Modified Kedem-Katchalsky equations for osmosis through nano-pore

This work presents a modified Kedem-Katchalsky equations for osmosis through nano-pore. osmotic reflection coefficient of a solute was found to be chiefly affected by the entrance of the pore while filtration reflection coefficient can be affected by both the entrance and the internal structure of the pore. Using an analytical method, we get the quantitative relationship between osmotic reflection coefficient and the molecule size. The model is verified by comparing the theoretical results with the reported experimental data of aquaporin osmosis. Our work is expected to pave the way for a better understanding of osmosis in bio-system and to give us new ideas in designing new membranes with better performance.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure

Friedel oscillations in graphene gapped by breaking \u3ci\u3eƤ\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eT\u3c/i\u3e symmetries: Topological and geometrical signatures of electronic structure

The measurement of Friedel oscillations (FOs) is conventionally used to recover the energy dispersion of electronic structure. Besides the energy dispersion, the modern electronic structure also embodies other key ingredients such as the geometrical and topological properties; it is one promising direction to explore the potential of FOs for the relevant measurement. Here, we present a comprehensive study of FOs in substrate-supported graphene under off-resonant circularly polarized light, in which a valley-contrasting feature and topological phase transition occur due to the combined breaking of inversion (Ƥ) and time reversal (T) symmetries. Depending on the position of the Fermi level, FOs may be contributed by electronic backscattering in one single valley or two valleys. In the single-valley regime, the oscillation periods of FOs can be used to determine the topological phase boundary of electronic structure, while the amplitudes of FOs distinguish trivial insulators and topological insulators in a quantitative way. In the two-valley regime, the unequal Fermi surfaces lead to a beating pattern (robust two-wave-front dislocations) of FOs contributed by intravalley (intervalley) scattering. This study implies the great potential of FOs in characterizing topological and geometrical properties of the electronic structure of two-dimensional materials

The chloride channel cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) controls cellular quiescence by hyperpolarizing the cell membrane during diapause in the crustacean Artemia

Cellular quiescence, a reversible state in which growth, proliferation, and other cellular activities are arrested, is important for self-renewal, differentiation, development, regeneration, and stress resistance. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying cellular quiescence remain largely unknown. In the present study, we used embryos of the crustacean Artemia in the diapause stage, in which these embryos remain quiescent for prolonged periods, as a model to explore the relationship between cell-membrane potential (V-mem) and quiescence. We found that V-mem is hyperpolarized and that the intracellular chloride concentration is high in diapause embryos, whereas V-mem is depolarized and intracellular chloride concentration is reduced in postdiapause embryos and during further embryonic development. We identified and characterized the chloride ion channel protein cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) of Artemia (Ar-CFTR) and found that its expression is silenced in quiescent cells of Artemia diapause embryos but remains constant in all other embryonic stages. Ar-CFTR knockdown and GlyH-101-mediated chemical inhibition of Ar-CFTR produced diapause embryos having a high V-mem and intracellular chloride concentration, whereas control Artemia embryos released free-swimming nauplius larvae. Transcriptome analysis of embryos at different developmental stages revealed that proliferation, differentiation, and metabolism are suppressed in diapause embryos and restored in postdiapause embryos. Combined with RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of GlyH-101-treated MCF-7 breast cancer cells, these analyses revealed that CFTR inhibition down-regulates the Wnt and Aurora Kinase A (AURKA) signaling pathways and up-regulates the p53 signaling pathway. Our findings provide insight into CFTR-mediated regulation of cellular quiescence and V-mem in the Artemia model

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the hydrothermal vent galatheid crab Shinkaia crosnieri (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura): A novel arrangement and incomplete tRNA suite

