scholarly journals Organic semiconductors for light-mediated neuromodulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danashi Imani Medagoda ◽  
Diego Ghezzi
Keyword(s):  
Organic Semiconductors ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Cultured Neurons ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Excitable Cells ◽  
Research Opportunities ◽  
Retinal Stimulation ◽  
Physical Phenomena ◽  
Substantial Interest

AbstractOrganic semiconductors have generated substantial interest in neurotechnology and emerged as a promising approach for wireless neuromodulation in fundamental and applied research. Here, we summarise the range of applications that have been proposed so far, including retinal stimulation, excitation and inhibition of cultured neurons and regulation of biological processes in other non-excitable cells from animal and plant origins. We also discuss the key chemical and physical phenomena at the basis of the interaction between materials and cells. Finally, we provide an overview of future perspectives, exciting research opportunities and the remaining challenges hampering the translation of this blooming technology into the clinic and industry.

scholarly journals Recent development of nanoparticles for molecular imaging

2017 ◽  
Vol 375 (2107) ◽  
pp. 20170022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonghoon Kim ◽  
Nohyun Lee ◽  
Taeghwan Hyeon
Keyword(s):  
Surface Modification ◽  
Molecular Imaging ◽  
Contrast Agents ◽  
Multimodal Imaging ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Accurate Diagnosis ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Diagnosis Of Diseases

Molecular imaging enables us to non-invasively visualize cellular functions and biological processes in living subjects, allowing accurate diagnosis of diseases at early stages. For successful molecular imaging, a suitable contrast agent with high sensitivity is required. To date, various nanoparticles have been developed as contrast agents for medical imaging modalities. In comparison with conventional probes, nanoparticles offer several advantages, including controllable physical properties, facile surface modification and long circulation time. In addition, they can be integrated with various combinations for multimodal imaging and therapy. In this opinion piece, we highlight recent advances and future perspectives of nanomaterials for molecular imaging. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Challenges for chemistry in molecular imaging’.

scholarly journals Non-axisymmetric shapes of biological membranes from locally induced curvature

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yannick A. D. Omar ◽  
Amaresh Sahu ◽  
Roger A. Sauer ◽  
Kranthi K. Mandadapu
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Cell Membrane ◽  
Viscous Flow ◽  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Biological Membranes ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Computational Studies ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Resting Tension ◽  
Physical Phenomena

In various biological processes such as endocytosis and caveolae formation, the cell membrane is locally deformed into curved configurations. Previous theoretical and computational studies to understand membrane morphologies resulting from locally induced curvature are often limited to axisymmetric shapes, which severely restricts the physically admissible morphologies. Under the restriction of axisymmetry, past efforts predict that the cell membrane buds at low resting tensions and stalls at a flat pit at high resting tensions. In this work, we lift the restriction of axisymmetry by employing recent theoretical and numerical advances to understand arbitrarily curved and deforming lipid bilayers. Our non-axisymmetric morphologies reveal membrane morphologies which agree well with axisymmetric studies—however only if the resting tension of the membrane is low. When the resting tension is moderate to high, we show that (i) axisymmetric invaginations are unstable; and (ii) non-axisymmetric ridge-shaped structures are energetically favorable. We further study the dynamical effects resulting from the interplay between intramembrane viscous flow and induced curvature, and find the rate at which the locally induced curvature increases is a key determinant in the formation of ridges. In particular, we show that axisymmetric buds are favored when the induced curvature is rapidly increased, while non-axisymmetric ridges are favored when the curvature is slowly increased: The rate of change of induced curvature affects the intramembrane viscous flow of lipids, which can impede the membrane’s ability to transition into ridges. We conclude that the appearance of non-axisymmetric ridges indicates that axisymmetry cannot be generally assumed when understanding processes involving locally induced curvature. Our results hold potentially relevant implications for biological processes such as endocytosis, and physical phenomena like phase separation in lipid bilayers.

scholarly journals The promising role of noncoding RNAs in cancer-associated fibroblasts: an overview of current status and future perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zengli Fang ◽  
Jin Xu ◽  
Bo Zhang ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Jiang Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Noncoding Rnas ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Cancer Therapies ◽  
Cancer Associated Fibroblasts ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Metabolic Characteristics ◽  
Complex Regulatory Network

AbstractAs the most important component of the stromal cell population in the tumor microenvironment (TME), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are crucial players in tumor initiation and progression. The interaction between CAFs and tumor cells, as well as the resulting effect, is much greater than initially expected. Numerous studies have shown that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play an irreplaceable role in this interplay, and related evidence continues to emerge and advance. Under the action of ncRNAs, normal fibroblasts are directly or indirectly activated into CAFs, and their metabolic characteristics are changed; thus, CAFs can more effectively promote tumor progression. Moreover, via ncRNAs, activated CAFs can affect the gene expression and secretory characteristics of cells, alter the TME and enhance malignant biological processes in tumor cells to contribute to tumor promotion. Previously, ncRNA dysregulation was considered the main mechanism by which ncRNAs participate in the crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells. Recently, however, exosomes containing ncRNAs have been identified as another vital mode of interaction between these two types of cells, with a more direct and clear function. Gaining an in-depth understanding of ncRNAs in CAFs and the complex regulatory network connecting CAFs with tumor cells might help us to establish more effective and safer approaches for cancer therapies targeting ncRNAs and CAFs and offer new hope for cancer patients.

