Electro-acoustic fusion of erythrocytes and of myeloma cells

Mammalian cells can be concentrated in a sound field. A method is introduced, which combines the reversible aggregation of cells in a sound field with the electrical breakdown of cell membranes to fuse cells, which are in contact. Human red blood cells and mouse myeloma cells are fused by means of that procedure.     

Explanation of octave and diplacusis effects

The study is based on the model of sound perception that involves two systems of measuring the frequency of the sound being perceived. The system of analyzing the periodicity of spike sequence in axons of neurons innervating the internal auditory hair cells excited by the running wave is less precise, but it provides the estimation of the frequency of any periodical sounds. Exact measurement of the frequency of the sinusoidal sound occurs from the spikes in axons of neurones innervating the internal hair cells of the auditory reception field, which uses the entire train of waves excited by this sound in the critical layer of the waveguide of the internal ear cochlea, which corresponds to the frequency of the sound. The octave effect is explained in terms of the fact that the spectrum of frequencies of speech sounds, singing and music coincides with the region of the audibility range in which the impulses of the auditory nerve fibers are synchronized by incoming signals. The octave similarity, i.e., the similarity in the sounding of harmonic signals, whose frequencies relate as even numbers (2:1, etc.), is explained by an unambiguous match between the sound frequency and pulse rate in auditory fibers coming from the auditory reception field. The presence in the brain posterior tubercles of multipeak neurons whose peaks are in octave ratio, confirm the crucial role of the system of exact measurement of frequency in the phenomenon of octave similarity. The phenomenon of diplacusis, which is particularly pronounced in persons with Menier disease, is caused by changes in the position of the auditory reception field in the diseased ear as compared with the healthy ear. The alternating switching of reception from one ear to the other is related to a disturbance of the unitary image of pitch.     

Distribution of sound pressure around a singing cricket: radiation pattern and asymmetry in the sound field

Male field crickets generate calls to attract distant females through tegminal stridulation: the rubbing together of the overlying right wing which bears a file of cuticular teeth against the underlying left wing which carries a sclerotized scraper. During stridulation, specialized areas of membrane on both wings are set into oscillating vibrations to produce acoustic radiation. The location of females is unknown to the calling males and thus increasing effective signal range in all directions will maximize transmission effectiveness. However, producing an omnidirectional sound field of high sound pressure levels may be problematic due to the mechanical asymmetry found in this sound generation system. Mechanical asymmetry occurs by the right wing coming to partially cover the left wing during the closing stroke phase of stridulation. As such, it is hypothesized that the sound field on the left-wing side of the animal will contain lower sound pressure components than on the right-wing side as a result of this coverage. This hypothesis was tested using a novel method to accurately record a high-resolution, three dimensional mapping of sound pressure levels around restrained Gryllus bimaculatus field crickets singing under pharmacological stimulation. The results indicate that a bilateral asymmetry is present across individuals, with greater amplitude components present in the right-wing side of the animal. Individual variation in sound pressure to either the right- or left-wing side is also observed. However, statistically significant differences in bilateral sound field asymmetry as presented here may not affect signalling in the field.     

声波刺激对中华猕猴桃ATP含量的影响

根据环境应力对植物应激效应的原理，运用声波刺激木质藤本植物中华猕猴桃茎段的愈伤组织，测定ATP含量及其变化情况，并通过与对照组(CK)相应值的比较，研究声波对植物能量代谢的影响。采用单因子实验设计，分别固定作为交变应力的声波的频率或强度这两个参数中的一个，而改变另一个指标的值，对实验材料进行处理，实验结果表明，声波对猕猴桃愈伤组织ATP的含量有着比较明显的增强或抑制的双重效应，适度的声场刺激将有利于提高植物的能量代谢水平，其中，最适的声波频率为1000Hz，而最适声强为100dB左右。     

