1
|
Teixeira AP, Fussenegger M. Synthetic Gene Circuits for Regulation of Next-Generation Cell-Based Therapeutics. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2024; 11:e2309088. [PMID: 38126677 PMCID: PMC10885662 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202309088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Arming human cells with synthetic gene circuits enables to expand their capacity to execute superior sensing and response actions, offering tremendous potential for innovative cellular therapeutics. This can be achieved by assembling components from an ever-expanding molecular toolkit, incorporating switches based on transcriptional, translational, or post-translational control mechanisms. This review provides examples from the three classes of switches, and discusses their advantages and limitations to regulate the activity of therapeutic cells in vivo. Genetic switches designed to recognize internal disease-associated signals often encode intricate actuation programs that orchestrate a reduction in the sensed signal, establishing a closed-loop architecture. Conversely, switches engineered to detect external molecular or physical cues operate in an open-loop fashion, switching on or off upon signal exposure. The integration of such synthetic gene circuits into the next generation of chimeric antigen receptor T-cells is already enabling precise calibration of immune responses in terms of magnitude and timing, thereby improving the potency and safety of therapeutic cells. Furthermore, pre-clinical engineered cells targeting other chronic diseases are gathering increasing attention, and this review discusses the path forward for achieving clinical success. With synthetic biology at the forefront, cellular therapeutics holds great promise for groundbreaking treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana P. Teixeira
- Department of Biosystems Science and EngineeringETH ZurichKlingelbergstrasse 48BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| | - Martin Fussenegger
- Department of Biosystems Science and EngineeringETH ZurichKlingelbergstrasse 48BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
- Faculty of ScienceUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 48BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bobić M, Christensen JB, Lee H, Choulilitsa E, Czerska K, Togno M, Safai S, Yukihara EG, Winey BA, Lomax AJ, Paganetti H, Albertini F, Nesteruk KP. Optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters for simultaneous measurement of point dose and dose-weighted LET in an adaptive proton therapy workflow. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1333039. [PMID: 38510267 PMCID: PMC10951997 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1333039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose To demonstrate the suitability of optically stimulated luminescence detectors (OSLDs) for accurate simultaneous measurement of the absolute point dose and dose-weighted linear energy transfer (LETD) in an anthropomorphic phantom for experimental validation of daily adaptive proton therapy. Methods A clinically realistic intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) treatment plan was created based on a CT of an anthropomorphic head-and-neck phantom made of tissue-equivalent material. The IMPT plan was optimized with three fields to deliver a uniform dose to the target volume covering the OSLDs. Different scenarios representing inter-fractional anatomical changes were created by modifying the phantom. An online adaptive proton therapy workflow was used to recover the daily dose distribution and account for the applied geometry changes. To validate the adaptive workflow, measurements were performed by irradiating Al2O3:C OSLDs inside the phantom. In addition to the measurements, retrospective Monte Carlo simulations were performed to compare the absolute dose and dose-averaged LET (LETD) delivered to the OSLDs. Results The online adaptive proton therapy workflow was shown to recover significant degradation in dose conformity resulting from large anatomical and positioning deviations from the reference plan. The Monte Carlo simulations were in close agreement with the OSLD measurements, with an average relative error of 1.4% for doses and 3.2% for LETD. The use of OSLDs for LET determination allowed for a correction for the ionization quenched response. Conclusion The OSLDs appear to be an excellent detector for simultaneously assessing dose and LET distributions in proton irradiation of an anthropomorphic phantom. The OSLDs can be cut to almost any size and shape, making them ideal for in-phantom measurements to probe the radiation quality and dose in a predefined region of interest. Although we have presented the results obtained in the experimental validation of an adaptive proton therapy workflow, the same approach can be generalized and used for a variety of clinical innovations and workflow developments that require accurate assessment of point dose and/or average LET.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mislav Bobić
- Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Hoyeon Lee
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Evangelia Choulilitsa
- Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Brian A. Winey
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Antony J. Lomax
- Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Harald Paganetti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Konrad P. Nesteruk
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Aceto N. Alone you go faster, together you go farther. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:3-5. [PMID: 37899655 PMCID: PMC10766194 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The metastatic process is an extraordinarily complex step-by-step procedure, characterized by many analogies with migratory patterns of humans or animals across our planet. The ongoing interrogation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), caught in the act of spreading from one location to another, is revealing distinct behaviors including biological, physical, and mechanical features that impact on their likelihood to form metastasis. In this viewpoint, I will discuss some of these findings and provide a perspective on the metastatic journey, open questions and opportunities to exploit some of the most recent discoveries for the development of antimetastasis medicines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health SciencesSwiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich)ZurichSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Huwyler F, Eden J, Binz J, Cunningham L, Sousa Da Silva RX, Clavien P, Dutkowski P, Tibbitt MW, Hefti M. A Spectrofluorometric Method for Real-Time Graft Assessment and Patient Monitoring. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2023; 10:e2301537. [PMID: 37265001 PMCID: PMC10427358 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Biomarkers are powerful clinical diagnostics and predictors of patient outcome. However, robust measurements often require time and expensive laboratory equipment, which is insufficient to track rapid changes and limits direct use in the operating room. Here, this study presents a portable spectrophotometric device for continuous real-time measurements of fluorescent and non-fluorescent biomarkers at the point of care. This study measures the mitochondrial damage biomarker flavin mononucleotide (FMN) in 26 extended criteria human liver grafts undergoing hypothermic oxygenated perfusion to guide clinical graft assessment. Real-time data identified seven organs unsuitable for transplant that are discarded. The remaining grafts are transplanted and FMN values correlated with post-transplant indicators of liver function and patient recovery. Further, this study shows how this device can be used to monitor dialysis patients by measuring creatinine in real-time. Our approach provides a simple method to monitor biomarkers directly within biological fluids to improve organ assessment, patient care, and biomarker discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florian Huwyler
- Macromolecular Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical and Process EngineeringETH ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Swiss Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary (HPB) and Transplant CenterUniversity Hospital ZurichZurich8091Switzerland
- Wyss Zurich Translational CenterETH Zurich and University of ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
| | - Janina Eden
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Swiss Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary (HPB) and Transplant CenterUniversity Hospital ZurichZurich8091Switzerland
| | - Jonas Binz
- Macromolecular Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical and Process EngineeringETH ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
| | - Leslie Cunningham
- Macromolecular Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical and Process EngineeringETH ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Swiss Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary (HPB) and Transplant CenterUniversity Hospital ZurichZurich8091Switzerland
- Wyss Zurich Translational CenterETH Zurich and University of ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
| | - Richard X. Sousa Da Silva
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Swiss Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary (HPB) and Transplant CenterUniversity Hospital ZurichZurich8091Switzerland
- Wyss Zurich Translational CenterETH Zurich and University of ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
| | - Pierre‐Alain Clavien
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Swiss Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary (HPB) and Transplant CenterUniversity Hospital ZurichZurich8091Switzerland
- Wyss Zurich Translational CenterETH Zurich and University of ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
| | - Philipp Dutkowski
