Heart neurons use clock genes to control myocyte proliferation.

Neurons can regulate the development, pathogenesis, and regeneration of target organs. However, the role of neurons during heart development and regeneration remains unclear. We genetically inhibited sympathetic innervation in vivo, which resulted in heart enlargement with an increase in cardiomyocyte number.

Chronic Atrial and Ventricular Pacing in the Mouse.

Background: The mouse is the most widely used mammal in experimental biology. Although many clinically relevant in vivo cardiac stressors are used, one that has eluded translation is long-term cardiac pacing. Here, we present the first method to chronically simulate and simultaneously record cardiac electrical activity in conscious mobile mice.

A planarian nidovirus expands the limits of RNA genome size.

RNA viruses are the only known RNA-protein (RNP) entities capable of autonomous replication (albeit within a permissive host environment). A 33.5 kilobase (kb) nidovirus has been considered close to the upper size limit for such entities; conversely, the minimal cellular DNA genome is in the 100-300 kb range.

Marked disparity of microRNA modulation by cGMP-selective PDE5 versus PDE9 inhibitors in heart disease.

MicroRNAs (miRs) posttranscriptionally regulate mRNA and its translation into protein, and are considered master controllers of genes modulating normal physiology and disease. There is growing interest in how miRs change with drug treatment, and leveraging this for precision guided therapy. Here we contrast 2 closely related therapies, inhibitors of phosphodiesterase type 5 or type 9 (PDE5-I, PDE9-I), given to mice subjected to sustained cardiac pressure overload (PO).

Precardiac organoids form two heart fields via Bmp/Wnt signaling.

The discovery of the first heart field (FHF) and the second heart field (SHF) led us to understand how cardiac lineages and structures arise during development. However, it remains unknown how they are specified. Here, we generate precardiac spheroids with pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) harboring GFP/RFP reporters under the control of FHF/SHF markers, respectively.

Stem cell heterogeneity drives the parasitic life cycle of .

Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms infecting hundreds of millions of people. These parasites alternate between asexual reproduction in molluscan hosts and sexual reproduction in mammalian hosts; short-lived, water-borne stages infect each host. Thriving in such disparate environments requires remarkable developmental plasticity, manifested by five body plans deployed throughout the parasite's life cycle.

Influence of surfactant type and thermal cycling on formation and stability of flavor oil emulsions fabricated by spontaneous emulsification.

Food-grade emulsions can be fabricated using simple and inexpensive low-energy homogenization methods. In this study, we examined the influence of surfactant type (Tween 40, 60, and 80), oil phase composition (limonene-to-medium chain triglyceride ratio), and temperature (25 to 95°C) on the formation and stability of flavor oil-in-water emulsions (10wt% oil, 15wt% surfactant, pH3) fabricated using spontaneous emulsification. Transparent emulsion-based delivery systems containing ultrafine droplets (d<40nm) could be formed at room temperature at certain limonene contents for all three surfactants.

Genetic dissection of the planarian reproductive system through characterization of Schmidtea mediterranea CPEB homologs.

Cytoplasmic polyadenylation is a mechanism of mRNA regulation prevalent in metazoan germ cells; it is largely dependent on Cytoplasmic Polyadenylation Element Binding proteins (CPEBs). Two CPEB homologs were identified in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. Smed-CPEB1 is expressed in ovaries and yolk glands of sexually mature planarians, and required for oocyte and yolk gland development.

GPCRs Direct Germline Development and Somatic Gonad Function in Planarians.

Planarians display remarkable plasticity in maintenance of their germline, with the ability to develop or dismantle reproductive tissues in response to systemic and environmental cues. Here, we investigated the role of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in this dynamic germline regulation. By genome-enabled receptor mining, we identified 566 putative planarian GPCRs and classified them into conserved and phylum-specific subfamilies.

Formation of thermally reversible optically transparent emulsion-based delivery systems using spontaneous emulsification.

Transparent emulsion-based delivery systems suitable for encapsulating lipophilic bioactive agents can be fabricated using low-energy spontaneous emulsification methods. These emulsions are typically fabricated from non-ionic surfactants whose hydrophilic head groups are susceptible to dehydration upon heating. This phenomenon may promote emulsion instability due to enhanced droplet coalescence at elevated temperatures.

Tuneable stability of nanoemulsions fabricated using spontaneous emulsification by biopolymer electrostatic deposition.

Nanoemulsions can be formed spontaneously from surfactant-oil-water systems using low energy methods. In this work, we showed that the droplets in oil-in-water nanoemulsions fabricated by spontaneous emulsification could be coated with an anionic biopolymer (beet pectin) using electrostatic deposition. Nanoemulsions were formed by titrating oil (medium chain triglycerides) and surfactant (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate+lauric arginate) mixtures into an aqueous solution (10 mM citrate buffer, pH 4).

Thermal reversibility of vitamin E-enriched emulsion-based delivery systems produced using spontaneous emulsification.

The influence of temperature scanning and isothermal storage conditions on turbidity, particle size, and thermal reversibility of vitamin E-enriched emulsions produced by spontaneous emulsification was examined. Initially, the mini-emulsions formed were optically transparent and contained small droplets (d ≈ 44 nm). When heated (20-90 °C), emulsions exhibited a complex turbidity-temperature profile with a phase inversion temperature (PIT) at ≈ 75-80 °C.

