Plasma luminescence feedback control system for precise ultrashort pulse laser tissue ablation

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Beop-Min; Feit, Michael D.; Rubenchik, Alexander M.; Gold, David M.; Darrow, Christopher B.; Marion, John E., II; Da Silva, Luiz B.

1998-05-01

Plasma luminescence spectroscopy was used for precise ablation of bone tissue without damaging nearby soft tissue using an ultrashort pulse laser. Strong contrast of the luminescence spectra between bone marrow and spinal cord provided the real time feedback control so bone tissue is selectively ablated while preserving the spinal cord.

Optimization and real-time control for laser treatment of heterogeneous soft tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yusheng; Fuentes, David; Hawkins, Andrea; Bass, Jon M; Rylander, Marissa Nichole

2009-01-01

Predicting the outcome of thermotherapies in cancer treatment requires an accurate characterization of the bioheat transfer processes in soft tissues. Due to the biological and structural complexity of tumor (soft tissue) composition and vasculature, it is often very difficult to obtain reliable tissue properties that is one of the key factors for the accurate treatment outcome prediction. Efficient algorithms employing in vivo thermal measurements to determine heterogeneous thermal tissues properties in conjunction with a detailed sensitivity analysis can produce essential information for model development and optimal control. The goals of this paper are to present a general formulation of the bioheat transfer equation for heterogeneous soft tissues, review models and algorithms developed for cell damage, heat shock proteins, and soft tissues with nanoparticle inclusion, and demonstrate an overall computational strategy for developing a laser treatment framework with the ability to perform real-time robust calibrations and optimal control. This computational strategy can be applied to other thermotherapies using the heat source such as radio frequency or high intensity focused ultrasound.

Capabilities and Limitations of Tissue Size Control through Passive Mechanical Forces.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jochen Kursawe

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Embryogenesis is an extraordinarily robust process, exhibiting the ability to control tissue size and repair patterning defects in the face of environmental and genetic perturbations. The size and shape of a developing tissue is a function of the number and size of its constituent cells as well as their geometric packing. How these cellular properties are coordinated at the tissue level to ensure developmental robustness remains a mystery; understanding this process requires studying multiple concurrent processes that make up morphogenesis, including the spatial patterning of cell fates and apoptosis, as well as cell intercalations. In this work, we develop a computational model that aims to understand aspects of the robust pattern repair mechanisms of the Drosophila embryonic epidermal tissues. Size control in this system has previously been shown to rely on the regulation of apoptosis rather than proliferation; however, to date little work has been done to understand the role of cellular mechanics in this process. We employ a vertex model of an embryonic segment to test hypotheses about the emergence of this size control. Comparing the model to previously published data across wild type and genetic perturbations, we show that passive mechanical forces suffice to explain the observed size control in the posterior (P compartment of a segment. However, observed asymmetries in cell death frequencies across the segment are demonstrated to require patterning of cellular properties in the model. Finally, we show that distinct forms of mechanical regulation in the model may be distinguished by differences in cell shapes in the P compartment, as quantified through experimentally accessible summary statistics, as well as by the tissue recoil after laser ablation experiments.

Nanoscale tissue engineering: spatial control over cell-materials interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wheeldon, Ian; Farhadi, Arash; Bick, Alexander G; Khademhosseini, Ali; Jabbari, Esmaiel

2011-01-01

Cells interact with the surrounding environment by making tens to hundreds of thousands of nanoscale interactions with extracellular signals and features. The goal of nanoscale tissue engineering is to harness these interactions through nanoscale biomaterials engineering in order to study and direct cellular behavior. Here, we review two- and three-dimensional (2- and 3D) nanoscale tissue engineering technologies, and provide a holistic overview of the field. Techniques that can control the average spacing and clustering of cell adhesion ligands are well established and have been highly successful in describing cell adhesion and migration in 2D. Extension of these engineering tools to 3D biomaterials has created many new hydrogel and nanofiber scaffold technologies that are being used to design in vitro experiments with more physiologically relevant conditions. Researchers are beginning to study complex cell functions in 3D. However, there is a need for biomaterials systems that provide fine control over the nanoscale presentation of bioactive ligands in 3D. Additionally, there is a need for 2- and 3D techniques that can control the nanoscale presentation of multiple bioactive ligands and that can control the temporal changes in the cellular microenvironment. (topical review)

Discovering Hands - México

OpenAIRE

Salamanca Cárdenas, Daniela; Castelblanco Domínguez, Junio Andrés; Aguilar Ardila, Laura Andrea

2016-01-01

El modelo de Discovering Hands ha sido reconocido internacionalmente como un proyecto innovador que se ha expandido por diferentes países del mundo, como Austria, y se ha empezado a estudiar la propuesta en países como República Checa, India y Colombia. (Discovering Hands, 2016). Esto se debe a que no solo mejora el tratamiento de cáncer de mama, sino que también reduce los costos totales de tratamiento de la enfermedad y aumenta la fuerza laborar de los países donde esté presente. Al represe...

Calcium as a signal integrator in developing epithelial tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodskiy, Pavel A; Zartman, Jeremiah J

2018-05-16

Decoding how tissue properties emerge across multiple spatial and temporal scales from the integration of local signals is a grand challenge in quantitative biology. For example, the collective behavior of epithelial cells is critical for shaping developing embryos. Understanding how epithelial cells interpret a diverse range of local signals to coordinate tissue-level processes requires a systems-level understanding of development. Integration of multiple signaling pathways that specify cell signaling information requires second messengers such as calcium ions. Increasingly, specific roles have been uncovered for calcium signaling throughout development. Calcium signaling regulates many processes including division, migration, death, and differentiation. However, the pleiotropic and ubiquitous nature of calcium signaling implies that many additional functions remain to be discovered. Here we review a selection of recent studies to highlight important insights into how multiple signals are transduced by calcium transients in developing epithelial tissues. Quantitative imaging and computational modeling have provided important insights into how calcium signaling integration occurs. Reverse-engineering the conserved features of signal integration mediated by calcium signaling will enable novel approaches in regenerative medicine and synthetic control of morphogenesis.

Evaluation of impedance on biological Tissues using automatic control measurement system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kil, Sang Hyeong; Shin, Dong Hoon; Lee, Seong Mo [Pusan National University, Yangsan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Moo Seok; Kim, Sang Sik [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Gun FDo; Lee, Jong Kyu [Pukyung National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

Each biological tissue has endemic electrical characteristics owing to various differences such as those in cellular arrangement or organization form. The endemic electrical characteristics change when any biological change occurs. This work is a preliminary study surveying the changes in the electrical characteristics of biological tissue caused by radiation exposure. For protection against radiation hazards, therefore the electrical characteristics of living tissue were evaluated after development of the automatic control measurement system using LabVIEW. No alteration of biological tissues was observed before and after measurement of the electrical characteristics, and the biological tissues exhibited similar patterns. Through repeated measurements using the impedance/gain-phase analyzer, the coefficient of variation was determined as within 10%. The reproducibility impedance phase difference in electrical characteristics of the biological tissue did not change, and the tissue had resistance. The absolute value of impedance decreased constantly in proportion to the frequency. It has become possible to understand the electrical characteristics of biological tissues through the measurements made possible by the use of the developed.

Evaluation of impedance on biological Tissues using automatic control measurement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kil, Sang Hyeong; Shin, Dong Hoon; Lee, Seong Mo; Lee, Moo Seok; Kim, Sang Sik; Kim, Gun FDo; Lee, Jong Kyu

2015-01-01

Each biological tissue has endemic electrical characteristics owing to various differences such as those in cellular arrangement or organization form. The endemic electrical characteristics change when any biological change occurs. This work is a preliminary study surveying the changes in the electrical characteristics of biological tissue caused by radiation exposure. For protection against radiation hazards, therefore the electrical characteristics of living tissue were evaluated after development of the automatic control measurement system using LabVIEW. No alteration of biological tissues was observed before and after measurement of the electrical characteristics, and the biological tissues exhibited similar patterns. Through repeated measurements using the impedance/gain-phase analyzer, the coefficient of variation was determined as within 10%. The reproducibility impedance phase difference in electrical characteristics of the biological tissue did not change, and the tissue had resistance. The absolute value of impedance decreased constantly in proportion to the frequency. It has become possible to understand the electrical characteristics of biological tissues through the measurements made possible by the use of the developed.

Prognostic Metabolite Biomarkers for Soft Tissue Sarcomas Discovered by Mass Spectrometry Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Lou, Sha; Balluff, Benjamin; Cleven, Arjen H. G.; Bovée, Judith V. M. G.; McDonnell, Liam A.

2017-02-01

Metabolites can be an important read-out of disease. The identification and validation of biomarkers in the cancer metabolome that can stratify high-risk patients is one of the main current research aspects. Mass spectrometry has become the technique of choice for metabolomics studies, and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) enables their visualization in patient tissues. In this study, we used MSI to identify prognostic metabolite biomarkers in high grade sarcomas; 33 high grade sarcoma patients, comprising osteosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma, and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma were analyzed. Metabolite MSI data were obtained from sections of fresh frozen tissue specimens with matrix-assisted laser/desorption ionization (MALDI) MSI in negative polarity using 9-aminoarcridine as matrix. Subsequent annotation of tumor regions by expert pathologists resulted in tumor-specific metabolite signatures, which were then tested for association with patient survival. Metabolite signals with significant clinical value were further validated and identified by high mass resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) MSI. Three metabolite signals were found to correlate with overall survival ( m/z 180.9436 and 241.0118) and metastasis-free survival ( m/z 160.8417). FTICR-MSI identified m/z 241.0118 as inositol cyclic phosphate and m/z 160.8417 as carnitine.

Adverse reactions to injectable soft tissue fillers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Requena, Luis; Requena, Celia; Christensen, Lise

2011-01-01

In recent years, injections with filler agents are often used for wrinkle-treatment and soft tissue augmentation by dermatologists and plastic surgeons. Unfortunately, the ideal filler has not yet been discovered and all of them may induce adverse reactions. Quickly biodegradable or resorbable ag...

A role for differential glycoconjugation in the emission of phenylpropanoid volatiles from tomato fruit discovered using a metabolic data fusion approach.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tikunov, Y.M.; Vos, de C.H.; Gonzalez Paramas, A.M.; Hall, R.D.; Bovy, A.G.

2010-01-01

A role for differential glycoconjugation in the emission of phenylpropanoid volatiles from ripening tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum) upon fruit tissue disruption has been discovered in this study. Application of a multiinstrumental analytical platform for metabolic profiling of fruits from a

Nanoscale tissue engineering: spatial control over cell-materials interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeldon, Ian; Farhadi, Arash; Bick, Alexander G.; Jabbari, Esmaiel; Khademhosseini, Ali

2011-01-01

Cells interact with the surrounding environment by making tens to hundreds of thousands of nanoscale interactions with extracellular signals and features. The goal of nanoscale tissue engineering is to harness the interactions through nanoscale biomaterials engineering in order to study and direct cellular behaviors. Here, we review the nanoscale tissue engineering technologies for both two- and three-dimensional studies (2- and 3D), and provide a holistic overview of the field. Techniques that can control the average spacing and clustering of cell adhesion ligands are well established and have been highly successful in describing cell adhesion and migration in 2D. Extension of these engineering tools to 3D biomaterials has created many new hydrogel and nanofiber scaffolds technologies that are being used to design in vitro experiments with more physiologically relevant conditions. Researchers are beginning to study complex cell functions in 3D, however, there is a need for biomaterials systems that provide fine control over the nanoscale presentation of bioactive ligands in 3D. Additionally, there is a need for 2- and 3D techniques that can control the nanoscale presentation of multiple bioactive ligands and the temporal changes in cellular microenvironment. PMID:21451238

Did the ancient egyptians discover Algol?

Science.gov (United States)

Jetsu, L.; Porceddu, S.; Porceddu, S.; Lyytinen, J.; Kajatkari, P.; Markkanen, T.; Toivari-Viitala, J.

2013-02-01

Fabritius discovered the first variable star, Mira, in 1596. Holwarda determined the 11 months period of Mira in 1638. Montanari discovered the next variable star, Algol, in 1669. Its period, 2.867 days, was determined by Goodricke (178). Algol was associated with demon-like creatures, "Gorgon" in ancient Greek and "ghoul" in ancient Arab mythology. This indicates that its variability was discovered much before 1669 (Wilk 1996), but this mythological evidence is ambiguous (Davis 1975). For thousands of years, the Ancient Egyptian Scribes (AES) observed stars for timekeeping in a region, where there are nearly 300 clear nights a year. We discovered a significant periodicity of 2.850 days in their calendar for lucky and unlucky days dated to 1224 BC, "the Cairo Calendar". Several astrophysical and astronomical tests supported our conclusion that this was the period of Algol three millennia ago. The "ghoulish habits" of Algol could explain this 0.017 days period increase (Battersby 2012).

Discovering the structure of nerve tissue: Part 3: From Jan Evangelista Purkyně to Ludwig Mauthner.

Science.gov (United States)

Chvátal, Alexandr

2017-01-01

The previous works of Purkyně, Valentin, and Remak showed that the central and peripheral nervous systems contained not only nerve fibers but also cellular elements. The use of microscopes and new fixation techniques enabled them to accurately obtain data on the structure of nerve tissue and consequently in many European universities microscopes started to become widely used in histological and morphological studies. The present review summarizes important discoveries concerning the structure of neural tissue, mostly from vertebrates, during the period from 1838 to 1865. This review describes the discoveries of famous as well as less well-known scholars of the time, who contributed significantly to current understandings about the structure of neural tissue. The period is characterized by the first descriptions of different types of nerve cells and the first attempts of a cytoarchitectonic description of the spinal cord and brain. During the same time, the concept of a neuroglial tissue was introduced, first as a tissue for "gluing" nerve fibers, cells, and blood capillaries into one unit, but later some glial cells were described for the first time. Questions arose as to whether or not cells in ganglia and the central nervous system had the same morphological and functional properties, and whether nerve fibers and cell bodies were interconnected. Microscopic techniques started to be used for the examination of physiological as well as pathological nerve tissues. The overall state of knowledge was just a step away from the emergence of the concept of neurons and glial cells.

Discovering the Solar System

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Barrie W.

1999-04-01

Discovering the Solar System Barrie W. Jones The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK Discovering the Solar System is a comprehensive, up-to-date account of the Solar System and of the ways in which the various bodies have been investigated and modelled. The approach is thematic, with sequences of chapters on the interiors of planetary bodies, on their surfaces, and on their atmospheres. Within each sequence there is a chapter on general principles and processes followed by one or two chapters on specific bodies. There is also an introductory chapter, a chapter on the origin of the Solar System, and a chapter on asteroids, comets and meteorites. Liberally illustrated with diagrams, black and white photographs and colour plates, Discovering the Solar System also features: * tables of essential data * question and answers within the text * end of section review questions with answers and comments Discovering the Solar System is essential reading for all undergraduate students for whom astronomy or planetary science are components of their degrees, and for those at a more advanced level approaching the subject for the first time. It will also be of great interest to non-specialists with a keen interest in astronomy. A small amount of scientific knowledge is assumed plus familiarity with basic algebra and graphs. There is no calculus. Praise for this book includes: ".certainly qualifies as an authoritative text. The author clearly has an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject." Meteorics and Planetary Science ".liberally doused with relevant graphs, tables, and black and white figures of good quality." EOS, Transactions of the American Geophysical Union ".one of the best books on the Solar System I have seen. The general accuracy and quality of the content is excellent." Journal of the British Astronomical Association

On the genetic control of planar growth during tissue morphogenesis in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Enugutti, Balaji; Kirchhelle, Charlotte; Schneitz, Kay

2013-06-01

Tissue morphogenesis requires extensive intercellular communication. Plant organs are composites of distinct radial cell layers. A typical layer, such as the epidermis, is propagated by stereotypic anticlinal cell divisions. It is presently unclear what mechanisms coordinate cell divisions relative to the plane of a layer, resulting in planar growth and maintenance of the layer structure. Failure in the regulation of coordinated growth across a tissue may result in spatially restricted abnormal growth and the formation of a tumor-like protrusion. Therefore, one way to approach planar growth control is to look for genetic mutants that exhibit localized tumor-like outgrowths. Interestingly, plants appear to have evolved quite robust genetic mechanisms that govern these aspects of tissue morphogenesis. Here we provide a short summary of the current knowledge about the genetics of tumor formation in plants and relate it to the known control of coordinated cell behavior within a tissue layer. We further portray the integuments of Arabidopsis thaliana as an excellent model system to study the regulation of planar growth. The value of examining this process in integuments was established by the recent identification of the Arabidopsis AGC VIII kinase UNICORN as a novel growth suppressor involved in the regulation of planar growth and the inhibition of localized ectopic growth in integuments and other floral organs. An emerging insight is that misregulation of central determinants of adaxial-abaxial tissue polarity can lead to the formation of spatially restricted multicellular outgrowths in several tissues. Thus, there may exist a link between the mechanisms regulating adaxial-abaxial tissue polarity and planar growth in plants.

Control of Scar Tissue Formation in the Cornea: Strategies in Clinical and Corneal Tissue Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samantha L. Wilson

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Corneal structure is highly organized and unified in architecture with structural and functional integration which mediates transparency and vision. Disease and injury are the second most common cause of blindness affecting over 10 million people worldwide. Ninety percent of blindness is permanent due to scarring and vascularization. Scarring caused via fibrotic cellular responses, heals the tissue, but fails to restore transparency. Controlling keratocyte activation and differentiation are key for the inhibition and prevention of fibrosis. Ophthalmic surgery techniques are continually developing to preserve and restore vision but corneal regression and scarring are often detrimental side effects and long term continuous follow up studies are lacking or discouraging. Appropriate corneal models may lead to a reduced need for corneal transplantation as presently there are insufficient numbers or suitable tissue to meet demand. Synthetic optical materials are under development for keratoprothesis although clinical use is limited due to implantation complications and high rejection rates. Tissue engineered corneas offer an alternative which more closely mimic the morphological, physiological and biomechanical properties of native corneas. However, replication of the native collagen fiber organization and retaining the phenotype of stromal cells which prevent scar-like tissue formation remains a challenge. Careful manipulation of culture environments are under investigation to determine a suitable environment that simulates native ECM organization and stimulates keratocyte migration and generation.

Controlled Bioactive Molecules Delivery Strategies for Tendon and Ligament Tissue Engineering using Polymeric Nanofibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiong Teh, Thomas Kok; Hong Goh, James Cho; Toh, Siew Lok

2015-01-01

The interest in polymeric nanofibers has escalated over the past decade given its promise as tissue engineering scaffolds that can mimic the nanoscale structure of the native extracellular matrix. With functionalization of the polymeric nanofibers using bioactive molecules, localized signaling moieties can be established for the attached cells, to stimulate desired biological effects and direct cellular or tissue response. The inherently high surface area per unit mass of polymeric nanofibers can enhance cell adhesion, bioactive molecules loading and release efficiencies, and mass transfer properties. In this review article, the application of polymeric nanofibers for controlled bioactive molecules delivery will be discussed, with a focus on tendon and ligament tissue engineering. Various polymeric materials of different mechanical and degradation properties will be presented along with the nanofiber fabrication techniques explored. The bioactive molecules of interest for tendon and ligament tissue engineering, including growth factors and small molecules, will also be reviewed and compared in terms of their nanofiber incorporation strategies and release profiles. This article will also highlight and compare various innovative strategies to control the release of bioactive molecules spatiotemporally and explore an emerging tissue engineering strategy involving controlled multiple bioactive molecules sequential release. Finally, the review article concludes with challenges and future trends in the innovation and development of bioactive molecules delivery using polymeric nanofibers for tendon and ligament tissue engineering.

Immunohistochemistry of colorectal cancer biomarker phosphorylation requires controlled tissue fixation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbey P Theiss

Full Text Available Phosphorylated signaling molecules are biomarkers of cancer pathophysiology and resistance to therapy, but because phosphoprotein analytes are often labile, poorly controlled clinical laboratory practices could prevent translation of research findings in this area from the bench to the bedside. We therefore compared multiple biomarker and phosphoprotein immunohistochemistry (IHC results in 23 clinical colorectal carcinoma samples after either a novel, rapid tissue fixation protocol or a standard tissue fixation protocol employed by clinical laboratories, and we also investigated the effect of a defined post-operative "cold" ischemia period on these IHC results. We found that a one-hour cold ischemia interval, allowed by ASCO/CAP guidelines for certain cancer biomarker assays, is highly deleterious to certain phosphoprotein analytes, specifically the phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (pEGFR, but shorter ischemic intervals (less than 17 minutes facilitate preservation of phosphoproteins. Second, we found that a rapid 4-hour, two temperature, formalin fixation yielded superior staining in several cases with select markers (pEGFR, pBAD, pAKT compared to a standard overnight room temperature fixation protocol, despite taking less time. These findings indicate that the future research and clinical utilities of phosphoprotein IHC for assessing colorectal carcinoma pathophysiology absolutely depend upon attention to preanalytical factors and rigorously controlled tissue fixation protocols.

Composite microsphere-functionalized scaffold for the controlled release of small molecules in tissue engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Pandolfi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Current tissue engineering strategies focus on restoring damaged tissue architectures using biologically active scaffolds. The ideal scaffold would mimic the extracellular matrix of any tissue of interest, promoting cell proliferation and de novo extracellular matrix deposition. A plethora of techniques have been evaluated to engineer scaffolds for the controlled and targeted release of bioactive molecules to provide a functional structure for tissue growth and remodeling, as well as enhance recruitment and proliferation of autologous cells within the implant. Recently, novel approaches using small molecules, instead of growth factors, have been exploited to regulate tissue regeneration. The use of small synthetic molecules could be very advantageous because of their stability, tunability, and low cost. Herein, we propose a chitosan–gelatin scaffold functionalized with composite microspheres consisting of mesoporous silicon microparticles and poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid for the controlled release of sphingosine-1-phospate, a small molecule of interest. We characterized the platform with scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and confocal microscopy. Finally, the biocompatibility of this multiscale system was analyzed by culturing human mesenchymal stem cells onto the scaffold. The presented strategy establishes the basis of a versatile scaffold for the controlled release of small molecules and for culturing mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative medicine applications.

Discovering workflow nets using integer linear programming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Zelst, S.J.; van Dongen, B.F.; van der Aalst, W.M.P.; Verbeek, H.M.W.

Process mining is concerned with the analysis, understanding and improvement of business processes. Process discovery, i.e. discovering a process model based on an event log, is considered the most challenging process mining task. State-of-the-art process discovery algorithms only discover local

Heart over mind: metabolic control of white adipose tissue and liver.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Michinari; Sadoshima, Junichi

2014-12-01

Increasing evidence suggests that the heart controls the metabolism of peripheral organs. Olson and colleagues previously demonstrated that miR‐208a controls systemic energy homeostasis through the regulation of MED13 in cardiomyocytes (Grueter et al, 2012). In their follow‐up study in this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, white adipose tissue (WAT) and liver are identified as the physiological targets of cardiac MED13 signaling, most likely through cardiac‐derived circulating factors, which boost energy consumption by upregulating metabolic gene expression and increasing mitochondrial numbers (Baskin et al, 2014). In turn, increased energy expenditure in WAT and the liver confers leanness. These findings strengthen the evidence of metabolic crosstalk between the heart and peripheral tissues through cardiokines and also set the stage for the development of novel treatments for metabolic syndrome.

Laser-activated nano-biomaterials for tissue repair and controlled drug release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matteini, P; Ratto, F; Rossi, F; Pini, R

2014-01-01

We present recent achievements of minimally invasive welding of biological tissue and controlled drug release based on laser-activated nano-biomaterials. In particular, we consider new advancements in the biomedical application of near-IR absorbing gold nano-chromophores as an original solution for the photothermal repair of surgical incisions and as nanotriggers of controlled drug release from hybrid biopolymer scaffolds. (laser biophotonics)

Discovering Wavelets

CERN Document Server

Aboufadel, Edward

1999-01-01

An accessible and practical introduction to wavelets. With applications in image processing, audio restoration, seismology, and elsewhere, wavelets have been the subject of growing excitement and interest over the past several years. Unfortunately, most books on wavelets are accessible primarily to research mathematicians. Discovering Wavelets presents basic and advanced concepts of wavelets in a way that is accessible to anyone with only a fundamental knowledge of linear algebra. The basic concepts of wavelet theory are introduced in the context of an explanation of how the FBI uses wavelets

Controlled cellular energy conversion in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz, J. M.; Plant, R. E.

1978-01-01

Brown adipose tissue serves as a model system for nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) since a) it has as a primary physiological function the conversion of chemical energy to heat; and b) preliminary data from other tissues involved in NST (e.g., muscle) indicate that parallel mechanisms may be involved. Now that biochemical pathways have been proposed for brown fat thermogenesis, cellular models consistent with a thermodynamic representation can be formulated. Stated concisely, the thermogenic mechanism in a brown fat cell can be considered as an energy converter involving a sequence of cellular events controlled by signals over the autonomic nervous system. A thermodynamic description for NST is developed in terms of a nonisothermal system under steady-state conditions using network thermodynamics. Pathways simulated include mitochondrial ATP synthesis, a Na+/K+ membrane pump, and ionic diffusion through the adipocyte membrane.

Bioprinting three-dimensional cell-laden tissue constructs with controllable degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhengjie; Su, Xin; Xu, Yuanyuan; Kong, Bin; Sun, Wei; Mi, Shengli

2016-04-19

Alginate hydrogel is a popular biologically inert material that is widely used in 3D bioprinting, especially in extrusion-based printing. However, the printed cells in this hydrogel could not degrade the surrounding alginate gel matrix, causing them to remain in a poorly proliferating and non-differentiating state. Here, we report a novel study of the 3D printing of human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs)/collagen/gelatin/alginate hydrogel incubated with a medium containing sodium citrate to obtain degradation-controllable cell-laden tissue constructs. The 3D-printed hydrogel network with interconnected channels and a macroporous structure was stable and achieved high cell viability (over 90%). By altering the mole ratio of sodium citrate/sodium alginate, the degradation time of the bioprinting constructs can be controlled. Cell proliferation and specific marker protein expression results also revealed that with the help of sodium citrate degradation, the printed HCECs showed a higher proliferation rate and greater cytokeratin 3(CK3) expression, indicating that this newly developed method may help to improve the alginate bioink system for the application of 3D bioprinting in tissue engineering.

The potential of the ILC for discovering new particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujii, Keisuke [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Ibaraki (Japan); Grojean, Christophe [DESY, Hamburg (Germany); Humboldt-Univ., Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik; ICREA, Barcelona (Spain); Peskin, Michael E. [Stanford Univ., Menlo Park, CA (United States). SLAC; Collaboration: LCC Physics Working Group; and others

2017-02-15

This paper addresses the question of whether the International Linear Collider has the capability of discovering new particles that have not already been discovered at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. We summarize the various paths to discovery offered by the ILC, and discuss them in the context of three different scenarios: 1. LHC does not discover any new particles, 2. LHC discovers some new low mass states and 3. LHC discovers new heavy particles. We will show that in each case, ILC plays a critical role in discovery of new phenomena and in pushing forward the frontiers of high-energy physics as well as our understanding of the universe in a manner which is highly complementary to that of LHC. For the busy reader, a two-page executive summary is provided at the beginning of the document.

The potential of the ILC for discovering new particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, Keisuke; Grojean, Christophe; Peskin, Michael E.

2017-02-01

This paper addresses the question of whether the International Linear Collider has the capability of discovering new particles that have not already been discovered at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. We summarize the various paths to discovery offered by the ILC, and discuss them in the context of three different scenarios: 1. LHC does not discover any new particles, 2. LHC discovers some new low mass states and 3. LHC discovers new heavy particles. We will show that in each case, ILC plays a critical role in discovery of new phenomena and in pushing forward the frontiers of high-energy physics as well as our understanding of the universe in a manner which is highly complementary to that of LHC. For the busy reader, a two-page executive summary is provided at the beginning of the document.

Fabrication of Orientation-Controlled 3D Tissues Using a Layer-by-Layer Technique and 3D Printed a Thermoresponsive Gel Frame.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukamoto, Yoshinari; Akagi, Takami; Shima, Fumiaki; Akashi, Mitsuru

2017-06-01

Herein, we report the fabrication of orientation-controlled tissues similar to heart and nerve tissues using a cell accumulation and three-dimensional (3D) printing technique. We first evaluated the 3D shaping ability of hydroxybutyl chitosan (HBC), a thermoresponsive polymer, by using a robotic dispensing 3D printer. HBC polymer could be laminated to a height of 1124 ± 14 μm. Based on this result, we fabricated 3D gel frames of various shapes, such as square, triangular, rectangular, and circular, for shape control of 3D tissue and then normal human cardiac fibroblasts (NHCFs) coated with extracellular matrix nanofilms were seeded in the frames. Observation of shape-controlled tissues after 1 day of cultivation showed that the orientation of fibroblasts was in one direction when a short-sided, thin, rectangular-shaped frame was used. Next, we tried to fabricate orientation-controlled tissue with a vascular network by coculturing NHCF and normal human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells. As a consequence of cultivation for 4 days, observation of cocultured tissue confirmed aligned cells and blood capillaries in orientation-controlled tissue. Our results clearly demonstrated that it would be possible to control the cell orientation by controlling the shape of the tissues by combining a cell accumulation technique and a 3D printing system. The results of this study suggest promising strategies for the fabrication of oriented 3D tissues in vitro. These tissues, mimicking native organ structures, such as muscle and nerve tissue with a cell alignment structure, would be useful for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and pharmaceutical applications.

CELLULAR CONTROL OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE MATRIX TENSION†

OpenAIRE

Langevin, Helene M.; Nedergaard, Maiken; Howe, Alan

2013-01-01

The biomechanical behavior of connective tissue in response to stretching is generally attributed to the molecular composition and organization of its extracellular matrix. It also is becoming apparent that fibroblasts play an active role in regulating connective tissue tension. In response to static stretching of the tissue, fibroblasts expand within minutes by actively remodeling their cytoskeleton. This dynamic change in fibroblast shape contributes to the drop in tissue tension that occur...

Peripheral tissue homing receptor control of naïve, effector, and memory CD8 T cell localization in lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Brinkman, C Colin; Peske, J David; Engelhard, Victor Henry

2013-01-01

T cell activation induces homing receptors that bind ligands on peripheral tissue vasculature, programing movement to sites of infection and injury. There are three major types of CD8 effector T cells based on homing receptor expression, which arise in distinct lymphoid organs. Recent publications indicate that naïve, effector, and memory T cell migration is more complex than once thought; while many effectors enter peripheral tissues, some re-enter lymph nodes (LN), and contain central memory precursors. LN re-entry can depend on CD62L or peripheral tissue homing receptors. Memory T cells in LN tend to express the same homing receptors as their forebears, but often are CD62Lneg. Homing receptors also control CD8 T cell tumor entry. Tumor vasculature has low levels of many peripheral tissue homing receptor ligands, but portions of it resemble high endothelial venules (HEV), enabling naïve T cell entry, activation, and subsequent effector activity. This vasculature is associated with positive prognoses in humans, suggesting it may sustain ongoing anti-tumor responses. These findings reveal new roles for homing receptors expressed by naïve, effector, and memory CD8 T cells in controlling entry into lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues.

CELLULAR CONTROL OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE MATRIX TENSION†

Science.gov (United States)

Langevin, Helene M.; Nedergaard, Maiken; Howe, Alan

2013-01-01

The biomechanical behavior of connective tissue in response to stretching is generally attributed to the molecular composition and organization of its extracellular matrix. It also is becoming apparent that fibroblasts play an active role in regulating connective tissue tension. In response to static stretching of the tissue, fibroblasts expand within minutes by actively remodeling their cytoskeleton. This dynamic change in fibroblast shape contributes to the drop in tissue tension that occurs during viscoelastic relaxation. We propose that this response of fibroblasts plays a role in regulating extracellular fluid flow into the tissue, and protects against swelling when the matrix is stretched. This article reviews the evidence supporting possible mechanisms underlying this response including autocrine purinergic signaling. We also discuss fibroblast regulation of connective tissue tension with respect to lymphatic flow, immune function and cancer. PMID:23444198

Cellular control of connective tissue matrix tension.

Science.gov (United States)

Langevin, Helene M; Nedergaard, Maiken; Howe, Alan K

2013-08-01

The biomechanical behavior of connective tissue in response to stretching is generally attributed to the molecular composition and organization of its extracellular matrix. It also is becoming apparent that fibroblasts play an active role in regulating connective tissue tension. In response to static stretching of the tissue, fibroblasts expand within minutes by actively remodeling their cytoskeleton. This dynamic change in fibroblast shape contributes to the drop in tissue tension that occurs during viscoelastic relaxation. We propose that this response of fibroblasts plays a role in regulating extracellular fluid flow into the tissue, and protects against swelling when the matrix is stretched. This article reviews the evidence supporting possible mechanisms underlying this response including autocrine purinergic signaling. We also discuss fibroblast regulation of connective tissue tension with respect to lymphatic flow, immune function, and cancer. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ultrasound therapy applicators for controlled thermal modification of tissue

Science.gov (United States)

Burdette, E. Clif; Lichtenstiger, Carol; Rund, Laurie; Keralapura, Mallika; Gossett, Chad; Stahlhut, Randy; Neubauer, Paul; Komadina, Bruce; Williams, Emery; Alix, Chris; Jensen, Tor; Schook, Lawrence; Diederich, Chris J.

2011-03-01

Heat therapy has long been used for treatments in dermatology and sports medicine. The use of laser, RF, microwave, and more recently, ultrasound treatment, for psoriasis, collagen reformation, and skin tightening has gained considerable interest over the past several years. Numerous studies and commercial devices have demonstrated the efficacy of these methods for treatment of skin disorders. Despite these promising results, current systems remain highly dependent on operator skill, and cannot effectively treat effectively because there is little or no control of the size, shape, and depth of the target zone. These limitations make it extremely difficult to obtain consistent treatment results. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility for using acoustic energy for controlled dose delivery sufficient to produce collagen modification for the treatment of skin tissue in the dermal and sub-dermal layers. We designed and evaluated a curvilinear focused ultrasound device for treating skin disorders such as psoriasis, stimulation of wound healing, tightening of skin through shrinkage of existing collagen and stimulation of new collagen formation, and skin cancer. Design parameters were examined using acoustic pattern simulations and thermal modeling. Acute studies were performed in 201 freshly-excised samples of young porcine underbelly skin tissue and 56 in-vivo treatment areas in 60- 80 kg pigs. These were treated with ultrasound (9-11MHz) focused in the deep dermis. Dose distribution was analyzed and gross pathology assessed. Tissue shrinkage was measured based on fiducial markers and video image registration and analyzed using NIH Image-J software. Comparisons were made between RF and focused ultrasound for five energy ranges. In each experimental series, therapeutic dose levels (60degC) were attained at 2-5mm depth. Localized collagen changes ranged from 1-3% for RF versus 8-15% for focused ultrasound. Therapeutic ultrasound applied at high

Fit for purpose frozen tissue collections by RNA integrity number-based quality control assurance at the Erasmus MC tissue bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Kap, Marcel; Oomen, Monique; Arshad, Shazia; de Jong, Bas; Riegman, Peter

2014-04-01

About 5000 frozen tissue samples are collected each year by the Erasmus Medical Center tissue bank. Two percent of these samples are randomly selected annually for RNA isolation and RNA Integrity Number (RIN) measurement. A similar quality assessment was conducted during centralization of a 20-year-old tissue collection from the cancer institute, a 15-year-old liver sample archive (-80°C), and a 13-year-old clinical pathology frozen biopsy archive (Liquid Nitrogen). Samples were divided into either high-quality (RIN ≥6.5) or low-quality overall categories, or into four "fit-for-purpose" quality groups: RIN procurement protocols used for these samples needed immediate evaluation. When the distribution of RIN values of the different collections were compared, no significant differences were found, despite differences in average storage time and temperature. According to the principle of "fit-for-purpose" distribution, the vast majority of samples are considered good enough for most downstream techniques. In conclusion, an annual tissue bank quality control procedure provides useful information on tissue sample quality and sheds light on where and if improvements need to be made.

