Remotely Operated underwater Vehicles (ROVs) are getting more and more advanced withevery new model. As new functionality is added, the price increases. This thesis is one partof a larger project, where the goal is to develop a low-budget ROV. The ROV should later bemade autonomous and entered into a competition.This thesis have focused on the modeling and stabilizing control of an ROV that was designedby mechanical engineering students at Linköping University. The only sensor used was anInertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and the ROV has a torpedo-like design. The modeling wasdone using identification in Matlab with the grey box and black box methods. Water trialsand simulations show that the model is estimated sufficiently good to be used as the basis ofdifferent model based controllers.Two different control strategies were implemented; a linear quadratic controller (LQ) and amodel predictive controller (MPC). Both controllers worked desirably in simulations. Onlythe LQ controller was evaluated in real world tests. Due to problems with the implementationenvironment chosen for the MPC, the MPC could not be tested.The thesis also uses decision matrices as a mean to motivate the important decisions thathave been made.

El genoma mitocondrial humano es una molécula circular de doble cadena de 16,5 kb. En su secuencia existe información para 13 polipéptidos de diferentes subunidades de los complejos de la cadena de transporte electrónico (CTE), para 22 ARNt y para 2 ARNr. Una mutación en cualquiera de estos genes puede provocar que la CTE no funcione correctamente, dando lugar a una disfunción del sistema de fosforilación oxidativa. Todo ello puede provocar por un lado un déficit de energía en las células o tejidos, o por otro lado un incremento de la producción de especies reactivas de oxígeno (ROS). Según la demanda energética de cada tejido este déficit de producción de energía será más o menos importante, pudiendo incluso provocar graves trastornos fisiopatológicos.El incremento de la producción de ROS por parte de la cadena de transporte electrónico puede ser eliminado con ayuda de las defensas antioxidantes celulares. Si la producción de ROS es más importante que la acción de estas defensas, ello puede llegar a provocar lesiones en diferentes componentes celulares tales como lípidos, proteínas o al propio ADNmt. Para profundizar en este campo, en este trabajo en primer lugar se han diagnosticado a cuatro pacientes con enfermedad mitocondrial, portadores de una mutación en su genoma mitocondrial. A partir de plaquetas de estos pacientes se han generado cíbridos transmitocondriales, que se han utilizado como modelo de estudio. Se han estudiado las siguientes mutaciones en genes mitocondriales: T14487C en la subunidad ND6 del complejo I, A3243G en el ARN de transferencia Leu (UUR), A8344G en el ARN de transferencia Lys y G6930A en la subunidad COXI del complejo IV. Analizando la producción de peróxido de hidrógeno como medida de la producción de ROS en estas cuatro líneas, hemos observado que las líneas portadoras de una mutación que afectase al funcionamiento del complejo I y III (descritos ampliamente en la literatura como principales productores de ROS en la mitocondria) es decir A3243G, A8344G y T144874C, sí provocan un incremento de la producción, mientras que la mutación que no afectaba a estos complejos (G6930A) no provocaba incremento. Posteriormente se ha estudiado si este incremento producía daño oxidativo a diferentes componentes celulares, tales como lípidos, proteínas y el propio ADNmt. Previamente, debido a que en la literatura no existía un consenso claro sobre el mejor método de análisis de la peroxidación lipídica, se realizó un pequeño estudio sobre cuál era el mejor inhibidor de la peroxidación lipídica a utilizar y en que concentración, obteniendo que el mejor a utilizar era el BHT a una concentración de 3mM.En cuanto los resultados de daño oxidativo se observó que en los lípidos solo se observaba daño oxidativo en la línea portadora de la mutación T144874C, mientras que las otras no lo presentaban. En la oxidación de proteínas no se observó daño en ninguna de las cuatro líneas portadoras de la mutación y en cuanto a la oxidación del ADNmt, se observó daño oxidativo en las líneas portadoras de las mutaciones A8344G y T14487C. Con estos resultados se observa que en algunas mutaciones en el genoma mitocondrial la producción de ROS generada es superior a la capacidad detoxificadora de la célula, provocando daño oxidativo, mientras que en otras la producción de ROS no supera la acción de las enzimas antioxidantes. / Mitochondrial encephalomyopathies caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by primary dysfunction of the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) with a decrease in ATP production. Clinical and biochemical heterogeneity