2,458 research outputs found
Buckling without bending: a new paradigm in morphogenesis
A curious feature of organ and organoid morphogenesis is that in certain
cases, spatial oscillations in the thickness of the growing "film" are
out-of-phase with the deformation of the slower-growing "substrate," while in
other cases, the oscillations are in-phase. The former cannot be explained by
elastic bilayer instability, and contradict the notion that there is a
universal mechanism by which brains, intestines, teeth, and other organs
develop surface wrinkles and folds. Inspired by the microstructure of the
embryonic cerebellum, we develop a new model of 2d morphogenesis in which
system-spanning elastic fibers endow the organ with a preferred radius, while a
separate fiber network resides in the otherwise fluid-like film at the outer
edge of the organ and resists thickness gradients thereof. The tendency of the
film to uniformly thicken or thin is described via a "growth potential".
Several features of cerebellum, +blebbistatin organoid, and retinal fovea
morphogenesis, including out-of-phase behavior and a film thickness amplitude
that is comparable to the radius amplitude, are readily explained by our simple
analytical model, as may be an observed scale-invariance in the number of folds
in the cerebellum. We also study a nonlinear variant of the model, propose
further biological and bio-inspired applications, and address how our model is
and is not unique to the developing nervous system.Comment: version accepted by Physical Review
Sex workers perspectives on strategies to reduce sexual exploitation and HIV risk: a qualitative study in Tijuana, Mexico.
Globally, female sex workers are a population at greatly elevated risk of HIV infection, and the reasons for and context of sex industry involvement have key implications for HIV risk and prevention. Evidence suggests that experiences of sexual exploitation (i.e., forced/coerced sex exchange) contribute to health-related harms. However, public health interventions that address HIV vulnerability and sexual exploitation are lacking. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elicit recommendations for interventions to prevent sexual exploitation and reduce HIV risk from current female sex workers with a history of sexual exploitation or youth sex work. From 2010-2011, we conducted in-depth interviews with sex workers (n = 31) in Tijuana, Mexico who reported having previously experienced sexual exploitation or youth sex work. Participants recommended that interventions aim to (1) reduce susceptibility to sexual exploitation by providing social support and peer-based education; (2) mitigate harms by improving access to HIV prevention resources and psychological support, and reducing gender-based violence; and (3) provide opportunities to exit the sex industry via vocational supports and improved access to effective drug treatment. Structural interventions incorporating these strategies are recommended to reduce susceptibility to sexual exploitation and enhance capacities to prevent HIV infection among marginalized women and girls in Mexico and across international settings
Development of high-gain gaseous photomultipliers for the visible spectral range
We summarize the development of visible-sensitive gaseous photomultipliers,
combining a semitransparent bi-alkali photocathode with a state-of-the-art
cascaded electron multiplier. The latter has high photoelectron collection
efficiency and a record ion blocking capability. We describe in details the
system and methods of photocathode production and characterization, their
coupling with the electron multiplier and the gaseous-photomultiplier operation
and characterization in a continuous mode. We present results on the properties
of laboratory-produced KCsSb, CsSb and NaKSb photocathodes and
report on their stability and QE in gas; KCsSb photocathodes yielded QE
values in Ar/CH(95/5) above 30% at wavelengths of 360-400 nm. The novel
gaseous photomultiplier yielded stable operation at gains of 10, in
continuous operation mode, in 700 Torr of this gas; its sensitivity to single
photons was demonstrated. Other properties are described. The successful
detection of visible light with this gas-photomultiplier pave ways towards
further development of large-area sealed imaging detectors, of flat geometry,
insensitive to magnetic fields, which might have significant impact on light
detection in numerous fields.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, for submission to JINS
Health Coaching in Primary Care: A Pilot Study
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116124/1/Health_Coaching_In_Primary_Care.pd
Loops versus lines and the compression stiffening of cells
Both animal and plant tissue exhibit a nonlinear rheological phenomenon known
as compression stiffening, or an increase in moduli with increasing uniaxial
compressive strain. Does such a phenomenon exist in single cells, which are the
building blocks of tissues? One expects an individual cell to compression
soften since the semiflexible biopolymer-based cytoskeletal network maintains
the mechanical integrity of the cell and in vitro semiflexible biopolymer
