Biophysical Research Articles

“Eating DNA” a Way to Motivate Girls to Get into Biophysics

“Eating DNA” a Way to Motivate Girls to Get into Biophysics

Propuesta metodológica de gestión de cuenca para el sanemiento, el caso de la microcuenca de El Muerto.

El arroyo El Muerto, estado de México, presenta contaminación generada por las actividades humanas dentro de su microcuenca. La atención del problema de contaminación puede desarrollarse a través de las particularidades del manejo del líquido. Ante esta situación, se planteó el estudio del proceso de manejo del agua para comprenderlo a partir del análisis de cinco núcleos: biofísico, sociocultural, económico, tecnológico y político-administrativo, con la finalidad de encontrar una alternativa a las visiones simples del aprovechamiento del recurso y lograr una propuesta metodológica de gestión.

Regional Biophysics Conference - RBC2016.

Regional Biophysics Conference - RBC2016.

Quantitative phase microscopy for evaluation of intestinal inflammation and wound healing utilizing label-free biophysical markers.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by a chronic relapsing disease course. As uncontrolled intestinal inflammation can result in severe disease complications, recent treatment targets of IBD evolved toward seeking the absence of mucosal and histological inflammation. However, this approach requires adequate histological evaluation of IBD disease activity. The diagnostic challenge of histological examination of intestinal inflammation is documented by the multitude of proposed histological scoring systems. In this context, we review quantitative phase imaging (QPI) techniques such as digital holographic microscopy (DHM) for characterizing intestinal inflammation. DHM determines optical path-length delays in a stain-free manner, thereby providing the tissue refractive index as a biophysical marker that directly correlates to tissue density. Recently, DHM has been successfully applied in cell biology, cancer cell research and infectious-induced cellular alterations. We summarized the capabilities of DHM and related QPI techniques to assess the severity of intestinal inflammation in experimental colitis as well as in colonic samples from human IBD patients. Moreover, we illustrate major advantages of DHM facilitated multimodal evaluation of epithelial wound healing processes as assessed by physical parameters like cell volume, density, thickness and dry mass in vitro. Furthermore, potential limitations of DHM and future utilities of QPI are discussed. In conclusion, DHM represents a promising, easy-to-use quantitative tool to provide accurate and objective assessment of intestinal inflammation and may pave the way towards automated label-free digital pathology and related in vitro cell culture analysis in future.

Benefits of coastal managed realignment for society: Evidence from ecosystem service assessments in two UK regions

Abstract Coastal managed realignment has the potential to deliver both nature conservation and other benefits to people, but these are rarely quantified. We used an ecosystem services assessment toolkit, TESSA, at two locations in the UK; Hesketh Outmarsh West (northwest England), where realignment has already been carried out, and the Inner Firth of Forth (central Scotland), where realignment is proposed for multiple sites. At the Inner Forth we focus on one site, Inch of Ferryton, in Clackmannanshire but also assess ecosystem services across several sites. Using dedicated data collection where possible, and site-appropriate existing data, we estimate the value of these sites to people in the realigned state compared with the most realistic alternative: continued agricultural production behind hard flood defences (agricultural state). Services assessed were climate change mitigation, agricultural production, nature-based recreation, and flood risk protection. At both sites agricultural production was estimated to be greater in the agricultural state, while other services were estimated to be greater in the realigned state. We are cautious about assigning overall monetary values based on biophysical attributes, particularly considering that climate change mitigation is highly sensitive to carbon prices, and that by necessity we were unable to quantify all services. Nevertheless, using a price for carbon that incorporates the societal cost of emissions, we estimate that the net annual provision of services is £262,935 (£1460.75/ha) at Hesketh Outmarsh West and £93,216 (£574.70/ha) at Inch of Ferryton. At both sites, sequestered carbon in accreting sediments outweighs greenhouse gas emissions from intertidal habitats, and the net value of this in turn outweighs the income foregone from crops and grazing. At Hesketh Outmarsh West the value of ecosystem services is increased by the reduction to flood risk arising from the coastal managed realignment action. Nature-based recreation is estimated to increase at both sites under realignment, with the visitor profile expected to be strongly local. Decisions about coastal management, including realignment, should incorporate information about the ecosystem services provided under different scenarios. This applies beyond coastal ecosystems, and the site-scale is often the most appropriate scale to carry out such assessments, as this is the scale at which decisions are often taken.

