A few basic structures determine the behavior of a coupled map lattice

C-oscillators and stability of stationary cluster structures in lattices of diffusively coupled oscillators

The role of biology in the formation, stabilization and degradation of soil structure

When a cell spreads and moves, reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton pushes the cell membrane, and the resulting membrane protrusions create new points of contact with the substrate and generate the locomotive force. Membrane extension and adhesion to a substrate must be tightly coordinated for effective cell movement, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying these processes. WAVEs are critical regulators of Rac-induced actin reorganization. WAVE2 is essential for formation of lamellipodial structures at the cell periphery stimulated by growth factors, but it is thought that WAVE1 is dispensable for such processes in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Here we show a novel function of WAVE in lamellipodial protrusions during cell spreading. During spreading on fibronectin (FN), MEFs with knockouts (KOs) of WAVE1 and WAVE2 showed different membrane dynamics, suggesting that these molecules have distinct roles in lamellipodium formation. Formation of lamellipodial structures on FN was inhibited in WAVE2 KO MEFs. In contrast, WAVE1 is not essential for extension of lamellipodial protrusions but is required for stabilization of such structures. WAVE1-deficiency decreased the density of actin filaments and increased the speed of membrane extension, causing deformation of focal complex at the tip of spreading edges. Thus, at the tip of the lamellipodial protrusion, WAVE2 generates the membrane protrusive structures containing actin filaments, and modification by WAVE1 stabilizes these structures through cell-substrate adhesion. Coordination of WAVE1 and WAVE2 activities appears to be necessary for formation of proper actin structures in stable lamellipodia.

Stability and formation of long period stacking order structure in Mg-based ternary alloys

Zipper Like Structures Possible Intermediates to Assemble Duplex Mediated G-Quadruplex DNA

Mechanisms of low-frequency bandgap formation and energy absorption of three-dimensional nested hybrid lattice structures

Stabilization of RNA tertiary structure by monovalent cations

Formation and stabilization of RNA structure in the cell depends on its interaction with solvent and metal ions. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is a convenient tool in an analysis of the role of small molecules in the structure stabilization of biological macromolecules. Analysis of HHP effect and various concentrations of ions showed that water induce formation of the active ribozyme structure. So, it is clear that water is the driving force of conformational changes of nucleic acid.

To construct three-dimensional (3D) pre-vascularized microstructures and explore the promoting effect of human fibroblasts (HFs) on the sprout and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in 3D co-culture system. HUVECs and HFs were cultured and the 3rd to 5th generation cells were selected for subsequent experiments. In 2D co-culture system, HFs were stained with PKH26 and the cell density was fixed, which co-cultured with HUVECs in different ratios (1∶4, 1∶1, 4∶1) and inoculation methods (HUVECs inoculation at 48 hours after HFs, direct mixed inoculation). Then the formation of vascular like structures was observed under fluorescence microscope. In 3D co-culture system, HUVECs and HFs were labeled with green fluorescent protein and red fluorescent protein by lentivirus transfection, respectively. They were inoculated on porous micro-carriers followed by dynamically culturing in rotating bottles to prepare HF, HUVEC, HF-EC, or HF&EC microstructures. The cell growth in microstructures was testing by low permeability crystal violet staining. Subsequently, the microstructures were embedded in fibrin gel and the cell growth and adhesion in HF and HUVEC microstructures were observed by laser confocal microscopy. Laser confocal microscope were also used to observe the sprouts of 4 kinds of microstructures, as well as the cell composition, the number and length of sprouts from HF-EC and HF&EC microstructures. HFs conditioned medium was prepared to observe its effect on sprouts of HUVEC microstructures with DMEM as control group. In 2D co-culture system, HFs pre-culturing was helpful to the formation and stability of vascular like structures, and the best effect was when the ratio of two kinds of cells was 1∶1. In 3D co-culture system, it was found that the cells grew well on micro-carriers and had the ability of pre-vascularization. HUVEC microstructures did not sprout, but HF, HF-EC, and HF&EC microstructures could which indicated a good vascularization ability. The HF-EC microstructures were superior to HF&EC microstructures in terms of sprouts length and number ( P<0.05). The tubes sprouting from co-cultured group were composed of HFs and HUVECs, and HF microstructures migration preceded HUVEC microstructures always, and their migration trajectories were the same. HUVEC microstructures could sprout when cultured in HFs conditioned media. HF-HUVEC pre-vascularized microstructures can be prepared by pre-culturing HFs before HUVECs and with the cell ratio at 1∶1 in a rotating bottle. In 3D co-culture system, HFs can promote and guide the sprout of HUVECs.

