Parameters Of Biological Systems Research Articles

EPR Oximetry Sensor\u2014Developing a TAM Derivative for In Vivo Studies

Oxygenation is one of the most important physiological parameters of biological systems. Low oxygen concentration (hypoxia) is associated with various pathophysiological processes in different organs. Hypoxia is of special importance in tumor therapy, causing poor response to treatment. Triaryl methyl (TAM) derivative radicals are commonly used in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) as sensors for quantitative spatial tissue oxygen mapping. They are also known as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents and fluorescence imaging compounds. We report the properties of the TAM radical tris(2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-4-carboxy-phenyl)methyl, (PTMTC), a potential multimodal (EPR/fluorescence) marker. PTMTC was spectrally analyzed using EPR and characterized by estimation of its sensitivity to the oxygen in liquid environment suitable for intravenous injection (1 mM PBS, pH = 7.4). Further, fluorescent emission of the radical was measured using the same solvent and its quantum yield was estimated. An in vitro cytotoxicity examination was conducted in two cancer cell lines, HT-29 (colorectal adenocarcinoma) and FaDu (squamous cell carcinoma) and followed by uptake studies. The stability of the radical in different solutions (PBS pH = 7.4, cell media used for HT-29 and FaDu cells culturing and cytotoxicity procedure, full rat blood and blood plasma) was determined. Finally, a primary toxicity test of PTMTC was carried out in mice. Results of spectral studies confirmed the multimodal properties of PTMTC. PTMTC was demonstrated to be not absorbed by cancer cells and did not interfere with luciferin-luciferase based assays. Also in vitro and in vivo tests showed that it was non-toxic and can be freely administrated till doses of 250 mg/kg BW via both i.v. and i.p. injections. This work illustrated that PTMTC is a perfect candidate for multimodal (EPR/fluorescence) contrast agent in preclinical studies.

Envisaging the Regulation of Alkaloid Biosynthesis and Associated Growth Kinetics in Hairy Roots of Vinca minor Through the Function of Artificial Neural Network.

Artificial neural network based modeling is a generic approach to understand and correlate different complex parameters of biological systems for improving the desired output. In addition, some new inferences can also be predicted in a shorter time with less cost and labor. As terpenoid indole alkaloid pathway in Vinca minor is very less investigated or elucidated, a strategy of elicitation with hydroxylase and acetyltransferase along with incorporation of various precursors from primary shikimate and secoiridoid pools via simultaneous employment of cyclooxygenase inhibitor was performed in the hairy roots of V. minor. This led to the increment in biomass accumulation, total alkaloid concentration, and vincamine production in selected treatments. The resultant experimental values were correlated with algorithm approaches of artificial neural network that assisted in finding the yield of vincamine, alkaloids, and growth kinetics using number of elicits. The inputs were the hydroxylase/acetyltransferase elicitors and cyclooxygenase inhibitor along with various precursors from shikimate and secoiridoid pools and the outputs were growth index (GI), alkaloids, and vincamine. The approach incorporates two MATLAB codes; GRNN and FFBPNN. Growth kinetic studies revealed that shikimate and tryptophan supplementation triggers biomass accumulation (GI = 440.2 to 540.5); while maximum alkaloid (3.7 % dry wt.) and vincamine production (0.017 ± 0.001 % dry wt.) was obtained on supplementation of secologanin along with tryptophan, naproxen, hydrogen peroxide, and acetic anhydride. The study shows that experimental and predicted values strongly correlate each other. The correlation coefficient for growth index (GI), alkaloids, and vincamine was found to be 0.9997, 0.9980, 0.9511 in GRNN and 0.9725, 0.9444, 0.9422 in FFBPNN, respectively. GRNN provided greater similarity between the target and predicted dataset in comparison to FFBPNN. The findings can provide future insights to calculate growth index, alkaloids, and vincamine in combination to different elicits.

Current approaches and future role of high content imaging in safety sciences and drug discovery.

