Infrared spectroscopy characterization of normal and lung cancer cells originated from epithelium

The vibrational spectral differences of normal and lung cancer cells were studied for the development of effective cancer cell screening by means of attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy. The phosphate monoester symmetric stretching νs(PO32-) band intensity at ~970 cm-1 and the phosphodiester symmetric stretching νs(PO2-) band intensity at ~1,085 cm-1 in nucleic acids and phospholipids appeared to be significantly strengthened in lung cancer cells with respect to the other vibrational bands compared to normal cells. This finding suggests that more extensive phosphorylation occur in cancer cells. These results demonstrate that lung cancer cells may be prescreened using infrared spectroscopy tools

Correlation of p16INK4A Expression and HPV Copy Number with Cellular FTIR Spectroscopic Signatures of Cervical Cancer Cells

Cervical cancer, a potentially preventable disease, has its main aetiology in infection by high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV). Approaches to improving cervical cancer screening and diagnostic methodologies include molecular biological analysis, targeting of biomarker proteins, but also exploration and implementation of new techniques such as vibrational spectroscopy. This study correlates the biomarker protein p16INK4A expression levels dependent on HPV copy number with the infrared absorption spectral signatures of the cervical cancer cell lines, HPV negative C33A, HPV-16 positive SiHa and CaSki and HPV-18 positive HeLa. Confocal fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that p16INK4A is expressed in all investigated cell lines in both nuclear and cytoplasmic regions, although predominantly in the cytoplasm. Flow cytometry was used to quantify the p16INK4A expression levels and demonstrated a correlation, albeit nonlinear, between the reported number of integrated HPV copies and p16INK4A expression levels. CaSki cells were found to have the highest level of expression, HeLa intermediate levels, and SiHa and C33A the lowest levels. FTIR spectra revealed differences in nucleic acid, lipid and protein signatures between the cell lines with varying HPV copy number. Peak intensities exhibited increasing tendency in nucleic acid levels and decreasing tendency in lipid levels with increasing HPV copy number, and although they were found to be nonlinearly correlated with the HPV copy number, their dependence on p16INK4A levels was found to be close to linear. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the Infrared absorption spectra revealed differences between nuclear and cytoplasmic spectroscopic signatures for all cell lines, and furthermore clearly differentiated the groups of spectra representing each cell line. Finally, Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was employed to construct a model which can predict the p16INK4A expression level based on a spectral fingerprint of a cell line, demonstrating the diagnostic potential of spectroscopic techniques

The influence of pre-treatment of Spartium junceum L. fibres on the structure and mechanical properties of PLA biocomposites

Different chemical pre-treatments of Spartium junceum L. fibres using alkali (NaOH), nanoclay (MMT) and Citric acid (CA) with the aim of producing biodegradable composite material are discussed. As environmental requirements in processing technologies have been higher in recent years, the Polylactic acid (PLA) is used in this research as a matrix, due to its renewability, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Biocomposites are prepared by reinforcing PLA with randomly oriented, short Spartium junceum L. fibres in order to increase material strength. The effects of different pre-treatments of Spartium junceum L. fibres on the mechanical properties of final biocomposite material are examined. Fibre tenacity is studied using Vibroscop and Vibrodyn devices. Tensile strength of biocomposite material was measured on the universal electromechanical testing machine Instron 5584. The results indicate that biocomposites reinforced with fibres modified with MMT and CA show upgraded mechanical properties of the final composite material in comparison with the composite materials reinforced with referenced (nontreated) fibres. Infrared spectra of tested fibres and biocomposites were determined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy using Attenuated total reflection (FT-IR ATR) sampling technique and the influence of fibre modifications on the fibre/polymer interfacial bonding was investigated. The interface of Spartium/PLA composites was observed with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and it was clearly visible that biocomposites reinforced with fibres modified by MMT and CA showed better interaction of fibres and matrix.British Scholarship Trust; Croatian Science Foundatio

M-learning for the Art of Drawing: Informal Learning for a Digital Age

Abstract— Mobile learning (M-learning) has become part of a rich mix of new features and facilities in the teaching and learning process, and with the advent and proliferation of the smartphone, M-learning is reaching new heights. In the art world, M-learning is also being explored, and as students can be connected to their teacher from anywhere in the world, there is no longer the need for a physical studio to learn the magic of art. The researchers therefore set out to create a course using digital technologies for teaching the Art of Drawing online. Initially, the researchers made use of the Delphi method to query a panel of 19 experts in the fields of art education, educational technologists and artists to gather their input for an online, M-Learning course model. After which, 248 Facebook members belonging to the ‘Society of the Professional Art Teachers Development of Thailand’ were selected by use stratified random sampling. From these members, 201 opted to participate in a 2-month M-learning course concerned with the Art of Drawing. Results revealed that both the experts and the course students found the use of digital tools such as the iPad, tablet, and smartphone as very appropriate in learning the Art of Drawing. The same was true for the applications as well.</p

Digital Sketching Applications for Design of Multicultural Toys Based on Himavanta Creatures from Thai, Laos, and Myanmar Fine Arts

The research focuses on digital sketching aspect through a depiction of Himavanta creatures and characters from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, where the details of paintings, sculptures, and architectural features as well as multicultural aspiration and imaginations are considered main variables. The research analyzed Himavanta creatures’cultural identities, sculptural forms and patterns, colors, and characteristic structures and implemented these identities into a design process, which then initiated a digital sketching process to transfer the artwork into designing multicultural toys. The evaluation processes comprised of eight design aspects including 1) concepts and theories of toy design, 2) contents connectedness, 3) discretion to communities, 4) suitability of Himavanta creature, 5) numbers of character sets in basic level, 6) numbers of character sets in experienced level, 7) content management for toy design process, and 8) digitize design procedures.The research results show that the Himavanta creatures including Singha, Chinese lion, Kochasri, Garuda and Swan that based on the digital sketch from paintings, sculptures, architectural features, as well as artisan’s imaginations in the multicultural societies were significantly similar.By testing and applyingthe concepts and theories of multicultural toy design processes from digital sketches, each final design found to be practical and displayed effective cultural means that remains true to its mood and tonality of its cultural interpretation. Consequently, the level of satisfactory evaluation on the process of the design samples, the awareness effectiveness, and the toy’s interpretation shows the value of x̄ = 4.46 and the value of 0.58 standard deviation. The satisfaction on the design worksshows that awareness and interpretation consistency indicate x̄ =3.84 and the standard deviation was at 0.65.  </p