Tumor control and normal tissue toxicity: The two faces of radiotherapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Oorschot, B.

2016-01-01

This thesis discusses the two contrasting sides of radiotherapy: tumor control and normal tissue toxicity. On one hand, radiation treatment aims to target the tumor with the highest possible radiation dose, inducing as much lethal DNA damage as possible. On the other hand however, escalation of the

Accessory mammary tissue associated with congenital and hereditary nephrourinary malformations.

Science.gov (United States)

Urbani, C E; Betti, R

1996-05-01

The association between polythelia (supernumerary nipple) and kidney and urinary tract malformations (KUTM) is controversial. Some authors reported this association in newborns and infants. Case-control studies dealing with adult subjects are not found in the literature. The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of the association between accessory mammary tissue (AMT) and congenital and hereditary nephrourinary defects in an adult population compared to a control group. The study was performed in 146 white patients (123 men, 23 women) with AMT out of 2645 subjects consecutively referred to us for physical examination. The following investigations were undertaken: ultrasonographic examination of the abdomen and the kidneys, ECG, echocardiogram, roentgenogram of the vertebral column, urinalysis, and other laboratory tests. A sex- and age-matched control group without any evidence of AMT or lateral displacement of the nipples underwent the same examinations. Kidney and urinary tract malformations were detected in 11 patients with AMT (nine men, two women) and in one control. These data indicate a significantly higher frequency of KUTM in the AMT-affected patients compared to controls (7.53% vs. 0.68%, P < 0.001). A broad spectrum of KUTM was discovered in association with AMT: adult dominant polycystic kidney disease, unilateral renal agenesis, cystic renal dysplasia, familial renal cysts, and congenital stenosis of the pyeloureteral joint. Accessory mammary tissue offers an important clue for congenital and hereditary anomalies of the kidneys and urinary collecting systems. Patients with AMT should, therefore, be extensively examined for the presence of occult nephrouropathies.

A multi-scale controlled tissue engineering scaffold prepared by 3D printing and NFES technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feifei Yan

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The current focus in the field of life science is the use of tissue engineering scaffolds to repair human organs, which has shown great potential in clinical applications. Extracellular matrix morphology and the performance and internal structure of natural organs are required to meet certain requirements. Therefore, integrating multiple processes can effectively overcome the limitations of the individual processes and can take into account the needs of scaffolds for the material, structure, mechanical properties and many other aspects. This study combined the biological 3D printing technology and the near-field electro-spinning (NFES process to prepare a multi-scale controlled tissue engineering scaffold. While using 3D printing technology to directly prepare the macro-scaffold, the compositing NFES process to build tissue micro-morphology ultimately formed a tissue engineering scaffold which has the specific extracellular matrix structure. This scaffold not only takes into account the material, structure, performance and many other requirements, but also focuses on resolving the controllability problems in macro- and micro-forming which further aim to induce cell directed differentiation, reproduction and, ultimately, the formation of target tissue organs. It has in-depth immeasurable significance to build ideal scaffolds and further promote the application of tissue engineering.

Manufacturing of hydrogel biomaterials with controlled mechanical properties for tissue engineering applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Vedadghavami, Armin; Minooei, Farnaz; Mohammadi, Mohammad Hossein; Khetani, Sultan; Rezaei Kolahchi, Ahmad; Mashayekhan, Shohreh; Sanati-Nezhad, Amir

2017-10-15

Hydrogels have been recognized as crucial biomaterials in the field of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery applications due to their specific characteristics. These biomaterials benefit from retaining a large amount of water, effective mass transfer, similarity to natural tissues and the ability to form different shapes. However, having relatively poor mechanical properties is a limiting factor associated with hydrogel biomaterials. Controlling the biomechanical properties of hydrogels is of paramount importance. In this work, firstly, mechanical characteristics of hydrogels and methods employed for characterizing these properties are explored. Subsequently, the most common approaches used for tuning mechanical properties of hydrogels including but are not limited to, interpenetrating polymer networks, nanocomposites, self-assembly techniques, and co-polymerization are discussed. The performance of different techniques used for tuning biomechanical properties of hydrogels is further compared. Such techniques involve lithography techniques for replication of tissues with complex mechanical profiles; microfluidic techniques applicable for generating gradients of mechanical properties in hydrogel biomaterials for engineering complex human tissues like intervertebral discs, osteochondral tissues, blood vessels and skin layers; and electrospinning techniques for synthesis of hybrid hydrogels and highly ordered fibers with tunable mechanical and biological properties. We finally discuss future perspectives and challenges for controlling biomimetic hydrogel materials possessing proper biomechanical properties. Hydrogels biomaterials are essential constituting components of engineered tissues with the applications in regenerative medicine and drug delivery. The mechanical properties of hydrogels play crucial roles in regulating the interactions between cells and extracellular matrix and directing the cells phenotype and genotype. Despite

Localized Tissue Surrogate Deformation due to Controlled Single Bubble Cavitation

Science.gov (United States)

2014-08-27

studies using ultrasound shock waves also support cavitation induced damage, e.g. hemorrhage and cellular membrane poration 26-28. In addition...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Cavitation -induced shock wave, as might occur in the head during exposure to blast waves, was investigated as a possible...damage mechanism for soft brain tissues. A novel experimental scheme was developed to visualize and control single bubble cavitation and its

A dual flow bioreactor with controlled mechanical stimulation for cartilage tissue engineering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spitters, Tim; Leijten, Jeroen Christianus Hermanus; Deus, F.D.; Costa, I.B.F.; van Apeldoorn, Aart A.; van Blitterswijk, Clemens; Karperien, Hermanus Bernardus Johannes

2013-01-01

In cartilage tissue engineering bioreactors can create a controlled environment to study chondrocyte behavior under mechanical stimulation or produce chondrogenic grafts of clinically relevant size. Here we present a novel bioreactor, which combines mechanical stimulation with a two compartment

Proteomic analysis of tissue samples in translational breast cancer research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gromov, Pavel; Moreira, José; Gromova, Irina

2014-01-01

In the last decade, many proteomic technologies have been applied, with varying success, to the study of tissue samples of breast carcinoma for protein expression profiling in order to discover protein biomarkers/signatures suitable for: characterization and subtyping of tumors; early diagnosis...... the translation of basic discoveries into the daily breast cancer clinical practice. In particular, we address major issues in experimental design by reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of current proteomic strategies in the context of the analysis of human breast tissue specimens....

Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics in Molecular Diagnostics: Discovery of Cancer Biomarkers Using Tissue Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debasish Paul

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Accurate diagnosis and proper monitoring of cancer patients remain a key obstacle for successful cancer treatment and prevention. Therein comes the need for biomarker discovery, which is crucial to the current oncological and other clinical practices having the potential to impact the diagnosis and prognosis. In fact, most of the biomarkers have been discovered utilizing the proteomics-based approaches. Although high-throughput mass spectrometry-based proteomic approaches like SILAC, 2D-DIGE, and iTRAQ are filling up the pitfalls of the conventional techniques, still serum proteomics importunately poses hurdle in overcoming a wide range of protein concentrations, and also the availability of patient tissue samples is a limitation for the biomarker discovery. Thus, researchers have looked for alternatives, and profiling of candidate biomarkers through tissue culture of tumor cell lines comes up as a promising option. It is a rich source of tumor cell-derived proteins, thereby, representing a wide array of potential biomarkers. Interestingly, most of the clinical biomarkers in use today (CA 125, CA 15.3, CA 19.9, and PSA were discovered through tissue culture-based system and tissue extracts. This paper tries to emphasize the tissue culture-based discovery of candidate biomarkers through various mass spectrometry-based proteomic approaches.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics in Molecular Diagnostics: Discovery of Cancer Biomarkers Using Tissue Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Debasish; Kumar, Avinash; Gajbhiye, Akshada; Santra, Manas K.; Srikanth, Rapole

2013-01-01

Accurate diagnosis and proper monitoring of cancer patients remain a key obstacle for successful cancer treatment and prevention. Therein comes the need for biomarker discovery, which is crucial to the current oncological and other clinical practices having the potential to impact the diagnosis and prognosis. In fact, most of the biomarkers have been discovered utilizing the proteomics-based approaches. Although high-throughput mass spectrometry-based proteomic approaches like SILAC, 2D-DIGE, and iTRAQ are filling up the pitfalls of the conventional techniques, still serum proteomics importunately poses hurdle in overcoming a wide range of protein concentrations, and also the availability of patient tissue samples is a limitation for the biomarker discovery. Thus, researchers have looked for alternatives, and profiling of candidate biomarkers through tissue culture of tumor cell lines comes up as a promising option. It is a rich source of tumor cell-derived proteins, thereby, representing a wide array of potential biomarkers. Interestingly, most of the clinical biomarkers in use today (CA 125, CA 15.3, CA 19.9, and PSA) were discovered through tissue culture-based system and tissue extracts. This paper tries to emphasize the tissue culture-based discovery of candidate biomarkers through various mass spectrometry-based proteomic approaches. PMID:23586059

Controlled delivery of antiangiogenic drug to human eye tissue using a MEMS device

KAUST Repository

Pirmoradi, Fatemeh Nazly

2013-01-01

We demonstrate an implantable MEMS drug delivery device to conduct controlled and on-demand, ex vivo drug transport to human eye tissue. Remotely operated drug delivery to human post-mortem eyes was performed via a MEMS device. The developed curved packaging cover conforms to the eyeball thereby preventing the eye tissue from contacting the actuating membrane. By pulsed operation of the device, using an externally applied magnetic field, the drug released from the device accumulates in a cavity adjacent to the tissue. As such, docetaxel (DTX), an antiangiogenic drug, diffuses through the eye tissue, from sclera and choroid to retina. DTX uptake by sclera and choroid were measured to be 1.93±0.66 and 7.24±0.37 μg/g tissue, respectively, after two hours in pulsed operation mode (10s on/off cycles) at 23°C. During this period, a total amount of 192 ng DTX diffused into the exposed tissue. This MEMS device shows great potential for the treatment of ocular posterior segment diseases such as diabetic retinopathy by introducing a novel way of drug administration to the eye. © 2013 IEEE.

Insulin response in individual tissues of control and gold thioglucose-obese mice in vivo with [1-14C]2-deoxyglucose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooney, G.J.; Astbury, L.D.; Williams, P.F.; Caterson, I.D.

1987-01-01

The dose-response characteristics of several glucose-utilizing tissues (brain, heart, white adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue, and quadriceps muscle) to a single injection of insulin have been compared in control mice and mice made obese with a single injection of gold thioglucose (GTG). Tissue content of [1- 14 C]2-deoxyglucose 6-phosphate and blood disappearance rate of [1- 14 C]2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) were measured at nine different insulin doses and used to calculate rates of 2-DG uptake and phosphorylation in tissues from control and obese mice. The insulin sensitivity of tissues reflected in the ED50 of insulin response varied widely, and brown adipose tissue was the most insulin-sensitive tissue studied. In GTG-obese mice, heart, quadriceps, and brown adipose tissue were insulin resistant (demonstrated by increased ED50), whereas in white adipose tissue, 2-DG phosphorylation was more sensitive to insulin. Brain 2-DG phosphorylation was insulin independent in control and obese animals. The largest decrease in insulin sensitivity in GTG-obese mice was observed in brown adipose tissue. The loss of diet-induced thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue as a result of the hypothalamic lesion in GTG-obese mice could be a major cause of insulin resistance in brown adipose tissue. Because brown adipose tissue can make a major contribution to whole-body glucose utilization, insulin resistance in this tissue may have a significant effect on whole-animal glucose homeostasis in GTG-obese mice

ST6GalNAc-I controls expression of sialyl-Tn antigen in gastrointestinal tissues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marcos, Nuno T; Bennett, Eric Paul; Gomes, Joana

2011-01-01

-Tn biosynthesis. We developed novel monoclonal antibodies specific for ST6GalNAc-I and evaluated its expression in gastrointestinal tissues. ST6GalNAc-I was detected in normal colon mucosa co-localized with O-acetylated sialyl-Tn. Expression was largely unaltered in colorectal adenocarcinomas. In contrast, we......NAc-I as the major enzyme controlling the expression of cancer-associated sialyl-Tn antigen in gastrointestinal tissues....

A case of von Willebrand disease discovered during treatment of a sacral pressure ulcer.

Science.gov (United States)

Murakami, Masahiro; Fukaya, Sumiko; Furuya, Masaichi; Hyakusoku, Hiko

2010-12-01

A sacral pressure ulcer developed in a patient hospitalized for cerebral infarction. Each time necrotic tissue was debrided from the ulcer, pressure hemostasis was necessary to stop the bleeding. As treatment continued, the pressure required to stop the bleeding caused the ulcer to worsen, leading to a downward spiral in the patient's condition. While trying to determine the cause of this problem, we discovered that the patient had von Willebrand disease. Medication controlled the bleeding, and the pressure ulcer began to heal at the same time. It was clear to us that conservative treatment would lead to a complete cure but that the healing process would take a long time and require continued administration of an expensive drug. We decided, therefore, to close the wound with a fasciocutaneous flap so that the patient could be quickly transferred to a rehabilitation hospital. About 1 month after surgery, epithelialization was complete, we were able to discontinue medication, and the patient was discharged. This experience demonstrates the importance of determining the cause of any deviation from the normal course of healing in pressure ulcers. It also indicates that the use of fasciocutaneous flaps, which involve little intraoperative bleeding in short surgeries, is appropriate in cases like this one.

Asymptomatic tracheal MALT lymphoma discovered on spirometric findings presenting with elevated respiratory resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadota, Naoki; Shinohara, Tsutomu; Machida, Hisanori; Nakanishi, Hirofumi; Suehiro, Fumie; Toda, Hiroko; Yoshino, Tadashi; Ogushi, Fumitaka

2015-06-06

Central airway obstruction (CAO) may be caused by various etiologies. However, conventional chest X-rays are rarely diagnostic for patients with CAO. We here described a 64-year-old asymptomatic female with tracheal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma discovered on spirometric findings during a complete physical examination. The plateau of forced expiratory flow was consistent with CAO. A decreased peak expiratory flow rate was noted at least 3 years before the diagnosis, and was attributed to an insufficient effort by the patient. Impulse oscillometric measurements, which were taken during quiet breathing and were effort-independent, suggested elevated respiratory resistance. These abnormalities completely disappeared after radiation therapy. The addition of impulse oscillometry to spirometry may be useful for screening CAO in routine health examinations.

Quantitative nailfold capillaroscopy findings in a population with connective tissue disease and in normal healthy controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabasakal, Y; Elvins, D M; Ring, E F; McHugh, N J

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To describe and quantify the morphological characteristics of nailfold capillaries that distinguish different forms of connective tissue disease from healthy controls. METHODS: A CCD video microscope with fibreoptic illumination and PC based image processing was used to visualise nailfold capillaries and to quantify findings in 23 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), 22 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 21 patients with undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD), and 38 healthy controls. RESULTS: Capillary density was reduced in SSc (5.2 (SD 1.3) capillaries/mm) compared with other patient groups and controls. The average number of enlarged capillaries/finger was high in all disease groups (5.5-6.6) compared with controls (2). However, giant capillaries were most frequent in SSc (43%) and were not present in controls. Mild and moderate avascular areas were present in all groups (35%-68%), but severe avascularity was most frequent in SSc (44%) compared with other patients (18%-19%) and controls (0%). The greatest frequency of extensive haemorrhage was in SSc (35%). CONCLUSIONS: There is a range of abnormal capillary findings in patients with connective tissue disease and healthy controls. However, certain abnormalities such as a reduced number of capillaries, severe avascularity, giant capillaries, and haemorrhage are most commonly associated with SSc. Videomicroscopy with image processing offers many technical advantages that can be exploited in further studies of nailfold capillaries. Images PMID:8774177

DeBi: Discovering Differentially Expressed Biclusters using a Frequent Itemset Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vingron Martin

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The analysis of massive high throughput data via clustering algorithms is very important for elucidating gene functions in biological systems. However, traditional clustering methods have several drawbacks. Biclustering overcomes these limitations by grouping genes and samples simultaneously. It discovers subsets of genes that are co-expressed in certain samples. Recent studies showed that biclustering has a great potential in detecting marker genes that are associated with certain tissues or diseases. Several biclustering algorithms have been proposed. However, it is still a challenge to find biclusters that are significant based on biological validation measures. Besides that, there is a need for a biclustering algorithm that is capable of analyzing very large datasets in reasonable time. Results Here we present a fast biclustering algorithm called DeBi (Differentially Expressed BIclusters. The algorithm is based on a well known data mining approach called frequent itemset. It discovers maximum size homogeneous biclusters in which each gene is strongly associated with a subset of samples. We evaluate the performance of DeBi on a yeast dataset, on synthetic datasets and on human datasets. Conclusions We demonstrate that the DeBi algorithm provides functionally more coherent gene sets compared to standard clustering or biclustering algorithms using biological validation measures such as Gene Ontology term and Transcription Factor Binding Site enrichment. We show that DeBi is a computationally efficient and powerful tool in analyzing large datasets. The method is also applicable on multiple gene expression datasets coming from different labs or platforms.

Mechanical control of notochord morphogenesis by extra-embryonic tissues in mouse embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Imuta, Yu; Koyama, Hiroshi; Shi, Dongbo; Eiraku, Mototsugu; Fujimori, Toshihiko; Sasaki, Hiroshi

2014-05-01

Mammalian embryos develop in coordination with extraembryonic tissues, which support embryonic development by implanting embryos into the uterus, supplying nutrition, providing a confined niche, and also providing patterning signals to embryos. Here, we show that in mouse embryos, the expansion of the amniotic cavity (AC), which is formed between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, provides the mechanical forces required for a type of morphogenetic movement of the notochord known as convergent extension (CE) in which the cells converge to the midline and the tissue elongates along the antero-posterior (AP) axis. The notochord is stretched along the AP axis, and the expansion of the AC is required for CE. Both mathematical modeling and physical simulation showed that a rectangular morphology of the early notochord caused the application of anisotropic force along the AP axis to the notochord through the isotropic expansion of the AC. AC expansion acts upstream of planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling, which regulates CE movement. Our results highlight the importance of extraembryonic tissues as a source of the forces that control the morphogenesis of embryos. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gelatin Scaffolds with Controlled Pore Structure and Mechanical Property for Cartilage Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shangwu; Zhang, Qin; Nakamoto, Tomoko; Kawazoe, Naoki; Chen, Guoping

2016-03-01

Engineering of cartilage tissue in vitro using porous scaffolds and chondrocytes provides a promising approach for cartilage repair. However, nonuniform cell distribution and heterogeneous tissue formation together with weak mechanical property of in vitro engineered cartilage limit their clinical application. In this study, gelatin porous scaffolds with homogeneous and open pores were prepared using ice particulates and freeze-drying. The scaffolds were used to culture bovine articular chondrocytes to engineer cartilage tissue in vitro. The pore structure and mechanical property of gelatin scaffolds could be well controlled by using different ratios of ice particulates to gelatin solution and different concentrations of gelatin. Gelatin scaffolds prepared from ≥70% ice particulates enabled homogeneous seeding of bovine articular chondrocytes throughout the scaffolds and formation of homogeneous cartilage extracellular matrix. While soft scaffolds underwent cellular contraction, stiff scaffolds resisted cellular contraction and had significantly higher cell proliferation and synthesis of sulfated glycosaminoglycan. Compared with the gelatin scaffolds prepared without ice particulates, the gelatin scaffolds prepared with ice particulates facilitated formation of homogeneous cartilage tissue with significantly higher compressive modulus. The gelatin scaffolds with highly open pore structure and good mechanical property can be used to improve in vitro tissue-engineered cartilage.

Prickle isoforms control the direction of tissue polarity by microtubule independent and dependent mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine A. Sharp

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Planar cell polarity signaling directs the polarization of cells within the plane of many epithelia. While these tissues exhibit asymmetric localization of a set of core module proteins, in Drosophila, more than one mechanism links the direction of core module polarization to the tissue axes. One signaling system establishes a polarity bias in the parallel, apical microtubules upon which vesicles containing core proteins traffic. Swapping expression of the differentially expressed Prickle isoforms, Prickle and Spiny-legs, reverses the direction of core module polarization. Studies in the proximal wing and the anterior abdomen indicated that this results from their differential control of microtubule polarity. Prickle and Spiny-legs also control the direction of polarization in the distal wing (D-wing and the posterior abdomen (P-abd. We report here that this occurs without affecting microtubule polarity in these tissues. The direction of polarity in the D-wing is therefore likely determined by a novel mechanism independent of microtubule polarity. In the P-abd, Prickle and Spiny-legs interpret at least two directional cues through a microtubule-polarity-independent mechanism.

Controlled delivery of antiangiogenic drug to human eye tissue using a MEMS device

KAUST Repository

Pirmoradi, Fatemeh Nazly; Ou, Kevin; Jackson, John K.; Letchford, Kevin; Cui, Jing; Wolf, Ki Tae; Graber, Florian; Zhao, Tom; Matsubara, Joanne A.; Burt, Helen; Chiao, Mu; Lin, Liwei

2013-01-01

We demonstrate an implantable MEMS drug delivery device to conduct controlled and on-demand, ex vivo drug transport to human eye tissue. Remotely operated drug delivery to human post-mortem eyes was performed via a MEMS device. The developed curved

Modeling and control of tissue compression and temperature for automation in robot-assisted surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Utkarsh; Li, Baichun; Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh

2014-01-01

Robotic surgery is being used widely due to its various benefits that includes reduced patient trauma and increased dexterity and ergonomics for the operating surgeon. Making the whole or part of the surgical procedure autonomous increases patient safety and will enable the robotic surgery platform to be used in telesurgery. In this work, an Electrosurgery procedure that involves tissue compression and application of heat such as the coaptic vessel closure has been automated. A MIMO nonlinear model characterizing the tissue stiffness and conductance under compression was feedback linearized and tuned PID controllers were used to control the system to achieve both the displacement and temperature constraints. A reference input for both the constraints were chosen as a ramp and hold trajectory which reflect the real constraints that exist in an actual surgical procedure. Our simulations showed that the controllers successfully tracked the reference trajectories with minimal deviation and in finite time horizon. The MIMO system with controllers developed in this work can be used to drive a surgical robot autonomously and perform electrosurgical procedures such as coaptic vessel closures.

Neuro-adaptive control in beating heart surgery based on the viscoelastic tissue model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Setareh Rezakhani

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the problem of 3D heart motion in beating heart surgery is resolved by proposing a parallel force-motion controller. Motion controller is designed based on neuro-adaptive approach to compensate 3D heart motion and deal with uncertainity in dynamic parameters, while an implicit force control is implemented by considering a viscoelastic tissue model. Stability analysis is proved through Lypanov’s stability theory and Barballet’s lemma. Simulation results, for D2M2 robot, which is done in nominal case and viscoelastic parameter mismatches demonstrate the robust performance of the controller.

Incidental findings of thyroid tissue in cervical lymph nodes: old controversy not yet resolved?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Triantafyllou, A.; Williams, M.D.; Angelos, P.; Shah, J.P.; Westra, W.H.; Hunt, J.L.; Devaney, K.O.; Rinaldo, A.; Slootweg, P.J.; Gnepp, D.R.; Silver, C.; Ferlito, A.

2016-01-01

The clinical significance of papillary or follicular thyroid tissue incidentally discovered in cervical lymph nodes during pathological assessment of neck dissections for non-thyroid cancers of the upper aero-digestive tract is critically reviewed. Special emphasis is given to controversies over

Flow rate of transport network controls uniform metabolite supply to tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Meigel, Felix J; Alim, Karen

2018-05-01

Life and functioning of higher organisms depends on the continuous supply of metabolites to tissues and organs. What are the requirements on the transport network pervading a tissue to provide a uniform supply of nutrients, minerals or hormones? To theoretically answer this question, we present an analytical scaling argument and numerical simulations on how flow dynamics and network architecture control active spread and uniform supply of metabolites by studying the example of xylem vessels in plants. We identify the fluid inflow rate as the key factor for uniform supply. While at low inflow rates metabolites are already exhausted close to flow inlets, too high inflow flushes metabolites through the network and deprives tissue close to inlets of supply. In between these two regimes, there exists an optimal inflow rate that yields a uniform supply of metabolites. We determine this optimal inflow analytically in quantitative agreement with numerical results. Optimizing network architecture by reducing the supply variance over all network tubes, we identify patterns of tube dilation or contraction that compensate sub-optimal supply for the case of too low or too high inflow rate. © 2018 The Authors.

Stem cell signaling. An integral program for tissue renewal and regeneration : Wnt signaling and stem cell control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Clevers, Hans; Loh, Kyle M; Nusse, Roel

2014-01-01

Stem cells fuel tissue development, renewal, and regeneration, and these activities are controlled by the local stem cell microenvironment, the "niche." Wnt signals emanating from the niche can act as self-renewal factors for stem cells in multiple mammalian tissues. Wnt proteins are lipid-modified,

Controlling Fluences of Reactive Species Produced by Multipulse DBDs onto Wet Tissue: Frequency and Liquid Thickness

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Wei; Kushner, Mark J.

2015-09-01

Tissue covered by a thin liquid layer treated by atmospheric pressure plasmas for biomedical applications ultimately requires a reproducible protocol for human healthcare. The outcomes of wet tissue treatment by dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) depend on the plasma dose which determines the integral fluences of radicals and ions onto the tissue. These fluences are controlled in part by frequency and liquid thickness. In this paper, we report on results from a computational investigation of multipulse DBDs interacting with wet tissue. The DBDs were simulated for 100 stationary or random streamers at different repetition rates and liquid thicknesses followed by 10 s to 2 min of afterglow. At 100 Hz, NOaq and OHaq are mixed by randomly striking streamers, although they have different rates of solvation. NOaq is nearly completely consumed by reactions with OHaq at the liquid surface. Only H2O2aq, produced through OHaq mutual reactions, survives to reach the tissue. After 100 pulses, the liquid becomes ozone-rich, in which the nitrous ion, NO2-aq, is converted to the nitric ion, NO3-aq. Reducing the pulse frequency to 10 Hz results in significant fluence of NOaq to the tissue as NOaq can escape during the interpulse period from the liquid surface where OHaq is formed. For the same reason, NO2-aq can also reach deeper into the liquid at lower frequency. Frequency and thickness of the liquid are methods to control the plasma produced aqueous species to the underlying tissue. Work supported by DOE (DE-SC0001319) and NSF (CHE-1124724).

Structure homology and interaction redundancy for discovering virus–host protein interactions

Science.gov (United States)

de Chassey, Benoît; Meyniel-Schicklin, Laurène; Aublin-Gex, Anne; Navratil, Vincent; Chantier, Thibaut; André, Patrice; Lotteau, Vincent

2013-01-01

Virus–host interactomes are instrumental to understand global perturbations of cellular functions induced by infection and discover new therapies. The construction of such interactomes is, however, technically challenging and time consuming. Here we describe an original method for the prediction of high-confidence interactions between viral and human proteins through a combination of structure and high-quality interactome data. Validation was performed for the NS1 protein of the influenza virus, which led to the identification of new host factors that control viral replication. PMID:24008843

Structure homology and interaction redundancy for discovering virus-host protein interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

de Chassey, Benoît; Meyniel-Schicklin, Laurène; Aublin-Gex, Anne; Navratil, Vincent; Chantier, Thibaut; André, Patrice; Lotteau, Vincent

2013-10-01

Virus-host interactomes are instrumental to understand global perturbations of cellular functions induced by infection and discover new therapies. The construction of such interactomes is, however, technically challenging and time consuming. Here we describe an original method for the prediction of high-confidence interactions between viral and human proteins through a combination of structure and high-quality interactome data. Validation was performed for the NS1 protein of the influenza virus, which led to the identification of new host factors that control viral replication.

Tissue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Morrissey

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. In vivo gene therapy directed at tissues of mesenchymal origin could potentially augment healing. We aimed to assess the duration and magnitude of transene expression in vivo in mice and ex vivo in human tissues. Methods. Using bioluminescence imaging, plasmid and adenoviral vector-based transgene expression in murine quadriceps in vivo was examined. Temporal control was assessed using a doxycycline-inducible system. An ex vivo model was developed and optimised using murine tissue, and applied in ex vivo human tissue. Results. In vivo plasmid-based transgene expression did not silence in murine muscle, unlike in liver. Although maximum luciferase expression was higher in muscle with adenoviral delivery compared with plasmid, expression reduced over time. The inducible promoter cassette successfully regulated gene expression with maximum levels a factor of 11 greater than baseline. Expression was re-induced to a similar level on a temporal basis. Luciferase expression was readily detected ex vivo in human muscle and tendon. Conclusions. Plasmid constructs resulted in long-term in vivo gene expression in skeletal muscle, in a controllable fashion utilising an inducible promoter in combination with oral agents. Successful plasmid gene transfection in human ex vivo mesenchymal tissue was demonstrated for the first time.

STEM CELL ORIGIN DIFFERENTLY AFFECTS BONE TISSUE ENGINEERING STRATEGIES.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica eMattioli-Belmonte

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Bone tissue engineering is a promising research area for the improvement of traditional bone grafting procedure drawbacks. Thanks to the capability of self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation, stem cells are one of the major actors in tissue engineering approaches, and adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs are considered to be appropriate for regenerative medicine strategies. Bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs are the earliest- discovered and well-known stem cell population used in bone tissue engineering. However, several factors hamper BM-MSC clinical application and subsequently, new stem cell sources have been investigated for these purposes. The successful identification and combination of tissue engineering, scaffold, progenitor cells, and physiologic signalling molecules enabled the surgeon to design, recreate the missing tissue in its near natural form. On the basis of these considerations, we analysed the capability of two different scaffolds, planned for osteochondral tissue regeneration, to modulate differentiation of adult stem cells of dissimilar local sources (i.e. periodontal ligament, maxillary periosteum as well as adipose-derived stem cells, in view of possible craniofacial tissue engineering strategies. We demonstrated that cells are differently committed toward the osteoblastic phenotype and therefore, considering their peculiar features, they may alternatively represent interesting cell sources in different stem cell-based bone/periodontal tissue regeneration approaches.

Decision mining revisited - Discovering overlapping rules

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mannhardt, Felix; De Leoni, Massimiliano; Reijers, Hajo A.; Van Der Aalst, Wil M P

2016-01-01

Decision mining enriches process models with rules underlying decisions in processes using historical process execution data. Choices between multiple activities are specified through rules defined over process data. Existing decision mining methods focus on discovering mutually-exclusive rules,

Decision Mining Revisited - Discovering Overlapping Rules

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mannhardt, F.; De Leoni, M.; Reijers, H.A.; van der Aalst, W.M.P.; Nurcan, S.; Soffer, P.; Bajec, M.; Eder, J.

2016-01-01

Decision mining enriches process models with rules underlying decisions in processes using historical process execution data. Choices between multiple activities are specified through rules defined over process data. Existing decision mining methods focus on discovering mutually-exclusive rules,

Case Report: Laparoscopic Approach for Orchiopexy in a 26-Year-Old Man with Accidentally Discovered Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome and Bilateral Undescended Testis.

Science.gov (United States)

Noureldin, Mohamed Essam; Tawfik, Ahmed Mohamed; Shaker, Hassan S

2018-01-01

Background: Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is not a common form of disorder of sex development in which Müllerian duct derivatives (fallopian tubes, uterus, and the proximal vagina) are present in an otherwise normally differentiated 46 XY male. In most of cases, the challenge comes in the procedure of orchiopexy. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 26-year-old man with PMDS. It was accidentally discovered when the patient presented to our outpatient clinic concerning about his empty scrotum as a premarital check. Diagnostic laparoscopy discovered Mullerian remnants in the form of uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes with two attached testes to the fallopian tubes. Staged laparoscopic orchiopexy was done. We discuss the presentation, the management of this case in the literature, and our intervention. Conclusion: PMDS is not a common condition. Several concerns present in the management of these cases. Malignant transformation of the testis is the main risk facing those patients. Few literature studies discussed the risk of changing of these remnants into malignant tissue. Thus discussion with the patient, tissue histopathology, expert opinions, and literature review are the main clues in management of such cases.

Risk of appendicitis in patients with incidentally discovered appendicoliths.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Muhammad Sohaib; Chaudhry, Mustafa Belal Hafeez; Shahzad, Noman; Tariq, Marvi; Memon, Wasim Ahmed; Alvi, Abdul Rehman

2018-01-01

An appendicolith-related appendiceal obstruction leading to appendicitis is a commonly encountered surgical emergency that has clear evidence-based management plans. However, there is no consensus on management of asymptomatic patients when appendicoliths are found incidentally. The objective of this study was to determine the risk of appendicitis in patients with an incidental finding of the appendicolith. A retrospective matched cohort study of patients with appendicolith discovered incidentally on computed tomographic scan from January 2008 to December 2014 at our institution was completed. The size and position of the appendicolith were ascertained. The study group was matched by age and gender to a control group. Both groups were contacted and interviewed regarding development of appendicitis. In total, 111 patients with appendicolith were successfully contacted and included in the study. Mean age was found to be 38 ± 15 y with 36 (32%) of the study population being females. Mean length of appendix was 66 ± 16 mm, and mean width was 5.8 ± 0.9 mm. Mean size of the appendicolith was 3.6 ± 1.1 mm (1.4-7.8 mm). Fifty-eight percent of appendicoliths was located at the proximal end or whole of appendix, 31% at mid area, and 11% at the distal end of appendix. All patients of the study and control groups were contacted, and at a mean follow-up of 4.0 ± 1.7 y, there was no occurrence of acute appendicitis in either group. Patients with incidentally discovered appendicolith on radiological imaging did not develop appendicitis. Hence, the risk of developing acute appendicitis for these patients does not seem higher than the general population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Liver X receptor β controls thyroid hormone feedback in the brain and regulates browning of subcutaneous white adipose tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Yifei; Wu, Wanfu; Dai, Yubing; Maneix, Laure; Huang, Bo; Warner, Margaret; Gustafsson, Jan-Åke

2015-11-10

The recent discovery of browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) has raised great research interest because of its significant potential in counteracting obesity and type 2 diabetes. Browning is the result of the induction in WAT of a newly discovered type of adipocyte, the beige cell. When mice are exposed to cold or several kinds of hormones or treatments with chemicals, specific depots of WAT undergo a browning process, characterized by highly activated mitochondria and increased heat production and energy expenditure. However, the mechanisms underlying browning are still poorly understood. Liver X receptors (LXRs) are one class of nuclear receptors, which play a vital role in regulating cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose metabolism. Following our previous finding that LXRs serve as repressors of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) in classic brown adipose tissue in female mice, we found that LXRs, especially LXRβ, also repress the browning process of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in male rodents fed a normal diet. Depletion of LXRs activated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-releasing hormone (TRH)-positive neurons in the paraventricular nucleus area of the hypothalamus and thus stimulated secretion of TSH from the pituitary. Consequently, production of thyroid hormones in the thyroid gland and circulating thyroid hormone level were increased. Moreover, the activity of thyroid signaling in SAT was markedly increased. Together, our findings have uncovered the basis of increased energy expenditure in male LXR knockout mice and provided support for targeting LXRs in treatment of obesity.

MPK-1 ERK Controls Membrane Organization in C. elegans Oogenesis via a Sex-Determination Module

OpenAIRE

Arur, Swathi; Ohmachi, Mitsue; Berkseth, Matt; Nayak, Sudhir; Hansen, David; Zarkower, David; Schedl, Tim

2011-01-01

Tissues that generate specialized cell-types in a production line must coordinate developmental mechanisms with physiological demand, although how this occurs is largely unknown. In the C. elegans hermaphrodite, the developmental sex-determination cascade specifies gamete sex in the distal germline, while physiological sperm signaling activates MPK-1/ERK in the proximal germline to control plasma membrane biogenesis/organization during oogenesis. We discovered repeated utilization of a self-c...

