Side effects of drugs studied on ant models: a mini review

Using ants as models, we studied until now the side effects of 47 products used by humans and, over these studies we published five summaries of our main findings. After that, we studied the side effects of six other drugs used by humans, and we here summarize these lastly obtained results. These six other drugs were dextromethorphan, amitriptylin, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, iverectin, and indapamide. For each of them, we found side effects similar to those reported for humans, but we also observed side effects not yet mentioned for humans. They concerned among others the locomotion, the activity, the sensory perception, the social relationships and the learning. Practitioners and pharmacists should take cognizance of our works for more adequately and safely used the six drugs we examined. Our six works are published and thus available, but they can also be provided by the author(s). All over our studies, ants appeared to be excellent biological models; the experiments could be made easily, rapidly and at lost cost, while providing statistically significant results.

Fluorescence Microscopy—An Outline of Hardware, Biological Handling, and Fluorophore Considerations

Fluorescence microscopy has become a critical tool for researchers to understand biological processes at the cellular level. Micrographs from fixed and live-cell imaging procedures feature in a plethora of scientific articles for the field of cell biology, but the complexities of fluorescence microscopy as an imaging tool can sometimes be overlooked or misunderstood. This review seeks to cover the three fundamental considerations when designing fluorescence microscopy experiments: (1) hardware availability; (2) amenability of biological models to fluorescence microscopy; and (3) suitability of imaging agents for intended applications. This review will help equip the reader to make judicious decisions when designing fluorescence microscopy experiments that deliver high-resolution and informative images for cell biology.

Biological Models of the Lower Human Airways—Challenges and Special Requirements of Human 3D Barrier Models for Biomedical Research

In our review, we want to summarize the current status of the development of airway models and their application in biomedical research. We start with the very well characterized models composed of cell lines and end with the use of organoids. An important aspect is the function of the mucus as a component of the barrier, especially for infection research. Finally, we will explain the need for a nondestructive characterization of the barrier models using TEER measurements and live cell imaging. Here, organ-on-a-chip technology offers a great opportunity for the culture of complex airway models.

VISmaF: Synthetic Tree for Immersive Virtual Visualization in Smart Farming. Part I: Scientific Background Review and Model Proposal

Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) has received increasing interest in both research and the entertainment industry. Recent advancements in computer graphics allowed researchers and companies to create large-scale virtual environments with growing resolution and complexity. Among the different applications, the generation of biological assets is a relevant task that implies challenges due to the extreme complexity associated with natural structures. An example is represented by trees, whose composition made by thousands of leaves, branches, branchlets, and stems with oriented directions is hard to be modeled. Realistic 3D models of trees can be exploited for a wide range of applications including decision-making support, visualization of ecosystem changes over time, and for simple visualization purposes. In this review, we give an overview of the most common approaches used to generate 3D tree models, discussing both methodologies and available commercial software. We focus on strategies for modeling and rendering of plants, highlighting their accordance or not with botanical knowledge and biological models. We also present a proof of concept to link biological models and 3D rendering engines through Ordinary Differential Equations.

Technical and Design Features of Laboratories Suitable for Work Involving Infected Animals

Introduction: The state biological safety system is an important component of the national security system. Handling of biological agents is always potentially hazardous. One of the types of work that poses the risk of developing laboratory-acquired infections includes studies of infected biological models used for experimental, production and diagnostic purposes in the laboratory facilities of various agencies authorized to deal with biological agents of pathogenicity groups I to IV. Objective: The study aimed to analyze the up-to-date regulatory, methodological and legislative framework setting requirements for technical and design features of special purpose laboratories suitable for work involving infected animals in order to minimize health risks. Methods: We analyzed regulatory documents and scientific publications found in bibliographic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and eLIBRARY) using keyword searches and selected 35 sources for the present review. Results: Special attention is paid to the design of laboratories intended for experimental and diagnostic work with biological models infected with biological agents of pathogenicity groups I and II. Both construction and reconstruction of existing premises are carried out in accordance with the design documentation and have a number of specific features. The combination of facilities depends on the goals and objectives of the laboratory. The laboratory premises shall be provided with water supply, special sewerage, power supply, heating, exhaust ventilation, telephone communications, as well as security and fire alarms and fire extinguishing equipment in accordance with fire safety requirements. Conclusions: The results of analyzing the current regulatory, methodological and legislative framework governing technical and design characteristics of special purpose laboratories suitable for work with infected animals confirm that strict compliance with the appropriate requirements enables their effective performance and guarantees safety for human health and the environment by eliminating biological risks.

Differential Methods for Assessing Sensitivity in Biological Models

Differential sensitivity analysis is indispensable in fitting parameters, understanding uncertainty, and forecasting the results of both thought and lab experiments. Although there are many methods currently available for performing differential sensitivity analysis of biological models, it can be difficult to determine which method is best suited for a particular model. In this paper, we explain a variety of differential sensitivity methods and assess their value in some typical biological models. First, we explain the mathematical basis for three numerical methods: adjoint sensitivity analysis, complex-perturbation sensitivity analysis, and forward-mode sensitivity analysis. We then carry out four instructive case studies. (i) The CARRGO model for tumor-immune interaction highlights the additional information that differential sensitivity analysis provides beyond traditional naive sensitivity methods, (ii) the deterministic SIR model demonstrates the value of using second-order sensitivity in refining model predictions, (iii) the stochastic SIR model shows how differential sensitivity can be attacked in stochastic modeling, and (iv) a discrete birth-death-migration model illustrates how the complex-perturbation method of differential sensitivity can be generalized to a broader range of biological models. Finally, we compare the speed, accuracy, and ease of use of these methods. We find that forward-mode automatic differentiation has the quickest computation time, while the complex-perturbation method is the simplest to implement and the most generalizable.

Applications of CRISPR-Cas Technologies to Proteomics

CRISPR-Cas-based genome editing is a revolutionary approach that has provided an unprecedented investigational power for the life sciences. Rapid and efficient, CRISPR-Cas technologies facilitate the generation of complex biological models and at the same time provide the necessary methods required to study these models in depth. The field of proteomics has already significantly benefited from leveraging the power of CRISPR-Cas technologies, however, many potential applications of these technologies in the context of proteomics remain unexplored. In this review, we intend to provide an introduction to the CRISPR-Cas technologies and demonstrate how they can be applied to solving proteome-centric questions. To achieve this goal, we begin with the description of the modern suite of CRISPR-Cas-based tools, focusing on the more mature CRISPR-Cas9 system. In the second part of this review, we highlight both established and potential applications of the CRISPR-Cas technologies to proteomics.