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Swiss Hepato‐Pancreato‐Biliary (HPB) and Transplant CenterUniversity Hospital ZurichZurich8091Switzerland
| | - Mark W. Tibbitt
- Macromolecular Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical and Process EngineeringETH ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
- Wyss Zurich Translational CenterETH Zurich and University of ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
| | - Max Hefti
- Wyss Zurich Translational CenterETH Zurich and University of ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Müller TM, Meier CM, Knaus F, Korner P, Helm B, Amrhein V, Rime Y. Finding food in a changing world: Small-scale foraging habitat preferences of an insectivorous passerine in the Alps. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10084. [PMID: 37214613 PMCID: PMC10191804 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms living in high-elevation habitats are usually habitat specialists who occupy a narrow ecological niche. To envision the response of alpine species to a changing environment, it is fundamental to understand their habitat preferences on multiple spatial and temporal scales. However, information on small-scale habitat use is still widely lacking. We investigated the foraging habitat preferences of the migratory northern wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe during the entire presence at a breeding site in the central Alps. We repeatedly observed 121 adult and juvenile individuals. We applied Bayesian logistic regression models to investigate which habitat characteristics influenced foraging habitat selection on a fine spatial scale, and how habitat use varied temporally. Throughout their presence on the breeding grounds, northern wheatears showed a consistent preference for a mosaic of stones and bare ground patches with slow-growing, short vegetation. The proximity of marmot burrows was preferred, whereas dense and low woody vegetation was avoided. After arrival at the breeding site, short vegetation, preferably close to the snow, was favored. The preference for open habitat patches that provide access to prey underlines the critical role of small-scale habitat heterogeneity for northern wheatears. The strong and consistent preference for a habitat that is under pressure from land-use and climate change suggests that this alpine bird species may be sensitive to habitat loss, leading to a potential range contraction. We highlight the need to conserve habitat diversity on a small spatial scale to ensure the long-term availability of suitable habitat for northern wheatears in the Alps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Müller
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteSempachSwitzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems SciencesSwiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich)ZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Florian Knaus
- Department of Environmental Systems SciencesSwiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich)ZurichSwitzerland
| | - Pius Korner
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteSempachSwitzerland
| | - Barbara Helm
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteSempachSwitzerland
| | - Valentin Amrhein
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteSempachSwitzerland
- Department of Environmental Sciences, ZoologyUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Yann Rime
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteSempachSwitzerland
- Department of Environmental Sciences, ZoologyUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Brinkman N, Schmelzbach C, Sollberger D, Pierick JT, Edme P, Haag T, Kedar S, Hudson T, Andersson F, van Driel M, Stähler S, Nicollier T, Robertsson J, Giardini D, Spohn T, Krause C, Grott M, Knollenberg J, Hurst K, Rochas L, Vallade J, Blandin S, Lognonné P, Pike WT, Banerdt WB. In Situ Regolith Seismic Velocity Measurement at the InSight Landing Site on Mars. J Geophys Res Planets 2022; 127:e2022JE007229. [PMID: 36582924 PMCID: PMC9787532 DOI: 10.1029/2022je007229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Interior exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport's (InSight) seismometer package Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) was placed on the surface of Mars at about 1.2 m distance from the thermal properties instrument Heat flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) that includes a self-hammering probe. Recording the hammering noise with SEIS provided a unique opportunity to estimate the seismic wave velocities of the shallow regolith at the landing site. However, the value of studying the seismic signals of the hammering was only realized after critical hardware decisions were already taken. Furthermore, the design and nominal operation of both SEIS and HP3 are nonideal for such high-resolution seismic measurements. Therefore, a series of adaptations had to be implemented to operate the self-hammering probe as a controlled seismic