Assessing and characterizing oilseed rape freezing injury based on MODIS and MERIS data

Abstract: The oilseed rape growing in the lower reaches of Yangtze River in China belongs to winter varieties and suffers the risk of freezing injury. In this research, a typical freezing injury event occurred in Anhui Province was taken as a case study, the freezing damage degree of oilseed rape was assessed, and its development characteristics based on the vegetation metrics derived from MODIS and MERIS data were investigated. The oilseed rape was mapped according to the decline of greenness from bud stage to full-bloom period, with the phenological phases identified adopting time-series analyses. NDVI was more sensitive to freezing injury compared with other commonly used vegetation indices (VIs) calculated using MODIS bands, e.g., EVI, GNDVI and SAVI. The freezing damage degree employing the difference between post-freeze growth and the baseline level in adjacent damage-free growing seasons was determined. The remote sensing-derived damage levels were supported by their correlation with the cold accumulated temperatures at the county level. The performance of several remote sensing indicators of plant biophysical and biochemical parameters was also investigated, i.e., the photosynthetic rate, canopy water status, canopy chlorophyll content, leaf area index (LAI) and the red edge position (REP), in response to the advance of the freezing damage. It was found that the photosynthetic rate indicator—Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI) responded strongly to freezing stress. Freezing injury caused canopy water loss, which could be detected though the magnitude was not very large. MERIS-LAI showed a slow and lagging response to low temperature and restored rapidly in the recovery phase; additionally, REP and the indicator of canopy chlorophyll content—MERIS Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index (MTCI), did not appear to be influenced by freezing injury. It was concluded that the physiological functions, canopy structure, and organic content metrics showed a descending order of vulnerabilities to freezing injury. Keywords: Brassica napus, oilseed rape, freezing injury, crop monitoring, MODIS, MERIS DOI: 10.3965/j.ijabe.20171003.2721 Citation: She B, Huang J F, Zhang D Y, Huang L S. Assessing and characterizing oilseed rape freezing injury based on MODIS and MERIS data. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2017; 10(3): 143–157.

Economia ecológica: uma possível referência para o desenho de sistemas humanos realmente sustentáveis

No modelo vigorante do economista tipico, a economia e vista como sistema isolado, sem meio ambiente, ignorando o ecossistema, a moldura biofisica do sistema economico real. Ignora de igual maneira a importância da felicidade para a vida social. Na realidade, as pessoas buscam, sobretudo, ser felizes. Como seria a realidade se o mote, ao inves de aceleracao do crescimento economico, fosse de aceleracao da felicidade? Certamente, se precisa olhar o sistema economico sob outra otica, nao como sistema isolado, mas como sistema aberto, com entradas e saidas de materia e energia. E exatamente aqui que surge novo campo de trabalho, o da Economia Ecologica. As Leis da Termodinâmica despontam nele com significado decisivo, do mesmo modo que a busca da felicidade humana. Trata-se de explicar como o desejavel (a felicidade) cabe nos limites do possivel (a natureza). Sustentabilidade tem a ver com isso. Mas so se consolida com o cimento do afeto.

DNA-binding regulation of tumor suppressor p53 revealed by biophysical approach

DNA-binding regulation of tumor suppressor p53 revealed by biophysical approach

The biophysics, biochemistry and physiology of CFTR.

The biophysics, biochemistry and physiology of CFTR.

