High-throughput hyperdimensional vertebrate phenotyping

Most gene mutations and biologically active molecules cause complex responses in animals that cannot be predicted by cell culture models. Yet animal studies remain too slow and their analyses are often limited to only a few readouts. Here we demonstrate high-throughput optical projection tomography with micrometer resolution and hyperdimensional screening of entire vertebrates in tens of seconds using a simple fluidic system. Hundreds of independent morphological features and complex phenotypes are automatically captured in three dimensions with unprecedented speed and detail in semi-transparent zebrafish larvae. By clustering quantitative phenotypic signatures, we can detect and classify even subtle alterations in many biological processes simultaneously. We term our approach hyperdimensional in vivo phenotyping (HIP). To illustrate the power of HIP, we have analyzed the effects of several classes of teratogens on cartilage formation using 200 independent morphological measurements and identified similarities and differences that correlate well with their known mechanisms of actions in mammals

High-throughput hyperdimensional vertebrate phenotyping

Most gene mutations and biologically active molecules cause complex responses in animals that cannot be predicted by cell culture models. Yet animal studies remain too slow and their analyses are often limited to only a few readouts. Here we demonstrate high-throughput optical projection tomography with micrometre resolution and hyperdimensional screening of entire vertebrates in tens of seconds using a simple fluidic system. Hundreds of independent morphological features and complex phenotypes are automatically captured in three dimensions with unprecedented speed and detail in semitransparent zebrafish larvae. By clustering quantitative phenotypic signatures, we can detect and classify even subtle alterations in many biological processes simultaneously. We term our approach hyperdimensional in vivo phenotyping. To illustrate the power of hyperdimensional in vivo phenotyping, we have analysed the effects of several classes of teratogens on cartilage formation using 200 independent morphological measurements, and identified similarities and differences that correlate well with their known mechanisms of actions in mammals.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH Transformative Research Award (R01 NS073127))National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH (R01 GM095672)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH Director’s New Innovator award (1-DP2-OD002989))Howard Hughes Medical Institute (International Student Fellowship)Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (SPARC grant)David & Lucile Packard Foundation (Award in Science and Engineering

Anti-M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus

Background: Evidences have shown that anti-M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor IgG (anti-M3 mAChR IgG) are clinically useful autoantibody that exert a cholinergic pharmacologic effect binding and interacting with M3 mAChR at the level of exocrine gland (salivary and ocular). Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the associations between serum level of anti-M3 mAChR IgG in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other autoantibodies, serum prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and clinical manifestations. Methods: Serum autoantibodies against M3 mAChR synthetic peptide were measured by enzyme-linked immuno absorbent assay (ELISA) using, as an antigen, a 25-mer peptide K-R-T-V-P-D-N-Q-C-F-I-Q-F-L-S-N-P-A-V-T-F-G-T-A-I corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the second extracellular loop of the human M3 mAChR. Serum levels of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-Smith (Sm) antibodies, anti-phospholipid (APL) antibodies, and PGE2 were determined by ELISA in patients with SLE. Results: We found significantly enhanced titers of anti-M3 mAChR IgG in sera from SLE patients compared with healthy individuals (control). In addition, serum levels of PGE2 were significantly higher in SLE patients than in control patients and were significantly higher in active than in non-active SLE. No correlation was found with other autoantibodies present in SLE. By contrast, a positive correlation was found between anti-M3 mAChR IgG and PGE2 serum levels in SLE. Conclusions: As anti-M3 mAChR antibodies present in the sera of SLE patients may be another factor in the pathogenesis of this disease, and the increment of PGE2 in the sera of SLE has a modulatory action on the inflammatory process, suggesting that the presence of these autoantibodies against M3 mAChR may contribute to sustained immune deregulation and the strong inflammatory component observed in SLE.Fil: Reina, Silvia Lorena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pisoni, Cecilia. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; ArgentinaFil: Eimon, Alicia. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; ArgentinaFil: Carrizo, Carolina. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; ArgentinaFil: Arana, Roberto. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; ArgentinaFil: Borda, Enri Santiago. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Structural Loads Due to Detonations in Hydrogen Emergency Vent Systems

