Development of a theoretical framework for analyzing cerebrospinal fluid dynamics

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To date hydrocephalus researchers acknowledge the need for rigorous but utilitarian fluid mechanics understanding and methodologies in studying normal and hydrocephalic intracranial dynamics. Pressure volume models and electric circuit analogs introduced pressure into volume conservation; but control volume analysis enforces independent conditions on pressure and volume. Previously, utilization of clinical measurements has been limited to understanding of the relative amplitude and timing of flow, volume and pressure waveforms; qualitative approaches without a clear framework for meaningful quantitative comparison.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Control volume analysis is presented to introduce the reader to the theoretical background of this foundational fluid mechanics technique for application to general control volumes. This approach is able to directly incorporate the diverse measurements obtained by clinicians to better elucidate intracranial dynamics and progression to disorder.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Several examples of meaningful intracranial control volumes and the particular measurement sets needed for the analysis are discussed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Control volume analysis provides a framework to guide the type and location of measurements and also a way to interpret the resulting data within a fundamental fluid physics analysis.</p

First-principles investigation of polytypic defects in InP

In this paper we study polytypic defects in Indium Phosphide (InP) using the complementary first-principles methods of density functional theory and non-equilibrium Greens functions. Specifically we study interfaces between the ground state Zincblende crystal structure and the meta-stable Wurtzite phase, with an emphasis on the rotational twin plane defect, which forms due to the polytypic nature of InP. We found that the transition of the band structure across the interface is anisotropic and lasts 7 nm (3.5 nm). Due to this, a crystal-phase quantum well would require a minimal width of 10 nm, which eliminates rotational twin planes as possible quantum wells. We also found that for conducting current, the interfaces increase conductivity along the defect-plane ([112¯]), whereas due to real growth limitations, despite the interfaces reducing conductivity across the defect-plane ([111]), we found that a high degree of polytypic defects are still desirable. This was argued to be the case, due to a higher fraction of Wurtzite segments in a highly phase-intermixed system

Asymmetric Damage Segregation Constitutes an Emergent Population-Level Stress Response

Asymmetric damage segregation (ADS) is a mechanism for increasing population fitness through non-random, asymmetric partitioning of damaged macromolecules at cell division. ADS has been reported across multiple organisms, though the measured effects on fitness of individuals are often small. Here, we introduce a cell-lineage-based framework that quantifies the population-wide effects of ADS and then verify our results experimentally in E. coli under heat and antibiotic stress. Using an experimentally validated mathematical model, we find that the beneficial effect of ADS increases with stress. In effect, low-damage subpopulations divide faster and amplify within the population acting like a positive feedback loop whose strength scales with stress. Analysis of protein aggregates shows that the degree of asymmetric inheritance is damage dependent in single cells. Together our results indicate that, despite small effects in single cell, ADS exerts a strong beneficial effect on the population level and arises from the redistribution of damage within a population, through both single-cell and population-level feedback

Fællesskaber mellem kommune og civilsamfund: de fem vigtigste barrierer – og det fælles håb

På trods af stærke traditioner for frivilligt arbejde i foreninger og fritidsklubber er der mennesker i Danmark, som aldrig eller sjældent er en del af disse fællesskaber, og som måske oveni står uden for uddannelses- eller arbejdsfællesskaber. Ofte mennesker, som er i en sårbar situation fysisk eller psykisk. Vi har en stærk offentlig sektor, som har et særligt ansvar for disse mennesker. Men det er også en offentlig sektor under pres: borgere og familier har komplekse og multiple problemer, opgaverne skal løses inden for en stram økonomistyring og det er vanskeligt at rekruttere arbejdskraft. Opbygning af fællesskaber er fortsat et spørgsmål om, hvordan det offentlige rækker ud over sig selv, og om, hvordan civilsamfundsaktører rækker ud mod kommuner og andre. Mindst fem barrierer spænder ben for fællesskabelse – dem sætter artiklen til debat

The Role of Paracrine and Autocrine Signaling in the Early Phase of Adipogenic Differentiation of Adipose-derived Stem Cells.

INTRODUCTION: High cell density is known to enhance adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, suggesting secretion of signaling factors or cell-contact-mediated signaling. By employing microfluidic biochip technology, we have been able to separate these two processes and study the secretion pathways. METHODS AND RESULTS: Adipogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) cultured in a microfluidic system was investigated under perfusion conditions with an adipogenic medium or an adipogenic medium supplemented with supernatant from differentiating ASCs (conditioned medium). Conditioned medium increased adipogenic differentiation compared to adipogenic medium with respect to accumulation of lipid-filled vacuoles and gene expression of key adipogenic markers (C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, C/EBPδ, PPARγ, LPL and adiponectin). The positive effects of conditioned medium were observed early in the differentiation process. CONCLUSIONS: Using different cell densities and microfluidic perfusion cell cultures to suppress the effects of cell-released factors, we have demonstrated the significant role played by auto- or paracrine signaling in adipocyte differentiation. The cell-released factor(s) were shown to act in the recruitment phase of the differentiation process