High content imaging combines automated microscopy with image analysis approaches to simultaneously quantify multiple phenotypic and/or functional parameters in biological systems. The technology has become an important tool in the fields of safety sciences and drug discovery, because it can be used for mode-of-action identification, determination of hazard potency and the discovery of toxicity targets and biomarkers. In contrast to conventional biochemical endpoints, high content imaging provides insight into the spatial distribution and dynamics of responses in biological systems. This allows the identification of signaling pathways underlying cell defense, adaptation, toxicity and death. Therefore, high content imaging is considered a promising technology to address the challenges for the "Toxicity testing in the 21st century" approach. Currently, high content imaging technologies are frequently applied in academia for mechanistic toxicity studies and in pharmaceutical industry for the ranking and selection of lead drug compounds or to identify/confirm mechanisms underlying effects observed in vivo. A recent workshop gathered scientists working on high content imaging in academia, pharmaceutical industry and regulatory bodies with the objective to compile the state-of-the-art of the technology in the different institutions. Together they defined technical and methodological gaps, proposed quality control measures and performance standards, highlighted cell sources and new readouts and discussed future requirements for regulatory implementation. This review summarizes the discussion, proposed solutions and recommendations of the specialists contributing to the workshop.

Preferential interaction parameters in biological systems by Kirkwood–Buff theory and computer simulation

Recent results concerning the formulation and evaluation of preferential interactions in biological systems in terms of Kirkwood–Buff (KB) integrals are presented. In particular, experimental and simulated preferential interactions of a cosolvent with a biomolecule in the presence of water are described. It is argued that the preferential interaction parameter defined in a system open to both cosolvent and solvent corresponds to the situation most relevant to the analysis of computer simulation results of cosolvent interactions with proteins and small peptides. Hence, KB theory provides a path from quantities determined from simulation data to the corresponding thermodynamic data.

Chemical Potential Derivatives and Preferential Interaction Parameters in Biological Systems from Kirkwood-Buff Theory

New expressions for chemical potential derivatives and preferential interaction parameters for ternary mixtures are derived for open, semiopen, and closed ensembles in terms of Kirkwood-Buff integrals, where all three components are present at finite concentrations. This is achieved using a simple approach that avoids the use of the general matrix formulation of Kirkwood-Buff theory. The resulting expressions provide a rigorous foundation for the analysis of experimental and simulation data. Using the results, a simple model is developed and used to investigate the possible effects of finite protein concentrations on the corresponding cosolvent dependent chemical potential and denaturation thermodynamics.

Cell kinetic studies using a monoclonal antibody to bromodeoxyuridine.

Cell kinetics is defined as the measurement of time parameters in biological systems. Traditionally, this has involved the use of radioactive precursors of DNA, such as tritiated thymidine (3HTdR), and autoradiography to detect their incorporation into DNA. This technique has provided detailed knowledge of cell kinetics in both in vitro and in vivo experimental systems. The technique, however, is time consuming and arduous and is not readily applicable to human tumor research because of ethical problems involved in incorporation of a radioisotope into DNA.

Two-site exchange revisited: a new method for extracting exchange parameters in biological systems

A new analysis is presented which links real volume fractions, relaxation rates, and intracompartmental exchange rates directly with apparent volume fractions and relaxation rates obtained from biexponential fits of transverse magnetization decay curves. The analysis differs from previous methods in that measurements from two paramagnetic doping levels are used to close the two-site exchange equations. Both the new method and one previously described by Herbst and Goldstein (HG) have been applied to paramagnetically doped whole-blood data sets. Significant differences in the calculated exchange parameters are found between the two methods. A small dependence of the intracellular relaxation rate on extracellular paramagnetic agent concentration, assumed nonexistent with the HG method, is inferred from the new analysis. The analysis was also applied to published data on perfused rat hearts, and we obtained a limited assessment of two-site exchange in this system.

