Physical Explanation of Coupled Cell-Cell Rotational Behavior and Interfacial Morphology: A Particle Dynamics Model

Previous studies have reported persistent rotational behavior between adherent cell-cell pairs cultured on micropatterned substrates, and this rotation is often accompanied by a sigmoidal deflection of the cell-cell interface. Interestingly, the cell-cell rotation runs in the opposite reference frame from what could be expected of single cell locomotion. Specifically, the rotation of the cell pair consists of each individual cell protruding from the inwardly regressive arm of the cell-cell interface, and retracting from the other outwardly protrusive arm. To this author’s knowledge, the cause of this elusive behavior has not yet been clarified. Here, we propose a physical model based on particle dynamics, accounting for actomyosin forcing, viscous dissipation, and cortical tension. The results show that a correlation in actomyosin force vectors leads to both persistent rotational behavior and interfacial deflection in a simulated cell cluster. Significantly, the model, without any artificial cues, spontaneously and consistently reproduces the same rotational reference frame as experimentally observed. Further analyses show that the interfacial deflection depends predominantly on cortical tension, whereas the cluster rotation depends predominantly on actomyosin forcing. Together, these results corroborate the hypothesis that both rotational and morphological phenomena are, in fact, physically coupled by an intracellular torque of a common origin.     

Exploring Patient Values in Medical Decision Making: A Qualitative Study

Background

Patient decisions are influenced by their personal values. However, there is a lack of clarity and attention on the concept of patient values in the clinical context despite clear emphasis on patient values in evidence-based medicine and shared decision making. The aim of the study was to explore the concept of patient values in the context of making decisions about insulin initiation among people with type 2 diabetes.

Methods and Findings

We conducted individual in-depth interviews with people with type 2 diabetes who were making decisions about insulin treatment. Participants were selected purposively to achieve maximum variation. A semi-structured topic guide was used to guide the interviews which were audio-recorded and analysed using a thematic approach. We interviewed 21 participants between January 2011 and March 2012. The age range of participants was 28–67 years old. Our sample comprised 9 women and 12 men. Three main themes, ‘treatment-specific values’, ‘life goals and philosophies’, and ‘personal and social background’, emerged from the analysis. The patients reported a variety of insulin-specific values, which were negative and/or positive beliefs about insulin. They framed insulin according to their priorities and philosophies in life. Patients’ decisions were influenced by sociocultural (e.g. religious background) and personal backgrounds (e.g. family situations).

Conclusions

This study highlighted the need for expanding the current concept of patient values in medical decision making. Clinicians should address more than just values related to treatment options. Patient values should include patients’ priorities, life philosophy and their background. Current decision support tools, such as patient decision aids, should consider these new dimensions when clarifying patient values.     

Production, Purification, and Characterization of a Xylooligosaccharides-forming Xylanase from High-butanol-producing Strain Clostridium sp. BOH3

An endo-acting xylanase is isolated from the culture medium of Clostridium sp. BOH3 when xylan, glucose, xylose, or sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate (SBH) is used as a carbon source. Crude xylanase is purified by using an anionic Q-column with a yield of 39 %. The pure xylanase has a molecular weight of 35.8 kDa, and it shows optimal activity at pH 5 and 60 °C. When beechwood xylan is used as a substrate, this xylanase liberates short oligosaccharides (XOS) predominantly, ranging from xylobiose (X2) to xylopentaose (X5). However, no xylose can be detected, suggesting that this is an endo-β-1,4-xylanase. Kinetic study of this xylanase reveals that K _m and V _max are 1.36 mg/ml and 212 μmol/(min. mg protein), respectively. On the basis of amino acid sequence, this enzyme shows homology to xylanase (xynb) from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824, but this enzyme has several distinctive characteristics. For example, its activity can be enhanced with the addition of divalent metal ions, and it produces XOS exclusively when xylan is used as a substrate. These unique characteristics suggest that this is a new enzyme.     

Electrical impedimetric biosensors for liver function detection

In this study, electrical impedimetric biosensors composed of Au-electrodes were fabricated for the quantitative detection of human serum albumin (HSA), an essential biomarker of liver function. The Au-electrodes were fabricated via a single-step photolithography process, and can be easily integrated in biochips for assessing liver function in the future. The glass sensing surface between two adjacent Au-electrodes was modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to improve the biocompatibility for its subsequent binding to anti-human serum albumin (AHSA). The sensing surface without AHSA binding was blocked using skim milk powders, preventing possible non-specific bonding HSA conjugation. Biosensors were used to measure HSA concentration for liver function detection. The impedance between two adjacent Au-electrodes of the biosensors applied with various HSA concentrations was directly measured, and quantified using an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy system under AC conditions. The results of plotting both values in log scales indicated the impedance increased linearly with HSA conjugation increase. The limit of HSA detection was about 2'10(-4)mg/ml using the electrochemical impedimetric biosensor proposed in this work. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using electrochemical impedimetry as a bio-sensing mechanism to quantify human serum albumin concentration. The sensor proposed in this work also displays great potential for assessing liver function because of its simple detection mechanism, ease of biochip integration, and low cost.     

