Magnetocapacitance of a three-probe mesoscopic capacitor

We report a numerical calculation of the magnetocapacitance for a three-probe capacitor and investigate the asymmetry property of the electrochemical capacitance under a magnetic-field reversal. At low magnetic fields the quantum magnetocapacitance shows a large asymmetry under a field reversal. At higher fields the capacitance is dominated by Aharonov-Bohm type oscillations and the fluctuations of the asymmetry is reduced.published_or_final_versio

Imaging genome abnormalities in cancer research

Increasing attention is focusing on chromosomal and genome structure in cancer research due to the fact that genomic instability plays a principal role in cancer initiation, progression and response to chemotherapeutic agents. The integrity of the genome (including structural, behavioral and functional aspects) of normal and cancer cells can be monitored with direct visualization by using a variety of cutting edge molecular cytogenetic technologies that are now available in the field of cancer research. Examples are presented in this review by grouping these methodologies into four categories visualizing different yet closely related major levels of genome structures. An integrated discussion is also presented on several ongoing projects involving the illustration of mitotic and meiotic chromatin loops; the identification of defective mitotic figures (DMF), a new type of chromosomal aberration capable of monitoring condensation defects in cancer; the establishment of a method that uses Non-Clonal Chromosomal Aberrations (NCCAs) as an index to monitor genomic instability; and the characterization of apoptosis related chromosomal fragmentations caused by drug treatments

Evolutionarily Optimized Electromagnetic Sensor Measurements for Robust Surgical Navigation

© 2001-2012 IEEE. Miniaturized electromagnetic sensors are increasingly introduced to navigate surgical instruments to anatomical targets during minimally invasive procedures, such as endoscopic surgery. These sensors are usually attached at the distal tips of surgical instruments to track their three-dimensional motion represented by the position and orientation in six degrees of freedom. Unfortunately, these sensors suffer from inaccurate measurements and jitter errors due to the patient movement (e.g., respiratory motion) and magnetic field distortion. This paper proposes an evolutionary computing strategy to optimize the sensor measurements and improve the tracking accuracy of surgical navigation. We modified two evolutionary computation algorithms and proposed adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) and observation-boosted differential evolution (OBDE) to enhance the navigation accuracy. The experimental results demonstrate that our modified algorithms to evolutionarily optimize electromagnetic sensor measurements can critically reduce the tracking error from 4.8 to 2.9 mm. In particular, OBDE outperforms APSO for electromagnetic endoscopic navigation

Forward osmosis–membrane distillation hybrid system for desalination using mixed trivalent draw solution

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Finding suitable draw solutions is still a major problem when developing FO technologies. This study represents the first time a mixed trivalent draw solution containing of EDTA–2Na and Na3PO4 was systemically studied for FO performance. The objective here was to achieve simultaneously low reverse salt flux and high water flux. The FO results showed that the mixed trivalent draw solution-based 0.3 M EDTA–2Na and 0.55 M Na3PO4 underwent higher water flux (Jw = 9.17 L/m2⋅h) than that of pure 0.85 M EDTA-2Na (Jw = 7.02 L/m2⋅h) due to its lower viscosity. Additionally, the specific reverse salt flux caused by mixing 0.3 M EDTA–2Na with 0.55 M Na3PO4 draw solution was only 0.053 g/L using DI water as the feed solution. Donnan equilibrium force and formed complexation of [EDTANa]3-, [HPO4Na]- with the FO membrane are believed to constitute the main mechanism for minimizing salt leakage from the mixed draw solution. Moreover, the FO desalination process utilizing the mixed trivalent draw solution achieved water fluxes of 6.12 L/m2⋅h with brackish water (TDS = 5000 mg/L) and 3.10 L/m2⋅h with seawater (TDS = 35,000 mg/L) as the feed solution. Lastly, diluted mixed trivalent draw solution following the FO process was effectively separated using the MD process with salt rejection >99.99% at a mild feed temperature of 55 °C

CK8 phosphorylation induced by compressive loads underlies the downregulation of CK8 in human disc degeneration by activating protein kinase C

Cytokeratin 8 (CK8) is a member of the cytokeratins family with multiple functions on the basis of its unique structural hallmark. The aberrant expression of CK8 and its phosphorylation are pertinent with various diseases. We have previously shown that CK8 exists in normal human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and decreases as the intervertebral disc degenerates. However, the underlying molecular regulatory machinery of CK8 in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) has not been clarified. Here, we collected NP samples from patients with idiopathic scoliosis as control and IDD as degenerate groups. We found that CK8 expression decreased in IDD with an increased phosphorylation in degenerate NP cells. Moreover, NP cells were cultured under different compressive load schemes for diverse time duration. We found that compressive loads resulted in phosphorylation and disassembly of CK8 in a time-dependent and degree-dependent manner in vitro. The activation of protein kinase C was a significant molecular factor contributing to this phenomenon. Taken together, this study is the first to address the molecular mechanisms of CK8 downregulation in NP cells. Importantly, our findings provide clues regarding a molecular link between compressive loads and CK8 alterations, which shed a novel light on the etiology of IDD.published_or_final_versio

Reemerging superconductivity at 48 K across quantum criticality in iron chalcogenides