The p7 protein of hepatitis C virus functions as an ion channel both in vitro and in cell-based assays and is inhibited by amantadine, long alkyl chain imino-sugar derivatives, and amiloride compounds. Future drug design will be greatly aided by information on the stoichiometry and high resolution structure of p7 ion channel complexes. Here, we have refined a bacterial expression system for p7 based on a glutathione S-transferase fusion methodology that circumvents the inherent problems of hydrophobic protein purification and the limitations of chemical synthesis. Rotational averaging and harmonic analysis of transmission electron micrographs of glutathione S-transferase-FLAG-p7 fusion proteins in liposomes revealed a heptameric stoichiometry. The oligomerization of p7 protein was then confirmed by SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry analysis of pure, concentrated FLAG-p7. The same protein was also confirmed to function as an ion channel in suspended lipid bilayers and was inhibited by amantadine. These data validate this system as a means of generating high resolution structural information on the p7 ion channel complex.

Organic matter (OM) in soil plays vital roles with respect to global climate change, as the largest terrestrial reservoir of organic carbon, and with respect to soil quality through the stabilization of soil structure and the retention and cycling of plant nutrients. The interactions between lay minerals and OM are central to most of these functions. Clays may catalyze formation of new humic substances, inhibit the degradation of existing humic substances through physically sequestration, and clay-humic associations are at the very heart of aggregation and soil structure stabilization. In this book we seek to explore the state of knowledge related to these topics and the analytical tools used to investigate them. In chapter 1, Hayes et al. describe chemical fractionation techniques and relate clay bound soil OM to the “humin” fraction. Chen and arcjotzly (Chapter 2) discuss the role of humic substances and polysaccarides in formation and stabilization of soil structure. Gonzalez (Chapter 3) considers the potential catalytic role of clays in the formation of new humic materials. Wershaw (Chapter 4) considers the nature of soil OM and clay-humic complexes as revealed by NMR and other techniques. The last two chapters, Chenu et al. (Chapter 5) and Laird and Thompson (Chapter 6), focus directly on understanding the nature of clay-humic complexes as revealed by electron microscopic techniques. It is hoped that this volume will provide the reader with both advanced understanding of the current state of knowledge and an appreciation for the gaps in that knowledge. The knowledge gaps represent challenges for future generations of scientists.

Experimental study of the thermal stability of dislocation structures produced through cyclic deformation in copper polycrystals

Peptides containing Lys and Orn were synthesized to study the role of side chains in the formation of the β-turn structure. In contrast with peptides having a –Lys–Asp– sequence, peptides containing an –Orn–Asp– sequence do not adopt a β-turn structure. Analysis of the side chain rotamers shows that in Boc–Gly–Lys–Asp–Gly–OMe the Lys side chain can interact with the side chain of the neighboring Asp residue and this interaction contributes to the stabilization of the β-turn structure. The Orn side chain, instead of side chain–side chain interactions, interacts with the peptide backbone.

It is known that the cause of the instability of stationary vortex structures are the convective terms of the Navier-Stokes equations. Here, the formation of vortex structures is fundamentally influenced by the vector product of the velocity curl and the velocity vector. Spiral vortices are contingent on the zero value of this product and are one of the causes of the formation of a non-stationary rope in a diffusor. In the paper, equations of spiral vortices are derived and the condition of the vortex stability in a diffusor is determined depending on the existence of spiral vortices. In this sense, new forms of the Navier-Stokes equations are derived. It is possible to analyze the influence of boundary conditions on the stability of vortex structures. The theoretical knowledge is applied to the analysis of the stability of the vortex rope in a diffusor. In addition, a simple method for detecting the onset of the instability of vortex structures is presented.

I give a brief overview of recent results in the area of both (2+1-and (3+1)-dimensional localized structures in some selected models in optics and atomic Bose-Einstein condensate. I concentrate on the existence, stability and robustness of these multidimensional localized structures and on the possibility of creation of spatiotemporal optical solitons in various optical settings.