Regulation of the intermittent release of giant unilamellar vesicles under osmotic pressure

Osmotic pressure can break the fluid balance between intracellular and extracellular solutions. In hypo-osmotic solution, water molecules, which transfer into the cell and burst, are driven by the concentrations difference of solute across the semi-permeable membrane. The complicated dynamic processes of the intermittent burst have been previously observed. However, the underlying physical mechanism has yet to be thoroughly explored and analyzed. Here, the intermittent release of inclusion in giant unilamellar vesicles was investigated quantitatively, applying the combination of experimental and theoretical methods in the hypo-osmotic medium. Experimentally, we adopted highly sensitive EMCCD to acquire intermittent dynamic images. Notably, the component of the vesicle phospholipids affected the stretch velocity, and the prepared solution of the vesicle adjusted the release time. Theoretically, we chose equations numerical simulations to quantify the dynamic process in phases and explored the influence of physical parameters such as bilayer permeability and solution viscosity on the process. It was concluded that the time taken to achieve the balance of giant unilamellar vesicles was highly dependent on the structure of the lipid molecular. The pore lifetime was strongly related with the internal solution environment of giant unilamellar vesicles. The vesicle prepared in viscous solution accessed visualized long-lived pore. Furthermore, the line tension was measured quantitatively by the release velocity of inclusion, which was in the same order of magnitude as the theoretical simulation. In all, the experimental values well matched the theoretical values. Our investigation clarified the physical regulatory mechanism of intermittent pore formation and inclusion release, which had an important reference for the development of novel technologies such as gene therapy based on transmembrane transport as well as controlled drug delivery based on liposomes.

Relevance of Circulating Tumor Cells as Predictive Markers for Cancer Incidence and Relapse

Shedding of cancer cells from the primary site or undetectable bone marrow region into the circulatory system, resulting in clinically overt metastasis or dissemination, is the hallmark of unfavorable invasive cancers. The shed cells remain in circulation until they extravasate to form a secondary metastatic lesion or undergo anoikis. The circulating tumor cells (CTCs) found as single cells or clusters carry a plethora of information, are acknowledged as potential biomarkers for predicting cancer prognosis and cancer progression, and are supposed to play key roles in determining tailored therapies for advanced diseases. With the advent of novel technologies that allow the precise isolation of CTCs, more and more clinical trials are focusing on the prognostic and predictive potential of CTCs. In this review, we summarize the role of CTCs as a predictive marker for cancer incidence, relapse, and response to therapy.

A novel method for multi-scale recording of intracranial EEG through dynamic alteration of electrode surface area

Intracranial EEG (iEEG) plays a critical role in the treatment of neurological diseases, such as epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, as well as the development of neural prostheses and brain computer interfaces. While electrode geometries vary widely across these applications, the impact of electrode size on iEEG features and morphology is not well understood. Some insight has been gained from computer simulation studies and experiments in which signals are recorded using electrodes of different sizes concurrently in different brain regions. Here, we introduce a novel method to record from electrodes of different sizes in the exact same location by changing the size of iEEG electrodes after implantation in the brain. We first present a theoretical model and an in vitro validation of the method. We then report the results of an in vivo implementation in three human subjects with refractory epilepsy. We recorded iEEG data from three different electrode sizes and compared the amplitudes, power spectra, interchannel correlations, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of interictal epileptiform discharges, i.e., epileptic spikes. We found that iEEG amplitude and power decreased as electrode size increased, while inter-channel correlation increased with electrode size. The SNR of epileptic spikes was generally highest in the smallest electrodes, but 39% of spikes had maximal SNR in medium or large electrodes. This likely depends on the precise location and spatial spread of each spike. Overall, this new method enables multi-scale measurements of electrical activity in the human brain that facilitate our understanding of neurophysiology, treatment of neurological disease, and development of novel technologies.

