Predictive model for functional consequences of oral cavity tumour

The prediction of functional consequences after treatment of large oral cavity tumours is mainly based on the size and location of the tumour. However, patient specific factors play an important role in the functional outcome, making the current predictions unreliable and subjective. An objective prediction is necessary for better patient oriented care, where the choice between surgery or chemo- and radiotherapy could be made according to more reliable measures. In this project, work is being performed to create a tool to obtain this objective prediction. The aim is to develop a virtual biomechanical patient-specific model of the oral cavity for virtual surgery. By adjusting the model, so as to mimic the performed surgery, an accurate preoperative assessment of the postoperative functional consequences can be made for each individual patient

Vimentin Levels and Serine 71 Phosphorylation in the Control of Cell-Matrix Adhesions, Migration Speed, and Shape of Transformed Human Fibroblasts

Metastasizing tumor cells show increased expression of the intermediate filament (IF) protein vimentin, which has been used to diagnose invasive tumors for decades. Recent observations indicate that vimentin is not only a passive marker for carcinoma, but may also induce tumor cell invasion. To clarify how vimentin IFs control cell adhesions and migration, we analyzed the nanoscale (30–50 nm) spatial organization of vimentin IFs and cell-matrix adhesions in metastatic fibroblast cells, using three-color stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. We also studied whether wild-type and phospho-deficient or -mimicking mutants of vimentin changed the size and lifetime of focal adhesions (FAs), cell shape, and cell migration, using live-cell total internal reflection imaging and confocal microscopy. We observed that vimentin exists in fragments of different lengths. Short fragments were mostly the size of a unit-length filament and were mainly localized close to small cell-matrix adhesions. Long vimentin filaments were found in the proximity of large FAs. Vimentin expression in these cells caused a reduction in FAs size and an elongated cell shape, but did not affect FA lifetime, or the speed or directionality of cell migration. Expression of a phospho-mimicking mutant (S71D) of vimentin increased the speed of cell migration. Taken together, our results suggest that in highly migratory, transformed mesenchymal cells, vimentin levels control the cell shape and FA size, but not cell migration, which instead is linked to the phosphorylation status of S71 vimentin. These observations are consistent with the possibility that not only levels, but also the assembly status of vimentin control cell migration

Fully Integrated Micro Coriolis Mass Flow Sensor Operating at Atmospheric Pressure

This paper discusses the design and realization of a micromachined micro Coriolis flow sensor with integrated electrodes for both electrostatic actuation and capacitive readout. The sensor was realized using semicircular channels just beneath the surface of the silicon wafer. The channels have thin silicon nitride walls to minimize the channel mass with respect to the mass of the moving fluid. A comb-shaped electrode design is used to prevent squeezed film damping so that the sensor can operate at atmospheric pressure, thus eliminating the need for vacuum packaging. The new sensor chip no longer requires large external magnets and the size of the chip itself has been reduced to 7.5x7.5 mm2

Kinetics of orbitally shaken particles constrained to two dimensions

We present an experimental study of the kinetics of orbitally-shaken, sliding macroscopic particles confined to a two-dimensional space bounded by walls. Discounting the forcing action of the external periodic actuation, the particles undergo a qualitative transition from a ballistic to a diffusive motion regime with time. Despite the deterministic input of kinetic energy provided by the shaker, the particles show translational velocities and diffusivity consistent with a confined random walk model. Such experimental system may therefore represent a suitable macroscopic analog to investigate aspects of molecular dynamics and self-assembly.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe