Two-step self-assembly of two different lipids and a short polyethylene glycol (PEG) unit selectively produced molecular monolayer nanotubes with 7–9 nm-diameter nanochannels densely functionalized ...with short PEG chains. Fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy using an environmentally responsive probe suggested that the PEG chains in the nanochannel were dehydrated when the temperature was raised above 45–50 °C and rehydrated by cooling to 25 °C, whereas the PEG chains in the bulk solution showed no such dehydration/rehydration behavior in response to variations of temperature. Nanotube channels that became hydrophobic as a result of the dehydration of the interior PEG chains effectively suppressed aggregation of a thermally denatured protein under high temperature conditions. Regeneration of the hydrophilic nanochannels by rehydration of the interior PEG chains allowed the encapsulated protein to be quickly released to the bulk solution and simultaneously facilitated the refolding of the protein.
The sensitivity of animals to sensory input must be regulated to ensure that signals are detected and also discriminable. However, how circuits regulate the dynamic range of sensitivity to sensory ...stimuli is not well understood. A given odor is represented in the insect mushroom bodies (MBs) by sparse combinatorial coding by Kenyon cells (KCs), forming an odor quality representation. To address how intensity of sensory stimuli is processed at the level of the MB input region, the calyx, we characterized a set of novel mushroom body output neurons that respond preferentially to high odor concentrations. We show that a pair of MB calyx output neurons, MBON-a1/2, are postsynaptic in the MB calyx, where they receive extensive synaptic inputs from KC dendrites, the inhibitory feedback neuron APL, and octopaminergic sVUM1 neurons, but relatively few inputs from projection neurons. This pattern is broadly consistent in the third-instar larva as well as in the first instar connectome. MBON-a1/a2 presynaptic terminals innervate a region immediately surrounding the MB medial lobe output region in the ipsilateral and contralateral brain hemispheres. By monitoring calcium activity using jRCamP1b, we find that MBON-a1/a2 responses are odor-concentration dependent, responding only to ethyl acetate (EA) concentrations higher than a 200-fold dilution, in contrast to MB neurons which are more concentration-invariant and respond to EA dilutions as low as 10
. Optogenetic activation of the calyx-innervating sVUM1 modulatory neurons originating in the SEZ (Subesophageal zone), did not show a detectable effect on MBON-a1/a2 odor responses. Optogenetic activation of MBON-a1/a2 using CsChrimson impaired odor discrimination learning compared to controls. We propose that MBON-a1/a2 form an output channel of the calyx, summing convergent sensory and modulatory input, firing preferentially to high odor concentration, and might affect the activity of downstream MB targets.
The self-assembly of synthetic glycolipids produced nanostructures such as vesicles and nanotubes consisting of bilayer membranes, which underwent a gel-to-liquid crystalline thermal phase ...transition. Vesicles formed at temperatures above the thermal phase transition temperatures (T
) could solubilize aggregates of denatured proteins by trapping them in the fluid bilayer membranes. Cooling to temperatures below T
caused a morphological transformation into nanotubes that accompanied the thermal phase transition from the fluid to the solid state. This phenomenon allowed the trapped proteins to be quickly released into the bulk solution and simultaneously facilitated the refolding of the proteins. The refolding efficiency strongly depended on the electrostatic attraction between the bilayer membranes of the nanostructures and the proteins. Because of the long shape (>400 nm) of the nanotubes, simple membrane filtration through a pore size of 200 nm led to complete separation and recovery of the refolded proteins (3-9 nm sizes).
Titanium dioxide, TiO
2, is one of the photocatalysts that has a very unique characteristic. The surface coated with TiO
2 exhibits extremely high affinity for water by exposing the surface to UV ...light and the contact angle decreases nearly to zero. On the contrary, the contact angle increases when the surface is shielded from UV light. We applied this superhydrophilic nature to enhancement of boiling and evaporation heat transfer. Experiments of pool boiling and evaporation of single water droplet have been performed to manifest the effect of high wettability on heat transfer characteristics. Both of TiO
2-coated and non-coated surfaces were used for comparison in each experiment. It is found that (1) the critical heat flux (CHF) of TiO
2-coated surface is about two times larger than that of non-coated one, and (2) Leidenfrost temperature increases as the contact angle decreases. The superhydrophilic surface can be an ideal heat transfer surface.