networks typically compression soften. To the contrary, we find that mouse
embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs) compression stiffen under uniaxial compression via
atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies. To understand this finding, we uncover
several potential mechanisms for compression stiffening. First, we study a
single semiflexible polymer loop modeling the actomyosin cortex enclosing a
viscous medium modeled as an incompressible fluid. Second, we study a
two-dimensional semiflexible polymer/fiber network interspersed with
area-conserving loops, which are a proxy for vesicles and fluid-based
organelles. Third, we study two-dimensional fiber networks with
angular-constraining crosslinks, i.e. semiflexible loops on the mesh scale. In
the latter two cases, the loops act as geometric constraints on the fiber
network to help stiffen it via increased angular interactions. We find that the
single semiflexible polymer loop model agrees well with our AFM experiments
until approximately 35% compressive strain. We also find for the fiber network
with area-conserving loops model that the stress-strain curves are sensitive to
the packing fraction and size distribution of the area-conserving loops,
thereby creating a mechanical fingerprint across different cell types. Finally,
we make comparisons between this model and experiments on fibrin networks
interlaced with beads as well as discuss the tissue-scale implications of
cellular compression stiffening.Comment: 19 pages, 17 figure
Norbornene chaotropic salts as low molecular mass ionic organogelators (LMIOGs)
Phenylalanine functionalised norbornene (9:Na) functions as a potent, low molecular-mass (MW = 333 Da) ionic organogelator with a minimum gelating concentration of 0.5 wt% in THF, i-PrOH, 1,4-dioxane and n-BuOH. Fibrous crystals form in the gel and X-ray crystallography identified a cation mediated helical assembly process controlled by the chirality of the phenylalanine. In additon to excellent gelating properties 9:Na readily forms aqueous biphasic and triphasic systems
Effects of limonene on ruminal fusobacterium necrophorum concentrations, fermentation, and lysine degradation in cattle
Citation: Samii, S. S., Wallace, N., Nagaraja, T. G., Engstrom, M. A., Miesner, M. D., Armendariz, C. K., & Titgemeyer, E. C. (2016). Effects of limonene on ruminal fusobacterium necrophorum concentrations, fermentation, and lysine degradation in cattle. Journal of Animal Science, 94(8), 3420-3430. doi:10.2527/jas2016-0455Previous in vitro data showed that Fusobacterium necrophorum was inhibited by limonene. We further evaluated effects of limonene on growth of F. necrophorum in vitro as well as on ruminal concentrations of F. necrophorum in vivo. With in vitro cultivation in anaerobic brain-heart infusion broth, limonene decreased growth of F. necrophorum. Thymol also reduced growth of F. necrophorum, but it was less effective than limonene. Tylosin effectively reduced growth of F. necrophorum in vitro. Although the response over fermentation times and concentrations of antimicrobials differed somewhat between tylosin and limonene, the 2 antimicrobial agents yielded similar inhibitory effects on growth of F. necrophorum at concentrations ranging from 6 to 24 mg/L. The effects of limonene on ruminal F. necrophorum concentration in vivo were tested in 7 ruminally cannulated heifers (225 kg initial BW) used in a 7 × 4 Youden square design. Treatments included: 1) control, 2) limonene at 10 mg/kg diet DM, 3) limonene at 20 mg/kg diet DM, 4) limonene at 40 mg/kg diet DM, 5) limonene at 80 mg/kg diet DM, 6) CRINA-L (a blend of essential oil components) at 180 mg/kg diet DM, and 7) tylosin at 12 mg/kg diet DM. Each period included 11 d with 10 d washouts between periods. Samples of ruminal contents were collected before treatment initiation and after 4, 7, and 10 d of treatment for measuring F. necrophorum by the most probable number method using selective culture medium. Limonene linearly decreased (P = 0.03) ruminal F. necrophorum concentration, with the lowest concentration achieved with 40 mg of limonene/kg dietary DM. Limonene tended (P ? 0.07) to linearly reduce ruminal molar proportions of propionate and valerate while tending to linearly increase (P ? 0.10) those of butyrate and 2-methyl butyrate. Limonene did not affect ruminal NH3 concentrations or degradation rates of lysine. Neither CRINA-L (P = 0.52) nor tylosin (P = 0.19) affected ruminal F. necrophorum concentrations. CRINA-L significantly decreased ruminal concentrations of NH3 and molar proportions of 3-methyl butyrate, whereas tylosin significantly decreased molar proportions of propionate while increasing those of butyrate and tending to increase those of acetate. Limonene supplementation reduced ruminal concentrations of F. necrophorum suggesting that it may have the potential to reduce the prevalence of liver abscesses, although further research is needed to assess the effect of limonene in feedlot cattle. © 2016 American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved
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