discharge machined to a standard size cutting insert.

  4. Land cover classification accuracy from electro-optical, X, C, and L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar data fusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammann, Mark Gregory

    The fusion of electro-optical (EO) multi-spectral satellite imagery with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data was explored with the working hypothesis that the addition of multi-band SAR will increase the land-cover (LC) classification accuracy compared to EO alone. Three satellite sources for SAR imagery were used: X-band from TerraSAR-X, C-band from RADARSAT-2, and L-band from PALSAR. Images from the RapidEye satellites were the source of the EO imagery. Imagery from the GeoEye-1 and WorldView-2 satellites aided the selection of ground truth. Three study areas were chosen: Wad Medani, Sudan; Campinas, Brazil; and Fresno- Kings Counties, USA. EO imagery were radiometrically calibrated, atmospherically compensated, orthorectifed, co-registered, and clipped to a common area of interest (AOI). SAR imagery were radiometrically calibrated, and geometrically corrected for terrain and incidence angle by converting to ground range and Sigma Naught (?0). The original SAR HH data were included in the fused image stack after despeckling with a 3x3 Enhanced Lee filter. The variance and Gray-Level-Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) texture measures of contrast, entropy, and correlation were derived from the non-despeckled SAR HH bands. Data fusion was done with layer stacking and all data were resampled to a common spatial resolution. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) decision rule was used for the supervised classifications. Similar LC classes were identified and tested for each study area. For Wad Medani, nine classes were tested: low and medium intensity urban, sparse forest, water, barren ground, and four agriculture classes (fallow, bare agricultural ground, green crops, and orchards). For Campinas, Brazil, five generic classes were tested: urban, agriculture, forest, water, and barren ground. For the Fresno-Kings Counties location 11 classes were studied: three generic classes (urban, water, barren land), and eight specific crops. In all cases the addition of SAR to EO resulted

  5. Experimental study of the electrode material for electro-osmosis in mudflat sludge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi-min; Xu, Hao-feng

    2017-11-01

    In order to study the performance of electro-osmosis, several tests including indoor electro-osmosis experiments using copper, aluminum as the anode and cathode electrode materials, and Mercury Intrusion Porosimiter (MIP) were conducted. The results indicate that the drainage ratio using aluminum is faster than that of copper while the energy consumption per unit is lower, the effectiveness is better than that of copper. After electro-osmosis, the percentage of pore with large diameter shows a remarkable decrease comparing with the remolded soil which result in the increase of pore with small diameter. The reasons were discussed in this paper.

  6. The SBOL Stack: A Platform for Storing, Publishing, and Sharing Synthetic Biology Designs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madsen, Curtis; McLaughlin, James Alastair; Mısırlı, Göksel; Pocock, Matthew; Flanagan, Keith; Hallinan, Jennifer; Wipat, Anil

    2016-06-17

    Recently, synthetic biologists have developed the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL), a data exchange standard for descriptions of genetic parts, devices, modules, and systems. The goals of this standard are to allow scientists to exchange designs of biological parts and systems, to facilitate the storage of genetic designs in repositories, and to facilitate the description of genetic designs in publications. In order to achieve these goals, the development of an infrastructure to store, retrieve, and exchange SBOL data is necessary. To address this problem, we have developed the SBOL Stack, a Resource Description Framework (RDF) database specifically designed for the storage, integration, and publication of SBOL data. This database allows users to define a library of synthetic parts and designs as a service, to share SBOL data with collaborators, and to store designs of biological systems locally. The database also allows external data sources to be integrated by mapping them to the SBOL data model. The SBOL Stack includes two Web interfaces: the SBOL Stack API and SynBioHub. While the former is designed for developers, the latter allows users to upload new SBOL biological designs, download SBOL documents, search by keyword, and visualize SBOL data. Since the SBOL Stack is based on semantic Web technology, the inherent distributed querying functionality of RDF databases can be used to allow different SBOL stack databases to be queried simultaneously, and therefore, data can be shared between different institutes, centers, or other users.

  7. Electro-oxidation of Ethanol on Carbon Supported PtSn and PtSnNi Catalysts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Hidayati

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Even though platinum is known as an active electro-catalyst for ethanol oxidation at low temperatures (< 100 oC, choosing the electrode material for ethanol electro-oxidation is a crucial issue. It is due to its property which easily poisoned by a strong adsorbed species such as CO. PtSn-based electro-catalysts have been identified as better catalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation. The third material is supposed to improved binary catalysts performance. This work presents a study of the ethanol electro-oxidation on carbon supported Pt-Sn and Pt-Sn-Ni catalysts. These catalysts were prepared by alcohol reduction. Nano-particles with diameters between 2.5-5.0 nm were obtained. The peak of (220 crystalline face centred cubic (fcc Pt phase for PtSn and PtSnNi alloys was repositioned due to the presence of Sn and/or Ni in the alloy. Furthermore, the modification of Pt with Sn and SnNi improved ethanol and CO electro-oxidation. Copyright © 2016 BCREC GROUP. All rights reserved Received: 10th November 2015; Revised: 1st February 2016; Accepted: 1st February 2016 How to Cite: Hidayati, N., Scott, K. (2016. Electro-oxidation of Ethanol on Carbon Supported PtSn and PtSnNi Catalysts. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 11 (1: 10-20. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.11.1.394.10-20 Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.11.1.394.10-20

  8. A study of the characteristics of indium tin oxide after chlorine electro-chemical treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Moonsoo; Kim, Jongmin; Cho, Jaehee; Kim, Hyunwoo; Lee, Nayoung; Choi, Byoungdeog, E-mail: bdchoi@skku.edu

    2016-10-15

    Graphical abstract: The presence of Chlorine in the outer surface resulted in a highly electro-negative surface states and an increase in the vacuum energy level. - Highlights: • We investigated the influence of chlorine surface treatment on ITO properties. • Chlorination induced the change of the electro-static potential in the outer surface. • Chlorine electro-chemical treatment of ITO is a simple, fast and effective technique. - Abstract: In this work, we investigate the influence of a chlorine-based electro-chemical surface treatment on the characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) including the work function, chemical composition, and phase transition. The treated ITOs were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultra-violet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), 4-point probe measurements, and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD). We confirmed a change of the chemical composition in the near-surface region of the ITO and the formation of indium-chlorine (In-Cl) bonds and surface dipoles (via XPS). In particular, the change of the electro-static potential in the outer surface was caused by chlorination. Due to the vacuum-level shift after the electro-chemical treatment in a dilute hydrochloric acid, the ITO work function was increased by ∼0.43 eV (via UPS); furthermore, the electro-negativity of the chlorine anions attracted electrons to emit them from the hole transport layer (HTL) to the ITO anodes, resulting in an increase of the hole-injection efficiency.

  9. Heavy ion induced genetic effects in mammalian cells. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiefer, J.; Brend'amour, M.; Casares, A.; Egenolf, R.; Gutermuth, F.; Ikpeme, S.E.; Koch, S.; Kost, M.; Loebrich, M.; Pross, H.D.; Russmann, C.; Schmidt, P.; Schneider, E.; Stoll, U.; Weber, K.J.

    2001-01-01

    DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are generally assumed to be the most relevant initial event producing radiation-induced cellular lethality, as well as mutations and transformations. The dependence of their formation on radiation quality has been recently reviewed. Contrary to earlier observations there seems to be now agreement that the RBE does not increase above unity with increasing LET in mammalian cells when conventional techniques are applied which are not able to resolve smaller fragments. If they are, however, included in the analysis maximum RBE values around 2 are obtained. The situation is different with yeast: An increased effectiveness for DSB induction has been reported with alpha particles, as well as for heavy ions. This may be due to differences in methods or to chromosomal structure, as discussed in more detail in this paper. DSB induction was measured for a LET range of 100 to 11500 keV/? m in yeast cells using pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Under the conditions applied the chromosomes of the yeast cells could be separated according to size allowing the direct quantification of the DSB yield by measuring the intensity of the largest chromosomes. The results demonstrate clearly that DSB induction in yeast depends on radiation quality. The derived cross-sections for DSB induction were also compared to those for cell inactivation determined in parallel experiments under identical irradiation conditions. (orig.)

  10. Introduction to focus issue: quantitative approaches to genetic networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albert, Réka; Collins, James J; Glass, Leon

    2013-06-01

    All cells of living organisms contain similar genetic instructions encoded in the organism's DNA. In any particular cell, the control of the expression of each different gene is regulated, in part, by binding of molecular complexes to specific regions of the DNA. The molecular complexes are composed of protein molecules, called transcription factors, combined with various other molecules such as hormones and drugs. Since transcription factors are coded by genes, cellular function is partially determined by genetic networks. Recent research is making large strides to understand both the structure and the function of these networks. Further, the emerging discipline of synthetic biology is engineering novel gene circuits with specific dynamic properties to advance both basic science and potential practical applications. Although there is not yet a universally accepted mathematical framework for studying the properties of genetic networks, the strong analogies between the activation and inhibition of gene expression and electric circuits suggest frameworks based on logical switching circuits. This focus issue provides a selection of papers reflecting current research directions in the quantitative analysis of genetic networks. The work extends from molecular models for the binding of proteins, to realistic detailed models of cellular metabolism. Between these extremes are simplified models in which genetic dynamics are modeled using classical methods of systems engineering, Boolean switching networks, differential equations that are continuous analogues of Boolean switching networks, and differential equations in which control is based on power law functions. The mathematical techniques are applied to study: (i) naturally occurring gene networks in living organisms including: cyanobacteria, Mycoplasma genitalium, fruit flies, immune cells in mammals; (ii) synthetic gene circuits in Escherichia coli and yeast; and (iii) electronic circuits modeling genetic networks

  11. Electro-sensitivity: the physicians-laymen relationship under the test of an environmental pathology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oullion, Amandine

    2014-01-01

    This academic work addresses sociological and anthropological aspects of contemporary techniques. The authors more particularly examined how electro-sensitivity contributes to the re-composition of the relationship between physicians and laymen. After some methodological and theoretical considerations, the authors first addresses this issue from a macro-sociological and political point of view, i.e. by discussing the role of laymen in the definition and addressing of public health issues. They analyse the implication of electro-sensitive persons in the process of politicisation of their disease, and in research arrangements implemented on these issues. Then, they address the way electro-sensitivity reshapes the meeting between physician and patient. In the last part, they address the way electro-sensitivity questions the medical institution itself in terms of medical practices, and of power relationships within this institution

  12. On non-linear dynamics of a coupled electro-mechanical system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Darula, Radoslav; Sorokin, Sergey

    2012-01-01

    Electro-mechanical devices are an example of coupled multi-disciplinary weakly non-linear systems. Dynamics of such systems is described in this paper by means of two mutually coupled differential equations. The first one, describing an electrical system, is of the first order and the second one...... excitation. The results are verified using a numerical model created in MATLAB Simulink environment. Effect of non-linear terms on dynamical response of the coupled system is investigated; the backbone and envelope curves are analyzed. The two phenomena, which exist in the electro-mechanical system: (a......, for mechanical system, is of the second order. The governing equations are coupled via linear and weakly non-linear terms. A classical perturbation method, a method of multiple scales, is used to find a steadystate response of the electro-mechanical system exposed to a harmonic close-resonance mechanical...

  13. A Novel Electro-Thermal Laminated Ceramic with Carbon-Based Layer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Ji

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available A novel electro-thermal laminated ceramic composed of ceramic tile, carbon-based layer, dielectric layer, and foaming ceramic layer was designed and prepared by tape casting. The surface temperature achieved at an applied voltage of 10 V by the laminated ceramics was 40.3 °C when the thickness of carbon-based suspension was 1.0 mm and the adhesive strength between ceramic tile and carbon-based layer was 1.02 ± 0.06 MPa. In addition, the thermal aging results at 100 °C up to 192 h confirmed the high thermal stability and reliability of the electro-thermal laminated ceramics. The development of this laminated ceramic with excellent electro-thermal properties and safety provides a new individual heating device which is highly expected to be widely applied in the field of indoor heat supply.

  14. Liquid-liquid electro-organo-synthetic processes in a carbon nanofibre membrane microreactor: Triple phase boundary effects in the absence of intentionally added electrolyte

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watkins, John D.; Ahn, Sunyhik D.; Taylor, James E.; Bull, Steven D.; Bulman-Page, Philip C.; Marken, Frank

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: → Amphiphilic carbon nanofiber membrane employed in electro-synthesis. → Triple phase boundary process within a carbon membrane. → Electrochemical deuteration in a liquid|liquid micro-reactor system. → Triple phase boundary reaction zone effects in electro-synthesis. - Abstract: An amphiphilic carbon nanofibre membrane electrode (ca. 50 nm fibre diameter, 50-100 μm membrane thickness) is employed as an active working electrode and separator between an aqueous electrolyte phase (with reference and counter electrode) and an immiscible organic acetonitrile phase (containing only the redox active material). Potential control is achieved with a reference and counter electrode located in the aqueous electrolyte phase, but the electrolysis is conducted in the organic acetonitrile phase in the absence of intentionally added supporting electrolyte. For the one-electron oxidation of n-butylferrocene coupled to perchlorate anion transfer from aqueous to organic phase effective electrolysis is demonstrated with an apparent mass transfer coefficient of m = 4 x 10 -5 m s -1 and electrolysis of typically 1 mg n-butylferrocene in a 100 μL volume. For the two-electron reduction of tetraethyl-ethylenetetracarboxylate the apparent mass transfer coefficient m = 4 x 10 -6 m s -1 is lower due to a less extended triple phase boundary reaction zone in the carbon nanofibre membrane. Nevertheless, effective electrolysis of up to 6 mg tetraethyl-ethylenetetracarboxylate in a 100 μL volume is demonstrated. Deuterated products are formed in the presence of D 2 O electrolyte media. The triple phase boundary dominated mechanism and future microreactor design improvements are discussed.

  15. Dense electro-optic frequency comb generated by two-stage modulation for dual-comb spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shuai; Fan, Xinyu; Xu, Bingxin; He, Zuyuan

    2017-10-01

    An electro-optic frequency comb enables frequency-agile comb-based spectroscopy without using sophisticated phase-locking electronics. Nevertheless, dense electro-optic frequency combs over broad spans have yet to be developed. In this Letter, we propose a straightforward and efficient method for electro-optic frequency comb generation with a small line spacing and a large span. This method is based on two-stage modulation: generating an 18 GHz line-spacing comb at the first stage and a 250 MHz line-spacing comb at the second stage. After generating an electro-optic frequency comb covering 1500 lines, we set up an easily established mutually coherent hybrid dual-comb interferometer, which combines the generated electro-optic frequency comb and a free-running mode-locked laser. As a proof of concept, this hybrid dual-comb interferometer is used to measure the absorption and dispersion profiles of the molecular transition of H 13 CN with a spectral resolution of 250 MHz.

  16. Genetic diversity in different populations of sloths assessed by DNA fingerprinting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MORAES N.

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study we analyzed a population of Bradypus torquatus with individuals originally distributed in different localities of Bahia, and two populations of B. variegatus with individuals from Bahia and São Paulo States. Using the DNA fingerprinting method, we assessed the genetic variability within and between populations. Analysis of the DNA profiles revealed genetic similarity indices ranging from 0.34 ± 0.07 to 0.87 ± 0.04. Similar low levels of genetic variability were found only in isolated mammalian populations or among related individuals. This study presents the first analyses of genetic diversity in sloth populations.