MRI gradient coil cylinder sound field simulation and measurement

High-field, high-speed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) generates high sound levels within and nearby the scanner. The mechanism and process that produces the gradient magnetic field (a cylindrical electro-magnet, called the gradient coil cylinder, which produces a spatially and temporally varying magnetic field inside a static background magnetic field) is the primary source of this noise. This noise can cause difficulties in verbal communication in and around the scanner, heightened patient anxiety, temporary hearing loss and possible permanent hearing impairment for health care workers and patients. In order to effectively suppress the sound radiation from the gradient coil cylinder the sound field within and nearby the gradient coil needs to be characterized This characterization may be made using an analytical solution of the sound pressure field, computational simulation, measurement analysis or some combination of these three methods. This paper presents the computational simulation and measurement results of a study of the sound radiation from a head and neck gradient coil cylinder within a 4 Tesla MRI whole body scanner. The measurement results for the sound pressure level distribution along the centerline of the gradient coil cylinder are presented. The sound pressure distributions predicted from Finite Element Analysis of the gradient coil movement during operation and subsequent Boundary Element Analysis of the sound field generated are also presented. A comparison of the measured results and the predicted results shows close agreement. Because of the extremely complex nature of the analytical solution for the gradient coil cylinder, a treatment of the analytical solution and comparison to the computational results for a simple cylinder vibrating in a purely radial direction are also presented and also show close agreement between the two methods thus validating the computational approach used with the more complex gradient coil cylinder.     

Evaluation method of artificial acoustical environment: visualization of sound intensity

Recent development of sound reproduction systems such as 5.1 surround produces artificial sound field inside the enclosure. The acoustic characteristic of the enclosure is an important factor which determines the quality of the sound field reproduction. This paper provides a useful method for evaluating the characteristics of the sound field in the enclosed space. The proposed method is based on the visualization of the measured sound intensity. In this research, the sound intensity is obtained by measuring the impulse responses from the sound source to the receiving points. The direction and the strength of the intensity can be interpreted as having a strong correlation with the reflected sound from the corresponding direction. The proposed method thus projects that information, i.e., the arriving direction and the strength of the intensity, as the circle having appropriate radius onto the surface of the rectangular wire-frame box. This visualization makes it easy to grasp the fundamental characteristics of the reflections in the enclosure.     

Magneto-electro-fusion of human erythrocytes

In inhomogeneous (static) magnetic fields close contact between ‘magnetic’ human erythrocytes was established. The cells were made magnetic by incubating them in a medium containing small Fe₃O₄-particles which adsorbed to the outer membrane surface. Fusion was induced by applying two electric field pulses (field strength: 8.5 kV · cm^?1; duration: 60 μs) to the magnetically collected cells. This procedure allowed the use of electrically conductive media (3 · 10^?1 Ω^?1 · cm^?1). Fusion of red blood cells occured very often. If cell suspensions of high density were used fusion resulted in the formation of giant red blood cells with osmotically intact membranes.     

Source localization in underwater sound fields

We investigated the acoustical information present in the field of arbitrary sound sources which may provide direction and distance to the source from a local reading of the sound field parameters. If the effects of reflections are negligible, the particle acceleration is directed radially at the instant of sound pressure nulls. The spectral relation between the radial component of the particle aceleration and the sound pressure is characterized by a critical frequency where a sharp transition occurs in the amplitude ratio and the phase relation of these variables. The critical frequency depends on the distance to the source and depends little on the source type (mono-, di- or quadrupole). Thus, a local reading of the particle acceleration and the sound pressure is in principle sufficient to localize the sound source in three dimensions. Fish might use this kind of information for acoustic orientation.     

