Electrochemical Communication in Bacterial Biofilms: A Study on Potassium Stimulation and Signal Transmission

Electrochemical communication is a mechanism that enables intercellular interaction among bacteria within communities. Bacteria achieves synchronization and coordinates collective actions at the population level through the utilization of electrochemical signals. In this work, we investigate the response of bacterial biofilms to artificial potassium concentration stimulation. We introduce signal inputs at a specific location within the biofilm and observe their transmission to other regions, facilitated by intermediary cells that amplify and relay the signal. We analyze the output signals when biofilm regions are subjected to different input signal types and explore their impact on biofilm growth. Furthermore, we investigate how the temporal gap between input pulses influences output signal characteristics, demonstrating that an appropriate gap yields distinct and well-defined output signals. Our research sheds light on the potential of bacterial biofilms as communication nodes in electrochemical communication networks

A NEW GLANCE TO THE ASPECTS OF Q-HELICES

In this examination, we take q-helices into consideration. By q-helices, we mean curves due to the quasi-frame (abbv. q-frame) whose vector fields make constant angles with a non-zero fixed axis. One by one, all types of these q-helices we study in the work are therefore classified in three dimensional Euclidean space. Additionally, we study Darboux q-helices by using Darboux vector obtained with respect to q-frames fields of a curve. For a curve enclosed with q-frame as a general case, we reach some results for Darboux q-helices

The Genetic Basis of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Literature Review Including Discussion of PPAR-γ

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder of the women of reproductive age. Familial clustering of PCOS has been consistently reported suggesting that genetic factors play a role in the development of the syndrome although PCOS cases do not exhibit a clear pattern of Mendelian inheritance. It is now well established that PCOS represents a complex trait similar to type-2 diabetes and obesity, and that both inherited and environmental factors contribute to the PCOS pathogenesis. A large number of functional candidate genes have been tested for association or linkage with PCOS phenotypes with more negative than positive findings. Lack of universally accepted diagnostic criteria, difficulties in the assignment of male phenotype, obscurity in the mode of inheritance, and particularly small sample size of the study populations appear to be major limitations for the genetic studies of PCOS. In the near future, utilizing the genome-wide scan approach and the HapMap project will provide a stronger potential for the genetic analysis of the syndrome

Application of Flow Cytometry and Fluorescence Techniques in Somatic Cell Analysis of Raw Milk

Monitoring the quality and safety of milk requires careful analysis of somatic cell count (SCC). High level of SCC is a signal of diseases such as mastitis. Mastitis can be detected not only by measuring the inflammatory components and pathogens but also evaluating the SCC in milk. In this study, somatic cells are counted with direct microscopy and flow cytometry. For SCC analyses, a centrifugal lipid clearing process is applied. Cleared samples are stained with two fluorescent dyes acridine orange (AO) and ethidium bromide (EtBr), which have different binding mechanism to cell. These two dyes and their different applications are investigated to reveal the effect on somatic cell count. The results are also compared with direct microscopy method. The results of flow cytometry counting method are well correlated with the ones obtained by direct microscopy technique. In conclusion, AO can be an alternative chemical dye for EtBr to be used in enumeration of SCC by flow cytometry technique

Evaluation of Rheological, Textural and Thermal Properties of Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa Willd) Based Breakfast Puree

This study was conducted to determine the rheological, thermal, textural and color properties of quinoa based breakfast puree possessing high nutritional value and composed of mainly non-dairy milk (soy milk) which could be an alternative to conventional gluten-containing dairy breakfast meals. The rheological properties were evaluated under steady and dynamic shear conditions. The steady shear test was carried out at 27 oC using a rotational type of viscometer. Quinoa puree showed pseudo plastic non-Newtonian and time-independent flow behavior. Rheological data was modeled by using Power and Herschel Buckley Models (R2>0.99). Dynamic shear properties were determined by applying sweep test using a rheometer. G' (elastic modulus) was reported to be greater than G" (viscous modulus) exhibiting elastic behavior. Specific Heat (Cp) of quinoa puree was determined endothermically using Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). The sample thermogram showed no glass transition point. But the melting point appeared at elevated temperature (above 120 oC). Textural properties of the puree in terms of consistency, cohesiveness and firmness confirmed its viscoelastic nature. Water activity was about 0.97 and the color was reasonably light and brownish

Engineering Yeast Cells to Facilitate Information Exchange

Although continuous advances in theoretical modelling of Molecular Communications (MC) are observed, there is still an insuperable gap between theory and experimental testbeds, especially at the microscale. In this paper, the development of the first testbed incorporating engineered yeast cells is reported. Different from the existing literature, eukaryotic yeast cells are considered for both the sender and the receiver, with {\alpha}-factor molecules facilitating the information transfer. The use of such cells is motivated mainly by the well understood biological mechanism of yeast mating, together with their genetic amenability. In addition, recent advances in yeast biosensing establish yeast as a suitable detector and a neat interface to in-body sensor networks. The system under consideration is presented first, and the mathematical models of the underlying biological processes leading to an end-to-end (E2E) system are given. The experimental setup is then described and used to obtain experimental results which validate the developed mathematical models. Beyond that, the ability of the system to effectively generate output pulses in response to repeated stimuli is demonstrated, reporting one event per two hours. However, fast RNA fluctuations indicate cell responses in less than three minutes, demonstrating the potential for much higher rates in the future.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures (2 of which are not colored) all .png, recently accepted for publication at TMBM