TY - JOUR A1 - Dachwald, Bernd A1 - Mikucki, Jill A1 - Tulaczyk, Slawek A1 - Digel, Ilya A1 - Espe, Clemens A1 - Feldmann, Marco A1 - Francke, Gero A1 - Kowalski, Julia A1 - Xu, Changsheng T1 - IceMole : A maneuverable probe for clean in situ analysis and sampling of subsurface ice and subglacial aquatic ecosystems JF - Annals of Glaciology N2 - There is significant interest in sampling subglacial environments for geobiological studies, but they are difficult to access. Existing ice-drilling technologies make it cumbersome to maintain microbiologically clean access for sample acquisition and environmental stewardship of potentially fragile subglacial aquatic ecosystems. The IceMole is a maneuverable subsurface ice probe for clean in situ analysis and sampling of glacial ice and subglacial materials. The design is based on the novel concept of combining melting and mechanical propulsion. It can change melting direction by differential heating of the melting head and optional side-wall heaters. The first two prototypes were successfully tested between 2010 and 2012 on glaciers in Switzerland and Iceland. They demonstrated downward, horizontal and upward melting, as well as curve driving and dirt layer penetration. A more advanced probe is currently under development as part of the Enceladus Explorer (EnEx) project. It offers systems for obstacle avoidance, target detection, and navigation in ice. For the EnEx-IceMole, we will pay particular attention to clean protocols for the sampling of subglacial materials for biogeochemical analysis. We plan to use this probe for clean access into a unique subglacial aquatic environment at Blood Falls, Antarctica, with return of a subglacial brine sample. KW - Antarctic Glaciology KW - Extraterrestrial Glaciology KW - Glaciological instruments and methods KW - Subclacial exploration KW - Subglacial lakes Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3189/2014AoG65A004 SN - 1727-5644 VL - 55 IS - 65 SP - 14 EP - 22 PB - Cambridge University Press CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Almajhdi, Fahad N. A1 - Senger, Tilo A1 - Amer, Haitham M. A1 - Gissmann, Lutz A1 - Öhlschläger, Peter T1 - Design of a highly effective therapeutic HPV16 E6/E7-specific DNA vaccine: optimization by different ways of sequence rearrangements (Shuffling) JF - PLOS one N2 - Persistent infection with the high-risk Human Papillomavirus type 16 (HPV 16) is the causative event for the development of cervical cancer and other malignant tumors of the anogenital tract and of the head and neck. Despite many attempts to develop therapeutic vaccines no candidate has entered late clinical trials. An interesting approach is a DNA based vaccine encompassing the nucleotide sequence of the E6 and E7 viral oncoproteins. Because both proteins are consistently expressed in HPV infected cells they represent excellent targets for immune therapy. Here we report the development of 8 DNA vaccine candidates consisting of differently rearranged HPV-16 E6 and E7 sequences within one molecule providing all naturally occurring epitopes but supposedly lacking transforming activity. The HPV sequences were fused to the J-domain and the SV40 enhancer in order to increase immune responses. We demonstrate that one out of the 8 vaccine candidates induces very strong cellular E6- and E7- specific cellular immune responses in mice and, as shown in regression experiments, efficiently controls growth of HPV 16 positive syngeneic tumors. This data demonstrates the potential of this vaccine candidate to control persistent HPV 16 infection that may lead to malignant disease. It also suggests that different sequence rearrangements influence the immunogenecity by an as yet unknown mechanism. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0113461 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 11 IS - 9 PB - PLOS CY - San Francisco ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Martin-Gonzalez, Anabel A1 - Kotliar, Konstantin A1 - Rios-Martinez, Jorge A1 - Lanzl, Ines A1 - Navab, Nassir T1 - Mediated-reality magnification for macular degeneration rehabilitation JF - Journal of Modern Optics Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/09500340.2014.936110 SN - 1362-3044 VL - 61 IS - 17 SP - 1400 EP - 1408 PB - Taylor & Francis CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Haag, S. A1 - Zontar, D. A1 - Schleupen, Josef A1 - Müller, T. A1 - Brecher, C. T1 - Chain of