  17. Rational design of organic electro-optic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dalton, L R

    2003-01-01

    Quantum mechanical calculations are used to optimize the molecular first hyperpolarizability of organic chromophores and statistical mechanical calculations are used to optimize the translation of molecular hyperpolarizability to macroscopic electro-optic activity (to values of greater than 100 pm V -1 at telecommunications wavelengths). Macroscopic material architectures are implemented exploiting new concepts in nanoscale architectural engineering. Multi-chromophore-containing dendrimers and dendronized polymers not only permit optimization of electro-optic activity but also of auxiliary properties including optical loss (both absorption and scattering), thermal and photochemical stability and processability. New reactive ion etching and photolithographic techniques permit the fabrication of three-dimensional optical circuitry and the integration of that circuitry with semiconductor very-large-scale integration electronics and silica fibre optics. Electro-optic devices have been fabricated exploiting stripline, cascaded prism and microresonator device structures. Sub-1 V drive voltages and operational bandwidths of greater than 100 GHz have been demonstrated. Both single-and double-ring microresonators have been fabricated for applications such as active wavelength division multiplexing. Free spectral range values of 1 THz and per channel modulation bandwidths of 15 GHz have been realized permitting single-chip data rates of 500 Gb s -1 . Other demonstrated devices include phased array radar, optical gyroscopes, acoustic spectrum analysers, ultrafast analog/digital converters and ultrahigh bandwidth signal generators. (topical review)

  18. Experiential Engineering through iGEM--An Undergraduate Summer Competition in Synthetic Biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Rudolph; Dori, Yehudit Judy; Kuldell, Natalie H.

    2011-01-01

    Unlike students in other engineering disciplines, undergraduates in biological engineering typically have limited opportunity to develop design competencies, and even fewer chances to implement their designed projects. The international Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition is a student Synthetic Biology competition that, in 2009,…

  19. R and D status of oxide electro-refining reprocessing technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Myochin, Munetaka

    2005-01-01

    The oxide electro-refining pyrochemical reprocessing is excellent in the resistivity against nuclear material diversion and in the suitability for oxide fuel cycle and has an excellent affinity for the technology of fuel production using the vibropac method. The oxide electro-refining pyrochemical reprocessing system has therefore been examined as a part of studies of commercialization of FBR cycle. This report outlines the examination results of fundamental data acquired for the system design. (M.H.)

  20. Application of central composite face-centered design and response surface methodology for the optimization of electro-Fenton decolorization of Azure B dye.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosales, E; Sanromán, M A; Pazos, M

    2012-06-01

    The aim of this work was to improve the ability of electro-Fenton technique for the remediation of wastewater contaminated with synthetic dyes using a model azo dye such as Azure B. Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of main parameters, such as dye concentration, electrode surface area, treatment time, and voltage. In this study, central composite face-centered experimental design matrix and response surface methodology were applied to design the experiments and evaluate the interactive effects of the four studied parameters. A total of 30 experimental runs were set, and the kinetic data were analyzed using first- and second-order models. The experimental data fitted to the empirical second-order model of a suitable degree for the maximum decolorization of Azure B by electro-Fenton treatment. ANOVA analysis showed high coefficient of determination value (R(2) = 0.9835) and reasonable second-order regression prediction. Pareto analysis suggests that the variables, time, and voltage produce the largest effect on the decolorization rate. Optimum conditions suggested by the second-order polynomial regression model for attaining maximum decolorization were dye concentration 4.83 mg/L, electrode surface area 15 cm(2), voltage 14.19 V, and treatment time of 34.58 min.

  1. A promoter-level mammalian expression atlas

    KAUST Repository

    Forest, Alistair R R

    2014-03-26

    Regulated transcription controls the diversity, developmental pathways and spatial organization of the hundreds of cell types that make up a mammal. Using single-molecule cDNA sequencing, we mapped transcription start sites (TSSs) and their usage in human and mouse primary cells, cell lines and tissues to produce a comprehensive overview of mammalian gene expression across the human body. We find that few genes are truly ‘housekeeping’, whereas many mammalian promoters are composite entities composed of several closely separated TSSs, with independent cell-type-specific expression profiles. TSSs specific to different cell types evolve at different rates, whereas promoters of broadly expressed genes are the most conserved. Promoter-based expression analysis reveals key transcription factors defining cell states and links them to binding-site motifs. The functions of identified novel transcripts can be predicted by coexpression and sample ontology enrichment analyses. The functional annotation of the mammalian genome 5 (FANTOM5) project provides comprehensive expression profiles and functional annotation of mammalian cell-type-specific transcriptomes with wide applications in biomedical research.

  2. A promoter-level mammalian expression atlas

    KAUST Repository

    Forest, Alistair R R; Kawaji, Hideya; Rehli, Michael; Baillie, John Kenneth; De Hoon, Michiel Jl L; Haberle, Vanja; Lassmann, Timo; Kulakovskiy, Ivan V.; Lizio, Marina; Itoh, Masayoshi; Andersson, Robin; Iida, Kei; Ikawa, Tomokatsu; Jankovic, Boris R.; Jia, Hui; Joshi, Anagha Madhusudan; Jurman, Giuseppe; Kaczkowski, Bogumił; Kai, Chieko; Kaida, Kaoru; Kaiho, Ai; Mungall, Christopher J.; Kajiyama, Kazuhiro; Kanamori-Katayama, Mutsumi; Kasianov, Artem S.; Kasukawa, Takeya; Katayama, Shintaro; Kato, Sachi; Kawaguchi, Shuji; Kawamoto, Hiroshi; Kawamura, Yuki I.; Kawashima, Tsugumi; Meehan, Terrence F.; Kempfle, Judith S.; Kenna, Tony J.; Kere, Juha; Khachigian, Levon M.; Kitamura, Toshio; Klinken, Svend Peter; Knox, Alan; Kojima, Miki; Kojima, Soichi; Kondo, Naoto; Schmeier, Sebastian; Koseki, Haruhiko; Koyasu, Shigeo; Krampitz, Sarah; Kubosaki, Atsutaka; Kwon, Andrew T.; Laros, Jeroen F J; Lee, Weonju; Lennartsson, Andreas; Li, Kang; Lilje, Berit; Bertin, Nicolas; Lipovich, Leonard; MacKay-Sim, Alan; Manabe, Riichiroh; Mar, Jessica; Marchand, Benoî t; Mathelier, Anthony; Mejhert, Niklas; Meynert, Alison M.; Mizuno, Yosuke; De Morais, David A Lima; Jø rgensen, Mette Christine; Morikawa, Hiromasa; Morimoto, Mitsuru; Moro, Kazuyo; Motakis, Efthymios; Motohashi, Hozumi; Mummery, Christine L.; Murata, Mitsuyoshi; Nagao-Sato, Sayaka; Nakachi, Yutaka; Nakahara, Fumio; Dimont, Emmanuel; Nakamura, Toshiyuki; Nakamura, Yukio; Nakazato, Kenichi; Van Nimwegen, Erik; Ninomiya, Noriko; Nishiyori, Hiromi; Noma, Shohei; Nozaki, Tadasuke; Ogishima, Soichi; Ohkura, Naganari; Arner, Erik; Ohmiya, Hiroko; Ohno, Hiroshi; Ohshima, Mitsuhiro; Okada-Hatakeyama, Mariko; Okazaki, Yasushi; Orlando, Valerio; Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A.; Pain, Arnab; Passier, Robert C J J; Patrikakis, Margaret; Schmidl, Christian; Persson, Helena A.; Piazza, Silvano; Prendergast, James G D; Rackham, Owen J L; Ramilowski, Jordan A.; Rashid, Mamoon; Ravasi, Timothy; Rizzu, Patrizia; Roncador, Marco; Roy, Sugata; Schaefer, Ulf; Rye, Morten Beck; Saijyo, Eri; Sajantila, Antti; Saka, Akiko; Sakaguchi, Shimon; Sakai, Mizuho; Sato, Hiroki; Satoh, Hironori; Savvi, Suzana; Saxena, Alka; Medvedeva, Yulia; Schneider, Claudio H.; Schultes, Erik A.; Schulze-Tanzil, Gundula G.; Schwegmann, Anita; Sengstag, Thierry; Sheng, Guojun; Shimoji, Hisashi; Shimoni, Yishai; Shin, Jay W.; Simon, Chris M.; Plessy, Charles; Sugiyama, Daisuke; Sugiyama, Takaaki; Suzuki, Masanori; Suzuki, Naoko; Swoboda, Rolf K.; 't Hoen, Peter Ac Chr; Tagami, Michihira; Tagami, Naokotakahashi; Takai, Jun; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Vitezic, Morana; Tatsukawa, Hideki; Tatum, Zuotian; Thompson, Mark; Toyoda, Hiroo; Toyoda, Tetsuro; Valen, Eivind; Van De Wetering, Marc L.; Van Den Berg, Linda M.; Verardo, Roberto; Vijayan, Dipti; Severin, Jessica M.; Vorontsov, Ilya E.; Wasserman, Wyeth W.; Watanabe, Shoko; Wells, Christine A.; Winteringham, Louise Natalie; Wolvetang, Ernst Jurgen; Wood, Emily J.; Yamaguchi, Yoko; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Yoneda, Misako; Semple, Colin Am M; Yonekura, Yohei; Yoshida, Shigehiro; Zabierowski, Susan E.; Zhang, Peter; Zhao, Xiaobei; Zucchelli, Silvia; Summers, Kim M.; Suzuki, Harukazu; Daub, Carsten Olivier; Kawai, Jun; Ishizu, Yuri; Heutink, Peter; Hide, Winston; Freeman, Tom C.; Lenhard, Boris; Bajic, Vladimir B.; Taylor, Martin S.; Makeev, Vsevolod J.; Sandelin, Albin; Hume, David A.; Carninci, Piero; Young, Robert S.; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide Yoshihide; Francescatto, Margherita; Altschuler, Intikhab Alam; Albanese, Davide; Altschule, Gabriel M.; Arakawa, Takahiro; Archer, John A.C.; Arner, Peter; Babina, Magda; Rennie, Sarah; Balwierz, Piotr J.; Beckhouse, Anthony G.; Pradhan-Bhatt, Swati; Blake, Judith A.; Blumenthal, Antje; Bodega, Beatrice; Bonetti, Alessandro; Briggs, James A.; Brombacher, Frank; Burroughs, Alexander Maxwell; Califano, Andrea C.; Cannistraci, Carlo; Carbajo, Daniel; Chen, Yun; Chierici, Marco; Ciani, Yari; Clevers, Hans C.; Dalla, Emiliano; Davis, Carrie Anne; Detmar, Michael J.; Diehl, Alexander D.; Dohi, Taeko; Drablø s, Finn; Edge, Albert SB B; Edinger, Matthias G.; Ekwall, Karl; Endoh, Mitsuhiro; Enomoto, Hideki; Fagiolini, Michela; Fairbairn, Lynsey R.; Fang, Hai; Farach-Carson, Mary Cindy; Faulkner, Geoffrey J.; Favorov, Alexander V.; Fisher, Malcolm E.; Frith, Martin C.; Fujita, Rie; Fukuda, Shiro; Furlanello, Cesare; Furuno, Masaaki; Furusawa, Junichi; Geijtenbeek, Teunis Bh H; Gibson, Andrew P.; Gingeras, Thomas R.; Goldowitz, Dan; Gough, Julian; Guhl, Sven; Guler, Reto; Gustincich, Stefano; Ha, Thomas; Hamaguchi, Masahide; Hara, Mitsuko; Harbers, Matthias; Harshbarger, Jayson; Hasegawa, Akira; Hasegawa, Yuki; Hashimoto, Takehiro; Herlyn, Meenhard F.; Hitchens, Kelly J.; Sui, Shannan J Ho; Hofmann, Oliver M.; Hoof, Ilka; Hori, Fumi; Huminiecki, Łukasz B.

    2014-01-01

    Regulated transcription controls the diversity, developmental pathways and spatial organization of the hundreds of cell types that make up a mammal. Using single-molecule cDNA sequencing, we mapped transcription start sites (TSSs) and their usage in human and mouse primary cells, cell lines and tissues to produce a comprehensive overview of mammalian gene expression across the human body. We find that few genes are truly ‘housekeeping’, whereas many mammalian promoters are composite entities composed of several closely separated TSSs, with independent cell-type-specific expression profiles. TSSs specific to different cell types evolve at different rates, whereas promoters of broadly expressed genes are the most conserved. Promoter-based expression analysis reveals key transcription factors defining cell states and links them to binding-site motifs. The functions of identified novel transcripts can be predicted by coexpression and sample ontology enrichment analyses. The functional annotation of the mammalian genome 5 (FANTOM5) project provides comprehensive expression profiles and functional annotation of mammalian cell-type-specific transcriptomes with wide applications in biomedical research.

  3. How to turn a genetic circuit into a synthetic tunable oscillator, or a bistable switch.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucia Marucci

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Systems and Synthetic Biology use computational models of biological pathways in order to study in silico the behaviour of biological pathways. Mathematical models allow to verify biological hypotheses and to predict new possible dynamical behaviours. Here we use the tools of non-linear analysis to understand how to change the dynamics of the genes composing a novel synthetic network recently constructed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for In-vivo Reverse-engineering and Modelling Assessment (IRMA. Guided by previous theoretical results that make the dynamics of a biological network depend on its topological properties, through the use of simulation and continuation techniques, we found that the network can be easily turned into a robust and tunable synthetic oscillator or a bistable switch. Our results provide guidelines to properly re-engineering in vivo the network in order to tune its dynamics.

  4. Spontaneously Bi decorated carbon supported Pd nanoparticles for formic acid electro-oxidation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bauskar, Akshay S.; Rice, Cynthia A.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Selective decoration of Bi onto commercial Pd/C is carried out by a simple gas controlled surface potential modulation technique. • Bi decorated Pd/C catalyst exhibits higher and sustained formic acid oxidation activity presumably via the electronic effect. • Shielding of Pd atoms by Bi increases long term stability. • Formic acid electro-oxidation current increased by 121% at 0.2 V vs. RHE. -- Abstract: The activity and stability of carbon supported palladium (Pd/C) nanoparticles decorated with a submonolayer of bismuth (Bi) for formic acid (FA) electro-oxidation was investigated herein. The FA electro-oxidation activity enhancement of Bi decorated Pd/C was evaluated electrochemically using a rotating disk electrode configuration by linear sweep voltammetric and chronoamperometric measurements. Commercial Pd/C was decorated by irreversible adsorption of Bi via a simple gas controlled surface potential modulation technique, and the coverage of Bi adatoms as measured by cyclic voltammetry was controlled in the range of 30–87%. An optimal Bi coverage was observed to be 40%, resulting in a favorable decrease in the FA onset potential by greater than 0.1 V and increase in electro-oxidation current density from 0.25 mA cm −2 SA to 0.55 mA cm −2 SA at 0.2 V vs. RHE, compared to commercial Pd/C. The results indicate that Bi decorated Pd nanoparticles have excellent properties for the electro-oxidation of FA, i.e. high electro-catalytic activity and excellent stability, due to sustained promotion of dehydrogenation pathway attributed to the electronic effect, thereby promoting FA adsorption in the CH-down orientation. Based on no significant shifting in the CO stripping peak position, minimal impact of Bi on the Pd-CO bond strength is observed. Chronoamperometry results show much better long-term electro-catalytic activity for Bi decorated Pd nanoparticles attributed to shielding of surface Pd atoms by Bi and reducing Pd dissolution

  5. The Mouse House: a brief history of the ORNL mouse-genetics program, 1947-2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Liane B

    2013-01-01

    The large mouse genetics program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is often remembered chiefly for the germ-cell mutation-rate data it generated and their uses in estimating the risk of heritable radiation damage. In fact, it soon became a multi-faceted research effort that, over a period of almost 60 years, generated a wealth of information in the areas of mammalian mutagenesis, basic genetics (later enriched by molecular techniques), cytogenetics, reproductive biology, biochemistry of germ cells, and teratology. Research in the area of germ-cell mutagenesis explored the important physical and biological factors that affect the frequency and nature of induced mutations and made several unexpected discoveries, such as the major importance of the perigametic interval (the zygote stage) for the origin of spontaneous mutations and for the sensitivity to induced genetic change. Of practical value was the discovery that ethylnitrosourea was a supermutagen for point mutations, making high-efficiency mutagenesis in the mouse feasible worldwide. Teratogenesis findings resulted in recommendations still generally accepted in radiological practice. Studies supporting the mutagenesis research added whole bodies of information about mammalian germ-cell development and about molecular targets in germ cells. The early decision to not merely count but propagate genetic variants of all sorts made possible further discoveries, such as the Y-chromosome's importance in mammalian sex determination and the identification of rare X-autosome translocations, which, in turn, led to the formulation of the single-active-X hypothesis and provided tools for studies of functional mosaicism for autosomal genes, male sterility, and chromosome-pairing mechanism. Extensive genetic and then molecular analyses of large numbers of induced specific-locus mutants resulted in fine-structure physical and correlated functional mapping of significant portions of the mouse genome and constituted a

  6. Synthetic lethality between gene defects affecting a single non-essential molecular pathway with reversible steps.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrei Zinovyev

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Systematic analysis of synthetic lethality (SL constitutes a critical tool for systems biology to decipher molecular pathways. The most accepted mechanistic explanation of SL is that the two genes function in parallel, mutually compensatory pathways, known as between-pathway SL. However, recent genome-wide analyses in yeast identified a significant number of within-pathway negative genetic interactions. The molecular mechanisms leading to within-pathway SL are not fully understood. Here, we propose a novel mechanism leading to within-pathway SL involving two genes functioning in a single non-essential pathway. This type of SL termed within-reversible-pathway SL involves reversible pathway steps, catalyzed by different enzymes in the forward and backward directions, and kinetic trapping of a potentially toxic intermediate. Experimental data with recombinational DNA repair genes validate the concept. Mathematical modeling recapitulates the possibility of kinetic trapping and revealed the potential contributions of synthetic, dosage-lethal interactions in such a genetic system as well as the possibility of within-pathway positive masking interactions. Analysis of yeast gene interaction and pathway data suggests broad applicability of this novel concept. These observations extend the canonical interpretation of synthetic-lethal or synthetic-sick interactions with direct implications to reconstruct molecular pathways and improve therapeutic approaches to diseases such as cancer.