Discovering governing equations from data by sparse identification of nonlinear dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Brunton, Steven

The ability to discover physical laws and governing equations from data is one of humankind's greatest intellectual achievements. A quantitative understanding of dynamic constraints and balances in nature has facilitated rapid development of knowledge and enabled advanced technology, including aircraft, combustion engines, satellites, and electrical power. There are many more critical data-driven problems, such as understanding cognition from neural recordings, inferring patterns in climate, determining stability of financial markets, predicting and suppressing the spread of disease, and controlling turbulence for greener transportation and energy. With abundant data and elusive laws, data-driven discovery of dynamics will continue to play an increasingly important role in these efforts. This work develops a general framework to discover the governing equations underlying a dynamical system simply from data measurements, leveraging advances in sparsity-promoting techniques and machine learning. The resulting models are parsimonious, balancing model complexity with descriptive ability while avoiding overfitting. The only assumption about the structure of the model is that there are only a few important terms that govern the dynamics, so that the equations are sparse in the space of possible functions. This perspective, combining dynamical systems with machine learning and sparse sensing, is explored with the overarching goal of real-time closed-loop feedback control of complex systems. This is joint work with Joshua L. Proctor and J. Nathan Kutz. Video Abstract: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSCa78TIldg

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for optical soft tissue differentiation as remote feedback control for tissue-specific laser surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Stelzle, Florian; Tangermann-Gerk, Katja; Adler, Werner; Zam, Azhar; Schmidt, Michael; Douplik, Alexandre; Nkenke, Emeka

2010-04-01

Laser surgery does not provide haptic feedback for operating layer-by-layer and thereby preserving vulnerable anatomical structures like nerve tissue or blood vessels. Diffuse reflectance spectra can facilitate remote optical tissue differentiation. It is the aim of the study to use this technique on soft tissue samples, to set a technological basis for a remote optical feedback system for tissue-specific laser surgery. Diffuse reflectance spectra (wavelength range: 350-650 nm) of ex vivo types of soft tissue (a total of 10,800 spectra) of the midfacial region of domestic pigs were remotely measured under reduced environmental light conditions and analyzed in order to differentiate between skin, mucosa, muscle, subcutaneous fat, and nerve tissue. We performed a principal components (PC) analysis (PCA) to reduce the number of variables. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was utilized for classification. For the tissue differentiation, we calculated the specificity and sensitivity by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and the area under curve (AUC). Six PCs were found to be adequate for tissue differentiation with diffuse reflectance spectra using LDA. All of the types of soft tissue could be differentiated with high specificity and sensitivity. Only the tissue pairs nervous tissue/fatty tissue and nervous tissue/mucosa showed a decline of differentiation due to bio-structural similarity. However, both of these tissue pairs could still be differentiated with a specificity and sensitivity of more than 90%. Analyzing diffuse reflectance spectroscopy with PCA and LDA allows for remote differentiation of biological tissue. Considering the limitations of the ex vivo conditions, the obtained results are promising and set a basis for the further development of a feedback system for tissue-specific laser surgery. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Implementing oxygen control in chip-based cell and tissue culture systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Oomen, Pieter E; Skolimowski, Maciej D; Verpoorte, Elisabeth

2016-09-21

Oxygen is essential in the energy metabolism of cells, as well as being an important regulatory parameter influencing cell differentiation and function. Interest in precise oxygen control for in vitro cultures of tissues and cells continues to grow, especially with the emergence of the organ-on-a-chip and the desire to emulate in vivo conditions. This was recently discussed in this journal in a Critical Review by Brennan et al. (Lab Chip (2014). DOI: ). Microfluidics can be used to introduce flow to facilitate nutrient supply to and waste removal from in vitro culture systems. Well-defined oxygen gradients can also be established. However, cells can quickly alter the oxygen balance in their vicinity. In this Tutorial Review, we expand on the Brennan paper to focus on the implementation of oxygen analysis in these systems to achieve continuous monitoring. Both electrochemical and optical approaches for the integration of oxygen monitoring in microfluidic tissue and cell culture systems will be discussed. Differences in oxygen requirements from one organ to the next are a challenging problem, as oxygen delivery is limited by its uptake into medium. Hence, we discuss the factors determining oxygen concentrations in solutions and consider the possible use of artificial oxygen carriers to increase dissolved oxygen concentrations. The selection of device material for applications requiring precise oxygen control is discussed in detail, focusing on oxygen permeability. Lastly, a variety of devices is presented, showing the diversity of approaches that can be employed to control and monitor oxygen concentrations in in vitro experiments.

A positional code and anisotropic forces control tissue remodeling in Drosophila

Science.gov (United States)

Zallen, Jennifer

A major challenge in developmental biology is to understand how tissue-scale changes in organism structure arise from events that occur on a cellular and molecular level. We are using cell biological, biophysical, and quantitative live-embryo imaging approaches to understand how genes encode the forces that shape tissues, and to identify the mechanisms that modulate cell behavior in response to local forces. In many animals, the elongated head-to-tail body axis is achieved by rapid and coordinated movements of hundreds of cells. We found that in the fruit fly, these cell movements are regulated by subcellular asymmetries in the localization of proteins that generate contractile and adhesive forces between cells. Asymmetries in the force-generating machinery are in turn controlled by a positional code of spatial information provided by an ancient family of Toll-related receptors that are widely used for pathogen recognition by the innate immune system. I will describe how this spatial system systematically orients local cell movements and collective rosette-like clusters in the Drosophila embryo. Rosettes have now also been shown to shape the body axis in chicks, frogs, and mice, demonstrating that rosette behaviors are a general mechanism linking cellular asymmetry to tissue reorganization.

Dimensional soft tissue changes following soft tissue grafting in conjunction with implant placement or around present dental implants: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Poskevicius, Lukas; Sidlauskas, Antanas; Galindo-Moreno, Pablo; Juodzbalys, Gintaras

2017-01-01

To systematically review changes in mucosal soft tissue thickness and keratinised mucosa width after soft tissue grafting around dental implants. An electronic literature search was conducted of the MEDLINE database published between 2009 and 2014. Sequential screenings at the title, abstract, and full-text levels were performed. Clinical human studies in the English language that had reported changes in soft tissue thickness or keratinised mucosa width after soft tissue grafting at implant placement or around a present implant at 6-month follow-up or longer were included. The search resulted in fourteen articles meeting the inclusion criteria: Six of them reported connective tissue grafting around present dental implants, compared to eight at the time of implant placement. Better long-term soft tissue thickness outcomes were reported for soft tissue augmentation around dental implants (0.8-1.4 mm), compared with augmentation at implant placement (-0.25-1.43 mm). Both techniques were effective in increasing keratinised tissue width: at implant placement (2.5 mm) or around present dental implants (2.33-2.57 mm). The present systematic review discovered that connective tissue grafts enhanced keratinised mucosa width and soft tissue thickness for an observation period of up to 48 months. However, some shrinkage may occur, resulting in decreases in soft tissue, mostly for the first three months. Further investigations using accurate evaluation methods need to be done to evaluate the appropriate time for grafting. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Controlled surface topography regulates collective 3D migration by epithelial-mesenchymal composite embryonic tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jiho; Shawky, Joseph H; Kim, YongTae; Hazar, Melis; LeDuc, Philip R; Sitti, Metin; Davidson, Lance A

2015-07-01

Cells in tissues encounter a range of physical cues as they migrate. Probing single cell and collective migratory responses to physically defined three-dimensional (3D) microenvironments and the factors that modulate those responses are critical to understanding how tissue migration is regulated during development, regeneration, and cancer. One key physical factor that regulates cell migration is topography. Most studies on surface topography and cell mechanics have been carried out with single migratory cells, yet little is known about the spreading and motility response of 3D complex multi-cellular tissues to topographical cues. Here, we examine the response to complex topographical cues of microsurgically isolated tissue explants composed of epithelial and mesenchymal cell layers from naturally 3D organized embryos of the aquatic frog Xenopus laevis. We control topography using fabricated micropost arrays (MPAs) and investigate the collective 3D migration of these multi-cellular systems in these MPAs. We find that the topography regulates both collective and individual cell migration and that dense MPAs reduce but do not eliminate tissue spreading. By modulating cell size through the cell cycle inhibitor Mitomycin C or the spacing of the MPAs we uncover how 3D topographical cues disrupt collective cell migration. We find surface topography can direct both single cell motility and tissue spreading, altering tissue-scale processes that enable efficient conversion of single cell motility into collective movement. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Needle-tissue interactive mechanism and steering control in image-guided robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Pan; Yang, Zhiyong; Jiang, Shan

2018-06-01

Image-guided robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery is an important medicine procedure used for biopsy or local target therapy. In order to reach the target region not accessible using traditional techniques, long and thin flexible needles are inserted into the soft tissue which has large deformation and nonlinear characteristics. However, the detection results and therapeutic effect are directly influenced by the targeting accuracy of needle steering. For this reason, the needle-tissue interactive mechanism, path planning, and steering control are investigated in this review by searching literatures in the last 10 years, which results in a comprehensive overview of the existing techniques with the main accomplishments, limitations, and recommendations. Through comprehensive analyses, surgical simulation for insertion into multi-layer inhomogeneous tissue is verified as a primary and propositional aspect to be explored, which accurately predicts the nonlinear needle deflection and tissue deformation. Investigation of the path planning of flexible needles is recommended to an anatomical or a deformable environment which has characteristics of the tissue deformation. Nonholonomic modeling combined with duty-cycled spinning for needle steering, which tracks the tip position in real time and compensates for the deviation error, is recommended as a future research focus in the steering control in anatomical and deformable environments. Graphical abstract a Insertion force when the needle is inserted into soft tissue. b Needle deflection model when the needle is inserted into soft tissue [68]. c Path planning in anatomical environments [92]. d Duty-cycled spinning incorporated in nonholonomic needle steering [64].

Did Viking discover life on Mars?

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, H. P.

1999-01-01

A major argument in the claim that life had been discovered during the Viking mission to Mars is that the results obtained in the Labeled Release (LR) experiment are analogous to those observed with terrestrial microorganisms. This assertion is critically examined and found to be implausible.

The discovered preference hypothesis - an empirical test

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundhede, Thomas; Ladenburg, Jacob; Olsen, Søren Bøye

Using stated preference methods for valuation of non-market goods is known to be vulnerable to a range of biases. Some authors claim that these so-called anomalies in effect render the methods useless for the purpose. However, the Discovered Preference Hypothesis, as put forth by Plott [31], offers...... an nterpretation and explanation of biases which entails that the stated preference methods need not to be completely written off. In this paper we conduct a test for the validity and relevance of the DPH interpretation of biases. In a choice experiment concerning preferences for protection of Danish nature areas...... as respondents evaluate more and more choice sets. This finding supports the Discovered Preference Hypothesis interpretation and explanation of starting point bias....

A Nodal-independent and tissue-intrinsic mechanism controls heart-looping chirality

Science.gov (United States)

Noël, Emily S.; Verhoeven, Manon; Lagendijk, Anne Karine; Tessadori, Federico; Smith, Kelly; Choorapoikayil, Suma; den Hertog, Jeroen; Bakkers, Jeroen

2013-11-01

Breaking left-right symmetry in bilateria is a major event during embryo development that is required for asymmetric organ position, directional organ looping and lateralized organ function in the adult. Asymmetric expression of Nodal-related genes is hypothesized to be the driving force behind regulation of organ laterality. Here we identify a Nodal-independent mechanism that drives asymmetric heart looping in zebrafish embryos. In a unique mutant defective for the Nodal-related southpaw gene, preferential dextral looping in the heart is maintained, whereas gut and brain asymmetries are randomized. As genetic and pharmacological inhibition of Nodal signalling does not abolish heart asymmetry, a yet undiscovered mechanism controls heart chirality. This mechanism is tissue intrinsic, as explanted hearts maintain ex vivo retain chiral looping behaviour and require actin polymerization and myosin II activity. We find that Nodal signalling regulates actin gene expression, supporting a model in which Nodal signalling amplifies this tissue-intrinsic mechanism of heart looping.

Adipose tissue transcriptomics and epigenomics in low birthweight men and controls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gillberg, Linn; Perfilyev, Alexander; Brøns, Charlotte

2016-01-01

Aims/hypothesis: Individuals who had a low birthweight (LBW) are at an increased risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes when exposed to high-fat overfeeding (HFO). We studied genome-wide mRNA expression and DNA methylation in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) after 5 days of HFO and after...... in CDK5, IGFBP5 and SLC2A4) was altered in SAT after overfeeding in this and in another cohort. Conclusions/interpretation: Young men who had a LBW exhibit epigenetic alterations in their adipose tissue that potentially influence insulin resistance and risk of type 2 diabetes. Short-term overfeeding...... a control diet in 40 young men, of whom 16 had LBW. Methods: mRNA expression was analysed using Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST arrays and DNA methylation using Illumina 450K BeadChip arrays. Results: We found differential DNA methylation at 53 sites in SAT from LBW vs normal birthweight (NBW) men (false...

A geometrically controlled rigidity transition in a model for confluent 3D tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Merkel, Matthias; Manning, M. Lisa

2018-02-01

The origin of rigidity in disordered materials is an outstanding open problem in statistical physics. Previously, a class of 2D cellular models has been shown to undergo a rigidity transition controlled by a mechanical parameter that specifies cell shapes. Here, we generalize this model to 3D and find a rigidity transition that is similarly controlled by the preferred surface area S 0: the model is solid-like below a dimensionless surface area of {s}0\\equiv {S}0/{\\bar{V}}2/3≈ 5.413 with \\bar{V} being the average cell volume, and fluid-like above this value. We demonstrate that, unlike jamming in soft spheres, residual stresses are necessary to create rigidity. These stresses occur precisely when cells are unable to obtain their desired geometry, and we conjecture that there is a well-defined minimal surface area possible for disordered cellular structures. We show that the behavior of this minimal surface induces a linear scaling of the shear modulus with the control parameter at the transition point, which is different from the scaling observed in particulate matter. The existence of such a minimal surface may be relevant for biological tissues and foams, and helps explain why cell shapes are a good structural order parameter for rigidity transitions in biological tissues.

HPASubC: A suite of tools for user subclassification of human protein atlas tissue images.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornish, Toby C; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Kapoor, Ashish; Halushka, Marc K

2015-01-01

The human protein atlas (HPA) is a powerful proteomic tool for visualizing the distribution of protein expression across most human tissues and many common malignancies. The HPA includes immunohistochemically-stained images from tissue microarrays (TMAs) that cover 48 tissue types and 20 common malignancies. The TMA data are used to provide expression information at the tissue, cellular, and occasionally, subcellular level. The HPA also provides subcellular data from confocal immunofluorescence data on three cell lines. Despite the availability of localization data, many unique patterns of cellular and subcellular expression are not documented. To get at this more granular data, we have developed a suite of Python scripts, HPASubC, to aid in subcellular, and cell-type specific classification of HPA images. This method allows the user to download and optimize specific HPA TMA images for review. Then, using a playstation-style video game controller, a trained observer can rapidly step through 10's of 1000's of images to identify patterns of interest. We have successfully used this method to identify 703 endothelial cell (EC) and/or smooth muscle cell (SMCs) specific proteins discovered within 49,200 heart TMA images. This list will assist us in subdividing cardiac gene or protein array data into expression by one of the predominant cell types of the myocardium: Myocytes, SMCs or ECs. The opportunity to further characterize unique staining patterns across a range of human tissues and malignancies will accelerate our understanding of disease processes and point to novel markers for tissue evaluation in surgical pathology.

HPASubC: A suite of tools for user subclassification of human protein atlas tissue images

Science.gov (United States)

Cornish, Toby C.; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Kapoor, Ashish; Halushka, Marc K.

2015-01-01

Background: The human protein atlas (HPA) is a powerful proteomic tool for visualizing the distribution of protein expression across most human tissues and many common malignancies. The HPA includes immunohistochemically-stained images from tissue microarrays (TMAs) that cover 48 tissue types and 20 common malignancies. The TMA data are used to provide expression information at the tissue, cellular, and occasionally, subcellular level. The HPA also provides subcellular data from confocal immunofluorescence data on three cell lines. Despite the availability of localization data, many unique patterns of cellular and subcellular expression are not documented. Materials and Methods: To get at this more granular data, we have developed a suite of Python scripts, HPASubC, to aid in subcellular, and cell-type specific classification of HPA images. This method allows the user to download and optimize specific HPA TMA images for review. Then, using a playstation-style video game controller, a trained observer can rapidly step through 10's of 1000's of images to identify patterns of interest. Results: We have successfully used this method to identify 703 endothelial cell (EC) and/or smooth muscle cell (SMCs) specific proteins discovered within 49,200 heart TMA images. This list will assist us in subdividing cardiac gene or protein array data into expression by one of the predominant cell types of the myocardium: Myocytes, SMCs or ECs. Conclusions: The opportunity to further characterize unique staining patterns across a range of human tissues and malignancies will accelerate our understanding of disease processes and point to novel markers for tissue evaluation in surgical pathology. PMID:26167380

Complete solubilization of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue may improve proteomic studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Shan-Rong; Taylor, Clive R; Fowler, Carol B; Mason, Jeffrey T

2013-04-01

Tissue-based proteomic approaches (tissue proteomics) are essential for discovering and evaluating biomarkers for personalized medicine. In any proteomics study, the most critical issue is sample extraction and preparation. This problem is especially difficult when recovering proteins from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections. However, improving and standardizing protein extraction from FFPE tissue is a critical need because of the millions of archival FFPE tissues available in tissue banks worldwide. Recent progress in the application of heat-induced antigen retrieval principles for protein extraction from FFPE tissue has resulted in a number of published FFPE tissue proteomics studies. However, there is currently no consensus on the optimal protocol for protein extraction from FFPE tissue or accepted standards for quantitative evaluation of the extracts. Standardization is critical to ensure the accurate evaluation of FFPE protein extracts by proteomic methods such as reverse phase protein arrays, which is now in clinical use. In our view, complete solubilization of FFPE tissue samples is the best way to achieve the goal of standardizing the recovery of proteins from FFPE tissues. However, further studies are recommended to develop standardized protein extraction methods to ensure quantitative and qualitative reproducibility in the recovery of proteins from FFPE tissues. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Proxemic-aware controls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ledo, David; Greenberg, Saul; Marquardt, Nicolai

2015-01-01

Remote controls facilitate interactions at-a-distance with appliances. However, the complexity, diversity, and in-creasing number of digital appliances in ubiquitous com-puting ecologies make it increasingly difficult to: (1) dis-cover which appliances are controllable; (2) select a par-ticular a......Remote controls facilitate interactions at-a-distance with appliances. However, the complexity, diversity, and in-creasing number of digital appliances in ubiquitous com-puting ecologies make it increasingly difficult to: (1) dis-cover which appliances are controllable; (2) select a par......-ticular appliance from the large number available; (3) view information about its status; and (4) control the ap-pliance in a pertinent manner. To mitigate these problems we contribute proxemic-aware controls, which exploit the spatial relationships between a person's handheld de-vice and all surrounding appliances...... to create a dynamic appliance control interface. Specifically, a person can discover and select an appliance by the way one orients a mobile device around the room, and then progressively view the appliance's status and control its features in in-creasing detail by simply moving towards it. We illus...

Description of a newly discovered Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae Foci in Ibipeba, State of Bahia, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato Freitas Araújo

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction Chagas disease transmitted by the Triatoma infestans was eradicated from Brazil in 2006. However, reports of triatomine foci threaten the control of Chagas disease. The goal of this study was to determine T. infestans foci in the City of Ibipeba, State of Bahia. Methods Triatominae specimens were collected in Ibipeba and entomologic indicators were calculated using indices of domiciliary infestation, density, and colonization. Results T. infestans foci was discovery in Ibipeba, State of Bahia. Approximately 95% of the specimens were discovered inside dwellings, of which 34% were T. infestans. This species was also discovered forming a colony in tree bark in the peridomicile. Conclusions Triatoma infestans foci in peridomestic ecotopes in Ibipeba, BA, indicate increased the risk of transmission Chagas disease.

Common Virulence Factors and Tissue Targets of Entomopathogenic Bacteria for Biological Control of Lepidopteran Pests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anaïs Castagnola

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This review focuses on common insecticidal virulence factors from entomopathogenic bacteria with special emphasis on two insect pathogenic bacteria Photorhabdus (Proteobacteria: Enterobacteriaceae and Bacillus (Firmicutes: Bacillaceae. Insect pathogenic bacteria of diverse taxonomic groups and phylogenetic origin have been shown to have striking similarities in the virulence factors they produce. It has been suggested that the detection of phage elements surrounding toxin genes, horizontal and lateral gene transfer events, and plasmid shuffling occurrences may be some of the reasons that virulence factor genes have so many analogs throughout the bacterial kingdom. Comparison of virulence factors of Photorhabdus, and Bacillus, two bacteria with dissimilar life styles opens the possibility of re-examining newly discovered toxins for novel tissue targets. For example, nematodes residing in the hemolymph may release bacteria with virulence factors targeting neurons or neuromuscular junctions. The first section of this review focuses on toxins and their context in agriculture. The second describes the mode of action of toxins from common entomopathogens and the third draws comparisons between Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The fourth section reviews the implications of the nervous system in biocontrol.

Discovering Technicolor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

R. Andersen, J.; Antipin, O.; Azuelos, G.

2011-01-01

We provide a pedagogical introduction to extensions of the Standard Model in which the Higgs is composite. These extensions are known as models of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking or, in brief, Technicolor. Material covered includes: motivations for Technicolor, the construction of underly...... the relevant experimental benchmarks for Vanilla, Running, Walking, and Custodial Technicolor, and a natural fourth family of leptons, by laying out the framework to discover these models at the Large Hadron Collider....... of underlying gauge theories leading to minimal models of Technicolor, the comparison with electroweak precision data, the low energy effective theory, the spectrum of the states common to most of the Technicolor models, the decays of the composite particles and the experimental signals at the Large Hadron...... Collider. The level of the presentation is aimed at readers familiar with the Standard Model but who have little or no prior exposure to Technicolor. Several extensions of the Standard Model featuring a composite Higgs can be reduced to the effective Lagrangian introduced in the text. We establish...

Nanoparticle enabled transdermal drug delivery systems for enhanced dose control and tissue targeting

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Brian C.; DeLouise, Lisa A.

2017-01-01

Transdermal drug delivery systems have been around for decades, and current technologies (e.g. patches, ointments, and creams) enhance the skin permeation of low molecular weight, lipophilic drugs that are efficacious at low doses. The objective of current transdermal drug delivery research is to discover ways to enhance skin penetration of larger, hydrophilic drugs and macromolecules for disease treatment and vaccination. Nanocarriers made of lipids, metals, or polymers have been successfully used to increase penetration of drugs or vaccines, control drug release, and target drugs to specific areas of skin in vivo. While more research is needed to identify the safety of nanocarriers, this technology has the potential to expand the use of transdermal routes of administration to a wide array of therapeutics. Here, we review the current state of nanoparticle skin delivery systems with special emphasis on targeting skin diseases. PMID:27983701

Nanoparticle-Enabled Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems for Enhanced Dose Control and Tissue Targeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Brian C; DeLouise, Lisa A

2016-12-15

Transdermal drug delivery systems have been around for decades, and current technologies (e.g., patches, ointments, and creams) enhance the skin permeation of low molecular weight, lipophilic drugs that are efficacious at low doses. The objective of current transdermal drug delivery research is to discover ways to enhance skin penetration of larger, hydrophilic drugs and macromolecules for disease treatment and vaccination. Nanocarriers made of lipids, metals, or polymers have been successfully used to increase penetration of drugs or vaccines, control drug release, and target drugs to specific areas of skin in vivo. While more research is needed to identify the safety of nanocarriers, this technology has the potential to expand the use of transdermal routes of administration to a wide array of therapeutics. Here, we review the current state of nanoparticle skin delivery systems with special emphasis on targeting skin diseases.

Tissue Specific Roles of Dynein Light Chain 1 in Regulating Germ Cell Apoptosis in Ceanorhabditis elegans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morthorst, Tine Hørning

2015-01-01

in the etiology of many diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. Several of the first genes found to regulate apoptosis were discovered in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In this project, two different and tissue specific roles of C. elegans dynein light chain 1...

Discovering English with the Sketch Engine

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, James

2014-01-01

"Discovering English with the Sketch Engine" is the title of a new book (Thomas, 2014) which introduces the use of corpora in language study, teaching, writing and translating. It focuses on using the Sketch Engine to identify patterns of normal usage in many aspects of English ranging from morphology to discourse and pragmatics. This…

What if Fleming had not discovered penicillin?

Science.gov (United States)

Alharbi, Sulaiman Ali; Wainwright, Milton; Alahmadi, Tahani Awad; Salleeh, Hashim Bin; Faden, Asmaa A; Chinnathambi, Arunachalam

2014-09-01

What would have happened had Alexander Fleming not discovered penicillin in 1928? Perhaps the obvious answer is that, someone else would have discovered penicillin during 1930s and the Oxford group, would still have purified it sometime in the early 1940s. Here, however, in this counterfactual account of the penicillin story, it is argued that without Fleming, penicillin might still be undiscovered and the antibiotic age would never have dawned. As a result, many of the recent developments in medicine, such as organ transplantation, might have been delayed or, at best, made more hazardous. Penicillin might have come onto the scene a few years later but, had Fleming overlooked the discovery, it seems certain that penicillin would not have saved countless Allied lives, during and after D-Day. Instead of having enjoyed fifty and more years of the antibiotic age, it is argued here, that we would have had to rely upon highly developed sulphonamides, so-called "supasulfas", and other chemically-derived antibacterial drugs. Indeed, it might be the case that, even well into this new millennium, the antibiotic age has yet to dawn, and medicine is still waiting for someone to chance upon penicillin. Here we discuss what might have happened had Fleming not discovered penicillin and come to the conclusion that the medical armoury available today would have been far different and might have relied solely upon highly developed varieties of sulphonamides or similar, synthetic, non-antibiotic antibacterial agents.

The Universe for all to discover

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Gil, A.; Ballesteros, F.; Espinós, H.; Fernández-Soto, A.; Lanzara, M.; Moya, M. J.; Navarro, J.

2015-05-01

In the title of this paper, we have changed the slogan of the International Year of Astronomy, ``The Universe yours to discover" to ``The Universe for all to discover" in order to emphasize the need to think about broader audiences when we plan astronomical activities at school or during outreach events. The strategy we propose follows what is known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL allows to reach to the general public as well as to audiences which might be regarded as ``special" because they have some disability. It has been shown that everybody has a preferred style of learning (some remember better what they see, others what they hear or what they touch) and therefore, everybody is more or less able under the different styles of learning. Through this talk I am going to outline some of the principles of the UDL that can be applied in the teaching and communication of Astronomy, along with an example of its implementation in the project ``A Touch of the Universe".

Discovering context-aware conditional functional dependencies

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yuefeng DU; Derong SHEN; Tiezheng NIE; Yue KOU; Ge YU

2017-01-01

Conditional functional dependencies(CFDs) are important techniques for data consistency.However,CFDs are limited to 1) provide the reasonable values for consistency repairing and 2) detect potential errors.This paper presents context-aware conditional functional dependencies(CCFDs) which contribute to provide reasonable values and detect potential errors.Especially,we focus on automatically discovering minimal CCFDs.In this paper,we present context relativity to measure the relationship of CFDs.The overlap of the related CFDs can provide reasonable values which result in more accuracy consistency repairing,and some related CFDs are combined into CCFDs.Moreover,we prove that discovering minimal CCFDs is NP-complete and we design the precise method and the heuristic method.We also present the dominating value to facilitate the process in both the precise method and the heuristic method.Additionally,the context relativity of the CFDs affects the cleaning results.We will give an approximate threshold of context relativity according to data distribution for suggestion.The repairing results are approved more accuracy,even evidenced by our empirical evaluation.

A knowledge-based integrated approach for discovering and repairing declare maps

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maggi, F.M.; Jagadeesh Chandra Bose, R.P.; Aalst, van der W.M.P.; Salinesi, C.; Norrie, M.C.; Pastor, O.

2013-01-01

Process mining techniques can be used to discover process models from event data. Often the resulting models are complex due to the variability of the underlying process. Therefore, we aim at discovering declarative process models that can deal with such variability. However, for real-life event

Decision Mining Revisited – Discovering Overlapping Rules

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mannhardt, F.; de Leoni, M.; Reijers, H.A.; van der Aalst, W.M.P.

2016-01-01

Decision mining enriches process models with rules underlying decisions in processes using historical process execution data. Choices between multiple activities are specified through rules defined over process data. Existing decision mining methods focus on discovering mutually-exclusive rules,

Carprofen pharmacokinetics in plasma and in control and inflamed canine tissue fluid using in vivo ultrafiltration.

Science.gov (United States)

Messenger, K M; Wofford, J A; Papich, M G

2016-02-01

Measurement of unbound drug concentrations at their sites of action is necessary for accurate PK/PD modeling. The objective of this study was to determine the unbound concentration of carprofen in canine interstitial fluid (ISF) using in vivo ultrafiltration and to compare pharmacokinetic parameters of free carprofen concentrations between inflamed and control tissue sites. We hypothesized that active concentrations of carprofen would exhibit different dispositions in ISF between inflamed vs. normal tissues. Bilateral ultrafiltration probes were placed subcutaneously in six healthy Beagle dogs 12 h prior to induction of inflammation. Two milliliters of either 2% carrageenan or saline control was injected subcutaneously at each probe site, 12 h prior to intravenous carprofen (4 mg/kg) administration. Plasma and ISF samples were collected at regular intervals for 72 h, and carprofen concentrations were determined using HPLC. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) concentrations were quantified in ISF using ELISA. Unbound carprofen concentrations were higher in ISF compared with predicted unbound plasma drug concentrations. Concentrations were not significantly higher in inflamed ISF compared with control ISF. Compartmental modeling was used to generate pharmacokinetic parameter estimates, which were not significantly different between sites. Terminal half-life (T½) was longer in the ISF compared with plasma. PGE2 in ISF decreased following administration of carprofen. In vivo ultrafiltration is a reliable method to determine unbound carprofen in ISF, and that disposition of unbound drug into tissue is much higher than predicted from unbound drug concentration in plasma. However, concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameter estimates are not significantly different in inflamed vs. un-inflamed tissues. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Control parameters for high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for tissue ablation in the ex-vivo kidney].

Science.gov (United States)

Köhrmann, K U; Michel, M S; Steidler, A; Marlinghaus, E H; Kraut, O; Alken, P

2002-01-01

Therapeutic application of contactless thermoablation by high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) demands precise physical definition of focal size and determination of control parameters. Our objective was to define the focal expansion of a new ultrasound generator and to evaluate the extent of tissue ablation under variable generator parameters in an ex vivo model. Axial and transversal distribution of ultrasound intensity in the area of the focal point was calculated by needle hydrophone. The extent of tissue necrosis after focused ultrasound was assessed in an ex vivo porcine kidney model applying generator power up to 400 Watt and pulse duration up to 8 s. The measurement of field distribution revealed a physical focal size of 32 x 4 mm. Sharp demarcation between coagulation necrosis and intact tissue was observed in our tissue model. Lesion size was kept under control by variation of both generator power and impulse duration. At a constant impulse duration of 2 s, generator power of 100 W remained below the threshold doses for induction of a reproducible lesion. An increase in power up to 200 W and 400 W, respectively, induced lesions with diameters up to 11.2 x 3 mm. Constant total energy (generator power x impulse duration) led to a larger lesion size under higher generator power. It is possible to induce sharply demarcated, reproducible thermonecrosis, which can be regulated by generator power and impulse duration, by means of a cylindrical piezo element with a paraboloid reflector at a focal distance of 10 cm. The variation of generator power was an especially suitable control parameter for the inducement of a defined lesion size.

Incorporating Topic Assignment Constraint and Topic Correlation Limitation into Clinical Goal Discovering for Clinical Pathway Mining

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Xiao Xu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Clinical pathways are widely used around the world for providing quality medical treatment and controlling healthcare cost. However, the expert-designed clinical pathways can hardly deal with the variances among hospitals and patients. It calls for more dynamic and adaptive process, which is derived from various clinical data. Topic-based clinical pathway mining is an effective approach to discover a concise process model. Through this approach, the latent topics found by latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA represent the clinical goals. And process mining methods are used to extract the temporal relations between these topics. However, the topic quality is usually not desirable due to the low performance of the LDA in clinical data. In this paper, we incorporate topic assignment constraint and topic correlation limitation into the LDA to enhance the ability of discovering high-quality topics. Two real-world datasets are used to evaluate the proposed method. The results show that the topics discovered by our method are with higher coherence, informativeness, and coverage than the original LDA. These quality topics are suitable to represent the clinical goals. Also, we illustrate that our method is effective in generating a comprehensive topic-based clinical pathway model.

Einstein@Home discovers a radio-quiet gamma-ray millisecond pulsar.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Colin J; Pletsch, Holger J; Wu, Jason; Guillemot, Lucas; Kerr, Matthew; Johnson, Tyrel J; Camilo, Fernando; Salvetti, David; Allen, Bruce; Anderson, David; Aulbert, Carsten; Beer, Christian; Bock, Oliver; Cuéllar, Andres; Eggenstein, Heinz-Bernd; Fehrmann, Henning; Kramer, Michael; Kwang, Shawn A; Machenschalk, Bernd; Nieder, Lars; Ackermann, Markus; Ajello, Marco; Baldini, Luca; Ballet, Jean; Barbiellini, Guido; Bastieri, Denis; Bellazzini, Ronaldo; Bissaldi, Elisabetta; Blandford, Roger D; Bloom, Elliott D; Bonino, Raffaella; Bottacini, Eugenio; Brandt, Terri J; Bregeon, Johan; Bruel, Philippe; Buehler, Rolf; Burnett, Toby H; Buson, Sara; Cameron, Rob A; Caputo, Regina; Caraveo, Patrizia A; Cavazzuti, Elisabetta; Cecchi, Claudia; Charles, Eric; Chekhtman, Alexandre; Ciprini, Stefano; Cominsky, Lynn R; Costantin, Denise; Cutini, Sara; D'Ammando, Filippo; De Luca, Andrea; Desiante, Rachele; Di Venere, Leonardo; Di Mauro, Mattia; Di Lalla, Niccolò; Digel, Seth W; Favuzzi, Cecilia; Ferrara, Elizabeth C; Franckowiak, Anna; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Funk, Stefan; Fusco, Piergiorgio; Gargano, Fabio; Gasparrini, Dario; Giglietto, Nico; Giordano, Francesco; Giroletti, Marcello; Gomez-Vargas, Germán A; Green, David; Grenier, Isabelle A; Guiriec, Sylvain; Harding, Alice K; Hewitt, John W; Horan, Deirdre; Jóhannesson, Guðlaugur; Kensei, Shiki; Kuss, Michael; La Mura, Giovanni; Larsson, Stefan; Latronico, Luca; Li, Jian; Longo, Francesco; Loparco, Francesco; Lovellette, Michael N; Lubrano, Pasquale; Magill, Jeffrey D; Maldera, Simone; Manfreda, Alberto; Mazziotta, Mario N; McEnery, Julie E; Michelson, Peter F; Mirabal, Nestor; Mitthumsiri, Warit; Mizuno, Tsunefumi; Monzani, Maria Elena; Morselli, Aldo; Moskalenko, Igor V; Nuss, Eric; Ohsugi, Takashi; Omodei, Nicola; Orienti, Monica; Orlando, Elena; Palatiello, Michele; Paliya, Vaidehi S; de Palma, Francesco; Paneque, David; Perkins, Jeremy S; Persic, Massimo; Pesce-Rollins, Melissa; Porter, Troy A; Principe, Giacomo; Rainò, Silvia; Rando, Riccardo; Ray, Paul S; Razzano, Massimiliano; Reimer, Anita; Reimer, Olaf; Romani, Roger W; Saz Parkinson, Pablo M; Sgrò, Carmelo; Siskind, Eric J; Smith, David A; Spada, Francesca; Spandre, Gloria; Spinelli, Paolo; Thayer, Jana B; Thompson, David J; Torres, Diego F; Troja, Eleonora; Vianello, Giacomo; Wood, Kent; Wood, Matthew

2018-02-01

Millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are old neutron stars that spin hundreds of times per second and appear to pulsate as their emission beams cross our line of sight. To date, radio pulsations have been detected from all rotation-powered MSPs. In an attempt to discover radio-quiet gamma-ray MSPs, we used the aggregated power from the computers of tens of thousands of volunteers participating in the Einstein@Home distributed computing project to search for pulsations from unidentified gamma-ray sources in Fermi Large Area Telescope data. This survey discovered two isolated MSPs, one of which is the only known rotation-powered MSP to remain undetected in radio observations. These gamma-ray MSPs were discovered in completely blind searches without prior constraints from other observations, raising hopes for detecting MSPs from a predicted Galactic bulge population.

