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In this age of computer gaming, portable device video and high definition entertainment, students are exposed to sophisticated graphics and virtual reality every day. As a result, students arrive at universities with a high level of expectation and experience in visualization and 3D graphics. Traditional materials for education and outreach rely predominantly on two-dimensional displays of maps, photographs, data graphs/histograms and conceptual diagrams. Advances in geospatial technologies, including unmanned aerial systems and virtual/ augmented reality devices can be used to enhance and innovate instructional materials in classrooms from pre-K to graduate degree programs. This work reports on these technologies and the integration of the 3D Immersion and Geovisualization (3DIG) system at the Center for Geospatial Research at the University of Georgia, USA. We present system components, lessons learned during design and implementation of the system, and the incorporation of 3DIG into teaching, learning and research. Data flow is used as a multi-component system integrator and shows how interconnected and complementary technologies can provide hands-on and immersive experiential learning to students in the geosciences. System evaluation shows increased student interest/engagement and indicates that 3DIG facilitates the understanding of complex concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this age of computer gaming, portable device video and high definition entertainment, students are exposed to sophisticated graphics and virtual reality every day. As a result, students arrive at universities with a high level of expectation and experience in visualization and 3D graphics. Traditional materials for education and outreach rely predominantly on two-dimensional displays of maps, photographs, data graphs/histograms and conceptual diagrams. Advances in geospatial technologies, including unmanned aerial systems and virtual/ augmented reality devices can be used to enhance and innovate instructional materials in classrooms from pre-K to graduate degree programs. This work reports on these technologies and the integration of the 3D Immersion and Geovisualization (3DIG) system at the Center for Geospatial Research at the University of Georgia, USA. We present system components, lessons learned during design and implementation of the system, and the incorporation of 3DIG into teaching, learning and research. Data flow is used as a multi-component system integrator and shows how interconnected and complementary technologies can provide hands-on and immersive experiential learning to students in the geosciences. System evaluation shows increased student interest/engagement and indicates that 3DIG facilitates the understanding of complex concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major challenge involved in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease is targeted delivery of the drug at the site of inflammation. As nanoparticles possess the ability to accumulate at the site of inflammation, present investigation aims at development of Budesonide-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier systems (BDS-NLCs) for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. BDS-NLCs were prepared by employing a high pressure homogenization technique. Various preliminary trials were performed for optimization of the NLCs in which different processes, as well as formulation parameters, were studied. The BDS-NLCs was optimized statistically by applying a 3-factor/3-level Box-Behnken design. Drug concentration, surfactant concentration, and emulsifier concentration were selected as independent variables, and % entrapment efficiency and particle size were selected as dependent variables. The best batch comprises of 10%, 7%, and 20% w/w concentration of drug, surfactant, and emulsifier, respectively, with % entrapment efficiency of 92.66 ± 3.42% and particle size of 284.0 ± 4.53 nm. Further, in order to achieve effective delivery of nanoparticulate system to colonic region, the developed BDS-NLCs were encapsulated in Eudragit® S100-coated pellets. The drug release studies of pellets depict intactness of BDS-NLCs during palletization process, with f2 value of 75.879. The in vitro evaluation of enteric-coated pellets revealed that a coating level of 15% weight gain is needed in order to impart lag time of 5 h (transit time to reach colon). The results of the study demonstrate that the developed BDS-NLCs could be used as a promising tool for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major challenge for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the incompetence to deliver the drug molecule selectively at the site of inflammation. Taking this into consideration, we proposed development of mannosylated nanostructured lipid carrier system (Mn-NLCs) for active targeting and site-specific delivery of budesonide to the inflamed tissues. The developed Mn-NLCs were characterized for particle size and size distribution, zeta potential, %entrapment efficiency, FTIR and TEM analysis. Furthermore, to ensure delivery of developed cargo to the colonic region, the Mn-NLCs were encapsulated using Eudragit® S100 coated pellets. The in vivo evaluation of developed system was performed by employing oxazolone colitis rat model. The average particle size of Mn-NLCs (301.7 ± 2.88 nm) was found to be more than that of unconjugated NLCs (284.0 ± 4.53 nm) with marginally reduced % entrapment efficiency (90.88 ± 3.86%). The in vitro cytotoxicity studies using J774A.1 cell line revealed that Mn-NLCs were non-toxic as compared to pure drug. The in vivo evaluation depicted that Mn-NLCs showed significant reduction in clinical activity scoring, macroscopic and microscopic indexing, colonic myeloperoxidase activity and inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, the developed Mn-NLCs appear to be promising for the treatment of IBD by selectively targeting inflamed colonic region as compared to unconjugated nanoparticulate system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localization of β-catenin in the cell is a key determinant in its decision to function as a critical mediator of cell adhesion at the surface or a transcription activator in the nucleus. SYT-SSX2 is the fusion product of the chromosomal translocation, t(X;18)(p11.2;q11.2), which occurs in synovial sarcoma, a soft tissue tumor. SYT-SSX2 is known to associate with chromatin remodeling complexes and is proposed to be involved in controlling gene expression. We report that SYT-SSX2 plays a direct role in β-catenin regulation. When expressed in mammalian cells, SYT-SSX2-induced β-catenin recruitment to the nucleus. Interestingly, known target genes of canonical Wnt were not activated as a result of SYT-SSX2 expression, nor was the nuclear localization of β-catenin due to one of the signaling pathways normally implicated in this event. β-Catenin accumulation in the nucleus led to the formation of a transcriptionally active nuclear complex that contained SYT-SSX2 and β-catenin. More importantly, depletion of SYT-SSX2 in primary synovial sarcoma cells resulted in loss of nuclear β-catenin signal and a significant decrease in its signaling activity. These results unravel a novel pathway in the control of β-catenin cellular transport and strongly suggest that SYT-SSX2 contributes to tumor development, in part through β-catenin signaling.Oncogene (2006) 25, 3661–3669. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1209413; published online 6 February 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of nitrogen-fixing nodules of the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis, especially the early stages of root hair deformation and curling, infection thread formation, and nodule initiation, has been well studied from a genetic standpoint. In contrast, the factors important for the colonization of surfaces by rhizobia, including roots–an important prerequisite for nodule formation–have not been as thoroughly investigated. We developed conditions for analyzing the ability of two fast-growing rhizobia , Sinorhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae, to produce biofilms on abiotic surfaces such as glass, plastic microtiter plates, sand and soil as a prelude to characterizing the genes important for aggregation and attachment. Factors involved in adherence to abiotic surfaces are likely to be used in rhizobial attachment to legume root cells. In this report, we show that S. meliloti exopolysaccharide-deficient mutants as well as exopolysaccharide overproducers exhibit reduced biofilm phenotypes that show parallels with their nodulation abilities. We also investigated two flagella-less S. meliloti mutants and found them to have reduced biofilming capabilities. To investigate whether there was a symbiotic phenotype, we tested one of the Fla− mutants on two different S. meliloti hosts, alfalfa and white sweetclover, and found that nodule formation was significantly delayed on the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofilms are structured communities of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced polymeric matrix and adherent to an inert or living surface; they have clinical, industrial and environmental impacts. Biofilms that are established by bacteria on plants are found on the surfaces of roots, leaves, seeds and internal vascular tissues where the microbes live in commensal, mutualistic or parasitic/pathogenic associations with their host. The study of the structure of plant-associated biofilms has been considerably helped by the development of techniques using fluorescent markers coupled with confocal scanning laser microscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy. We review several of these techniques as well as some of the research that has dealt with plant-associated biofilms. Our investigations focus on biofilm formation in the early stages of the Rhizobium–legume symbiosis, in which Gram-negative rhizobia provide fixed nitrogen to a host legume, and in return, the legume provides carbon-containing molecules. Because root colonization is an important early step in the establishment of the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis, we looked at Sinorhizobium meliloti attachment and biofilm establishment on the roots of its legume hosts, Medicago sativa L. and Melilotus alba Desr. We also examined biofilm formation by Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae on the roots of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., a non-legume and non-host. Our ultimate goal is to characterize the rhizobial genes involved in aggregation and attachment to roots because several of these appear to be shared in biofilm formation and rhizobial entry of legume root cells. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 150, 79–88. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]