of mitochondrial disorders is due to the ubiquitous nature of mitochondria and the dual genetic (mitochondrial and nuclear DNA) control of OXPHOS. Some unique features of mitochondrial genetics, such as heteroplasmy and tissue segregation, contribute to this phenomenon. However, the precise mechanisms leading to this heterogeneity are still largely unclear.Mitochondria are the major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are generated as toxic by-products of redox-coupled reactions in the electron transport chain (ETC). Inhibition of the ETC in vitro using some respiratory complex inhibitors results in a significant increase in the mitochondrial production of ROS. This increase suggests that when dysfunction of the respiratory chain complexes occurs, electrons can be transferred directly to the molecular oxygen. However, cells are well protected by antioxidant enzymes: the manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and copper-Zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) to eliminate superoxide anion (O2.-) and the glutahione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) to eliminate hydrogen peroxide. Oxidative stress results when the balance of prooxidants and antioxidants is altered in favour of the prooxidants. In turn, an excess of ROS may contribute to OXPHOS damage. Thus, to define the relationship between mtDNA mutations and production of ROS, several transmitochondrial cell lines (cybrids) carrying different mutations in their mtDNA were obtained from different mitochondrial patients. These included two common and well characterized mtDNA mutations in tRNA genes, the A3243G transition in the tRNALeu(UUR) derived from a patient with MELAS syndrome (mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes), and the A8344G mutation in the tRNALys, derived from a patient with the MERRF syndrome (myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers). In addition, another two cybrids cell lines were studied, harbouring the G6930A mutation in the gene encoding the subunit I (COI) of the cytochrome c oxidase (COX). This mutation changes the amino acid glycine into a premature termination codon, resulting in the loss of the last 170 amino acids (33%) of the polypeptide, thus causing a complete disruption in the COX assembly. The last cybrid cell line studied carried the mutation T144874C in the subunit 6 of the complex I of the ETC.Hydrogen peroxide production was increased in cybrids harbouring tRNA and complex I mutations, but no changes were observed in cybrids harbouring the mutation in complex IV. No oxidative damage to lipids, proteins or mtDNA was detected in cybrids harbouring A3243G and G6930A mutations. In the cybrid cell line harbouring A8344G mutation, only oxidative damage to mtDNA was observed and in the cybrids harbouring the mutation in complex I, mtDNA and lipid oxidative damage were detected.These results suggest that some mutations in mtDNA may increase the production of hydrogen peroxide (i.e., those mutations which affect complex I or III of the ETC) meanwhile other mutations do not. Furthermore this increase can sometimes override the antioxidant defences of the cells and produce oxidative damage to key cellular components.

The oxidation status of a cell plays a crucial role in aging. As cells get aged, their redox state gets increased. Pex5p is a peroxisomal recycling receptor which binds to newly synthesized cargo proteins in the cytosol and imports them across the peroxisomal membrane. During this transport event, Pex5p gets monoubiquitinated at a conserved cysteine (C11) residue. This C11 is very essential for the recycling of Pex5p from the peroxisomal membrane to back into the cytosol. If the cysteine is replaced by serine, Pex5p does not get recycled back to the cytosol and accumulates on the peroxisomal membrane. In the present study, we have investigated whether the C11 in Pex5p could act as a redox switch. We measured the redox state of the cytosol and the peroxisomal matrix as well as the subcellular localization of catalase in aging cells. We found that an increase in the redox state of peroxisomes (in WT) leads to an increase in the redox state of the cytosol, which ultimately results in the impairment of PTS1 import. Interestingly, in the C11K condition, we did not see an impairment of PTS1 import. These observations support our hypothesis that C11 may act as a redox switch. We also performed some challenging experiments with H2O2. The results of these experiments show that a) import of catalase into peroxisomes sensitizes the cytosol and b) catalase overexpression does have a protective effect against oxidative stress caused by H2O2. In summary the results of our experiments support our hypothesis. However, further evaluation is needed to reveal the precise role of C11 in Pex5p function during cellular aging.