We propose an extension of the real-valued conjugate directions method for unconstrained quadratic multiobjective problems. As in the single-valued counterpart, the procedure requires a set of ...directions that are simultaneously conjugate with respect to the positive definite matrices of all quadratic objective components. Likewise, the multicriteria version computes the steplength by means of the unconstrained minimization of a single-variable strongly convex function at each iteration. When it is implemented with a weakly-increasing (strongly-increasing) auxiliary function, the scheme produces weak Pareto (Pareto) optima in finitely many iterations.
Abstract The POU-domain transcription POU4F3 is expressed in the sensory cells of the inner ear. Expression begins shortly after commitment to the hair cell (HC) fate, and continues throughout life. ...It is required for terminal HC differentiation and survival. To explore regulation of the murine Pou4f3 gene, we linked enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) to 8.5 kb of genomic sequence 5′ to the start codon in transgenic mice. eGFP was uniformly present in all embryonic and neonatal HCs. Expression of eGFP was also observed in developing Merkel cells and olfactory neurons as well as adult inner and vestibular HCs, mimicking the normal expression pattern of POU4F3 protein, with the exception of adult outer HCs. Apparently ectopic expression was observed in developing inner ear neurons. On a Pou4f3 null background, the transgene produced expression in embryonic HCs which faded soon after birth both in vivo and in vitro. Pou4f3 null HCs treated with caspase 3 and 9 inhibitors survived longer than untreated HCs, but still showed reduced expression of eGFP. The results suggest the existence of separate enhancers for different HC types, as well as strong autoregulation of the Pou4f3 gene. Bioinformatic analysis of four divergent mammalian species revealed three highly conserved regions within the transgene: 400 bp immediately 5′ to the Pou4f3 ATG, a short sequence at −1.3 kb, and a longer region at −8.2 to −8.5 kb. The latter contained E-box motifs that bind basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, including motifs activated by ATOH1. Cotransfection of HEK293 or VOT-E36 cells with ATOH1 and the transgene as a reporter enhanced eGFP expression when compared with the transgene alone. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of the three highly conserved regions revealed binding of ATOH1 to the distal-most conserved region. The results are consistent with regulation of Pou4f3 in HCs by ATOH1 at a distal enhancer.
Gorgonian octocorals are the most abundant corals in Alaska where they provide important structural habitat for managed species of demersal fish and invertebrates. Fifty-nine gorgonian species have ...been reported from Alaska waters but little is known about their life history characteristics to help us gauge their ability to recover from seafloor disturbance. Colonies of the holaxonian Calcigorgia spiculifera were tagged beginning in 1999 at three sites in Chatham Strait, Southeast Alaska, using scuba and their growth measured annually for up to 5 years. Colonies were video recorded, and computer image analysis tools provided calibration of video images for measuring the length of several branches. Growth data indicate that C. spiculifera grows much slower (6.0 mm yr-1) than other gorgonians in Alaska for which there are data and that intraspecific growth is highly variable. We fit a Bayesian linear mixed-effects model that showed that average colony growth was significantly reduced with warmer temperature and presence of necrosis. The model further indicated that growth may slow among larger (older) colonies. Based on these results and previous studies, we propose that gorgonian growth rates are taxonomically constrained at the Suborder level and that holaxonians grow the slowest followed by scleraxonians and calcaxonians (2-3 times as fast). Findings of this study indicate that it would take approximately 60 years for C. spiculifera to grow to its maximum size and depending on the location and size of the parental standing stock, at least one and possibly 10 additional years for recruitment to occur. Our results further indicate that colonies that are injured, perhaps chronically in areas of frequent disturbance, grow at slower rates and if the current trend of ocean warming continues then we can expect these corals to grow more slowly, and the habitats they form will require more time to recover from disturbance.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aims
A hexanucleotide expansion in C9orf72 is the major genetic cause of inherited behavioural variant Frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and motor neurone disease (MND), although the pathological ...mechanism(s) underlying disease remains uncertain.
Methods
Using antibodies to poly‐GA, poly‐GP, poly‐GR, poly‐AP and poly‐PR proteins, we examined sections of cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, cerebellum and spinal cord, from 20 patients with bvFTD and/or MND bearing an expansion in C9orf72 for aggregated deposits of dipeptide repeat proteins (DPR).
