Use of an Immobilized Monoclonal Antibody to Examine Integrin α5β1 Signaling Independent of Cell Spreading

Cell attachment to the extracellular matrix (ECM) engages integrin signaling into the cell, but part of the signaling response also stem from cell spreading (3). To analyze specific integrin signaling-mediated responses independent of cell spreading, we developed a method engaging integrin signaling by use of an immobilized anti-integrin monoclonal antibody (mab) directed against the fibronectin (FN) receptor integrin α5β1. ECV 304 cells were plated onto FN or immobilized mab JBS5 (anti-integrin α5β1) or onto poly-L-lysin (P-L-L), which mediates integrin-independent attachment. Cells attached and spread on FN, while cells on JBS5 or P-L-L attached but did not spread. Importantly, plating onto FN or mab JBS5 gave rise to identical integrin-induced responses, including a down-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk2) inhibitors p21(CIP1) and p27(KIP1), while attachment to P-L-L did not. We conclude that engagement of the FN-receptor integrin α5β1 induces integrin signaling regulating the Cdk2-inhibitors independent of cell spreading and present a method for how integrin signaling can be analyzed separate from the effects of cell spreading

Explicit Model Checking of Very Large MDP using Partitioning and Secondary Storage

The applicability of model checking is hindered by the state space explosion problem in combination with limited amounts of main memory. To extend its reach, the large available capacities of secondary storage such as hard disks can be exploited. Due to the specific performance characteristics of secondary storage technologies, specialised algorithms are required. In this paper, we present a technique to use secondary storage for probabilistic model checking of Markov decision processes. It combines state space exploration based on partitioning with a block-iterative variant of value iteration over the same partitions for the analysis of probabilistic reachability and expected-reward properties. A sparse matrix-like representation is used to store partitions on secondary storage in a compact format. All file accesses are sequential, and compression can be used without affecting runtime. The technique has been implemented within the Modest Toolset. We evaluate its performance on several benchmark models of up to 3.5 billion states. In the analysis of time-bounded properties on real-time models, our method neutralises the state space explosion induced by the time bound in its entirety.Comment: The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24953-7_1

Electronic structure and bonding properties of Si-doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon films

[[abstract]]This work investigates the C K-edge x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), valence-band photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of Si-doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon films. The C K-edge XANES and valence-band PES spectra indicate that the sp2/sp3 population ratio decreases as the amount of tetramethylsilane vapor precursor increases during deposition, which suggest that Si doping% enhances sp3 and reduces sp2-bonding configurations. FTIR spectra show the formation of a polymeric sp3 C–Hn structure and Si–Hn bonds, which causes the Young’s modulus and hardness of the films to decrease with the increase of the Si content.[[incitationindex]]SCI[[booktype]]紙

Modular immune-homeostatic microparticles promote immune tolerance in mouse autoimmune models

The therapeutic goal for autoimmune diseases is disease antigen-specific immune tolerance without nonspecific immune suppression. However, it is a challenge to induce antigen-specific immune tolerance in a dysregulated immune system. In this study, we developed immune-homeostatic microparticles (IHMs) that treat multiple mouse models of autoimmunity via induction of apoptosis in activated T cells and reestablishment of regulatory T cells. Specifically, in an experimental model of colitis, IHMs rapidly released monocyte chemotactic protein-1 after intravenous administration, which recruited activated T cells and then induced their apoptosis by conjugated Fas ligand on the IHM surface. This triggered professional macrophages to ingest apoptotic T cells and produce high quantities of transforming growth factor-β, which drove regulatory T cell differentiation. Furthermore, the modular design of IHMs allowed IHMs to be engineered with the autoantigen peptides that can reduce disease in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model and a nonobese diabetic mouse model. This was accomplished by sustained release of the autoantigens after induction of T cell apoptosis and transforming growth factor-β production by macrophages, which promoted to establish an immune tolerant environment. Thus, IHMs may be an efficient therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases through induction of apoptosis and reestablishment of tolerant immune responses