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The ArsA homologue ARR4 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, encoded by YDL100C. Homologues of the E. coli ArsA are found in S. cerevisiae about 29 % from Genetic Computer Group (GCG). The ARR4 gene product contains an ATP binding site that is similar to protein ArsA from E. coli Disruption of ARR4 in yeast is not lethal but the disrupted strain was unable to grow at 40¢J, suggesting that the possible cause of cell death in KO strain at 40¢J was investigated. The accumulation of trehalose and the in vivo molecular oxidation level are higher in KO strain than that in WT strain under heat stress condition. These suggest that the increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) but not the amount of thermoprotectant trehalose is most likely to be the reason for cell death in KO strain. In this report ROS scavenger system show that the activities of ROS scavenger system are lower in KO compared to that in WT strain at 30¢J or 40¢J. This suggests that ARR4 is involved in the heat stress ¡Boxidative stress and osmatic stress triggers activation of the STRE ( stress tolerance response element) regulon. Further studies involvement ARR4 of CTT1, SOD1, and TSL1 gene of STRE-drive gene by RT-PCR. Here the report that the KO strain exhibits a thermosensitivity phenotype in comparison to wild-type strain, indicating that ARR4 may act as a component of a stress tolerance network.

Abstract Vasostatin, the N-terminal 180 amino acids domain of calreticulin, induces apoptosis in endothelial cells and inhibits angiogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying the apoptosis induce by vasostatin remains elusive. In the present study, we investigated the role of (1) Fas /FasL pathway, (2) oxidative stress, and (3) nitric oxide (NO) in the apoptotic mechanism of vasostatin in endothelial cells. Recombinant vasostatin was generated and shown to induce apoptosis of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) as demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis, nucleus staining, and DNA fragmentation assay. Vasostatin elevated the levels of Fas and its adaptor, FADD, in BAEC. Furthermore, vasostatin treatment increased the activities as well as the expression of active form of caspase-8 and caspase-3 in BAEC. However, pretreatment with either caspase-3 inhibitor or caspase-8 inhibitor alone was not sufficient to blockade the vasostatin-mediated apoptosis, suggesting the involvement of other pathways. Extensive screening using an array of caspase inhibitors further supported such notion. Oxidative stress is frequently involved in the apoptosis of endothelial cells. Previous studies indicated that vasostatin enhanced WST-1-derived formazan formation despite its cytotoxic effect, suggesting vasostatin treatment might enhance the production of superoxide. By measuring the level of superoxide anion in cultured media by cytochrome c reducing test, it was found that vasostatin treatment increased the production of superoxide anion in endothelial cells. Antioxidants such as NAC, GSH, BHA partially attenuated the vasostatin-mediated cytotoxicity and cell death in endothelial cells. Noteworthingly, adding allopurinol, inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, but not other oxidase inhibitors abrogated the cytotoxicity of vasostatin, indicating that xanthine oxidase could be the source of ROS produced by vasostatin relate with apoptosis. The elecctrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) suggested that vasostatin treatment increased the NF£eB DNA binding activity. Western blot analysis indicated vasostatin increased the levels of NF£eB but decreased I£eB level, which seemed to coincide with the EMSA findings. NO plays an important role in endothelial function. To investigate the role of NO in the cytotoxicity by vasostatin, analyzed the levels of NO metabolites in cultured media of endothelial cells and found that vasostatin treatment increased NO release in time- dependent manners. The expression of eNOS, but not iNOS, in endothelial cells was upregulated by vasostatin. Besides, vasostatin treatment also increased the AP-1 binding activities. Moreover, NOS inhibitor, L-NAME, or NO scavenger, carboxy-PTIO, slightly attenuated the cytotoxic effects of vasostatin in endothelial cells. In addition to direct cytotoxicity, NO may react with superoxide (O2-) to form peroxynitrite (ONOO-), which attacked the intracellular protein and caused the cell damage. Indeed, we also detected a dose-dependent increment in the nitrotyrosination of cellular protein by vasostatin treatment. Taking together, these results indicate that vasostatin induces apoptosis in endothelial cells via multiple pathways. The interactions between these distinct pathways remain to be elucidated in the future.