Hydrogen emergency vent systems are safety equipment to release hydrogen from storage in terms of pressure rise. Sometimes, the safety vent systems become a risk when it fails, and several explosions happened due to this failure. In this study, hydrogen explosions at different concentrations were conducted in a 4 m single obstructed closed pipe to observe the maximum pressure and strain response. PicoSope and NI instruments were used to measure the pressure and strain respectively and it was found that NI recorded a lot of noise. No detonation or DDT was observed at 0.6, but DDT was observed after the obstacle at 1.0 and 1.2. The run-up distance was minimum in stoichiometric and rich mixtures. Maximum overpressure was observed as 1.85 MPa at 1.5 m distance at 1.2. DDT was observed in end pipe at 0.8 with a maximum reflected overpressure of 2.56 MPa. A DDT in the end pipe is dangerous and can develop a pressure of 5 MPa or even more. A dynamic amplification factor of 1.67 was found between the hoop strain recorded from strain gauge and strain calculated from internal pressure at 2.0 m distance for 1.0. A random choice numerical simulation was conducted and compared with experimental results which was in good agreement. From the simulation it was found that a pressure of 5.7 MPa can be developed if detonation occurred in the end pipe. The simulation can predict the pressure response both in an open and closed pipe. For industrial application the material of the vent systems should be low electric conductive, high convection heat transfer coefficient, low roughness, leaked tight and unobstructed. The initial conditions and flow rate of the hydrogen should take into account before implement the vent systems

All is Fair in Love and War: Moral Foundations in English-Language Tweets during the First 36 Weeks of Conflict Between Ukraine and Russia

We apply Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) to explore how the public conceptualizes the current conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation (Russia). Our analysis includes over 1.1 million English Tweets over the first 36 weeks related to the conflict. We used a LIWC (Luke) moral foundations dictionary to identify the moral components (care, fairness, loyalty, authority, and sanctity) of tweets from the U.S., pre- and post-Cold War NATO countries, Ukraine, and Russia. Following an initial spike at the beginning of the conflict, tweet volume declined and stabilized by week ten. The level of moral content varied significantly across the five regions and the five moral components. Tweets from different regions included significantly different moral foundations to conceptualize the conflict. Across all regions, tweets were dominated by loyalty content, while fairness content was infrequent. Moral content over time was relatively stable, and variations were linked to reported conflict events

Organ-targeted high-throughput in vivo biologics screen identifies materials for RNA delivery

Therapies based on biologics involving delivery of proteins, DNA, and RNA are currently among the most promising approaches. However, although large combinatorial libraries of biologics and delivery vehicles can be readily synthesized, there are currently no means to rapidly characterize them in vivo using animal models. Here, we demonstrate high-throughput in vivo screening of biologics and delivery vehicles by automated delivery into target tissues of small vertebrates with developed organs. Individual zebrafish larvae are automatically oriented and immobilized within hydrogel droplets in an array format using a microfluidic system, and delivery vehicles are automatically microinjected to target organs with high repeatability and precision. We screened a library of lipid-like delivery vehicles for their ability to facilitate the expression of protein-encoding RNAs in the central nervous system. We discovered delivery vehicles that are effective in both larval zebrafish and rats. Our results showed that the in vivo zebrafish model can be significantly more predictive of both false positives and false negatives in mammals than in vitro mammalian cell culture assays. Our screening results also suggest certain structure–activity relationships, which can potentially be applied to design novel delivery vehicles.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Transformative Research Award R01 NS073127)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Director's Innovator Award DP2 OD002989)David & Lucile Packard Foundation (Award in Science and Engineering)Sanofi Aventis (Firm)Foxconn International Holdings Ltd.Hertz Foundation (Fellowship)University Grants Committee (Hong Kong, China) (Early Career Award 125012)National Natural Science Foundation (China) (81201164)ITC (ITS/376/13)Chinese University of Hong Kong (Grant 9610215)Chinese University of Hong Kong (Grant 7200269

