Spatial Confinement Affects the Heterogeneity and Interactions Between Shoaling Fish

Living objects are able to consume chemical energy and process information independently from others. However, living objects can coordinate to form ordered groups such as schools of fish. This work considers these complex groups as living materials and presents imaging-based experiments of laboratory schools of fish to understand how this non-equilibrium activity affects the mechanical properties of a group. We use spatial confinement to control the motion and structure of fish within quasi-2D shoals of fish. Using image analysis techniques, we make quantitative observations of the structures, their spatial heterogeneity, and their temporal fluctuations. Furthermore, we utilize Monte Carlo simulations to replicate the experimentally observed area distribution patterns which provide insight into the effective interactions between fish and confirm the presence of a confinement-based behavioral preference transition. In addition, unlike in short-range interacting systems, here structural heterogeneity and dynamic activities are positively correlated as a result of complex interplay between spatial arrangement and behavioral dynamics in fish collectives.Comment: 18 pages, 7 Figure

Waon therapy improves the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure

Summary Background: We developed a Waon therapy (soothing warm therapy) and have previously reported that repeated Waon therapy improves hemodynamics, peripheral vascular function, arrhythmias, and clinical symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Waon therapy on the prognosis of CHF patients. Patients and methods: We studied 129 patients with CHF in NYHA functional class III or IV who were admitted to our hospital between January 1999 and March 2001. In the Waon therapy group, 64 patients were treated with a far infrared-ray dry sauna at 60 • C for 15 min and then kept on bed rest with a blanket for 30 min. The patients were treated daily for 5 days during admission, and then at least twice a week after discharge. In the control group, 65 patients, matched for age, gender, and NYHA functional class, were treated with traditional CHF therapy. The follow-up time was scheduled for 5 years. Results: Recent, complete follow-up data on each patient were obtained. The overall survival rate was 84.5% (Kaplan-Meier estimate). Twelve patients died in the control group and 8 patients died in the Waon therapy group at 60 months of follow-up

Basement membrane regulates fibronectin organization using sliding focal adhesions driven by a contractile winch

AbstractWe have discovered that basement membrane and its major components can induce rapid, strikingly robust fibronectin organization. In this new matrix assembly mechanism, α5β1 integrin-based focal adhesions slide actively on the underlying matrix towards the ventral cell center through the dynamic shortening of myosin IIA-associated actin stress fibers to drive rapid fibronectin fibrillogenesis distal to the adhesion. This mechanism contrasts with classical fibronectin assembly based on stable/fixed-position focal adhesions containing αVβ3 integrins plus α5β1 integrin translocation into proximal fibrillar adhesions. On basement membrane components, these sliding focal adhesions contain standard focal adhesion constituents but completely lack classical αVβ3 integrins. Instead, peripheral α3β1 or α2β1 adhesions mediate initial cell attachment, but over time are switched to α5β1 integrin-based sliding focal adhesions to assemble fibronectin matrix. This basement membrane-triggered mechanism produces rapid fibronectin fibrillogenesis, providing a mechanistic explanation for the well-known widespread accumulation of fibronectin at many organ basement membranes.</jats:p

Spatial confinement affects the heterogeneity and interactions between shoaling fish

Abstract Living objects are able to consume chemical energy and process information independently from others. However, living objects can coordinate to form ordered groups such as schools of fish. This work considers these complex groups as living materials and presents imaging-based experiments of laboratory schools of fish to understand how activity, which is a non-equilibrium feature, affects the structure and dynamics of a group. We use spatial confinement to control the motion and structure of fish within quasi-2D shoals of fish and use image analysis techniques to make quantitative observations of the structures, their spatial heterogeneity, and their temporal fluctuations. Furthermore, we utilize Monte Carlo simulations to replicate the experimentally observed data which provides insight into the effective interactions between fish and confirms the presence of a confinement-based behavioral preference transition. In addition, unlike in short-range interacting systems, here structural heterogeneity and dynamic activities are positively correlated as a result of complex interplay between spatial arrangement and behavioral dynamics in fish collectives

Dificuldade diagnóstica e mau prognóstico associados à regressão de melanoma cutâneo primário

O melanoma cutâneo primário em regressão (melanoma em regressão) espontânea parcialé frequente, porém a regressão completa é rara. O diagnóstico é difícil, principalmentena regressão completa. Relatam-se três casos de melanoma em regressão nos quais a biópsiainicial não revelou melanoma, e o diagnóstico foi obtido pelas metástases.Não há consenso sobre o significado prognóstico da regressão. Nos casos descritos, omelanoma em regressão associou-se a pior prognóstico, pela própria característica dotumor ou dificuldade no diagnóstico precoce e estadiamento.Conclui-se que a regressão no melanoma primário pode conferir maior dificuldade aodiagnóstico e estadiamento, com consequente pior prognóstico. Deve-se indicar biópsiaexcisional de lesão suspeita sempre que possível