In this report we compare three different assignment algorithms in how they can be used to assign a set of drones to get to a set of goal locations in an as resource efficient way as possible. An experiment is set up to compare how these algorithms perform in a somewhat realistic simulated environment. The Robot Operating system (ROS) is used to create the experimental environment. We found that by introducing a threshold for the Hungarian algorithm we could reduce the total time it takes to complete the problem while only sightly increasing total distance traversed by the drones.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first reported in the United States in 1981 and has since become a major worldwide epidemic. The typical course of HIV disease begins with a primary infection followed by a relatively long latency phase and finally ends in the advance phase also called AIDS. There are two aspects considered the most important in HIV pathogenesis, namely viral replication and CD4 + T cell depletion. During the latency phase, tumor necrosis factor (TNF ) has been shown to play a predominant role in HIV-1 replication and disease progression. Since ethanol is also an important risk factor and has been implicated in HIV-1 replication, we investigate the effects of ethanol on TNF inducible signaling associated with HIV-1 replication in human CD4 + T cells. We demonstrate that clinically relevant ethanol concentrations significantly potentiate TNF inducible NF B. Although ethanol effectively collaborated with TNF , by itself it does not have a direct effect on NF activation. The ethanol dependent potentiation of TNF inducible NF B nuclear translocation is observed to involve the enhanced degradation of I B . Additionally, the ethanol mediated potentiation of TNF inducible NF B activation is abrogated by the known antioxidant pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC), suggesting an important mechanistic role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this process. In correspondence with its effect on NF B, ethanol is also able to significantly enhance HIV-1 long terminal repeat (HIV-1-LTR) dependent transcription induced by TNF . Apoptosis has been proposed as a critical mechanism for CD4 + T cell depletion in HIV pathogenesis. Ceramide, a sphingolipid metabolite, is a common apoptotic transducer involved in CD4 + T cell apoptosis. In the current study, we show that ceramide potently induces CD4 + T cell apoptosis through activating caspase 3, which may further increase Fas Ligand expression to amplify the apoptotic signaling. Interestingly, the apoptotic effect of ceramide is completely blocked by pretreatment with zinc and the underneath mechanism is suggested to be a direct inhibition of caspase 3 activity by zinc. Survival factors are equally important in the regulation of apoptotic process. We demonstrate that PI3-kinase/Akt pathway is indispensable for the survival of CD4 + T cells. Further, Akt kinase is significantly inactivated and downregulated in oxidative stress induced CD4 + T cell apoptosis. N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) can rescue CD4 + T cell from H2O2 induced caspase 3 activation and apoptosis, while depletion of glutathione (GSH) exacerbate it. Overall, this work identifies several mechanisms underlying CD4 + T cell apoptosis and provides molecular basis for the role of ethanol as a cofactor that can adversely affect HIV-1 infection and pathogenesis.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels play an important role in sensory and nonsensory functions. TRPVanilloid 1 and TRPVanilloid 4 are proposed to be involved in inflammation-induced pain. TRPV1 is extensively studied and it is specifically involved in inflammatory thermal hypersensitivity. Mechanical hypersensitivity is one of the significant components of nociception. Several receptors have been proposed to underlie mechanosensation. The molecular entities responsible for mechanosensation are not fully understood. In this study, I have characterized the properties of TRPV4, a putative mechanosensitive ion channel expressed in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and nonsensory tissues. First, I have investigated the expression and function of TRPV4 and TRPV1 in the DRG neuronal cell bodies as well as their central terminals and determined the modulation by protein kinase C (PKC). Both TRPV4 and TRPV1 are expressed in DRG and laminae I and II of the spinal dorsal horn (DH). Ca2+ fluorescence imaging and whole-cell