Fusion of Avena sativa mesophyll cell protoplasts by electrical breakdown

Studies with the light microscope were carried out on mesophyll cell protoplasts of Avena sativa which had been made to undergo fusion by reversible electrical breakdown of the cell membrane. In order to establish close membrane contact between the cells, an important prerequisite for fusion, a method known as dielectrophoresis was used. In an inhomogeneous alternating electrical field the protoplasts adhere to the electrodes and to each other in the direction of the field lines. The cells which were thus brought into close contact with each other could be made to fuse by the application of a field pulse of high amplitude (about 750 V/cm) and short duration (20–50 μs). The field strength required for fusion exceeds the value necessary for the electrical breakdown of the cell membrane. Fusion took place within some minutes and led to a high yield of fused protoplasts. The fusion of cells being in the electric field occured in a synchronous manner. In some of the fusion experiments part of the protoplasts of A. sativa were stained with neutral red. When these cells were fused with unstained protoplasts, the vacuoles from the different cells within the fused aggregate could be shown to remain separate for quite some time.     

Spherical sound radiation patterns of singing grass cicadas, Tympanistalna gastrica

The spatial pattern of sound radiation of grass cicadas emitting normally patterned calling songs was measured in the acoustic far field with an array of eight microphones at a distance of 15 cm. The array could be rotated to cover the sphere around the cicada. The sound was analysed in one-third-octave bands with centre frequencies from 3.15 kHz to 16 kHz, the frequency range of the calling song. The seven cicadas studied had very similar spatial radiation patterns, but somewhat different emitted sound powers (range 190–440 nW, mean 280 nW, at 22 °C). At low frequencies, the pattern of sound radiation was close to spherical. At higher frequencies, systematic deviations from a spherical pattern were evident. The deviations were of the order of magnitude expected for monopolar sound sources located on sound-shielding bodies. We conclude that, although the singing cicada produces a quite complex acoustic near field, it behaves as a monopole in the far field. These findings are compared with data from a singing grasshopper of similar size, which in the far field behaves as a multipole. Accepted: 20 November 1999     

Fast motility of isolated mammalian auditory sensory cells

Auditory sensory cells (hair cells) are responsible for sound transduction in the cochlea of the inner ear. In the presence of a longitudinal a.c. field isolated living outer hair cells showed reversible motile responses. They followed the stimulus up to at least 1 kHz. Control experiments in the presence of cytochalasin B, phalloidin and dinitrophenol excluded actomyosin as a molecular basis of the high frequency motility. The results suggest, that outer hair cells might amplify sound-induced oscillations in the inner ear and thus increase sensitivity and frequency selectivity of hearing.     

面向鸟鸣声识别任务的深度学习技术

在生态系统中,鸟类是重要的组成部分,对调节生态环境和监测生物多样性至关重要,甚至可以通过监测鸟群动向与监听鸟群异常鸣声对地震、海啸等自然灾害进行辅助预测和防范,为此,鸟鸣声识别和异常鸣声监测成为热门的研究方向。然而,由于传统鸟鸣声识别方法存在特征提取不充分等问题,导致识别率不高。本文采用融合特征的方法结合深度学习技术提取鸟鸣声特征,融合特征选择改良后的对数梅尔谱差分参数同原始信号参数拼接所得的特征;深度学习方法是基于Dense Net121网络结构,并融入自注意力模块与中心损失函数进行鸟鸣声识别。自注意力模块部分提高了关键通道的特征表达能力;中心损失函数可解决类内特征不紧凑问题。我们通过消融实验对比验证,对在Xeno-Canto世界野生鸟类声音公开数据集上选取的10种鸟类声音进行识别,准确率达到96.9%。代码已开源至Github:https://github.com/Carrie X6/-Xeno-Canto-.git。     

Dual‐specificity tyrosine phosphorylation‐regulated kinase 2 regulates osteoclast fusion in a cell heterotypic manner

