Cellular aspect ratio and cell division mechanics underlie the patterning of cell progeny in diverse mammalian epithelia.

Cell division is essential to expand, shape, and replenish epithelia. In the adult small intestine, cells from a common progenitor intermix with other lineages, whereas cell progeny in many other epithelia form contiguous patches. The mechanisms that generate these distinct patterns of progeny are poorly understood. Using light sheet and confocal imaging of intestinal organoids, we show that lineages intersperse during cytokinesis, when elongated interphase cells insert between apically displaced daughters. Reducing the cellular aspect ratio to minimize the height difference between interphase and mitotic cells disrupts interspersion, producing contiguous patches. Cellular aspect ratio is similarly a key parameter for division-coupled interspersion in the early mouse embryo, suggesting that this physical mechanism for patterning progeny may pertain to many mammalian epithelia. Our results reveal that the process of cytokinesis in elongated mammalian epithelia allows lineages to intermix and that cellular aspect ratio is a critical modulator of the progeny pattern

Resonance modes in the standard piezoceramic shear geometry: A discussion based on finite element analysis

El pdf del artículo es el manuscrito de autor.Several authors developed methods for the complex characterization of piezoceramics from complex impedance measurements at resonance. Alemany et al. developed an automatic iterative method, applied and reported in a first publication to four modes of resonance: (1) the length extensional mode of a thickness poled rectangular bar; (2) the length extensional mode of long rods or rectangular bars, length poled; (3) the thickness extensional mode of a thin plate and (4) the thickness shear mode of a thin plate. In a second publication it was reported the application of the method to (5) the radial mode of a thin disk, thickness poled, the most mathematically complex geometry. The (2), (3), (4) and (5) modes of resonance are sufficient for the purpose of the determination of the full set of complex elastic, dielectric and piezoelectric coefficients of piezoceramics, a 6mm symmetry material. This work presents the results of the FEA modeling of a thin plate based on the characterization of a commercial ceramic. The comparison of the experimental resonance spectra and the FEA results obtained for elastically, dielectrically and piezoelectrically homogeneous samples is presented and discussed. The complex characterization for the first time of the shear mode of a new lead-free piezoceramic is also shown.This work was carried out under the projects PIRAMID (G5RD-CT-2001-00456) of the GROWTH Program of the EC and MAT 2001-4819-E, MAT2002-00463 and the Ramon y Cajal Program, of the Spanish CICyT, and has benefited from the synergy provided by the POlar ELEtroCERamics, POLECER, (G5RT-CT2001-05024) Thematic Network of the EC.Peer reviewe

Research of the Additional Losses Occurring in Optical Fiber at its Multiple Bends in the Range Waves 1310nm, 1550nm and 1625nm Long

Article is devoted to research of the additional losses occurring in the optical fiber at its multiple bends in the range waves of 1310 nanometers, 1550 nanometers and 1625 nanometers long. Article is directed on creation of the external factors methods which allow to estimate and eliminate negative influence. The automated way of calculation of losses at a bend is developed. Results of scientific researches are used by engineers of "Kazaktelekom" AS for practical definition of losses service conditions. For modeling the Wolfram|Alpha environment - the knowledge base and a set of computing algorithms was chosen. The greatest losses are noted on wavelength 1310nm and 1625nm. All dependences are nonlinear. Losses with each following excess are multiplicative

Reference materials (RMs) for analysis of the human factor II (prothrombin) gene G20210A mutation

The Scientific Committee of Molecular Biology Techniques (C-MbT) in Clinical Chemistry of the IFCC has initiated a joint project in co-operation with the European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements to develop and produce plasmid-type reference materials (RMs), for the analysis of the human prothrombin gene G20210A mutation. Although DNA tests have a high impact on clinical decision-making and the number of tests performed in diagnostic laboratories is high, issues of quality and quality assurance exist, and currently only a few RMs for clinical genetic testing are available. A gene fragment chosen was produced that spans all primer annealing sites published to date. Both the wild-type and mutant alleles of this gene fragment were cloned into a pUC18 plasmid and two plasmid RMs were produced. In addition, a mixture of both plasmids was produced to mimic the heterozygous genotype. The present study describes the performance of these reference materials in a commutability study, in which they were tested by nine different methods in 13 expert laboratories.. This series of plasmid RMs are, to the best of our knowledge, the first plasmid-type clinical genetic RMs introduced worldwide

Working memory load for faces modulates P300, N170, and N250r

We used event-related potential (ERP) methodology to examine neural activity associated with visual working memory (WM) for faces. There were two main goals. First, to extend previous findings of P300 load modulation to WM for faces. Second, to examine whether N170 and N250r are also influenced by WM load. Between one and four unfamiliar faces were simultaneously presented for memory encoding. After a 1-sec delay, a target whether this face was part of the previous face array. P300 amplitude decreased as WM load increased, and this P300 suppression was observed at both encoding and retrieval. WM load was also found to modulate other ERPs. The amplitude of the N170 elicited by the target face decreased with load, and this N170 decrease leveled off at load 2, reflecting the behavioral WM capacity of around two faces. In addition, the N250r, observed as an ERP difference for target faces that were present in the encoding array relative to target faces that were absent, was also reduced for higher WM loads. These findings extend previous work by showing that P300 modulation by WM load also occurs for faces. Furthermore, we show, for the first time, that WM load affects the N250r and the early visual N170 component. This suggests that higher visual areas play an important role in WM for faces