OP12.07: Prediction of pre‐eclampsia by maternal characteristic and biophysical markers during the first trimester of pregnancy

OP12.07: Prediction of pre‐eclampsia by maternal characteristic and biophysical markers during the first trimester of pregnancy

Comparison of Landsat 8 OLI and Landsat 7 ETM+ for estimating grassland LAI using model inversion and spectral indices

The leaf area index LAI is the key biophysical indicator used to assess the condition of rangeland. In this study, we investigated the implications of narrow spectral response, high radiometric res...

P16.04: Hemodynamic, biophysical and biochemical assessment in the first trimester as early screening for patients at risk of pre‐eclampsia

P16.04: Hemodynamic, biophysical and biochemical assessment in the first trimester as early screening for patients at risk of pre‐eclampsia

Research properties of the environment on basis of vegetable components from extract soy at the cryopreservation of sperm of bulls

By cryobiological, immunological and biophysical methods it is established that in the mechanism of temperature shock of cell the leading role is assigned to osmosis, and instant movement of water through it at the expense of an equilibration of osmotic pressure that is the reason of destruction of a cell membrane deprives a cytoplasmic membrane of properties of semipermeability. It was studied the fortification mechanism sperm when cooling and it is established that the fortificant accumulates on surfaces of a cell and creates a hydrophobic phase that slows down the osmotic action connected with an balancing of concentration gradients in ''cell-wednesday'' system. It is established, also, that the protective layer is created on a cytoplasmatic membrane on an extent of 2-5 minutes from the moment of its contact with an anti-shock component – fortificanty and then strongly is kept on it even at reusable washing of cells by isotonic environments. These theoretical research were taken as a basis of a technique of determination of anti-shock properties of cryoresistance various the bioactive substances and biochemical connections by search, development and improvement of environments for a cryopreservation of sperm of different types of animals. When freezing sperm in nitrogen, an obligatory component of the cryoprotective environment is the native yolk of eggs containing many phospholipids and lipoproteins which at interaction with plasma membranes sperm modify them by increase of resistant and stability. Being adsorbed by lipophilic and hydrophilic sites of plasma membranes lipid complexes almost by 2-3 times thickencell membrane that gives stability to sperm to extreme temperature, osmotic, immunological, physical and chemical and mechanical to damages.

Study on the Prediction of Cotton Yield within Field Scale with Time Series Hyperspectral Imagery

Pixel-based processing method mainly extracts spectral information from hyperspectral remote sensing images, but site specific management zone (SSMZ) delineation and crop yield estimation with images need to take spatiotemporal heterogeneity into account. As the spatial resolution of remote sensing data increases, the so-called “salt-and-pepper” problem of pixel-based classification becomes more serious. The spatiotemporal heterogeneity of soil properties and crop biophysical parameters are mainly delineated with grid sampling and geostatistics interpolation, but the widely used method has some problems: time consuming and high cost. Satellite imageries are introduced to delineate SSMZ, but there are also problems needed to be resolved: (1) single date imagery is used to map SSMZ which is difficult to determine the optimal date for SSMZ delineation; (2) only few SSMZs were mapped, which limited application of site specific fertilizing and management; (3) pixel-based method for SSMZ delineation didn’t concern the spatial relationship between pixels and site specific management does not implement at pixel level, but at SSMZ level. To improve the accuracy of crop yield estimation, a time-series of hyperspectral airborne images with high spatial resolution (1 m) of a cotton field, which is located in San Joaquin Valley, California US, were acquired and classified by using object-oriented segmentation, then yield predicting models were built, and the accuracy and stability of yield models were validated with determining coefficients R2 and the root mean square error (RMSE). Results are as follows: (1) object-oriented SSMZ delineating method combines spectral, spatial and temporal information, reduces noises in images and yield data, improves the accuracy of yield prediction; (2) for same SSMZ number, first derivative predicting model is more accurate; (3) for same spectral input, models with fewer SSMZs show higher accuracy, which is due to spatial errors of airborne images and yield data. The results will improve monitoring methods for crop growth and yield while accelerate the application of UAV remote sensing in precision agriculture.