  7. Incorporation of functionalized gold nanoparticles into nanofibers for enhanced attachment and differentiation of mammalian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung Dongju

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Electrospun nanofibers have been widely used as substrata for mammalian cell culture owing to their structural similarity to natural extracellular matrices. Structurally consistent electrospun nanofibers can be produced with synthetic polymers but require chemical modification to graft cell-adhesive molecules to make the nanofibers functional. Development of a facile method of grafting functional molecules on the nanofibers will contribute to the production of diverse cell type-specific nanofiber substrata. Results Small molecules, peptides, and functionalized gold nanoparticles were successfully incorporated with polymethylglutarimide (PMGI nanofibers through electrospinning. The PMGI nanofibers functionalized by the grafted AuNPs, which were labeled with cell-adhesive peptides, enhanced HeLa cell attachment and potentiated cardiomyocyte differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. Conclusions PMGI nanofibers can be functionalized simply by co-electrospinning with the grafting materials. In addition, grafting functionalized AuNPs enable high-density localization of the cell-adhesive peptides on the nanofiber. The results of the present study suggest that more cell type-specific synthetic substrata can be fabricated with molecule-doped nanofibers, in which diverse functional molecules are grafted alone or in combination with other molecules at different concentrations.

  8. Specificity of chicken and mammalian transferrins in myogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beach, R.L.; Popiela, Heinz; Festoff, B.W.

    1985-01-01

    Chicken transferrins isolated from eggs, embryo extract, serum or ischiatic-peroneal nerves are able to stimulate incorporation of ( 3 H)thymidine, and promote myogenesis by primary chicken muscles cells in vitro. Mammalian transferrins (bovine, rat, mouse, horse, rabbit, and human) do not promote ( 3 H)thymidine incorporation or myotube development. Comparison of the peptide fragments obtained after chemical or limited proteolytic cleavage demonstrates that the four chicken transferrins are all indistinguishable, but they differ considerably from the mammalian transferrins. The structural differences between chicken and mammalian transferrins probably account for the inability of mammalian transferrins to act as mitogens for, and to support myogenesis of, primary chicken muscle cells. (author)

  9. Coupled modeling and simulation of electro-elastic materials at large strains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Possart, Gunnar; Steinmann, Paul; Vu, Duc-Khoi

    2006-03-01

    In the recent years various novel materials have been developed that respond to the application of electrical loading by large strains. An example is the class of so-called electro-active polymers (EAP). Certainly these materials are technologically very interesting, e.g. for the design of actuators in mechatronics or in the area of artificial tissues. This work focuses on the phenomenological modeling of such materials within the setting of continuum-electro-dynamics specialized to the case of electro-hyperelastostatics and the corresponding computational setting. Thereby a highly nonlinear coupled problem for the deformation and the electric potential has to be considered. The finite element method is applied to solve the underlying equations numerically and some exemplary applications are presented.

  10. SCALE FACTOR DETERMINATION METHOD OF ELECTRO-OPTICAL MODULATOR IN FIBER-OPTIC GYROSCOPE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. S. Aleynik

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Subject of Research. We propose a method for dynamic measurement of half-wave voltage of electro-optic modulator as part of a fiber optic gyroscope. Excluding the impact of the angular acceleration o​n measurement of the electro-optical coefficient is achieved through the use of homodyne demodulation method that allows a division of the Sagnac phase shift signal and an auxiliary signal for measuring the electro-optical coefficient in the frequency domain. Method. The method essence reduces to decomposition of step of digital serrodyne modulation in two parts with equal duration. The first part is used for quadrature modulation signals. The second part comprises samples of the auxiliary signal used to determine the value of the scale factor of the modulator. Modeling is done in standalone model, and as part of a general model of the gyroscope. The applicability of the proposed method is investigated as well as its qualitative and quantitative characteristics: absolute and relative accuracy of the electro-optic coefficient, the stability of the method to the effects of angular velocities and accelerations, method resistance to noise in actual devices. Main Results. The simulation has showed the ability to measure angular velocity changing under the influence of angular acceleration, acting on the device, and simultaneous measurement of electro-optical coefficient of the phase modulator without interference between these processes. Practical Relevance. Featured in the paper the ability to eliminate the influence of the angular acceleration on the measurement accuracy of the electro-optical coefficient of the phase modulator will allow implementing accurate measurement algorithms for fiber optic gyroscopes resistant to a significant acceleration in real devices.

  11. Electro-Thermal-Mechanical Simulation Capability Final Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, D

    2008-01-01

    This is the Final Report for LDRD 04-ERD-086, 'Electro-Thermal-Mechanical Simulation Capability'. The accomplishments are well documented in five peer-reviewed publications and six conference presentations and hence will not be detailed here. The purpose of this LDRD was to research and develop numerical algorithms for three-dimensional (3D) Electro-Thermal-Mechanical simulations. LLNL has long been a world leader in the area of computational mechanics, and recently several mechanics codes have become 'multiphysics' codes with the addition of fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and chemistry. However, these multiphysics codes do not incorporate the electromagnetics that is required for a coupled Electro-Thermal-Mechanical (ETM) simulation. There are numerous applications for an ETM simulation capability, such as explosively-driven magnetic flux compressors, electromagnetic launchers, inductive heating and mixing of metals, and MEMS. A robust ETM simulation capability will enable LLNL physicists and engineers to better support current DOE programs, and will prepare LLNL for some very exciting long-term DoD opportunities. We define a coupled Electro-Thermal-Mechanical (ETM) simulation as a simulation that solves, in a self-consistent manner, the equations of electromagnetics (primarily statics and diffusion), heat transfer (primarily conduction), and non-linear mechanics (elastic-plastic deformation, and contact with friction). There is no existing parallel 3D code for simulating ETM systems at LLNL or elsewhere. While there are numerous magnetohydrodynamic codes, these codes are designed for astrophysics, magnetic fusion energy, laser-plasma interaction, etc. and do not attempt to accurately model electromagnetically driven solid mechanics. This project responds to the Engineering R and D Focus Areas of Simulation and Energy Manipulation, and addresses the specific problem of Electro-Thermal-Mechanical simulation for design and analysis of energy manipulation systems

  12. Mammalian cell biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elkind, M.M.

    1979-01-01

    This section contains summaries of research on mechanisms of lethality and radioinduced changes in mammalian cell properties, new cell systems for the study of the biology of mutation and neoplastic transformation, and comparative properties of ionizing radiations

  13. Biotechnology by Design: An Introductory Level, Project-Based, Synthetic Biology Laboratory Program for Undergraduate Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beach, Dale L; Alvarez, Consuelo J

    2015-12-01

    Synthetic biology offers an ideal opportunity to promote undergraduate laboratory courses with research-style projects, immersing students in an inquiry-based program that enhances the experience of the scientific process. We designed a semester-long, project-based laboratory curriculum using synthetic biology principles to develop a novel sensory device. Students develop subject matter knowledge of molecular genetics and practical skills relevant to molecular biology, recombinant DNA techniques, and information literacy. During the spring semesters of 2014 and 2015, the Synthetic Biology Laboratory Project was delivered to sophomore genetics courses. Using a cloning strategy based on standardized BioBrick genetic "parts," students construct a "reporter plasmid" expressing a reporter gene (GFP) controlled by a hybrid promoter regulated by the lac-repressor protein (lacI). In combination with a "sensor plasmid," the production of the reporter phenotype is inhibited in the presence of a target environmental agent, arabinose. When arabinose is absent, constitutive GFP expression makes cells glow green. But the presence of arabinose activates a second promoter (pBAD) to produce a lac-repressor protein that will inhibit GFP production. Student learning was assessed relative to five learning objectives, using a student survey administered at the beginning (pre-survey) and end (post-survey) of the course, and an additional 15 open-ended questions from five graded Progress Report assignments collected throughout the course. Students demonstrated significant learning gains (p Biology Laboratory Project enhanced their understanding of molecular genetics. The laboratory project is highly adaptable for both introductory and advanced courses.

  14. Synthetic review on the genetic relatedness between North Africa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... genetic markers are associated with certain aspects of human culture like languages, ... In the Middle East, the predominant categories of Y chromosomes are ... less frequency than the Middle Eastern ones, showing an important paternal ...

  15. Research on a Micro-Nano Si/SiGe/Si Double Heterojunction Electro-Optic Modulation Structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Song Feng

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The electro-optic modulator is a very important device in silicon photonics, which is responsible for the conversion of optical signals and electrical signals. For the electro-optic modulator, the carrier density of waveguide region is one of the key parameters. The traditional method of increasing carrier density is to increase the external modulation voltage, but this way will increase the modulation loss and also is not conducive to photonics integration. This paper presents a micro-nano Si/SiGe/Si double heterojunction electro-optic modulation structure. Based on the band theory of single heterojunction, the barrier heights are quantitatively calculated, and the carrier concentrations of heterojunction barrier are analyzed. The band and carrier injection characteristics of the double heterostructure structure are simulated, respectively, and the correctness of the theoretical analysis is demonstrated. The micro-nano Si/SiGe/Si double heterojunction electro-optic modulation is designed and tested, and comparison of testing results between the micro-nano Si/SiGe/Si double heterojunction micro-ring electro-optic modulation and the micro-nano Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI micro-ring electro-optic modulation, Free Spectrum Range, 3 dB Bandwidth, Q value, extinction ratio, and other parameters of the micro-nano Si/SiGe/Si double heterojunction micro-ring electro-optic modulation are better than others, and the modulation voltage and the modulation loss are lower.

  16. Electro-osmosis of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media using lattice Poisson-Boltzmann method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Simeng; He, Xinting; Bertola, Volfango; Wang, Moran

    2014-12-15

    Electro-osmosis in porous media has many important applications in various areas such as oil and gas exploitation and biomedical detection. Very often, fluids relevant to these applications are non-Newtonian because of the shear-rate dependent viscosity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the behaviors and physical mechanism of electro-osmosis of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media. Model porous microstructures (granular, fibrous, and network) were created by a random generation-growth method. The nonlinear governing equations of electro-kinetic transport for a power-law fluid were solved by the lattice Poisson-Boltzmann method (LPBM). The model results indicate that: (i) the electro-osmosis of non-Newtonian fluids exhibits distinct nonlinear behaviors compared to that of Newtonian fluids; (ii) when the bulk ion concentration or zeta potential is high enough, shear-thinning fluids exhibit higher electro-osmotic permeability, while shear-thickening fluids lead to the higher electro-osmotic permeability for very low bulk ion concentration or zeta potential; (iii) the effect of the porous medium structure depends significantly on the constitutive parameters: for fluids with large constitutive coefficients strongly dependent on the power-law index, the network structure shows the highest electro-osmotic permeability while the granular structure exhibits the lowest permeability on the entire range of power law indices considered; when the dependence of the constitutive coefficient on the power law index is weaker, different behaviors can be observed especially in case of strong shear thinning. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Identification of genetic elements in metabolism by high-throughput mouse phenotyping

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rozman, Jan; Rathkolb, Birgit; Oestereicher, Manuela A.

    2018-01-01

    Metabolic diseases are a worldwide problem but the underlying genetic factors and their relevance to metabolic disease remain incompletely understood. Genome-wide research is needed to characterize so-far unannotated mammalian metabolic genes. Here, we generate and analyze metabolic phenotypic da...

  18. Modeling and stability of electro-hydraulic servo of hydraulic excavator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Wenhua; Yin, Chenbo; Li, Guo; Sun, Menghui

    2017-11-01

    The condition of the hydraulic excavator is complicated and the working environment is bad. The safety and stability of the control system is influenced by the external factors. This paper selects hydraulic excavator electro-hydraulic servo system as the research object. A mathematical model and simulation model using AMESIM of servo system is established. Then the pressure and flow characteristics are analyzed. The design and optimization of electro-hydraulic servo system and its application in engineering machinery is provided.

  19. High-power electro-optic switch technology based on novel transparent ceramic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Xue-Jiao; Ye Qing; Qu Rong-Hui; Cai Hai-wen

    2016-01-01

    A novel high-power polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology based on a reciprocal structure Sagnac interferometer and a transparent quadratic electro-optic ceramic is proposed and analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The electro-optic ceramic is used as a phase retarder for the clockwise and counter-clockwise polarized light, and their polarization directions are adjusted to their orthogonal positions by using two half-wave plates. The output light then becomes polarization-independent with respect to the polarization direction of the input light. The switch characteristics, including splitter ratios and polarization states, are theoretically analyzed and simulated in detail by the matrix multiplication method. An experimental setup is built to verify the analysis and experimental results. A new component ceramic is used and a non-polarizing cube beam splitter (NPBS) replaces the beam splitter (BS) to lower the ON/OFF voltage to 305 V and improve the extinction ratio by 2 dB. Finally, the laser-induced damage threshold for the proposed switch is measured and discussed. It is believed that potential applications of this novel polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology will be wide, especially for ultrafast high-power laser systems. (paper)

  20. Heterogeneous electro-Fenton catalyst for 1-butylpyridinium chloride degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meijide, Jessica; Pazos, Marta; Sanromán, Maria Ángeles

    2017-10-15

    The application of the electro-Fenton process for organic compound mineralisation has been widely reported over the past years. However, operational problems related to the use of soluble iron salt as a homogeneous catalyst involve the development of novel catalysts that are able to operate in a wide pH range. For this purpose, polyvinyl alcohol-alginate beads, containing goethite as iron, were synthesised and evaluated as heterogeneous electro-Fenton catalyst for 1-butylpyridinium chloride mineralisation. The influence of catalyst dosage and pH solution on ionic liquid degradation was analysed, achieving almost total oxidation after 60 min under optimal conditions (2 g/L catalyst concentration and pH 3). The results showed good catalyst stability and reusability, although its effectiveness decreases slightly after three successive cycles. Furthermore, a plausible mineralisation pathway was proposed based on the oxidation byproducts determined by chromatographic techniques. Finally, the Microtox® test revealed notable detoxification after treatment which demonstrates high catalyst ability for pyridinium-based ionic liquid degradation by the electro-Fenton process.