Measuring Time with Minimal Clocks

© 2019 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1162/artl_a_00303Being able to measure time, whether directly or indirectly, is a significant advantage for an organism. It allows for timely reaction to regular or predicted events, reducing the pressure for fast processing of sensory input. Thus, clocks are ubiquitous in biology. In the present article, we consider minimal abstract pure clocks in different configurations and investigate their characteristic dynamics. We are especially interested in optimally time-resolving clocks. Among these, we find fundamentally diametral clock characteristics, such as oscillatory behavior for purely local time measurement or decay-based clocks measuring time periods on a scale global to the problem. We include also sets of independent clocks (clock bags), sequential cascades of clocks, and composite clocks with controlled dependence. Clock cascades show a condensation effect, and the composite clock shows various regimes of markedly different dynamics.Peer reviewe

Cardiodynamic state is associated with systemic inflammation and fatal acute‐on‐chronic liver failure

Background & Aims: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is characterized by high short-term mortality and systemic inflammation (SI). Recently, different cardiodynamic states were shown to independently predict outcomes in cirrhosis. The relationship between cardiodynamic states, SI, and portal hypertension and their impact on ACLF development remains unclear. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the interplay of cardiodynamic state and SI on fatal ACLF development in cirrhosis. Results: At inclusion, hemodynamic measures including cardiac index (CI) and hepatic venous pressure gradient of 208 patients were measured. Patients were followed prospectively for fatal ACLF development (primary endpoint). SI was assessed by proinflammatory markers such as interleukins (ILs) 6 and 8 and soluble IL-33 receptor (sIL-33R). Patients were divided according to CI (4.2 L/min/m2) in hypo- (n = 84), normo- (n = 69) and hyperdynamic group (n = 55). After a median follow-up of 3 years, the highest risk of fatal ACLF was seen in hyperdynamic (35%) and hypodynamic patients (25%) compared with normodynamic (14%) (P =.011). Hyperdynamic patients showed the highest rate of SI. The detectable level of IL-6 was an independent predictor of fatal ACLF development. Conclusions: Cirrhotic patients with hyperdynamic and hypodynamic circulation have a higher risk of fatal ACLF. Therefore, the cardiodynamic state is strongly associated with SI, which is an independent predictor of development of fatal ACLF

Saturation of electrical resistivity

Resistivity saturation is observed in many metallic systems with a large resistivity, i.e., when the resistivity has reached a critical value, its further increase with temperature is substantially reduced. This typically happens when the apparent mean free path is comparable to the interatomic separations - the Ioffe-Regel condition. Recently, several exceptions to this rule have been found. Here, we review experimental results and early theories of resistivity saturation. We then describe more recent theoretical work, addressing cases both where the Ioffe-Regel condition is satisfied and where it is violated. In particular we show how the (semiclassical) Ioffe-Regel condition can be derived quantum-mechanically under certain assumptions about the system and why these assumptions are violated for high-Tc cuprates and alkali-doped fullerides.Comment: 16 pages, RevTeX, 15 eps figures, additional material available at http://www.mpi-stuttgart.mpg.de/andersen/saturation

In vitro proliferation of human osteogenic cells in presence of different commercial bone substitute materials combined with enamel matrix derivatives

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cellular reactions to alloplastic bone substitute materials (BSM) are a subject of interest in basic research. In regenerative dentistry, these bone grafting materials are routinely combined with enamel matrix derivatives (EMD) in order to additionally enhance tissue regeneration.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>The aim of this study was to evaluate the proliferative activity of human osteogenic cells after incubation over a period of seven days with commercial BSM of various origin and chemical composition. Special focus was placed on the potential additional benefit of EMD on cellular proliferation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Except for PerioGlas^®, osteogenic cell proliferation was significantly promoted by the investigated BSM. The application of EMD alone also resulted in significantly increased cellular proliferation. However, a combination of BSM and EMD resulted in only a moderate additional enhancement of osteogenic cell proliferation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The application of most BSM, as well as the exclusive application of EMD demonstrated a positive impact on the proliferation of human osteogenic cells <it>in vitro</it>. In order to increase the benefit from substrate combination (BSM + EMD), further studies on the interactions between BSM and EMD are needed.</p

LIM-kinase1 Hemizygosity Implicated in Impaired Visuospatial Constructive Cognition

AbstractTo identify genes important for human cognitive development, we studied Williams syndrome (WS), a developmental disorder that includes poor visuospatial constructive cognition. Here we describe two families with a partial WS phenotype; affected members have the specific WS cognitive profile and vascular disease, but lack other WS features. Submicroscopic chromosome 7q11.23 deletions cosegregate with this phenotype in both families. DNA sequence analyses of the region affected by the smallest deletion (83.6 kb) revealed two genes, elastin (ELN ) and LIM-kinase1 (LIMK1). The latter encodes a novel protein kinase with LIM domains and is strongly expressed in the brain. Because ELN mutations cause vascular disease but not cognitive abnormalities, these data implicate LIMK1 hemizygosity in impaired visuospatial constructive cognition