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metazoan mitochondrial genomes usually consist of the same 37 genes. Such genes contain useful information for phylogenetic analyses and evolution modelling. Although complete mitochondrial genomes have been determined for over 1,000 animals to date, hydrothermal vent species have, thus far, remained excluded due to the scarcity of collected specimens.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mitochondrial genome of the hydrothermal vent galatheid crab <it>Shinkaia crosnieri </it>is 15,182 bp in length, and is composed of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes and only 18 transfer RNA genes. The total AT content of the genome, as is typical for decapods, is 72.9%. We identified a non-coding control region of 327 bp according to its location and AT-richness. This is the smallest control region discovered in crustaceans so far. A mechanism of cytoplasmic tRNA import was addressed to compensate for the four missing tRNAs. The <it>S. crosnieri </it>mitogenome exhibits a novel arrangement of mitochondrial genes. We investigated the mitochondrial gene orders and found that at least six rearrangements from the ancestral pancrustacean (crustacean + hexapod) pattern have happened successively. The codon usage, nucleotide composition and bias show no substantial difference with other decapods. Phylogenetic analyses using the concatenated nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the 13 protein-coding genes prove consistent with the previous classification based upon their morphology.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present study will supply considerable data of use for both genomic and evolutionary research on hydrothermal vent ecosystems. The mitochondrial genetic characteristics of decapods are sustained in this case of <it>S. crosnieri </it>despite the absence of several tRNAs and a number of dramatic rearrangements. Our results may provide evidence for the immigrating hypothesis about how vent species originate.</p

Robust wavefront dislocations of Friedel oscillations in gapped graphene

Friedel oscillation is a well-known wave phenomenon, which represents the oscillatory response of electron waves to imperfection. By utilizing the pseudospin-momentum locking in gapless graphene, two recent experiments demonstrate the measurement of the topological Berry phase by corresponding to the unique number of wavefront dislocations in Friedel oscillations. Here, we study the Friedel oscillations in gapped graphene, in which the pseudospin-momentum locking is broken. Unusually, the wavefront dislocations do occur as that in gapless graphene, which expects the immediate verification in the current experimental condition. The number of wavefront dislocations is ascribed to the invariant pseudospin winding number in gaped and gapless graphene. This study deepens the understanding of correspondence between topological quantity and wavefront dislocations in Friedel oscillations, and implies the possibility to observe the wavefront dislocations of Friedel oscillations in intrinsic gapped two-dimensional materials, e.g., transition metal dichalcogenides.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Extracellular Matrix Peptides of Artemia Cyst Shell Participate in Protecting Encysted Embryos from Extreme Environments

BACKGROUND: Many species of the brine shrimp Artemia are found in various severe environments in many parts of the world where extreme salinity, high UV radiation levels, high pH, anoxia, large temperature fluctuations, and intermittent dry conditions are often recorded. To withstand adverse environments, Artemia undergoes an oviparous developmental pathway to release cysts whereas, under favorable conditions, swimming nauplius larvae are formed directly via an ovoviviparous pathway. In the former case these cysts have an extraordinary ability to keep the embryos protected from the harsh environment for long periods. This is achieved through the protection by a complex out-wrapping cyst shell. However, the formation and function of the cyst shell is complex; the details remain largely unclear. PRINCIPAL FINDING: A shell gland-specific gene (SGEG2) was cloned and identified from a suppression subtractive hybridization library. Western blot analysis showed that SGEG2 presumably requires post-translational proteolysis in order to be processed into two mature peptides (SGEG2a and 2b). The three matrix peptides (SGEG1 reported previously, 2a, and 2b) were found to distribute throughout the cyst shell. The results of gene knockdown by RNAi and subsequent resistance to environmental stresses assays indicated that these matrix peptides are required for cyst shell formation and are involved in protecting the encysted embryos from environmental stress. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study revealed that extracellular matrix peptides participate in protecting embryos from extreme salinity, UV radiation, large temperature fluctuations and dry environments, thereby facilitating their survival. The cyst shell provides an excellent opportunity to link the ecological setting of an organism to the underlying physiological and biochemical processes enabling its survival. The cyst shell material has also a high potential to become an excellent new biomaterial with a high number of prospective uses due, specifically, to such biological characteristics