  1. VisBOL: Web-Based Tools for Synthetic Biology Design Visualization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLaughlin, James Alastair; Pocock, Matthew; Mısırlı, Göksel; Madsen, Curtis; Wipat, Anil

    2016-08-19

    VisBOL is a Web-based application that allows the rendering of genetic circuit designs, enabling synthetic biologists to visually convey designs in SBOL visual format. VisBOL designs can be exported to formats including PNG and SVG images to be embedded in Web pages, presentations and publications. The VisBOL tool enables the automated generation of visualizations from designs specified using the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) version 2.0, as well as a range of well-known bioinformatics formats including GenBank and Pigeoncad notation. VisBOL is provided both as a user accessible Web site and as an open-source (BSD) JavaScript library that can be used to embed diagrams within other content and software.

  2. Thermo-electro-chemical storage (TECS) of solar energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wenger, Erez; Epstein, Michael; Kribus, Abraham

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A solar plant with thermally regenerative battery unifies energy conversion and storage. • Storage is a flow battery with thermo-chemical charging and electro-chemical discharging. • Sodium-sulfur and zinc-air systems are investigated as candidate storage materials. • Theoretical solar to electricity efficiencies of over 60% are predicted. • Charging temperature can be lowered with hybrid carbothermic reduction. - Abstract: A new approach for solar electricity generation and storage is proposed, based on the concept of thermally regenerative batteries. Concentrated sunlight is used for external thermo-chemical charging of a flow battery, and electricity is produced by conventional electro-chemical discharge of the battery. The battery replaces the steam turbine, currently used in commercial concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, potentially leading to much higher conversion efficiency. This approach offers potential performance, cost and operational advantages compared to existing solar technologies, and to existing storage solutions for management of an electrical grid with a significant contribution of intermittent solar electricity generation. Here we analyze the theoretical conversion efficiency for new thermo-electro-chemical storage (TECS) plant schemes based on the electro-chemical systems of sodium-sulfur (Na-S) and zinc-air. The thermodynamic upper limit of solar to electricity conversion efficiency for an ideal TECS cycle is about 60% for Na-S at reactor temperature of 1550 K, and 65% for the zinc-air system at 1750 K, both under sunlight concentration of 3000. A hybrid process with carbothermic reduction in the zinc-air system reaches 60% theoretical efficiency at the more practical conditions of reaction temperature <1200 K and concentration <1000. Practical TECS plant efficiency, estimated from these upper limits, may then be much higher compared to existing solar electricity technologies. The technical and economical

  3. Synthetic Brainbows

    KAUST Repository

    Wan, Y.

    2013-06-01

    Brainbow is a genetic engineering technique that randomly colorizes cells. Biological samples processed with this technique and imaged with confocal microscopy have distinctive colors for individual cells. Complex cellular structures can then be easily visualized. However, the complexity of the Brainbow technique limits its applications. In practice, most confocal microscopy scans use different florescence staining with typically at most three distinct cellular structures. These structures are often packed and obscure each other in rendered images making analysis difficult. In this paper, we leverage a process known as GPU framebuffer feedback loops to synthesize Brainbow-like images. In addition, we incorporate ID shuffing and Monte-Carlo sampling into our technique, so that it can be applied to single-channel confocal microscopy data. The synthesized Brainbow images are presented to domain experts with positive feedback. A user survey demonstrates that our synthetic Brainbow technique improves visualizations of volume data with complex structures for biologists.

  4. Extreme nonlinear terahertz electro-optics in diamond for ultrafast pulse switching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalaby, Mostafa; Vicario, Carlo; Hauri, Christoph P.

    2017-03-01

    Polarization switching of picosecond laser pulses is a fundamental concept in signal processing [C. Chen and G. Liu, Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci. 16, 203 (1986); V. R. Almeida et al., Nature 431, 1081 (2004); and A. A. P. Pohl et al., Photonics Sens. 3, 1 (2013)]. Conventional switching devices rely on the electro-optical Pockels effect and work at radio frequencies. The ensuing gating time of several nanoseconds is a bottleneck for faster switches which is set by the performance of state-of-the-art high-voltage electronics. Here we show that by substituting the electric field of several kV/cm provided by modern electronics by the MV/cm field of a single-cycle THz laser pulse, the electro-optical gating process can be driven orders of magnitude faster, at THz frequencies. In this context, we introduce diamond as an exceptional electro-optical material and demonstrate a pulse gating time as fast as 100 fs using sub-cycle THz-induced Kerr nonlinearity. We show that THz-induced switching in the insulator diamond is fully governed by the THz pulse shape. The presented THz-based electro-optical approach overcomes the bandwidth and switching speed limits of conventional MHz/GHz electronics and establishes the ultrafast electro-optical gating technology for the first time in the THz frequency range. We finally show that the presented THz polarization gating technique is applicable for advanced beam diagnostics. As a first example, we demonstrate tomographic reconstruction of a THz pulse in three dimensions.

  5. Definition of natural T cell antigens with mimicry epitopes obtained from dedicated synthetic peptide libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiemstra, H S; van Veelen, P A; Schloot, N C; Geluk, A; van Meijgaarden, K E; Willemen, S J; Leunissen, J A; Benckhuijsen, W E; Amons, R; de Vries, R R; Roep, B O; Ottenhoff, T H; Drijfhout, J W

    1998-10-15

    Progress has recently been made in the use of synthetic peptide libraries for the identification of T cell-stimulating ligands. T cell epitopes identified from synthetic libraries are mimics of natural epitopes. Here we show how the mimicry epitopes obtained from synthetic peptide libraries enable unambiguous identification of natural T cell Ags. Synthetic peptide libraries were screened with Mycobacterium tuberculosis-reactive and -autoreactive T cell clones. In two cases, database homology searches with mimicry epitopes isolated from a dedicated synthetic peptide library allowed immediate identification of the natural antigenic protein. In two other cases, an amino acid pattern that reflected the epitope requirements of the T cell was determined by substitution and omission mixture analysis. Subsequently, the natural Ag was identified from databases using this refined pattern. This approach opens new perspectives for rapid and reliable Ag definition, representing a feasible alternative to the biochemical and genetic approaches described thus far.

  6. Electro-Deformation of Fused Cells in a Microfluidic Array Device

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Liu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available We present a new method of analyzing the deformability of fused cells in a microfluidic array device. Electrical stresses—generated by applying voltages (4–20 V across discrete co-planar microelectrodes along the side walls of a microfluidic channel—have been used to electro-deform fused and unfused stem cells. Under an electro-deformation force induced by applying an alternating current (AC signal, we observed significant electro-deformation phenomena. The experimental results show that the fused stem cells were stiffer than the unfused stem cells at a relatively low voltage (<16 V. However, at a relatively high voltage, the fused stem cells were more easily deformed than were the unfused stem cells. In addition, the electro-deformation process is modeled based on the Maxwell stress tensor and structural mechanics of cells. The theoretical results show that a positive correlation is found between the deformation of the cell and the applied voltage, which is consistent with the experimental results. Combined with a numerical analysis and experimental study, the results showed that the significant difference of the deformation ratio of the fused and unfused cells is not due to their size difference. This demonstrates that some other properties of cell membranes (such as the membrane structure were also changed in the electrofusion process, in addition to the size modification of that process.

  7. Evidence from mammalian studies on genetic effects of low level irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Searle, A.G.

    1989-01-01

    The major components of genetic damage and associated human risks are discussed, together with the experimental evidence on induction rates of chromosome anomalies in mice, and monkeys male and female germ cells, using low and high LET low level irradiation. (UK)

  8. The Mouse House: A brief history of the ORNL mouse-genetics program, 1947–2009

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Russell, Liane B.

    2013-10-01

    The large mouse genetics program at the Oak Ridge National Lab is often re-membered chiefly for the germ-cell mutation-rate data it generated and their uses in estimating the risk of heritable radiation damage. In fact, it soon became a multi-faceted research effort that, over a period of almost 60 years, generated a wealth of information in the areas of mammalian mutagenesis, basic genetics (later enriched by molecular techniques), cytogenetics, reproductive biology, biochemistry of germ cells, and teratology. Research in the area of germ-cell mutagenesis explored the important physical and biological factors that affect the frequency and nature of induced mutations and made several unexpected discoveries, such as the major importance of the perigametic interval (the zygote stage) for the origin of spontaneous mutations and for the sensitivity to induced genetic change. Of practical value was the discovery that ethylnitrosourea was a supermutagen for point mutations, making high-efficiency mutagenesis in the mouse feasible worldwide. Teratogenesis findings resulted in recommendations still generally accepted in radiological practice. Studies supporting the mutagenesis research added whole bodies of information about mammalian germ-cell development and about molecular targets in germ cells. The early decision to not merely count but propagate genetic variants of all sorts made possible further discoveries, such as the Y-Chromosome s importance in mammalian sex determination and the identification of rare X-autosome translocations, which, in turn, led to the formulation of the single-active-X hypothesis and provided tools for studies of functional mosaicism for autosomal genes, male sterility, and chromosome-pairing mechanism. Extensive genetic and then molecular analyses of large numbers of induced specific-locus mutants resulted in fine-structure physical and correlated functional mapping of significant portions of the mouse genome and constituted a valuable

  9. Silicon-integrated thin-film structure for electro-optic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick Joseph

    2000-01-01

    A crystalline thin-film structure suited for use in any of an number of electro-optic applications, such as a phase modulator or a component of an interferometer, includes a semiconductor substrate of silicon and a ferroelectric, optically-clear thin film of the perovskite BaTiO.sub.3 overlying the surface of the silicon substrate. The BaTiO.sub.3 thin film is characterized in that substantially all of the dipole moments associated with the ferroelectric film are arranged substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate to enhance the electro-optic qualities of the film.

  10. Cellulose Electro-Active Paper: From Discovery to Technology Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abas, Zafar; Kim, Heung Soo; Kim, Jaehwan; Kim, Joo-Hyung

    2014-09-01

    Cellulose electro-active paper (EAPap) is an attractive material of electro-active polymers (EAPs) family due to its smart characteristics. EAPap is thin cellulose film coated with metal electrodes on both sides. Its large displacement output, low actuation voltage and low power consumption can be used for biomimetic sensors/actuators and electromechanical system. Because cellulose EAPap is ultra-lightweight, easy to manufacture, inexpensive, biocompatible, and biodegradable, it has been employed for many applications such as bending actuator, vibration sensor, artificial muscle, flexible speaker, and can be advantageous in areas such as micro-insect robots, micro-flying objects, microelectromechanical systems, biosensors, and flexible displays.

  11. Energy-producing electro-flocculation for harvest of Dunaliella salina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qing; Zhang, Meng; Lv, Tao; Chen, Hongjun; Chika, Anthony Okonkwo; Xiang, Changli; Guo, Minxue; Wu, Minghui; Li, Jianjun; Jia, Lishan

    2017-10-01

    In this study, an efficient electro-flocculation process for Dunaliella salina with energy production by aluminum-air battery has been successfully applied. The formed aluminum hydroxide hydrates during discharging of battery were positively charged, which have a great potential for microalgae flocculation. The precipitation of aluminum hydroxide hydrates by algae also could improve the performance of aluminum-air battery. The harvesting efficiency could reach 97% in 20mins with energy production of 0.11kWh/kg. This discharging electro-flocculation (DEF) technology provides a new energy producing process to effectively harvest microalgae. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Mosaic evolution of the mammalian auditory periphery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manley, Geoffrey A

    2013-01-01

    The classical mammalian auditory periphery, i.e., the type of middle ear and coiled cochlea seen in modern therian mammals, did not arise as one unit and did not arise in all mammals. It is also not the only kind of auditory periphery seen in modern mammals. This short review discusses the fact that the constituents of modern mammalian auditory peripheries arose at different times over an extremely long period of evolution (230 million years; Ma). It also attempts to answer questions as to the selective pressures that led to three-ossicle middle ears and the coiled cochlea. Mammalian middle ears arose de novo, without an intermediate, single-ossicle stage. This event was the result of changes in eating habits of ancestral animals, habits that were unrelated to hearing. The coiled cochlea arose only after 60 Ma of mammalian evolution, driven at least partly by a change in cochlear bone structure that improved impedance matching with the middle ear of that time. This change only occurred in the ancestors of therian mammals and not in other mammalian lineages. There is no single constellation of structural features of the auditory periphery that characterizes all mammals and not even all modern mammals.

  13. Removal of PAHs from contaminated clayey soil by means of electro-osmosis

    KAUST Repository

    Lima, Ana T.

    2011-06-01

    The removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from clayey soils is an intricate task. The low porosity of compacted clayey soil hinders bacterial activity and makes convective removal by hydraulic flow impossible. Electro-osmosis is a process that has been used for the mobilization and cleanup of contaminants in clayey soils with varying successes. The present study focuses on the remediation of a contaminated peaty clay soil, located in Olst - the Netherlands, by means of electro-osmosis. The soil was originally contaminated by an asphalt production plant, active from 1903 to 1983, and presents high levels of all 16 priority PAHs indicated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Such a long contact times of PAH with the soil (≥100 years) presents a unique study material with well established solid/liquid contaminant partitioning equilibrium, preferable to artificially spiked soil. A batch of 6 electro-osmosis laboratory experiments was carried out to study the removal of 16 PAHs through electro-osmosis. In these experiments, water and a surfactant (Tween 80) were used to enhance the PAH desorption. The electro-osmotic conductivities ranged from 2.88 × 10-10 to a substantial 1.19 × 10-7 m2 V-1 s -1 when applying a current density of 0.005-0.127 A m-2. Electro-osmosis was expected to occur towards the cathode, because of natural soil characteristics (negative zeta potential), but presented scattered directions. The use of reference electrodes proved to be very effective to the prediction of the flow direction. Finally, the addition of Tween 80 as a surfactant enhanced PAH removal up to 30% of the total PAH content of the soil in 9 days. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  14. Electro-catalytic activity of Ni–Co-based catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ju, Hua [School of Urban Rail Transportation, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China); Li, Zhihu [College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, Moye Rd. 688, Suzhou 215006 (China); Xu, Yanhui, E-mail: xuyanhui@suda.edu.cn [College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, Moye Rd. 688, Suzhou 215006 (China)

    2015-04-15

    Graphical abstract: The electro-catalytic activity of different electro-catalysts with a porous electrode structure was compared considering the real electrode area that was evaluated by cyclic measurement. - Highlights: • Ni–Co-based electro-catalysts for OER have been studied and compared. • The real electrode area is calculated and used for assessing the electro-catalysts. • Exchange current and reaction rate constant are estimated. • Ni is more useful for OER reaction than Co. - Abstract: In the present work, Ni–Co-based electrocatalysts (Ni/Co = 0:6, 1:5, 2:4, 3:3, 4:2, 5:1 and 6:0) have been studied for oxygen evolution reaction. The phase structure has been analyzed by X-ray diffraction technique. Based on the XRD and SEM results, it is believed that the synthesized products are poorly crystallized. To exclude the disturbance of electrode preparation technology on the evaluation of electro-catalytic activity, the real electrode surface area is calculated based on the cyclic voltammetry data, assumed that the specific surface capacitance is 60 μF cm{sup −2} for metal oxide electrode. The real electrode area data are used to calculate the current density. The reaction rate constant of OER at different electrodes is also estimated based on basic reaction kinetic equations. It is found that the exchange current is 0.05–0.47 mA cm{sup −2} (the real surface area), and the reaction rate constant has an order of magnitude of 10{sup −7}–10{sup −6} cm s{sup −1}. The influence of the electrode potential on OER rate has been also studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. Our investigation has shown that the nickel element has more contribution than the cobalt; the nickel oxide has the best electro-catalytic activity toward OER.