Discovering Science through Art-Based Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Alberts, Rebecca

2010-01-01

Art and science are intrinsically linked; the essence of art and science is discovery. Both artists and scientists work in a systematic but creative way--knowledge and understanding are built up through pieces of art or a series of labs. In the classroom, integrating science and visual art can provide students with the latitude to think, discover,…

New bioactive motifs and their use in functionalized self-assembling peptides for NSC differentiation and neural tissue engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Gelain, F.; Cigognini, D.; Caprini, A.; Silva, D.; Colleoni, B.; Donegá, M.; Antonini, S.; Cohen, B. E.; Vescovi, A.

2012-04-01

Developing functionalized biomaterials for enhancing transplanted cell engraftment in vivo and stimulating the regeneration of injured tissues requires a multi-disciplinary approach customized for the tissue to be regenerated. In particular, nervous tissue engineering may take a great advantage from the discovery of novel functional motifs fostering transplanted stem cell engraftment and nervous fiber regeneration. Using phage display technology we have discovered new peptide sequences that bind to murine neural stem cell (NSC)-derived neural precursor cells (NPCs), and promote their viability and differentiation in vitro when linked to LDLK12 self-assembling peptide (SAPeptide). We characterized the newly functionalized LDLK12 SAPeptides via atomic force microscopy, circular dichroism and rheology, obtaining nanostructured hydrogels that support human and murine NSC proliferation and differentiation in vitro. One functionalized SAPeptide (Ac-FAQ), showing the highest stem cell viability and neural differentiation in vitro, was finally tested in acute contusive spinal cord injury in rats, where it fostered nervous tissue regrowth and improved locomotor recovery. Interestingly, animals treated with the non-functionalized LDLK12 had an axon sprouting/regeneration intermediate between Ac-FAQ-treated animals and controls. These results suggest that hydrogels functionalized with phage-derived peptides may constitute promising biomimetic scaffolds for in vitro NSC differentiation, as well as regenerative therapy of the injured nervous system. Moreover, this multi-disciplinary approach can be used to customize SAPeptides for other specific tissue engineering applications.Developing functionalized biomaterials for enhancing transplanted cell engraftment in vivo and stimulating the regeneration of injured tissues requires a multi-disciplinary approach customized for the tissue to be regenerated. In particular, nervous tissue engineering may take a great advantage from the

Opposing Post-transcriptional Control of InR by FMRP and LIN-28 Adjusts Stem Cell-Based Tissue Growth

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Arthur Luhur

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Summary: Although the intrinsic mechanisms that control whether stem cells divide symmetrically or asymmetrically underlie tissue growth and homeostasis, they remain poorly defined. We report that the RNA-binding protein fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP limits the symmetric division, and resulting expansion, of the stem cell population during adaptive intestinal growth in Drosophila. The elevated insulin sensitivity that FMRP-deficient progenitor cells display contributes to their accelerated expansion, which is suppressed by the depletion of insulin-signaling components. This FMRP activity is mediated solely via a second conserved RNA-binding protein, LIN-28, known to boost insulin signaling in stem cells. Via LIN-28, FMRP controls progenitor cell behavior by post-transcriptionally repressing the level of insulin receptor (InR. This study identifies the stem cell-based mechanism by which FMRP controls tissue adaptation, and it raises the possibility that defective adaptive growth underlies the accelerated growth, gastrointestinal, and other symptoms that affect fragile X syndrome patients. : Luhur et al. report that FMRP acts via LIN-28 in progenitor cells to dampen the adaptive expansion of intestinal tissue in the fruit fly, raising the possibility that defective LIN28-mediated adaptive growth underlies some of the symptoms that affect fragile X syndrome patients. Keywords: FMRP, fmr1, LIN-28, insulin receptor, IIS, adaptive growth, tissue resizing, intestinal stem cell, insulin sensitivity

Multimodality instrument for tissue characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Mah, Robert W. (Inventor); Andrews, Russell J. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A system with multimodality instrument for tissue identification includes a computer-controlled motor driven heuristic probe with a multisensory tip. For neurosurgical applications, the instrument is mounted on a stereotactic frame for the probe to penetrate the brain in a precisely controlled fashion. The resistance of the brain tissue being penetrated is continually monitored by a miniaturized strain gauge attached to the probe tip. Other modality sensors may be mounted near the probe tip to provide real-time tissue characterizations and the ability to detect the proximity of blood vessels, thus eliminating errors normally associated with registration of pre-operative scans, tissue swelling, elastic tissue deformation, human judgement, etc., and rendering surgical procedures safer, more accurate, and efficient. A neural network program adaptively learns the information on resistance and other characteristic features of normal brain tissue during the surgery and provides near real-time modeling. A fuzzy logic interface to the neural network program incorporates expert medical knowledge in the learning process. Identification of abnormal brain tissue is determined by the detection of change and comparison with previously learned models of abnormal brain tissues. The operation of the instrument is controlled through a user friendly graphical interface. Patient data is presented in a 3D stereographics display. Acoustic feedback of selected information may optionally be provided. Upon detection of the close proximity to blood vessels or abnormal brain tissue, the computer-controlled motor immediately stops probe penetration. The use of this system will make surgical procedures safer, more accurate, and more efficient. Other applications of this system include the detection, prognosis and treatment of breast cancer, prostate cancer, spinal diseases, and use in general exploratory surgery.

Possible origin of Saturn's newly discovered outer ring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moehlmann, D.

1986-01-01

Within a planetogonic model the self-gravitationally caused formation of pre-planetary and pre-satellite rings from an earlier thin disk is reported. The theoretically derived orbital radii of these rings are compared with the orbital levels in the planetary system and the satellite systems of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. From this comparison it is concluded that at the radial position of Saturn's newly discovered outer ring an early pre-satellite ring of more or less evolved satellites could have existed. These satellites should have been disturbed in their evolution by the gravitation of the neighbouring massive satellite Titan. The comparison also may indicate similarities between the asteroidal belt and the newly discovered outer ring of Saturn

A pipeline to determine RT-QPCR control genes for evolutionary studies: application to primate gene expression across multiple tissues.

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Olivier Fedrigo

Full Text Available Because many species-specific phenotypic differences are assumed to be caused by differential regulation of gene expression, many recent investigations have focused on measuring transcript abundance. Despite the availability of high-throughput platforms, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-QPCR is often the method of choice because of its low cost and wider dynamic range. However, the accuracy of this technique heavily relies on the use of multiple valid control genes for normalization. We created a pipeline for choosing genes potentially useful as RT-QPCR control genes for measuring expression between human and chimpanzee samples across multiple tissues, using published microarrays and a measure of tissue-specificity. We identified 13 genes from the pipeline and from commonly used control genes: ACTB, USP49, ARGHGEF2, GSK3A, TBP, SDHA, EIF2B2, GPDH, YWHAZ, HPTR1, RPL13A, HMBS, and EEF2. We then tested these candidate genes and validated their expression stability across species. We established the rank order of the most preferable set of genes for single and combined tissues. Our results suggest that for at least three tissues (cerebral cortex, liver, and skeletal muscle, EIF2B2, EEF2, HMBS, and SDHA are useful genes for normalizing human and chimpanzee expression using RT-QPCR. Interestingly, other commonly used control genes, including TBP, GAPDH, and, especially ACTB do not perform as well. This pipeline could be easily adapted to other species for which expression data exist, providing taxonomically appropriate control genes for comparisons of gene expression among species.

HPASubC: A suite of tools for user subclassification of human protein atlas tissue images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toby C Cornish

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The human protein atlas (HPA is a powerful proteomic tool for visualizing the distribution of protein expression across most human tissues and many common malignancies. The HPA includes immunohistochemically-stained images from tissue microarrays (TMAs that cover 48 tissue types and 20 common malignancies. The TMA data are used to provide expression information at the tissue, cellular, and occasionally, subcellular level. The HPA also provides subcellular data from confocal immunofluorescence data on three cell lines. Despite the availability of localization data, many unique patterns of cellular and subcellular expression are not documented. Materials and Methods: To get at this more granular data, we have developed a suite of Python scripts, HPASubC, to aid in subcellular, and cell-type specific classification of HPA images. This method allows the user to download and optimize specific HPA TMA images for review. Then, using a playstation-style video game controller, a trained observer can rapidly step through 10′s of 1000′s of images to identify patterns of interest. Results: We have successfully used this method to identify 703 endothelial cell (EC and/or smooth muscle cell (SMCs specific proteins discovered within 49,200 heart TMA images. This list will assist us in subdividing cardiac gene or protein array data into expression by one of the predominant cell types of the myocardium: Myocytes, SMCs or ECs. Conclusions: The opportunity to further characterize unique staining patterns across a range of human tissues and malignancies will accelerate our understanding of disease processes and point to novel markers for tissue evaluation in surgical pathology.

Discovering Phonemes of Bidayuh

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Jecky Misieng

2012-07-01

Full Text Available There are generally three views of the notion of a phoneme. The structuralist view of the phoneme focuses on this language phenomenon as a phonetic reality. In discovering phonemes of a language, phonologists who hold this view will look for minimal contrasting pairs as a way to determine contrasting sounds of that language. They will also look for allophones or two sounds of the same phoneme which may appear in complementary distribution. This paper will discuss the possible application of the structuralist approach to analyzing the phonemes of a dialect of Bidayuh, one of the Malayo-Polynesian languages spoken in the northern region of Borneo.

Significance of internal mammary lymph nodes in patients after mastectomy with tissue-expander reconstruction: a case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaewlai, R.; Digumarthy, S.R.; Smith, B.L.; Corben, A.D.; Austen, W.G.; Shepard, J.-A.O.; Sharma, A.

2010-01-01

Aim: To retrospectively assess the frequency of internal mammary lymph nodes (IMNs) in patients after mastectomy and tissue-expander reconstruction. Materials and methods: Statistical analysis was performed for all available data in patients with mastectomy and tissue-expander reconstruction from 2004-2007 (study group). The data were compared with that of a control population with mastectomy who did not have reconstruction (control group). Patients with recurrent breast cancers, previous breast reconstruction, surgeries performed at outside hospitals, no available pre- or postoperative computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, or inadequate imaging follow-up were excluded. Results: There were eight patients in the study group (median age 50.5 years, seven breast cancers), and eight patients in the control group (median age 52 years, seven breast cancers). No patients had IMNs on their preoperative imaging examinations. New IMNs were present in postoperative imaging in seven of eight patients (7/8, 87.5%) in the study group. All of them were stable or decreased in size on subsequent imaging examinations. None of the patients in the control group had IMNs (0/8). Conclusion: IMNs are common on imaging after mastectomy and tissue-expander placement. The IMNs decreased or remained stable on follow-up imaging and may represent reactive nodes.

Significance of internal mammary lymph nodes in patients after mastectomy with tissue-expander reconstruction: a case-control study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaewlai, R., E-mail: rathachai@gmail.co [Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Digumarthy, S.R. [Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Smith, B.L. [Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Corben, A.D. [Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Austen, W.G. [Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Shepard, J.-A.O.; Sharma, A. [Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States)

2010-06-15

Aim: To retrospectively assess the frequency of internal mammary lymph nodes (IMNs) in patients after mastectomy and tissue-expander reconstruction. Materials and methods: Statistical analysis was performed for all available data in patients with mastectomy and tissue-expander reconstruction from 2004-2007 (study group). The data were compared with that of a control population with mastectomy who did not have reconstruction (control group). Patients with recurrent breast cancers, previous breast reconstruction, surgeries performed at outside hospitals, no available pre- or postoperative computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, or inadequate imaging follow-up were excluded. Results: There were eight patients in the study group (median age 50.5 years, seven breast cancers), and eight patients in the control group (median age 52 years, seven breast cancers). No patients had IMNs on their preoperative imaging examinations. New IMNs were present in postoperative imaging in seven of eight patients (7/8, 87.5%) in the study group. All of them were stable or decreased in size on subsequent imaging examinations. None of the patients in the control group had IMNs (0/8). Conclusion: IMNs are common on imaging after mastectomy and tissue-expander placement. The IMNs decreased or remained stable on follow-up imaging and may represent reactive nodes.

MicroRNA expression variability in human cervical tissues.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrícia M Pereira

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are short (approximately 22 nt non-coding regulatory RNAs that control gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Deregulation of miRNA expression has been discovered in a wide variety of tumours and it is now clear that they contribute to cancer development and progression. Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide and there is a strong need for a non-invasive, fast and efficient method to diagnose the disease. We investigated miRNA expression profiles in cervical cancer using a microarray platform containing probes for mature miRNAs. We have evaluated miRNA expression profiles of a heterogeneous set of cervical tissues from 25 different patients. This set included 19 normal cervical tissues, 4 squamous cell carcinoma, 5 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL and 9 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL samples. We observed high variability in miRNA expression especially among normal cervical samples, which prevented us from obtaining a unique miRNA expression signature for this tumour type. However, deregulated miRNAs were identified in malignant and pre-malignant cervical tissues after tackling the high expression variability observed. We were also able to identify putative target genes of relevant candidate miRNAs. Our results show that miRNA expression shows natural variability among human samples, which complicates miRNA data profiling analysis. However, such expression noise can be filtered and does not prevent the identification of deregulated miRNAs that play a role in the malignant transformation of cervical squamous cells. Deregulated miRNAs highlight new candidate gene targets allowing for a better understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the development of this tumour type.

Bioactive scaffolds for the controlled formation of complex skeletal tissues

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hofmann, S.; Garcia-Fuentes, M.; Eberli, D.

2011-01-01

Tissue Engineering may offer new treatment alternatives for organ replacement or repair deteriorated organs. Among the clinical applications of Tissue Engineering are the production of artificial skin for burn patients, tissue engineered trachea, cartilage for knee-replacement procedures, urinary

Einstein@Home discovers a radio-quiet gamma-ray millisecond pulsar

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Colin J.; Pletsch, Holger J.; Wu, Jason; Guillemot, Lucas; Kerr, Matthew; Johnson, Tyrel J.; Camilo, Fernando; Salvetti, David; Allen, Bruce; Anderson, David; Aulbert, Carsten; Beer, Christian; Bock, Oliver; Cuéllar, Andres; Eggenstein, Heinz-Bernd; Fehrmann, Henning; Kramer, Michael; Kwang, Shawn A.; Machenschalk, Bernd; Nieder, Lars; Ackermann, Markus; Ajello, Marco; Baldini, Luca; Ballet, Jean; Barbiellini, Guido; Bastieri, Denis; Bellazzini, Ronaldo; Bissaldi, Elisabetta; Blandford, Roger D.; Bloom, Elliott D.; Bonino, Raffaella; Bottacini, Eugenio; Brandt, Terri J.; Bregeon, Johan; Bruel, Philippe; Buehler, Rolf; Burnett, Toby H.; Buson, Sara; Cameron, Rob A.; Caputo, Regina; Caraveo, Patrizia A.; Cavazzuti, Elisabetta; Cecchi, Claudia; Charles, Eric; Chekhtman, Alexandre; Ciprini, Stefano; Cominsky, Lynn R.; Costantin, Denise; Cutini, Sara; D’Ammando, Filippo; De Luca, Andrea; Desiante, Rachele; Di Venere, Leonardo; Di Mauro, Mattia; Di Lalla, Niccolò; Digel, Seth W.; Favuzzi, Cecilia; Ferrara, Elizabeth C.; Franckowiak, Anna; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Funk, Stefan; Fusco, Piergiorgio; Gargano, Fabio; Gasparrini, Dario; Giglietto, Nico; Giordano, Francesco; Giroletti, Marcello; Gomez-Vargas, Germán A.; Green, David; Grenier, Isabelle A.; Guiriec, Sylvain; Harding, Alice K.; Hewitt, John W.; Horan, Deirdre; Jóhannesson, Guðlaugur; Kensei, Shiki; Kuss, Michael; La Mura, Giovanni; Larsson, Stefan; Latronico, Luca; Li, Jian; Longo, Francesco; Loparco, Francesco; Lovellette, Michael N.; Lubrano, Pasquale; Magill, Jeffrey D.; Maldera, Simone; Manfreda, Alberto; Mazziotta, Mario N.; McEnery, Julie E.; Michelson, Peter F.; Mirabal, Nestor; Mitthumsiri, Warit; Mizuno, Tsunefumi; Monzani, Maria Elena; Morselli, Aldo; Moskalenko, Igor V.; Nuss, Eric; Ohsugi, Takashi; Omodei, Nicola; Orienti, Monica; Orlando, Elena; Palatiello, Michele; Paliya, Vaidehi S.; de Palma, Francesco; Paneque, David; Perkins, Jeremy S.; Persic, Massimo; Pesce-Rollins, Melissa; Porter, Troy A.; Principe, Giacomo; Rainò, Silvia; Rando, Riccardo; Ray, Paul S.; Razzano, Massimiliano; Reimer, Anita; Reimer, Olaf; Romani, Roger W.; Saz Parkinson, Pablo M.; Sgrò, Carmelo; Siskind, Eric J.; Smith, David A.; Spada, Francesca; Spandre, Gloria; Spinelli, Paolo; Thayer, Jana B.; Thompson, David J.; Torres, Diego F.; Troja, Eleonora; Vianello, Giacomo; Wood, Kent; Wood, Matthew

2018-01-01

Millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are old neutron stars that spin hundreds of times per second and appear to pulsate as their emission beams cross our line of sight. To date, radio pulsations have been detected from all rotation-powered MSPs. In an attempt to discover radio-quiet gamma-ray MSPs, we used the aggregated power from the computers of tens of thousands of volunteers participating in the Einstein@Home distributed computing project to search for pulsations from unidentified gamma-ray sources in Fermi Large Area Telescope data. This survey discovered two isolated MSPs, one of which is the only known rotation-powered MSP to remain undetected in radio observations. These gamma-ray MSPs were discovered in completely blind searches without prior constraints from other observations, raising hopes for detecting MSPs from a predicted Galactic bulge population. PMID:29503868

Two Newly Discovered Plants in Taiwan

OpenAIRE

Tian-Chuan Hsu; Jia-Jung Lin; Shih-Wen Chung

2009-01-01

Two herbs are newly discovered in Taiwan. Limnophila fragrans (G. Forst.) Seem. (Scrophulariaceae), native in SE Asia, is recognized from southern lowlands. Anagallis minima (L.) E. H. L. Krause (Primulaceae), native in N America and Europe, was found from northern mountainous region at low altitudes. In this study, descriptions, line drawings, color photos and a distribution map of the two species are provided.

Immunohistochemical detection of interleukin-8 in inflamed porcine tissues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Henriette; Jensen, Henrik Elkær; Leifsson, Páll S.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify the specific localization of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in cells in situ in a variety of inflammatory processes in different tissues from pigs. Our hypothesis was that IL-8 primarily is a neutrophil related cytokine present in all extravascular neutrophils...... while expression also occurs in other cell types in response to an inflammatory stimulus. Using IL-8 immunohistochemistry we discovered that neutrophils were the predominant IL-8 positive cell population while epithelial cell types and endothelium of postcapillary venules could be positive when situated...... in close vicinity of an inflammatory lesion. Furthermore, endothelial cells of newly formed vessels in granulation tissue were positive in some specimens. Some sub-populations of inflammatory neutrophils were, however, IL-8 negative which could reflect some phase of neutrophil swarming....

Nanoparticle-Enabled Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems for Enhanced Dose Control and Tissue Targeting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian C. Palmer

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Transdermal drug delivery systems have been around for decades, and current technologies (e.g., patches, ointments, and creams enhance the skin permeation of low molecular weight, lipophilic drugs that are efficacious at low doses. The objective of current transdermal drug delivery research is to discover ways to enhance skin penetration of larger, hydrophilic drugs and macromolecules for disease treatment and vaccination. Nanocarriers made of lipids, metals, or polymers have been successfully used to increase penetration of drugs or vaccines, control drug release, and target drugs to specific areas of skin in vivo. While more research is needed to identify the safety of nanocarriers, this technology has the potential to expand the use of transdermal routes of administration to a wide array of therapeutics. Here, we review the current state of nanoparticle skin delivery systems with special emphasis on targeting skin diseases.

Micro- and nanotechnology in cardiovascular tissue engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Boyang; Xiao Yun; Hsieh, Anne; Thavandiran, Nimalan; Radisic, Milica

2011-01-01

While in nature the formation of complex tissues is gradually shaped by the long journey of development, in tissue engineering constructing complex tissues relies heavily on our ability to directly manipulate and control the micro-cellular environment in vitro. Not surprisingly, advancements in both microfabrication and nanofabrication have powered the field of tissue engineering in many aspects. Focusing on cardiac tissue engineering, this paper highlights the applications of fabrication techniques in various aspects of tissue engineering research: (1) cell responses to micro- and nanopatterned topographical cues, (2) cell responses to patterned biochemical cues, (3) controlled 3D scaffolds, (4) patterned tissue vascularization and (5) electromechanical regulation of tissue assembly and function.

Adipose tissue transcriptomics and epigenomics in low birthweight men and controls: role of high-fat overfeeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillberg, Linn; Perfilyev, Alexander; Brøns, Charlotte; Thomasen, Martin; Grunnet, Louise G; Volkov, Petr; Rosqvist, Fredrik; Iggman, David; Dahlman, Ingrid; Risérus, Ulf; Rönn, Tina; Nilsson, Emma; Vaag, Allan; Ling, Charlotte

2016-04-01

Individuals who had a low birthweight (LBW) are at an increased risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes when exposed to high-fat overfeeding (HFO). We studied genome-wide mRNA expression and DNA methylation in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) after 5 days of HFO and after a control diet in 40 young men, of whom 16 had LBW. mRNA expression was analysed using Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST arrays and DNA methylation using Illumina 450K BeadChip arrays. We found differential DNA methylation at 53 sites in SAT from LBW vs normal birthweight (NBW) men (false discovery rate obesity-related traits in a replication cohort of 142 individuals. DNA methylation at 652 CpG sites (including in CDK5, IGFBP5 and SLC2A4) was altered in SAT after overfeeding in this and in another cohort. Young men who had a LBW exhibit epigenetic alterations in their adipose tissue that potentially influence insulin resistance and risk of type 2 diabetes. Short-term overfeeding influences gene transcription and, to some extent, DNA methylation in adipose tissue; there was no major difference in this response between LBW and control participants.

Challenges in service mining : record, check, discover

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aalst, van der W.M.P.; Daniel, F.; Dolog, P.; Li, Q.

2013-01-01

Process mining aims to discover, monitor and improve real processes by extracting knowledge from event logs abundantly available in today’s information systems. Although process mining has been applied in hundreds of organizations and process mining techniques have been embedded in a variety of

Variation in tissue outcome of ovine and human engineered heart valve constructs : relevance for tissue engineering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geemen, van D.; Driessen - Mol, A.; Grootzwagers, L.G.M.; Soekhradj - Soechit, R.S.; Riem Vis, P.W.; Baaijens, F.P.T.; Bouten, C.V.C.

AIM: Clinical application of tissue engineered heart valves requires precise control of the tissue culture process to predict tissue composition and mechanical properties prior to implantation, and to understand the variation in tissue outcome. To this end we investigated cellular phenotype and

The Magic of Mathematics Discovering the Spell of Mathematics

CERN Document Server

Pappas, Theoni

2011-01-01

Delves into the world of ideas, explores the spell mathematics casts on our lives, and helps you discover mathematics where you least expect it. Be spellbound by the mathematical designs found in nature. Learn how knots may untie the mysteries of life. Be mesmerized by the computer revolution. Discover how the hidden forces of mathematics hold architectural structures together connect your telephone calls help airplanes get off the ground solve the mysteries of the living cell. See how some artists use a mathematical palette in their works and how many writers draw upon the wealth of its ideas

Sociocultural perspective on organ and tissue donation among reservation-dwelling American Indian adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Fahrenwald, Nancy L; Stabnow, Wendy

2005-11-01

To discover the sociocultural patterns that influence decisions about organ and tissue donation among American Indian (AI) adults. This qualitative ethnographic study used a social-ecological framework. A snowball sampling technique was used to recruit 21 Oglala Lakota Sioux participants (age >or= 19 years) living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, USA. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using open-ended questions derived from the social-ecological perspective of Stokols (1992). Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Data were categorized into construct codes to identify concepts and to discover emerging themes. Personal and environmental themes regarding organ and tissue donation emerged. There were two personal themes: uncertain knowledge and the diabetes crisis. Participants knew very little about organ and tissue donation but there was a basic understanding of donor/recipient compatibility. The prevalence of diabetes in the community is contributing to a dire need for kidney donors. The diabetes crisis was acknowledged by every participant. There were three environmental themes: cultural transitions, healthcare system competence and outreach efforts. Traditional cultural beliefs such as entering the spirit world with an intact body were acknowledged. However, conversations reflected re-examination of traditional beliefs because of the need for kidney donors. The healthcare environmental context of organ and tissue donation emerged as a theme. Participants were not confident that the local health system was prepared to either address traditional beliefs about organ and tissue donation or implement a donation protocol. The final theme was the environmental context of outreach efforts. Participants desired relevant outreach targeted to the community and disseminated through local communication networks including the family, the media and tribal leaders. Sociocultural factors relevant to the personal and environmental context of the

Temperature-controlled radiofrequency ablation of cardiac tissue: an in vitro study of the impact of electrode orientation, electrode tissue contact pressure and external convective cooling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, H H; Chen, X; Pietersen, A

1999-01-01

A variety of basic factors such as electrode tip pressure, flow around the electrode and electrode orientation influence lesion size during radiofrequency ablation, but importantly is dependent on the chosen mode of ablation. However, only little information is available for the frequently used...... temperature-controlled mode. The purpose of the present experimental study was to evaluate the impact during temperature-controlled radiofrequency ablation of three basic factors regarding electrode-tissue contact and convective cooling on lesion size....

Hypoxia-controlled EphA3 marks a human endometrium-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell that supports vascular growth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine To

Full Text Available Eph and ephrin proteins are essential cell guidance cues that orchestrate cell navigation and control cell-cell interactions during developmental tissue patterning, organogenesis and vasculogenesis. They have been extensively studied in animal models of embryogenesis and adult tissue regeneration, but less is known about their expression and function during human tissue and organ regeneration. We discovered the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1α-controlled expression of EphA3, an Eph family member with critical functions during human tumour progression, in the vascularised tissue of regenerating human endometrium and on isolated human endometrial multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (eMSCs, but not in other highly vascularised human organs. EphA3 affinity-isolation from human biopsy tissue yielded multipotent CD29+/CD73+/CD90+/CD146+ eMSCs that can be clonally propagated and respond to EphA3 agonists with EphA3 phosphorylation, cell contraction, cell-cell segregation and directed cell migration. EphA3 silencing significantly inhibited the ability of transplanted eMSCs to support neovascularisation in immunocompromised mice. In accord with established roles of Eph receptors in mediating interactions between endothelial and perivascular stromal cells during mouse development, our findings suggest that HIF-1α-controlled expression of EphA3 on human MSCs functions during the hypoxia-initiated early stages of adult blood vessel formation.

Two Newly Discovered Plants in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tian-Chuan Hsu

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Two herbs are newly discovered in Taiwan. Limnophila fragrans (G. Forst. Seem. (Scrophulariaceae, native in SE Asia, is recognized from southern lowlands. Anagallis minima (L. E. H. L. Krause (Primulaceae, native in N America and Europe, was found from northern mountainous region at low altitudes. In this study, descriptions, line drawings, color photos and a distribution map of the two species are provided.

GM-CSF Controls Nonlymphoid Tissue Dendritic Cell Homeostasis but Is Dispensable for the Differentiation of Inflammatory Dendritic Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Greter, Melanie; Helft, Julie; Chow, Andrew; Hashimoto, Daigo; Mortha, Arthur; Agudo-Cantero, Judith; Bogunovic, Milena; Gautier, Emmanuel L.; Miller, Jennifer; Leboeuf, Marylene; Lu, Geming; Aloman, Costica; Brown, Brian D.; Pollard, Jeffrey W.; Xiong, Huabao; Randolph, Gwendalyn J.; Chipuk, Jerry E.; Frenette, Paul S.; Merad, Miriam

2012-01-01

SUMMARY GM-CSF (Csf-2) is a critical cytokine for the in vitro generation of dendritic cells (DCs) and is thought to control the development of inflammatory DCs and resident CD103+ DCs in some tissues. Here we showed that in contrast to the current understanding, Csf-2 receptor acts in the steady state to promote the survival and homeostasis of nonlymphoid tissue-resident CD103+ and CD11b+ DCs. Absence of Csf-2 receptor on lung DCs abrogated the induction of CD8+ T cell immunity after immunization with particulate antigens. In contrast, Csf-2 receptor was dispensable for the differentiation and innate function of inflammatory DCs during acute injuries. Instead, inflammatory DCs required Csf-1 receptor for their development. Thus, Csf-2 is important in vaccine-induced CD8+ T cell immunity through the regulation of nonlymphoid tissue DC homeostasis rather than control of inflammatory DCs in vivo. PMID:22749353

Constructing Tissue Microarrays: Protocols and Methods Considering Potential Advantages and Disadvantages for Downstream Use.

Science.gov (United States)

Bingle, Lynne; Fonseca, Felipe P; Farthing, Paula M

2017-01-01

Tissue microarrays were first constructed in the 1980s but were used by only a limited number of researchers for a considerable period of time. In the last 10 years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of publications describing the successful use of tissue microarrays in studies aimed at discovering and validating biomarkers. This, along with the increased availability of both manual and automated microarray builders on the market, has encouraged even greater use of this novel and powerful tool. This chapter describes the basic techniques required to build a tissue microarray using a manual method in order that the theory behind the practical steps can be fully explained. Guidance is given to ensure potential disadvantages of the technique are fully considered.

Soft tissue engineering with micronized-gingival connective tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Noda, Sawako; Sumita, Yoshinori; Ohba, Seigo; Yamamoto, Hideyuki; Asahina, Izumi

2018-01-01

The free gingival graft (FGG) and connective tissue graft (CTG) are currently considered to be the gold standards for keratinized gingival tissue reconstruction and augmentation. However, these procedures have some disadvantages in harvesting large grafts, such as donor-site morbidity as well as insufficient gingival width and thickness at the recipient site post-treatment. To solve these problems, we focused on an alternative strategy using micronized tissue transplantation (micro-graft). In this study, we first investigated whether transplantation of micronized gingival connective tissues (MGCTs) promotes skin wound healing. MGCTs (≤100 µm) were obtained by mincing a small piece (8 mm 3 ) of porcine keratinized gingiva using the RIGENERA system. The MGCTs were then transplanted to a full skin defect (5 mm in diameter) on the dorsal surface of immunodeficient mice after seeding to an atelocollagen matrix. Transplantations of atelocollagen matrixes with and without micronized dermis were employed as experimental controls. The results indicated that MGCTs markedly promote the vascularization and epithelialization of the defect area 14 days after transplantation compared to the experimental controls. After 21 days, complete wound closure with low contraction was obtained only in the MGCT grafts. Tracking analysis of transplanted MGCTs revealed that some mesenchymal cells derived from MGCTs can survive during healing and may function to assist in wound healing. We propose here that micro-grafting with MGCTs represents an alternative strategy for keratinized tissue reconstruction that is characterized by low morbidity and ready availability. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Discovering approximate-associated sequence patterns for protein-DNA interactions

KAUST Repository

Chan, Tak Ming

2010-12-30

Motivation: The bindings between transcription factors (TFs) and transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) are fundamental protein-DNA interactions in transcriptional regulation. Extensive efforts have been made to better understand the protein-DNA interactions. Recent mining on exact TF-TFBS-associated sequence patterns (rules) has shown great potentials and achieved very promising results. However, exact rules cannot handle variations in real data, resulting in limited informative rules. In this article, we generalize the exact rules to approximate ones for both TFs and TFBSs, which are essential for biological variations. Results: A progressive approach is proposed to address the approximation to alleviate the computational requirements. Firstly, similar TFBSs are grouped from the available TF-TFBS data (TRANSFAC database). Secondly, approximate and highly conserved binding cores are discovered from TF sequences corresponding to each TFBS group. A customized algorithm is developed for the specific objective. We discover the approximate TF-TFBS rules by associating the grouped TFBS consensuses and TF cores. The rules discovered are evaluated by matching (verifying with) the actual protein-DNA binding pairs from Protein Data Bank (PDB) 3D structures. The approximate results exhibit many more verified rules and up to 300% better verification ratios than the exact ones. The customized algorithm achieves over 73% better verification ratios than traditional methods. Approximate rules (64-79%) are shown statistically significant. Detailed variation analysis and conservation verification on NCBI records demonstrate that the approximate rules reveal both the flexible and specific protein-DNA interactions accurately. The approximate TF-TFBS rules discovered show great generalized capability of exploring more informative binding rules. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Enhanced Intracellular Delivery and Tissue Retention of Nanoparticles by Mussel-Inspired Surface Chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kai; Xu, Xiaoqiu; Guo, Jiawei; Zhang, Xuelin; Han, Songling; Wang, Ruibing; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Jianxiang

2015-11-09

Nanomaterials have been broadly studied for intracellular delivery of diverse compounds for diagnosis or therapy. Currently it remains challenging for discovering new biomolecules that can prominently enhance cellular internalization and tissue retention of nanoparticles (NPs). Herein we report for the first time that a mussel-inspired engineering approach may notably promote cellular uptake and tissue retention of NPs. In this strategy, the catechol moiety is covalently anchored onto biodegradable NPs. Thus, fabricated NPs can be more effectively internalized by sensitive and multidrug resistant tumor cells, as well as some normal cells, resulting in remarkably potentiated in vitro activity when an antitumor drug is packaged. Moreover, the newly engineered NPs afford increased tissue retention post local or oral delivery. This biomimetic approach is promising for creating functional nanomaterials for drug delivery, vaccination, and cell therapy.

Microcapsule Technology for Controlled Growth Factor Release in Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Della Porta, Giovanna; Ciardulli, Maria C; Maffulli, Nicola

2018-06-01

Tissue engineering strategies have relied on engineered 3-dimensional (3D) scaffolds to provide architectural templates that can mimic the native cell environment. Among the several technologies proposed for the fabrication of 3D scaffold, that can be attractive for stem cell cultivation and differentiation, moulding or bioplotting of hydrogels allow the stratification of layers loaded with cells and with specific additives to obtain a predefined microstructural organization. Particularly with bioplotting technology, living cells, named bio-ink, and additives, such as biopolymer microdevices/nanodevices for the controlled delivery of growth factors or biosignals, can be organized spatially into a predesigned 3D pattern by automated fabrication with computer-aided digital files. The technologies for biopolymer microcarrier/nanocarrier fabrication can be strategic to provide a controlled spatiotemporal delivery of specific biosignals within a microenvironment that can better or faster address the stem cells loaded within it. In this review, some examples of growth factor-controlled delivery by biopolymer microdevices/nanodevices embedded within 3D hydrogel scaffolds will be described, to achieve a bioengineered 3D interactive microenvironment for stem cell differentiation. Conventional and recently proposed technologies for biopolymer microcapsule fabrication for controlled delivery over several days will also be illustrated and critically discussed.