patch-clamp experiments showed that both capsaicin-induced TRPV1 response and 4alpha-phorbol 12, 13-didecanoate (4alpha-PDD)-induced TRPV4 response were observed in a proportion of the same DRG neurons, suggesting their co-expression. Incubation of DRG neurons with phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a PKC activator, resulted in a significantly greater potentiation of TRPV4 currents than TRPV1 currents. In HEK cells heterologously expressing TRPV4, PDBu potentiated TRPV4-mediated single-channel current activity. In patch-clamped DH neurons, the application of 4alpha-PDD at the first sensory synapse increased the frequency but not the amplitude of the miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), suggesting a presynaptic locus of action. 4alpha-PDD-induced increase in the frequency of mEPSC was further facilitated by PDBu. These results suggest that TRPV4 in the central terminals modulates synaptic transmission and is regulated by PKC. Second, I have studied the mechanosensitivity of TRPV4 in cell-attached patches by applying direct mechanical force via the patch pipette. In TRPV4 expressing HEK cells, the application of negative pressure evoked single-channel current activity in a reversible manner and the channel activity was enhanced after incubation with PDBu. TRPV4 has been shown to be activated by hypotonicity. Here I show that negative pressure exaggerated hypotonicity-induced single-channel current activity. However, in similar experimental conditions, cells expressing TRPV1 did not respond to mechanical force. TRP channels are also expressed in non-sensory regions and the role of these channels is not fully understood. Both TRPV4 and TRPV1 are expressed in the hippocampus. Using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques, I have found that 4alpha-PDD increased the frequency, but not the amplitude of mEPSCs in cultured hippocampal neurons, suggesting a presynaptic site of action. Interestingly, the application of capsaicin had no effect on synaptic transmission in hippocampal neuronal cultures. Finally, I have investigated the expression and function of TRP channels in diabetes because TRP channels have been shown to be involved in peripheral neuropathy as well as vascular complications in diabetes. ROS production plays a critical role in the progress of diabetes. I propose that lower levels of ROS up-regulate the expression TRP channels in the early stages of diabetes, leading to hyperalgesia, and higher levels of ROS or chronic exposure to ROS down-regulate TRP channels in the late stages of diabetes, resulting in hypoalgesia. I have found that the expression of TRPV1 and phospho p38 (p-p38) MAPK was increased in DRG of streptozotocin (STZ)-injected diabetic and non-diabetic hyperalgesic mice. An increase in TRPV1 and p-p38 MAPK levels was induced by STZ or H2O2 treatment in stably TRPV1 expressing HEK cells, suggesting the involvement of STZ-ROS-p38MAPK pathway. TRPV4 has been reported to be involved in vasodilatation by shear stress in blood vessels. Here, I have demonstrated that TRPV4 is expressed in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). Treatment with low concentration of H2O2 enhanced the expression of TRPV4 at mRNA and protein levels in LECs, suggesting that mild levels of ROS up-regulate TRPV4 expression. In diabetes, beta cell dysfunction is responsible for decreased insulin release. TRPV4 is expressed in RINm5F (beta cell line), islets and pancreas. It has been shown that hypotonicity induced insulin release in beta cell lines, which was mediated by activation of stretch-activated channels, raising the possibility of the involvement of TRPV4, a mechanosensitive channel. Therefore, I have studied the functional role of TRPV4 in beta cells. Incubation with 4alpha-PDD enhanced insulin release in RINm5F cells, suggesting TRPV4 regulates insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. Since TRPV4 expression levels are decreased in diabetes, insulin secretion from beta cells may be impaired. In summary, TRPV1, a thermosensitive channel, and TRPV4, a mechanosensitive channel, contribute to thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia, respectively in the early stage of DPN through their up-regulation by ROS-p38 MAPK and insulin/IGF-1 pathways. Due to the mechanical sensitivity of TRPV4 channel, the up-regulation in the early stage and down-regulation in the late stage may be involved in the development of vascular complications and regulation of insulin release in diabetes.