refined perception in self-optimizing assembly of micro-optical systems JF - Journal of sensors and sensor systems N2 - Today, the assembly of laser systems requires a large share of manual operations due to its complexity regarding the optimal alignment of optics. Although the feasibility of automated alignment of laser optics has been shown in research labs, the development effort for the automation of assembly does not meet economic requirements – especially for low-volume laser production. This paper presents a model-based and sensor-integrated assembly execution approach for flexible assembly cells consisting of a macro-positioner covering a large workspace and a compact micromanipulator with camera attached to the positioner. In order to make full use of available models from computer-aided design (CAD) and optical simulation, sensor systems at different levels of accuracy are used for matching perceived information with model data. This approach is named "chain of refined perception", and it allows for automated planning of complex assembly tasks along all major phases of assembly such as collision-free path planning, part feeding, and active and passive alignment. The focus of the paper is put on the in-process image-based metrology and information extraction used for identifying and calibrating local coordinate systems as well as the exploitation of that information for a part feeding process for micro-optics. Results will be presented regarding the processes of automated calibration of the robot camera as well as the local coordinate systems of part feeding area and robot base. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/jsss-3-87-2014 SN - 2194-878X VL - 3 IS - 1 SP - 87 EP - 95 PB - Copernicus Publ. CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scheer, Nico A1 - Mclaughlin, Lesley A. A1 - Rode, Anja A1 - MacLeod, Alastair Kenneth A1 - Henderson, Colin J. A1 - Wolf, Roland C. T1 - Deletion of thirty murine cytochrome P450 genes results in viable mice with compromised drug metabolism JF - Drug Metabolism and Disposition N2 - In humans, 75% of all drugs are metabolized by the cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase system. Enzymes encoded by the CYP2C, CYP2D, and CYP3A gene clusters account for ∼80% of this activity. There are profound species differences in the multiplicity of cytochrome P450 enzymes, and the use of mouse models to predict pathways of drug metabolism is further complicated by overlapping substrate specificity between enzymes from different gene families. To establish the role of the hepatic and extrahepatic P450 system in drug and foreign chemical disposition, drug efficacy, and toxicity, we created a unique mouse model in which 30 cytochrome P450 genes from the Cyp2c, Cyp2d, and Cyp3a gene clusters have been deleted. Remarkably, despite a wide range of putative important endogenous functions, Cyp2c/2d/3a KO mice were viable and fertile, demonstrating that these genes have evolved primarily as detoxification enzymes. Although there was no overt phenotype, detailed examination showed Cyp2c/2d/3a KO mice had a smaller body size (15%) and larger livers (20%). Changes in hepatic morphology and a decreased blood glucose (30%) were also noted. A five-drug cocktail of cytochrome P450 isozyme probe substrates were used to evaluate changes in drug pharmacokinetics; marked changes were observed in either the pharmacokinetics or metabolites formed from Cyp2c, Cyp2d, and Cyp3a substrates, whereas the metabolism of the Cyp1a substrate caffeine was unchanged. Thus, Cyp2c/2d/3a KO mice provide a powerful model to study the in vivo role of the P450 system in drug metabolism and efficacy, as well as in chemical toxicity. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1124/dmd.114.057885 SN - 1521-009X VL - 42 IS - 6 SP - 1022 EP - 1030 PB - ASPET CY - Bethesda, Md. ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Luisier, Raphaëlle A1 - Lempiäinen, Harri A1 - Scherbichler, Nina A1 - Braeuning, Albert A1 - Geissler, Miriam A1 - Dubost, Valerie A1 - Müller, Arne A1 - Scheer, Nico A1 - Chibout, Salah-Dine A1 - Hara, Hisanori A1 - Picard, Frank A1 - Theil, Diethilde A1 - Couttet, Philippe A1 - Vitobello, Antonio A1 - Grenet, Olivier A1 - Grasl-Kraupp, Bettina A1 - Ellinger-Ziegelbauer, Heidrung A1 - Thomson, John P. A1 - Meehan, Richard R. A1 - Elcombe, Clifford R. A1 - Henderson, Colin J. A1 - Wolf, C. Roland A1 - Schwarz, Michael A1 - Moulin, Pierre A1 - Terranova, Remi A1 - Moggs, Jonathan G. T1 - Phenobarbital Induces Cell Cycle Transcriptional Responses in Mouse Liver Humanized for Constitutive Androstane and Pregnane X Receptors JF - Toxicological Sciences N2 - The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and the pregnane X receptor (PXR) are closely related nuclear receptors involved in drug metabolism and play important roles in the mechanism of phenobarbital (PB)-induced rodent nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogenesis. Here, we have used a humanized CAR/PXR mouse model to examine potential species differences in receptor-dependent mechanisms underlying liver tissue molecular responses to PB. Early and late transcriptomic responses to sustained PB exposure were investigated in liver tissue from double knock-out CAR and PXR (CARᴷᴼ-PXRᴷᴼ), double humanized CAR and PXR (CARʰ-PXRʰ), and wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Wild-type and CARʰ-PXRʰ mouse livers exhibited temporally and quantitatively similar transcriptional responses during 91 days of PB exposure including the sustained induction of the xenobiotic response gene Cyp2b10, the Wnt signaling inhibitor Wisp1, and noncoding RNA biomarkers from the Dlk1-Dio3 locus. Transient induction of DNA replication (Hells, Mcm6, and Esco2) and mitotic genes (Ccnb2, Cdc20, and Cdk1) and the proliferation-related nuclear antigen Mki67 were observed with peak expression occurring between 1 and 7 days PB exposure. All these transcriptional responses were absent in CARᴷᴼ-PXRᴷᴼ mouse livers and largely reversible in wild-type and CARʰ-PXRʰ mouse livers following 91 days of PB exposure and a subsequent 4-week recovery period. Furthermore, PB-mediated upregulation of the noncoding RNA Meg3, which has recently been associated with cellular pluripotency, exhibited a similar dose response and perivenous hepatocyte-specific localization in both wild-type and CARʰ-PXRʰ mice. Thus, mouse livers coexpressing human CAR and PXR support both the xenobiotic metabolizing and the proliferative transcriptional responses following exposure to PB. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfu038 SN - 1094-2025 VL - 139 IS - 2 SP - 501 EP - 511 PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Salpati, Laurent A1 - Chu, Xiaoyan A1 - Chen, Liangfu A1 - Prasad, Bhagwat A1 - Dallas, Shannon A1 - Evers, Raymond A1 - Mamaril-Fishman, Donna A1 - Geier, Ethan G. A1 - Kehler, Jonathan A1 - Kunta, Jeevan A1 - Mezler, Mario A1 - Laplanche, Loic A1 - Pang, Jodie A1 - Soars, Matthew G. A1 - Unadkat, Jashvant D. A1 - van Waterschoot, Robert A.B. A1 - Yabut, Jocelyn A1 - Schinkel, Alfred H. A1 - Scheer, Nico A1 - Rode, Anja T1 - Evaluation of organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1 and 1B3 humanized mice as a translational model to study the pharmacokinetics of statins JF - Drug Metabolism and Disposition N2 - Organic anion transporting polypeptide (Oatp) 1a/1b knockout and OATP1B1 and -1B3 humanized mouse models are promising tools for studying the roles of these transporters in drug disposition. Detailed characterization of these models will help to better understand their utility for predicting clinical outcomes. To advance this approach, we carried out a comprehensive analysis of these mouse lines by evaluating the compensatory changes in mRNA expression, quantifying the amounts of OATP1B1 and -1B3 protein by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and studying the active uptake in isolated hepatocytes and the pharmacokinetics of some prototypical substrates including statins. Major outcomes from these studies were 1) mostly moderate compensatory changes in only a few genes involved in drug metabolism and disposition, 2) a robust hepatic expression of OATP1B1 and -1B3 proteins in the respective humanized mouse models, and 3) functional activities of the human transporters in hepatocytes isolated from the humanized models with several substrates tested in vitro and with pravastatin in vivo. However, the expression of OATP1B1 and -1B3 in the humanized models did not significantly alter liver or plasma concentrations of rosuvastatin and pitavastatin compared with Oatp1a/1b knockout controls under the conditions used in our studies. Hence, although the humanized OATP1B1 and -1B3 mice showed in vitro and/or in vivo functional activity with some statins, further characterization of these models is required to define their potential use and limitations in the prediction of drug disposition and drug-drug interactions in humans. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1124/dmd.114.057976 SN - 1521-009X VL - 42 IS - 8 SP - 1301 EP - 1313 PB - ASPET CY - Bethesda, Md. ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scheer, Nico A1 - Wolf, C. Roland T1 - Genetically humanized mouse models of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters and their applications JF - Xenobiotica N2 - 1. Drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters play important roles in the absorption, metabolism, tissue distribution and excretion of various compounds and their metabolites and thus can significantly affect their efficacy and safety. Furthermore, they can be involved in drug–drug interactions which can result in adverse responses, life-threatening toxicity or impaired efficacy. Significant species differences in the interaction of compounds with drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters have been described. 2. In order to overcome the limitation of animal models in accurately predicting human responses, a large variety of mouse models humanized for drug metabolizing enzymes and to a lesser extent drug transporters have been created. 3. This review summarizes the literature describing these mouse models and their key applications in studying the role of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters in drug bioavailability, tissue distribution, clearance and drug–drug interactions as well as in human metabolite testing and risk assessment. 4. Though such humanized mouse models have certain limitations, there is great potential for their use in basic research and for testing and development of new medicines. These limitations and future potentials will be discussed. KW - transporters KW - human metabolites KW - drug metabolising enzymes KW - drug–drug interactions KW - bioavailability Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3109/00498254.2013.815831 SN - 1366-5928 VL - 44 IS - 2 SP - 96 EP - 108 PB - Taylor & Francis CY - Abingdon ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Akimbekov, Nuraly S. A1 - Digel, Ilya A1 - O´Heras, C. A1 - Tastambek, K.T. A1 - Savitskaya, I.S. A1 - Ualyeva, P.S. A1 - Mansurov, Z.A. A1 - Zhubanova, A.A. T1 - Adsorption of bacterial lipopolysaccharides on carbonized rice husks obtained in the batch experiments JF - Experimental Biology N2 - The scope of this study is the measurement of endotoxin adsorption rate for carbonized rice husk. It showed good adsorption properties for LPS. During the batch experiments, several techniques were used and optimized for improving the material’s adsorption behavior. Also, with the results obtained it was possible to differentiate the materials according to their adsorption capacity and kinetic characteristics. KW - surface modification KW - adsorption KW - carbonized rice husk KW - lipopolysaccharide Y1 - 2014 SN - 1563-0218 N1 - Original in russischer Sprache VL - 60 IS - 1/2 SP - 144 EP - 148 PB - Al-Farabi Kazakh National University CY - Almaty ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pasteur, Aline A1 - Tippkötter, Nils A1 - Kampeis, Percy A1 - Ulber, Roland T1 - Optimization of high gradient magnetic separation filter units for the purification of fermentation products JF - IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS N2 - High gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) has been established since the early 1970s. A more recent application of these systems is the use in bioprocesses. To integrate the HGMS in a fermentation process, it is necessary to optimize the separation matrix with regard to the magnetic separation characteristics and permeability of the non-magnetizable components of the fermentation broth. As part of the work presented here, a combined fluidic and magnetic force finite element model simulation was created using the software COMSOL Multiphysics and compared with separation experiments. Finally, as optimal lattice orientation of the separation matrix, a transversal rhombohedral arrangement was defined. The high suitability of the new filter matrix has been verified by separation experiments. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.2014.2325535 SN - 0018-9464 N1 - Article Sequence Number: 5000607 INSPEC Accession Number: 14663042 VL - 50 IS - 10 SP - Artikel 5000607 PB - IEEE CY - New York, NY ER -