Multimodal interference-based imaging of nanoscale structure and macromolecular motion uncovers UV induced cellular paroxysm

Understanding the relationship between intracellular motion and macromolecular structure remains a challenge in biology. Macromolecular structures are assembled from numerous molecules, some of which cannot be labeled. Most techniques to study motion require potentially cytotoxic dyes or transfection, which can alter cellular behavior and are susceptible to photobleaching. Here we present a multimodal label-free imaging platform for measuring intracellular structure and macromolecular dynamics in living cells with a sensitivity to macromolecular structure as small as 20 nm and millisecond temporal resolution. We develop and validate a theory for temporal measurements of light interference. In vitro, we study how higher-order chromatin structure and dynamics change during cell differentiation and ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Finally, we discover cellular paroxysms, a near-instantaneous burst of macromolecular motion that occurs during UV induced cell death. With nanoscale sensitive, millisecond resolved capabilities, this platform could address critical questions about macromolecular behavior in live cells.

Impacts of environmental complexity on respiratory and gut microbiome community structure and diversity in growing pigs

The limited understanding of the interaction between rearing environment of the growing pig and the pig’s microbial community impedes efforts to identify the optimal housing system to maximize animal health and production. Accordingly, we characterized the impact of housing complexity on shaping the respiratory and gut microbiota of growing pig. A total of 175 weaned pigs from 25 litters were randomly assigned within liter to either simple slatted-floor (S) or complex straw-based rearing ecosystem (C). Beside the floor swabs samples, fecal swabs and mucosal scraping samples from bronchus, ileum, and colon were collected approximately 164 days post-weaning at the time of slaughter. The S ecosystem seems to increase the α-diversity of respiratory and gut microbiota. Moreover, the C-raised pigs showed 35.4, 89.2, and 60.0% reduction in the Firmicutes / Bacteroidetes ratio than the S-raised pigs at bronchus, ileum, and colon, respectively. The unfavorable taxa Psychrobacter, Corynebacterium, Actinobacteria , and Neisseria were the signature taxa of C environment-associated microbial community. Therefore, the microbiota of S-raised pigs seems to show higher density of the most essential and beneficial taxa than the C-raised pigs. We preliminarily conclude that increasing the physical complexity of rearing environment seems to provide suboptimal conditions for establishing a healthy microbial community in the growing pigs.

Three-dimensional piezoelectric polymer microsystems for vibrational energy harvesting, robotic interfaces and biomedical implants

Piezoelectric microsystems are of use in areas such as mechanical sensing, energy conversion and robotics. The systems typically have a planar structure, but transforming them into complex three-dimensional (3D) frameworks could enhance and extend their various modes of operation. Here, we report a controlled, nonlinear buckling process to convert lithographically defined two-dimensional patterns of electrodes and thin films of piezoelectric polymers into sophisticated 3D piezoelectric microsystems. To illustrate the engineering versatility of the approach, we create more than twenty different 3D geometries. With these structures, we then demonstrate applications in energy harvesting with tailored mechanical properties and root-mean-square voltages ranging from 2 mV to 790 mV, in multifunctional sensors for robotic prosthetic interfaces with improved responsivity (for example, anisotropic responses and sensitivity of 60 mV N−1 for normal force), and in bio-integrated devices with in vivo operational capabilities. The 3D geometries, especially those with ultralow stiffnesses or asymmetric layouts, yield unique mechanical attributes and levels of functionality that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional two-dimensional designs.Nonlinear buckling processes can be used to transform thin films of piezoelectric polymers into sophisticated 3D piezoelectric microsystems with applications in energy harvesting, multifunctional sensing and bio-integrated devices.

Developing a CO2 bicarbonation absorber for promoting microalgal growth rates with an improved photosynthesis pathway

To increase the residence time of CO 2 gas added directly to the raceway pond, a CO 2 bicarbonation absorber was proposed to convert CO 2 gas and Na 2 CO 3 to NaHCO 3 , which was dissolved easily in the solution and left to promote the biomass growth rate.

Sound velocity profile estimation using ray tracing and nature inspired meta‐heuristic algorithms in underwater sensor networks

In water, the velocity of sound is a function of temperature, pressure, and salinity. The sound velocity in the ocean varies with depth and estimation of the sound velocity profile is interesting in its right for environmental monitoring. The sound velocity profile is required for sound navigation and ranging signal processing algorithms such as MUSIC. Also, the localisation of sensor nodes in an underwater sensor network requires a good estimate of the velocity profile. This study proposes an algorithm that calculates the sound velocity profile of ocean water using time of flight measurements between anchor nodes. The velocity profile is estimated in the discrete cosine transform domain to reduce the complexity of the algorithm, using two well‐known meta‐heuristic algorithms namely artificial bee colony and firefly algorithms. The Ray tracing method is used to improve the accuracy of the velocity profile. The Cramer–Rao lower bound of the proposed scheme is also derived. The localisation of a target node is also performed using the estimated sound velocity profile.

Overheating risk and cooling demand in residential buildings: performance prediction and improvement using a prescriptive approach

Depending on general climatic trends and specific (urban) microclimatic conditions, the reliable estimation of the overheating risk in buildings has become increasingly important. As such, detailed simulation of the related phenomena can provide useful information. However, deployment of detailed simulation involves a number of challenges, including time and effort expenditures not accounted for in typical building delivery processes. In this context, careful application of prescriptive methods may provide – at least for a specific class of applications – a reasonable alternative. The present contribution explores this possibility via a specific case study involving a large sample of residential buildings in Gaza, Palestine. This sample includes some fifty multi-unit apartment buildings representing the bulk of residential building stock in Gaza. These buildings were assessed via both numeric simulation and regression-based methods, assuming the latter can provide the basis for development and validation of a prescriptive approach. Toward this end, a number of independent variables were considered and the level of their association with the computed values of the designated building performance indicators was observed. Comparison of the regression-based and simulation-based methods revealed a reasonable level of agreement. This suggests that the proposed prescriptive method may provide an attractive alternative to highly detailed simulation.

Domination in discrete topology graph

The VEGF receptor neuropilin 2 promotes homologous recombination by stimulating YAP/TAZ-mediated Rad51 expression

Significance VEGF signaling mediated by the NRPs impacts tumor cells, independently of its function in angiogenesis and vascular permeability. VEGF–NRP2 signaling in tumor cells is associated with poor prognosis and therapy resistance in TNBC patients. In light of these observations the question arises, How does VEGF–NRP2 contribute to therapy resistance in TNBC? We discovered that autocrine VEGF–NRP2 signaling contributes to HR DNA repair and therapy resistance in TNBC cells by promoting YAP/TAZ-dependent Rad51 transcription. We also demonstrated that Rad51 is a YAP/TAZ target gene and that VEGF–NRP2–YAP/TAZ–mediated cisplatin resistance occurs through downstream Rad51 expression. These observations establish functions of VEGF–NRP2 signaling and YAP/TAZ in tumor biology and provide an integrated mechanism that governs Rad51 expression and HR in TNBC.

Moving beyond ethical decision-making: a practice-based view to study unethical sales behavior

Effects of ball-milling on physicochemical, thermal and functional properties of extruded chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) powder