Urban energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Beijing: current and future

This paper calculates the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of Beijing over 2005–2011 in light of the Beijing’s energy balance table and the carbon emission coefficients of IPCC. Furthermore, based on a series of energy conservation planning program issued in Beijing, the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning System (LEAP)-BJ model is developed to study the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of Beijing’s six end-use sectors and the energy conversion sector over 2012–2030 under the BAU scenario and POL scenario. Some results are found in this research: (1) During 2005–2011, the energy consumption kept increasing, while the total CO2 emissions fluctuated obviously in 2008 and 2011. The energy structure and the industrial structure have been optimized to a certain extent. (2) If the policies are completely implemented, the POL scenario is projected to save 21.36 and 35.37 % of the total energy consumption and CO2 emissions than the BAU scenario during 2012 and 2030. (3) The POL scenario presents a more optimized energy structure compared with the BAU scenario, with the decrease of coal consumption and the increase of natural gas consumption. (4) The commerce and service sector and the energy conversion sector will become the largest contributor to energy consumption and CO2 emissions, respectively. The transport sector and the industrial sector are the two most potential sectors in energy savings and carbon reduction. In terms of subscenarios, the energy conservation in transport (TEC) is the most effective one. (5) The macroparameters, such as the GDP growth rate and the industrial structure, have great influence on the urban energy consumption and carbon emissions

Can sacrificial feeding areas protect aquatic plants from herbivore grazing? Using behavioural ecology to inform wildlife management

Effective wildlife management is needed for conservation, economic and human well-being objectives. However, traditional population control methods are frequently ineffective, unpopular with stakeholders, may affect non-target species, and can be both expensive and impractical to implement. New methods which address these issues and offer effective wildlife management are required. We used an individual-based model to predict the efficacy of a sacrificial feeding area in preventing grazing damage by mute swans (Cygnus olor) to adjacent river vegetation of high conservation and economic value. The accuracy of model predictions was assessed by a comparison with observed field data, whilst prediction robustness was evaluated using a sensitivity analysis. We used repeated simulations to evaluate how the efficacy of the sacrificial feeding area was regulated by (i) food quantity, (ii) food quality, and (iii) the functional response of the forager. Our model gave accurate predictions of aquatic plant biomass, carrying capacity, swan mortality, swan foraging effort, and river use. Our model predicted that increased sacrificial feeding area food quantity and quality would prevent the depletion of aquatic plant biomass by swans. When the functional response for vegetation in the sacrificial feeding area was increased, the food quantity and quality in the sacrificial feeding area required to protect adjacent aquatic plants were reduced. Our study demonstrates how the insights of behavioural ecology can be used to inform wildlife management. The principles that underpin our model predictions are likely to be valid across a range of different resource-consumer interactions, emphasising the generality of our approach to the evaluation of strategies for resolving wildlife management problems

Stacking-Dependent Band Gap and Quantum Transport in Trilayer Graphene

In a multi-layer electronic system, stacking order provides a rarely-explored degree of freedom for tuning its electronic properties. Here we demonstrate the dramatically different transport properties in trilayer graphene (TLG) with different stacking orders. At the Dirac point, ABA-stacked TLG remains metallic while the ABC counterpart becomes insulating. The latter exhibits a gap-like dI/dV characteristics at low temperature and thermally activated conduction at higher temperatures, indicating an intrinsic gap ~6 meV. In magnetic fields, in addition to an insulating state at filling factor {\nu}=0, ABC TLG exhibits quantum Hall plateaus at {\nu}=-30, \pm 18, \pm 9, each of which splits into 3 branches at higher fields. Such splittings are signatures of the Lifshitz transition induced by trigonal warping, found only in ABC TLG, and in semi-quantitative agreement with theory. Our results underscore the rich interaction-induced phenomena in trilayer graphene with different stacking orders, and its potential towards electronic applications.Comment: minor revision; published versio