Neurophysiology of the Developing Cerebral Cortex: What We Have Learned and What We Need to Know

This review article aims to give a brief summary on the novel technologies, the challenges, our current understanding, and the open questions in the field of the neurophysiology of the developing cerebral cortex in rodents. In the past, in vitro electrophysiological and calcium imaging studies on single neurons provided important insights into the function of cellular and subcellular mechanism during early postnatal development. In the past decade, neuronal activity in large cortical networks was recorded in pre- and neonatal rodents in vivo by the use of novel high-density multi-electrode arrays and genetically encoded calcium indicators. These studies demonstrated a surprisingly rich repertoire of spontaneous cortical and subcortical activity patterns, which are currently not completely understood in their functional roles in early development and their impact on cortical maturation. Technological progress in targeted genetic manipulations, optogenetics, and chemogenetics now allow the experimental manipulation of specific neuronal cell types to elucidate the function of early (transient) cortical circuits and their role in the generation of spontaneous and sensory evoked cortical activity patterns. Large-scale interactions between different cortical areas and subcortical regions, characterization of developmental shifts from synchronized to desynchronized activity patterns, identification of transient circuits and hub neurons, role of electrical activity in the control of glial cell differentiation and function are future key tasks to gain further insights into the neurophysiology of the developing cerebral cortex.

A case of a 22-year-old man with primary synovial sarcoma of the parapharyngeal space with an AR somatic mutation: A case report and review of the literature

This case report describes a 22-year-old man with a pharyngeal foreign body sensation arising from the left side of the postpharyngeal wall. Histological examination showed a biphasic pattern of epithelioid and spindle cells including glandular differentiation. The tumour was positive for vimentin and SS18-SSX, and the spindle cells were positive for bcl-2; in contrast, the epithelioid tumour cells were positive for pan-cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen and CD99. There was no INI-loss in tumour cells. Then, the presence of the SYT-SSX gene fusion was demonstrated by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In addition, androgen receptor gene somatic mutations were detected by next-generation sequencing. However, 6 months postoperatively, the patient had neither developed a recurrence nor received adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Accurate diagnosis depends on morphological and immunohistochemical examination and a proper molecular analysis, and novel technologies can detect a wide variety of genetic alterations. Although androgen receptor somatic mutations cannot provide addition treatment at present, surgical resection with a clean margin and follow-up is an appropriate approach.

Materials for Dentoalveolar Bioprinting: Current State of the Art

Although current treatments can successfully address a wide range of complications in the dentoalveolar region, they often still suffer from drawbacks and limitations, resulting in sub-optimal treatments for specific problems. In recent decades, significant progress has been made in the field of tissue engineering, aiming at restoring damaged tissues via a regenerative approach. Yet, the translation into a clinical product is still challenging. Novel technologies such as bioprinting have been developed to solve some of the shortcomings faced in traditional tissue engineering approaches. Using automated bioprinting techniques allows for precise placement of cells and biological molecules and for geometrical patient-specific design of produced biological scaffolds. Recently, bioprinting has also been introduced into the field of dentoalveolar tissue engineering. However, the choice of a suitable material to encapsulate cells in the development of so-called bioinks for bioprinting dentoalveolar tissues is still a challenge, considering the heterogeneity of these tissues and the range of properties they possess. This review, therefore, aims to provide an overview of the current state of the art by discussing the progress of the research on materials used for dentoalveolar bioprinting, highlighting the advantages and shortcomings of current approaches and considering opportunities for further research.

A Unique Framework for Contactless Estimation of Body Vital Signs using Facial Recognition

As one of the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of new technologies are developing in fast-track pace in clinical practices. The main idea of our project is to design contactless technology for the support of patients who suffer from blood pressure disorders and coronary heart diseases using machine learning approach. This may intend people to monitor their heart rate, pulse rate, respiratory life and oxygen saturation levels at an ease. The orientation of this paper is to monitor the blood pressure considering the facial changes and movements in a video to get rid of cuff-based measurement of blood pressure. We analyzed whether blood pressure can be obtained in a contactless way utilizing a novel technologies like image processing and machine learning techniques. This innovation estimates vague facial blood stream changes from video recordings captured by camera with the help of machine learning and image processing techniques.