  15. Phage Therapy in the Era of Synthetic Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbu, E Magda; Cady, Kyle C; Hubby, Bolyn

    2016-10-03

    For more than a century, bacteriophage (or phage) research has enabled some of the most important discoveries in biological sciences and has equipped scientists with many of the molecular biology tools that have advanced our understanding of replication, maintenance, and expression of genetic material. Phages have also been recognized and exploited as natural antimicrobial agents and nanovectors for gene therapy, but their potential as therapeutics has not been fully exploited in Western medicine because of challenges such as narrow host range, bacterial resistance, and unique pharmacokinetics. However, increasing concern related to the emergence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics has heightened interest in phage therapy and the development of strategies to overcome hurdles associated with bacteriophage therapeutics. Recent progress in sequencing technologies, DNA manipulation, and synthetic biology allowed scientists to refactor the entire bacterial genome of Mycoplasma mycoides, thereby creating the first synthetic cell. These new strategies for engineering genomes may have the potential to accelerate the construction of designer phage genomes with superior therapeutic potential. Here, we discuss the use of phage as therapeutics, as well as how synthetic biology can create bacteriophage with desirable attributes. Copyright © 2016 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  16. Plasticity within stem cell hierarchies in mammalian epithelia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tetteh, Paul W; Farin, Henner F; Clevers, Hans

    2015-02-01

    Tissue homeostasis and regeneration are fueled by resident stem cells that have the capacity to self-renew, and to generate all the differentiated cell types that characterize a particular tissue. Classical models of such cellular hierarchies propose that commitment and differentiation occur unidirectionally, with the arrows 'pointing away' from the stem cell. Recent studies, all based on genetic lineage tracing, describe various strategies employed by epithelial stem cell hierarchies to replace damaged or lost cells. While transdifferentiation from one tissue type into another ('metaplasia') appears to be generally forbidden in nonpathological contexts, plasticity within an individual tissue stem cell hierarchy may be much more common than previously appreciated. In this review, we discuss recent examples of such plasticity in selected mammalian epithelia, highlighting the different modes of regeneration and their implications for our understanding of cellular hierarchy and tissue self-renewal. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. ETEM Studies of Electrodes and Electro-catalysts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jooss, Christian; Mildner, Stephanie; Beleggia, Marco

    2016-01-01

    Environmental TEM is an excellent tool for gaining insight into the atomic and electronic structure of electro-catalysts under operating conditions. Several electrochemical reactions such as oxidation/reduction processes of electrodes, heterogeneous gas phase catalysis of water splitting...

  18. Promoting microbiology education through the iGEM synthetic biology competition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelwick, Richard; Bowater, Laura; Yeoman, Kay H; Bowater, Richard P

    2015-08-01

    Synthetic biology has developed rapidly in the 21st century. It covers a range of scientific disciplines that incorporate principles from engineering to take advantage of and improve biological systems, often applied to specific problems. Methods important in this subject area include the systematic design and testing of biological systems and, here, we describe how synthetic biology projects frequently develop microbiology skills and education. Synthetic biology research has huge potential in biotechnology and medicine, which brings important ethical and moral issues to address, offering learning opportunities about the wider impact of microbiological research. Synthetic biology projects have developed into wide-ranging training and educational experiences through iGEM, the International Genetically Engineered Machines competition. Elements of the competition are judged against specific criteria and teams can win medals and prizes across several categories. Collaboration is an important element of iGEM, and all DNA constructs synthesized by iGEM teams are made available to all researchers through the Registry for Standard Biological Parts. An overview of microbiological developments in the iGEM competition is provided. This review is targeted at educators that focus on microbiology and synthetic biology, but will also be of value to undergraduate and postgraduate students with an interest in this exciting subject area. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Engineering and Functional Analysis of Mitotic Kinases Through Chemical Genetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Mathew J K; Jallepalli, Prasad V

    2016-01-01

    During mitosis, multiple protein kinases transform the cytoskeleton and chromosomes into new and highly dynamic structures that mediate the faithful transmission of genetic information and cell division. However, the large number and strong conservation of mammalian kinases in general pose significant obstacles to interrogating them with small molecules, due to the difficulty in identifying and validating those which are truly selective. To overcome this problem, a steric complementation strategy has been developed, in which a bulky "gatekeeper" residue within the active site of the kinase of interest is replaced with a smaller amino acid, such as glycine or alanine. The enlarged catalytic pocket can then be targeted in an allele-specific manner with bulky purine analogs. This strategy provides a general framework for dissecting kinase function with high selectivity, rapid kinetics, and reversibility. In this chapter we discuss the principles and techniques needed to implement this chemical genetic approach in mammalian cells.

  20. Wave propagation in magneto-electro-elastic nanobeams via two nonlocal beam models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Li-Hong; Ke, Liao-Liang; Wang, Yi-Ze; Wang, Yue-Sheng

    2017-02-01

    This paper makes the first attempt to investigate the dispersion behavior of waves in magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) nanobeams. The Euler nanobeam model and Timoshenko nanobeam model are developed in the formulation based on the nonlocal theory. By using the Hamilton's principle, we derive the governing equations which are then solved analytically to obtain the dispersion relations of MEE nanobeams. Results are presented to highlight the influences of the thermo-electro-magnetic loadings and nonlocal parameter on the wave propagation characteristics of MEE nanobeams. It is found that the thermo-electro-magnetic loadings can lead to the occurrence of the cut-off wave number below which the wave can't propagate in MEE nanobeams.

  1. Electro-optic spatial decoding on the spherical-wavefront Coulomb fields of plasma electron sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, K; Esirkepov, T; Koga, J K; Kotaki, H; Mori, M; Hayashi, Y; Nakanii, N; Bulanov, S V; Kando, M

    2018-02-13

    Detections of the pulse durations and arrival timings of relativistic electron beams are important issues in accelerator physics. Electro-optic diagnostics on the Coulomb fields of electron beams have the advantages of single shot and non-destructive characteristics. We present a study of introducing the electro-optic spatial decoding technique to laser wakefield acceleration. By placing an electro-optic crystal very close to a gas target, we discovered that the Coulomb field of the electron beam possessed a spherical wavefront and was inconsistent with the previously widely used model. The field structure was demonstrated by experimental measurement, analytic calculations and simulations. A temporal mapping relationship with generality was derived in a geometry where the signals had spherical wavefronts. This study could be helpful for the applications of electro-optic diagnostics in laser plasma acceleration experiments.

  2. Molecular Cloning Designer Simulator (MCDS): All-in-one molecular cloning and genetic engineering design, simulation and management software for complex synthetic biology and metabolic engineering projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Zhenyu; Vickers, Claudia E

    2016-12-01

    Molecular Cloning Designer Simulator (MCDS) is a powerful new all-in-one cloning and genetic engineering design, simulation and management software platform developed for complex synthetic biology and metabolic engineering projects. In addition to standard functions, it has a number of features that are either unique, or are not found in combination in any one software package: (1) it has a novel interactive flow-chart user interface for complex multi-step processes, allowing an integrated overview of the whole project; (2) it can perform a user-defined workflow of cloning steps in a single execution of the software; (3) it can handle multiple types of genetic recombineering, a technique that is rapidly replacing classical cloning for many applications; (4) it includes experimental information to conveniently guide wet lab work; and (5) it can store results and comments to allow the tracking and management of the whole project in one platform. MCDS is freely available from https://mcds.codeplex.com.

  3. Reverse engineering validation using a benchmark synthetic gene circuit in human cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Taek; White, Jacob T; Xie, Zhen; Benenson, Yaakov; Sontag, Eduardo; Bleris, Leonidas

    2013-05-17

    Multicomponent biological networks are often understood incompletely, in large part due to the lack of reliable and robust methodologies for network reverse engineering and characterization. As a consequence, developing automated and rigorously validated methodologies for unraveling the complexity of biomolecular networks in human cells remains a central challenge to life scientists and engineers. Today, when it comes to experimental and analytical requirements, there exists a great deal of diversity in reverse engineering methods, which renders the independent validation and comparison of their predictive capabilities difficult. In this work we introduce an experimental platform customized for the development and verification of reverse engineering and pathway characterization algorithms in mammalian cells. Specifically, we stably integrate a synthetic gene network in human kidney cells and use it as a benchmark for validating reverse engineering methodologies. The network, which is orthogonal to endogenous cellular signaling, contains a small set of regulatory interactions that can be used to quantify the reconstruction performance. By performing successive perturbations to each modular component of the network and comparing protein and RNA measurements, we study the conditions under which we can reliably reconstruct the causal relationships of the integrated synthetic network.

  4. J/Ψ and φ Electro-production in Pomeron Exchange Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Baorong; Tan Zhenqiang; Gu Yunting; He Xiaorong; Zhou Lijuan; Ma Weixing

    2007-01-01

    Based on Pomeron exchange model, J/Ψ and φ production in electro-proton interaction are investigated with both linear and non-linear Pomeron trajectory. The experimental differential cross sections measured as a function of the kinematic variable Q 2 ,W and t are reproduced successfully in the model. Our conclusions are that the Pomeron exchange model is a successful description of J/Ψ and φ electro-productions on the proton, and that the linear trajectory is a good approximation to non-linearity of the Pomeron trajectory.

  5. Systems engineering and analysis of electro-optical and infrared systems

    CERN Document Server

    Arrasmith, William Wolfgang

    2015-01-01

    Introduction to Electro-optic and Infrared (EO/IR) Systems Engineering?Radiation in the Visible and Infrared Parts of the Electromagnetic SpectrumRadiation SourcesThe Effect of the Atmosphere on Optical PropagationBasic OpticsOptical ModulationThe Detection of Optical RadiationNoise in the Optical Detection ProcessTechnical Performance Measures and Metrics of Optical DetectorsModern Detectors and their Measures of PerformanceThe Effects of Cooling on Optical Detector NoiseSignal and Image ProcessingElectro-Optic and Infrared Systems AnalysisLaser Imaging Systems?Spectral Imaging?LIDAR and LADA

  6. Synthetic Cannabinoids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aslihan Okan Ibiloglu

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Synthetic cannabinoids which is a subgroup of cannabinoids are commonly used for recreational drug use throughout the whole world. Although both marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids stimulate the same receptors, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1 and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2, studies have shown that synthetic cannabinoids are much more potent than marijuana. The longer use of synthetic cannabinoids can cause severe physical and psychological symptoms that might even result in death, similar to many known illicit drugs. Main treatment options mostly involve symptom management and supportive care. The aim of this article is to discuss clinical and pharmacological properties of the increasingly used synthetic cannabinoids. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2017; 9(3.000: 317-328

  7. High-power electro-optic switch technology based on novel transparent ceramic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue-Jiao, Zhang; Qing, Ye; Rong-Hui, Qu; Hai-wen, Cai

    2016-03-01

    A novel high-power polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology based on a reciprocal structure Sagnac interferometer and a transparent quadratic electro-optic ceramic is proposed and analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The electro-optic ceramic is used as a phase retarder for the clockwise and counter-clockwise polarized light, and their polarization directions are adjusted to their orthogonal positions by using two half-wave plates. The output light then becomes polarization-independent with respect to the polarization direction of the input light. The switch characteristics, including splitter ratios and polarization states, are theoretically analyzed and simulated in detail by the matrix multiplication method. An experimental setup is built to verify the analysis and experimental results. A new component ceramic is used and a non-polarizing cube beam splitter (NPBS) replaces the beam splitter (BS) to lower the ON/OFF voltage to 305 V and improve the extinction ratio by 2 dB. Finally, the laser-induced damage threshold for the proposed switch is measured and discussed. It is believed that potential applications of this novel polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology will be wide, especially for ultrafast high-power laser systems. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61137004, 61405218, and 61535014).

  8. Giant quadratic electro-optical effect during polarization switching in ultrathin ferroelectric polymer films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blinov, L. M., E-mail: lev39blinov@gmail.com; Lazarev, V V; Palto, S P; Yudin, S G [Russian Academy of Sciences, Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography (Russian Federation)

    2012-04-15

    The low-frequency quadratic electro-optical effect with a maximum electro-optical coefficient of g = 8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -19} m{sup 2}/V{sup 2} (i.e., four orders of magnitude greater than the standard high-frequency value) has been studied in thin films of ferroelectric polymer PVDF(70%)-TrFE(30%). The observed effect is related to the process of spontaneous polarization switching, during which the electron oscillators of C-F and C-H dipole groups rotate to become parallel to the applied field. As a result, the ellipsoid of the refractive index exhibits narrowing in the direction perpendicular to the field. The field dependence of the electro-optical coefficient g correlates with that of the apparent dielectric permittivity, which can be introduced under the condition of ferroelectric polarization switching. The observed electro-optical effect strongly decreases when the frequency increases up to several hundred hertz. The temperature dependence of the effect exhibits clearly pronounced hysteresis in the region of the ferroelectric phase transition.

  9. Electro-Mechanical Systems for Extreme Space Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mojarradi, Mohammad M.; Tyler, Tony R.; Abel, Phillip B.; Levanas, Greg

    2011-01-01

    Exploration beyond low earth orbit presents challenges for hardware that must operate in extreme environments. The current state of the art is to isolate and provide heating for sensitive hardware in order to survive. However, this protection results in penalties of weight and power for the spacecraft. This is particularly true for electro-mechanical based technology such as electronics, actuators and sensors. Especially when considering distributed electronics, many electro-mechanical systems need to be located in appendage type locations, making it much harder to protect from the extreme environments. The purpose of this paper to describe the advances made in the area of developing electro-mechanical technology to survive these environments with minimal protection. The Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), the Glenn Research Center (GRC), the Langley Research Center (LaRC), and Aeroflex, Inc. over the last few years have worked to develop and test electro-mechanical hardware that will meet the stringent environmental demands of the moon, and which can also be leveraged for other challenging space exploration missions. Prototype actuators and electronics have been built and tested. Brushless DC actuators designed by Aeroflex, Inc have been tested with interface temperatures as low as 14 degrees Kelvin. Testing of the Aeroflex design has shown that a brushless DC motor with a single stage planetary gearbox can operate in low temperature environments for at least 120 million cycles (measured at motor) if long life is considered as part of the design. A motor control distributed electronics concept developed by JPL was built and operated at temperatures as low as -160 C, with many components still operational down to -245 C. Testing identified the components not capable of meeting the low temperature goal of -230 C. This distributed controller is universal in design with the ability to control different types of motors and read many different types of sensors. The controller

  10. Selective Bottlenecks Shape Evolutionary Pathways Taken during Mammalian Adaptation of a 1918-like Avian Influenza Virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moncla, Louise H; Zhong, Gongxun; Nelson, Chase W; Dinis, Jorge M; Mutschler, James; Hughes, Austin L; Watanabe, Tokiko; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro; Friedrich, Thomas C

    2016-02-10

    Avian influenza virus reassortants resembling the 1918 human pandemic virus can become transmissible among mammals by acquiring mutations in hemagglutinin (HA) and polymerase. Using the ferret model, we trace the evolutionary pathway by which an avian-like virus evolves the capacity for mammalian replication and airborne transmission. During initial infection, within-host HA diversity increased drastically. Then, airborne transmission fixed two polymerase mutations that do not confer a detectable replication advantage. In later transmissions, selection fixed advantageous HA1 variants. Transmission initially involved a "loose" bottleneck, which became strongly selective after additional HA mutations emerged. The stringency and evolutionary forces governing between-host bottlenecks may therefore change throughout host adaptation. Mutations occurred in multiple combinations in transmitted viruses, suggesting that mammalian transmissibility can evolve through multiple genetic pathways despite phenotypic constraints. Our data provide a glimpse into avian influenza virus adaptation in mammals, with broad implications for surveillance on potentially zoonotic viruses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Supersymmetric electro-weak effects on gsub(μ)-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, T.C.; Arnowitt, R.; Chamseddine, A.H.; Nath, P.