source and SEIS as a high-frequency seismic receiver including the design of a high-precision timing and an innovative high-frequency sampling workflow. By interpreting the first-arriving seismic waves as a P-wave and identifying first-arriving S-waves by polarization analysis, we determined effective P- and S-wave velocities of v P = 11 9 - 21 + 45 m/s and v S = 6 3 - 7 + 11 m/s, respectively, from around 2,000 hammer stroke recordings. These velocities likely represent bulk estimates for the uppermost several 10s of cm of regolith. An analysis of the P-wave incidence angles provided an independent v P /v S ratio estimate of 1.8 4 - 0.35 + 0.89 that compares well with the traveltime based estimate of 1.8 6 - 0.25 + 0.42 . The low seismic velocities are consistent with those observed for low-density unconsolidated sands and are in agreement with estimates obtained by other methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pascal Edme
- Institute of GeophysicsETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Thomas Haag
- Institute of GeophysicsETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Sharon Kedar
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Troy Hudson
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Tilman Spohn
- Deutsches Zentrum für Luft‐ und Raumfahrt (DLR)BremenGermany
- International Space Science InstituteBernSwitzerland
| | | | - Matthias Grott
- Deutsches Zentrum für Luft‐ und Raumfahrt (DLR)BremenGermany
| | | | - Ken Hurst
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Ludovic Rochas
- Centre National des Études Spatiales (CNES)ToulouseFrance
| | - Julien Vallade
- Centre National des Études Spatiales (CNES)ToulouseFrance
| | - Steve Blandin
- Centre National des Études Spatiales (CNES)ToulouseFrance
| | - Philippe Lognonné
- Université Paris CitéInstitut de physique du globe de ParisCNRSParisFrance
| | | | - W. Bruce Banerdt
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Paul GR, Vallaster P, Rüegg M, Scheuren AC, Tourolle DC, Kuhn GA, Wehrle E, Müller R. Tissue-Level Regeneration and Remodeling Dynamics are Driven by Mechanical Stimuli in the Microenvironment in a Post-Bridging Loaded Femur Defect Healing Model in Mice. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:856204. [PMID: 35686050 PMCID: PMC9171432 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.856204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone healing and remodeling are mechanically driven processes. While the generalized response to mechanical stimulation in bone is well-understood, much less is known about the mechanobiology-regulating tissue-scale bone formation and resorption during the reparative and remodeling phases of fracture healing. In this study, we combined computational approaches in the form of finite element analysis and experimental approaches by using a loaded femoral defect model in mice to investigate the role of mechanical stimulation in the microenvironment of bone. Specifically, we used longitudinal micro-computed tomography to observe temporal changes in bone at different densities and micro-finite element analysis to map the mechanics of the microenvironment to tissue-scale formation, quiescence (no change in bone presence between time points), and resorption dynamics in the late reparative and remodeling phases (post bridging). Increasing levels of effective strain led to increasing conditional probability of bone formation, while decreasing levels of effective strain led to increasing probability of bone resorption. In addition, the analysis of mineralization dynamics showed both a temporal and effective strain level-dependent behavior. A logarithmic-like response was displayed, where the conditional probability of bone formation or resorption increased rapidly and plateaued or fell rapidly and plateaued as mechanical strain increased.
Collapse
|
8
|
Weber IC, Rüedi P, Šot P, Güntner AT, Pratsinis SE. Handheld Device for Selective Benzene Sensing over Toluene and Xylene. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2022; 9:e2103853. [PMID: 34837486 PMCID: PMC8811843 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202103853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
More than 1 million workers are exposed routinely to carcinogenic benzene, contained in various consumer products (e.g., gasoline, rubbers, and dyes) and released from combustion of organics (e.g., tobacco). Despite strict limits (e.g., 50 parts per billion (ppb) in the European Union), routine monitoring of benzene is rarely done since low-cost sensors lack accuracy. This work presents a compact, battery-driven device that detects benzene in gas mixtures with unprecedented selectivity (>200) over inorganics, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, and even challenging toluene and xylene. This can be attributed to strong Lewis acid sites on a packed bed of catalytic WO3 nanoparticles that prescreen a chemoresistive Pd/SnO2 sensor. That way, benzene is detected down to 13 ppb with superior robustness to relative humidity (RH, 10-80%), fulfilling the strictest legal limits. As proof of concept, benzene is quantified in indoor air in good agreement (R2 ≥ 0.94) with mass spectrometry. This device is readily applicable for personal exposure assessment and can assist the implementation of low-emission zones for sustainable environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ines C. Weber
