Nanobiotechnology applications of reconstituted high density lipoprotein

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) plays a fundamental role in the Reverse Cholesterol Transport pathway. Prior to maturation, nascent HDL exist as disk-shaped phospholipid bilayers whose perimeter is stabilized by amphipathic apolipoproteins. Methods have been developed to generate reconstituted (rHDL) in vitro and these particles have been used in a variety of novel ways. To differentiate between physiological HDL particles and non-natural rHDL that have been engineered to possess additional components/functions, the term nanodisk (ND) is used. In this review, various applications of ND technology are described, such as their use as miniature membranes for solubilization and characterization of integral membrane proteins in a native like conformation. In other work, ND harboring hydrophobic biomolecules/drugs have been generated and used as transport/delivery vehicles. In vitro and in vivo studies show that drug loaded ND are stable and possess potent biological activity. A third application of ND is their use as a platform for incorporation of amphiphilic chelators of contrast agents, such as gadolinium, used in magnetic resonance imaging. Thus, it is demonstrated that the basic building block of plasma HDL can be repurposed for alternate functions

Direct observation of normal modes in coupled oscillators

We propose a simple and inexpensive method to directly observe each normal mode of a system of coupled oscillators, as well as to measure its corresponding frequency, without performing Fourier analysis or using expensive apparatus. The method consists of applying a frequency dependent force to the system and using the resonance to excite each mode separately. The frequency of the excited mode is determined by measuring the resonance frequency of the system. We found that the measurednormal mode frequencies of coupled oscillators exhibiting two and three normal modes are in very good agreement with the theoretical estimates. The method is suitable for undergraduate students with an elementary knowledge of differential equations

Area of comfort: Russian language training for Vietnamese students at technical university

The paper focuses on the psychological and pedagogical peculiarities of teaching Russian to students from Vietnam. The methodology approach taken in this study is motivated by ideas of active Learning articulated by Verbitcky and the Motivation theory developed by Maslow and Yakimanskaya. The methodological basis of the research is a student-centered learning approach. The author provides a theoretical framework based on the communicative competence concept elaborated by Viatiutnev in area of theory and methods Russian as foreign language. Our qualitative methodology included interviews with students, review of documents and analysis of educational results. The authors use Smekal and Kucher’s Questionnaire to identify psychological characteristics of Vietnamese students and offer a solution to the problem of effective teaching with due consideration of the students’ cultural features. The authors present the research findings on the personality orientation of Vietnamese students enrolled in National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University. In general, we systematize suggestions for Russian Language teachers who work with international students from Vietnam

Wnt3a nanodisks promote ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells

BACKGROUND: Wnt proteins modulate development, stem cell fate and cancer through interactions with cell surface receptors. Wnts are cysteine-rich, glycosylated, lipid modified, two domain proteins that are prone to aggregation. The culprit responsible for this behavior is a covalently bound palmitoleoyl moiety in the N-terminal domain. RESULTS: By combining murine Wnt3a with phospholipid and apolipoprotein A-I, ternary complexes termed nanodisks (ND) were generated. ND-associated Wnt3a is soluble in the absence of detergent micelles and gel filtration chromatography revealed that Wnt3a co-elutes with ND. In signaling assays, Wnt3a ND induced β-catenin stabilization in mouse fibroblasts as well as hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). Prolonged exposure of HSPC to Wnt3a ND stimulated proliferation and expansion of Lin(−) Sca-1(+) c-Kit(+) cells. Surprisingly, ND lacking Wnt3a contributed to Lin(−) Sca-1(+) c-Kit(+) cell expansion, an effect that was not mediated through β-catenin. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate Wnt3a ND constitute a water-soluble transport vehicle capable of promoting ex vivo expansion of HSPC. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12951-016-0218-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Contributors to the December Issue/Notes

Notes by Robert A. Oberfell, charles M. Boynton, Theodore M. Ryan, William J. O\u27Connell, David S. Landis, Francis J. Paulson, Robert A. Oberfell, and Hal E. Hunter, Jr

Contributors to the December Issue/Notes

Notes by Robert A. Oberfell, charles M. Boynton, Theodore M. Ryan, William J. O\u27Connell, David S. Landis, Francis J. Paulson, Robert A. Oberfell, and Hal E. Hunter, Jr

Foundations and scaffolding: exploring literature and practice to build a new curriculum framework for TU Dublin

The IMPACT project at TU Dublin has been informed in part by the outcomes of the Co-CREATE project in 2019-20. Co-CREATE was a Team Teaching Fellowship project to support and underpin the building of a quality curriculum framework for the new technological university. A number of IMPACT projects (for example, NorthStar) have continued the work started within the Co-CREATE project to make it sustainable and embedded within the university. We present findings from one element of the Co-CREATE project which has informed a range of initiatives in IMPACT. This is the review of literature and practice undertaken to underpin the Co-CREATE project. The review addresses student voice and agency in curriculum design, enhancing sustainability in curriculum design, and identifies the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in the development of new programmes and provision. Curriculum in higher education has been discussed in educational literature as a fluid and contested concept. It relates to product, often described as content and syllabus, but also process, socially and politically embedded with the potential for change in positive or less positive directions. We present our findings and insights, and the recommendations we have made to stakeholders in our institution. We reflect on the purposes of higher education in the 21st century, and consider the UN Sustainable Development Goals and how they relate to TU Dublin’s mission and vision. We consider the place of graduate attributes, innovation, global citizenship and the impact of new technologies. We report on the development of curriculum frameworks and design at other technological universities, and how our experiences might be more diverse than those of traditional universities. We consider the impact of “connected” approaches to curriculum in research-intensive universities, and how these might be translated to the technological university context. We conclude with recommendations arising from the review of literature and practice which underpinned further work in Co-CREATE, and which may also be of value to others commencing this kind of work or reviewing curricula

On-sky single-mode fiber coupling measurements at the Large Binocular Telescope

The demonstration of efficient single-mode fiber (SMF) coupling is a key requirement for the development of a compact, ultra-precise radial velocity (RV) spectrograph. iLocater is a next generation instrument for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) that uses adaptive optics (AO) to inject starlight into a SMF. In preparation for commissioning iLocater, a prototype SMF injection system was installed and tested at the LBT in the Y-band (0.970-1.065 $\mu$m). This system was designed to verify the capability of the LBT AO system as well as characterize on-sky SMF coupling efficiencies. SMF coupling was measured on stars with variable airmasses, apparent magnitudes, and seeing conditions for six half-nights using the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer. We present the overall optical and mechanical performance of the SMF injection system, including details of the installation and alignment procedure. A particular emphasis is placed on analyzing the instrument's performance as a function of telescope elevation to inform the final design of the fiber injection system for iLocater.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure