COUNTING UNFOLDING EVENTS IN STRETCHED HELICES WITH INDUCED OSCILLATION BY OPTICAL TWEEZERS

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 44-53
Author(s):  
ROMMEL GAUD BACABAC ◽  
ROLAND OTADOY
Keyword(s):  
Optical Tweezers ◽  
Viscoelastic Properties ◽  
Globular Proteins ◽  
Optical Traps ◽  
Living Matter ◽  
Damped Harmonic Oscillator ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
Correlation Measures ◽  
Complex Phenomena ◽  
First Time

Correlation measures based on embedded probe fluctuations, single or paired, are now widely used for characterizing the viscoelastic properties of biological samples. However, more robust applications using this technique are still lacking. Considering that the study of living matter routinely demonstrates new and complex phenomena, mathematical and experimental tools for analysis have to catch up in order to arrive at newer insights. Therefore, we derive ways of probing non-equilibrium events in helical biopolymers provided by stretching beyond thermal forces. We generalize, for the first time, calculations for winding turn probabilities to account for unfolding events in single fibrous biopolymers and globular proteins under tensile stretching using twin optical traps. The approach is based on approximating the ensuing probe fluctuations as originating from a damped harmonic oscillator under oscillatory forcing.

Europe's Growth Champion

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcin Piatkowski
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
High Income ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
The West ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
Inclusive Society ◽  
First Time ◽  
Global Growth

The book is about one of the biggest economic success stories that one has hardly ever heard about. It is about a perennially backward, poor, and peripheral country, which over the last twenty-five years has unexpectedly become Europe’s and a global growth champion and joined the ranks of high-income countries during the life of just one generation. It is about the lessons learned from its remarkable experience for other countries in the world, the conditions that keep countries poor, and challenges that countries need face to grow and become high-income. It is also about a new growth model that this country—Poland—and its peers in Central and Eastern Europe and elsewhere need to adopt to continue to grow and catch up with the West for the first time ever. The book emphasizes the importance of the fundamental sources of growth—institutions, culture, ideas, and leaders—in economic development. It argues that a shift from an extractive society, where the few rule for the benefit of the few, to an inclusive society, where many rule for the benefit of many, was the key to Poland’s success. It asserts that a newly emerged inclusive society will support further convergence of Poland and Central and Eastern Europe with the West and help sustain the region’s Golden Age, but moving to the core of the European economy will require further reforms and changes in Poland’s developmental DNA.

scholarly journals Exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol during rat pregnancy leads to impaired cardiac dysfunction in postnatal life

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendrick Lee ◽  
Steven R. Laviolette ◽  
Daniel B. Hardy
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Cardiac Dysfunction ◽  
Cardiac Remodelling ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
First Time ◽  
Impaired Cardiac Function ◽  
In Pregnancy

Abstract Background Cannabis use in pregnancy leads to fetal growth restriction (FGR), but the long-term effects on cardiac function in the offspring are unknown, despite the fact that fetal growth deficits are associated with an increased risk of developing postnatal cardiovascular disease. We hypothesize that maternal exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) during pregnancy will impair fetal development, leading to cardiac dysfunction in the offspring. Methods Pregnant Wistar rats were randomly selected and administered 3 mg/kg of Δ9-THC or saline as a vehicle daily via intraperitoneal injection from gestational days 6 to 22, followed by echocardiogram analysis of cardiac function on offspring at postnatal days 1 and 21. Heart tissue was harvested from the offspring at 3 weeks for molecular analysis of cardiac remodelling. Results Exposure to Δ9-THC during pregnancy led to FGR with a significant decrease in heart-to-body weight ratios at birth. By 3 weeks, pups exhibited catch-up growth associated with significantly greater left ventricle anterior wall thickness with a decrease in cardiac output. Moreover, these Δ9-THC-exposed offsprings exhibited increased expression of collagen I and III, decreased matrix metallopeptidase-2 expression, and increased inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β, all associated with cardiac remodelling. Conclusions Collectively, these data suggest that Δ9-THC-exposed FGR offspring undergo postnatal catch-up growth concomitant with cardiac remodelling and impaired cardiac function early in life. Impact To date, the long-term effects of perinatal Δ9-THC (the main psychoactive component) exposure on the cardiac function in the offspring remain unknown. We demonstrated, for the first time, that exposure to Δ9-THC alone during rat pregnancy results in significantly smaller hearts relative to body weight. These Δ9-THC-exposed offsprings exhibited postnatal catch-up growth concomitant with cardiac remodelling and impaired cardiac function. Given the increased popularity of cannabis use in pregnancy along with rising Δ9-THC concentrations, this study, for the first time, identifies the risk of perinatal Δ9-THC exposure on early postnatal cardiovascular health.