Myosin concentration underlies cell size-dependent scalability of actomyosin ring constriction

In eukaryotes, cytokinesis is accomplished by an actomyosin-based contractile ring. Although in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos larger cells divide at a faster rate than smaller cells, it remains unknown whether a similar mode of scalability operates in other cells. We investigated cytokinesis in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, which exhibits a wide range of hyphal circumferences. We found that N. crassa cells divide using an actomyosin ring and larger rings constricted faster than smaller rings. However, unlike in C. elegans, the total amount of myosin remained constant throughout constriction, and there was a size-dependent increase in the starting concentration of myosin in the ring. We predict that the increased number of ring-associated myosin motors in larger rings leads to the increased constriction rate. Accordingly, reduction or inhibition of ring-associated myosin slows down the rate of constriction. Because the mechanical characteristics of contractile rings are conserved, we predict that these findings will be relevant to actomyosin ring constriction in other cell types.     

Promoting Highly Reversible Sodium Storage of Iron Sulfide Hollow Polyhedrons via Cobalt Incorporation and Graphene Wrapping

Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have drawn significant attention owing to their low cost and inherent safety. However, the absence of suitable anode materials with high rate capability and long cycling stability is the major challenge for the practical application of SIBs. Herein, an efficient anode material consisting of uniform hollow iron sulfide polyhedrons with cobalt doping and graphene wrapping (named as CoFeS@rGO) is developed for high‐rate and long‐life SIBs. The graphene‐encapsulated hollow composite assures fast and continuous electron transportation, high Na⁺ ion accessibility, and strong structural integrity, showing an extremely small volume expansion of only 14.9% upon sodiation and negligible volume contraction during the desodiation. The CoFeS@rGO electrode exhibits high specific capacity (661.9 mAh g^?1 at 100 mA g^?1), excellent rate capability (449.4 mAh g^?1 at 5000 mA g^?1), and long cycle life (84.8% capacity retention after 1500 cycles at 1000 mA g^?1). In situ X‐ray diffraction and selected‐area electron diffraction patterns show that this novel CoFeS@rGO electrode is based on a reversible conversion reaction. More importantly, when coupled with a Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃/C cathode, the sodium ion full battery delivers a superexcellent rate capability (496.8 mAh g^?1 at 2000 mA g^?1) and ≈96.5% capacity retention over 200 cycles at 500 mA g^?1 in the 1.0–3.5 V window. This work indicates that the rationally designed anode material is highly applicable for the next generation SIBs with high‐rate capability and long‐term cyclability.     

Analyzing the Secretome of Gut Microbiota as the Next Strategy For Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer

Dysbiosis of gut microbiome can contribute to inflammation, and subsequently initiation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Throughout these stages, various proteins and metabolites are secreted to the external environment by microorganisms or the hosts themselves. Studying these proteins may help enhance our understanding of the host–microorganism relationship or they may even serve as useful biomarkers for CRC. However, secretomic studies of gut microbiome of CRC patients, until now, are scarcely performed. In this review article, the focus is on the roles of gut microbiome in CRC, the current findings on CRC secretome are highlighted, and the emerging challenges and strategies to drive forward this area of research are addressed.     

Optoacoustic mesoscopy analysis and quantitative estimation of specific imaging metrics in Fitzpatrick skin phototypes II to V

Raster Scanning Optoacoustic Mesoscopy (RSOM) is a novel optoacoustic imaging modality that offers non‐invasive, label‐free, high resolution (~7 μm axial, ~30 μm lateral) imaging up to 1 to 2 mm below the skin, providing novel quantitative insights into skin pathophysiology. As the RSOM image contrast mechanism is based on light absorption, it is expected that the amount of melanin present in the skin will affect RSOM images. However, the effect of skin tone in the performance of RSOM has not been addressed so far. Herein, we present the efficiency of RSOM for in vivo skin imaging of human subjects with Fitzpatrick (FP) skin types between II to V. RSOM images acquired from the volar forearms of the subjects were used to derive metrics used in RSOM studies, such as total blood volume, vessel diameter and melanin signal intensity. Our study shows that the melanin signal intensity derived from the RSOM images exhibited an excellent correlation with that obtained from a clinical colorimeter for the subjects of varying FP skin types. We could successfully estimate the vessel diameter at different depths of the dermis. Furthermore, our study shows that there is a need to compensate for total blood volume calculated for subjects with higher FP skin types due to the lower signal‐to‐noise ratio in dermis, owing to strong absorption of light by melanin. This study sheds light into how RSOM can be used for studying various skin conditions in populations with different skin phenotypes.