A feedback loop that functions via transcription and translation is thought to be the mechanistic core of circadian rhythmicity. Numerous modeling efforts incorporate the identified components and their modifications to recreate the circadian clock in computer simulations. Several issues remain problematic, including the lack of precise quantitative kinetics and the likely existence of additional, as-yet-undiscovered components. Even without these complications, models and flow charts of the circadian system have reached high complexity. They attempt to reconcile all observations without violating current views and concepts. In this article, the authors consider the mechanisms that may have preceded the circadian system in evolution. Given that cellular metabolism and biochemistry were presumably already interconnected in cascading feedback reactions prior to the appendage of the transcription/translation feedback loop, a coordinated response to exogenous changes would be advantageous over unsystematic responses. The authors hypothesize that those mechanisms that allowed synchronization in spite of metabolic complexity form the basis for the evolution of circadian properties and are as fundamental to the circadian system as the transcriptional/translational feedback loop.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0748730402238231 | DOI Listing |
PLoS Genet
January 2025
Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Stem cell pluripotency gene Sox2 stimulates expression of proneural basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factor Atoh1. Sox2 is necessary for the development of cochlear hair cells and binds to the Atoh1 3' enhancer to stimulate Atoh1 expression. We show here that Sox2 deletion in late embryogenesis results in the formation of extra hair cells, in contrast to the absence of hair cell development obtained after Sox2 knockout early in gestation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmacol Rep
January 2025
Razi Drug Research Centre, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Melatonin, renowned for regulating sleep-wake cycles, also exhibits notable anti-aging properties for the skin. Synthesized in the pineal gland and various tissues including the skin, melatonin's efficacy arises from its capacity to combat oxidative stress and shield the skin from ultraviolet (UV)-induced damage. Moreover, it curbs melanin production, thereby potentially ameliorating hyperpigmentation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFF1000Res
January 2025
Industrial Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0183, South Africa.
Background: This research investigated the dynamics of fee-free higher education in South Africa, analysing the interplay of socioeconomic, political, and institutional factors to elucidate the complexities surrounding its implementation and impact. Using a causal loop diagram approach (CLD), the study aims to identify key factors to effective implementation, how they interact to shape the outcome of the policy, and actionable strategies to address the challenges hindering the policy sustainability.
Method: A participatory approach was used to developing the CLD, integrating insights from an extensive literature review and stakeholder opinion.
Front Public Health
January 2025
School of Politics and Public Administration, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Introduction: The non-emergency transfer multi-level protection system is a pivotal livelihood endeavor in China, serving as a vital diversified component within the robust framework of a Chinese-style modern social security system. This system faces various challenges, including displacement of emergency capacity by non-emergency demands, uneven allocation of transfer resources, service quality variations, inadequate management structures, limited regulatory frameworks, and social acceptance issues.
Methods: Leveraging structural theory, this study analyzes the primary issues in the current implementation of China's non-emergency transfer security system.
Myoelectric prosthetic hands are typically controlled to move between discrete positions and do not provide sensory feedback to the user. In this work, we present and evaluate a closed-loop, continuous myoelectric prosthetic hand controller, that can continuously control the position of multiple degrees of freedom of a prosthesis while rendering proprioceptive feedback to the user via a haptic feedback armband. Twenty-eight participants without and ten participants with upper limb difference (ULD) were recruited to holistically evaluate the physical and psychological effects of the controller via isolated control and sensory tasks, dexterity assessments, embodiment and task load questionnaires, and post-study interviews.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!