Monocyte fusion into osteoclasts, bone resorbing cells, plays a key role in bone remodeling and homeostasis; therefore, aberrant cell fusion may be involved in a variety of debilitating bone diseases. Research in the last decade has led to the discovery of genes that regulate osteoclast fusion, but the basic molecular and cellular regulatory mechanisms underlying the fusion process are not completely understood. Here, we reveal a role for Dyrk2 in osteoclast fusion. We demonstrate that Dyrk2 down regulation promotes osteoclast fusion, whereas its overexpression inhibits fusion. Moreover, Dyrk2 also promotes the fusion of foreign‐body giant cells, indicating that Dyrk2 plays a more general role in cell fusion. In an earlier study, we showed that fusion is a cell heterotypic process initiated by fusion‐founder cells that fuse to fusion‐follower cells, the latter of which are unable to initiate fusion. Here, we show that Dyrk2 limits the expansion of multinucleated founder cells through the suppression of the fusion competency of follower cells.     

Electrical fusion for optimal formation of protoplast heterokaryons in Nicotiana

The electrical fusion of protoplasts has been studied in order to maximize the formation of heterokaryons for culture. Heterokaryons of Nicotiana tabacum L. mesophyll protoplasts and N. plumbaginifolia Viviani supension-cell protoplasts were identified in fixed and stained as well as living material; a quantitative fusion index was thereby developed. With this index the efficiencies of various electric fields and fusion-chamber designs have been determined. Optimal fusion was obtained with an alternating-current (AC) field of 150 V/cm and direct-current (DC) square-wave pulses of 1000 V/cm. A new, simple-to-use, largescale fusion chamber is described in which batches of up to 5·10⁵ protoplasts (0.5 ml of cells at 10⁶/ml) can be fused in 5–7 min with efficiencies approaching 40%. Half of the fusion products are heterokaryons, thus fusion is random. Of the fusion products, 60% are bi- or trinucleate. Using fusion procedures similar to those described here Bates and C. Hasenkampf (1985, Theor. Appl. Genet., in press) have recovered viable somatic hybrids which have been regenerated.Abbreviations AC alternating current - DC direct current - PEG polyethylene glycol     

Coding of sound location and frequency in the auditory midbrain of diurnal birds of prey,families accipitridae and falconidae

Summary The coding of sound frequency and location in the avian auditory midbrain nucleus (nMLD) was examined in three diurnal raptors: the brown falcon (Falco berigora), the swamp harrier (Circus aeruginosus) and the brown goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus). Previously this nucleus has been studied with free field stimuli in only one other species, the barn owl (Tyto alba).We found some parallels between the organisation of nMLD in the diurnal raptors and that reported in the barn owl in that the central region of nMLD was tonotopically organised and contained cells that did not encode location, and the lateral region (nMLDl) contained cells which were sensitive to stimulus position. However, unlike the barn owl, which has units with circumscribed receptive fields, cells sensitive to stimulus location had large receptive fields which were restricted in azimuth but not in elevation (hemifield units). Such cells could not provide an acoustic space map in which both azimuthal and elevational dimensions were represented, but there was a tendency for units with contralateral borders to be found superficially, and those with ipsilateral borders to be found deep, in nMLDl. Hemifield units displayed receptive field properties consistent with the directional properties of the tympana in the presence of sound transmission through the interaural canal, if there is a central mechanism which is sensitive to interaural intensity differences.Abbreviations nMLD nucleus mesencephalicus lateralis pars dorsalis - SPL sound pressure level re 20 Pa - nMLDl lateral region of nMLD - ICC central nucleus of the inferior colliculus - ICX external nucleus of the inferior colliculus - IID interaural intensity difference - EI excitatory inhibitory     

声波刺激对猕猴桃愈伤组织ATP含量的影响

采用单因子实验设计,分别先固定作为交变应力的声波的频率或强度这两个参数中的一个,而改变另一个指标的值,用声波刺激木本植物中华猕猴桃(Actinidiachinensis)茎段的愈伤组织,并测定对比声波处理前后其ATP含量及变化情况。实验结果表明,声波对猕猴桃愈伤组织ATP的含量有着比较明显的增强或抑制的双重效应,适度的声场刺激将有利于提高植物的能量代谢水平,其中,最适的声波频率为1000Hz,最适声强为100dB左右 。     