Plant tissue culture techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rolf Dieter Illg

1991-01-01

Full Text Available Plant cell and tissue culture in a simple fashion refers to techniques which utilize either single plant cells, groups of unorganized cells (callus or organized tissues or organs put in culture, under controlled sterile conditions.

Occult carcinoma discovered after simple hysterectomy treated with postoperative radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crane, Christopher H.; Schneider, Bernard F.

1999-01-01

Purpose: Treatment of patients with occult carcinoma of the cervix discovered after simple hysterectomy is controversial. The purpose of this review is to examine our results with postoperative radiotherapy and to compare them to similar reports and to reports of treatment with radical parametrectomy. Methods and Materials: Between November 1979 and April:, 18 patients were treated with radiotherapy at the University of Virginia for invasive carcinoma of the cervix discovered after simple hysterectomy. Simple hysterectomy was performed in all 18 patients for a variety of indications. After surgery gross residual carcinoma remained in four patients; and microscopic disease was present at the surgical margins in two patients. The remaining patients had no evidence of residual disease. All 18 patients had postoperative radiotherapy with or without brachytherapy. The endpoints for this study were local control, survival, and treatment-related toxicity. Actuarial rates were calculated using the Life method. Results: Median follow-up for all 18 patients was 42 months (range 2-202 months). Both the 5 and the 10-year actuarial local control rates were 88%. Five and 10-year actuarial overall survival rates were both 93%. Two patients had both local and distant cancer recurrences. There were no recurrences among the six patients treated with external beam alone. The remaining patients are all alive without evidence of disease, including two patients who had gross residual disease after surgery, and one patient with both microscopic positive margin and a positive lymph node (the only patient to undergo lymph node sampling). There was no severe acute morbidity and only one patient had severe late morbidity. Conclusions: Invasive carcinoma found after simple hysterectomy may be treated safely and effectively with postoperative radiotherapy. Patients with known residual disease following surgery do poorly with either radiotherapy or reoperation, but treatment with radiotherapy

MICRO-STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATION OF SOME ARTIFACTS DISCOVERED AT POROLISSUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MUNTEANU Mihai

2014-09-01

Full Text Available the paper presents the investigation of two fragments of roman bronze artefacts, discovered during archaeological works performed at Porolissum, an important military and economical point on the northern limes of Dacia Province. One of the analyzed fragments (Mi1 was taken from a consistent fragment of a Roman bronze statue, while the second (Mi2 was among a lot of small metal pieces, discovered in the same investigated area. Using highly sophisticated micro-structural analysing techniques – X-Ray diffraction, the paper investigates the possibility that the Mi2 fragment may have belonged to the same statue from which the sample Mi1 was taken

Oxygen delivery in irradiated normal tissue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiani, M.F.; Ansari, R. [Univ. of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN (United States). School of Biomedical Engineering; Gaber, M.W. [St. Jude Children' s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN (United States)

2003-03-01

Ionizing radiation exposure significantly alters the structure and function of microvascular networks, which regulate delivery of oxygen to tissue. In this study we use a hamster cremaster muscle model to study changes in microvascular network parameters and use a mathematical model to study the effects of these observed structural and microhemodynamic changes in microvascular networks on oxygen delivery to the tissue. Our experimental observations indicate that in microvascular networks while some parameters are significantly affected by irradiation (e.g. red blood cell (RBC) transit time), others remain at the control level (e.g. RBC path length) up to 180 days post-irradiation. The results from our mathematical model indicate that tissue oxygenation patterns are significantly different in irradiated normal tissue as compared to age-matched controls and the differences are apparent as early as 3 days post irradiation. However, oxygen delivery to irradiated tissue was not found to be significantly different from age matched controls at any time between 7 days to 6 months post-irradiation. These findings indicate that microvascular late effects in irradiated normal tissue may be due to factors other than compromised tissue oxygenation. (author)

Discovering Alaska's Salmon: A Children's Activity Book.

Science.gov (United States)

Devaney, Laurel

This children's activity book helps students discover Alaska's salmon. Information is provided about salmon and where they live. The salmon life cycle and food chains are also discussed. Different kinds of salmon such as Chum Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, and Pink Salmon are introduced, and various activities on salmon are…

On a New Technique for Discovering Variable Stars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mironov A. V.

2003-12-01

Full Text Available A technique for discovering variable stars based on the calculation of the correlation coefficients is proposed. Applications of the technique are shown on the results of numerical experiments and on the Hipparcos photometric data.

Simultaneous inference of phenotype-associated genes and relevant tissues from GWAS data via Bayesian integration of multiple tissue-specific gene networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Mengmeng; Lin, Zhixiang; Ma, Shining; Chen, Ting; Jiang, Rui; Wong, Wing Hung

2017-12-01

Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified thousands of genomic loci associated with hundreds of complex traits in the past decade, the debate about such problems as missing heritability and weak interpretability has been appealing for effective computational methods to facilitate the advanced analysis of the vast volume of existing and anticipated genetic data. Towards this goal, gene-level integrative GWAS analysis with the assumption that genes associated with a phenotype tend to be enriched in biological gene sets or gene networks has recently attracted much attention, due to such advantages as straightforward interpretation, less multiple testing burdens, and robustness across studies. However, existing methods in this category usually exploit non-tissue-specific gene networks and thus lack the ability to utilize informative tissue-specific characteristics. To overcome this limitation, we proposed a Bayesian approach called SIGNET (Simultaneously Inference of GeNEs and Tissues) to integrate GWAS data and multiple tissue-specific gene networks for the simultaneous inference of phenotype-associated genes and relevant tissues. Through extensive simulation studies, we showed the effectiveness of our method in finding both associated genes and relevant tissues for a phenotype. In applications to real GWAS data of 14 complex phenotypes, we demonstrated the power of our method in both deciphering genetic basis and discovering biological insights of a phenotype. With this understanding, we expect to see SIGNET as a valuable tool for integrative GWAS analysis, thereby boosting the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human inherited diseases and eventually facilitating precision medicine.

How to Discover the Rogers–Ramanujan Identities

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

IAS Admin

The purpose of this article is to introduce you to the. Rogers–Ramanujan identities, by discussing an approach to discover them. When you see that they appear from a very simple generalization of the simplest possible in- finite continued fraction, that in turn is related to the celebrated Fibonacci sequence, perhaps you may ...

Electro fluido dynamic techniques to design instructive biomaterials for tissue engineering and drug delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guarino, Vincenzo, E-mail: vguarino@unina.it; Altobelli, Rosaria; Cirillo, Valentina; Ambrosio, Luigi [Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, Department of Chemical Sciences & Materials Technology, National Research Council of Italy, V.le Kennedy 54, Naples (Italy)

2015-12-17

A large variety of processes and tools is continuously investigated to discover new solutions to design instructive materials with controlled chemical, physical and biological properties for tissue engineering and drug delivery. Among them, electro fluido dynamic techniques (EFDTs) are emerging as an interesting strategy, based on highly flexible and low-cost processes, to revisit old biomaterial’s manufacturing approach by utilizing electrostatic forces as the driving force for the fabrication of 3D architectures with controlled physical and chemical functionalities to guide in vitro and in vivo cell activities. By a rational selection of polymer solution properties and process conditions, EFDTs allow to produce fibres and/or particles at micro and/or nanometric size scale which may be variously assembled by tailored experimental setups, thus giving the chance to generate a plethora of different 3D devices able to incorporate biopolymers (i.e., proteins, polysaccharides) or active molecules (e.g., drugs) for different applications. Here, we focus on the optimization of basic EFDTs - namely electrospinning, electrospraying and electrodynamic atomization - to develop active platforms (i.e., monocomponent, protein and drug loaded scaffolds and µ-scaffolds) made of synthetic (PCL, PLGA) or natural (chitosan, alginate) polymers. In particular, we investigate how to set materials and process parameters to impart specific morphological, biochemical or physical cues to trigger all the fundamental cell–biomaterial and cell– cell cross-talking elicited during regenerative processes, in order to reproduce the complex microenvironment of native or pathological tissues.

Electro fluido dynamic techniques to design instructive biomaterials for tissue engineering and drug delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guarino, Vincenzo; Altobelli, Rosaria; Cirillo, Valentina; Ambrosio, Luigi

2015-01-01

A large variety of processes and tools is continuously investigated to discover new solutions to design instructive materials with controlled chemical, physical and biological properties for tissue engineering and drug delivery. Among them, electro fluido dynamic techniques (EFDTs) are emerging as an interesting strategy, based on highly flexible and low-cost processes, to revisit old biomaterial’s manufacturing approach by utilizing electrostatic forces as the driving force for the fabrication of 3D architectures with controlled physical and chemical functionalities to guide in vitro and in vivo cell activities. By a rational selection of polymer solution properties and process conditions, EFDTs allow to produce fibres and/or particles at micro and/or nanometric size scale which may be variously assembled by tailored experimental setups, thus giving the chance to generate a plethora of different 3D devices able to incorporate biopolymers (i.e., proteins, polysaccharides) or active molecules (e.g., drugs) for different applications. Here, we focus on the optimization of basic EFDTs - namely electrospinning, electrospraying and electrodynamic atomization - to develop active platforms (i.e., monocomponent, protein and drug loaded scaffolds and µ-scaffolds) made of synthetic (PCL, PLGA) or natural (chitosan, alginate) polymers. In particular, we investigate how to set materials and process parameters to impart specific morphological, biochemical or physical cues to trigger all the fundamental cell–biomaterial and cell– cell cross-talking elicited during regenerative processes, in order to reproduce the complex microenvironment of native or pathological tissues

Electro fluido dynamic techniques to design instructive biomaterials for tissue engineering and drug delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Guarino, Vincenzo; Altobelli, Rosaria; Cirillo, Valentina; Ambrosio, Luigi

2015-12-01

A large variety of processes and tools is continuously investigated to discover new solutions to design instructive materials with controlled chemical, physical and biological properties for tissue engineering and drug delivery. Among them, electro fluido dynamic techniques (EFDTs) are emerging as an interesting strategy, based on highly flexible and low-cost processes, to revisit old biomaterial's manufacturing approach by utilizing electrostatic forces as the driving force for the fabrication of 3D architectures with controlled physical and chemical functionalities to guide in vitro and in vivo cell activities. By a rational selection of polymer solution properties and process conditions, EFDTs allow to produce fibres and/or particles at micro and/or nanometric size scale which may be variously assembled by tailored experimental setups, thus giving the chance to generate a plethora of different 3D devices able to incorporate biopolymers (i.e., proteins, polysaccharides) or active molecules (e.g., drugs) for different applications. Here, we focus on the optimization of basic EFDTs - namely electrospinning, electrospraying and electrodynamic atomization - to develop active platforms (i.e., monocomponent, protein and drug loaded scaffolds and µ-scaffolds) made of synthetic (PCL, PLGA) or natural (chitosan, alginate) polymers. In particular, we investigate how to set materials and process parameters to impart specific morphological, biochemical or physical cues to trigger all the fundamental cell-biomaterial and cell- cell cross-talking elicited during regenerative processes, in order to reproduce the complex microenvironment of native or pathological tissues.

Sensing in tissue bioreactors

Science.gov (United States)

Rolfe, P.

2006-03-01

Specialized sensing and measurement instruments are under development to aid the controlled culture of cells in bioreactors for the fabrication of biological tissues. Precisely defined physical and chemical conditions are needed for the correct culture of the many cell-tissue types now being studied, including chondrocytes (cartilage), vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells (blood vessels), fibroblasts, hepatocytes (liver) and receptor neurones. Cell and tissue culture processes are dynamic and therefore, optimal control requires monitoring of the key process variables. Chemical and physical sensing is approached in this paper with the aim of enabling automatic optimal control, based on classical cell growth models, to be achieved. Non-invasive sensing is performed via the bioreactor wall, invasive sensing with probes placed inside the cell culture chamber and indirect monitoring using analysis within a shunt or a sampling chamber. Electroanalytical and photonics-based systems are described. Chemical sensing for gases, ions, metabolites, certain hormones and proteins, is under development. Spectroscopic analysis of the culture medium is used for measurement of glucose and for proteins that are markers of cell biosynthetic behaviour. Optical interrogation of cells and tissues is also investigated for structural analysis based on scatter.

Discovering frequently recurring movement sequences in team-sport athlete spatiotemporal data.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeting, Alice J; Aughey, Robert J; Cormack, Stuart J; Morgan, Stuart

2017-12-01

Athlete external load is typically analysed from predetermined movement thresholds. The combination of movement sequences and differences in these movements between playing positions is also currently unknown. This study developed a method to discover the frequently recurring movement sequences across playing position during matches. The external load of 12 international female netball athletes was collected by a local positioning system during four national-level matches. Velocity, acceleration and angular velocity were calculated from positional (X, Y) data, clustered via one-dimensional k-means and assigned a unique alphabetic label. Combinations of velocity, acceleration and angular velocity movement were compared using the Levenshtein distance and similarities computed by the longest common substring problem. The contribution of each movement sequence, according to playing position and relative to the wider data set, was then calculated via the Minkowski distance. A total of 10 frequently recurring combinations of movement were discovered, regardless of playing position. Only the wing attack, goal attack and goal defence playing positions are closely related. We developed a technique to discover the movement sequences, according to playing position, performed by elite netballers. This methodology can be extended to discover the frequently recurring movements within other team sports and across levels of competition.

Differential expression of GPR30 in preeclampsia placenta tissue and normal placenta tissue and its clinical significance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben-Zhou Feng

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the differential expression of GPR30 in preeclampsia placenta tissue and normal placenta tissue and its clinical significance. Methods: Preeclampsia placenta tissue and normal placenta tissue were collected and GPR30 expression levels were detected; human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured and processed with GRP30 inhibitor and GRP30 agonist combined with hypoxia-reoxygenation respectively, and cell apoptosis as well as pro-angiogenesis molecule and apoptosis molecule contents were detected. Results: mRNA content and protein content of GRP30 in preeclampsia placenta tissue were significantly lower than those in normal placenta tissue; apoptosis rate of G15 group was significantly higher than that of control group, VEGF and bFGF contents in supernatant were significantly lower than those of control group, and mRNA contents of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in cells were significantly higher than those of control group; apoptosis rate of H/R group was significantly higher than that of control group, VEGF and bFGF contents in supernatant were significantly lower than those of control group, and mRNA contents of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in cells were significantly higher than those of control group; apoptosis rate of G1 group was significantly lower than that of H/R group, VEGF and bFGF contents in supernatant were significantly higher than those of H/R group, and mRNA contents of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in cells were significantly lower than those of H/R group. Conclusions: Low expression of GPR30 in placenta tissue is closely associated with the occurrence of preeclampsia, enhancing GPR function can reduce endothelial cell apoptosis and increase the contents of pro-angiogenesis factors, and it has endothelial protection effect.

Chandra Discovers Cosmic Cannonball

Science.gov (United States)

2007-11-01

One of the fastest moving stars ever seen has been discovered with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. This cosmic cannonball is challenging theories to explain its blistering speed. Astronomers used Chandra to observe a neutron star, known as RX J0822-4300, over a period of about five years. During that span, three Chandra observations clearly show the neutron star moving away from the center of the Puppis A supernova remnant. This remnant is the stellar debris field created during the same explosion in which the neutron star was created about 3700 years ago. Chandra X-ray Image of RX J0822-4300 in Puppis A Chandra X-ray Image of RX J0822-4300 in Puppis A By combining how far it has moved across the sky with its distance from Earth, astronomers determined the neutron star is moving at over 3 million miles per hour. At this rate, RX J0822-4300 is destined to escape from the Milky Way after millions of years, even though it has only traveled about 20 light years so far. "This star is moving at 3 million miles an hour, but it's so far away that the apparent motion we see in five years is less than the height of the numerals in the date on a penny, seen from the length of a football field," said Frank Winkler of Middlebury College in Vermont. "It's remarkable, and a real testament to the power of Chandra, that such a tiny motion can be measured." Labeled Image of RX J0822-4300 in Puppis A Labeled Image of RX J0822-4300 in Puppis A "Just after it was born, this neutron star got a one-way ticket out of the Galaxy," said co-author Robert Petre of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "Astronomers have seen other stars being flung out of the Milky Way, but few as fast as this." So-called hypervelocity stars have been previously discovered shooting out of the Milky Way with speeds around one million miles per hour. One key difference between RX J0822-4300 and these other reported galactic escapees is the source of their speed. The hypervelocity stars are

A new screening method for discovering antibacterial agents from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A new screening method for discovering antibacterial agents from filamentous fungi. ... African Journal of Biotechnology ... Keywords: Drug-resistant bacterial pathogens, novel antibiotics; screening method, filamentous fungi products ...

Effects of tissue mechanical properties on susceptibility to histotripsy-induced tissue damage

Science.gov (United States)

Vlaisavljevich, Eli; Kim, Yohan; Owens, Gabe; Roberts, William; Cain, Charles; Xu, Zhen

2014-01-01

Histotripsy is a non-invasive tissue ablation method capable of fractionating tissue by controlling acoustic cavitation. To determine the fractionation susceptibility of various tissues, we investigated histotripsy-induced damage on tissue phantoms and ex vivo tissues with different mechanical strengths. A histotripsy bubble cloud was formed at tissue phantom surfaces using 5-cycle long ultrasound pulses with peak negative pressure of 18 MPa and PRFs of 10, 100, and 1000 Hz. Results showed significantly smaller lesions were generated in tissue phantoms of higher mechanical strength. Histotripsy was also applied to 43 different ex vivo porcine tissues with a wide range of mechanical properties. Gross morphology demonstrated stronger tissues with higher ultimate stress, higher density, and lower water content were more resistant to histotripsy damage in comparison to weaker tissues. Based on these results, a self-limiting vessel-sparing treatment strategy was developed in an attempt to preserve major vessels while fractionating the surrounding target tissue. This strategy was tested in porcine liver in vivo. After treatment, major hepatic blood vessels and bile ducts remained intact within a completely fractionated liver volume. These results identify varying susceptibilities of tissues to histotripsy therapy and provide a rational basis to optimize histotripsy parameters for treatment of specific tissues.

Analysis of Zolpidem in Postmortem Fluids and Tissues Using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

2014-02-01

in postmortem fluids and tissues. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Forensic Toxicology , Zolpidem, Ambien, Postmortem Distribution, LC/MS/MS...Institute (CAMI) toxicology database identified 10 fatalities from separate avia- tion accidents that were reported positive for zolpidem and also...Sample Selection and Storage A search of the CAMI toxicology database (ToxFLO, DiscoverSoft Development, LLC; Oklahoma City, OK) identi- fied 10

Micro- and nanotechnology in cardiovascular tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Boyang; Xiao, Yun; Hsieh, Anne; Thavandiran, Nimalan; Radisic, Milica

2011-12-09

While in nature the formation of complex tissues is gradually shaped by the long journey of development, in tissue engineering constructing complex tissues relies heavily on our ability to directly manipulate and control the micro-cellular environment in vitro. Not surprisingly, advancements in both microfabrication and nanofabrication have powered the field of tissue engineering in many aspects. Focusing on cardiac tissue engineering, this paper highlights the applications of fabrication techniques in various aspects of tissue engineering research: (1) cell responses to micro- and nanopatterned topographical cues, (2) cell responses to patterned biochemical cues, (3) controlled 3D scaffolds, (4) patterned tissue vascularization and (5) electromechanical regulation of tissue assembly and function.

Support vector machine classification and validation of cancer tissue samples using microarray expression data.

Science.gov (United States)

Furey, T S; Cristianini, N; Duffy, N; Bednarski, D W; Schummer, M; Haussler, D

2000-10-01

DNA microarray experiments generating thousands of gene expression measurements, are being used to gather information from tissue and cell samples regarding gene expression differences that will be useful in diagnosing disease. We have developed a new method to analyse this kind of data using support vector machines (SVMs). This analysis consists of both classification of the tissue samples, and an exploration of the data for mis-labeled or questionable tissue results. We demonstrate the method in detail on samples consisting of ovarian cancer tissues, normal ovarian tissues, and other normal tissues. The dataset consists of expression experiment results for 97,802 cDNAs for each tissue. As a result of computational analysis, a tissue sample is discovered and confirmed to be wrongly labeled. Upon correction of this mistake and the removal of an outlier, perfect classification of tissues is achieved, but not with high confidence. We identify and analyse a subset of genes from the ovarian dataset whose expression is highly differentiated between the types of tissues. To show robustness of the SVM method, two previously published datasets from other types of tissues or cells are analysed. The results are comparable to those previously obtained. We show that other machine learning methods also perform comparably to the SVM on many of those datasets. The SVM software is available at http://www.cs. columbia.edu/ approximately bgrundy/svm.

A biomimetic physiological model for human adipose tissue by adipocytes and endothelial cell cocultures with spatially controlled distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Rui; Zhang, Renji; Lin, Feng; Du, Yanan; Luan, Jie

2013-01-01

An in vitro model that recapitulates the characteristics of native human adipose tissue would largely benefit pathology studies and therapy development. In this paper, we fabricated a physiological model composed of both human adipocytes and endothelial cells with spatially controlled distribution that biomimics the structure and composition of human adipose tissue. Detailed studies into the cell–cell interactions between the adipocytes and endothelial cells revealed a mutual-enhanced effect which resembles the in vivo routine. Furthermore, comparisons between planar coculture and model coculture demonstrated improved adipocyte function as well as endothelial cell proliferation under the same conditions. This research provided a reliable model for human adipose tissue development studies and potential obesity-related therapy development. (paper)

Quality control in diagnostic molecular pathology in the Netherlands; proficiency testing for patient identification in tissue samples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thunnissen, F. B. J. M.; Tilanus, M. G. J.; Ligtenberg, M. J. L.; Nederlof, P. M.; Dinjens, W. N. M.; Meulemans, E.; van den Brule, A. J. C.; van Noesel, C. J. M.; de Leeuw, W. J. F.; Schuuring, E.

2004-01-01

Aims: To describe the evolution of proficiency testing for molecular diagnostic pathology with respect to determining unambiguously the patient identity of tissue samples by microsatellite analysis. Method: Four rounds of quality control exchanges of samples from different patients were sent with

Scientists discover planetary system similar to our own

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

'An international team of scientists has discovered a planet and star that may share the same relationship as Jupiter and our Sun, the closest comparison that researchers have found since they began their search for extra-solar planets nearly a decade ago' (1 page).

Transient inhibition of connective tissue infiltration and collagen deposition into porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) discs.

Science.gov (United States)

Love, Ryan J; Jones, Kim S

2013-12-01

Connective tissue rapidly proliferates on and around biomaterials implanted in vivo, which impairs the function of the engineered tissues, biosensors, and devices. Glucocorticoids can be utilized to suppress tissue ingrowth, but can only be used for a limited time because they nonselectively arrest cell proliferation in the local environment. The present study examined use of a prolyl-4-hydroxylase inhibitor, 1,4-dihydrophenonthrolin-4-one-3-carboxylic acid (1,4-DPCA), to suppress connective tissue ingrowth in porous PLGA discs implanted in the peritoneal cavity for 28 days. The prolyl-4-hydroxylase inhibitor was found to be effective at inhibiting collagen deposition within and on the outer surface of the disc, and also limited connective tissue ingrowth, but not to the extent of glucocorticoid inhibition. Finally, it was discovered that 1,4-DPCA suppressed Scavenger Receptor A expression on a macrophage-like cell culture, which may account for the drug's ability to limit connective tissue ingrowth in vivo. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley Company.

Scientists discover how deadly fungal microbes enter host cells

OpenAIRE

Whyte, Barry James

2010-01-01

A research team led by scientists at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech has discovered a fundamental entry mechanism that allows dangerous fungal microbes to infect plants and cause disease.

Materials from Mussel-Inspired Chemistry for Cell and Tissue Engineering Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Madhurakkat Perikamana, Sajeesh Kumar; Lee, Jinkyu; Lee, Yu Bin; Shin, Young Min; Lee, Esther J; Mikos, Antonios G; Shin, Heungsoo

2015-09-14

Current advances in biomaterial fabrication techniques have broadened their application in different realms of biomedical engineering, spanning from drug delivery to tissue engineering. The success of biomaterials depends highly on the ability to modulate cell and tissue responses, including cell adhesion, as well as induction of repair and immune processes. Thus, most recent approaches in the field have concentrated on functionalizing biomaterials with different biomolecules intended to evoke cell- and tissue-specific reactions. Marine mussels produce mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs), which help them strongly attach to different surfaces, even under wet conditions in the ocean. Inspired by mussel adhesiveness, scientists discovered that dopamine undergoes self-polymerization at alkaline conditions. This reaction provides a universal coating for metals, polymers, and ceramics, regardless of their chemical and physical properties. Furthermore, this polymerized layer is enriched with catechol groups that enable immobilization of primary amine or thiol-based biomolecules via a simple dipping process. Herein, this review explores the versatile surface modification techniques that have recently been exploited in tissue engineering and summarizes polydopamine polymerization mechanisms, coating process parameters, and effects on substrate properties. A brief discussion of polydopamine-based reactions in the context of engineering various tissue types, including bone, blood vessels, cartilage, nerves, and muscle, is also provided.

Neural Control of Hemorrhage-Induced Tissue Cytokine Production

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Molina, Patrica E

2007-01-01

.... Opiate pathway activation favors hemodynamic instability and a pro-inflammatory tissue response while sympathetic nervous system activation counteracts the inflammatory response and contributes...

Top quark discovered

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

Nine months after a careful announcement of tentative evidence for the long-awaited sixth 'top' quark, physicists from the CDF and DO experiments at Fermilab's Tevatron proton-antiproton collider declared on 2 March that they had finally discovered the top quark. Last year (June 1994, page 1), the CDF experiment at the Tevatron reported a dozen candidate top events. These, said CDF, had all the characteristics expected of top, but the difficulties of extracting the tiny signal from a trillion proton-antiproton collisions made them shy of claiming a discovery. For its part, the companion DO Tevatron experiment reported a few similar events but were even more guarded about their interpretation as top quarks. Just after these hesitant announcements, performance at the Tevatron improved dramatically last summer. After the commissioning of a new linear accelerator and a magnet realignment, the machine reached a new world record proton-antiproton collision luminosity of 1.28 x 10 31 per sq cm per s, ten times that originally planned. Data began to pour in at an unprecedented rate and the data sample grew to six trillion collisions. Luminosity has subsequently climbed to 1.7 x 10 31 . The top quark is the final letter in the alphabet of Standard Model particles. According to this picture, all matter is composed of six stronglyinteracting subnuclear particles, the quarks, and six weakly interacting particles, the leptons. Both sextets are neatly arranged as three pairs in order of increasing mass. The fifth quark, the 'beauty' or 'b' quark, was also discovered at Fermilab, back in 1977. Since then physicists have been eagerly waiting for the top to turn up, but have been frustrated by its heaviness - the top is some 40 times the mass of its 'beautiful' partner. Not only is the top quark the heaviest by far, but it is the only quark which has been actively hunted. After the quarry was glimpsed last year, the net has now been

Intramuscular Connective Tissue Differences in Spastic and Control Muscle: A Mechanical and Histological Study

Science.gov (United States)

de Bruin, Marije; Smeulders, Mark J.; Kreulen, Michiel; Huijing, Peter A.; Jaspers, Richard T

2014-01-01

Cerebral palsy (CP) of the spastic type is a neurological disorder characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with exaggerated tendon jerks. Secondary to the spasticity, muscle adaptation is presumed to contribute to limitations in the passive range of joint motion. However, the mechanisms underlying these limitations are unknown. Using biopsies, we compared mechanical as well as histological properties of flexor carpi ulnaris muscle (FCU) from CP patients (n = 29) and healthy controls (n = 10). The sarcomere slack length (mean 2.5 µm, SEM 0.05) and slope of the normalized sarcomere length-tension characteristics of spastic fascicle segments and single myofibre segments were not different from those of control muscle. Fibre type distribution also showed no significant differences. Fibre size was significantly smaller (1933 µm2, SEM 190) in spastic muscle than in controls (2572 µm2, SEM 322). However, our statistical analyses indicate that the latter difference is likely to be explained by age, rather than by the affliction. Quantities of endomysial and perimysial networks within biopsies of control and spastic muscle were unchanged with one exception: a significant thickening of the tertiary perimysium (3-fold), i.e. the connective tissue reinforcement of neurovascular tissues penetrating the muscle. Note that this thickening in tertiary perimysium was shown in the majority of CP patients, however a small number of patients (n = 4 out of 23) did not have this feature. These results are taken as indications that enhanced myofascial loads on FCU is one among several factors contributing in a major way to the aetiology of limitation of movement at the wrist in CP and the characteristic wrist position of such patients. PMID:24977410

Fast Ss-Ilm a Computationally Efficient Algorithm to Discover Socially Important Locations

Science.gov (United States)

Dokuz, A. S.; Celik, M.

2017-11-01

Socially important locations are places which are frequently visited by social media users in their social media lifetime. Discovering socially important locations provide several valuable information about user behaviours on social media networking sites. However, discovering socially important locations are challenging due to data volume and dimensions, spatial and temporal calculations, location sparseness in social media datasets, and inefficiency of current algorithms. In the literature, several studies are conducted to discover important locations, however, the proposed approaches do not work in computationally efficient manner. In this study, we propose Fast SS-ILM algorithm by modifying the algorithm of SS-ILM to mine socially important locations efficiently. Experimental results show that proposed Fast SS-ILM algorithm decreases execution time of socially important locations discovery process up to 20 %.

FAST SS-ILM: A COMPUTATIONALLY EFFICIENT ALGORITHM TO DISCOVER SOCIALLY IMPORTANT LOCATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. S. Dokuz

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Socially important locations are places which are frequently visited by social media users in their social media lifetime. Discovering socially important locations provide several valuable information about user behaviours on social media networking sites. However, discovering socially important locations are challenging due to data volume and dimensions, spatial and temporal calculations, location sparseness in social media datasets, and inefficiency of current algorithms. In the literature, several studies are conducted to discover important locations, however, the proposed approaches do not work in computationally efficient manner. In this study, we propose Fast SS-ILM algorithm by modifying the algorithm of SS-ILM to mine socially important locations efficiently. Experimental results show that proposed Fast SS-ILM algorithm decreases execution time of socially important locations discovery process up to 20 %.

Starlight detectives how astronomers, inventors, and eccentrics discovered the modern universe

CERN Document Server

Hirshfeld, Alan

2014-01-01

NBC News “Top Science and Tech Books of the Year" selectionScientific American/FSG “Favorite Science Books of the Year" selectionNature.com “Top Reads of the Year" selectionKirkus Reviews “Best Books of the Year" selectionDiscover magazine “Top 5 Summer Read"“A masterful balance of science, history and rich narrative." —Discover magazine“Hirshfeld tells this climactic discovery of the expanding universe with great verve and sweep, as befits a story whose scope, characters and import leave

In vivo cryoablation of prostate tissue with temperature monitoring by optoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Petrova, Elena V.; Motamedi, Massoud; Oraevsky, Alexander A.; Ermilov, Sergey A.

2016-03-01

Cryoablation of prostate cancer is an FDA approved clinical procedure, which involves repetitive rapid cooling of a lesion to lethal temperatures of -40°C and below. The major drawback of the technique is the insufficient control over the fast thermal processes that may result in severe complications (impotence, incontinence, perforation of the rectal wall) and morbidity. The developed optoacoustic imaging technique provides non-invasive real-time temperature mapping of tissue adjacent to prostate and enables more efficient control over the procedure, which is necessary to reduce side effects and accelerate the physician's learning curve. In these studies we successfully demonstrated real-time transrectal optoacoustic imaging during prostate cryoablation in live canine model focused on optoacoustic thermography of the rectal wall within the depth of 1cm. Our method utilized previously discovered universal thermal dependence of the normalized optoacoustic response of blood. Nanosecond-pulse radiation of Ti-Sapphire laser tuned to the isosbestic point of hemoglobin (802+/-3 nm) was delivered via fiberoptic illuminators assembled on both sides of the linear array of the 128-channel transrectal ultrasound probe. Temperature readouts at discrete locations inside and nearby prostate were also performed using standard transperineal needle sensors. The effect of homeostasis on optoacoustic imaging in live tissue was examined during cooling and shown to be significant only within the range of +/-1.5°C in respect to the body temperature. Accuracy of in vivo optoacoustic temperature measurements was determined as +/-2°C for the range of temperature from +35 to -15°C, which is more than sufficient for tracking the essential isotherms in the course of clinical procedures.

Expression cartography of human tissues using self organizing maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Löffler Markus

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Parallel high-throughput microarray and sequencing experiments produce vast quantities of multidimensional data which must be arranged and analyzed in a concerted way. One approach to addressing this challenge is the machine learning technique known as self organizing maps (SOMs. SOMs enable a parallel sample- and gene-centered view of genomic data combined with strong visualization and second-level analysis capabilities. The paper aims at bridging the gap between the potency of SOM-machine learning to reduce dimension of high-dimensional data on one hand and practical applications with special emphasis on gene expression analysis on the other hand. Results The method was applied to generate a SOM characterizing the whole genome expression profiles of 67 healthy human tissues selected from ten tissue categories (adipose, endocrine, homeostasis, digestion, exocrine, epithelium, sexual reproduction, muscle, immune system and nervous tissues. SOM mapping reduces the dimension of expression data from ten of thousands of genes to a few thousand metagenes, each representing a minicluster of co-regulated single genes. Tissue-specific and common properties shared between groups of tissues emerge as a handful of localized spots in the tissue maps collecting groups of co-regulated and co-expressed metagenes. The functional context of the spots was discovered using overrepresentation analysis with respect to pre-defined gene sets of known functional impact. We found that tissue related spots typically contain enriched populations of genes related to specific molecular processes in the respective tissue. Analysis techniques normally used at the gene-level such as two-way hierarchical clustering are better represented and provide better signal-to-noise ratios if applied to the metagenes. Metagene-based clustering analyses aggregate the tissues broadly into three clusters containing nervous, immune system and the remaining tissues

A Tissue Engineered Model of Aging: Interdependence and Cooperative Effects in Failing Tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Acun, A; Vural, D C; Zorlutuna, P

2017-07-11

Aging remains a fundamental open problem in modern biology. Although there exist a number of theories on aging on the cellular scale, nearly nothing is known about how microscopic failures cascade to macroscopic failures of tissues, organs and ultimately the organism. The goal of this work is to bridge microscopic cell failure to macroscopic manifestations of aging. We use tissue engineered constructs to control the cellular-level damage and cell-cell distance in individual tissues to establish the role of complex interdependence and interactions between cells in aging tissues. We found that while microscopic mechanisms drive aging, the interdependency between cells plays a major role in tissue death, providing evidence on how cellular aging is connected to its higher systemic consequences.

Cardiac tissue engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MILICA RADISIC

2005-03-01

Full Text Available We hypothesized that clinically sized (1-5 mm thick,compact cardiac constructs containing physiologically high density of viable cells (~108 cells/cm3 can be engineered in vitro by using biomimetic culture systems capable of providing oxygen transport and electrical stimulation, designed to mimic those in native heart. This hypothesis was tested by culturing rat heart cells on polymer scaffolds, either with perfusion of culture medium (physiologic interstitial velocity, supplementation of perfluorocarbons, or with electrical stimulation (continuous application of biphasic pulses, 2 ms, 5 V, 1 Hz. Tissue constructs cultured without perfusion or electrical stimulation served as controls. Medium perfusion and addition of perfluorocarbons resulted in compact, thick constructs containing physiologic density of viable, electromechanically coupled cells, in contrast to control constructs which had only a ~100 mm thick peripheral region with functionally connected cells. Electrical stimulation of cultured constructs resulted in markedly improved contractile properties, increased amounts of cardiac proteins, and remarkably well developed ultrastructure (similar to that of native heart as compared to non-stimulated controls. We discuss here the state of the art of cardiac tissue engineering, in light of the biomimetic approach that reproduces in vitro some of the conditions present during normal tissue development.

