Localization of a Robotic Capsule for GI Motility Inspection with a Portable Ultrasonic System

IntroductionResearchesonmicromedicaldeviceandmicromedicalrobot,especiallytheinvivoinspectionsystemworkinginalimentarycanalorinbloodvesselwithlittledamageornondamagetohumanbodyhavebeenundertakenandreportedbyexpertsinmanycountries.Thesesystemsusuallyownmanyadvantagessuchas:smallvolume,lowpowerconsumption,littleinterferencetoworkingsurroundings,socangreatlyenlargethescopesofmedicalexaminationandrelievethepatientsofdiscomfortcausedbynormalprocedures.Thecapsuleendoscope“NORIKAsystem”developedby…     

Effect of New O-Superfamily Conotoxin on Voltage-Activated Currents of Hippocampal Neurons

The effects of a new O-superfamily conotoxin, SO3, on sodium current (INa), transient A-type potassium currents (IA), and delayed rectified potassium currents (IK), were examined in cultured rat hippocampal neurons using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Addition of SO3 caused a concentration-dependent, rapidly developing, and reversible inhibition of voltage-activated currents. The IC50 values for the blockage of INa, IA, and IK were calculated as 0.49, 33.9, and 7.6 μmol/L, respectively. The determined Hill coefficients were 1.7, 0.6, and 1.2, respectively. These results indicate that SO3 can selectively inhibit neuronal sodium and potassium currents.     

Studies on induction hardening of powder-metallurgy-processed Fe-Cr/Mo alloys

Induction hardening of dense Fe-Cr/Mo alloys processed via the powder-metallurgy route was studied. The Fe-3Cr-0.5Mo, Fe-1.5Cr-0.2Mo, and Fe-0.85Mo pre-alloyed powders were mixed with 0.4wt%, 0.6wt%, and 0.8wt% C and compacted at 500, 600, and 700 MPa, respectively. The compacts were sintered at 1473 K for 1 h and then cooled at 6 K/min. Ferrite with pearlite was mostly observed in the sintered alloys with 0.4wt% C, whereas a carbide network was also present in the alloys with 0.8wt% C. Graphite at prior particle boundaries led to deterioration of the mechanical properties of alloys with 0.8wt% C, whereas no significant induction hardening was achieved in alloys with 0.4wt% C. Among the investigated samples, alloys with 0.6wt% C exhibited the highest strength and ductility and were found to be suitable for induction hardening. The hardening was carried out at a frequency of 2.0 kHz for 2-3 s. A case depth of 2.5 mm was achieved while maintaining the bulk (interior) hardness of approximately HV 230. A martensitic structure was observed on the outer periphery of the samples. The hardness varied from HV 600 to HV 375 from the sample surface to the interior of the case hardened region. The best combination of properties and hardening depth was achieved in case of the Fe-1.5Cr-0.2Mo alloy with 0.6wt% C.     

Opposing effects on the cell cycle of T lymphocytes by Fbxo7 via Cdk6 and p27

G₁ phase cell cycle proteins, such as cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (Cdk6) and its activating partners, the D-type cyclins, are important regulators of T-cell development and function. An F-box protein, called F-box only protein 7 (Fbxo7), acts as a cell cycle regulator by enhancing cyclin D-Cdk6 complex formation and stabilising levels of p27, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. We generated a murine model of reduced Fbxo7 expression to test its physiological role in multiple tissues and found that these mice displayed a pronounced thymic hypoplasia. Further analysis revealed that Fbxo7 differentially affected proliferation and apoptosis of thymocytes at various stages of differentiation in the thymus and also mature T-cell function and proliferation in the periphery. Paradoxically, Fbxo7-deficient immature thymocytes failed to undergo expansion in the thymus due to a lack of Cdk6 activity, while mature T cells showed enhanced proliferative capacity upon T-cell receptor engagement due to reduced p27 levels. Our studies reveal differential cell cycle regulation by Fbxo7 at different stages in T-cell development.     

The stoichiometry of peptide-heparan sulfate binding as a determinant of uptake efficiency of cell-penetrating peptides

Binding to negatively charged heparan sulfates (HS) at the cell surface is considered the first step in the internalization of cationic cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). However, little is known about the relation of the characteristics of the HS-CPP interaction such as affinity, stoichiometry, and clustering with uptake. In this study, we investigated a collection of mutants of a cyclic CPP derived from human lactoferrin with respect to HS binding and uptake. The thermodynamic parameters of HS binding were determined by isothermal titration calorimetry, clustering of HS was investigated by dynamic light scattering, and cellular uptake by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Whereas mutations of non-arginine amino acids that are conserved across lactoferrins of different mammalia only had a minor effect on uptake efficiency, changes in the number of arginine residues influenced the uptake significantly. In general, introduction of arginine residues and cyclization improved the HS affinity and the ability to cluster HS. In particular, there was a strong negative correlation between stoichiometry and uptake, indicating that crosslinking of HS is the driving force for the uptake of arginine-rich CPPs. Using glycan microarrays presenting a collection of synthetic HS, we show that a minimal chain length of HS is required for peptide binding.     

Phospholipid flippases attenuate LPS-induced TLR4 signaling by mediating endocytic retrieval of Toll-like receptor 4

P4-ATPases are lipid flippases that catalyze the transport of phospholipids to create membrane phospholipid asymmetry and to initiate the biogenesis of transport vesicles. Here we show, for the first time, that lipid flippases are essential to dampen the inflammatory response and to mediate the endotoxin-induced endocytic retrieval of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in human macrophages. Depletion of CDC50A, the β-subunit that is crucial for the activity of multiple P4-ATPases, resulted in endotoxin-induced hypersecretion of proinflammatory cytokines, enhanced MAP kinase signaling and constitutive NF-κB activation. In addition, CDC50A-depleted THP-1 macrophages displayed reduced tolerance to endotoxin. Moreover, endotoxin-induced internalization of TLR4 was strongly reduced and coincided with impaired endosomal MyD88-independent signaling. The phenotype of CDC50A-depleted cells was also induced by separate knockdown of two P4-ATPases, namely ATP8B1 and ATP11A. We conclude that lipid flippases are novel elements of the innate immune response that are essential to attenuate the inflammatory response, possibly by mediating endotoxin-induced internalization of TLR4.     

Polycaprolactone Grafting of Cellulose Nanocrystals in Ionic Liquid[BMIM]CI

A polycaprolactone-grafted cellulose nanocrystal(PCL-g-CN) was prepared in ionic liquid and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrum(FT-IR),X-ray diffraction(XRD),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).A peak assigned to the carbonyl group appears at 1 730 cm~(-1) in the FT-IR of PCL-g-CN,which confirms that the grafting reaction is successfully completed.The morphologies of PCL-g-CNs still maintain rod-like structure according to the TEM images.XRD results show that the crystal type of the PCL-g-CNs changed from cellulose Ⅰ to cellulose Ⅱ.The reasons for crystal transition of CNs turn out to be combined effects of anion and cation in ionic liquid with CNs.