Clustering and Signalling of Cell Receptors

As a response to ligand binding, transmembrane cell receptors often enhance their clustering, or oligomerization, during the signalling process. Here we present a statistical mechanical model which combines the aspects of clustering and signalling. In this model, receptors float on the surface, while for two neighboring receptors, there is an interaction energy dependent on their conformational states. On the other hand, ligand binding of a receptor shifts the energy difference between the two conformational states. Due to thermal fluctuation, the effects of clustering and signalling are statistical average quantities. This model reduces to a floating Ising model with a random field. We calculate the signalling in a grand canonical ensemble mean field approach, using Hubbard-Stratonovich transformation and replica method. Monte Carlo simulations are also performed. Essential biological features are obtained in our model.Comment: revtex, 16 pages, including figures, final versio

Dynamic 3D In Vitro Bone Metastatic Testbeds for Prostate and Breast Cancer

Metastatic prostate cancer spreads preferentially to the bone, causing skeletal complications associated with significant morbidity and a poor prognosis, despite current therapeutic approaches. Increasing evidence suggests the synergistic role of biochemical and biophysical cues in cancer progression at metastases. However, the mechanism underlying the crosstalk between interstitial flow-induced mechanical stimuli and prostate cancer progression in the bone microenvironment remains poorly understood. To this end, we have developed 3D in vitro dynamic models of prostate cancer bone metastasis using perfusion bioreactor and horizontal flow bioreactor to delineate the role of flow-induced shear stress on prostate cancer progression and migration, respectively at metastases. Using a perfusion bioreactor, we observed changes in the expressions of MET biomarkers and the tumoroid morphologies of prostate cancer cells under dynamic culture. Evaluation of cell adhesion proteins indicated that the altered cancer cell morphologies resulted from the constant force pulling due to increased E-cadherin and FAK proteins under shear stress. Using a horizontal flow bioreactor, we demonstrated that the percent cell migration rate of prostate cancer cells was increased in the presence of bone under dynamic conditions. The results showed that interstitial fluid flow did not alter the CXCR4 level, but bone upregulated CXCR4 levels, leading to increased MMP-9 levels. In addition, both ?v?3 integrins and MMP-9 levels were upregulated by fluid flow conditions, contributing to an increased migration rate under dynamic conditions. Breast cancer cells also tend to preferentially disseminate to bone and colonize within the remodeling bone site to cause bone metastases. We have previously developed a 3D in vitro breast cancer bone metastasis model using hMSCs and commercial breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDAMB231), recapitulating late-stage breast cancer metastasis to bone. In the present study, we have validated our model using patient-derived breast cancer cell lines- NT013 and NT023, exhibiting hormone-positive and triple-negative characteristics, respectively that showed MET and formed tumors in the presence of bone. In addition, the results showed ET-1 (NT013) and DKK-1 (NT023) mediated stimulation and abrogation of the osteogenesis via Wnt/? catenin pathway, in line with our previous results with MCF-7 and MDAMB231 cell lines

Cosmetic Talc-Related Pulmonary Granulomatosis.

Inhalation of cosmetic talc can lead to pulmonary foreign-body granulomatosis, though fewer than 10 cases of inhaled cosmetic talc-related pulmonary granulomatosis have been reported in adults. We report the case of a 64-year-old man with diffuse, bilateral pulmonary nodules and ground glass opacities associated with chronic inhalation of cosmetic talc. Transbronchial biopsy showed peribronchiolar foreign-body granulomas. After cessation of talc exposure, the patient demonstrated clinical and radiographic improvement without the use of corticosteroids. This case demonstrates that a conservative approach with cessation of exposure alone, without the use of corticosteroids, can be an effective therapy in cosmetic talc-related pulmonary granulomatosis

A Review on Various Energy Efficient Techniques in Cloud Environment

Cloud computing is web based mostly development and use of engineering. it is a mode of computing within which dynamically scalable and sometimes virtualized resources are provided as a service over the web. Users needn't have data of, experience in, or management over the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them. programming is one of the core steps to with efficiency exploit the capabilities of heterogeneous computing systems. On cloud computing platform, load equalisation of the whole system will be dynamically handled by using virtualization technology through that it becomes potential to remap virtual machine and physical resources in step with the modification in load. However, so as to boost performance, the virtual machines ought to totally utilize its resources and services by adapting to computing setting dynamically. The load balancing with correct allocation of resources should be bonded so as to boost resource utility and energy efficiency