scholarly journals Design of donor–acceptor star-shaped oligomers for efficient solution-processible organic photovoltaics

2014 ◽  
Vol 174 ◽  
pp. 313-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Ponomarenko ◽  
Y. N. Luponosov ◽  
J. Min ◽  
A. N. Solodukhin ◽  
N. M. Surin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Semiconductors ◽  
Organic Photovoltaics ◽  
Liquid Crystalline ◽  
Organic Photovoltaic ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Photovoltaic Properties ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Alkyl Groups ◽  
Donor Acceptor ◽  
Successful Approach

This contribution describes recent progress in the design, synthesis and properties of solution-processible star-shaped oligomers and their application in organic photovoltaics. Even though alternative chemistry has been used to design such oligomers, the most successful approach is based on a triphenylamine donor branching center, (oligo)thiophene conjugated spacers and dicyanovinyl acceptor groups. These are mainly amorphous low band-gap organic semiconductors, though crystalline or liquid crystalline ordering can sometimes be realized. It was shown that the solubility, thermal behavior and structure of such molecules in the bulk strongly depend on the presence and position of alkyl groups, as well as on their length. The photovoltaic properties of solution-processed molecules of this type are now approaching 5% which exceeds those of vacuum-sublimed devices. The design rules and future perspectives of this class of organic photovoltaic molecules are discussed.

scholarly journals Research in Animal Physiology: Proceedings of scientific papers

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Applied Research ◽  
Living System ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Animal Physiology ◽  
Organ Systems ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Scientific Papers ◽  
Physical Functions ◽  
Basic And Applied Research

Proceedings of scientific papers ranges across a breadth of research in animal physiology. The main chapters of this publication are “Animal Physiology - Health Status Observations; Biologically Active Compounds in Animal Physiology; Animal Toxicology”. Animal physiology is the scientific study of the life-supporting properties, functions and processes of animals or their parts. It focuses on how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. Therefore, the proper studying of animal physiology is crucial for understanding and evaluating underlying biological processes, behavioral states and animal response to different biological, social and environmental stimuli. As such, the principal aim of this proceedings of scientific papers was to gather original papers on research in the fields of animal physiology, animal nutrition, reproduction and toxicopathology. We hope the publication will serve as a forum for presenting contemporary knowledge on basic and applied research, thus making new findings, methods, and techniques easily accessible and applicable in practice.

scholarly journals Geolocation for research purposes: geotags as a data source

Inter ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-80
Author(s):  
Anna V. Strelnikova ◽  
Anastasia A. Burova
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Huge Amount ◽  
Ability To Work ◽  
Online Data ◽  
Research Opportunities ◽  
Amount Of Information ◽  
Or Groups ◽  
Data Source

The worldwide spread of social networks provides new opportunities to collect data for various applied research. The geotagging function, which is present in most social networks, is extremely useful in the case of spatial research. For urban researchers, this is more than just an opportunity to collect a huge amount of information about the behavior of people in space, but also to analyze the space itself. However, this type of data has both significant advantages and limitations. The article includes highlighting the most significant characteristics that urban researchers need to consider working with social networks: their volume (the ability to work with them as big data), non-reactivity (they are reproduced by the users themselves) and additional interpretations (they allow us to understand the meanings of certain elements of space for individual individuals or groups). The authors also illustrate the research opportunities provided by online data in combination with geotagging with various empirical examples.

scholarly journals Climate Solutions based on advanced scientific discoveries of Allatra physics

Open Physics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-144
Author(s):  
Valery Vershigora
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Particle Physics ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
Precise Knowledge ◽  
Science Group ◽  
Neutrino Astrophysics ◽  
Physical Phenomena ◽  
Cumulonimbus Clouds

AbstractGlobal climate change is one of the most important international problems of the 21st century. The overall rapid increase in the dynamics of cataclysms, which have been observed in recent decades, is particularly alarming. Howdo modern scientists predict the occurrence of certain events? In meteorology, unusually powerful cumulonimbus clouds are one of the main conditions for the emergence of a tornado. The former, in their turn, are formed during the invasion of cold air on the overheated land surface. The satellite captures the cloud front, and, based on these pictures, scientists make assumptions about the possibility of occurrence of the respective natural phenomena. In fact, mankind visually observes and draws conclusions about the consequences of the physical phenomena which have already taken place in the invisible world, so the conclusions of scientists are assumptions by their nature, rather than precise knowledge of the causes of theorigin of these phenomena in the physics of microcosm. The latest research in the field of the particle physics and neutrino astrophysics, which was conducted by a working team of scientists of ALLATRA International Public Movement (hereinafter ALLATRA SCIENCE group)allatra-science.org, last accessed 10 April 2016., offers increased opportunities for advanced fundamental and applied research in climatic engineering.

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