Detection of feline coronavirus mutations in paraffin-embedded tissues in cats with feline infectious peritonitis and controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Sangl, Laura; Matiasek, Kaspar; Felten, Sandra; Gründl, Stefanie; Bergmann, Michele; Balzer, Hans-Jörg; Pantchev, Nikola; Leutenegger, Christian M; Hartmann, Katrin

2018-03-01

Objectives The amino acid substitutions M1058L and S1060A in the spike protein of feline coronavirus (FCoV) have been postulated to be responsible for the development of the pathogenic feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), which causes feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The aim of the following study was to investigate the presence of mutated virus in tissue samples of cats with and without FIP. Methods The study population consisted of 64 cats, 34 of which were diagnosed with FIP and 30 control cats. All cases underwent autopsy, histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for FCoV. Furthermore, a genotype-discriminating quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed on shavings of paraffin-embedded tissues to discriminate between cats with FIP and controls, and the sensitivity and specificity of this discriminating RT-qPCR were calculated using 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Specificity of genotype-discriminating RT-qPCR was 100.0% (95% CI 88.4-100.0), sensitivity was 70.6% (95% CI 52.5-84.9). In cats with FIP, 24/34 cats tested positive for FIPV. In samples of three control cats and in seven cats with FIP, FCoV was found, but genotyping was not possible owing to low FCoV RNA concentrations. Out of the positive samples, 23 showed the amino acid substitution M1058L in the spike protein and none the substitution S1060A. One sample in a cat with FIP revealed a mixed population of non-mutated FCoV and FIPV (mixed genotype). For one sample genotyping was not possible despite high viral load, and two samples were negative for FCoV. Conclusions and relevance As none of the control animals showed FCoV amino acid substitutions previously demonstrated in cats with FIP, it can be presumed that the substitution M1058L correlates with the presence of FIP. FCoV was detected in low concentration in tissues of control animals, confirming the ability of FCoV to spread systemically. The fact that no negative controls were included in the IHC

Biomimetic heterogenous elastic tissue development.

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Tsai, Kai Jen; Dixon, Simon; Hale, Luke Richard; Darbyshire, Arnold; Martin, Daniel; de Mel, Achala

2017-01-01

There is an unmet need for artificial tissue to address current limitations with donor organs and problems with donor site morbidity. Despite the success with sophisticated tissue engineering endeavours, which employ cells as building blocks, they are limited to dedicated labs suitable for cell culture, with associated high costs and long tissue maturation times before available for clinical use. Direct 3D printing presents rapid, bespoke, acellular solutions for skull and bone repair or replacement, and can potentially address the need for elastic tissue, which is a major constituent of smooth muscle, cartilage, ligaments and connective tissue that support organs. Thermoplastic polyurethanes are one of the most versatile elastomeric polymers. Their segmented block copolymeric nature, comprising of hard and soft segments allows for an almost limitless potential to control physical properties and mechanical behaviour. Here we show direct 3D printing of biocompatible thermoplastic polyurethanes with Fused Deposition Modelling, with a view to presenting cell independent in-situ tissue substitutes. This method can expeditiously and economically produce heterogenous, biomimetic elastic tissue substitutes with controlled porosity to potentially facilitate vascularisation. The flexibility of this application is shown here with tubular constructs as exemplars. We demonstrate how these 3D printed constructs can be post-processed to incorporate bioactive molecules. This efficacious strategy, when combined with the privileges of digital healthcare, can be used to produce bespoke elastic tissue substitutes in-situ, independent of extensive cell culture and may be developed as a point-of-care therapy approach.

Vitamin A Controls the Presence of RORγ+ Innate Lymphoid Cells and Lymphoid Tissue in the Small Intestine.

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Goverse, Gera; Labao-Almeida, Carlos; Ferreira, Manuela; Molenaar, Rosalie; Wahlen, Sigrid; Konijn, Tanja; Koning, Jasper; Veiga-Fernandes, Henrique; Mebius, Reina E

2016-06-15

Changes in diet and microbiota have determining effects on the function of the mucosal immune system. For example, the active metabolite of vitamin A, retinoic acid (RA), has been described to maintain homeostasis in the intestine by its influence on both lymphocytes and myeloid cells. Additionally, innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), important producers of cytokines necessary for intestinal homeostasis, are also influenced by vitamin A in the small intestines. In this study, we show a reduction of both NCR(-) and NCR(+) ILC3 subsets in the small intestine of mice raised on a vitamin A-deficient diet. Additionally, the percentages of IL-22-producing ILCs were reduced in the absence of dietary vitamin A. Conversely, mice receiving additional RA had a specific increase in the NCR(-) ILC3 subset, which contains the lymphoid tissue inducer cells. The dependence of lymphoid tissue inducer cells on vitamin A was furthermore illustrated by impaired development of enteric lymphoid tissues in vitamin A-deficient mice. These effects were a direct consequence of ILC-intrinsic RA signaling, because retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt-Cre × RARα-DN mice had reduced numbers of NCR(-) and NCR(+) ILC3 subsets within the small intestine. However, lymphoid tissue inducer cells were not affected in these mice nor was the formation of enteric lymphoid tissue, demonstrating that the onset of RA signaling might take place before retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt is expressed on lymphoid tissue inducer cells. Taken together, our data show an important role for vitamin A in controlling innate lymphoid cells and, consequently, postnatal formed lymphoid tissues within the small intestines. Copyright © 2016 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Discovering disease-associated genes in weighted protein-protein interaction networks

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Ying; Cai, Meng; Stanley, H. Eugene

2018-04-01

Although there have been many network-based attempts to discover disease-associated genes, most of them have not taken edge weight - which quantifies their relative strength - into consideration. We use connection weights in a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to locate disease-related genes. We analyze the topological properties of both weighted and unweighted PPI networks and design an improved random forest classifier to distinguish disease genes from non-disease genes. We use a cross-validation test to confirm that weighted networks are better able to discover disease-associated genes than unweighted networks, which indicates that including link weight in the analysis of network properties provides a better model of complex genotype-phenotype associations.

Engineering Parameters in Bioreactor's Design: A Critical Aspect in Tissue Engineering

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Amoabediny, Ghassem; Pouran, Behdad; Tabesh, Hadi; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Haghighipour, Nooshin; Khatibi, Nahid; Mottaghy, Khosrow; Zandieh-Doulabi, Behrouz

2013-01-01

Bioreactors are important inevitable part of any tissue engineering (TE) strategy as they aid the construction of three-dimensional functional tissues. Since the ultimate aim of a bioreactor is to create a biological product, the engineering parameters, for example, internal and external mass transfer, fluid velocity, shear stress, electrical current distribution, and so forth, are worth to be thoroughly investigated. The effects of such engineering parameters on biological cultures have been addressed in only a few preceding studies. Furthermore, it would be highly inefficient to determine the optimal engineering parameters by trial and error method. A solution is provided by emerging modeling and computational tools and by analyzing oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nutrient and metabolism waste material transports, which can simulate and predict the experimental results. Discovering the optimal engineering parameters is crucial not only to reduce the cost and time of experiments, but also to enhance efficacy and functionality of the tissue construct. This review intends to provide an inclusive package of the engineering parameters together with their calculation procedure in addition to the modeling techniques in TE bioreactors. PMID:24000327

Engineering parameters in bioreactor's design: a critical aspect in tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Salehi-Nik, Nasim; Amoabediny, Ghassem; Pouran, Behdad; Tabesh, Hadi; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Haghighipour, Nooshin; Khatibi, Nahid; Anisi, Fatemeh; Mottaghy, Khosrow; Zandieh-Doulabi, Behrouz

2013-01-01

Bioreactors are important inevitable part of any tissue engineering (TE) strategy as they aid the construction of three-dimensional functional tissues. Since the ultimate aim of a bioreactor is to create a biological product, the engineering parameters, for example, internal and external mass transfer, fluid velocity, shear stress, electrical current distribution, and so forth, are worth to be thoroughly investigated. The effects of such engineering parameters on biological cultures have been addressed in only a few preceding studies. Furthermore, it would be highly inefficient to determine the optimal engineering parameters by trial and error method. A solution is provided by emerging modeling and computational tools and by analyzing oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nutrient and metabolism waste material transports, which can simulate and predict the experimental results. Discovering the optimal engineering parameters is crucial not only to reduce the cost and time of experiments, but also to enhance efficacy and functionality of the tissue construct. This review intends to provide an inclusive package of the engineering parameters together with their calculation procedure in addition to the modeling techniques in TE bioreactors.

Real-time estimation of lesion depth and control of radiofrequency ablation within ex vivo animal tissues using a neural network.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yearnchee Curtis; Chan, Terence Chee-Hung; Sahakian, Alan Varteres

2018-01-04

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a method of inducing thermal ablation (cell death), is often used to destroy tumours or potentially cancerous tissue. Current techniques for RFA estimation (electrical impedance tomography, Nakagami ultrasound, etc.) require long compute times (≥ 2 s) and measurement devices other than the RFA device. This study aims to determine if a neural network (NN) can estimate ablation lesion depth for control of bipolar RFA using complex electrical impedance - since tissue electrical conductivity varies as a function of tissue temperature - in real time using only the RFA therapy device's electrodes. Three-dimensional, cubic models comprised of beef liver, pork loin or pork belly represented target tissue. Temperature and complex electrical impedance from 72 data generation ablations in pork loin and belly were used for training the NN (403 s on Xeon processor). NN inputs were inquiry depth, starting complex impedance and current complex impedance. Training-validation-test splits were 70%-0%-30% and 80%-10%-10% (overfit test). Once the NN-estimated lesion depth for a margin reached the target lesion depth, RFA was stopped for that margin of tissue. The NN trained to 93% accuracy and an NN-integrated control ablated tissue to within 1.0 mm of the target lesion depth on average. Full 15-mm depth maps were calculated in 0.2 s on a single-core ARMv7 processor. The results show that a NN could make lesion depth estimations in real-time using less in situ devices than current techniques. With the NN-based technique, physicians could deliver quicker and more precise ablation therapy.

Oral paracetamol and/or ibuprofen for treating pain after soft tissue injuries: Single centre double-blind, randomised controlled clinical trial.

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Kevin K C Hung

Full Text Available Soft tissue injuries commonly present to the emergency department (ED, often with acute pain. They cause significant suffering and morbidity if not adequately treated. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are commonly used analgesics, but it remains unknown if either one or the combination of both is superior for pain control.To investigate the analgesic effect of paracetamol, ibuprofen and the combination of both in the treatment of soft tissue injury in an ED, and the side effect profile of these drugs.Double-blind, double dummy, placebo-controlled randomised controlled trial. 782 adult patients presenting with soft tissue injury without obvious fractures attending the ED of a university hospital in the New Territories of Hong Kong were recruited. Patients were randomised using a random number table into three parallel arms of paracetamol only, ibuprofen only and a combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen in a 1:1:1 ratio. The primary outcome measure was pain score at rest and on activity in the first 2 hours and first 3 days. Data was analysed on an intention to treat basis.There was no statistically significant difference in pain score in the initial two hours between the three groups, and no clinically significant difference in pain score in the first three days.There was no difference in analgesic effects or side effects observed using oral paracetamol, ibuprofen or a combination of both in patients with mild to moderate pain after soft tissue injuries attending the ED.The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT00528658.

Oral paracetamol and/or ibuprofen for treating pain after soft tissue injuries: Single centre double-blind, randomised controlled clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Kevin K C; Graham, Colin A; Lo, Ronson S L; Leung, Yuk Ki; Leung, Ling Yan; Man, S Y; Woo, W K; Cattermole, Giles N; Rainer, Timothy H

2018-01-01

Soft tissue injuries commonly present to the emergency department (ED), often with acute pain. They cause significant suffering and morbidity if not adequately treated. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are commonly used analgesics, but it remains unknown if either one or the combination of both is superior for pain control. To investigate the analgesic effect of paracetamol, ibuprofen and the combination of both in the treatment of soft tissue injury in an ED, and the side effect profile of these drugs. Double-blind, double dummy, placebo-controlled randomised controlled trial. 782 adult patients presenting with soft tissue injury without obvious fractures attending the ED of a university hospital in the New Territories of Hong Kong were recruited. Patients were randomised using a random number table into three parallel arms of paracetamol only, ibuprofen only and a combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen in a 1:1:1 ratio. The primary outcome measure was pain score at rest and on activity in the first 2 hours and first 3 days. Data was analysed on an intention to treat basis. There was no statistically significant difference in pain score in the initial two hours between the three groups, and no clinically significant difference in pain score in the first three days. There was no difference in analgesic effects or side effects observed using oral paracetamol, ibuprofen or a combination of both in patients with mild to moderate pain after soft tissue injuries attending the ED. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT00528658).

A systems approach for discovering linoleic acid derivatives that potentially mediate pain and itch

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsden, Christopher E.; Domenichiello, Anthony F.; Yuan, Zhi-Xin; Sapio, Matthew R.; Keyes, Gregory S.; Mishra, Santosh K.; Gross, Jacklyn R.; Majchrzak-Hong, Sharon; Zamora, Daisy; Horowitz, Mark S.; Davis, John M.; Sorokin, Alexander V.; Dey, Amit; LaPaglia, Danielle M.; Wheeler, Joshua J.; Vasko, Michael R.; Mehta, Nehal N.; Mannes, Andrew J.; Iadarola, Michael J.

2018-01-01

Chronic pain and itch are common hypersensitivity syndromes that are affected by endogenous mediators. We applied a systems-based, translational approach to predict, discover, and characterize mediators of pain and itch that are regulated by diet and inflammation. Profiling of tissue-specific precursor abundance and biosynthetic gene expression predicted that inflamed skin would be abundant in four previously unknown 11-hydroxy-epoxy-or 11-keto-epoxy-octadecenoate linoleic acid derivatives and four previously identified 9- or 13-hydroxy-epoxy- or 9- or 13-keto-epoxy-octadecenoate linoleic acid derivatives. All of these mediators were confirmed to be abundant in rat and human skin by mass spectrometry. However, only the two 11-hydroxy-epoxy-octadecenoates sensitized rat dorsal root ganglion neurons to release more calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP), which is involved in pain transmission, in response to low pH (which mimics an inflammatory state) or capsaicin (which activates ion channels involved in nociception). The two 11-hydroxy-epoxy-octadecenoates share a 3-hydroxy-Z-pentenyl-E-epoxide moiety, thus suggesting that this substructure could mediate nociceptor sensitization. In rats, intradermal hind paw injection of 11-hydroxy-12,13-trans-epoxy-(9Z)-octadecenoate elicited C-fiber–mediated sensitivity to thermal pain. In a randomized trial testing adjunctive strategies to manage refractory chronic headaches, reducing the dietary intake of linoleic acid was associated with decreases in plasma 11-hydroxy-12,13-trans-epoxy-(9Z)-octadecenoate, which correlated with clinical pain reduction. Human psoriatic skin had 30-fold higher 9-keto-12,13-trans-epoxy-(10E)-octadecenoate compared to control skin, and intradermal injection of this compound induced itch-related scratching behavior in mice. Collectively, these findings define a family of endogenous mediators with potential roles in pain and itch. PMID:28831021

Pigmented Creatine Deposits in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Central Nervous System Tissues Identified by Synchrotron Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy and X-ray Fluorescence Spectromicroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kastyak, M.; Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, M; Adamek, D; Tomik, B; Lankosz, M; Gough, K

2010-01-01

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an untreatable, neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons characterized by progressive muscle atrophy, limb paralysis, dysarthria, dysphagia, dyspnae and finally death. Large motor neurons in ventral horns of spinal cord and motor nuclei in brainstem, large pyramidal neurons of motor cortex and/or large myelinated axons of corticospinal tracts are affected. In recent synchrotron Fourier Transform Infrared microspectroscopy (sFTIR) studies of ALS CNS autopsy tissue, we discovered a small deposit of crystalline creatine, which has a crucial role in energy metabolism. We have now examined unfixed, snap frozen, post-autopsy tissue sections of motor cortex, brain stem, spinal cord, hippocampus and substantia nigra from six ALS and three non-degenerated cases with FTIR and micro-X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Heterogeneous pigmented deposits were discovered in spinal cord, brain stem and motor neuron cortex of two ALS cases. The FTIR signature of creatine has been identified in these deposits and in numerous large, non-pigmented deposits in four of the ALS cases. Comparable pigmentation and creatine deposits were not found in controls or in ALS hippocampus and substantia nigra. Ca, K, Fe, Cu and Zn, as determined by XRF, were not correlated with the pigmented deposits; however, there was a higher incidence of hot spots (Ca, Zn, Fe and Cu) in the ALS cases. The identity of the pigmented deposits remains unknown, although the absence of Fe argues against both erythrocytes and neuromelanin. We conclude that elevated creatine deposits may be indicators of dysfunctional oxidative processes in some ALS cases.

TCUP: A novel hAT transposon active in maize tissue culture

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Alan eSmith

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Transposable elements are capable of inducing heritable de novo genetic variation. The sequences capable of reactivation, and environmental factors that induce mobilization, remain poorly defined even in well-studied genomes such as maize. We treated maize tissue culture with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2-deoxcytidine and examined long-term tissue culture lines to discover silenced transposable elements that have the potential to induce heritable genetic variation. Through these screens we have identified a novel low copy number hAT transposon, Tissue Culture Up-Regulated (TCUP, which is transcribed at high levels in long-term maize Black Mexican Sweet (BMS tissue culture and up-regulated in response to treatment with 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine. Analysis of the TIGR Maize Gene Index revealed that this element is the most frequently represented EST from the BMS cell culture library and is not represented in other tissue libraries, which is the basis for its name. A full-length sequence was assembled in inbred B73 that contains the putative functional motifs required for autonomous movement of a hAT transposon. Transposon display detected movement of TCUP in two long-term tissue cultured cell lines of the genotype Hi-II AxB and BMS. This research implicates TCUP as a transposon that is capable of reactivation and which may also be particularly sensitive to the stress of the tissue culture environment. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that epigenetic alterations potentiate genomic responses to stress during clonal propagation of plants.

32 CFR 644.533 - Contamination discovered after return of land to owner, or sale.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Contamination discovered after return of land to owner, or sale. 644.533 Section 644.533 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF... Other Contamination from Proposed Excess Land and Improvements § 644.533 Contamination discovered after...

Identification of differentially expressed genes induced by energy restriction using annealing control primer system from the liver and adipose tissues of broilers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J W; Chen, W; Kang, X T; Huang, Y Q; Tian, Y D; Wang, Y B

2012-04-01

Female Arbor Acre broilers were divided into 2 groups at 18 d of age. One group of chickens had free access to feed (AL), and the other group of chickens had 30% energy restriction (ER). Adipose and hepatic RNA samples were collected at 48 d of age. We employed an accurate reverse-transcription (RT) PCR method that involves annealing control primers to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEG) between ER and AL groups. Using 20 annealing control primers, 43 differentially expressed bands (40 downregulated and 3 upregulated in the ER group) were detected from the hepatic tissue, whereas no differentially expressed bands were detected from the adipose tissue. It seems that energy restriction could induce more DEG in hepatic tissue than that in adipose tissue and could result in more gene-expression downregulation in hepatic tissue. Eight DEG (6 known and 2 unknown genes) were gained from hepatic tissue and confirmed by RT-PCR, which were all supported by released expressed sequence tag sequences. Their expressions were all downregulated by energy restriction in hepatic tissues. Six known genes are RPL7, RPLP1, FBXL12, ND1, ANTXR2, and SLC22A18, respectively, which seem to play essential roles in the protein translation, energy metabolism, and tumor inhibition. The alterations of gene expression in 3 selected genes, including ND1 (P < 0.01), FBXL12 (P < 0.01), and RPLP1 (P < 0.05), were supported by real-time quantitative RT-PCR reaction. Our data provide new insights on the metabolic state of broilers changed by energy restriction.

Strontium-90 Error Discovered in Subcontract Laboratory Spreadsheet. Topical Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, D.D.; Nagel, A.S.

1999-07-01

West Valley Demonstration Project health physicists and environment scientists discovered a series of errors in a subcontractor's spreadsheet being used to reduce data as part of their strontium-90 analytical process

Discovering More Accurate Frequent Web Usage Patterns

OpenAIRE

Bayir, Murat Ali; Toroslu, Ismail Hakki; Cosar, Ahmet; Fidan, Guven

2008-01-01

Web usage mining is a type of web mining, which exploits data mining techniques to discover valuable information from navigation behavior of World Wide Web users. As in classical data mining, data preparation and pattern discovery are the main issues in web usage mining. The first phase of web usage mining is the data processing phase, which includes the session reconstruction operation from server logs. Session reconstruction success directly affects the quality of the frequent patterns disc...

Analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue via proteomic techniques and misconceptions of antigen retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Rourke, Matthew B; Padula, Matthew P

2016-01-01

Since emerging in the late 19(th) century, formaldehyde fixation has become a standard method for preservation of tissues from clinical samples. The advantage of formaldehyde fixation is that fixed tissues can be stored at room temperature for decades without concern for degradation. This has led to the generation of huge tissue banks containing thousands of clinically significant samples. Here we review techniques for proteomic analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples with a specific focus on the methods used to extract and break formaldehyde crosslinks. We also discuss an error-of-interpretation associated with the technique known as "antigen retrieval." We have discovered that this term has been mistakenly applied to two disparate molecular techniques; therefore, we argue that a terminology change is needed to ensure accurate reporting of experimental results. Finally, we suggest that more investigation is required to fully understand the process of formaldehyde fixation and its subsequent reversal.

Bioprinting for Neural Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Knowlton, Stephanie; Anand, Shivesh; Shah, Twisha; Tasoglu, Savas

2018-01-01

Bioprinting is a method by which a cell-encapsulating bioink is patterned to create complex tissue architectures. Given the potential impact of this technology on neural research, we review the current state-of-the-art approaches for bioprinting neural tissues. While 2D neural cultures are ubiquitous for studying neural cells, 3D cultures can more accurately replicate the microenvironment of neural tissues. By bioprinting neuronal constructs, one can precisely control the microenvironment by specifically formulating the bioink for neural tissues, and by spatially patterning cell types and scaffold properties in three dimensions. We review a range of bioprinted neural tissue models and discuss how they can be used to observe how neurons behave, understand disease processes, develop new therapies and, ultimately, design replacement tissues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinase Gene Expression Profiling of Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Tissue Identifies Potential New Therapeutic Targets.

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Pooja Ghatalia

Full Text Available Kinases are therapeutically actionable targets. Kinase inhibitors targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR improve outcomes in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC, but are not curative. Metastatic tumor tissue has not been comprehensively studied for kinase gene expression. Paired intra-patient kinase gene expression analysis in primary tumor (T, matched normal kidney (N and metastatic tumor tissue (M may assist in identifying drivers of metastasis and prioritizing therapeutic targets. We compared the expression of 519 kinase genes using NanoString in T, N and M in 35 patients to discover genes over-expressed in M compared to T and N tissue. RNA-seq data derived from ccRCC tumors in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA were used to demonstrate differential expression of genes in primary tumor tissue from patients that had metastasis at baseline (n = 79 compared to those that did not develop metastasis for at least 2 years (n = 187. Functional analysis was conducted to identify key signaling pathways by using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Of 10 kinase genes overexpressed in metastases compared to primary tumor in the discovery cohort, 9 genes were also differentially expressed in TCGA primary tumors with metastasis at baseline compared to primary tumors without metastasis for at least 2 years: EPHB2, AURKA, GSG2, IKBKE, MELK, CSK, CHEK2, CDC7 and MAP3K8; p<0.001. The top pathways overexpressed in M tissue were pyridoxal 5'-phosphate salvage, salvage pathways of pyrimidine ribonucleotides, NF-kB signaling, NGF signaling and cell cycle control of chromosomal replication. The 9 kinase genes validated to be over-expressed in metastatic ccRCC may represent currently unrecognized but potentially actionable therapeutic targets that warrant functional validation.

The Use of a Performance Assessment for Identifying Gifted Lebanese Students: Is DISCOVER Effective?

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Sarouphim, Ketty M.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of DISCOVER, a performance- based assessment in identifying gifted Lebanese students. The sample consisted of 248 students (121 boys, 127 girls) from Grades 3-5 at two private schools in Beirut, Lebanon. Students were administered DISCOVER and the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices…

Hybrid Decompositional Verification for Discovering Failures in Adaptive Flight Control Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Sarah; Davies, Misty D.; Gundy-Burlet, Karen

2010-01-01

Adaptive flight control systems hold tremendous promise for maintaining the safety of a damaged aircraft and its passengers. However, most currently proposed adaptive control methodologies rely on online learning neural networks (OLNNs), which necessarily have the property that the controller is changing during the flight. These changes tend to be highly nonlinear, and difficult or impossible to analyze using standard techniques. In this paper, we approach the problem with a variant of compositional verification. The overall system is broken into components. Undesirable behavior is fed backwards through the system. Components which can be solved using formal methods techniques explicitly for the ranges of safe and unsafe input bounds are treated as white box components. The remaining black box components are analyzed with heuristic techniques that try to predict a range of component inputs that may lead to unsafe behavior. The composition of these component inputs throughout the system leads to overall system test vectors that may elucidate the undesirable behavior

Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode Arrays

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Himanshi Desai

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Brain-implantable microelectrode arrays are devicesdesigned to record or electrically stimulate the activity ofneurons in the brain. These devices hold the potential tohelp treat epilepsy, paralysis, blindness, and deafness, andalso provide researchers with insights into a varietyof neural processes, such as memory formation.While these devices have a very promising future,researchers are discovering that their long-termfunctionality is greatly limited by the brain’s naturalimmune response to foreign objects. To improve thefunctional lifetime of these devices, one solution lies infully characterizing and understanding this tissue response.Roles for microglia and astrocytes in this biologicalresponse have been characterized. However, changesto oligodendrocytes, cells that myelinate axons, remainpoorly understood. These cells provide insulationto the axons, which is required for proper neuralfunctioning. Here we report on the changes that occurwith oligodendrocyte processes in tissue aroundmicroelectrode implants in the brain.Six rats were surgically implanted with microelectrodearrays and allowed to recover for 1, 2, or 4 weeks.Subjects were then sacrificed and the brain tissue wasprocessed using our recently developed method, Device-Capture Histology. Immunohistochemistry and confocalmicroscopy was employed to assess the responsearound the device. Results indicated a decrease inoligodendrocyte density and a loss in typical directionalorientation of oligodendrocyte processes in tissue near thedevice. These results suggest alterations in the underlyingneuronal networks around these devices, which maygreatly impact the current functional utility of thesepromising devices.

Mapping of Mechanical Strains and Stresses around Quiescent Engineered Three-Dimensional Epithelial Tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Gjorevski, Nikolce; Nelson, Celeste M.

2012-01-01

Understanding how physical signals guide biological processes requires qualitative and quantitative knowledge of the mechanical forces generated and sensed by cells in a physiologically realistic three-dimensional (3D) context. Here, we used computational modeling and engineered epithelial tissues of precise geometry to define the experimental parameters that are required to measure directly the mechanical stress profile of 3D tissues embedded within native type I collagen. We found that to calculate the stresses accurately in these settings, we had to account for mechanical heterogeneities within the matrix, which we visualized and quantified using confocal reflectance and atomic force microscopy. Using this technique, we were able to obtain traction forces at the epithelium-matrix interface, and to resolve and quantify patterns of mechanical stress throughout the surrounding matrix. We discovered that whereas single cells generate tension by contracting and pulling on the matrix, the contraction of multicellular tissues can also push against the matrix, causing emergent compression. Furthermore, tissue geometry defines the spatial distribution of mechanical stress across the epithelium, which communicates mechanically over distances spanning hundreds of micrometers. Spatially resolved mechanical maps can provide insight into the types and magnitudes of physical parameters that are sensed and interpreted by multicellular tissues during normal and pathological processes. PMID:22828342

Thermal damage control of dye-assisted laser tissue welding: effect of dye concentration

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Hua; Buckley, Lisa A.; Prahl, Scott A.; Shaffer, Brian S.; Gregory, Kenton W.

2001-05-01

Successful laser-assisted tissue welding was implemented to provide proper weld strength with minimized tissue thermal injury. We investigated and compared the weld strengths and morphologic changes in porcine small intestinal submucose (SIS) and porcine ureteral tissues with various concentration of indocyanine green (ICG) and with a solid albumin sheet. The study showed that the tissues were welded at lower ICG concentration (0.05 mM) with minimized tissue thermal damage using an 800-nm wavelength diode laser.

Screening individual hybridomas by microengraving to discover monoclonal antibodies

Science.gov (United States)

Ogunniyi, Adebola O; Story, Craig M; Papa, Eliseo; Guillen, Eduardo; Love, J Christopher

2014-01-01

The demand for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in biomedical research is significant, but the current methodologies used to discover them are both lengthy and costly. Consequently, the diversity of antibodies available for any particular antigen remains limited. Microengraving is a soft lithographic technique that provides a rapid and efficient alternative for discovering new mAbs. This protocol describes how to use microengraving to screen mouse hybridomas to establish new cell lines producing unique mAbs. Single cells from a polyclonal population are isolated into an array of microscale wells (~105 cells per screen). The array is then used to print a protein microarray, where each element contains the antibodies captured from individual wells. The antibodies on the microarray are screened with antigens of interest, and mapped to the corresponding cells, which are then recovered from their microwells by micromanipulation. Screening and retrieval require approximately 1–3 d (9–12 d including the steps for preparing arrays of microwells). PMID:19528952

Engineering Parameters in Bioreactor’s Design: A Critical Aspect in Tissue Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasim Salehi-Nik

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Bioreactors are important inevitable part of any tissue engineering (TE strategy as they aid the construction of three-dimensional functional tissues. Since the ultimate aim of a bioreactor is to create a biological product, the engineering parameters, for example, internal and external mass transfer, fluid velocity, shear stress, electrical current distribution, and so forth, are worth to be thoroughly investigated. The effects of such engineering parameters on biological cultures have been addressed in only a few preceding studies. Furthermore, it would be highly inefficient to determine the optimal engineering parameters by trial and error method. A solution is provided by emerging modeling and computational tools and by analyzing oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nutrient and metabolism waste material transports, which can simulate and predict the experimental results. Discovering the optimal engineering parameters is crucial not only to reduce the cost and time of experiments, but also to enhance efficacy and functionality of the tissue construct. This review intends to provide an inclusive package of the engineering parameters together with their calculation procedure in addition to the modeling techniques in TE bioreactors.

Discovering the secrets of the Olifants sediments

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Petersen, C

2012-07-01

Full Text Available is an important component of an aquatic ecosystem in that it provides habitat, feed- ing and spawning areas for aquatic fauna such as fish and benthic Discovering the secrets of THE OLIFANTS SEDIMENTS The polluted Upper Olifants River, in Mpumalanga, has... the distribution of bed material sizes. This allows for the determination ? Top right: The Koffie- spruit, a tributary of the Upper Olifants River. Middle right: Bank erosion was evident throughout the Koffiespruit study reach. This section of river...

Metagenomic approach for discovering new pathogens in infection disease outbreaks

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Emanuela Giombini

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Viruses represent the most abundant biological components on earth.They can be found in every environment, from deep layers of oceans to animal bodies.Although several viruses have been isolated and sequenced, in each environment there are millions of different types of viruses that have not been identified yet.The advent of nextgeneration sequencing technologies with their high throughput capabilities make possible to study in a single experiment all the community of microorganisms present in a particular sample “microbioma”.They made more feasible the application of the metagenomic approach, by which it is also possible to discover and identify new pathogens, that may pose a threat to public health.This paper summarizes the most recent applications of nextgeneration sequencing to discover new viral pathogens during the occurrence of infection disease outbreaks.

Cell cycle gene expression networks discovered using systems biology: Significance in carcinogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, RE; Ghule, PN; Stein, JL; Stein, GS

2015-01-01

The early stages of carcinogenesis are linked to defects in the cell cycle. A series of cell cycle checkpoints are involved in this process. The G1/S checkpoint that serves to integrate the control of cell proliferation and differentiation is linked to carcinogenesis and the mitotic spindle checkpoint with the development of chromosomal instability. This paper presents the outcome of systems biology studies designed to evaluate if networks of covariate cell cycle gene transcripts exist in proliferative mammalian tissues including mice, rats and humans. The GeneNetwork website that contains numerous gene expression datasets from different species, sexes and tissues represents the foundational resource for these studies (www.genenetwork.org). In addition, WebGestalt, a gene ontology tool, facilitated the identification of expression networks of genes that co-vary with key cell cycle targets, especially Cdc20 and Plk1 (www.bioinfo.vanderbilt.edu/webgestalt). Cell cycle expression networks of such covariate mRNAs exist in multiple proliferative tissues including liver, lung, pituitary, adipose and lymphoid tissues among others but not in brain or retina that have low proliferative potential. Sixty-three covariate cell cycle gene transcripts (mRNAs) compose the average cell cycle network with p = e−13 to e−36. Cell cycle expression networks show species, sex and tissue variability and they are enriched in mRNA transcripts associated with mitosis many of which are associated with chromosomal instability. PMID:25808367

Discovering EEG resting state alterations of semantic dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Grieder, Matthias; Koenig, Thomas; Kinoshita, Toshihiko; Utsunomiya, Keita; Wahlund, Lars-Olof; Dierks, Thomas; Nishida, Keiichiro

2016-05-01

Diagnosis of semantic dementia relies on cost-intensive MRI or PET, although resting EEG markers of other dementias have been reported. Yet the view still holds that resting EEG in patients with semantic dementia is normal. However, studies using increasingly sophisticated EEG analysis methods have demonstrated that slightest alterations of functional brain states can be detected. We analyzed the common four resting EEG microstates (A, B, C, and D) of 8 patients with semantic dementia in comparison with 8 healthy controls and 8 patients with Alzheimer's disease. Topographical differences between the groups were found in microstate classes B and C, while microstate classes A and D were comparable. The data showed that the semantic dementia group had a peculiar microstate E, but the commonly found microstate C was lacking. Furthermore, the presence of microstate E was significantly correlated with lower MMSE and language scores. Alterations in resting EEG can be found in semantic dementia. Topographical shifts in microstate C might be related to semantic memory deficits. This is the first study that discovered resting state EEG abnormality in semantic dementia. The notion that resting EEG in this dementia subtype is normal has to be revised. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of anti-sclerostin therapy and osteogenesis imperfecta on tissue-level properties in growing and adult mice while controlling for tissue age.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinder, Benjamin P; Lloyd, William R; Salemi, Joseph D; Marini, Joan C; Caird, Michelle S; Morris, Michael D; Kozloff, Kenneth M

2016-03-01

Bone composition and biomechanics at the tissue-level are important contributors to whole bone strength. Sclerostin antibody (Scl-Ab) is a candidate anabolic therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis that increases bone formation, bone mass, and bone strength in animal studies, but its effect on bone quality at the tissue-level has received little attention. Pre-clinical studies of Scl-Ab have recently expanded to include diseases with altered collagen and material properties such as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Scl-Ab on bone quality by determining bone material composition and tissue-level mechanical properties in normal wild type (WT) tissue, as well as mice with a typical OI Gly➔Cys mutation (Brtl/+) in type I collagen. Rapidly growing (3-week-old) and adult (6-month-old) WT and Brtl/+ mice were treated for 5weeks with Scl-Ab. Fluorescent guided tissue-level bone composition analysis (Raman spectroscopy) and biomechanical testing (nanoindentation) were performed at multiple tissue ages. Scl-Ab increased mineral to matrix in adult WT and Brtl/+ at tissue ages of 2-4wks. However, no treatment related changes were observed in mineral to matrix levels at mid-cortex, and elastic modulus was not altered by Scl-Ab at any tissue age. Increased mineral-to-matrix was phenotypically observed in adult Brtl/+ OI mice (at tissue ages>3wks) and rapidly growing Brtl/+ (at tissue ages>4wks) mice compared to WT. At identical tissue ages defined by fluorescent labels, adult mice had generally lower mineral to matrix ratios and a greater elastic modulus than rapidly growing mice, demonstrating that bone matrix quality can be influenced by animal age and tissue age alike. In summary, these data suggest that Scl-Ab alters the matrix chemistry of newly formed bone while not affecting the elastic modulus, induces similar changes between Brtl/+ and WT mice, and provides new insight into the interaction between tissue age and

The Spy VI child : A newly discovered Neandertal infant

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Crevecoeur, Isabelle; Bayle, Priscilla; Rougier, Helene; Maureille, Bruno; Higham, Thomas; van der Plicht, Johannes; De Clerck, Nora; Semal, Patrick

2010-01-01

Spy cave (Jemeppe-sur-Sambre Belgium) is reputed for the two adult Neandertal individuals discovered in situ in 1886 Recent reassessment of the Spy collections has allowed direct radiocarbon dating of these individuals The sorting of all of the faunal collections has also led to the discovery of the

Postharvest application of organic and inorganic salts to control potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) storage soft rot: plant tissue-salt physicochemical interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yaganza, E S; Tweddell, R J; Arul, J

2014-09-24

Soft rot caused by Pectobacterium sp. is a devastating disease affecting stored potato tubers, and there is a lack of effective means of controlling this disease. In this study, 21 organic and inorganic salts were tested for their ability to control soft rot in potato tubers. In the preventive treatment, significant control of soft rot was observed with AlCl3 (≥66%) and Na2S2O3 (≥57%) and to a lesser extent with Al lactate and Na benzoate (≥34%) and K sorbate and Na propionate (≥27%). However, only a moderate control was achieved by curative treatment with AlCl3 and Na2S2O3 (42%) and sodium benzoate (≥33%). Overall, the in vitro inhibitory activity of salts was attenuated in the presence of plant tissue (in vivo) to different degrees. The inhibitory action of the salts in the preventive treatment, whether effective or otherwise, showed an inverse linear relationship with water ionization capacity (pK') of the salt ions, whereas in the curative treatment, only the effective salts showed this inverse linear relationship. Salt-plant tissue interactions appear to play a central role in the attenuated inhibitory activity of salts in potato tuber through reduction in the availability of the inhibitory ions for salt-bacteria interactions. This study demonstrates that AlCl3, Na2S2O3, and Na benzoate have potential in controlling potato tuber soft rot and provides a general basis for understanding of specific salt-tissue interactions.