- Particle Technology LaboratoryDepartment of Mechanical and Process EngineeringETH ZurichZurichCH‐8092Switzerland
| | - Pascal Rüedi
- Particle Technology LaboratoryDepartment of Mechanical and Process EngineeringETH ZurichZurichCH‐8092Switzerland
| | - Petr Šot
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH ZurichZurichCH‐8049Switzerland
| | - Andreas T. Güntner
- Particle Technology LaboratoryDepartment of Mechanical and Process EngineeringETH ZurichZurichCH‐8092Switzerland
- Department of EndocrinologyDiabetologyand Clinical NutritionUniversity Hospital Zurich (USZ) and University of Zurich (UZH)ZurichCH‐8091Switzerland
| | - Sotiris E. Pratsinis
- Particle Technology LaboratoryDepartment of Mechanical and Process EngineeringETH ZurichZurichCH‐8092Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Luescher AM, Koch J, Stark WJ, Grass RN. Silica-encapsulated DNA tracers for measuring aerosol distribution dynamics in real-world settings. Indoor Air 2022; 32:e12945. [PMID: 34676590 PMCID: PMC9298268 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aerosolized particles play a significant role in human health and environmental risk management. The global importance of aerosol-related hazards, such as the circulation of pathogens and high levels of air pollutants, have led to a surging demand for suitable surrogate tracers to investigate the complex dynamics of airborne particles in real-world scenarios. In this study, we propose a novel approach using silica particles with encapsulated DNA (SPED) as a tracing agent for measuring aerosol distribution indoors. In a series of experiments with a portable setup, SPED were successfully aerosolized, recaptured, and quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Position dependency and ventilation effects within a confined space could be shown in a quantitative fashion achieving detection limits below 0.1 ng particles per m3 of sampled air. In conclusion, SPED show promise for a flexible, cost-effective, and low-impact characterization of aerosol dynamics in a wide range of settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. Luescher
- Institute for Chemical and BioengineeringETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Julian Koch
- Institute for Chemical and BioengineeringETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Wendelin J. Stark
- Institute for Chemical and BioengineeringETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Robert N. Grass
- Institute for Chemical and BioengineeringETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Elokda E, Coulson J, Beuchat PN, Lygeros J, Dörfler F. Data-enabled predictive control for quadcopters. Int J Robust Nonlinear Control 2021; 31:8916-8936. [PMID: 35873094 PMCID: PMC9291934 DOI: 10.1002/rnc.5686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We study the application of a data-enabled predictive control (DeePC) algorithm for position control of real-world nano-quadcopters. The DeePC algorithm is a finite-horizon, optimal control method that uses input/output measurements from the system to predict future trajectories without the need for system identification or state estimation. The algorithm predicts future trajectories of the quadcopter by linearly combining previously measured trajectories (motion primitives). We illustrate the necessity of a regularized variant of the DeePC algorithm to handle the nonlinear nature of the real-world quadcopter dynamics with noisy measurements. Simulation-based analysis is used to gain insights into the effects of regularization, and experimental results validate that these insights carry over to the real-world quadcopter. Moreover, we demonstrate the reliability of the DeePC algorithm by collecting a new set of input/output measurements for every real-world experiment performed. The performance of the DeePC algorithm is compared to Model Predictive Control based on a first-principles model of the quadcopter. The results are demonstrated with a video of successful trajectory tracking of the real-world quadcopter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ezzat Elokda
- Automatic Control Lab (IfA)ETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | | | | | - John Lygeros