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is an enzyme synthesised in the liver that is associated with High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and increasingly with a number of human diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. PON1 is (i) a lactonase, hydrolysing aliphatic and aromatic lactones, (ii) a phosphotriesterase, acting on certain organophosphates and (iii) a peroxidase that combats lipid oxidation. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which PON1 might impact on the levels of lactone-induced and oxidative DNA damage. Initially, the plasmid DNA (pDNA) nicking assay was used to show that of the 12 lactones and homocysteine (HC) examined, only alpha angelica lactone (AAL), Furanone (FUR) and HC caused DNA single strand breaks (SSB) under physiological conditions. Further studies indicated that AP sites were not involved suggesting that DNA-phosphotriesters were responsible. AAL-reacted pDNA bound the damage sensing protein, Atl1, and AAL, HC and HC thiolactone (HCTL) -reacted calf thymus DNA inhibited the activity of the DNA repair protein, MGMT, both indicating the presence of O6-alkylguanines in DNA, although this could not be confirmed using MALDI-ToF MS analyses of tryptic digests of MGMT incubated with lactone-reacted DNA. The inhibition of rPON1 by these lactones and HC was determined using paraoxon as a substrate and two groups were identified comprising lactones that caused reductions in PON1 activity of (i) ˃15% (e.g. HCTL, and AAL) and (ii) ˂10% (e.g. FUR, and HC). The pDNA nicking assay then showed that only AAL and FUR induced DNA single strand breaks. PON1 itself nicked pDNA, and bound to group 1 lactone-reacted pDNA by an unknown mechanism, both effects not previously reported, but, with the possible exception of AAL, did not increase the extent of plasmid nicking. The MTT, cell viability assay, indicated that all of the lactones with the exception of γ-BL (IC50 >12 mM) were to some degree toxic in HepG2 cells with AAL being the most toxic (IC50 1.0 ±0.03 mM). It was not possible to quantify PON1 activity in HepG2 cells and agents that are reported to change the expression levels of PON1 had no detectable impact on the toxicity of AAL, γ-VL, FUR or MBL, so any possible effect of PON1 could not be determined. The neutral Comet assay showed that AAL and HCTL generated the highest levels of DNA double strand breaks and DNA fragmentation in HepG2 cells, and that this effect was greatly enhanced for most of the lactones by the addition of rPON1. The impact of PON1 on oxidative stress was investigated using serum samples collected as part of a previous case-control study of lung cancer. Initially, an in-house developed ELISA assay to quantify 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels had insufficient sensitivity and poor reproducibility. Hence 8OHdG levels were measured using kits along with PON1 levels and other serum parameters including HDL-C, LDL-C, TG and apoAI in serum from 112 patients with lung cancer and 249 patients without. No correlation was found between serum level of PON1 activity and level of 8-OHdG in patients with lung cancer, however a negative non-significant correlation was found between PON1 and 8-OHdG in control. The level of 8-OHdG was significantly higher in lung cancer patients than in controls and in the controls, the OGG1 wild type genotype correlated with reduced levels of 8-OHdG in serum. These studies showed that certain lactones, are toxic and DNA damaging and this can be increased by PON1, suggesting that any association between PON1 and human disease will be substrate dependent and may be PON1 genotype-dependent.