Synthetic Phage for Tissue Regeneration

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So Young Yoo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Controlling structural organization and signaling motif display is of great importance to design the functional tissue regenerating materials. Synthetic phage, genetically engineered M13 bacteriophage has been recently introduced as novel tissue regeneration materials to display a high density of cell-signaling peptides on their major coat proteins for tissue regeneration purposes. Structural advantages of their long-rod shape and monodispersity can be taken together to construct nanofibrous scaffolds which support cell proliferation and differentiation as well as direct orientation of their growth in two or three dimensions. This review demonstrated how functional synthetic phage is designed and subsequently utilized for tissue regeneration that offers potential cell therapy.

The immune cell composition in Barrett's metaplastic tissue resembles that in normal duodenal tissue.

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Alexandra Lind

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Barrett's esophagus (BE is characterized by the transition of squamous epithelium into columnar epithelium with intestinal metaplasia. The increased number and types of immune cells in BE have been indicated to be due to a Th2-type inflammatory process. We tested the alternative hypothesis that the abundance of T-cells in BE is caused by a homing mechanism that is found in the duodenum. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Biopsies from BE and duodenal tissue from 30 BE patients and duodenal tissue from 18 controls were characterized by immmunohistochemistry for the presence of T-cells and eosinophils(eos. Ex vivo expanded T-cells were further phenotyped by multicolor analysis using flowcytometry. RESULTS: The high percentage of CD4(+-T cells (69±3% (mean±SEM/n = 17, by flowcytometry, measured by flowcytometry and immunohistochemistry, and the presence of non-activated eosinophils found in BE by immunohistochemical staining, were not different from that found in duodenal tissue. Expanded lymphocytes from these tissues had a similar phenotype, characterized by a comparable but low percentage of αE(CD103 positive CD4(+cells (44±5% in BE, 43±4% in duodenum of BE and 34±7% in duodenum of controls and a similar percentage of granzyme-B(+CD8(+ cells(44±5% in BE, 33±6% in duodenum of BE and 36±7% in duodenum of controls. In addition, a similar percentage of α4β7(+ T-lymphocytes (63±5% in BE, 58±5% in duodenum of BE and 62±8% in duodenum of controls was found. Finally, mRNA expression of the ligand for α4β7, MAdCAM-1, was also similar in BE and duodenal tissue. No evidence for a Th2-response was found as almost no IL-4(+-T-cells were seen. CONCLUSION: The immune cell composition (lymphocytes and eosinophils and expression of intestinal adhesion molecule MAdCAM-1 is similar in BE and duodenum. This supports the hypothesis that homing of lymphocytes to BE tissue is mainly caused by intestinal homing signals rather than to an

Occurrence of human bocaviruses and parvovirus 4 in solid tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Norja, Päivi; Hedman, Lea; Kantola, Kalle; Kemppainen, Kaisa; Suvilehto, Jari; Pitkäranta, Anne; Aaltonen, Leena-Maija; Seppänen, Mikko; Hedman, Klaus; Söderlund-Venermo, Maria

2012-08-01

Human bocaviruses 1-4 (HBoV1-4) and parvovirus 4 (PARV4) are recently discovered human parvoviruses. HBoV1 is associated with respiratory infections of young children, while HBoV2-4 are enteric viruses. The clinical manifestations of PARV4 remain unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether the DNAs of HBoV1-4 and PARV4 persist in human tissues long after primary infection. Biopsies of tonsillar tissue, skin, and synovia were examined for HBoV1-4 DNA and PARV4 DNA by PCR. Serum samples from the tissue donors were assayed for HBoV1 and PARV4 IgG and IgM antibodies. To obtain species-specific seroprevalences for HBoV1 and for HBoV2/3 combined, the sera were analyzed after virus-like particle (VLP) competition. While HBoV1 DNA was detected exclusively in the tonsillar tissues of 16/438 individuals (3.7%), all of them ≤8 years of age. HBoV2-4 and PARV4 DNAs were absent from all tissue types. HBoV1 IgG seroprevalence was 94.9%. No subject had HBoV1 or PARV4 IgM, nor did they have PARV4 IgG. The results indicate that HBoV1 DNA occurred in a small proportion of tonsils of young children after recent primary HBoV1 infection, but did not persist long in the other tissue types studied, unlike parvovirus B19 DNA. The results obtained by the PARV4 assays are in line with previous results on PARV4 epidemiology. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Clival Lesion incidentally discovered on cone-beam computed tomography: A case report and review of the literature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jadhav, Aniket B.; Tadinada, Aditya; Rengasamy, Kandasamy; Lurie, Alan G. [Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Farmington (United States); Douglas, Fellows [Division of Diagnostic Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington (United States)

2014-06-15

An osteolytic lesion with a small central area of mineralization and sclerotic borders was discovered incidentally in the clivus on the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) of a 27-year-old male patient. This benign appearance indicated a primary differential diagnosis of non-aggressive lesions such as fibro-osseous lesions and arrested pneumatization. Further, on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the lesion showed a homogenously low T1 signal intensity with mild internal enhancement after post-gadolinium and a heterogeneous T2 signal intensity. These signal characteristics might be attributed to the fibrous tissues, chondroid matrix, calcific material, or cystic component of the lesion; thus, chondroblastoma and chondromyxoid fibroma were added to the differential diagnosis. Although this report was limited by the lack of final diagnosis and the patient lost to follow-up, the incidental skull base finding would be important for interpreting the entire volume of CBCT by a qualified oral and maxillofacial radiologist.

Yes, Aboriginal Australians can and did discover the variability of Betelgeuse

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Bradley E.

2018-04-01

Recently, a widely publicized claim has been made that the Aboriginal Australians discovered the variability of the red star Betelgeuse in the modern Orion, plus the variability of two other prominent red stars: Aldebaran and Antares. This result has excited the usual healthy skepticism, with questions about whether any untrained peoples can discover the variability and whether such a discovery is likely to be placed into lore and transmitted for long periods of time. Here, I am offering an independent evaluation, based on broad experience with naked-eye sky viewing and astro-history. I find that it is easy for inexperienced observers to detect the variability of Betelgeuse over its range in brightness from V = 0.0 to V = 1.3, for example in noticing from season-to-season that the star varies from significantly brighter than Procyon to being greatly fainter than Procyon. Further, indigenous peoples in the Southern Hemisphere inevitably kept watch on the prominent red star, so it is inevitable that the variability of Betelgeuse was discovered many times over during the last 65 millennia. The processes of placing this discovery into a cultural context (in this case, put into morality stories) and the faithful transmission for many millennia is confidently known for the Aboriginal Australians in particular. So this shows that the whole claim for a changing Betelgeuse in the Aboriginal Australian lore is both plausible and likely. Given that the discovery and transmission is easily possible, the real proof is that the Aboriginal lore gives an unambiguous statement that these stars do indeed vary in brightness, as collected by many ethnographers over a century ago from many Aboriginal groups. So I strongly conclude that the Aboriginal Australians could and did discover the variability of Betelgeuse, Aldebaran, and Antares.

Statistically based splicing detection reveals neural enrichment and tissue-specific induction of circular RNA during human fetal development.

Science.gov (United States)

Szabo, Linda; Morey, Robert; Palpant, Nathan J; Wang, Peter L; Afari, Nastaran; Jiang, Chuan; Parast, Mana M; Murry, Charles E; Laurent, Louise C; Salzman, Julia

2015-06-16

The pervasive expression of circular RNA is a recently discovered feature of gene expression in highly diverged eukaryotes, but the functions of most circular RNAs are still unknown. Computational methods to discover and quantify circular RNA are essential. Moreover, discovering biological contexts where circular RNAs are regulated will shed light on potential functional roles they may play. We present a new algorithm that increases the sensitivity and specificity of circular RNA detection by discovering and quantifying circular and linear RNA splicing events at both annotated and un-annotated exon boundaries, including intergenic regions of the genome, with high statistical confidence. Unlike approaches that rely on read count and exon homology to determine confidence in prediction of circular RNA expression, our algorithm uses a statistical approach. Using our algorithm, we unveiled striking induction of general and tissue-specific circular RNAs, including in the heart and lung, during human fetal development. We discover regions of the human fetal brain, such as the frontal cortex, with marked enrichment for genes where circular RNA isoforms are dominant. The vast majority of circular RNA production occurs at major spliceosome splice sites; however, we find the first examples of developmentally induced circular RNAs processed by the minor spliceosome, and an enriched propensity of minor spliceosome donors to splice into circular RNA at un-annotated, rather than annotated, exons. Together, these results suggest a potentially significant role for circular RNA in human development.

Guiding tissue regeneration with ultrasound in vitro and in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Dalecki, Diane; Comeau, Eric S.; Raeman, Carol H.; Child, Sally Z.; Hobbs, Laura; Hocking, Denise C.

2015-05-01

Developing new technologies that enable the repair or replacement of injured or diseased tissues is a major focus of regenerative medicine. This paper will discuss three ultrasound technologies under development in our laboratories to guide tissue regeneration both in vitro and in vivo. A critical obstacle in tissue engineering is the need for rapid and effective tissue vascularization strategies. To address this challenge, we are developing acoustic patterning techniques for microvascular tissue engineering. Acoustic radiation forces associated with ultrasound standing wave fields provide a rapid, non-invasive approach to spatially pattern cells in three dimensions without affecting cell viability. Acoustic patterning of endothelial cells leads to the rapid formation of microvascular networks throughout the volumes of three-dimensional hydrogels, and the morphology of the resultant microvessel networks can be controlled by design of the ultrasound field. A second technology under development uses ultrasound to noninvasively control the microstructure of collagen fibers within engineered tissues. The microstructure of extracellular matrix proteins provides signals that direct cell functions critical to tissue regeneration. Thus, controlling collagen microfiber structure with ultrasound provides a noninvasive approach to regulate the mechanical properties of biomaterials and control cellular responses. The third technology employs therapeutic ultrasound to enhance the healing of chronic wounds. Recent studies demonstrate increased granulation tissue thickness and collagen deposition in murine dermal wounds exposed to pulsed ultrasound. In summary, ultrasound technologies offer noninvasive approaches to control cell behaviors and extracellular matrix organization and thus hold great promise to advance tissue regeneration in vitro and in vivo.

3D force control for robotic-assisted beating heart surgery based on viscoelastic tissue model.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chao; Moreira, Pedro; Zemiti, Nabil; Poignet, Philippe

2011-01-01

Current cardiac surgery faces the challenging problem of heart beating motion even with the help of mechanical stabilizer which makes delicate operation on the heart surface difficult. Motion compensation methods for robotic-assisted beating heart surgery have been proposed recently in literature, but research on force control for such kind of surgery has hardly been reported. Moreover, the viscoelasticity property of the interaction between organ tissue and robotic instrument further complicates the force control design which is much easier in other applications by assuming the interaction model to be elastic (industry, stiff object manipulation, etc.). In this work, we present a three-dimensional force control method for robotic-assisted beating heart surgery taking into consideration of the viscoelastic interaction property. Performance studies based on our D2M2 robot and 3D heart beating motion information obtained through Da Vinci™ system are provided.

In-situ Characterization and Mapping of Iron Compounds in Alzheimer's Tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collingwood, J.F.; Mikhaylova, A.; Davidson, M.; Batich, C.; Streit, W.J.; Terry, J.; Dobson, J.

2005-01-01

There is a well-established link between iron overload in the brain and pathology associated with neurodegeneration in a variety of disorders such as Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD) and Huntington's (HD) diseases. This association was first discovered in AD by Goodman in 1953, where, in addition to abnormally high concentrations of iron in autopsy brain tissue, iron has also been shown to accumulate at sites of brain pathology such as senile plaques. However, since this discovery, progress in understanding the origin, role and nature of iron compounds associated with neurodegeneration has been slow. Here we report, for the first time, the location and characterization of iron compounds in human AD brain tissue sections. Iron fluorescence was mapped over a frontal-lobe tissue section from an Alzheimer's patient, and anomalous iron concentrations were identified using synchrotron X-ray absorption techniques at 5 (micro)m spatial resolution. Concentrations of ferritin and magnetite, a magnetic iron oxide potentially indicating disrupted brain-iron metabolism, were evident. These results demonstrate a practical means of correlating iron compounds and disease pathology in-situ and have clear implications for disease pathogenesis and potential therapies.

A bioprintable form of chitosan hydrogel for bone tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Demirtaş, Tuğrul Tolga; Irmak, Gülseren; Gümüşderelioğlu, Menemşe

2017-07-13

Bioprinting can be defined as 3D patterning of living cells and other biologics by filling and assembling them using a computer-aided layer-by-layer deposition approach to fabricate living tissue and organ analogs for tissue engineering. The presence of cells within the ink to use a 'bio-ink' presents the potential to print 3D structures that can be implanted or printed into damaged/diseased bone tissue to promote highly controlled cell-based regeneration and remineralization of bone. In this study, it was shown for the first time that chitosan solution and its composite with nanostructured bone-like hydroxyapatite (HA) can be mixed with cells and printed successfully. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cell laden chitosan and chitosan-HA hydrogels, which were printed with the use of an extruder-based bioprinter, were characterized by comparing these hydrogels to alginate and alginate-HA hydrogels. Rheological analysis showed that all groups had viscoelastic properties. It was also shown that under simulated physiological conditions, chitosan and chitosan-HA hydrogels were stable. Also, the viscosity values of the bio-solutions were in an applicable range to be used in 3D bio-printers. Cell viability and proliferation analyses documented that after printing with bio-solutions, cells continued to be viable in all groups. It was observed that cells printed within chitosan-HA composite hydrogel had peak expression levels for early and late stages osteogenic markers. It was concluded that cells within chitosan and chitosan-HA hydrogels had mineralized and differentiated osteogenically after 21 days of culture. It was also discovered that chitosan is superior to alginate, which is the most widely used solution preferred in bioprinting systems, in terms of cell proliferation and differentiation. Thus, applicability and printability of chitosan as a bio-printing solution were clearly demonstrated. Furthermore, it was proven that the presence of bone-like nanostructured HA in

3D Printer Generated Tissue iMolds for Cleared Tissue Using Single- and Multi-Photon Microscopy for Deep Tissue Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Sean J; Rothstein, Jeffrey D

2017-01-01

Pathological analyses and methodology has recently undergone a dramatic revolution. With the creation of tissue clearing methods such as CLARITY and CUBIC, groups can now achieve complete transparency in tissue samples in nano-porous hydrogels. Cleared tissue is then imagined in a semi-aqueous medium that matches the refractive index of the objective being used. However, one major challenge is the ability to control tissue movement during imaging and to relocate precise locations post sequential clearing and re-staining. Using 3D printers, we designed tissue molds that fit precisely around the specimen being imaged. First, images are taken of the specimen, followed by importing and design of a structural mold, then printed with affordable plastics by a 3D printer. With our novel design, we have innovated tissue molds called innovative molds (iMolds) that can be generated in any laboratory and are customized for any organ, tissue, or bone matter being imaged. Furthermore, the inexpensive and reusable tissue molds are made compatible for any microscope such as single and multi-photon confocal with varying stage dimensions. Excitingly, iMolds can also be generated to hold multiple organs in one mold, making reconstruction and imaging much easier. Taken together, with iMolds it is now possible to image cleared tissue in clearing medium while limiting movement and being able to relocate precise anatomical and cellular locations on sequential imaging events in any basic laboratory. This system provides great potential for screening widespread effects of therapeutics and disease across entire organ systems.

The architecture of gene regulatory variation across multiple human tissues: the MuTHER study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra C Nica

2011-02-01

Full Text Available While there have been studies exploring regulatory variation in one or more tissues, the complexity of tissue-specificity in multiple primary tissues is not yet well understood. We explore in depth the role of cis-regulatory variation in three human tissues: lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL, skin, and fat. The samples (156 LCL, 160 skin, 166 fat were derived simultaneously from a subset of well-phenotyped healthy female twins of the MuTHER resource. We discover an abundance of cis-eQTLs in each tissue similar to previous estimates (858 or 4.7% of genes. In addition, we apply factor analysis (FA to remove effects of latent variables, thus more than doubling the number of our discoveries (1,822 eQTL genes. The unique study design (Matched Co-Twin Analysis--MCTA permits immediate replication of eQTLs using co-twins (93%-98% and validation of the considerable gain in eQTL discovery after FA correction. We highlight the challenges of comparing eQTLs between tissues. After verifying previous significance threshold-based estimates of tissue-specificity, we show their limitations given their dependency on statistical power. We propose that continuous estimates of the proportion of tissue-shared signals and direct comparison of the magnitude of effect on the fold change in expression are essential properties that jointly provide a biologically realistic view of tissue-specificity. Under this framework we demonstrate that 30% of eQTLs are shared among the three tissues studied, while another 29% appear exclusively tissue-specific. However, even among the shared eQTLs, a substantial proportion (10%-20% have significant differences in the magnitude of fold change between genotypic classes across tissues. Our results underline the need to account for the complexity of eQTL tissue-specificity in an effort to assess consequences of such variants for complex traits.

Characterization of TLR-induced inflammatory responses in COPD and control lung tissue explants

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Pomerenke A

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Anna Pomerenke,1 Simon R Lea,1 Sarah Herrick,2 Mark A Lindsay,3 Dave Singh1 1Centre for Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Institute of Inflammation and Repair, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester and University Hospital of South Manchester, NHS Foundation Trust, 2Institute of Inflammation and Repair, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, 3Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath, UK Purpose: Viruses are a common cause of exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. They activate toll-like receptors (TLRs 3, 7, and 8, leading to a pro-inflammatory response. We have characterized the responses of TLR3 and TLR7/8 in lung tissue explants from COPD patients and control smokers.Methods: We prepared lung whole tissue explants (WTEs from patients undergoing surgery for confirmed or suspected lung cancer. In order to mimic the conditions of viral infection, we used poly(I:C for TLR3 stimulation and R848 for TLR7/8 stimulation. These TLR ligands were used alone and in combination. The effects of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα neutralization and dexamethasone on TLR responses were examined. Inflammatory cytokine release was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and gene expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results: WTEs from COPD patients released higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines compared with WTEs from smokers. Activation of multiple TLRs led to a greater than additive release of TNFα and CCL5. TNFα neutralization and dexamethasone treatment decreased cytokine release.Conclusion: This WTE model shows an enhanced response of COPD compared with controls, suggesting an increased response to viral infection. There was amplification of innate immune responses with multiple TLR stimulation. Keywords: COPD, poly(I:C, R848, cytokines, lung explant

Comparative Tissue Proteomics of Microdissected Specimens Reveals Novel Candidate Biomarkers of Bladder Cancer*

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chien-Lun; Chung, Ting; Wu, Chih-Ching; Ng, Kwai-Fong; Yu, Jau-Song; Tsai, Cheng-Han; Chang, Yu-Sun; Liang, Ying; Tsui, Ke-Hung; Chen, Yi-Ting

2015-01-01

More than 380,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed worldwide, accounting for ∼150,200 deaths each year. To discover potential biomarkers of bladder cancer, we employed a strategy combining laser microdissection, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation labeling, and liquid chromatography-tandem MS (LC-MS/MS) analysis to profile proteomic changes in fresh-frozen bladder tumor specimens. Cellular proteins from four pairs of surgically resected primary bladder cancer tumor and adjacent nontumorous tissue were extracted for use in two batches of isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation experiments, which identified a total of 3220 proteins. A DAVID (database for annotation, visualization and integrated discovery) analysis of dysregulated proteins revealed that the three top-ranking biological processes were extracellular matrix organization, extracellular structure organization, and oxidation-reduction. Biological processes including response to organic substances, response to metal ions, and response to inorganic substances were highlighted by up-expressed proteins in bladder cancer. Seven differentially expressed proteins were selected as potential bladder cancer biomarkers for further verification. Immunohistochemical analyses showed significantly elevated levels of three proteins—SLC3A2, STMN1, and TAGLN2—in tumor cells compared with noncancerous bladder epithelial cells, and suggested that TAGLN2 could be a useful tumor tissue marker for diagnosis (AUC = 0.999) and evaluating lymph node metastasis in bladder cancer patients. ELISA results revealed significantly increased urinary levels of both STMN1 and TAGLN2 in bladder cancer subgroups compared with control groups. In comparisons with age-matched hernia urine specimens, urinary TAGLN2 in bladder cancer samples showed the largest fold change (7.13-fold), with an area-under-the-curve value of 0.70 (p < 0.001, n = 205). Overall, TAGLN2 showed the most significant

Nuclear fission discovered fifty years ago

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weis, M.

1988-01-01

Fifty years ago, Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann discovered the process of nuclear fission which, more than other scientific discoveries to date, profoundly has changed the world and continues to influence our life significantly: This discovery made the up to then incontestable physicists' view of the atom as an inseparable whole suddenly shatter to pieces. It has brought about the invaluable advantages of a peaceful utilization of nuclear energy, and at the same time put scientists in the position to build the most terrible weapon ever, threatening mankind and earth with complete destruction. All this certainly is reason enough to recall the scientists, their work and the spirit of the time. (orig.) [de

Discovering network behind infectious disease outbreak

Science.gov (United States)

Maeno, Yoshiharu

2010-11-01

Stochasticity and spatial heterogeneity are of great interest recently in studying the spread of an infectious disease. The presented method solves an inverse problem to discover the effectively decisive topology of a heterogeneous network and reveal the transmission parameters which govern the stochastic spreads over the network from a dataset on an infectious disease outbreak in the early growth phase. Populations in a combination of epidemiological compartment models and a meta-population network model are described by stochastic differential equations. Probability density functions are derived from the equations and used for the maximal likelihood estimation of the topology and parameters. The method is tested with computationally synthesized datasets and the WHO dataset on the SARS outbreak.

Learning Faster by Discovering and Exploiting Object Similarities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tadej Janež

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper we explore the question: “Is it possible to speed up the learning process of an autonomous agent by performing experiments in a more complex environment (i.e., an environment with a greater number of different objects?” To this end, we use a simple robotic domain, where the robot has to learn a qualitative model predicting the change in the robot's distance to an object. To quantify the environment's complexity, we defined cardinal complexity as the number of objects in the robot's world, and behavioural complexity as the number of objects' distinct behaviours. We propose Error reduction merging (ERM, a new learning method that automatically discovers similarities in the structure of the agent's environment. ERM identifies different types of objects solely from the data measured and merges the observations of objects that behave in the same or similar way in order to speed up the agent's learning. We performed a series of experiments in worlds of increasing complexity. The results in our simple domain indicate that ERM was capable of discovering structural similarities in the data which indeed made the learning faster, clearly superior to conventional learning. This observed trend occurred with various machine learning algorithms used inside the ERM method.

Discovering objects in a blood recipient information system.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, D; Junghans, G; Marquardt, K; Kroll, H; Mueller-Eckhardt, C; Dudeck, J

1995-01-01

Application of object-oriented (OO) methodologies has been generally considered as a solution to the problem of improving the software development process and managing the so-called software crisis. Among them, object-oriented analysis (OOA) is the most essential and is a vital prerequisite for the successful use of other OO methodologies. Though there are already a good deal of OOA methods published, the most important aspect common to all these methods: discovering objects classes truly relevant to the given problem domain, has remained a subject to be intensively researched. In this paper, using the successful development of a blood recipient information system as an example, we present our approach which is based on the conceptual framework of responsibility-driven OOA. In the discussion, we also suggest that it may be inadequate to simply attribute the software crisis to the waterfall model of the software development life-cycle. We are convinced that the real causes for the failure of some software and information systems should be sought in the methodologies used in some crucial phases of the software development process. Furthermore, a software system can also fail if object classes essential to the problem domain are not discovered, implemented and visualized, so that the real-world situation cannot be faithfully traced by it.

Variation in alternative splicing across human tissues

OpenAIRE

Yeo, Gene; Holste, Dirk; Kreiman, Gabriel; Burge, Christopher B

2004-01-01

Background: Alternative pre-mRNA splicing (AS) is widely used by higher eukaryotes to generate different protein isoforms in specific cell or tissue types. To compare AS events across human tissues, we analyzed the splicing patterns of genomically aligned expressed sequence tags (ESTs) derived from libraries of cDNAs from different tissues. Results: Controlling for differences in EST coverage among tissues, we found that the brain and testis had the highest levels of exon skipping. The most p...

Optical tomography of tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimnyakov, D A; Tuchin, Valerii V

2002-01-01

Methods of optical tomography of biological tissues are considered, which include pulse-modulation and frequency-modulation tomography, diffusion tomography with the use of cw radiation sources, optical coherent tomography, speckle-correlation tomography of nonstationary media, and optoacoustic tomography. The method for controlling the optical properties of tissues is studied from the point of view of increasing a probing depth in optical coherent tomography. The modern state and prospects of the development of optical tomography are discussed. (review)

Processes Controlling CH2O Over the Baltimore/Washington DC Metropolitan Region: A Box Model Analysis Using Data from DISCOVER-AQ

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, J. R.; Crawford, J. H.; Fried, A.; Wisthaler, A.; Weinheimer, A. J.; Barrick, J. D.; Diskin, G. S.; Duncan, B. N.; Mikoviny, T.

2012-12-01

The first deployment for NASA's Earth Venture campaign DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) took place over the Baltimore/Washington DC region during July of 2011. Observations of CH2O in the lowest kilometer (pressure-altitude) indicate that median concentrations can vary day to day by as much as 5 ppbv. Further, variability within a single day can correlate with a number of species, including H2O, temperature, isoprene, and/or CO. The NASA Langley photochemical box model is used to examine the dominant budget terms for CH2O during DISCOVER-AQ and to diagnose the drivers of the CH2O variability. Modeling results show that the source of CH2O is largely dominated by isoprene. However, the variability of CH2O within single flight days is rarely directly correlated to isoprene. Rather, most often, CH2O variability is correlated to the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere, defined by OH and driven by OH precursors such as H2O, O3 photolysis rates, and NO. Sensitivity model runs where isoprene is held constant to daily medians show excellent ability to predict both the overall CH2O concentration (dominated by isoprene) and the variability of CH2O throughout a day (driven by variations in oxidative capacity).

ISLSCP II IGBP DISCover and SiB Land Cover, 1992-1993

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set describes the geographic distributions of 17 classes of land cover based on the International Geosphere-Biosphere DISCover land cover legend (Loveland...

Radiosterilization of Tissues Preserved for Clinical Purposes: Effect on Tissue Antigenicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostrowski, K.; Kossowska, B.; Moskalewski, S.; Komender, A.; Kurnatowski, W.

1967-01-01

The first part of the paper contains practical considerations on the radiosterilization of preserved human bone, human and calf cartilage, cow’s fascia and aponeurosis, based on material from the Tissue Bank which produces about 2500 transplants yearly. The method of preservation and packing of each type of tissue is mentioned briefly. The preserved tissues are irradiated in a cobalt bomb or in a nuclear reactor. The conditions of irradiation and the control of sterility are described. The advantages and disadvantages of radiosterilization are discussed on the basis of the authors’ own experience and clinical reports of surgeons using radiosterilized tissues in practice. In the second part of the paper, experimental studies on the influence of freezing, lyophilization and radiosterilization on tissue antigenicity are reported. The regional lymph node reacts to an antigenic stimulus by an increased production of large, pyroninophylic cells, so-called ''blast'' cells. The rabbits used as recipients received grafts of allogeneic cancellous bone, fresh or subjected to different experimental procedures. Smears from lymph node cell suspension were prepared and the percentage of blast cells was estimated. On the basis of the lymph node response, it appears that freezing and lyophilization, as well as radiosterilization, may abolish the antigenicity of cancellous bone. The practical implication of these results for methods of preservation of tissues for clinical purposes is discussed. (author)

Discovering and explaining work-family strategies of parents in Luxembourg

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhelyazkova, Nevena

2014-01-01

The presented analysis discovers and explains typical patterns of work-family reconciliation for parents who had a child in the same period (2003) and in the same country (Luxembourg), thus facing the same macroeconomic and institutional conditions. Work-family trajectories are reconstructed as

Dissimilarities in the metabolism of antiretroviral drugs used in HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in colon and vagina tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

To, Elaine E; Hendrix, Craig W; Bumpus, Namandjé N

2013-10-01

Attempts to prevent HIV infection through pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) include topical application of anti-HIV drugs to the mucosal sites of infection; however, a potential role for local drug metabolizing enzymes in modulating the exposure of the mucosal tissues to these drugs has yet to be explored. Here we present the first report that enzymes belonging to the cytochrome P450 (CYP) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) families of drug metabolizing enzymes are expressed and active in vaginal and colorectal tissue using biopsies collected from healthy volunteers. In doing so, we discovered that dapivirine and maraviroc, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and an entry inhibitor currently in development as microbicides for HIV PrEP, are differentially metabolized in colorectal tissue and vaginal tissue. Taken together, these data should help to guide the optimization of small molecules being developed for HIV PrEP. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 10 the primary cilium coordinates signaling pathways in cell cycle control and migration during development and tissue repair

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Søren T; Pedersen, Stine F; Satir, Peter

2008-01-01

Cell cycle control and migration are critical processes during development and maintenance of tissue functions. Recently, primary cilia were shown to take part in coordination of the signaling pathways that control these cellular processes in human health and disease. In this review, we present...... an overview of the function of primary cilia and the centrosome in the signaling pathways that regulate cell cycle control and migration with focus on ciliary signaling via platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRalpha). We also consider how the primary cilium and the centrosome interact...... with the extracellular matrix, coordinate Wnt signaling, and modulate cytoskeletal changes that impinge on both cell cycle control and cell migration....

Electrical impedance along connective tissue planes associated with acupuncture meridians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hammerschlag Richard

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Acupuncture points and meridians are commonly believed to possess unique electrical properties. The experimental support for this claim is limited given the technical and methodological shortcomings of prior studies. Recent studies indicate a correspondence between acupuncture meridians and connective tissue planes. We hypothesized that segments of acupuncture meridians that are associated with loose connective tissue planes (between muscles or between muscle and bone visible by ultrasound have greater electrical conductance (less electrical impedance than non-meridian, parallel control segments. Methods We used a four-electrode method to measure the electrical impedance along segments of the Pericardium and Spleen meridians and corresponding parallel control segments in 23 human subjects. Meridian segments were determined by palpation and proportional measurements. Connective tissue planes underlying those segments were imaged with an ultrasound scanner. Along each meridian segment, four gold-plated needles were inserted along a straight line and used as electrodes. A parallel series of four control needles were placed 0.8 cm medial to the meridian needles. For each set of four needles, a 3.3 kHz alternating (AC constant amplitude current was introduced at three different amplitudes (20, 40, and 80 μAmps to the outer two needles, while the voltage was measured between the inner two needles. Tissue impedance between the two inner needles was calculated based on Ohm's law (ratio of voltage to current intensity. Results At the Pericardium location, mean tissue impedance was significantly lower at meridian segments (70.4 ± 5.7 Ω compared with control segments (75.0 ± 5.9 Ω (p = 0.0003. At the Spleen location, mean impedance for meridian (67.8 ± 6.8 Ω and control segments (68.5 ± 7.5 Ω were not significantly different (p = 0.70. Conclusion Tissue impedance was on average lower along the Pericardium meridian, but not

High velocity pulse biopsy device enables controllable and precise needle insertion and high yield tissue acquisition.

Science.gov (United States)

Schässburger, Kai-Uwe; Paepke, Stefan; Saracco, Ariel; Azavedo, Edward; Ekström, Christina; Wiksell, Hans

2018-02-01

Minimally invasive biopsies are a cornerstone of breast cancer management with ultrasound being the preferred guidance modality. New developments in breast cancer management and advances in imaging technologies bring new challenges to current biopsy methodologies. A new biopsy device (NeoNavia® biopsy system, 14 G) was developed. It incorporates a pneumatic needle insertion mechanism that is intended to provide better control of needle progression and enable stepwise insertion without noticeable deformation or displacement of surrounding tissue as visualized under ultrasound. A new method of tissue acquisition was designed to achieve a sampling yield higher than standard methodologies. Needle dynamics was assessed on a specifically designed test bed and sampling performance was compared to a Magnum® biopsy instrument (Bard, Covington, GA, USA) in representative tissue models. The histological quality of samples obtained ex-vivo was evaluated. A pneumatic pulse was measured to accelerate the needle to a maximum velocity of 21.2 ± 2.5 m/s on a stroke length of 2.5 mm, achieving significantly higher acceleration, maximum velocity and power than current biopsy devices. Mean weight of samples obtained by the NeoNavia device were 3.5, 4.6, and 4.3 times higher when sampling was performed in turkey breast, calf thymus and swine pancreas, respectively, as compared to samples obtained with the Magnum instrument. Ex-vivo analysis indicates that the method of tissue acquisition has no apparent negative impact on the histopathologic quality of obtained samples. Copyright © 2018 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CO2 laser milling of hard tissue

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Martin; Ivanenko, Mikhail; Harbecke, Daniela; Klasing, Manfred; Steigerwald, Hendrik; Hering, Peter

2007-02-01

Drilling of bone and tooth tissue belongs to recurrent medical procedures (screw- and pin-bores, bores for implant inserting, trepanation etc.). Small round bores can be in general quickly produced with mechanical drills. Problems arise however by angled drilling, by the necessity to fulfill the drilling without damaging of sensitive soft tissue beneath the bone, or by the attempt to mill precisely noncircular small cavities. We present investigations on laser hard tissue "milling", which can be advantageous for solving these problems. The "milling" is done with a CO2 laser (10.6 μm) with pulse duration of 50 - 100 μs, combined with a PC-controlled galvanic beam scanner and with a fine water-spray, which helps to avoid thermal side-effects. The damaging of underlying soft tissue can be prevented through control of the optical or acoustical ablation signal. The ablation of hard tissue is accompanied with a strong glowing, which is absent during the laser beam action on soft tissue. The acoustic signals from the diverse tissue types exhibit distinct differences in the spectral composition. Also computer image analysis could be a useful tool to control the operation. Laser "milling" of noncircular cavities with 1 - 4 mm width and about 10 mm depth is particularly interesting for dental implantology. In ex-vivo investigations we found conditions for fast laser "milling" of the cavities without thermal damage and with minimal tapering. It included exploration of different filling patterns (concentric rings, crosshatch, parallel lines and their combinations), definition of maximal pulse duration, repetition rate and laser power, optimal position of the spray. The optimized results give evidences for the applicability of the CO2 laser for biologically tolerable "milling" of deep cavities in the hard tissue.