On the Possible Spatial Structures of the β – Amyloid.

2022 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Spatial Structure ◽  
Spatial Models ◽  
Globular Proteins ◽  
Spatial Structures ◽  
Higher Dimensional ◽  
Protein Molecules ◽  
Β Amyloid ◽  
First Time

Spatial models of the β - structures of protein molecules, forming layers of amino acids, in principle, of unlimited length for both antiparallel and parallel conformation have been constructed. It is shown that the simplified flat Pauling models do not reflect the spatial structure of these layers. Using the recently developed theory of higher-dimensional polytopic prismahedrons, models of the volumetric filling of space with amino acid molecules are constructed. The constructed models for the first time mathematically describe the native structures of globular proteins.

scholarly journals Physical Stability and Viscoelastic Properties of Co-Amorphous Ezetimibe/Simvastatin System

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Knapik-Kowalczuk ◽  
Krzysztof Chmiel ◽  
Karolina Jurkiewicz ◽  
Natália Correia ◽  
Wiesław Sawicki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elevated Temperature ◽  
Viscoelastic Properties ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Physical Stability ◽  
Ternary Systems ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Temperature Conditions ◽  
First Time

The purpose of this paper is to examine the physical stability as well as viscoelastic properties of the binary amorphous ezetimibe–simvastatin system. According to our knowledge, this is the first time that such an amorphous composition is prepared and investigated. The tendency toward re-crystallization of the amorphous ezetimibe–simvastatin system, at both standard storage and elevated temperature conditions, have been studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD). Our investigations have revealed that simvastatin remarkably improves the physical stability of ezetimibe, despite the fact that it works as a plasticizer. Pure amorphous ezetimibe, when stored at room temperature, begins to re-crystallize after 14 days after amorphization. On the other hand, the ezetimibe-simvastatin binary mixture (at the same storage conditions) is physically stable for at least 1 year. However, the devitrification of the binary amorphous composition was observed at elevated temperature conditions (T = 373 K). Therefore, we used a third compound to hinder the re-crystallization. Finally, both the physical stability as well as viscoelastic properties of the ternary systems containing different concentrations of the latter component have been thoroughly investigated.

scholarly journals Bio-Molecular Applications of Recent Developments in Optical Tweezers

Biomolecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhawal Choudhary ◽  
Alessandro Mossa ◽  
Milind Jadhav ◽  
Ciro Cecconi
Keyword(s):  
Photonic Crystal ◽  
Optical Tweezers ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Continuous Wave ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Resolving Power ◽  
Optical Traps ◽  
Laser Source ◽  
One Dimensional

In the past three decades, the ability to optically manipulate biomolecules has spurred a new era of medical and biophysical research. Optical tweezers (OT) have enabled experimenters to trap, sort, and probe cells, as well as discern the structural dynamics of proteins and nucleic acids at single molecule level. The steady improvement in OT’s resolving power has progressively pushed the envelope of their applications; there are, however, some inherent limitations that are prompting researchers to look for alternatives to the conventional techniques. To begin with, OT are restricted by their one-dimensional approach, which makes it difficult to conjure an exhaustive three-dimensional picture of biological systems. The high-intensity trapping laser can damage biological samples, a fact that restricts the feasibility of in vivo applications. Finally, direct manipulation of biological matter at nanometer scale remains a significant challenge for conventional OT. A significant amount of literature has been dedicated in the last 10 years to address the aforementioned shortcomings. Innovations in laser technology and advances in various other spheres of applied physics have been capitalized upon to evolve the next generation OT systems. In this review, we elucidate a few of these developments, with particular focus on their biological applications. The manipulation of nanoscopic objects has been achieved by means of plasmonic optical tweezers (POT), which utilize localized surface plasmons to generate optical traps with enhanced trapping potential, and photonic crystal optical tweezers (PhC OT), which attain the same goal by employing different photonic crystal geometries. Femtosecond optical tweezers (fs OT), constructed by replacing the continuous wave (cw) laser source with a femtosecond laser, promise to greatly reduce the damage to living samples. Finally, one way to transcend the one-dimensional nature of the data gained by OT is to couple them to the other large family of single molecule tools, i.e., fluorescence-based imaging techniques. We discuss the distinct advantages of the aforementioned techniques as well as the alternative experimental perspective they provide in comparison to conventional OT.

