Analyzing and Designing an Arduino Controlled System to Study the Effect of Changing Water Levels on Water Flow Through Sediments

The hyporheic zone is the region of sediment under a stream where water from the stream flows before returning to the stream itself. Many studies focus on steady water flow through this region, however, in natural systems, water levels and water flow rates change due to storms, tides, dams, or melting snow. To investigate flow under unsteady conditions, we built a system that allows us to control the water level and thus the flow rates. We used a pressure sensor that is connected to an Arduino board to measure the water level. The Arduino board uses the measured pressure value to control a water pump. When the water level is lower than desired, the pump will turn on and when it is higher than desired, it will turn off. This allowed us to hold the water level constant or tell it to oscillate. We then evaluated our system by comparing our desired water level functions to those measured with our pressure sensor, those measured by a pressure transducer connected to a separate Arduino, and those we extracted from videos of our system.Faculty Sponsor: Susa H. Stonedah

Analyzing and Designing an Arduino Controlled System to Study the Effect of Changing Water Levels on Water Flow Through Sediments

The hyporheic zone is the region of sediment under a stream where water from the stream flows before returning to the stream itself. Many studies focus on steady water flow through this region, however, in natural systems, water levels and water flow rates change due to storms, tides, dams, or melting snow. To investigate flow under unsteady conditions, we built a system that allows us to control the water level and thus the flow rates. We used a pressure sensor that is connected to an Arduino board to measure the water level. The Arduino board uses the measured pressure value to control a water pump. When the water level is lower than desired, the pump will turn on and when it is higher than desired, it will turn off. This allowed us to hold the water level constant or tell it to oscillate. We then evaluated our system by comparing our desired water level functions to those measured with our pressure sensor, those measured by a pressure transducer connected to a separate Arduino, and those we extracted from videos of our system

An Integrative Model for Phytochrome B Mediated Photomorphogenesis: From Protein Dynamics to Physiology

Background: Plants have evolved various sophisticated mechanisms to respond and adapt to changes of abiotic factors in their natural environment. Light is one of the most important abiotic environmental factors and it regulates plant growth and development throughout their entire life cycle. To monitor the intensity and spectral composition of the ambient light environment, plants have evolved multiple photoreceptors, including the red/far-red light-sensing phytochromes. Methodology/Principal Findings: We have developed an integrative mathematical model that describes how phytochrome B (phyB), an essential receptor in Arabidopsis thaliana, controls growth. Our model is based on a multiscale approach and connects the mesoscopic intracellular phyB protein dynamics to the macroscopic growth phenotype. To establish reliable and relevant parameters for the model phyB regulated growth we measured: accumulation and degradation, dark reversion kinetics and the dynamic behavior of different nuclear phyB pools using in vivo spectroscopy, western blotting and Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) technique, respectively. Conclusions/Significance: The newly developed model predicts that the phyB-containing nuclear bodies (NBs) (i) serve as storage sites for phyB and (ii) control prolonged dark reversion kinetics as well as partial reversibility of phyB Pfr in extended darkness. The predictive power of this mathematical model is further validated by the fact that we are able to formalize a basic photobiological observation, namely that in light-grown seedlings hypocotyl length depends on the total amount o

The PTPIP51 coiled-coil domain is important in VAPB binding, formation of ER-mitochondria contacts and IP3 receptor delivery of Ca2+ to mitochondria

Signaling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria regulates a number of fundamental physiological processes. This signaling involves close physical contacts between the two organelles that are mediated by the VAPB-PTPIP51 ″tethering” proteins. The VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers facilitate inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor delivery of Ca 2+ from ER to mitochondria. Damage to the tethers is seen in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and frontotemporal dementia with related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD/ALS). Understanding the mechanisms that regulate the VAPB‐PTPIP51 interaction thus represents an important area of research. Recent studies suggest that an FFAT motif in PTPIP51 is key to its binding to VAPB but this work relies on in vitro studies with short peptides. Cellular studies to support this notion with full-length proteins are lacking. Here we address this issue. Immunoprecipitation assays from transfected cells revealed that deletion of the PTPIP51 FFAT motif has little effect on VAPB binding. However, mutation and deletion of a nearby coiled-coil domain markedly affect this binding. Using electron microscopy, we then show that deletion of the coiled-coil domain but not the FFAT motif abrogates the effect of PTPIP51 on ER-mitochondria contacts. Finally, we show that deletion of the coiled-coil domain but not the FFAT motif abrogates the effect of PTPIP51 on the IP3 receptor-mediated delivery of Ca 2+ to mitochondria. Thus, the coiled-coil domain is essential for PTPIP51 ER-mitochondria signaling functions. </p

Renal Perfusion in Scleroderma Patients Assessed by Microbubble-Based Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

OBJECTIVES: Renal damage is common in scleroderma. It can occur acutely or chronically. Renal reserve might already be impaired before it can be detected by laboratory findings. Microbubble-based contrast-enhanced ultrasound has been demonstrated to improve blood perfusion imaging in organs. Therefore, we conducted a study to assess renal perfusion in scleroderma patients utilizing this novel technique. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: Microbubble-based contrast agent was infused and destroyed by using high mechanical index by Siemens Sequoia (curved array, 4.5 MHz). Replenishment was recorded for 8 seconds. Regions of interests (ROI) were analyzed in renal parenchyma, interlobular artery and renal pyramid with quantitative contrast software (CUSQ 1.4, Siemens Acuson, Mountain View, California). Time to maximal Enhancement (TmE), maximal enhancement (mE) and maximal enhancement relative to maximal enhancement of the interlobular artery (mE%A) were calculated for different ROIs. RESULTS: There was a linear correlation between the time to maximal enhancement in the parenchyma and the glomerular filtration rate. However, the other parameters did not reveal significant differences between scleroderma patients and healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Renal perfusion of scleroderma patients including the glomerular filtration rate can be assessed using microbubble-based contrast media

Factors that influence the neurobiological effects of exercise likely extend beyond age and intensity in people with major depression

We recently conducted a comprehensive systematic review of neurobiological effects of exercise on major depressive disorder. A subsequent letter suggested that we should consider children and adolescent and raised the importance of how intensity may mediate neurobiological response in people with depression. Here, we discuss these comments regarding our review, in addition to proposing that other factors, such type, duration, frequency, and adherence, may also importantly influence neurobiological response, based on recent meta-analyses demonstrating these other aspects of physical activity also moderate dropout rates and effect sizes from exercise upon depression

Factors associated with adherence to sports and exercise among outpatients with major depressive disorder

Introduction: Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) face more barriers to engagement in sports and exercise interventions. Evaluating clinical and demographic factors associated with adherence to sports and exercise among MDD outpatients could support development of new options and strategies to increase their participation. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 268 depressed outpatients were evaluated (83.51% females; mean age = 50.74 [standard deviation {SD} = 10.39]). Sports and exercise participation were assessed using a question about participation frequency during the previous month. Clinical and demographic factors were evaluated. Linear regression was used to identify predictors of participation in sports and exercise. Results: MDD patients with mild symptoms of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 2.42; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.00, 5.88; p = 0.04) and patients with mild to moderate symptoms (OR = 3.96; 95%CI 1.41, 11.15; p = 0.009) were more likely to engage regularly in sports and exercise than patients with more severe depression. Moreover, smoking (OR = 0.23; 95%CI 0.67, 0.80; p = 0.007) and being divorced (OR = 0.22; 95%CI 0.57, 0.86; p = 0.03) were associated with lower rates of engagement in sports and exercise. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a significant association between clinical and demographic factors and participation in sports and exercise among MDD outpatients