Science Writing Workshop

The Current Science Association has introduced Science Writing Workshops for the benefit of students, teachers and researchers to improve their science writing skills. The first such workshop was held in Bengaluru. Inaugurating the workshop, P. Balaram (Molecular Biophysics Unit, IISc and former Editor of Current Science ) gave a brief history of Current Science . The journal, founded in 1932 has completed 84 years. He mentioned that punctuality in publication has been a remarkable feature of the journal.

Building biophysics in China

Building biophysics in China

Principles and Methods for the Retrieval of Biophysical Variables in Mountainous Areas

Principles and Methods for the Retrieval of Biophysical Variables in Mountainous Areas

Relationships between normal or borderline blood pressure and some neural, endocrine, metabolic and biophysic parameters in women and men

Vovchyna Yuliya V., Voronych Nataliya M., Zukow W alery, Popovych Igor L. Relationships between normal or borderline blood pressure and some neural, endocrine, metabolic and biophysic parameters in women and men. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2016;6(2):163-182. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.2525023 http://ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/3396 https://pbn.nauka.gov.pl/works/715715 The journal has had 7 points in Ministry of Science and Higher Education parametric evaluation. Part B item 755 (23.12.2015). 755 Journal of Education, Health and Sport eISSN 2391-8306 7 © The Author (s) 2016; This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Received: 05.01.2016. Revised 12.02.2016. Accepted: 21.02.2016. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NORMAL OR BORDERLINE BLOOD PRESSURE AND SOME NEURAL, ENDOCRINE, METABOLIC AND BIOPHYSIC PARAMETERS IN WOMEN AND MEN Yuliya V. Vovchyna 1,2 , Nataliya M. Voronych 2 , W alery Zukow 3 , Igor L. Popovych 4 1 Sanatorium “Kryshtalevyǐ Palats” SAD , Truskavets’, Ukraine yulija_if@mail.ru 2 Department of Normal Physiology, National Medical University, Ivano-Frankivs’k, Ukraine 3 Faculty of Physical Education, Health and Tourism, Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland w.zukow@ukw.edu.pl 4 Laboratory of Experimental Balneology, OO Bohomolets’ Institute of Physiology NAS, Truskavets’-Kyiv , Ukraine i.popovych@biph.kiev.ua Abstracts Background. We conduct a systematic study of the effect of balneotherapy spa Truskavets (Ukraine) on blood pressure. The aim of this study is to elucidate the links between normal and marginal blood pressure, on the one hand, and some neural, endocrine, metabolic and biophysical factors on the other. Material and research methods. We recorded twice at ten women and ten men aged 33-76 years without clinical diagnose Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, heart rate variability (HRV), electroencephalogram (EEG), electro-skin conductance acupuncture points (ESCAP) Pg(ND), TR(X) and MC(AVL), determined the rate of electronegative nuclei of buccal epithelium (named as Electrokinetic Index) as well as plasma levels of Calcitonin, Testosterone, Cortisol, Triiod-thyronin, Cholesterol, Uric Acid, Chloride, Phosphate, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. Results. Observed contingent characterized generally normal for a particular age or borderline high blood pressure, predominantly diastolic. In the final regression model were included 4 metabolic parameters (Cholesterol, Uric Acid, Phosphate and Calcium), 3 neural (α-rhythm Index as well as RMSSD and Triangulary Index as markers of Vagal tone) and ESCAP TR(X) Right as marker activity of endocrine system, which taken together determines Systolic Blood Pressure on 77%. Diastolic Blood Pressure determined on 74% by 7 neural parameters (4 HRV markers of Vagal and Sympathetic tone as well as α-rhythm Amplitude and Deviation and θ-rhythm Frequency), 2 biophysic parameters (ESCAP TR(X) Right and Electrokinetic Index as marker of biological age) as well as Chloride and Hender. Conclusion. Normal and marginal blood pressure determined by some neural, biophysical and metabolic factorss well as Hender. Keywords: blood pressure, HRV, EEG, hormones, electrolytes, relationships.

Involvement of Notch signaling in the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells stimulated by pulsed electromagnetic fields

Biophysical stimulation with pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs), used in clinics to promote bone repair, favour osteogenic differentiation in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), however their molecular mechanisms are not clarified. Notch is a pathway regulating cell fate decisions which play a role in skeletal development. Notch signaling is initiated by binding a Notch ligand to a cell surface Notch receptor, resulting in a cleavage of receptor and releasing Notch intracellular domain which translocates to the nucleus and activates transcription of nuclear Notch target genes, such as the Hes/Hey family.The aim of this study is to establish if the known PEMF-induced osteogenic effects may occur through the modulation of Notch pathway. Bone marrow hMSCs cultured in basal condition (control) and in osteoinductive medium (OM) for 28 days were unexposed or continuously exposed to PEMFs (75 Hz, 1.5 mT) (Igea, Carpi, Italy). To block Notch pathway, the Notch inhibitor DAPT was used to treat a series of hMSCs cultured in OM. At different time points (day 1,3,7,14,21,28), osteogenic markers (alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin and matrix mineralization), mRNA expression of osteogenic transcription factors (Runx2, Dlx5, Osterix) as well as of Notch receptors (Notch1-4), their ligands (Jagged1, Dll1 and Dll4) and nuclear target genes (Hey1, Hey2, Hes1, Hes5) were analysed.Our results showed that osteogenic markers and transcription factors increased in OM compared to control and they were further stimulated by PEMFs. Notably, PEMFs significantly increased the expression of Notch4, Dll4, Hey1, Hes1 and Hes5 in the middle phase of differentiation in OM compared to control. In the presence of DAPT, osteogenic markers as well Hes1 and Hes5 expression were significantly inhibited, in unexposed and PEMF-exposed hMSCs. Hey1 was not inhibited by DAPT suggesting a possible regulation by other signaling pathway.These new findings show that PEMFs favor osteogenic differentiation acting through Notch pathway, adding important knowledge concerning the molecular mechanisms by which PEMFs can modulate osteogenesis. This work was supported by grants from IGEA, Carpi, Italy.

Body structure of the macedonian population

Establishing the structural components of the body: bone, muscle and fat is of great significance in sport orientation and selection as in entire biophysical development in young people. Nowdays, when there is hypokinetics in the modern world, there is a greater disbalance between active (muscle) and inactive (fat) components, which enlarge the value of “ballast” tissue. The material comprised personal files of 200 Macedonian examinees 14 years old,100 females and 100 males. On the basis of manifested anthropometrical variables, structural components of the body are established, in Macedonian children at age 14 who live in Skopje area, living in approximately equal socio-economic conditions. For quantitative determination of the absolute values of the bone (0 kg), muscle (M kg) and fat tissue (D kg), the dynamic anthropometric method by J. Meteigka was applied. At the age of 14 years, the absolute values of the bone mass (0 kg) was 9.91 (17,04%) in the males and in the females it was 7,83 (14,63%). The muscle mass (M kg) was 31.52 (52,04%) in the males and 27.89 (51.49%) in the females. The fat structural component (D kg) was 7.18 (11.14 %) in males and 7.02 (12.32 %) in females. The difference among sexes in the Macedonian population at the age of 14 years is very significant for the bone mass. At this age in male examinees bone mass is in high correlation with the diameter of the knee joint and in females with the diameter of the elbow, so they can serve as most valid sign in maintaining the bone mass. Muscle mass at 14 year age is in correlation with the circumference of the upper arm in males and with total muscle mass in females. Fat structural component at this age is higher in females then in male examinees, and is in high correlation with the body mass.