Isolation of biosurfactant-producing marine bacteria

Biosurfactant-producing marine bacteria were isolated from oil-spilled seawater collected from harbors and docks in Mumbai, India. Haemolytic activity, emulsification activity toward n-hexadecane, emulsion of mixtures of oils, drop collapsing test as well as oil displacement test were used to determine biosurfactant producing activity of marine bacteria. Among 25 strains, 20 different strains showed biosurfactant activity in which only 6 strains had haemolytic activity and were able to emulsify mixtures of oils (kerosene + petrol + diesel) in Marine Broth 2216 during cultivation. Six strains named MW1, JN1, MS3, JN2, MS1, and MW2 were identified by various identification tests. MW2 (Pseudomonas sp.) Strain showed the highest emulsification activity against n-hexadecane. In addition, MW2 showed the highest activity for oil  displacement test (3.14 ± 0.02) and emulsification test (70.5 ± 0.55) towards nhexadecane.Key words: Biosurfactant, emulsification, bacteria, haemolytic, extreme conditions, oil

Spectrum of Pediatric Malignancies: An Observational Single Center Study from Western India

Cancer is a leading cause of death for children and adolescent worldwide. The cure rates in low middle-income countries are dismal (20%) in comparison to high income countries (80%). The first move is to assemble precise data on epidemiology of pediatric cancer across the country and its region wide variation. This study attempts to provide spectrum of pediatric malignancies from a tertiary care hospital in the state of Rajasthan, India. A total of 140 cases were studied retrospectively over a period of two years (April 2018-March 2020). Patients, 0-18 years of age that are diagnosed as a case of malignancy were included in this study. The records of these patients were retrieved and analyzed. Patients were stratified in 4 groups; 0-4 years, 5-9 years, 10-14 years and 15-18 years. Most of the patients fell in 15-18 year group (35.7%), followed by 5-9 year group (28.5%). Majority of cases, 67.8% were male. The male to female ratio is 2.1:1. Leukemia (40%) was the most common malignancy followed by lymphoma, retinoblastoma and malignant bone tumors. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia comprises majority (35/56) of leukemia. Retinoblastoma was predominant malignancy among <5-year children. In all other groups, leukemia was predominant. This study gauges the trend of pediatric malignancies at one of the largest tertiary care hospitals in Rajasthan, which is important in the planning and evaluation of health strategies. As we lack a dedicated pediatric cancer registry, such epidemiological studies play a significant part for this small but distinguished group of patients

Looma Lesson Planner

Looma Lesson Planner is a web application that allows its users, experienced educators, to select, organize, and present existing classroom materials and educational content in the format of a custom-made lesson plan. Looma, an all-in-one computer developed by non-profit organization VillageTech Solutions, is designed for school teachers in rural Nepal, India. It provides them with basic access to textbooks, activities, and digital media that may be relevant in meeting Nepal\u27s curriculum requirements. However, Looma did not initially include a simple interface for teachers to connect many different forms of content together into cohesive, custom lesson plans. Our application presents and organizes Looma\u27s existing content in an accessible, user-friendly manner, and allows the teacher to create reusable lesson plans from this content. The application utilizes HTML5, CSS3, PHP, MongoDB, and JavaScript to create a simple, user-friendly, WYSIWYG design. The application\u27s goal is to remove a key technical barrier that Looma currently poses on teachers, and to create a seamless classroom experience for the teachers and their students. Going forward, we plan on working with VillageTech Solutions to integrate our application with Looma\u27s operating system. Once we have completed this task, VillageTech Solutions will use Looma and our web application to conduct user testing with teachers in Nepal. We are also finalizing both a technical guide and a user manual for VillageTech Solutions that will outline our code structure and illustrate how to use the web application, respectively

TORSIONAL OSCILLATIONS IN A GEARED SYSTEM WITH CLEARANCES.

The torsional vibration characteristics of a geared system with clearance are investigated in this study. The clearance results in a bilinear restoring force characteristic which is non-linear in nature. This particular type of non-linearity causes the generation of ultraharmonic, harmonic and subharmonic resonances. Analytical solutions are derived for ultraharmonic, harmonic and subharmonic resonances by the application of the Ritz averaging method with two or three term approximations for forcing functions of the type T cos (omega)t and C (omega)(\u272) cos (omega)t. T and C are constants and (omega) is the forcing frequency. The accuracy of this approximate method is verified by means of analog computer simulation. The analytical solutions agree quite closely with analog computer results. The analytical solutions are also compared with experimental results obtained from a mechanical model with a bilinear restoring force characteristic. The mechanical model exhibits ultraharmonic and harmonic resonances, but fails to develop distinct subharmonic resonances owing to inadequate power capacity of the vibrator system used. With the analog computer however, the subharmonic resonance is excited over a limited frequency range. Although the experimental results are lower in magnitude than predicted, they distinctly show the nature of non-linear response. The theory of limiting conditions for the generation of subharmonic resonances is developed in Appendix IV.Dept. of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1983 .J378. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-09, Section: B, page: 2864. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1983