Coordinated uterine-embryonic axis formation and decidual remodeling are hallmarks of mammalian post-implantation embryo development. Embryonic-uterine orientation is determined at initial implantation and synchronized with decidual development. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling these events remain elusive despite its discovery a long time ago. In the present study, we found that uterine-specific deletion of Rbpj, the nuclear transducer of Notch signaling, resulted in abnormal embryonic-uterine orientation and decidual patterning at post-implantation stages, leading to substantial embryo loss. We further revealed that prior to embryo attachment, Rbpj confers on-time uterine lumen shape transformation via physically interacting with uterine estrogen receptor (ERα) in a Notch pathway-independent manner, which is essential for the initial establishment of embryo orientation in alignment with uterine axis. While at post-implantation stages, Rbpj directly regulates the expression of uterine matrix metalloproteinase in a Notch pathway-dependent manner, which is required for normal post-implantation decidual remodeling. These results demonstrate that uterine Rbpj is essential for normal embryo development via instructing the initial embryonic-uterine orientation and ensuring normal decidual patterning in a stage-specific manner. Our data also substantiate the concept that normal mammalian embryonic-uterine orientation requires proper guidance from developmentally controlled uterine signaling.

In this paper, we consider the distributed containment control problem for multiagent systems with unknown nonlinear dynamics. More specifically, we focus on multiple second-order nonlinear systems and networked Lagrangian systems. We first study the distributed containment control problem for multiple second-order nonlinear systems with multiple dynamic leaders in the presence of unknown nonlinearities and external disturbances under a general directed graph that characterizes the interaction among the leaders and the followers. A distributed adaptive control algorithm with an adaptive gain design based on the approximation capability of neural networks is proposed. We present a necessary and sufficient condition on the directed graph such that the containment error can be reduced as small as desired. As a byproduct, the leaderless consensus problem is solved with asymptotical convergence. Because relative velocity measurements between neighbors are generally more difficult to obtain than relative position measurements, we then propose a distributed containment control algorithm without using neighbors' velocity information. A two-step Lyapunov-based method is used to study the convergence of the closed-loop system. Next, we apply the ideas to deal with the containment control problem for networked unknown Lagrangian systems under a general directed graph. All the proposed algorithms are distributed and can be implemented using only local measurements in the absence of communication. Finally, simulation examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithms.

For cell transplantation into damaged tissues, viable cells must be delivered to the defect site in a suitable carrier. However, the hypoxic and nutrient-limited environment in the carrier can induce massive cell death. The aims of this study were to increase the viability and regulate the behavior of osteoprogenitor cells encapsulated in alginate hydrogels through control of the gel microstructure. Cell survivability in alginate beads was improved through the use of α-MEM as the solvent for alginic acid sodium salt and CaCl2 solutions, which supplied additional nutrients for the cells compared to water or buffer. The mesh size and shear modulus of the hydrogel were hypothesized to regulate proliferation and differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells. MC3T3-E1 cells demonstrated enhanced osteoblast differentiation when encapsulated in high-density alginate with smaller mesh size and more rigid mechanical properties, as confirmed by increased alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin secretion. However, MC3T3-E1 cells encapsulated in low-density alginate beads with a larger mesh size and more compliant mechanical properties exhibited increased proliferation. These results demonstrate that the microstructure of alginate hydrogels can regulate the behavior of osteoprogenitor cells, thus suggesting that the tuning the properties of the gel may be a useful approach for enhancing new bone formation.