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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Nuclear Envelope Mechanobiology: Linking The Nuclear Structure And Function, Matthew Goelzer, Julianna Goelzer, Matthew L. Ferguson, Corey P. Neu, Gunes Uzer Dec 2021

Nuclear Envelope Mechanobiology: Linking The Nuclear Structure And Function, Matthew Goelzer, Julianna Goelzer, Matthew L. Ferguson, Corey P. Neu, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The nucleus, central to cellular activity, relies on both direct mechanical input as well as its molecular transducers to sense external stimuli and respond by regulating intra-nuclear chromatin organization that determines cell function and fate. In mesenchymal stem cells of musculoskeletal tissues, changes in nuclear structures are emerging as a key modulator of their differentiation and proliferation programs. In this review we will first introduce the structural elements of the nucleoskeleton and discuss the current literature on how nuclear structure and signaling are altered in relation to environmental and tissue level mechanical cues. We will focus on state-of-the-art techniques to …


An Alternative Approach To Nucleic Acid Memory, George D. Dickinson, Golam Md Mortuza, William Clay, Luca Piantanida, Christopher M. Green, Chad Watson, Eric J. Hayden, Tim Andersen, Wan Kuang, Elton Graugnard, Reza Zadegan, William L. Hughes Apr 2021

An Alternative Approach To Nucleic Acid Memory, George D. Dickinson, Golam Md Mortuza, William Clay, Luca Piantanida, Christopher M. Green, Chad Watson, Eric J. Hayden, Tim Andersen, Wan Kuang, Elton Graugnard, Reza Zadegan, William L. Hughes

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

DNA is a compelling alternative to non-volatile information storage technologies due to its information density, stability, and energy efficiency. Previous studies have used artificially synthesized DNA to store data and automated next-generation sequencing to read it back. Here, we report digital Nucleic Acid Memory (dNAM) for applications that require a limited amount of data to have high information density, redundancy, and copy number. In dNAM, data is encoded by selecting combinations of single-stranded DNA with (1) or without (0) docking-site domains. When self-assembled with scaffold DNA, staple strands form DNA origami breadboards. Information encoded into the breadboards is read by …


Low-Intensity Vibration Restores Nuclear Yap Levels And Acute Yap Nuclear Shuttling In Mesenchymal Stem Cells Subjected To Simulated Microgravity, Matthew Thompson, Kali Woods, Joshua Newberg, Julia Thom Oxford, Gunes Uzer Dec 2020

Low-Intensity Vibration Restores Nuclear Yap Levels And Acute Yap Nuclear Shuttling In Mesenchymal Stem Cells Subjected To Simulated Microgravity, Matthew Thompson, Kali Woods, Joshua Newberg, Julia Thom Oxford, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reducing the musculoskeletal deterioration that astronauts experience in microgravity requires countermeasures that can improve the effectiveness of otherwise rigorous and time-expensive exercise regimens in space. The ability of low-intensity vibrations (LIV) to activate force-responsive signaling pathways in cells suggests LIV as a potential countermeasure to improve cell responsiveness to subsequent mechanical challenge. Mechanoresponse of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which maintain bone-making osteoblasts, is in part controlled by the “mechanotransducer” protein YAP (Yes-associated protein), which is shuttled into the nucleus in response to cyto-mechanical forces. Here, using YAP nuclear shuttling as a measurement outcome, we tested the effect of 72 h …


Emerging Gene-Editing Modalities For Osteoarthritis, Alekya S. Tanikella, Makenna J. Hardy, Stephanie M. Frahs, Aidan G. Cormier, Kalin D. Gibbons, Clare K. Fitzpatrick, Julia Thom Oxford Sep 2020

Emerging Gene-Editing Modalities For Osteoarthritis, Alekya S. Tanikella, Makenna J. Hardy, Stephanie M. Frahs, Aidan G. Cormier, Kalin D. Gibbons, Clare K. Fitzpatrick, Julia Thom Oxford

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a pathological degenerative condition of the joints that is widely prevalent worldwide, resulting in significant pain, disability, and impaired quality of life. The diverse etiology and pathogenesis of OA can explain the paucity of viable preventive and disease-modifying strategies to counter it. Advances in genome-editing techniques may improve disease-modifying solutions by addressing inherited predisposing risk factors and the activity of inflammatory modulators. Recent progress on technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 and cell-based genome-editing therapies targeting the genetic and epigenetic alternations in OA offer promising avenues for early diagnosis and the development of personalized therapies. The purpose of this …


Recovery Of Stem Cell Proliferation By Low Intensity Vibration Under Simulated Microgravity Requires Linc Complex, H. Touchstone, R. Bryd, S. Loisate, M. Thompson, X. Pu, R. Beard, J. T. Oxford, G. Uzer Jan 2019

Recovery Of Stem Cell Proliferation By Low Intensity Vibration Under Simulated Microgravity Requires Linc Complex, H. Touchstone, R. Bryd, S. Loisate, M. Thompson, X. Pu, R. Beard, J. T. Oxford, G. Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) rely on their ability to integrate physical and spatial signals at load bearing sites to replace and renew musculoskeletal tissues. Designed to mimic unloading experienced during spaceflight, preclinical unloading and simulated microgravity models show that alteration of gravitational loading limits proliferative activity of stem cells. Emerging evidence indicates that this loss of proliferation may be linked to loss of cellular cytoskeleton and contractility. Low intensity vibration (LIV) is an exercise mimetic that promotes proliferation and differentiation of MSCs by enhancing cell structure. Here, we asked whether application of LIV could restore the reduced proliferative capacity seen …


Operation Of A Dna-Based Autocatalytic Network In Serum, Elton Graugnard, Amber Cox, Jeunghoon Lee, Cheryl Jorcyk, Bernard Yurke, William L. Hughes Jan 2011

Operation Of A Dna-Based Autocatalytic Network In Serum, Elton Graugnard, Amber Cox, Jeunghoon Lee, Cheryl Jorcyk, Bernard Yurke, William L. Hughes

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The potential for inferring the presence of cancer by the detection of miRNA in human blood has motivated research into the design and operation of DNA-based chemical amplifiers that can operate in bodily fluids. As a first step toward this goal, we have tested the operation of a DNA-based autocatalytic network in human serum and mouse serum. With the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate to prevent degradation by nuclease activity, the network was found to operate successfully with both DNA and RNA catalysts.


Kinetics Of Dna And Rna Hybridization In Serum And Serum-Sds, Elton Graugnard, Amber Cox, Jeunghoon Lee, Cheryl Jorcyk, Bernard Yurke, William L. Hughes Sep 2010

Kinetics Of Dna And Rna Hybridization In Serum And Serum-Sds, Elton Graugnard, Amber Cox, Jeunghoon Lee, Cheryl Jorcyk, Bernard Yurke, William L. Hughes

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cancer is recognized as a serious health challenge both in the United States and throughout the world. While early detection and diagnosis of cancer leads to decreased mortality rates, current screening methods require significant time and costly equipment. Recently, increased levels of certain micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) in the blood have been linked to the presence of cancer. While blood-based biomarkers have been used for years in cancer detection, studies analyzing trace amounts of miRNAs in blood and serum samples are just the beginning. Recent developments in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nanotechnology and DNA computing have shown that it is possible to …