Experimental Mechanics

Mechanical failure of machine parts, structures, and microelectronic components has a strong negative impact on the safety, security, and productivity of our people. Prevention of these failures is a principal focus of solid mechanics, which uses analysis, experiment, and computation to provide the understanding necessary for failure reduction through improved design, fabrication, and inspection. Experimental mechanics plays a critical role in this effort since it provides the data base for the calculations and the means for testing the validity of proposed theoretical models of failure. Current trends in experimental mechanics show increased use of optical methods for monitoring the displacements, velocities, and strains of surfaces. This trend has gained impetus from the attractiveness of noncontact methods for hostile environments and dynamically loaded bodies. Advances in laser technology have enhanced the instrumentation associated with these methods. Another trend is the investigation of material behavior under more complex loading conditions, made possible by the availability of servo-controlled testing machines with computer interfaces. Still another trend is the increased attention given to defects, such as inclusions, cracks, and holes, because of their importance in failure mechanisms. Opportunities for future contributions from experimental mechanics appear to be great and to occur across a broad range of technological problems. A central theme of future research appears to be increased emphasis on measurements at the micron and submicron scale in order to advance the understanding of material response and failure at the micromechanical level. Increased attention will also be given to internal measurements of defects, deformations and residual stresses because of their importance in developing a fundamental understanding of failure. Automated data reduction and control of experiments will greatly increase the information obtained from experiments and its usefulness for the development of mathematical models. Other important research directions include improved methods for measurements of in situ stresses in rocks, improved measurements of displacements and physiological parameters in biological systems, capability for long-term monitoring of the integrity of structures, and improved sensors for feedback control of mechanical systems.

Anesthetic antagonism of the effects of high hydrostatic pressure on locomotory activity of the brine shrimp Artemia

1. 1. The locomotory activity of small groups of brine shrimp ( Artemia salina) was studied under conditions of high hydrostatic pressure, varying temperatures and exposure to several gaseous anesthetics. 2. 2. Both compression and exposure to anesthesia reduced the animal's swimming activity, while temperature increased or decreased activity as it was raised or lowered from ambient. 3. 3. The effect of the anesthetics was less during periods of simultaneous exposure to high hydrostatic pressure. 4. 4. It is concluded that pressure antagonism of anesthesia is demonstrable in invertebrate organisms and may represent a fundamental interaction of these parameters in biological systems.

Natural Mortality and Reproduction for a Food Supply at Minimum Metabolism

Previous articleNext article No AccessNatural Mortality and Reproduction for a Food Supply at Minimum MetabolismTheodore A. WilsonTheodore A. Wilson Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 99, Number 908Sep. - Oct., 1965 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/282378 Views: 4Total views on this site Citations: 3Citations are reported from Crossref PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Yoh Iwasa Optimal death strategy of animal populations, Journal of Theoretical Biology 72, no.44 (Jun 1978): 611–626.https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-5193(78)90275-8G.J. BAKUS Energetics and Feeding in Shallow Marine Waters, (Jan 1969): 275–369.https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-368104-1.50011-0 Tom M. Spight Species Diversity: A Comment on the Role of the Predator, The American Naturalist 101, no.922922 (Oct 2015): 467–474.https://doi.org/10.1086/282511

An analog computer for the generalized multi-compartment model of transport in biological systems.

A technique for the determination of transfer rates and other parameters of biological systems is outlined. The technique is designed for the presentation of solutions to the generalized equations in order to: determine an appropriate model that produces the same results as observed experimentally; determine the parameters of a specific model that best fit the data; vary the boundary conditions easily for matching or predicting what a particular model will do under other experimental circumstances; use and observe transient effects between compartments (assuming, however, instantaneous mixing in any compartment); and use, in a limited manner, of timevarying coefficients. It is also pointed out that such a computer will allow the choice of different flow rates in different directions across the same boundary. The model is designed to aid in determining what parameters are measurable or even controllable.