Results
Antibodies to poly‐GA, poly‐GP and poly‐GR detected numerous rounded cytoplasmic inclusions (NCI) within granule cells of hippocampal dentate gyrus and those of the cerebellum, as well as ‘star‐burst’ shaped NCI in pyramidal neurones of CA3/4 region of hippocampus. NCI were uncommon in Purkinje cells, and only very rarely seen in anterior horn cells. Poly‐PA antibody detected occasional NCI within CA3/4 neurones alone, whereas poly‐PR antibody did not identify any NCI but immunostained the nucleus of anterior horn cells, CA3/4 neurones and Purkinje cells, in patients with or without expansion in C9orf72, as well as in normal controls. Poly‐GA antibody generally detected more DPR than poly‐GP, which in turn was greater than poly‐GR. All patients with bvFTD + MND or MND showed plentiful p62/TDP‐43 positive inclusions in remaining anterior horn cells.
Conclusion
Degeneration and loss of anterior horn cells associated with expansions in C9orf72 occurs in the absence of DPR, and implies that changes involving loss of nuclear staining for and a cytoplasmic aggregation of TDP‐43 are more likely to be the cause of this.
Abundant dipeptide repeat aggregates in regions without neurodegeneration and the sparsity of inclusions in lower motor neurons in cases with motor neuron disease support the conclusion that dipeptide repeat pathology is not the direct cause of neurodegeneration.
The effect of draw ratio, molecular weight, and sea-island conjugated spinning with a polystyrene component on the fiber structure development of PET during laser drawing was analyzed by in-situ ...measurements with a 0.1 ms time resolution using an ultra-high luminance X-ray beam generated from a synchrotron equipped with an undulator. The fiber temperature increased from 120 °C to 160–220 °C during the structure development process. By drawing the higher molecular weight PET to a higher draw ratio, a larger amount of fibrillar smectic mesophase formed just after the onset of necking, and a more highly oriented crystal formed after the extinction of the smectic mesophase. Accordingly, fibers with higher strength and higher thermal shrinkage stress were obtained. On the other hand, by conjugated spinning with a PS component, the fiber temperature increased along with an increase in the drawing stress, but the stress applied to the PET component should have decreased. The amount of smectic mesophase formed by the conjugated-spinning process was drastically decreased, and no crystallization induction time was observed, unlike the other cases. Crystallization, particularly the growth of a lamellar crystal, was also promoted. Moreover, a higher Young's modulus, a higher yield stress, and a higher shrinkage stress were observed for the conjugated-spun and drawn fibers. Therefore, the fibrillar smectic mesophase seems to block the formation of the lamellar crystal. Furthermore, the resultant fibrillar structure tends to result in a higher strength, but a relatively lower modulus and yield strength of the fiber.
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•The fiber structure development of PET was analyzed by in-situ measurements.•The higher molecular weight PET and the higher DR cause the more smectic phase.•The PS conjugated spinning reduces the formation of PET smectic phase.•The thicker fibril formation may result in the higher strength of drawn PET fiber.
Background
Complete mesocolic excision with central vessel ligation may be important for accurate staging and improving the prognosis of right-sided colon cancer. Although the procedure is often ...performed laparoscopically, approaching the middle colic artery (MCA) is technically demanding, especially when complete ligation of arteries at their roots is desired. We standardized our laparoscopic approach by establishing the dissection boundary along the superior mesenteric artery to achieve D3 lymphadenectomy in the region of the MCA. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, on the basis of perioperative and short-term oncologic outcomes, the feasibility and safety of our technique
Methods
We conducted a retrospective study on consecutive patients with cancer located at the ascending colon and transverse colon who had laparoscopic right hemicolectomy requiring ligation of the MCA.
Results
There were 41 patients (22 males, median age 71 years range 49–86 years). The median operation time was 285 min, and blood loss volume was 40 mL. Conversion to open surgery was required in 1 case. Complications that were Clavien–Dindo grade III or above occurred in 3 patients (7.3%). There was no anastomotic leakage. The median number of lymph nodes harvested was 46.
Conclusions
Our technique was shown to be a safe, feasible, and useful strategy for performance of right hemicolectomy requiring ligation of the MCA in cases of colon cancer. The technique facilitates maximal lymph node dissection. Having obtained favorable outcomes, we look forward to investigation into long-term outcomes.
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