Organ-targeted high-throughput in vivo biologics screen identifies materials for RNA delivery

Therapies based on biologics involving delivery of proteins, DNA, and RNA are currently among the most promising approaches. However, although large combinatorial libraries of biologics and delivery vehicles can be readily synthesized, there are currently no means to rapidly characterize them in vivo using animal models. Here, we demonstrate high-throughput in vivo screening of biologics and delivery vehicles by automated delivery into target tissues of small vertebrates with developed organs. Individual zebrafish larvae are automatically oriented and immobilized within hydrogel droplets in an array format using a microfluidic system, and delivery vehicles are automatically microinjected to target organs with high repeatability and precision. We screened a library of lipid-like delivery vehicles for their ability to facilitate the expression of protein-encoding RNAs in the central nervous system. We discovered delivery vehicles that are effective in both larval zebrafish and rats. Our results showed that the in vivo zebrafish model can be significantly more predictive of both false positives and false negatives in mammals than in vitro mammalian cell culture assays. Our screening results also suggest certain structure–activity relationships, which can potentially be applied to design novel delivery vehicles.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Transformative Research Award R01 NS073127)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Director's Innovator Award DP2 OD002989)David & Lucile Packard Foundation (Award in Science and Engineering)Sanofi Aventis (Firm)Foxconn International Holdings Ltd.Hertz Foundation (Fellowship)University Grants Committee (Hong Kong, China) (Early Career Award 125012)National Natural Science Foundation (China) (81201164)ITC (ITS/376/13)Chinese University of Hong Kong (Grant 9610215)Chinese University of Hong Kong (Grant 7200269

Changes in Cyclooxygenase-2’s Expression, and PGE2 ’s and 6-keto-PGF1α’s Levels in the Presence of the Muscarinic Acethylcholine Receptor Antibody in Primary Sjögren Syndrome

AbstractAims: This paper investigates the action of M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antibody present in serum from patients with Sjögren syndrome (SS). Methods: Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) was performed in the presence or absence of different enzymatic and specific receptors?antagonist drugs. The levels and the generation of PGE2, 6-keto-PGF1α and cyclic AMP (cAMP) in rat submandibular gland acini?s preparations and in serum from pSS patients were measured in the presence of pSS IgG anti M3 peptide. COX-2 mRNA gene?s expression at Real Time PCR was done in acini?s preparations from rat submandibular gland in the presence of the autoantibodies alone or once previously incubated with different inhibitors.Results: In this study, we show that the activation of M3 mAChR of rat submandibular gland acini?s preparation triggers an increment both in the production of COX-2 mRNA gene?s expression and in the production of PGE2 and 6-keto-PGF1α. These phenomena are accompanied by an increment in the production of cAMP in the acini?s preparation and do not affect COX-1 mRNA?s levels. Both prostanoids are augmented in the sera of pSS patients as compared with healthy individuals.Conclusions: The present study suggests a complex interplay between different factors involved in adaptativa autoimmunity in pSS patients at the level of exocrine glands. The presence of pSS IgG anti M3 peptide, the enhancement of COX-2 mRNA gene?s expression and the increment in the generation of PGE2 and 6-keto-PGF1α abolished by M3 specific cholinergic antagonist, could provide evidence of a link between autoimmunity and the submandibular gland parasympathetic system in the course of Sjögren?s syndrome. This evidence is further supported by an increment in the production of AMP cyclic nucleotide (cAMP), and the subsequent induction of desensitization, internalization and/or intracellular degradation of the glandular M3 mAChR displayed by the cholinergic autoantibody. All of these statements cited above, are responsible for xerostomy, xerophthalmia and other parasympathetic symptoms observed in SS patients.Fil: Reina, Silvia Lorena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pisoni, Cecilia. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Eimon, Alicia. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Carrizo, Carolina. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Ganzinelli, Sabrina Belen. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Arana, Roberto. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Borda, Enri Santiago. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin