Application of magnetically induced hyperthermia on the model protozoan Crithidia fasciculata as a potential therapy against parasitic infections

Magnetic hyperthermia is currently an EU-approved clinical therapy against tumor cells that uses magnetic nanoparticles under a time varying magnetic field (TVMF). The same basic principle seems promising against trypanosomatids causing Chagas disease and sleeping sickness, since therapeutic drugs available display severe side effects and drug-resistant strains. However, no applications of this strategy against protozoan-induced diseases have been reported so far. In the present study, Crithidia fasciculata, a widely used model for therapeutic strategies against pathogenic trypanosomatids, was targeted with Fe_{3}O_{4} magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in order to remotely provoke cell death using TVMFs. The MNPs with average sizes of d approx. 30 nm were synthesized using a precipitation of FeSO_{4}4 in basic medium. The MNPs were added to Crithidia fasciculata choanomastigotes in exponential phase and incubated overnight. The amount of uploaded MNPs per cell was determined by magnetic measurements. Cell viability using the MTT colorimetric assay and flow cytometry showed that the MNPs were incorporated by the cells with no noticeable cell-toxicity effects. When a TVMF (f = 249 kHz, H = 13 kA/m) was applied to MNP-bearing cells, massive cell death was induced via a non-apoptotic mechanism. No effects were observed by applying a TVMF on control (without loaded MNPs) cells. No macroscopic rise in temperature was observed in the extracellular medium during the experiments. Scanning Electron Microscopy showed morphological changes after TVMF experiments. These data indicate (as a proof of principle) that intracellular hyperthermia is a suitable technology to induce the specific death of protozoan parasites bearing MNPs. These findings expand the possibilities for new therapeutic strategies that combat parasitic infections.Comment: 9 pages, four supplementary video file

The adjoint problem in the presence of a deformed surface: the example of the Rosensweig instability on magnetic fluids

The Rosensweig instability is the phenomenon that above a certain threshold of a vertical magnetic field peaks appear on the free surface of a horizontal layer of magnetic fluid. In contrast to almost all classical hydrodynamical systems, the nonlinearities of the Rosensweig instability are entirely triggered by the properties of a deformed and a priori unknown surface. The resulting problems in defining an adjoint operator for such nonlinearities are illustrated. The implications concerning amplitude equations for pattern forming systems with a deformed surface are discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figur

Faraday instability on viscous ferrofluids in a horizontal magnetic field: Oblique rolls of arbitrary orientation

A linear stability analysis of the free surface of a horizontally unbounded ferrofluid layer of arbitrary depth subjected to vertical vibrations and a horizontal magnetic field is performed. A nonmonotonic dependence of the stability threshold on the magnetic field is found at high frequencies of the vibrations. The reasons of the decrease of the critical acceleration amplitude caused by a horizontal magnetic field are discussed. It is revealed that the magnetic field can be used to select the first unstable pattern of Faraday waves. In particular, a rhombic pattern as a superposition of two different oblique rolls can occur. A scaling law is presented which maps all data into one graph for the tested range of viscosities, frequencies, magnetic fields and layer thicknesses.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, RevTex

Immunological differences between primary and metastatic breast cancer

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Rapid sympathetic cooling to Fermi degeneracy on a chip

Neutral fermions present new opportunities for testing many-body condensed matter systems, realizing precision atom interferometry, producing ultra-cold molecules, and investigating fundamental forces. However, since their first observation, quantum degenerate Fermi gases (DFGs) have continued to be challenging to produce, and have been realized in only a handful of laboratories. In this Letter, we report the production of a DFG using a simple apparatus based on a microfabricated magnetic trap. Similar approaches applied to Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) of 87Rb have accelerated evaporative cooling and eliminated the need for multiple vacuum chambers. We demonstrate sympathetic cooling for the first time in a microtrap, and cool 40K to Fermi degeneracy in just six seconds -- faster than has been possible in conventional magnetic traps. To understand our sympathetic cooling trajectory, we measure the temperature dependence of the 40K-87Rb cross-section and observe its Ramsauer-Townsend reduction.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures (v3: new collision data, improved atom number calibration, revised text, improved figures.

Pattern formation in 2-frequency forced parametric waves

We present an experimental investigation of superlattice patterns generated on the surface of a fluid via parametric forcing with 2 commensurate frequencies. The spatio-temporal behavior of 4 qualitatively different types of superlattice patterns is described in detail. These states are generated via a number of different 3--wave resonant interactions. They occur either as symmetry--breaking bifurcations of hexagonal patterns composed of a single unstable mode or via nonlinear interactions between the two primary unstable modes generated by the two forcing frequencies. A coherent picture of these states together with the phase space in which they appear is presented. In addition, we describe a number of new superlattice states generated by 4--wave interactions that arise when symmetry constraints rule out 3--wave resonances.Comment: The paper contains 34 pages and 53 figures and provides an extensive review of both the theoretical and experimental work peformed in this syste

Time-Resolved HST Spectroscopy of Four Eclipsing Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables

Time-resolved HST UV eclipse spectrophotometry is presented for the magnetic CVs V1309 Ori, MN Hya, V2301 Oph, and V1432 Aql. Separation of the light curves into wavebands allows the multiple emission components to be distinguished. Photospheric hot spots are detected in V1309 Ori and V2301 Oph. The emission- line spectra of V1309 Ori and MN Hya are unusual, with the strength of N V 1240 and N IV 1718 suggesting an overabundance of nitrogen. Three epochs of observation of the asynchronous V1432 Aql cover ~1/3 of a 50-day lap cycle between the white dwarf spin and binary orbit. The light curves vary from epoch to epoch and as a function of waveband. The dereddened UV spectrum is extremely bright and the spectral energy distribution coupled with the duration of eclipse ingress indicate that the dominant source of energy is a hot (T~35,000K) white dwarf. Undiminished line emission through eclipse indicates that the eclipse is caused by the accretion stream, not the secondary star. The hot white dwarf, combined with its current asynchronous nature and rapid timescale for relocking, suggests that V1432 Aql underwent a nova eruption in the past 75-150 yr. The reversed sense of asynchronism, with the primary star currently spinning up toward synchronism, is not necessarily at odds with this scenario, if the rotation of the magnetic white dwarf can couple to the ejecta during the wind phase of the eruption.Comment: To appear in ApJ Part 1; 25 pages, 12 figure