Pressure plays an essential role in the induction1 and control2,3 of superconductivity in iron-based superconductors. Substitution of a smaller rare-earth ion for the bigger one to simulate the pressure effects has surprisingly raised the superconducting transition temperature Tc to the record high 55 K in these materials4,5. However, Tc always goes down after passing through a maximum at some pressure and the superconductivity eventually tends to disappear at sufficiently high pressures1-3. Here we show that the superconductivity can reemerge with a much higher Tc after its destruction upon compression from the ambient-condition value of around 31 K in newly discovered iron chalcogenide superconductors. We find that in the second superconducting phase the maximum Tc is as high as 48.7 K for K0.8Fe1.70Se2 and 48 K for (Tl0.6Rb0.4)Fe1.67Se2, setting the new Tc record in chalcogenide superconductors. The presence of the second superconducting phase is proposed to be related to pressure-induced quantum criticality. Our findings point to the potential route to the further achievement of high-Tc superconductivity in iron-based and other superconductors.Comment: 20 pages and 7 figure

A Genome-Wide Meta-Analysis of Six Type 1 Diabetes Cohorts Identifies Multiple Associated Loci

Diabetes impacts approximately 200 million people worldwide, of whom approximately 10% are affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D). The application of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has robustly revealed dozens of genetic contributors to the pathogenesis of T1D, with the most recent meta-analysis identifying in excess of 40 loci. To identify additional genetic loci for T1D susceptibility, we examined associations in the largest meta-analysis to date between the disease and ∼2.54 million SNPs in a combined cohort of 9,934 cases and 16,956 controls. Targeted follow-up of 53 SNPs in 1,120 affected trios uncovered three new loci associated with T1D that reached genome-wide significance. The most significantly associated SNP (rs539514, P = 5.66×10−11) resides in an intronic region of the LMO7 (LIM domain only 7) gene on 13q22. The second most significantly associated SNP (rs478222, P = 3.50×10−9) resides in an intronic region of the EFR3B (protein EFR3 homolog B) gene on 2p23; however, the region of linkage disequilibrium is approximately 800 kb and harbors additional multiple genes, including NCOA1, C2orf79, CENPO, ADCY3, DNAJC27, POMC, and DNMT3A. The third most significantly associated SNP (rs924043, P = 8.06×10−9) lies in an intergenic region on 6q27, where the region of association is approximately 900 kb and harbors multiple genes including WDR27, C6orf120, PHF10, TCTE3, C6orf208, LOC154449, DLL1, FAM120B, PSMB1, TBP, and PCD2. These latest associated regions add to the growing repertoire of gene networks predisposing to T1D

Mucin granule-associated proteins in human bronchial epithelial cells: the airway goblet cell "granulome"

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Excess mucus in the airways leads to obstruction in diseases such as chronic bronchitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis. Mucins, the highly glycosolated protein components of mucus, are stored in membrane-bound granules housed in the cytoplasm of airway epithelial "goblet" cells until they are secreted into the airway lumen via an exocytotic process. Precise mechanism(s) of mucin secretion, including the specific proteins involved in the process, have yet to be elucidated. Previously, we have shown that the Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate (MARCKS) protein regulates mucin secretion by orchestrating translocation of mucin granules from the cytosol to the plasma membrane, where the granules dock, fuse and release their contents into the airway lumen. Associated with MARCKS in this process are chaperone (Heat Shock Protein 70 [HSP70], Cysteine string protein [CSP]) and cytoskeletal (actin, myosin) proteins. However, additional granule-associated proteins that may be involved in secretion have not yet been elucidated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Here, we isolated mucin granules and granule membranes from primary cultures of well differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells utilizing a novel technique of immuno-isolation, based on the presence of the calcium activated chloride channel hCLCA1 (the human ortholog of murine Gob-5) on the granule membranes, and verified via Western blotting and co-immunoprecipitation that MARCKS, HSP70, CSP and hCLCA1 were present on the granule membranes and associated with each other. We then subjected the isolated granules/membranes to liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify other granule associated proteins.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A number of additional cytoskeletal (e.g. Myosin Vc) and regulatory proteins (e.g. Protein phosphatase 4) associated with the granules and could play a role in secretion were discovered. This is the first description of the airway goblet cell "granulome."</p

HFR1 Is Crucial for Transcriptome Regulation in the Cryptochrome 1-Mediated Early Response to Blue Light in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cryptochromes are blue light photoreceptors involved in development and circadian clock regulation. They are found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes as light sensors. Long Hypocotyl in Far-Red 1 (HFR1) has been identified as a positive regulator and a possible transcription factor in both blue and far-red light signaling in plants. However, the gene targets that are regulated by HFR1 in cryptochrome 1 (cry1)-mediated blue light signaling have not been globally addressed. We examined the transcriptome profiles in a cry1- and HFR1-dependent manner in response to 1 hour of blue light. Strikingly, more than 70% of the genes induced by blue light in an HFR1-dependent manner were dependent on cry1, and vice versa. High overrepresentation of W-boxes and OCS elements were found in these genes, indicating that this strong cry1 and HFR1 co-regulation on gene expression is possibly through these two cis-elements. We also found that cry1 was required for maintaining the HFR1 protein level in blue light, and that the HFR1 protein level is strongly correlated with the global gene expression pattern. In summary, HFR1, which is fine-tuned by cry1, is crucial for regulating global gene expression in cry1-mediated early blue light signaling, especially for the function of genes containing W-boxes and OCS elements