    1984-01-01

    A model independent analysis of the supersymmetric electroweak contribution to gsub(μ)-2 is discussed within the framework of N=1 Supergravity unified theory. A detailed comparison with existing experiment of two models (R.G. and T.B.) is carried out. The supersymmetric electro-weak contributions are found to be characteristically different and generally larger than the electro-weak contributions of the standard theory, and in many cases significantly larger. Effects of the hidden sector and the photino mass dependence of gsub(μ)-2 are also investigated. Present data already eliminates some choices of parameters. Reduction of existing experimental errors by a factor of 3 will make contact with most R.G. models and by a factor of 10 with most T.B. models. (orig.)

  12. Electro-optics of novel polymer-liquid crystalline composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibragimov, T.D.; Bayramov, G.M.; Imamaliyev, A.R.; Bayramov, G.M.

    2014-01-01

    The polymer network liquid crystals based on the liquid crystals H37 and 5CB with PMVP and PEG have been developed. Mesogene substance HOBA is served for stabilization of obtaining composites. Kinetics of network formation is investigated by methods of polarization microscopy and integrated small-angle scattering. It is shown that gel-like states of the composite H-37+PMVP+HOBA and 5CB+PEG+HOBA are formed at polymer concentration above 7 percent and 9 percent, correspondingly. The basic electro-optic parameters of the obtained composites are determined at room temperature. Experimental results are explained by phase separation of the system, diminution of a working area of electro-optical effects and influence of areas with high polymer concentration on areas with their low concentration

  13. Design of an Electro-Optic Modulator for High Speed Communications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espinoza, David

    The telecommunications and computer technology industries have been requiring higher communications speeds at all levels for devices, components and interconnected systems. Optical devices and optical interconnections are a viable alternative over other traditional technologies such as copper-based interconnections. Latency reductions can be achieved through the use of optical interconnections. Currently, a particular architecture for optical interconnections is being studied at the University of Colorado at Boulder in the EMT/NANO project, called Broadcast Optical Interconnects for Global Communication in Many-Core Chip Multiprocessor. As with most types of networks, including optical networks, one of the most important components are modulators. Therefore adequate design and fabrication techniques for modulators contribute to higher modulation rates which lead to improve the efficiency and reductions in the latency of the optical network. Electro-optical modulators are presented in this study as an alternative to achieve this end. In recent years, nonlinear optical (NLO) materials have been used for the fabrication of high-speed electro-optical modulators. Polymers doped with chromophores are an alternative among NLO materials because they can develop large electro-optic coefficients and low dielectric constants. These two factors are critical for achieving high-speed modulation rates. These polymer-based electro-optical modulators can be fabricated using standard laboratory techniques, such as polymer spin-coating onto substrates, UV bleaching to achieve a refractive index variation and poling techniques to align the chromophores in cured polymers. The design of the electro-optic modulators require the use of the optical parameters of the materials to be used. Therefore the characterization of these materials is a required previous step. This characterization is performed by the fabrication of chromophores-doped polymer samples and conducting transmission and

  14. Graphene-poly aniline by oxidative electro polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pa-a, Jonathan E.; Enriquez, Erwin P.

    2013-01-01

    In this work , the photochemically synthesized NH 2 - graphene is doped with poly aniline through oxidative electro polymerization to form the NH 2 -graphene/poly aniline composites. These composites with varying amounts of NH 2 -graphene are investigated using Fourier Transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV)absorption spectroscopy , scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and electrochemical measurements. FTIR analysis strongly suggests incorporation of NH 2 -graphene sheets on poly aniline via imine (C=N) formation. UV/visible analysis of composites containing varying amounts of NH 2 -graphene in PANI shows different extent of modification on the oxidation state of the emeraldine base form to leuco emeraldine form of the PANI chain segments with possible formation of imine (C=N) units at other positions of the aniline ring in the composite, Time evolution UV/visible spectra by UV-irradiation of composites tend to proceed further with imine and phenazine-like microstructure formation. TEM and SEM images show patterns on aggregation of regular to deformed fibers surrounding planar surfaces which may indicate interior surface of NH 2 -graphene sheets not being grafted with polymers. Improved thermal stability of poly aniline in the presence of minimum amount of NH 2 -graphene sheets further confirms structural transformation within the microstructures. Electrochemical measurements by cyclic voltammetry show enhanced capacitive behavior relative to pure poly aniline. The route of synthesis using NH 2 -graphene and poly aniline offers a simple but controlled synthetic route for electrochemical doping and welding of N-containing heterocyclic structures onto pristine graphene sheets for possible use in sensing and energy storage applications. (author)

  15. Advanced sensor fault detection and isolation for electro-mechanical flight actuators

    OpenAIRE

    Ossmann, Daniel; van der Linden, Franciscus

    2015-01-01

    Moving towards the more electric aircraft to be able to replace mechanic, hydraulic and pneumatic components of an aircraft, the aircraft industry calls for new technologies able to support this trend. One of these technologies is the development of advanced electro-mechanical actuators for aircraft control surfaces. Step by step hydraulic actuators are replaced by their electro-mechanical alternatives featuring weight and cost savings. As hydraulic actuators are used for decades by the air...

  16. Multi-scale theory-assisted nano-engineering of plasmonic-organic hybrid electro-optic device performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elder, Delwin L.; Johnson, Lewis E.; Tillack, Andreas F.; Robinson, Bruce H.; Haffner, Christian; Heni, Wolfgang; Hoessbacher, Claudia; Fedoryshyn, Yuriy; Salamin, Yannick; Baeuerle, Benedikt; Josten, Arne; Ayata, Masafumi; Koch, Ueli; Leuthold, Juerg; Dalton, Larry R.

    2018-02-01

    Multi-scale (correlated quantum and statistical mechanics) modeling methods have been advanced and employed to guide the improvement of organic electro-optic (OEO) materials, including by analyzing electric field poling induced electro-optic activity in nanoscopic plasmonic-organic hybrid (POH) waveguide devices. The analysis of in-device electro-optic activity emphasizes the importance of considering both the details of intermolecular interactions within organic electro-optic materials and interactions at interfaces between OEO materials and device architectures. Dramatic improvement in electro-optic device performance-including voltage-length performance, bandwidth, energy efficiency, and lower optical losses have been realized. These improvements are critical to applications in telecommunications, computing, sensor technology, and metrology. Multi-scale modeling methods illustrate the complexity of improving the electro-optic activity of organic materials, including the necessity of considering the trade-off between improving poling-induced acentric order through chromophore modification and the reduction of chromophore number density associated with such modification. Computational simulations also emphasize the importance of developing chromophore modifications that serve multiple purposes including matrix hardening for enhanced thermal and photochemical stability, control of matrix dimensionality, influence on material viscoelasticity, improvement of chromophore molecular hyperpolarizability, control of material dielectric permittivity and index of refraction properties, and control of material conductance. Consideration of new device architectures is critical to the implementation of chipscale integration of electronics and photonics and achieving the high bandwidths for applications such as next generation (e.g., 5G) telecommunications.

  17. Thermal management evaluation of the complex electro-optical system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nijemčević Srećko S.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The thermal management of a complex electro-optical system aimed for outdoor application is challenging task due to the requirement of having an air-sealed enclosure, harsh working environment, and an additional thermal load generated by sunlight. It is essential to consider the effect of heating loads in the system components, as well as the internal temperature distribution, that can have influence on the system life expectancy, operational readiness and parameters, and possibility for catastrophic failure. The main objective of this paper is to analyze internal temperature distribution and evaluate its influence on system component operation capability. The electro-optical system simplified model was defined and related thermal balance simulation model based on Solid Works thermal analysis module was set and applied for temperature distribution calculation. Various outdoor environment scenarios were compared to evaluate system temperature distribution and evaluate its influence on system operation, reliability, and life time in application environment. This work was done during the design process as a part of the electro-optical system optimization. The results show that temperature distribution will not be cause for catastrophic failure and malfunction operation during operation in the expected environment.

  18. Effect of needle puncture and electro-acupuncture on mucociliary clearance in anesthetized quails

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Tianshan

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Acupuncture therapy for obstructive respiratory diseases has been effectively used in clinical practice and the acupuncture points or acupoints of Zhongfu and Tiantu are commonly-used acupoints to treat patients with the diseases. Since the impaired mucociliary clearance is among the most important features of airway inflammation in most obstructive respiratory diseases, the effect of needle puncture and electro-acupuncture at the specific acupoints on tracheal mucociliary clearance was investigated in anesthetized quails. Methods Mucociliary transport velocity on tracheal mucosa was measured through observing the optimal pathway, and fucose and protein contents in tracheal lavages were determined with biochemical methods. In the therapeutic group, needle puncture or electro-acupuncture stimulation to the acupoints was applied without or with constant current output in 2 mA and at frequency of 100 Hz for 60 minutes. In the sham group, electro-acupuncture stimulation to Liangmen was applied. Results Our present experiments demonstrated that the electro-acupuncture stimulation to Zhongfu and Tiantu significantly increased tracheal mucociliary transport velocity and decreased the content of protein in the tracheal lavage, compared with the control group. Moreover, either needle puncture or electro-acupuncture stimulation to Zhongfu and Tiantu significantly reverted the human neutrophil elastase-induced decrease in tracheal mucociliary transport velocity and human neutrophil elastase -induced increase in the contents of fucose and protein in the tracheal lavage, compared with the control group. Conclusion These results suggest that either needle puncture or electro-acupuncture stimulation to the effective acupoints significantly improves both airway mucociliary clearance and the airway surface liquid and that the improvements maybe ascribed to both the special function of the points and the substantial stimulation of electricity.

  19. Electro-optic study of PZT ferroelectric ceramics using modulation of reflected light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kniazkov, A. V.

    2016-04-01

    Electro-optic coefficients of variations in the refractive index of PZT and PLZT ceramic materials induced by ac electric field are estimated using modulation of reflected light. The electro-optic coefficients of PLZT ceramics measured with the aid of conventional birefringence using the phase shift of transmitted radiation and the proposed method of birefringence using the modulation of reflected light are compared.

  20. Comparison of electro and chemical cautery in the treatment of anterior epistaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toner, J G; Walby, A P

    1990-08-01

    In the ENT Department of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, the impression (supported only by anecdotes) was that electro-cautery was superior to chemical cautery in the treatment of simple anterior epistaxis. Since no evaluation of the relative merits of electro and chemical cautery has been reported, a prospective randomized study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of electro-cautery and cautery with silver nitrate. The results of the study showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two methods in either controlling the epistaxis or in the incidence of complications. It is concluded that since cautery with a silver nitrate tipped applicator is simpler, and of equal effectiveness, it would appear to be the treatment of choice for simple anterior epistaxis.

  1. Cellulose Electro-Active Paper: From Discovery to Technology Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zafar eAbas

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Cellulose electro-active paper (EAPap is an attractive material of electro-active polymers (EAPs family due to its smart characteristics. EAPap is thin cellulose film coated with metal electrodes on both sides. Its large displacement output, low actuation voltage and low power consumption can be used for biomimetic sensors/actuators and electromechanical system. Because cellulose EAPap is ultra-lightweight, easy to manufacture, inexpensive, biocompatible, and biodegradable, it has been employed for many applications such as bending actuator, vibration sensor, artificial muscle, flexible speaker, and can be advantageous in areas such as micro-insect robots, micro-flying objects, microelectromechanical systems, biosensors, and flexible displays.

  2. Homogenization of Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Araújo, Mariana E G; Lamberti, Giorgia; Huber, Lukas A

    2015-11-02

    Homogenization is the name given to the methodological steps necessary for releasing organelles and other cellular constituents as a free suspension of intact individual components. Most homogenization procedures used for mammalian cells (e.g., cavitation pump and Dounce homogenizer) rely on mechanical force to break the plasma membrane and may be supplemented with osmotic or temperature alterations to facilitate membrane disruption. In this protocol, we describe a syringe-based homogenization method that does not require specialized equipment, is easy to handle, and gives reproducible results. The method may be adapted for cells that require hypotonic shock before homogenization. We routinely use it as part of our workflow to isolate endocytic organelles from mammalian cells. © 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  3. Pt-Si Bifunctional Surfaces for CO and Methanol Electro-Oxidation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Permyakova, Anastasia A.; Han, Binghong; Jensen, Jens Oluf

    2015-01-01

    and storage. Here we report on Pt-Si bulk samples prepared by arc-melting, for the first time, with high activities toward the electro-oxidation of CO and methanol. Increasing the Si concentration on the surface was correlated with the shifts of onset oxidation potentials to lower values and higher activities...... for CO and methanol electro-oxidation. It is proposed that the reaction on the Pt-Si catalyst could follow a Langmuir-Hinshelwood type of mechanism, where substantially enhanced catalytic activity is attributed to the fine-tuning of the surface Pt-Si atomic structure....

  4. [From synthetic biology to synthetic humankind].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nouvel, Pascal

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we propose an historical survey of the expression "synthetic biology" in order to identify its main philosophical components. The result of the analysis is then used to investigate the meaning of the notion of "synthetic man". It is shown that both notions share a common philosophical background that can be summed up by the short but meaningful assertion: "biology is technology". The analysis allows us to distinguish two notions that are often confused in transhumanist literature: the notion of synthetic man and the notion of renewed man. The consequences of this crucial distinction are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. Nanocrystalline Mn-Mo-Ce Oxide Anode Doped Rare Earth Ce and Its Selective Electro-catalytic Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SHI Yan-hua

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The anode oxide of nanocrystalline Mn-Mo-Ce was prepared by anode electro-deposition technology, and its nanostructure and selective electro-catalytic performance were investigated using the SEM, EDS, XRD, HRTEM, electrochemical technology and oxygen evolution efficiency testing. Furthermore, the selective electro-catalytic mechanism of oxygen evolution and chlorine depression was discussed. The results show that the mesh-like nanostructure Mn-Mo-Ce oxide anode with little cerium doped is obtained, and the oxygen evolution efficiency for the anode in the seawater is 99.51%, which means a high efficiency for the selective electro-catalytic for the oxygen evolution. Due to the structural characteristics of γ-MnO2, the OH- ion is preferentially absorbed, while Cl- absorption is depressed. OH- accomplishes the oxygen evolution process during the valence transition electrocatalysis of Mn4+/Mn3+, completing the selective electro-catalysis process. Ce doping greatly increases the reaction activity, and promotes the absorption and discharge; the rising interplanar spacing between active (100 crystalline plane promotes OH- motion and the escape of newborn O2, so that the selective electro-catalytic property with high efficient oxygen evolution and chlorine depression is achieved from the nano morphology effect.