Evidence of interlinks between bioelectromagnetics and biomechanics: from biophysics to medical physics

A vast literature on electromagnetic and mechanical bioeffects at the bone and soft tissue level, as well as at the cellular level (osteoblasts, osteoclasts, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, chondrocytes, nerve cells, endothelial and muscle cells) has been reviewed and analysed in order to show the evident connections between both types of physical energies. Moreover, an intimate link between the two is suggested by transduction phenomena (electromagnetic-acoustic transduction and its reverse) occurring in living matter, as a sound biophysical literature has demonstrated.However, electromagnetic and mechanical signals are not always interchangeable, depending on their respective intensity. Calculations are reported in order to show in which cases (read: for which values of electric field in V/m and of mechanical pressure in Pa) a given electromagnetic or mechanical bioeffect is only due to the directly impinging energy or even to the indirect transductional energy.The relevance of the treated item for the applications of medical physics to regenerative medicine is stressed.     

蟾蜍红细胞融合条件的正交设计优化

目的：用聚乙二醇法探讨蟾蜍红细胞融合的最佳条件。方法：采用3因素3水平的正交实验法,以蟾蜍红细胞为材料,从聚乙二醇浓度、反应时间、反应温度三方面计算细胞融合率,探讨和比较蟾蜍红细胞融合的最适条件及影响因素。结果：蟾蜍红细胞融合的最佳条件是：选用50%的聚乙二醇,反应温度为37℃,反应时间为15min。     

The inner ear morphology and hearing abilities of the Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) and the Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)

Concern regarding the spread of silver carp (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Aristichthysc nobilis) through the Illinois River has prompted the development of an Acoustic Fish Deterrent (AFD) system. The application of this technology has resulted in a need to understand the auditory physiology of fish other than the target species, in order to minimise the effect of the AFD barrier on the ecology of indigenous fish populations. To this end, both the structures involved in sound reception and the hearing abilities of the paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) and the lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are studied here using a combination of morphological and physiological approaches, revealing that both fish are responsive to sounds ranging in frequency from 100 to 500 Hz. The lowest hearing thresholds from both species were acquired from frequencies in a bandwidth of between 200 and 300 Hz, with higher thresholds at 100 and 500 Hz. The rationale for studying hearing in P. spathula and A. fulvescens in particular, is the value placed on them by both the commercial caviar producing industry and by the recreational fisheries sector. The hearing abilities of twelve P. spathula and twelve A. fulvescens were tested in sound fields dominated by either sound pressure or particle motion, with the results showing that acipenseriform fish are responsive to the motion of water particles in a sound field, rather than the sound pressure component. In this study, we measure the intensity of the sound field required to evoke threshold responses using a pressure sensitive hydrophone, as pressure dominated sound fields are the most audible acoustic condition for specialists like H. molitrix and A. nobilis (the target species). The results of the auditory examination clearly show that P. spathula and A. fulvescens are not sensitive to sound pressure, and will therefore have a significantly higher deterrent threshold than H. molitrix and A. nobilis in a pressure dominated sound field.     

Beware of the commercialization of human cells and tissues: situation in the European Union

With this analysis we would like to raise some issues that emerge as a result of recent evolutions in the burgeoning field of human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based product (HCT/P) transplantation, and this in the light of the current EU regulatory framework. This paper is intended as an open letter addressed to the EU policy makers, who will be charged with the review and revision of the current legislation. We propose some urgent corrections or additions to cope with the rapid advances in biomedical science, an extensive commercialization of HCT/Ps, and the growing expectation of the general public regarding the ethical use of altruistically donated cells and tissues. Without a sound wake-up call, the diverging interests of this newly established 'healthcare' industry and the wellbeing of humanity will likely lead to totally unacceptable situations, like some of which we are reporting here.