Definition of a family of tissue-protective cytokines using functional cluster analysis: a proof-of-concept study

The discovery of the tissue-protective activities of erythropoietin (EPO) has underlined the importance of some cytokines in tissue-protection, repair, and remodeling. As such activities have been reported for other cytokines, we asked whether we could define a class of tissue-protective cytokines. We therefore explored a novel approach based on functional clustering. In this pilot study, we started by analyzing a small number of cytokines (30). We functionally classified the 30 cytokines according to their interactions by using the bioinformatics tool STRING (Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes), followed by hierarchical cluster analysis. The results of this functional clustering were different from those obtained by clustering cytokines simply according to their sequence. We previously reported that the protective activity of EPO in a model of cerebral ischemia was paralleled by an upregulation of synaptic plasticity genes, particularly early growth response 2 (EGR2). To assess the predictivity of functional clustering, we tested some of the cytokines clustering close to EPO (interleukin-11, IL-11; kit ligand, KITLG; leukemia inhibitory factor, LIF; thrombopoietin, THPO) in an in vitro model of human neuronal cells for their ability to induce EGR2. Two of these, LIF and IL-11, induced EGR2 expression. Although these data would need to be extended to a larger number of cytokines and the biological validation should be done using more robust in vivo models, rather then just one cell line, this study shows the feasibility of this approach. This type of functional cluster analysis could be extended to other fields of cytokine research and help design biological experiments

Experimental Visualization of Dispersion Characteristics of Backward Volume Spin Wave Modes

Basing on the measurement of spatial spectra (spectra of wavenumbers), the dispersion characteristics of the first three modes of backward volume spin wave, propagating along the direction of a constant uniform magnetic field in a tangentially magnetized ferrite film, were visualized firstly. The study was carried out by microwave probing of spin waves with subsequent use of spatial Fourier analysis of the complex wave amplitude for a series of frequencies. It was found that every m-th mode of the backward volume spins wave can be split into n satellite modes due to the existence of layers with similar magnetic parameters in ferrite film. It was found that satellites of the first mode of this wave are excited most effectively, while satellites of the third mode - least effectively, and the effectiveness of satellites excitation decreases as the number n increases. It is found that the theoretical dispersion dependencies of the first three modes of the wave coincide well with the experimental dispersion dependencies of the satellite mode that are excited most effectively.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

Improvement of several properties of lead tungstate crystals with different doping ions

A very good radiation resistance of Lead Tungstate crystals is mandatory for their use in the high precision electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS experiment at LHC. Since the beginning of 1996 we have organised systematic investigations of the parameters influencing the radiation hardness of this crystal. Two classes of parameters have been particularly studied, the first one related to the control of the stoichiometry and structure associated defects, the second one connected with the suppression and the charge compensation of existing defects with different kinds of doping ions. This paper reports about the second part of this study and complements a first paper where the role of the stoichiometry was already discussed. Results of tests are given on a significant statistical sample of full size crystals ( 23cm) which show a considerable improvement in the optical properties and the radiation resistance of appropriately doped crystals

Erythropoietin (EPO) increases myelin gene expression in CG4 oligodendrocyte cells through the classical EPO receptor

Erythropoietin (EPO) has protective effects in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, including in animal models of multiple sclerosis, where EPO decreases disease severity. EPO also promotes neurogenesis and is protective in models of toxic demyelination. In this study, we asked whether EPO could promote neurorepair by also inducing remyelination. In addition, we investigated whether the effect of EPO could be mediated by the classical erythropoietic EPO receptor (EPOR), since it is still questioned if EPOR is functional in non-hematopoietic cells. Using CG4 cells, a line of rat oligodendrocyte precursor cells, we found that EPO increases the expression of myelin genes (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) and myelin basic protein (MBP)). EPO had no effect in wild-type CG4 cells, which do not express EPOR, whereas it increased MOG and MBP expression in cells engineered to overexpress EPOR (CG4-EPOR). This was reflected in a marked increase in MOG protein levels, as detected by western blot. In these cells, EPO induced by 10-fold the early growth response gene 2 (Egr2), which is required for peripheral myelination. However, Egr2 silencing with a siRNA did not reverse the effect of EPO, indicating that EPO acts through other pathways. In conclusion, EPO induces the expression of myelin genes in oligodendrocytes and this effect requires the presence of EPOR. This study demonstrates that EPOR can mediate neuroreparative effects

Inorganic Scintillators for Detector Systems: Physical Principles and Crystal Engineering

The development of new scintillators as components of modern detector systems is increasingly defined by the end user's needs. This book provides an introduction to this emerging topic at the interface of physics and materials sciences, with emphasis on bulk inorganic scintillators. After surveying the end user's needs in a vast range of applications, ranging from astrophysics to industrial R & D, the authors move on to review scintillating mechanisms and the properties of the most important materials used. A chapter on crystal engineering and examples of recent developments in the field of high-energy physics and medical imaging introduce the reader to the practical aspects. This book will benefit researchers and scientists working in academic and industrial R & D related to the development of scintillators

Superdirected beam of the backward volume spin wave

Visualized patterns of the backward volume spin wave (BVSW) excited by arbitrarily oriented linear transducer in tangentially magnetized ferrite film are investigated experimentally in the plane of ferrite film for the case where the transducer length D is much larger than the wavelength λ0. Superdirected BVSW beam having zero angular width and minimal smearing of the beam energy along the film surface is observed experimentally. Thus, it is proved that such phenomenon as “superdirected propagation of the wave” exists in the nature

Superdirectional beam of surface spin wave

The visualized diffraction patterns of a surface spin wave excited by an arbitrarily oriented linear transducer are investigated experimentally in the plane of a tangentially magnetized ferrite film for the case in which the transducer length D is much larger than the wavelength $\lambda_{0}$ . It is shown experimentally and theoretically that the angular width of a diffracted surface spin wave beam in an anisotropic ferrite film can take values greater or less than $\lambda_{0}/D$ and can also be zero. For the last case a superdirectional (non-expanding) beam of the surface spin wave is observed experimentally: the smearing of the beam energy along the film plane is absent and the length of the beam trajectory is maximal $(\sim50\ \text{mm})$ . It is found that the well-known Rayleigh criterion used in isotropic media cannot be used to estimate the angular width of spin wave beams. The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical investigations, predictions, calculations and formulas obtained recently

Superdirectional beam of surface spin wave

The visualized diffraction patterns of a surface spin wave excited by an arbitrarily oriented linear transducer are investigated experimentally in the plane of a tangentially magnetized ferrite film for the case in which the transducer length D is much larger than the wavelength $\lambda_{0}$ . It is shown experimentally and theoretically that the angular width of a diffracted surface spin wave beam in an anisotropic ferrite film can take values greater or less than $\lambda_{0}/D$ and can also be zero. For the last case a superdirectional (non-expanding) beam of the surface spin wave is observed experimentally: the smearing of the beam energy along the film plane is absent and the length of the beam trajectory is maximal $(\sim50\ \text{mm})$ . It is found that the well-known Rayleigh criterion used in isotropic media cannot be used to estimate the angular width of spin wave beams. The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical investigations, predictions, calculations and formulas obtained recently

Superdirected beam of the backward volume spin wave

Visualized patterns of the backward volume spin wave (BVSW) excited by arbitrarily oriented linear transducer in tangentially magnetized ferrite film are investigated experimentally in the plane of ferrite film for the case where the transducer length D is much larger than the wavelength λ0. Superdirected BVSW beam having zero angular width and minimal smearing of the beam energy along the film surface is observed experimentally. Thus, it is proved that such phenomenon as “superdirected propagation of the wave” exists in the nature