  6. Improving microalgae for biotechnology - From genetics to synthetic biology

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hlavová, Monika; Turóczy, Zoltán; Bišová, Kateřina

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 33, č. 6 (2015), s. 1194-1203 ISSN 0734-9750 R&D Projects: GA MŠk EE2.3.30.0059; GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0110 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Microalgae * Genetics * Mutagenesis Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 9.848, year: 2015

  7. Synthetic constructs in/for the environment: managing the interplay between natural and engineered Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Markus; de Lorenzo, Víctor

    2012-07-16

    The plausible release of deeply engineered or even entirely synthetic/artificial microorganisms raises the issue of their intentional (e.g. bioremediation) or accidental interaction with the Environment. Containment systems designed in the 1980s-1990s for limiting the spread of genetically engineered bacteria and their recombinant traits are still applicable to contemporary Synthetic Biology constructs. Yet, the ease of DNA synthesis and the uncertainty on how non-natural properties and strains could interplay with the existing biological word poses yet again the challenge of designing safe and efficacious firewalls to curtail possible interactions. Such barriers may include xeno-nucleic acids (XNAs) instead of DNA as information-bearing molecules, rewriting the genetic code to make it non-understandable by the existing gene expression machineries, and/or making growth dependent on xenobiotic chemicals. Copyright © 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Comparison of the simultaneous measurement results of SCR fluxes received by geostationary satellites 'Electro-L' and 'GOES'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arakelov, A S; Burov, V A; Ochelkov, Y P

    2013-01-01

    In the present paper the comparison of the results of the simultaneous measurements of solar proton fluxes on board geostationary satellites 'GOES' and 'Electro' was made for the purpose of calibration of 'Electro-L' detectors and determination of the possibility to utilize 'Electro-L' data for space weather monitoring. It was shown that the solar proton observation data on board 'Electro-L' recalculated to energy thresholds of 'GOES' 10 and 30 MeV are in a good consistent with 'GOES' data and may be used for control of radiation conditions in near-earth space.

  9. Reprint of Design of synthetic microbial communities for biotechnological production processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagmann, Nina; Philipp, Bodo

    2014-12-20

    In their natural habitats microorganisms live in multi-species communities, in which the community members exhibit complex metabolic interactions. In contrast, biotechnological production processes catalyzed by microorganisms are usually carried out with single strains in pure cultures. A number of production processes, however, may be more efficiently catalyzed by the concerted action of microbial communities. This review will give an overview of organismic interactions between microbial cells and of biotechnological applications of microbial communities. It focuses on synthetic microbial communities that consist of microorganisms that have been genetically engineered. Design principles for such synthetic communities will be exemplified based on plausible scenarios for biotechnological production processes. These design principles comprise interspecific metabolic interactions via cross-feeding, regulation by interspecific signaling processes via metabolites and autoinducing signal molecules, and spatial structuring of synthetic microbial communities. In particular, the implementation of metabolic interdependencies, of positive feedback regulation and of inducible cell aggregation and biofilm formation will be outlined. Synthetic microbial communities constitute a viable extension of the biotechnological application of metabolically engineered single strains and enlarge the scope of microbial production processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. "Knight in shining armour" or "Frankenstein's creation"? The coverage of synthetic biology in German-language media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gschmeidler, Brigitte; Seiringer, Alexandra

    2012-02-01

    Although still a side issue in the German-language media, attention towards synthetic biology has risen clearly during the last years, in line with the first applications being presented. This paper presents findings from a content analysis of synthetic biology coverage in German-language media over the years 2004-2009. In the media, synthetic biology is not clearly separated from gene technology. News value is attributed to established categories such as persons and events. Many metaphors and analogies used in describing gene technology can also be found in the coverage of synthetic biology; however, engineering metaphors are more prominent. In addition, playfulness constitutes an aspect rarely found in genetic engineering coverage. Overall, the picture emerging is ambivalent, which leaves prospects for the further development of public debate ambiguous.

  11. Effect of temperature on the electro-oxidation of ethanol on platinum

    OpenAIRE

    Camargo, Ana Paula M.; Previdello, Bruno A. F.; Varela, Hamilton; Gonzalez, Ernesto R.

    2010-01-01

    We present in this work an experimental investigation of the effect of temperature (from 25 to 180 ºC) in the electro-oxidation of ethanol on platinum in two different phosphoric acid concentrations. We observed that the onset potential for ethanol electro-oxidation shifts to lower values and the reaction rates increase as temperature is increased for both electrolytes. The results were rationalized in terms of the effect of temperature on the adsorption of reaction intermediates, poisons, an...

  12. Studies on Removal of Dyes from wastewater using Electro-coagulation Process

    OpenAIRE

    N B. Patel; B D. Soni; J P. Ruparelia

    2000-01-01

    Electro-coagulation (EC) is one of the effective techniques to remove colour, COD and organic compounds from wastewater. In this paper electro coagulation technique has been used for the removal of colour and COD from dye solutions containing Direct Black 22 and Acid Red 97 using batch process. For batch the process effect of operational parameters such as current density, initial pH of the solution, time of electrolysis and electrode materials were studied to attempt max...

  13. Recent advances of molecular toolbox construction expand Pichia pastoris in synthetic biology applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Zhen; Huang, Hao; Zhang, Yunfeng; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian

    2017-01-01

    Pichia pastoris: (reclassified as Komagataella phaffii), a methylotrophic yeast strain has been widely used for heterologous protein production because of its unique advantages, such as readily achievable high-density fermentation, tractable genetic modifications and typical eukaryotic post-translational modifications. More recently, P. pastoris as a metabolic pathway engineering platform has also gained much attention. In this mini-review, we addressed recent advances of molecular toolboxes, including synthetic promoters, signal peptides, and genome engineering tools that established for P. pastoris. Furthermore, the applications of P. pastoris towards synthetic biology were also discussed and prospected especially in the context of genome-scale metabolic pathway analysis.

  14. Evolutionary patterns of RNA-based duplication in non-mammalian chordates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Chen

    Full Text Available The role of RNA-based duplication, or retroposition, in the evolution of new gene functions in mammals, plants, and Drosophila has been widely reported. However, little is known about RNA-based duplication in non-mammalian chordates. In this study, we screened ten non-mammalian chordate genomes for retrocopies and investigated their evolutionary patterns. We identified numerous retrocopies in these species. Examination of the age distribution of these retrocopies revealed no burst of young retrocopies in ancient chordate species. Upon comparing these non-mammalian chordate species to the mammalian species, we observed that a larger fraction of the non-mammalian retrocopies was under strong evolutionary constraints than mammalian retrocopies are, as evidenced by signals of purifying selection and expression profiles. For the Western clawed frog, Medaka, and Sea squirt, many retrogenes have evolved gonad and brain expression patterns, similar to what was observed in human. Testing of retrogene movement in the Medaka genome, where the nascent sex chrosomes have been well assembled, did not reveal any significant gene movement. Taken together, our analyses demonstrate that RNA-based duplication generates many functional genes and can make a significant contribution to the evolution of non-mammalian genomes.

  15. Confinement dependence of electro-catalysts for hydrogen evolution from water splitting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikaela Lindgren

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Density functional theory is utilized to articulate a particular generic deconstruction of the electrode/electro-catalyst assembly for the cathode process during water splitting. A computational model was designed to determine how alloying elements control the fraction of H2 released during zirconium oxidation by water relative to the amount of hydrogen picked up by the corroding alloy. This model is utilized to determine the efficiencies of transition metals decorated with hydroxide interfaces in facilitating the electro-catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. A computational strategy is developed to select an electro-catalyst for hydrogen evolution (HE, where the choice of a transition metal catalyst is guided by the confining environment. The latter may be recast into a nominal pressure experienced by the evolving H2 molecule. We arrived at a novel perspective on the uniqueness of oxide supported atomic Pt as a HE catalyst under ambient conditions.

  16. Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Sesquiterpene Lactones and Their Semi-Synthetic Amino Derivatives as Potential Antitrypanosomal Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie Zimmermann

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs are natural products that have potent antitrypanosomal activity in vitro and, in the case of cynaropicrin, also reduce parasitemia in the murine model of trypanosomiasis. To explore their structure-antitrypanosomal activity relationships, a set of 34 natural and semi-synthetic STLs and amino-STLs was tested in vitro against T. b. rhodesiense (which causes East African sleeping sickness and mammalian cancer cells (rat bone myoblast L6 cells. It was found that the α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety is necessary for both antitrypanosomal effects and cytotoxicity. Antitrypanosomal selectivity is facilitated by 2-(hydroxymethylacrylate or 3,4-dihydroxy-2-methylenebutylate side chains, and by the presence of cyclopentenone rings. Semi-synthetic STL amines with morpholino and dimethylamino groups showed improved in vitro activity over the native STLs. The dimethylamino derivative of cynaropicrin was prepared and tested orally in the T. b. rhodesiense acute mouse model, where it showed reduced toxicity over cynaropicrin, but also lost antitrypanosomal activity.

  17. Complex and unexpected dynamics in simple genetic regulatory networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borg, Yanika; Ullner, Ekkehard; Alagha, Afnan; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Nesbeth, Darren; Zaikin, Alexey

    2014-03-01

    One aim of synthetic biology is to construct increasingly complex genetic networks from interconnected simpler ones to address challenges in medicine and biotechnology. However, as systems increase in size and complexity, emergent properties lead to unexpected and complex dynamics due to nonlinear and nonequilibrium properties from component interactions. We focus on four different studies of biological systems which exhibit complex and unexpected dynamics. Using simple synthetic genetic networks, small and large populations of phase-coupled quorum sensing repressilators, Goodwin oscillators, and bistable switches, we review how coupled and stochastic components can result in clustering, chaos, noise-induced coherence and speed-dependent decision making. A system of repressilators exhibits oscillations, limit cycles, steady states or chaos depending on the nature and strength of the coupling mechanism. In large repressilator networks, rich dynamics can also be exhibited, such as clustering and chaos. In populations of Goodwin oscillators, noise can induce coherent oscillations. In bistable systems, the speed with which incoming external signals reach steady state can bias the network towards particular attractors. These studies showcase the range of dynamical behavior that simple synthetic genetic networks can exhibit. In addition, they demonstrate the ability of mathematical modeling to analyze nonlinearity and inhomogeneity within these systems.

  18. Balancing cellular redox metabolism in microbial electrosynthesis and electro fermentation - A chance for metabolic engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kracke, Frauke; Lai, Bin; Yu, Shiqin; Krömer, Jens O

    2018-01-01

    More and more microbes are discovered that are capable of extracellular electron transfer, a process in which they use external electrodes as electron donors or acceptors for metabolic reactions. This feature can be used to overcome cellular redox limitations and thus optimizing microbial production. The technologies, termed microbial electrosynthesis and electro-fermentation, have the potential to open novel bio-electro production platforms from sustainable energy and carbon sources. However, the performance of reported systems is currently limited by low electron transport rates between microbes and electrodes and our limited ability for targeted engineering of these systems due to remaining knowledge gaps about the underlying fundamental processes. Metabolic engineering offers many opportunities to optimize these processes, for instance by genetic engineering of pathways for electron transfer on the one hand and target product synthesis on the other hand. With this review, we summarize the status quo of knowledge and engineering attempts around chemical production in bio-electrochemical systems from a microbe perspective. Challenges associated with the introduction or enhancement of extracellular electron transfer capabilities into production hosts versus the engineering of target compound synthesis pathways in natural exoelectrogens are discussed. Recent advances of the research community in both directions are examined critically. Further, systems biology approaches, for instance using metabolic modelling, are examined for their potential to provide insight into fundamental processes and to identify targets for metabolic engineering. Copyright © 2017 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Mammalian diversity: gametes, embryos and reproduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behringer, Richard R; Eakin, Guy S; Renfree, Marilyn B

    2006-01-01

    The class Mammalia is composed of approximately 4800 extant species. These mammalian species are divided into three subclasses that include the monotremes, marsupials and eutherians. Monotremes are remarkable because these mammals are born from eggs laid outside of the mother's body. Marsupial mammals have relatively short gestation periods and give birth to highly altricial young that continue a significant amount of 'fetal' development after birth, supported by a highly sophisticated lactation. Less than 10% of mammalian species are monotremes or marsupials, so the great majority of mammals are grouped into the subclass Eutheria, including mouse and human. Mammals exhibit great variety in morphology, physiology and reproduction. In the present article, we highlight some of this remarkable diversity relative to the mouse, one of the most widely used mammalian model organisms, and human. This diversity creates challenges and opportunities for gamete and embryo collection, culture and transfer technologies.

  20. Brucella spp. of amphibians comprise genomically diverse motile strains competent for replication in macrophages and survival in mammalian hosts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Dahouk, Sascha; Köhler, Stephan; Occhialini, Alessandra; Jiménez de Bagüés, María Pilar; Hammerl, Jens Andre; Eisenberg, Tobias; Vergnaud, Gilles; Cloeckaert, Axel; Zygmunt, Michel S.; Whatmore, Adrian M.; Melzer, Falk; Drees, Kevin P.; Foster, Jeffrey T.; Wattam, Alice R.; Scholz, Holger C.

    2017-01-01

    Twenty-one small Gram-negative motile coccobacilli were isolated from 15 systemically diseased African bullfrogs (Pyxicephalus edulis), and were initially identified as Ochrobactrum anthropi by standard microbiological identification systems. Phylogenetic reconstructions using combined molecular analyses and comparative whole genome analysis of the most diverse of the bullfrog strains verified affiliation with the genus Brucella and placed the isolates in a cluster containing B. inopinata and the other non-classical Brucella species but also revealed significant genetic differences within the group. Four representative but molecularly and phenotypically diverse strains were used for in vitro and in vivo infection experiments. All readily multiplied in macrophage-like murine J774-cells, and their overall intramacrophagic growth rate was comparable to that of B. inopinata BO1 and slightly higher than that of B. microti CCM 4915. In the BALB/c murine model of infection these strains replicated in both spleen and liver, but were less efficient than B. suis 1330. Some strains survived in the mammalian host for up to 12 weeks. The heterogeneity of these novel strains hampers a single species description but their phenotypic and genetic features suggest that they represent an evolutionary link between a soil-associated ancestor and the mammalian host-adapted pathogenic Brucella species. PMID:28300153

  1. Neuroprotective effects of electro acupuncture on hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in newborn rats Ass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Tao; Li, Wenjie; Liang, Yiqun; Yang, Zhonghua; Liu, Jingdong; Wang, Yejun; Su, Nailun

    2014-11-01

    Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a common and potentially devastating condition in the neonate, associated with high mortality and morbidity. Effective treatment options are limited and therefore alternative therapies such as acupuncture are increasingly used. Previous studies have shown that electro acupuncture promoted proliferation of neural progenitor cell and increased expression of neurotrophic factor in HIE. However, effects of electro acupuncture on downstream signaling pathways have been rarely researched. So, in the present study, we aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of electro acupuncture on HIE and to further investigate the role of GDNF family receptor member RET and its key downstream PI3-K/Akt pathway in the process. A rat HIE model was constructed by the left common carotid artery (LCCA) ligation method in combination with hypoxic treatment. Considering that Baihui (GV20), Dazhui (GV14), Quchi (LI11) and Yongquan (KI1) are commonly used in clinics for stroke treatment and are easy to locate, we chose the above four acupoints as the combination for electro acupuncture treatment which was performed once a day for different time periods. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy results showed that electro acupuncture could ameliorate neurologic damage and alleviate the degenerative changes of ultra structure of cortical neurons in rats subjected to HIE. And the longer acupuncture treatment lasted, the better its therapeutic effect would be. This was accompanied by gradually increased expression of GDNF family receptor RET at the mRNA level and its downstream signaling Akt at the protein level in the ischemic cortex. These findings suggest that electro acupuncture shows neuroprotective effects in HIE, which at least in part is attributed to activation of PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway.

  2. Mesozoic mammals from Arizona: new evidence on Mammalian evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, F A; Crompton, A W; Downs, W R

    1983-12-16

    Knowledge of early mammalian evolution has been based on Old World Late Triassic-Early Jurassic faunas. The discovery of mammalian fossils of approximately equivalent age in the Kayenta Formation of northeastern Arizona gives evidence of greater diversity than known previously. A new taxon documents the development of an angular region of the jaw as a neomorphic process, and represents an intermediate stage in the origin of mammalian jaw musculature.

