Monitoring of chloride and activity of glycine receptor channels using genetically encoded fluorescent sensors

Genetically encoded probes have become powerful tools for non-invasive monitoring of ions, distributions of proteins and the migration and formation of cellular components. We describe the functional expression of two molecular probes for non-invasive fluorescent monitoring of intracellular Cl ([Cl]i) and the functioning of glycine receptor (GlyR) channels. The first probe is a recently developed cyan fluorescent protein-yellow fluorescent protein-based construct, termed Cl-Sensor, with relatively high sensitivity to Cl (Kapp approximately 30mM). In this study, we describe its expression in retina cells using in vivo electroporation and analyse changes in [Cl]i at depolarization and during the first three weeks of post-natal development. An application of 40mM K+ causes an elevation in [Cl]i of approximately 40mM. In photoreceptors from retina slices of a 6-day-old rat (P6 rat), the mean [Cl]i is approximately 50mM, and for P16 and P21 rats it is approximately 30-35mM. The second construct, termed BioSensor-GlyR, is a GlyR channel with Cl-Sensor incorporated into the cytoplasmic domain. This is the first molecular probe for spectroscopic monitoring of the functioning of receptor-operated channels. These types of probes offer a means of screening pharmacological agents and monitoring Cl under different physiological and pathological conditions and permit spectroscopic monitoring of the activity of GlyRs expressed in heterologous systems and neurons.     

Managing Clouds, Smart Networks and Services: A Report on APNOMS 2011

This article presents a report on APNOMS 2011, which was held September 21–23, 2011 in Taipei, Taiwan. The theme of APNOMS 2011 was “Managing Clouds, Smart Networks and Services.”     

A Hopfield neural network with multi-compartmental activation

The Hopfield network is a form of recurrent artificial neural network. To satisfy demands of artificial neural networks and brain activity, the networks are needed to be modified in different ways. Accordingly, it is the first time that, in our paper, a Hopfield neural network with piecewise constant argument of generalized type and constant delay is considered. To insert both types of the arguments, a multi-compartmental activation function is utilized. For the analysis of the problem, we have applied the results for newly developed differential equations with piecewise constant argument of generalized type beside methods for differential equations and functional differential equations. In the paper, we obtained sufficient conditions for the existence of an equilibrium as well as its global exponential stability. The main instruments of investigation are Lyapunov functionals and linear matrix inequality method. Two examples with simulations are given to illustrate our solutions as well as global exponential stability.

     

High cyclic fatigue performance of Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloy under T6 and T840 conditions

High cyclic fatigue (HCF) behavior of an AA2139 alloy belonging to Al–Cu–Mg–Ag system in T6 and T840 conditions was examined. The T840 treatment involving cold rolling with a 40% reduction prior to peak ageing provides an increase in tensile strength compared with the T6 condition. However, fatigue lifetime for two material conditions was nearly the same since there is weak effect of thermomechanical processing on micro-mechanisms of crack initiation and growth.