- Automatic Control Lab (IfA)ETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Käber Y, Meyer P, Stillhard J, De Lombaerde E, Zell J, Stadelmann G, Bugmann H, Bigler C. Tree recruitment is determined by stand structure and shade tolerance with uncertain role of climate and water relations. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:12182-12203. [PMID: 34522370 PMCID: PMC8427579 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tree regeneration is a key process for long-term forest dynamics, determining changes in species composition and shaping successional trajectories. While tree regeneration is a highly stochastic process, tree regeneration studies often cover narrow environmental gradients only, focusing on specific forest types or species in distinct regions. Thus, the larger-scale effects of temperature, water availability, and stand structure on tree regeneration are poorly understood.We investigated these effects in respect of tree recruitment (in-growth) along wide environmental gradients using forest inventory data from Flanders (Belgium), northwestern Germany, and Switzerland covering more than 40 tree species. We employed generalized linear mixed models to capture the abundance of tree recruitment in response to basal area, stem density, shade casting ability of a forest stand as well as site-specific degree-day sum (temperature), water balance, and plant-available water holding capacity. We grouped tree species to facilitate comparisons between species with different levels of tolerance to shade and drought.Basal area and shade casting ability of the overstory had generally a negative impact on tree recruitment, but the effects differed between levels of shade tolerance of tree recruitment in all study regions. Recruitment rates of very shade-tolerant species were positively affected by shade casting ability. Stem density and summer warmth (degree-day sum) had similar effects on all tree species and successional strategies. Water-related variables revealed a high degree of uncertainty and did not allow for general conclusions. All variables had similar effects independent of the varying diameter thresholds for tree recruitment in the different data sets.Synthesis: Shade tolerance and stand structure are the main drivers of tree recruitment along wide environmental gradients in temperate forests. Higher temperature generally increases tree recruitment rates, but the role of water relations and drought tolerance remains uncertain for tree recruitment on cross-regional scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yannek Käber
- Forest EcologyDepartment of Environmental Systems ScienceInstitute of Terrestrial EcosystemsETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Peter Meyer
- Department Forest Nature ConservationNorthwest German Forest Research InstituteMündenGermany
| | - Jonas Stillhard
- Forest Resources and ManagementSwiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | - Emiel De Lombaerde
- Forest & Nature LabDepartment of EnvironmentFaculty of Bioscience EngineeringGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Jürgen Zell
- Forest Resources and ManagementSwiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | - Golo Stadelmann
- Forest Resources and ManagementSwiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | - Harald Bugmann
- Forest EcologyDepartment of Environmental Systems ScienceInstitute of Terrestrial EcosystemsETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Christof Bigler
- Forest EcologyDepartment of Environmental Systems ScienceInstitute of Terrestrial EcosystemsETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Friedrich L, Cingolani G, Ko Y, Iaselli M, Miciaccia M, Perrone MG, Neukirch K, Bobinger V, Merk D, Hofstetter RK, Werz O, Koeberle A, Scilimati A, Schneider G. Learning from Nature: From a Marine Natural Product to Synthetic Cyclooxygenase-1 Inhibitors by Automated De Novo Design. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2021; 8:e2100832. [PMID: 34176236 PMCID: PMC8373093 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202100832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The repertoire of natural products offers tremendous opportunities for chemical biology and drug discovery. Natural product-inspired synthetic molecules represent an ecologically and economically sustainable alternative to the direct utilization of natural products. De novo design with machine intelligence bridges the gap between the worlds of bioactive natural products and synthetic molecules. On employing the compound Marinopyrrole A from marine Streptomyces as a design template, the algorithm constructs innovative small molecules that can be synthesized in three steps, following the computationally suggested synthesis route. Computational activity prediction reveals cyclooxygenase (COX) as a putative target of both Marinopyrrole A and the de novo designs. The molecular designs are experimentally confirmed as selective COX-1 inhibitors with nanomolar potency. X-ray structure analysis reveals the binding of the most selective compound to COX-1. This molecular design approach provides a blueprint for natural product-inspired hit and lead identification for drug discovery with machine intelligence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Friedrich
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH ZurichVladimir‐Prelog‐Weg 4Zurich8093Switzerland