  3. Using a Redox Modality to Connect Synthetic Biology to Electronics: Hydrogel-Based Chemo-Electro Signal Transduction for Molecular Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Tsao, Chen-Yu; Kim, Eunkyoung; Tschirhart, Tanya; Terrell, Jessica L; Bentley, William E; Payne, Gregory F

    2017-01-01

    A hydrogel-based dual film coating is electrofabricated for transducing bio-relevant chemical information into electronical output. The outer film has a synthetic biology construct that recognizes an external molecular signal and transduces this input into the expression of an enzyme that converts redox-inactive substrate into a redox-active intermediate, which is detected through an amplification mechanism of the inner redox-capacitor film. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Electro-optical switching of liquid crystals of graphene oxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Jang-Kun

    Electric field effects on aqueous graphene-oxide (GO) dispersions are reviewed in this chapter. In isotropic and biphasic regimes of GO dispersions, in which the inter-particle friction is low, GO particles sensitively respond to the application of electric field, producing field-induced optical birefringence. The electro-optical sensitivity dramatically decreases as the phase transits to the nematic phase; the increasing inter-particle friction hinders the rotational switching of GO particles. The corresponding Kerr coefficient reaches the maximum near the isotropic to biphasic transition concentration, at which the Kerr coefficient is found be c.a. 1:8 · 10-5 mV-2, the highest value ever reported in all Kerr materials. The exceptionally large Kerr effect arises from the Maxwell- Wagner polarization of GO particles with an extremely large aspect ratio and a thick electrical double layer (EDL). The polarization sensitively depends on the ratio of surface and bulk conductivities in dispersions. As a result, low ion concentration in bulk solvent is highly required to achieve a quality electro-optical switching in GO dispersions. Spontaneous vinylogous carboxylic reaction in GO particles produces H+ ions, resulting in spontaneous degradation of electro-optical response with time, hence the removal of residual ions by using a centrifuge cleaning process significantly improves the electro-optical sensitivity. GO particle size is another important parameter for the Kerr coefficient and the response time. The best performance is observed in a GO dispersion with c.a. 0.5 μm mean size. Dielectrophoretic migration of GO particles can be also used to manipulate GO particles in solution. Using these unique features of GO dispersions, one can fabricate GO liquid crystal devices similar to conventional liquid crystal displays; the large Kerr effect allows fabricating a low power device working at extremely low electric fields.

  5. High speed electro optic polymer micro-ringresonator

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leinse, Arne; Diemeer, Mart; Driessen, A.

    2004-01-01

    An electro-optic polymer micro-ring resonator for high speed modulation was designed, realized and characterized. The design of layer-stack and electrodes was done such that modulation frequencies up till 1 GHz should be possible. The device consists of a ridge waveguide, defined in a negative

  6. Lumped-Element Dynamic Electro-Thermal model of a superconducting magnet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravaioli, E.; Auchmann, B.; Maciejewski, M.; ten Kate, H. H. J.; Verweij, A. P.

    2016-12-01

    Modeling accurately electro-thermal transients occurring in a superconducting magnet is challenging. The behavior of the magnet is the result of complex phenomena occurring in distinct physical domains (electrical, magnetic and thermal) at very different spatial and time scales. Combined multi-domain effects significantly affect the dynamic behavior of the system and are to be taken into account in a coherent and consistent model. A new methodology for developing a Lumped-Element Dynamic Electro-Thermal (LEDET) model of a superconducting magnet is presented. This model includes non-linear dynamic effects such as the dependence of the magnet's differential self-inductance on the presence of inter-filament and inter-strand coupling currents in the conductor. These effects are usually not taken into account because superconducting magnets are primarily operated in stationary conditions. However, they often have significant impact on magnet performance, particularly when the magnet is subject to high ramp rates. Following the LEDET method, the complex interdependence between the electro-magnetic and thermal domains can be modeled with three sub-networks of lumped-elements, reproducing the electrical transient in the main magnet circuit, the thermal transient in the coil cross-section, and the electro-magnetic transient of the inter-filament and inter-strand coupling currents in the superconductor. The same simulation environment can simultaneously model macroscopic electrical transients and phenomena at the level of superconducting strands. The model developed is a very useful tool for reproducing and predicting the performance of conventional quench protection systems based on energy extraction and quench heaters, and of the innovative CLIQ protection system as well.

  7. Geochemical effects of electro-osmosis in clays

    KAUST Repository

    Loch, J. P. Gustav

    2010-02-13

    Geochemical effects of electro-osmosis in bentonite clay are studied in the laboratory, where a 6 mm thick bentonite layer is subjected to direct current. Acidification and alkalization near anode and cathode are expected, possibly causing mineral deterioration, ion mobilization and precipitation of new solids. Afterwards the clay is analysed by XRF and anolyte and catholyte are analysed by ICP-MS. In addition, as a preliminary experiment treated bentonite is analysed by high resolution μ-XRF. Electro-osmotic flow is observed. Due to its carbonate content the bentonite is pH-buffering. Alkalization in the catholyte is substantial. Ca, Na and Sr are significantly removed from the clay and accumulate in the catholyte. Recovery in the catholyte accounts for a small fraction of the element-loss from the clay. The rest will have precipitated in undetected solid phases. μ-XRF indicates the loss of Ca-content throughout the bentonite layer. © The Author(s) 2010.

  8. Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering Approaches and Its Impact on Non-Conventional Yeast and Biofuel Production

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Madhavan, Aravind [Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Trivandrum (India); Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum (India); Jose, Anju Alphonsa; Binod, Parameswaran; Sindhu, Raveendran, E-mail: sindhurgcb@gmail.com; Sukumaran, Rajeev K. [Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Trivandrum (India); Pandey, Ashok [Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Trivandrum (India); Center for Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing, Mohali, Punjab (India); Castro, Galliano Eulogio [Dpt. Ingeniería Química, Ambiental y de los Materiales Edificio, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén (Spain)

    2017-04-25

    The increasing fossil fuel scarcity has led to an urgent need to develop alternative fuels. Currently microorganisms have been extensively used for the production of first-generation biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Yeast is the efficient producer of bioethanol among all existing biofuels option. Tools of synthetic biology have revolutionized the field of microbial cell factories especially in the case of ethanol and fatty acid production. Most of the synthetic biology tools have been developed for the industrial workhorse Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The non-conventional yeast systems have several beneficial traits like ethanol tolerance, thermotolerance, inhibitor tolerance, genetic diversity, etc., and synthetic biology have the power to expand these traits. Currently, synthetic biology is slowly widening to the non-conventional yeasts like Hansenula polymorpha, Kluyveromyces lactis, Pichia pastoris, and Yarrowia lipolytica. Herein, we review the basic synthetic biology tools that can apply to non-conventional yeasts. Furthermore, we discuss the recent advances employed to develop efficient biofuel-producing non-conventional yeast strains by metabolic engineering and synthetic biology with recent examples. Looking forward, future synthetic engineering tools’ development and application should focus on unexplored non-conventional yeast species.

  9. Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering Approaches and Its Impact on Non-Conventional Yeast and Biofuel Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raveendran Sindhu

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The increasing fossil fuel scarcity has led to an urgent need to develop alternative fuels. Currently microorganisms have been extensively used for the production of first-generation biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Yeast is the efficient producer of bioethanol among all existing biofuels option. Tools of synthetic biology have revolutionized the field of microbial cell factories especially in the case of ethanol and fatty acid production. Most of the synthetic biology tools have been developed for the industrial workhorse Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The non-conventional yeast systems have several beneficial traits like ethanol tolerance, thermotolerance, inhibitor tolerance, genetic diversity, etc., and synthetic biology have the power to expand these traits. Currently, synthetic biology is slowly widening to the non-conventional yeasts like Hansenula polymorpha, Kluyveromyces lactis, Pichia pastoris, and Yarrowia lipolytica. Herein, we review the basic synthetic biology tools that can apply to non-conventional yeasts. Furthermore, we discuss the recent advances employed to develop efficient biofuel-producing non-conventional yeast strains by metabolic engineering and synthetic biology with recent examples. Looking forward, future synthetic engineering tools’ development and application should focus on unexplored non-conventional yeast species.

  10. Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering Approaches and Its Impact on Non-Conventional Yeast and Biofuel Production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Madhavan, Aravind; Jose, Anju Alphonsa; Binod, Parameswaran; Sindhu, Raveendran; Sukumaran, Rajeev K.; Pandey, Ashok; Castro, Galliano Eulogio

    2017-01-01

    The increasing fossil fuel scarcity has led to an urgent need to develop alternative fuels. Currently microorganisms have been extensively used for the production of first-generation biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Yeast is the efficient producer of bioethanol among all existing biofuels option. Tools of synthetic biology have revolutionized the field of microbial cell factories especially in the case of ethanol and fatty acid production. Most of the synthetic biology tools have been developed for the industrial workhorse Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The non-conventional yeast systems have several beneficial traits like ethanol tolerance, thermotolerance, inhibitor tolerance, genetic diversity, etc., and synthetic biology have the power to expand these traits. Currently, synthetic biology is slowly widening to the non-conventional yeasts like Hansenula polymorpha, Kluyveromyces lactis, Pichia pastoris, and Yarrowia lipolytica. Herein, we review the basic synthetic biology tools that can apply to non-conventional yeasts. Furthermore, we discuss the recent advances employed to develop efficient biofuel-producing non-conventional yeast strains by metabolic engineering and synthetic biology with recent examples. Looking forward, future synthetic engineering tools’ development and application should focus on unexplored non-conventional yeast species.

  11. Genetic Constructor: An Online DNA Design Platform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bates, Maxwell; Lachoff, Joe; Meech, Duncan; Zulkower, Valentin; Moisy, Anaïs; Luo, Yisha; Tekotte, Hille; Franziska Scheitz, Cornelia Johanna; Khilari, Rupal; Mazzoldi, Florencio; Chandran, Deepak; Groban, Eli

    2017-12-15

    Genetic Constructor is a cloud Computer Aided Design (CAD) application developed to support synthetic biologists from design intent through DNA fabrication and experiment iteration. The platform allows users to design, manage, and navigate complex DNA constructs and libraries, using a new visual language that focuses on functional parts abstracted from sequence. Features like combinatorial libraries and automated primer design allow the user to separate design from construction by focusing on functional intent, and design constraints aid iterative refinement of designs. A plugin architecture enables contributions from scientists and coders to leverage existing powerful software and connect to DNA foundries. The software is easily accessible and platform agnostic, free for academics, and available in an open-source community edition. Genetic Constructor seeks to democratize DNA design, manufacture, and access to tools and services from the synthetic biology community.

  12. Design consideration of resonance inverters with electro-technological application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinov, Nikolay

    2017-12-01

    This study presents design consideration of resonance inverters with electro-technological application. The presented methodology was achieved as a result of investigations and analyses of different types and working regimes of resonance inverters, made by the author. Are considered schemes of resonant inverters without inverse diodes. The first harmonic method is used in the analysis and design. This method for the case of inverters with electro-technological application gives very good accuracy. This does not require the use of a complex and heavy mathematical apparatus. The proposed methodology is easy to use and is suitable for use in training students in power electronics. Authenticity of achieved results is confirmed by simulating and physical prototypes research work.

  13. Magneto-electro-elastic buckling analysis of nonlocal curved nanobeams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahimi, Farzad; Reza Barati, Mohammad

    2016-09-01

    In this work, a size-dependent curved beam model is developed to take into account the effects of nonlocal stresses on the buckling behavior of curved magneto-electro-elastic FG nanobeams for the first time. The governing differential equations are derived based on the principle of virtual work and Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The power-law function is employed to describe the spatially graded magneto-electro-elastic properties. By extending the radius of the curved nanobeam to infinity, the results of straight nonlocal FG beams can be rendered. The effects of magnetic potential, electric voltage, opening angle, nonlocal parameter, power-law index and slenderness ratio on buckling loads of curved MEE-FG nanobeams are studied.

  14. An investigation of the genetic toxicology of irradiated foodstuffs using short-term systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phillips, B.J.; Kranz, E.; Elias, P.S.; Muenzner, R.

    1980-01-01

    The genetic toxicology of irradiated foodstuffs has been investigated by the use of a battery of short-term tests for genetic damage. Appropriate methods are discussed for the preparation of food samples for testing by techniques involving micro-organisms and mammalian cells in culture. A new method of sample preparation by enzymatic digestion in vitro is described and its use in the testing of three irradiated foodstuffs by the Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation test is reported. The results of the mutation tests provide further evidence of the lack of genetic toxicity of irradiated foods. (author)

  15. Some important advances in DNA repair study on the mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia Shouxuan.

    1991-01-01

    In the recent years the study of DNA damage and repair in the mammalian cells has gone deeply at gene level and got the following advances: (1) For a long time DNA has been considered to be an uniform unit in case of damage and repair. Now this concept should be replaced by the non-random distribution of damage and heterogenous repair in the genome. These would allow us to study cellular mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, aging and dying processes in great detail, and would be beneficial to the elucidation of mechanisms of radiation sickness and chemical toxicology. (2) The advent of new techniques in molecular biology has made it possible to isolate and clone the human DNA repair genes. Up to now more than ten human DNA repair genes have been cloned and these works would have an important impact on the theoretical and practical study in this field. Because DNA repair system is very complicate, voluminous work should be done in the future. (3) The technique of gene transfer has been efficiently used in the study of DNA repair in mammalian cells and has made great contribution in the cellular engineering. It could modify the genetic behavior of the gene-accepting cells, and enhance the DNA repair ability to physical and chemical damages. Human gene therapy for DNA deficient diseases is now on the day

  16. Feedback-controlled electro-kinetic traps for single-molecule ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2014-01-11

    Jan 11, 2014 ... limited residence time of a given molecule within the detection volume. A common ... information on individual folding pathways, as well as to the internal dynamics between ..... Essentials for building an electro-kinetic trap.

  17. Cryopreservation of Mammalian Oocyte for Conservation of Animal Genetics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer R. Prentice

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The preservation of the female portion of livestock genetics has become an international priority; however, in situ conservation strategies are extremely expensive. Therefore, efforts are increasingly focusing on the development of a reliable cryopreservation method for oocytes, in order to establish ova banks. Slow freezing, a common method for cryopreservation of oocytes, causes osmotic shock (solution effect and intracellular ice crystallization leading to cell damage. Vitrification is an alternative method for cryopreservation in which cells are exposed to a higher concentration of cryoprotectants and frozen with an ultra rapid freezing velocity, resulting in an ice crystal free, solid glass-like structure. Presently, vitrification is a popular method for cryopreservation of embryos. However, vitrification of oocytes is still challenging due to their complex structure and sensitivity to chilling.

  18. Electro-magnetic properties of heavy nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Otsuka, Takaharu

    1989-01-01

    Two topics of electro-magnetic properties of heavy nuclei are discussed. The first topic is the M1 excitation from well-deformed heavy nuclei, and the other is the sudden increase of the isotope shift as a function of N in going away from the closed shell. These problems are considered in terms of the particle-number projected (Nilsson-) BCS calculation. (author)

  19. Global chaos synchronization of electro-mechanical gyrostat systems via variable substitution control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Yun; Wu Xiaofeng; Liu Zhong

    2009-01-01

    This paper studies global synchronization of non-autonomous chaotic electro-mechanical gyrostat systems via variable substitution control. A master-slave non-autonomous synchronization scheme with variable substitution control is mathematically presented. Based on the scheme, some sufficient algebraic criteria for global chaos synchronization of master and slave electro-mechanical gyrostat systems via various single-variable coupling are derived. The effectiveness of the obtained criteria is numerically illustrated by the examples.

  20. Condutivity effect in electro-coagulation-flotation applied to physico-chemical wastewater treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Francisco Javier Cuba Terán; Mário Luiz Rodrigues Foco

    2007-01-01

    This study reports on the effect of conductivity on the simultaneous applicability of water electrolysis , chemical coagulation and flotation fundamentals in the treatment of wastewater with large amounts of suspended matter, characterizing electro-coagulation-flotation (ECF) . Results from experiments carried out in a pilot study implanted and operated in the Laboratory of Environment Control (LCA), at the State University of Campinas in Limeira are presented. ECF was developed in an electro...