scholarly journals Fusing Artificial Cell Compartments and Lipid Domains Using Optical Traps: A Tool to Modulate Membrane Composition and Phase Behaviour

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adithya Vivek ◽  
Guido Bolognesi ◽  
Yuval Elani
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Feasibility Studies ◽  
Phase Behaviour ◽  
Optical Traps ◽  
Membrane Composition ◽  
Technology Roadmap ◽  
Cell Compartments ◽  
Artificial Cell ◽  
Biological Phenomena ◽  
First Time

New technologies for manipulating biomembranes have vast potential to aid the understanding of biological phenomena, and as tools to sculpt novel artificial cell architectures for synthetic biology. The manipulation and fusion of vesicles using optical traps is amongst the most promising due to the level of spatiotemporal control it affords. Herein, we conduct a suite of feasibility studies to show the potential of optical trapping technologies to (i) modulate the lipid composition of a vesicle by delivering new membrane material through fusion events and (ii) manipulate and controllably fuse coexisting membrane domains for the first time. We also outline some noteworthy morphologies and transitions that the vesicle undergoes during fusion, which gives us insight into the mechanisms at play. These results will guide future exploitation of laser-assisted membrane manipulation methods and feed into a technology roadmap for this emerging technology.

Custom-Built Optical Tweezers for Locally Probing the Viscoelastic Properties of Cancer Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Tavano ◽  
Serena Bonin ◽  
Giulietta Pinato ◽  
Giorgio Stanta ◽  
Dan Cojoc
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Optical Tweezers ◽  
Viscoelastic Properties

scholarly journals Trapping solid aerosols with optical tweezers: A comparison between gas and liquid phase optical traps

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 7739 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Summers ◽  
D. R. Burnham ◽  
D. McGloin
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Optical Tweezers ◽  
Optical Traps

Optically driven pumps and flow sensors for microfluidic systems

2008 ◽  
Vol 222 (5) ◽  
pp. 829-837 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Mushfique ◽  
J Leach ◽  
R Di Leonardo ◽  
M J Padgett ◽  
J M Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Optical Tweezers ◽  
Microfluidic Channel ◽  
Optical Traps ◽  
Spin Angular Momentum ◽  
Flow Sensors ◽  
Flow Sensing ◽  
Optically Trapped ◽  
Surrounding Fluid ◽  
Displace Fluid

This paper describes techniques for generating and measuring fluid flow in microfluidic devices. The first technique is for the multi-point measurement of fluid flow in microscopic geometries. The flow sensing method uses an array of optically trapped microprobe sensors to map out the fluid flow. The optical traps are alternately turned on and off such that the probe particles are displaced by the flow of the surrounding fluid and then retrapped. The particles' displacements are monitored by digital video microscopy and directly converted into velocity field values. The second is a method for generating flow within a microfluidic channel using an optically driven pump. The optically driven pump consists of two counter-rotating birefringent vaterite particles trapped within a microfluidic channel and driven using optical tweezers. The transfer of spin angular momentum from a circularly polarized laser beam causes the particles to rotate at up to 10 Hz. The pump is shown to be able to displace fluid in microchannels, with flow rates of up to 200 m−3 s−1 (200 fL s−1). In addition a flow sensing method, based upon the technique mentioned above, is incorporated into the system in order to map the magnitude and direction of fluid flow within the channel.

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