| | - Gino Cingolani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySidney Kimmel Cancer CenterThomas Jefferson University1020 Locust StreetPhiladelphiaPA19107USA
| | - Ying‐Hui Ko
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySidney Kimmel Cancer CenterThomas Jefferson University1020 Locust StreetPhiladelphiaPA19107USA
| | - Mariaclara Iaselli
- Department of Pharmacy – Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of BariVia E. Orabona 4Bari70125Italy
| | - Morena Miciaccia
- Department of Pharmacy – Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of BariVia E. Orabona 4Bari70125Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Perrone
- Department of Pharmacy – Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of BariVia E. Orabona 4Bari70125Italy
| | - Konstantin Neukirch
- Michael Popp Institute and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI)University of InnsbruckInnsbruck6020Austria
| | - Veronika Bobinger
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH ZurichVladimir‐Prelog‐Weg 4Zurich8093Switzerland
| | - Daniel Merk
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH ZurichVladimir‐Prelog‐Weg 4Zurich8093Switzerland
- Institute of Pharmaceutical ChemistryGoethe‐UniversityMax‐von‐Laue Straße 9Frankfurt am Main60438Germany
| | - Robert Klaus Hofstetter
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal ChemistryFriedrich‐Schiller‐University JenaPhilosophenweg 14Jena07743Germany
| | - Oliver Werz
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal ChemistryFriedrich‐Schiller‐University JenaPhilosophenweg 14Jena07743Germany
| | - Andreas Koeberle
- Michael Popp Institute and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI)University of InnsbruckInnsbruck6020Austria
| | - Antonio Scilimati
- Department of Pharmacy – Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of BariVia E. Orabona 4Bari70125Italy
| | - Gisbert Schneider
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH ZurichVladimir‐Prelog‐Weg 4Zurich8093Switzerland
- ETH Singapore SEC Ltd1 CREATE Way, #06‐01 CREATE TowerSingapore138602Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
van Vijven M, Wunderli SL, Ito K, Snedeker JG, Foolen J. Serum deprivation limits loss and promotes recovery of tenogenic phenotype in tendon cell culture systems. J Orthop Res 2021; 39:1561-1571. [PMID: 32478872 PMCID: PMC8359397 DOI: 10.1002/jor.24761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Current knowledge gaps on tendon tissue healing can partly be ascribed to the limited availability of physiologically relevant culture models. An unnatural extracellular matrix, high serum levels and random cell morphology in vitro mimic strong vascularization and lost cell elongation in pathology, and discord with a healthy, in vivo cell microenvironment. The thereby induced phenotypic drift in tendon-derived cells (TDCs) compromises the validity of the research model. Therefore, this research quantified the extracellular matrix (ECM)-, serum-, and cell morphology-guided phenotypic changes in tendon cells of whole tendon fascicle explants with intact ECM and TDCs cultured in a controlled microenvironmental niche. Explanted murine tail tendon fascicles were cultured in serum-rich or serum-free medium and phenotype was assessed using transcriptome analysis. Next, phenotypic marker gene expression was measured in in vitro expanded murine tail TDCs upon culture in serum-rich or serum-free medium on aligned or random collagen I patterns. Freshly isolated fascicles or TDCs served as native controls. In both systems, the majority of tendon-specific genes were similarly attenuated in serum-rich culture. Strikingly, 1-week serum-deprived culture-independent of cell morphology-converged TDC gene expression toward native levels. This study reveals a dynamic serum-responsive tendon cell phenotype. Extracting fascicles or TDCs from their native environment causes large changes in cellular phenotype, which can be limited and even reversed by serum deprivation. We conclude that serum-derived factors override matrix-integrity and cell morphology cues and that serum-deprivation stimulates a more physiological microenvironment for in vitro studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marc van Vijven
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenThe Netherlands
| | - Stefania L. Wunderli
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics LaboratoryUniversity Hospital Balgrist, University of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
- Institute for Biomechanics, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Keita Ito
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenThe Netherlands
| | - Jess G. Snedeker
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics LaboratoryUniversity Hospital Balgrist, University of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
- Institute for Biomechanics, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Jasper Foolen
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenThe Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|