Retention and release of oil-in-water emulsions from filled hydrogel beads composed of calcium alginate: impact of emulsifier type and pH.

Delivery systems based on filled hydrogel particles (microgels) can be fabricated from natural food-grade lipids and biopolymers. The potential for controlling release characteristics by modulating the electrostatic interactions between emulsifier-coated lipid droplets and the biopolymer matrix within hydrogel particles was investigated. A multistage procedure was used to fabricate calcium alginate beads filled with lipid droplets stabilized by non-ionic, cationic, anionic, or zwitterionic emulsifiers.

Effect of salts on formation and stability of vitamin E-enriched mini-emulsions produced by spontaneous emulsification.

Emulsion-based delivery systems are being utilized to incorporate lipophilic bioactive components into various food, personal care, and pharmaceutical products. This study examined the influence of inorganic salts (NaCl and CaCl2) on the formation, stability, and properties of vitamin E-enriched emulsions prepared by spontaneous emulsification. These emulsions were simply formed by titration of a mixture of vitamin E acetate (VE), carrier oil (MCT), and nonionic surfactant (Tween 80) into an aqueous salt solution with continuous stirring.

Formation of vitamin D nanoemulsion-based delivery systems by spontaneous emulsification: factors affecting particle size and stability.

Oil-in-water nanoemulsions are particularly suitable for encapsulation of lipophilic nutraceuticals because of their ability to form stable and transparent delivery systems with high oral bioavailability. In this study, the influence of system composition and preparation conditions on the particle size and stability of vitamin D nanoemulsions prepared by spontaneous emulsification (SE) was investigated. SE relies on the formation of small oil droplets when an oil/surfactant mixture is titrated into an aqueous solution.

Nanoemulsion-based delivery systems for polyunsaturated (ω-3) oils: formation using a spontaneous emulsification method.

Nanoemulsion-based delivery systems are finding increasing utilization to encapsulate lipophilic bioactive components in food, personal care, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications. In this study, a spontaneous emulsification method was used to fabricate nanoemulsions from polyunsaturated (ω-3) oils, that is, fish oil. This low-energy method relies on formation of fine oil droplets when an oil/surfactant mixture is added to an aqueous solution.

Stabilization of vitamin E-enriched nanoemulsions: influence of post-homogenization cosurfactant addition.

Oil-in-water nanoemulsions are being used in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries to encapsulate, protect, and deliver lipophilic bioactive components, such as drugs, vitamins, and nutraceuticals. However, nanoemulsions are thermodynamically unstable systems that breakdown over time. We investigated the influence of posthomogenization cosurfactant addition on the thermal and storage stability of vitamin E acetate nanoemulsions (VE-nanoemulsions) formed from 10% oil phase (VE), 10% surfactant (Tween 80), 20% cosolvent (ethanol), and 60% buffer solution (pH 3).

Effect of glycerol on formation, stability, and properties of vitamin-E enriched nanoemulsions produced using spontaneous emulsification.

Oil-in-water nanoemulsions are finding increasing use as delivery systems to encapsulate lipophilic bioactive components in functional food, personal care, and pharmaceutical products. We investigated the influence of a water-soluble cosolvent (glycerol) on the formation, stability, and properties of vitamin E acetate-loaded nanoemulsions (VE-NEs) prepared by spontaneous emulsification. VE-NEs were formed by titration of a mixture of vitamin E acetate, carrier oil (MCT) and non-ionic surfactant (Tween 80) into an aqueous glycerol solution with continuous mixing.

Fabrication of vitamin E-enriched nanoemulsions: factors affecting particle size using spontaneous emulsification.

Oil-in-water nanoemulsions are finding increasing use as delivery systems to encapsulate lipophilic bioactive components in functional food, personal care, and pharmaceutical products. We have investigated the influence of system composition and preparation conditions on the particle size of vitamin E acetate (VE)-loaded nanoemulsions prepared by spontaneous emulsification. This method relies on the formation of very fine oil droplets when an oil/surfactant mixture is added to water.

Physico-chemical properties of various palm-based diacylglycerol oils in comparison with their corresponding palm-based oils.

Palm-based diacylglycerol (P-DAG) oils were produced through enzymatic glycerolysis of palm kernel oil (PKO), palm oil (PO), palm olein (POL), palm mid fraction (PMF) and palm stearin (PS). High purity DAG (83-90%, w/w) was obtained and compared to palm-based oils (P-oil) had significantly (P<0.05) different fatty acid composition (FAC), iodine value (IV) and slip melting point (SMP).

Genome-wide analyses reveal a role for peptide hormones in planarian germline development.

Bioactive peptides (i.e., neuropeptides or peptide hormones) represent the largest class of cell-cell signaling molecules in metazoans and are potent regulators of neural and physiological function.

MAD-DPD: designing highly degenerate primers with maximum amplification specificity.

This work introduces minimum accumulative degeneracy, a variant of the degenerate primer design problem, which is particularly useful when a large number of sequences are to be covered by a set of restricted number of primers. A primer set, which is designed on a minimum accumulative degeneracy basis, especially helps to reduce nonspecific PCR amplification of undesired DNA fragments, as fewer primer species are present in PCR. A Boltzmann machine is designed to solve the minimum accumulative degeneracy degenerate primer design problem, called the MAD-DPD Boltzmann machine.