Pannexin-1 channels bridge apoptosis to NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Apoptosis can promote inflammation by triggering activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3). However, the molecular mechanisms regulating these processes are ill-defined. We recently reported that pannexin-1 is required to promote NLRP3 inflammasome assembly. We further demonstrate that differential cleavage of gasdermin D (GSDMD) by apoptotic caspases regulates inflammatory cell lysis. Here, we discuss our findings and perspectives for future studies

The Transverse Particle Migration of Highly Filled Polymer Fluid Flow in a Pipe

Shear-induced particle migration was investigated by using a continuum diffusive -flux model for the creep flow of nickel powder filled polymers, which are viscous with shear-thinning characteristic. The model, together with flow equations, was employed for solving the non-Newtonian flow patterns and non-uniform particle concentration distribution of mono-modal suspensions in a pressure-driven tube flow. Particle volume fraction and velocity fields for the non-homogenous shear flow field were predicted for 40% particle volume fraction. The model captures the trends found in experimental investigations.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

Results of the MRI substudy of the intravenous magnesium efficacy in stroke trial

<p><b>Background and Purpose:</b>Although magnesium is neuroprotective in animal stroke models, no clinical benefit was confirmed in the Intravenous Magnesium Efficacy in Stroke (IMAGES) trial of acute stroke patients. The Magnetic Resonance in IMAGES (MR IMAGES) substudy investigated the effects of magnesium on the imaging surrogate outcome of infarct growth.</p> <p><b>Methods:</b> IMAGES trial patients in participating centers were randomized to receive either intravenous magnesium or placebo within 12 hours of stroke onset. Infarct growth was defined as volume difference between baseline diffusion-weighted imaging and day 90 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery image lesions. Patients who died were imputed the largest infarct growth observed.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Among the 90 patients included in the primary analysis, there was no difference in infarct growth (median absolute growth, P=0.639; median percentage growth, P=0.616; proportion with any growth, P=0.212) between the 46 treated with magnesium and 44 with placebo. Infarct growth correlated with NIHSS score change from baseline to day 90. There was a trend showing baseline serum glucose correlated with infarct growth with magnesium treatment, but not in the placebo group. The mismatch frequency was reduced from 73% to 47% by increasing the mismatch threshold from >20% to >100% of core volume.</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> Infarct growth, confirmed here as a surrogate for clinical progression, was similar between magnesium and placebo treatment, paralleling the main IMAGES trial clinical outcomes. Glucose was a covariate for infarct growth with magnesium treatment. A more stringent mismatch threshold to define penumbra more appropriately would have excluded half of the patients in this 12-hour time window stroke study.</p&gt

Wigner crystalization about ν\nu=3

We measure a resonance in the frequency dependence of the real diagonal conductivity, Re[$\sigma_{xx}$], near integer filling factor, $\nu=3$. This resonance depends strongly on $\nu$, with peak frequency $f_{pk} \approx 1.7$ GHz at $\nu=3.04$ or 2.92 close to integer $\nu$, but $f_{pk} \approx$ 600 MHz at $\nu=3.19$ or 2.82, the extremes of where the resonance is visible. The dependence of $f_{pk}$ upon $n^*$, the density of electrons in the partially filled level, is discussed and compared with similar measurments by Chen {\it et al.}\cite{yong} about $\nu=1$ and 2. We interpret the resonance as due to a pinned Wigner crystal phase with density $n^*$ about the $\nu=3$ state.Comment: for proceedings of EP2DS-15 (Nara) to appear in Physica

Effects of superimposed hydrostatic pressure on fracture in round bars under tension

AbstractThe effect of superimposed hydrostatic pressure on fracture in round bars under tension is studied numerically using the finite element method based on the Gurson damage model. It is demonstrated that while the superimposed hydrostatic pressure has no noticeable effect on necking, it increases the fracture strain due to the fact that a superimposed pressure delays or completely eliminates the nucleation, growth and coalescence of microvoids or microcracks. The experimentally observed transition of the fracture surface, from the cup-cone mode under atmospheric pressure to a slant structure under high pressure, is numerically reproduced. It is numerically proved that the superimposed hydrostatic pressure has no effect on necking for a damage-free round bar under tension

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of steam exploded duckweed: Improvement of the ethanol yield by increasing yeast titre

This study investigated the conversion of Lemna minor biomass to bioethanol. The biomass was pre-treated by steam explosion (SE, 210 °C, 10 min) and then subjected to simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using CellicÒ CTec 2 (20 U or 0.87 FPU gﰂ1 substrate) cellulase plus b-glucosidase (2 U gﰂ1 substrate) and a yeast inoculum of 10% (v/v or 8.0 ﰀ 107 cells mLﰂ1). At a substrate concentration of 1% (w/v) an ethanol yield of 80% (w/w, theoretical) was achieved. However at a substrate concentration of 20% (w/v), the ethanol yield was lowered to 18.8% (w/w, theoretical). Yields were considerably improved by increasing the yeast titre in the inoculum or preconditioning the yeast on steam exploded liquor. These approaches enhanced the ethanol yield up to 70% (w/w, theoretical) at a substrate concen- tration of 20% (w/v) by metabolising fermentation inhibitors

Long-term microcarrier suspension cultures of human embryonic stem cells

AbstractThe conventional method of culturing human embryonic stem cells (hESC) is on two-dimensional (2D) surfaces, which is not amenable for scale up to therapeutic quantities in bioreactors. We have developed a facile and robust method for maintaining undifferentiated hESC in three-dimensional (3D) suspension cultures on matrigel-coated microcarriers achieving 2- to 4-fold higher cell densities than those in 2D colony cultures. Stable, continuous propagation of two hESC lines on microcarriers has been demonstrated in conditioned media for 6 months. Microcarrier cultures (MC) were also demonstrated in two serum-free defined media (StemPro and mTeSR1). MC achieved even higher cell concentrations in suspension spinner flasks, thus opening the prospect of propagation in controlled bioreactors

Periodic waves in bimodal optical fibers

We consider coupled nonlinear Schrodinger equations (CNLSE) which govern the propagation of nonlinear waves in bimodal optical fibers. The nonlinear transform of a dual-frequency signal is used to generate an ultra-short-pulse train. To predict the energy and width of pulses in the train, we derive three new types of travelling periodic-wave solutions, using the Hirota bilinear method. We also show that all the previously reported periodic wave solutions of CNLSE can be derived in a systematic way, using the Hirota method.Comment: 10 pages with 2 figures. "Optics Communications, in press

Relativistic Coulomb Sum Rules for (e,e′)(e,e^\prime)

A Coulomb sum rule is derived for the response of nuclei to $(e,e^\prime)$ scattering with large three-momentum transfers. Unlike the nonrelativistic formulation, the relativistic Coulomb sum is restricted to spacelike four-momenta for the most direct connection with experiments; an immediate consequence is that excitations involving antinucleons, e.g., $N{\bar N}$ pair production, are approximately eliminated from the sum rule. Relativistic recoil and Fermi motion of target nucleons are correctly incorporated. The sum rule decomposes into one- and two-body parts, with correlation information in the second. The one-body part requires information on the nucleon momentum distribution function, which is incorporated by a moment expansion method. The sum rule given through the second moment (RCSR-II) is tested in the Fermi gas model, and is shown to be sufficiently accurate for applications to data.Comment: 32 pages (LaTeX), 4 postscript figures available from the author