Homogenization Theory for the Prediction of Obstructed Solute Diffusivity in Macromolecular Solutions

The study of diffusion in macromolecular solutions is important in many biomedical applications such as separations, drug delivery, and cell encapsulation, and key for many biological processes such as protein assembly and interstitial transport. Not surprisingly, multiple models for the a-priori prediction of diffusion in macromolecular environments have been proposed. However, most models include parameters that are not readily measurable, are specific to the polymer-solute-solvent system, or are fitted and do not have a physical meaning. Here, for the first time, we develop a homogenization theory framework for the prediction of effective solute diffusivity in macromolecular environments based on physical parameters that are easily measurable and not specific to the macromolecule-solute-solvent system. Homogenization theory is useful for situations where knowledge of fine-scale parameters is used to predict bulk system behavior. As a first approximation, we focus on a model where the solute is subjected to obstructed diffusion via stationary spherical obstacles. We find that the homogenization theory results agree well with computationally more expensive Monte Carlo simulations. Moreover, the homogenization theory agrees with effective diffusivities of a solute in dilute and semi-dilute polymer solutions measured using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Lastly, we provide a mathematical formula for the effective diffusivity in terms of a non-dimensional and easily measurable geometric system parameter.     

Assessing Greater Sage-Grouse Selection of Brood-Rearing Habitat Using Remotely-Sensed Imagery: Can Readily Available High-Resolution Imagery Be Used to Identify Brood-Rearing Habitat Across a Broad Landscape?

Greater sage-grouse populations have decreased steadily since European settlement in western North America. Reduced availability of brood-rearing habitat has been identified as a limiting factor for many populations. We used radio-telemetry to acquire locations of sage-grouse broods from 1998 to 2012 in Strawberry Valley, Utah. Using these locations and remotely-sensed NAIP (National Agricultural Imagery Program) imagery, we 1) determined which characteristics of brood-rearing habitat could be used in widely available, high resolution imagery 2) assessed the spatial extent at which sage-grouse selected brood-rearing habitat, and 3) created a predictive habitat model to identify areas of preferred brood-rearing habitat. We used AIC model selection to evaluate support for a list of variables derived from remotely-sensed imagery. We examined the relationship of these explanatory variables at three spatial extents (45, 200, and 795 meter radii). Our top model included 10 variables (percent shrub, percent grass, percent tree, percent paved road, percent riparian, meters of sage/tree edge, meters of riparian/tree edge, distance to tree, distance to transmission lines, and distance to permanent structures). Variables from each spatial extent were represented in our top model with the majority being associated with the larger (795 meter) spatial extent. When applied to our study area, our top model predicted 75% of naïve brood locations suggesting reasonable success using this method and widely available NAIP imagery. We encourage application of our methodology to other sage-grouse populations and species of conservation concern.     

Carbodiimide-mediated conjugation of hippuric acid to concanavalin A: retention of ligand binding and hemagglutinating activities

Conditions for conjugating small molecules with reactive carboxyl groups to concanavalin A (ConA), with retention of biological activity of the lectin, are described. Hippuric acid was conjugated to reactive amino groups on ConA with N-ethyl-N'-(dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide under conditions in which neither inter- nor intra-molecular cross-linking was detectable. These same conditions provided for the loading of variable amounts of hippurate as a function of reaction time; conjugates were synthesized with 9.6 mol hippurate.mol ConA-1. Conjugation in the presence of 0.1 M phosphate provided a condition for limiting the extent of coupling; only amide linkages were formed. These conjugates retained both the ability to bind ligands and the hemagglutination titer of the native lectin.     

Subclassification of follicular lymphomas by computerized image processing

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with a follicular pattern are subdivided on the basis of morphologic criteria into four subtypes. Each subtype has a distinctive natural history, response to therapy and survival, and precise histologic diagnosis is essential for optimal treatment. However, recent studies by a panel of seven expert hematopathologists showed that there was a 20% to 40% likelihood of disagreement in subtyping non-Hodgkin's follicular lymphomas; thus, the likelihood of a patient receiving inappropriate treatment is high. To resolve some of the problems relating to subjective morphologic diagnosis, we have continued to investigate the possibility of using computerized image analysis to perform automated subtyping of follicular lymphomas. In the portion of the study reported herein, a total of 37 cases were selected from the set subtyped by the panel of expert hematopathologists, and digitized images of slides from each case were processed by computer. The computer-generated subtypes were compared with those arrived at by the panel. For the cases analyzed, the computer subtyping was at least as good as, and in some instances superior to, that of most of the expert panelists.     

X-ray induced translocations in spermatogonia. I. Dose and fractionation responses in mice

The frequency of recirprocal translocations, inducedm by X-irradiation of mouse spermatogonial cells and observed at diakinesis-metaphase I in primary spermatocytes, was measured over a dose range of 0–1200 R. The resulting dose-response curve gave a best fit to the model Y = bD+CD² over the range of 0–500 R. Above 600 R, howeverm, the yeild of translocations decreased with increasing dose, leadiong to a “humped” dose-response curve over the whole dose range studied, as has been observed by several worker previously.The significance of the nonlinear dose-response curve over the lower dose range is discussed in terms of the known fractionation and dose-rate effects for reciprocal translocations induced in spermatogonia.A dose of 800 R was split into two 400-R fractions separated by 8 weeks, or one of 1200 R into three equal parts, each separated by an 8-week interval. The resulting yield of translocations was the same as the sum of two, or three, separate 400-dose doses, but was much higher than a single dose of 800 R or 1200 R.It is suggested that these results, namely the shape of the dose-response curve and the “reverse” fractionation effect, can be explained in terms of resistant and sensitive stem-cell populations, but that any one cell can be in either population, depending upon the stage of the cell cycle in which it is at the time of irradiation.     

Cellulose-microfibril-orienting mechanisms in plant cells walls

A brief review is given of the changing views over the years, as knowledge of wall structure has developed, concerning the mechanism whereby cellulose chains may be oriented. This leads to an examination of current concepts, particularly those concerning microtubules. It is shown that none of the mechanisms suggested whereby microtubules might cause orientation of cellulose microfibrils is consistent with the known range of molecular architectures found in plant cell walls. It is further concluded that any mechanism which necessitates an indissoluble link between the plasmalemma and the cellulose-synthesising complex at the tip of a microfibril is unacceptable. A new proposal is presented in which it is speculated that both microtubules and microfibrils are oriented by a mechanism separate from both. It is shown that if two vectors are contemplated, one parallel to cell length and one at right angles, and a sensor exists on the plasmalemma surface which responds to changes in the vectors, then all known wall structures may be explained. The possible nature of the vectors and the sensor are considered.