Microporous silk fibroin scaffolds embedding PLGA microparticles for controlled growth factor delivery in tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Wenk, Esther; Meinel, Anne J; Wildy, Sarah; Merkle, Hans P; Meinel, Lorenz

2009-05-01

The development of prototype scaffolds for either direct implantation or tissue engineering purposes and featuring spatiotemporal control of growth factor release is highly desirable. Silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds with interconnective pores, carrying embedded microparticles that were loaded with insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), were prepared by a porogen leaching protocol. Treatments with methanol or water vapor induced water insolubility of SF based on an increase in beta-sheet content as analyzed by FTIR. Pore interconnectivity was demonstrated by SEM. Porosities were in the range of 70-90%, depending on the treatment applied, and were better preserved when methanol or water vapor treatments were prior to porogen leaching. IGF-I was encapsulated into two different types of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microparticles (PLGA MP) using uncapped PLGA (50:50) with molecular weights of either 14 or 35 kDa to control IGF-I release kinetics from the SF scaffold. Embedded PLGA MP were located in the walls or intersections of the SF scaffold. Embedment of the PLGA MP into the scaffolds led to more sustained release rates as compared to the free PLGA MP, whereas the hydrolytic degradation of the two PLGA MP types was not affected. The PLGA types used had distinct effects on IGF-I release kinetics. Particularly the supernatants of the lower molecular weight PLGA formulations turned out to release bioactive IGF-I. Our studies justify future investigations of the developed constructs for tissue engineering applications.

Differences in breast tissue oxygenation following radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dornfeld, Ken; Gessert, Charles E.; Renier, Colleen M.; McNaney, David D.; Urias, Rodolfo E.; Knowles, Denise M.; Beauduy, Jean L.; Widell, Sherry L.; McDonald, Bonita L.

2011-01-01

Tissue perfusion and oxygenation changes following radiotherapy may result from and/or contribute to the toxicity of treatment. Breast tissue oxygenation levels were determined in the treated and non-treated breast 1 year after radiotherapy for breast conserving treatment. Transcutaneous oxygenation varied between subjects in both treated and non-treated breast. Subjects without diabetes mellitus (n = 16) had an average oxygenation level of 64.8 ± 19.9 mmHg in the irradiated breast and an average of 72.3 ± 18.1 mmHg (p = 0.018) at the corresponding location in the control breast. Patients with diabetes (n = 4) showed a different oxygenation pattern, with lower oxygenation levels in control tissue and no decrease in the irradiated breast. This study suggests oxygenation levels in normal tissues vary between patients and may respond differently after radiotherapy.

Newly Discovered Items of the Zoomorphic Style from the Left Bank of the Lower Dniester

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sinika Vitalij S.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article presents an overview of items corresponding to the Scythian zoomorphic style discovered at barbaric and ancient sites of the Northwestern Black Sea Region, and a publication of two new findings. They were discovered on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. The first item discovered at Parkany-II settlement is a fragment of a bronze horse plaque (its lower part crafted in the shape of a "rooster"-hippocampus. The other artifact discovered near Tokmazeya village also represents a horse plaque with an image of a cat predator's head. Presently, there are no counterparts of the images on these findings in the Northwestern Black Sea Region, which is the westmost periphery of the Scythian steppe culture. These fragments of horse apparel broaden our knowledge of the Scythian "bestiary" in the region. Besides, apart from the other items of material culture, the published findings confirm the presence of Scythian population at settlement sites, which contradicts the generally accepted opinion on the exclusively nomadic cattle breeding lifestyle of the Scythians in 5th –4th centuries B.C.

Apollo 12 lunar material - Effects on lipid levels of tobacco tissue cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Weete, J. D.; Walkinshaw, C. H.; Laseter, J. L.

1972-01-01

Tobacco tissue cultures grown in contact with lunar material from Apollo 12, for a 12-week period, resulted in fluctuations of both the relative and absolute concentrations of endogenous sterols and fatty acids. The experimental tissues contained higher concentrations of sterols than the controls did. The ratio of campesterol to stigmasterol was greater than 1 in control tissues, but less than 1 in the experimental tissues after 3 weeks. High relative concentrations (17.1 to 22.2 per cent) of an unidentified compound or compounds were found only in control tissues that were 3 to 9 weeks of age.

US NSF: scientists discover planetary system similar to our own

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

An international team of scientists has discovered a planet and star that may share the same relationship as Jupiter and our Sun, the closest comparison that researchers have found since they began their search for extra-solar planets nearly a decade ago (1 page).

Intestinal mucosa is a target tissue for pancreatic polypeptide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, W.R.; Kramer, J.L.; Frank, B.H.; Gingerich, R.L.

1986-01-01

Studies were carried out to identify mammalian tissues capable of specifically binding mammalian pancreatic polypeptide (PP). Bovine PP (bPP) radiolabeled with 125 I was purified by HPLC to yield [ 125 I]iodo-(Tyr-27) bPP. The label was injected into three pairs of fasted littermate dogs and allowed to circulate for 5 min. One of the dogs was a control which received an excess of unlabeled porcine PP to provide competition for receptor binding. Unbound bPP was removed by perfusion with Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate and the tissue fixed in situ with Karnovsky's fixative. Tissue samples from various organs were removed, weighed, and counted. The entire gastrointestinal tract demonstrated high levels of 125 I after injection of the labeled peptide. The duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon were the only tissues to exhibit specific binding of bPP. These tissues (mucosal and muscle layers) from experimental animals exhibited 31-76% higher binding than the corresponding tissues from the control animals. Sections of the gastrointestinal tract were scraped to separate the mucosal layer from the underlying muscle layer. The mucosal layer of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum exhibited 145-162% increases in binding compared to the control animals. The muscle layer of these tissues demonstrated no significant increase. These findings demonstrate that mucosal layer of the small intestine is a target tissue for mammalian PP

Diagnosis of breast cancer by tissue analysis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Debnath Bhattacharyya; Samir Kumar Bandyopadhyay; Tai-hoon Kim

2013-01-01

In this paper,we propose a technique to locate abnormal growth of cells in breast tissue and suggest further pathological test,when require.We compare normal breast tissue with malignant invasive breast tissue by a series of image processing steps.Normal ductal epithelial cells and ductal/lobular invasive carcinogenic cells also consider for comparison here in this paper.In fact,features of cancerous breast tissue (invasive) are extracted and analyses with normal breast tissue.We also suggest the breast cancer recognition technique through image processing and prevention by controlling p53 gene mutation to some extent.

Accumulation of ethoxyquin in the tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, H.L.

1991-01-01

Ethoxyquin (EQ) residue levels in the mouse tissue were determined by the HPLC-fluorometric detection method. Mice were given powdered feed containing 0, 0.125, and 0.5% EQ HCl and the EQ residue levels in liver, kidney, lung, and brain tissues were determined after 2, 4, 6, 10, and 14 wk (4 mice/group). The tissue samples were homogenized in 10 volumes (w/v) of acetonitrile-water (7:3, v/v), centrifuged, and the supernatants were stored in a freezer for 2-3 h or until the two layers separated; then the clear upper layers were analyzed. The mean EQ residue levels in the tissue ranged 0.84-4.58 micrograms EQ/g liver and 0.11-0.92 micrograms EQ/g brain. The relative weight of the liver (5.21-7.07% body weight) and the hepatic glutathione level (5.99-7.83 microM GSH/g tissue) of mice that received EQ were significantly higher than those of the controls (4.67-5.05% body weight and 4.30-5.78 microM GSH/g tissue, respectively). The mean hepatic mitochondrial glutathione level of the higher EQ feeding group, following dietary administration of EQ for 14 wk, was approximately twofold (1.68 nM GSH/mg protein) of both the control and the lower EQ feeding groups (0.83 and 0.74 nM GSH/mg protein, respectively)

Tissue-specific control of latent CMV reactivation by regulatory T cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maha Almanan

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Cytomegalovirus (CMV causes a persistent, lifelong infection. CMV persists in a latent state and undergoes intermittent subclinical viral reactivation that is quelled by ongoing T cell responses. While T cells are critical to maintain control of infection, the immunological factors that promote CMV persistence remain unclear. Here, we investigated the role of regulatory T cells (Treg in a mouse model of latent CMV infection using Foxp3-diphtheria toxin receptor (Foxp3-DTR mice. Eight months after infection, MCMV had established latency in the spleen, salivary gland, lung, and pancreas, which was accompanied by an increased frequency of Treg. Administration of diphtheria toxin (DT after establishment of latency efficiently depleted Treg and drove a significant increase in the numbers of functional MCMV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Strikingly, Treg depletion decreased the number of animals with reactivatable latent MCMV in the spleen. Unexpectedly, in the same animals, ablation of Treg drove a significant increase in viral reactivation in the salivary gland that was accompanied with augmented local IL-10 production by Foxp3-CD4+T cells. Further, neutralization of IL-10 after Treg depletion significantly decreased viral load in the salivary gland. Combined, these data show that Treg have divergent control of MCMV infection depending upon the tissue. In the spleen, Treg antagonize CD8+ effector function and promote viral persistence while in the salivary gland Treg prevent IL-10 production and limit viral reactivation and replication. These data provide new insights into the organ-specific roles of Treg in controlling the reactivation of latent MCMV infection.

Epithelial control of gut-associated lymphoid tissue formation through p38α-dependent restraint of NF-κB signaling

Science.gov (United States)

Caballero-Franco, Celia; Guma, Monica; Choo, Min-Kyung; Sano, Yasuyo; Enzler, Thomas; Karin, Michael; Mizoguchi, Atsushi; Park, Jin Mo

2015-01-01

The protein kinase p38α mediates cellular responses to environmental and endogenous cues that direct tissue homeostasis and immune responses. Studies of mice lacking p38α in several different cell types have demonstrated that p38α signaling is essential to maintaining the proliferation-differentiation balance in developing and steady-state tissues. The mechanisms underlying these roles involve cell-autonomous control of signaling and gene expression by p38α. Here we show that p38α regulates gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) formation in a non-cell-autonomous manner. From an investigation of mice with intestinal epithelial cell-specific deletion of the p38α gene, we find that p38α serves to limit NF-κB signaling and thereby attenuate GALT-promoting chemokine expression in the intestinal epithelium. Loss of this regulation results in GALT hyperplasia and, in some animals, mucosa-associated B cell lymphoma. These anomalies occur independently of luminal microbial stimuli and are likely driven by direct epithelial-lymphoid interactions. Our study illustrates a novel p38α-dependent mechanism preventing excessive generation of epithelial-derived signals that drive lymphoid tissue overgrowth and malignancy. PMID:26792803

Discovering Multidimensional Structure in Relational Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Mikael Rune; Holmgren, Thomas; Pedersen, Torben Bach

2004-01-01

On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) systems based on multidimensional databases are essential elements of decision support. However, most existing data is stored in “ordinary” relational OLTP databases, i.e., data has to be (re-) modeled as multidimensional cubes before the advantages of OLAP to...... algorithms for discovering multidimensional schemas from relational databases. The algorithms take a wide range of available metadata into account in the discovery process, including functional and inclusion dependencies, and key and cardinality information....... tools are available. In this paper we present an approach for the automatic construction of multidimensional OLAP database schemas from existing relational OLTP databases, enabling easy OLAP design and analysis for most existing data sources. This is achieved through a set of practical and effective...

Discovering the Library with Google Earth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michaela Brenner

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Libraries need to provide attractive and exciting discovery tools to draw patrons to the valuable resources in their catalogs. The authors conducted a pilot project to explore the free version of Google Earth as such a discover tool for Portland State Library’s digital collection of urban planning documents. They created eye-catching placemarks with links to parts of this collection, as well as to other pertinent materials like books, images, and historical background information. The detailed how-to-do part of this article is preceded by a discussion about discovery of library materials and followed by possible applications of this Google Earth project.

Vascularization of soft tissue engineering constructs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pimentel Carletto, Rodrigo

with mechanical properties in the range of soft tissues has not been fully achieved. My project focused on the fabrication and the active perfusion of hydrogel constructs with multi-dimensional vasculature and controlled mechanical properties targeting soft tissues. Specifically, the initial part of the research...... nanotechnology-based paradigm for engineering vascularised liver tissue for transplantation”) and the Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation’s Center for Intelligent Drug delivery and sensing Using microcontainers and Nanomechanics (Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF122)....

Soft tissue changes from maxillary distraction osteogenesis versus orthognathic surgery in patients with cleft lip and palate--a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Chua, Hannah Daile P; Cheung, Lim Kwong

2012-07-01

The objective of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to compare the soft tissue changes after maxillary advancement using conventional orthognathic surgery (CO) and distraction osteogenesis (DO) in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP). The study group of 39 CLP patients with maxillary hypoplasia underwent either CO or DO with 4 to 10 mm of maxillary advancement. Lateral cephalographs were taken preoperatively and postoperatively at regular intervals. A series of skeletal, dental, and soft tissue landmarks was used to evaluate the changes in the soft tissue and the correlation of hard and soft tissue changes and ratios. Significant differences were found between the CO and DO patients at A point in both maxillary advancement and downgrafting in the early follow-up period. On soft tissue landmarks of pronasale, subnasale, and labial superius, significant differences were found between the 2 groups at 6 months postoperatively only with maxillary advancement. There was better correlation of hard and soft tissue changes with maxillary advancement. The nasal projection was significantly different between the 2 groups at the early and intermediate period. There was much more consistent hard to soft tissue ratios in maxillary advancement with DO than with CO. Both CO and DO can induce significant soft tissue changes of the upper lip and nose, particularly with maxillary advancement. DO generates more consistent hard to soft tissue ratios. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tissue Discrimination by Uncorrected Autofluorescence Spectra: A Proof-of-Principle Study for Tissue-Specific Laser Surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katja Tangermann-Gerk

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Laser surgery provides a number of advantages over conventional surgery. However, it implies large risks for sensitive tissue structures due to its characteristic non-tissue-specific ablation. The present study investigates the discrimination of nine different ex vivo tissue types by using uncorrected (raw autofluorescence spectra for the development of a remote feedback control system for tissue-selective laser surgery. Autofluorescence spectra (excitation wavelength 377 ± 50 nm were measured from nine different ex vivo tissue types, obtained from 15 domestic pig cadavers. For data analysis, a wavelength range between 450 nm and 650 nm was investigated. Principal Component Analysis (PCA and Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA were used to discriminate the tissue types. ROC analysis showed that PCA, followed by QDA, could differentiate all investigated tissue types with AUC results between 1.00 and 0.97. Sensitivity reached values between 93% and 100% and specificity values between 94% and 100%. This ex vivo study shows a high differentiation potential for physiological tissue types when performing autofluorescence spectroscopy followed by PCA and QDA. The uncorrected autofluorescence spectra are suitable for reliable tissue discrimination and have a high potential to meet the challenges necessary for an optical feedback system for tissue-specific laser surgery.

Discovering and Exploring State-based Models for Multi-perspective Processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Eck, M.L.; Sidorova, N.; van der Aalst, W.M.P.; La Rosa, M.; Loos, P.; Pastor, O.

2016-01-01

Process mining provides fact-based insights into process behaviour captured in event data. In this work we aim to discover models for processes where different facets, or perspectives, of the process can be identified. Instead of focussing on the events or activities that are executed in the context

The effect of pore size on tissue ingrowth and neovascularization in porous bioceramics of controlled architecture in vivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai Feng; Zhang Jinkang; Wang Zhen; Liu Jian; Meng Guolin; Dong Xin [Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Lu Jianxi; Chang Jiang, E-mail: baifeng_fmmu@126.com [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2011-02-15

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of pore size on tissue ingrowth and neovascularization in porous bioceramics under the accurate control of the pore parameters. For that purpose, {beta}-tricalcium phosphate ({beta}-TCP) cylinders with four different macropore sizes (300-400, 400-500, 500-600 and 600-700 {mu}m) but the same interconnection size (120 {mu}m) and unchangeable porosity were implanted into fascia lumbodorsalis in rabbits. The fibrous tissues and blood vessels formed in scaffolds were observed histologically and histomorphometrically. The vascularization of the porous bioceramics was analyzed by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). It is found that pore size as an important parameter of a porous structure plays an important role in tissue infiltration into porous biomaterial scaffolds. The amount of fibrous tissue ingrowth increases with the decrease of the pore size. In four kinds of scaffolds with different macropore sizes (300-400, 400-500, 500-600 and 600-700 {mu}m) and a constant interconnection size of 120 {mu}m, the areas of fibrous tissue (%) were 60.5%, 52.2%, 41.3% and 37.3%, respectively, representing a significant decrease at 4 weeks (P < 0.01). The pore size of a scaffold is closely related to neovascularization of macroporous biomaterials implanted in vivo. A large pore size is beneficial for the growth of blood vessels, and the diameter of a pore smaller than 400 {mu}m limits the growth of blood vessels and results in a smaller blood vessel diameter.

Tools and strategies for discovering novel enzymes and metabolic pathways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John A. Gerlt

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The number of entries in the sequence databases continues to increase exponentially – the UniProt database is increasing with a doubling time of ∼4 years (2% increase/month. Approximately 50% of the entries have uncertain, unknown, or incorrect function annotations because these are made by automated methods based on sequence homology. If the potential in complete genome sequences is to be realized, strategies and tools must be developed to facilitate experimental assignment of functions to uncharacterized proteins discovered in genome projects. The Enzyme Function Initiative (EFI; previously supported by U54GM093342 from the National Institutes of Health, now supported by P01GM118303 developed web tools for visualizing and analyzing (1 sequence and function space in protein families (EFI-EST and (2 genome neighbourhoods in microbial and fungal genomes (EFI-GNT to assist the design of experimental strategies for discovering the in vitro activities and in vivo metabolic functions of uncharacterized enzymes. The EFI developed an experimental platform for large-scale production of the solute binding proteins (SBPs for ABC, TRAP, and TCT transport systems and their screening with a physical ligand library to identify the identities of the ligands for these transport systems. Because the genes that encode transport systems are often co-located with the genes that encode the catabolic pathways for the transported solutes, the identity of the SBP ligand together with the EFI-EST and EFI-GNT web tools can be used to discover new enzyme functions and new metabolic pathways. This approach is demonstrated with the characterization of a novel pathway for ethanolamine catabolism.

Discovering cancer vulnerabilities using high-throughput micro-RNA screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolic, Iva; Elsworth, Benjamin; Dodson, Eoin; Wu, Sunny Z; Gould, Cathryn M; Mestdagh, Pieter; Marshall, Glenn M; Horvath, Lisa G; Simpson, Kaylene J; Swarbrick, Alexander

2017-12-15

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are potent regulators of gene expression and cellular phenotype. Each miRNA has the potential to target hundreds of transcripts within the cell thus controlling fundamental cellular processes such as survival and proliferation. Here, we exploit this important feature of miRNA networks to discover vulnerabilities in cancer phenotype, and map miRNA-target relationships across different cancer types. More specifically, we report the results of a functional genomics screen of 1280 miRNA mimics and inhibitors in eight cancer cell lines, and its presentation in a sophisticated interactive data portal. This resource represents the most comprehensive survey of miRNA function in oncology, incorporating breast cancer, prostate cancer and neuroblastoma. A user-friendly web portal couples this experimental data with multiple tools for miRNA target prediction, pathway enrichment analysis and visualization. In addition, the database integrates publicly available gene expression and perturbation data enabling tailored and context-specific analysis of miRNA function in a particular disease. As a proof-of-principle, we use the database and its innovative features to uncover novel determinants of the neuroblastoma malignant phenotype. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

The ratio of Matriptase/HAI-1 mRNA is higher in colorectal cancer adenomas and carcinomas than corresponding tissue from control individuals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogel, Lotte K; Saebø, Mona; Skjelbred, Camilla F

2006-01-01

.001) and severe (p ratio than corresponding normal tissue from healthy control individuals (p ... that the ratio of matriptase to HAI-1 influences the malignant progression. The aim of this study has been to determine the ratio of matriptase to HAI-1 mRNA expression in affected and normal tissue from individuals with colorectal cancer adenomas and carcinomas as well as in healthy individuals, in order...... to determine at which stages a dysregulated ratio of matriptase/HAI-1 mRNA is present during carcinogenesis. METHODS: Using quantitative RT-PCR, we have determined the mRNA levels for matriptase and HAI-1 in colorectal cancer tissue (n = 9), severe dysplasia (n = 15), mild/moderate dysplasia (n = 21...

Tissue banking in South Africa: a 19-year history.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindeque, B G P; Lindeque, A M; Hausner, H; Le Roux, T L B

2005-01-01

The establishment of a Tissue Bank and the science of Tissue Banking in South Africa started in the 1960s and is still developing. This article describes the development and growth of Tissue Banking in South Africa. The current emphasis is to supply viable bone products that have been produced under the best possible quality controlled circumstances; with the collaboration between different Organ Donation Organisations. Through collaboration, a dramatic increase in the number of donors was noted over the years. Concurrently, there was a dramatic increase in the usage of different allograft products and now necessitates the development of new graft materials for expanding patient options. As an ongoing concern, the Tissue Bank in South Africa experienced an ever increase in costs to enhance quality/safety controls: increase in historical patient information, documentation and serological testing in a population struggling to control HIV. To date, the South African Tissue Bank has not experienced any untoward patient incidence since the 1960s and currently is getting over 500 donors per year.

Controlled destruction and temperature distributions in biological tissues subjected to monoactive electrocoagulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Erez, A; Shitzer, A

1980-02-01

An analysis of the temperature fields developed in a biological tissue undergoing a monoactive electrical coagulating process is presented, including thermal recovery following prolonged heating. The analysis is performed for the passage of alternating current and assumes a homogeneous and isotropic tissue model which is uniformly perfused by blood at arterial temperature. Solution for the one-dimensional spherical geometry is obtained by a Laplace transform and numerical integrations. Results obtained indicate the major role which blood perfusion plays in determining the effects of the coagulating process; tissue temperatures and depth of destruction are drastically reduced as blood perfusion increases. Metabolic heat generation rate is found to have negligible effects on tissue temperatures whereas electrode thermal inertia affects temperature levels appreciably. However, electrodes employed in practice would have a low thermal inertia which might be regarded as zero for all practical purposes. It is also found that the depth of tissue destruction is almost directly proportional to the electrical power and duration of application. To avoid excessively high temperatures and charring, it would be advantageous to reduce power and increase the time of application. Results of this study should be regarded as a first approximation to the rather complex phenomena associated with electrocoagulation. They may, nevertheless, serve as preliminary guidelines to practicing surgeons applying this technique.

Connective tissue graft as a biological barrier for guided tissue regeneration in intrabony defects: a histological study in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, Fernando Salimon; Pontes, Ana Emília Farias; Zuza, Elizangela Partata; da Silva, Vanessa Camila; Lia, Raphael Carlos Comelli; Marcantonio Junior, Elcio

2015-06-01

The use of the autogenous periosteal graft as biological barrier has been proposed for periodontal regeneration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the histometric findings of the subepithelial connective tissue graft as barrier in intrabony defects compared to a bioabsorbable membrane. Three-walled intrabony defects were created surgically in the mesial aspect of the right and left maxillary canines in five healthy mongrel dogs. The defects were chronified, and two types of barriers were randomly carried out for guided tissue regeneration in a split-mouth design: the test group with a subepithelial connective tissue graft and the control group with a bioabsorbable membrane. The specimens were processed for histometric analyses of the epithelium (E), connective tissue (CT), newly formed cementum (NC), new bone (NB), and total newly formed tissues (NFT). The test side showed smaller mean of NC (3.6 ± 1.2), NB (2.1 ± 0.7), and NFT (7.7 ± 0.8) than the control group (NC 7.3 ± 0.5; NB 5.3 ± 1.3; NFT 10.1 ± 2.2; P  0.05) and CT (test 2.5 ± 1.1; control 2.0 ± 0.5; P > 0.05) between groups. The bioabsorbable membrane was more effective in maintaining the space for periodontal regeneration than periosteal connective graft when used as barrier. The bioabsorbable membrane showed more favorable regenerative results in intrabony defects in dogs than the subepithelial connective tissue graft as biological barrier.

Connective tissue grafts for thickening peri-implant tissues at implant placement. One-year results from an explanatory split-mouth randomised controlled clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiesner, Günter; Esposito, Marco; Worthington, Helen; Schlee, Markus

2010-01-01

Nothing to declare. To evaluate whether connective tissue grafts performed at implant placement could be effective in augmenting peri-implant soft tissues. Ten partially edentulous patients requiring at least one single implant in the premolar or molar areas of both sides of the mandible were randomised to have one side augmented at implant placement with a connective soft tissue graft harvested from the palate or no augmentation. After 3 months of submerged healing, abutments were placed and within 1 month definitive crowns were permanently cemented. Outcome measures were implant success, any complications, peri-implant marginal bone level changes, patient satisfaction and preference, thickness of the soft tissues and aesthetics (pink aesthetic score) evaluated by an independent and blinded assessor 1 year after loading. One year after loading, no patients dropped out, no implants failed and no complications occurred. Both groups lost statistically significant amounts of peri-implant bone 1 year after loading (0.8 mm in the grafted group and 0.6 mm in the non-grafted group), but there was no statistically significant difference between groups. Soft tissues at augmented sites were 1.3 mm thicker (P Connective tissue grafts are effective in increasing soft tissue thickness, thus improving aesthetics. Longer follow-ups are needed to evaluate the stability of peri-implant tissues over time.

Discover 4-H Clubs: The Essential Resource for 4-H

Science.gov (United States)

MacArthur, Stacey; Nelson, Cindy; Brower, Naomi; Memmott, Margie; Peterson, Gaelynn

2016-01-01

Obstacles facing new 4-H volunteers include time constraints and difficulty finding project-specific information, resources, and opportunities available for club members. As a solution to these obstacles and an aid for assisting volunteers in becoming confident in delivering information to youth, content experts produced Discover 4-H Clubs, a…

REVIEW: Discovering Statistics Using SPSS for Windows ANDY FIELD (2000)

OpenAIRE

SHARMA, Reviewed By Ashok

2015-01-01

The book "Discovering Statistics Using SPSS for Windows" is exactly that! Since it calculates amazingly fast, in the recent years, the computer has become the most useful and helpful tool for the researchers in almost every field of knowledge - be it open and distance education, psychology, sociology, management or else.

Simultaneously Discovering and Localizing Common Objects in Wild Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhenzhen; Yuan, Junsong

2018-09-01

Motivated by the recent success of supervised and weakly supervised common object discovery, in this paper, we move forward one step further to tackle common object discovery in a fully unsupervised way. Generally, object co-localization aims at simultaneously localizing objects of the same class across a group of images. Traditional object localization/detection usually trains specific object detectors which require bounding box annotations of object instances, or at least image-level labels to indicate the presence/absence of objects in an image. Given a collection of images without any annotations, our proposed fully unsupervised method is to simultaneously discover images that contain common objects and also localize common objects in corresponding images. Without requiring to know the total number of common objects, we formulate this unsupervised object discovery as a sub-graph mining problem from a weighted graph of object proposals, where nodes correspond to object proposals, and edges represent the similarities between neighbouring proposals. The positive images and common objects are jointly discovered by finding sub-graphs of strongly connected nodes, with each sub-graph capturing one object pattern. The optimization problem can be efficiently solved by our proposed maximal-flow-based algorithm. Instead of assuming that each image contains only one common object, our proposed solution can better address wild images where each image may contain multiple common objects or even no common object. Moreover, our proposed method can be easily tailored to the task of image retrieval in which the nodes correspond to the similarity between query and reference images. Extensive experiments on PASCAL VOC 2007 and Object Discovery data sets demonstrate that even without any supervision, our approach can discover/localize common objects of various classes in the presence of scale, view point, appearance variation, and partial occlusions. We also conduct broad

Monitoring soft tissue coagulation by optical spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Lihachev, A.; Lihacova, I.; Heinrichs, H.; Spigulis, J.; Trebst, T.; Wehner, M.

2017-12-01

Laser tissue welding (LTW) or laser tissue soldering (LTS) is investigated since many years for treatment of incisions, wound closure and anastomosis of vessels [1, 2]. Depending on the process, a certain temperature in the range between 65 °C to 85 °C must be reached and held for a few seconds. Care has to be taken not to overheat the tissue, otherwise necrosis or tissue carbonization may occur and will impair wound healing. Usually the temperature is monitored during the process to control the laser power [3]. This requires either bulky equipment or expensive and fragile infrared fibers to feed the temperature signal to an infrared detector. Alternatively, changes in tissue morphology can be directly observed by analysis of spectral reflectance. We investigate spectral changes in the range between 400 nm to 900 nm wavelength. Characteristic spectral changes occur when the temperature of tissue samples increase above 70 °C which is a typical setpoint value for temperature control of coagulation. We conclude that simple spectroscopy in the visible range can provide valuable information during LTS and LTW and probably replace the delicate measurement of temperature. A major advantage is that optical measurements can be performed using standard optical fibers and can be easily integrated into a surgical tool.

Radiation sterilization of tissue allografts: Requirements for validation and routine control. A code of practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-12-01

These recommendations for the radiation sterilization of tissue allografts adopt the principles that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) applies to the radiation sterilization of health care products. The approach has been adapted to take into account the special features associated with human tissues and the features that distinguish them from industrially produced sterile health care products. The approach as described here is not applicable if viral contamination is identified. Thus it is emphasized that the human donors of the tissues must be medically and serologically screened. To further support this screening it is recommended that autopsy reports be reviewed if available. This adaptation of established ISO methods can thus only be applied to sterilization of tissue allografts if the radiation sterilization described here is the terminal stage of a careful, detailed, documented sequence of procedures involving: donor selection; tissue retrieval; tissue banking general procedures; specific processing procedures; labelling; and distribution. The methods proposed here for the establishment of a sterilization dose are based on statistical approaches used for the sterilization of health care products and modified appropriately for the low numbers of tissue allograft samples typically available. This code of practice will be useful to tissue banking staff, surgeons using tissues for transplantation, regulators who oversee the safety of transplantation and radiation sterilization procedures, members of tissue banking associations, health service personnel in hospitals in which tissue transplantations are performed and inter-governmental organizations involved in transplantation issues, for example the World Health Organization. This publication was discussed extensively at an international meeting in Wrexham in the United Kingdom and was approved by the Technical Advisory Committee of the relevant IAEA project, which included the Chairpersons

Tissue-specific mRNA expression profiling in grape berry tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Grimplet, Jerome; Deluc, Laurent G; Tillett, Richard L; Wheatley, Matthew D; Schlauch, Karen A; Cramer, Grant R; Cushman, John C

2007-01-01

Background Berries of grape (Vitis vinifera) contain three major tissue types (skin, pulp and seed) all of which contribute to the aroma, color, and flavor characters of wine. The pericarp, which is composed of the exocarp (skin) and mesocarp (pulp), not only functions to protect and feed the developing seed, but also to assist in the dispersal of the mature seed by avian and mammalian vectors. The skin provides volatile and nonvolatile aroma and color compounds, the pulp contributes organic acids and sugars, and the seeds provide condensed tannins, all of which are important to the formation of organoleptic characteristics of wine. In order to understand the transcriptional network responsible for controlling tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns, mRNA expression profiling was conducted on each tissue of mature berries of V. vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Vitis oligonucleotide microarray ver. 1.0. In order to monitor the influence of water-deficit stress on tissue-specific expression patterns, mRNA expression profiles were also compared from mature berries harvested from vines subjected to well-watered or water-deficit conditions. Results Overall, berry tissues were found to express approximately 76% of genes represented on the Vitis microarray. Approximately 60% of these genes exhibited significant differential expression in one or more of the three major tissue types with more than 28% of genes showing pronounced (2-fold or greater) differences in mRNA expression. The largest difference in tissue-specific expression was observed between the seed and pulp/skin. Exocarp tissue, which is involved in pathogen defense and pigment production, showed higher mRNA abundance relative to other berry tissues for genes involved with flavonoid biosynthesis, pathogen resistance, and cell wall modification. Mesocarp tissue, which is considered a nutritive tissue, exhibited a higher mRNA abundance of genes involved in cell wall function and

Tissue-specific mRNA expression profiling in grape berry tissues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cramer Grant R

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Berries of grape (Vitis vinifera contain three major tissue types (skin, pulp and seed all of which contribute to the aroma, color, and flavor characters of wine. The pericarp, which is composed of the exocarp (skin and mesocarp (pulp, not only functions to protect and feed the developing seed, but also to assist in the dispersal of the mature seed by avian and mammalian vectors. The skin provides volatile and nonvolatile aroma and color compounds, the pulp contributes organic acids and sugars, and the seeds provide condensed tannins, all of which are important to the formation of organoleptic characteristics of wine. In order to understand the transcriptional network responsible for controlling tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns, mRNA expression profiling was conducted on each tissue of mature berries of V. vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Vitis oligonucleotide microarray ver. 1.0. In order to monitor the influence of water-deficit stress on tissue-specific expression patterns, mRNA expression profiles were also compared from mature berries harvested from vines subjected to well-watered or water-deficit conditions. Results Overall, berry tissues were found to express approximately 76% of genes represented on the Vitis microarray. Approximately 60% of these genes exhibited significant differential expression in one or more of the three major tissue types with more than 28% of genes showing pronounced (2-fold or greater differences in mRNA expression. The largest difference in tissue-specific expression was observed between the seed and pulp/skin. Exocarp tissue, which is involved in pathogen defense and pigment production, showed higher mRNA abundance relative to other berry tissues for genes involved with flavonoid biosynthesis, pathogen resistance, and cell wall modification. Mesocarp tissue, which is considered a nutritive tissue, exhibited a higher mRNA abundance of genes involved in cell

Oral absorption and tissue distribution of a new squalenoyl anticancer nanomedicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harivardhan Reddy, L.; Ferreira, Humberto; Dubernet, Catherine [Univ. Paris-Sud XI, Faculte de Pharmacie, UMR CNRS 8612, IFR 141 (France); Mouelhi, Sinda Lepetre; Desmaele, Didier [Universite Paris XI, Faculte de Pharmacie, UMR CNRS 8076 Biocis (France); Rousseau, Bernard [CEA, Bio Organic Chemistry and Labeled Compounds Division (France); Couvreur, Patrick [Univ. Paris-Sud XI, Faculte de Pharmacie, UMR CNRS 8612, IFR 141 (France)], E-mail: patrick.couvreur@u-psud.fr

2008-05-15

Recently, we had discovered that the linkage of nucleoside analogues to squalene, a precursor in the sterol biosynthesis, led to amphiphilic molecules, which self-organized in water as nanoassemblies of 100-300 nm in diameter, irrespective of the nucleoside analogue used. Thus, it was observed that the 4-(N)-trisnorsqualenoylgemcitabine (SQdFdC), the squalenoyl prodrug of the anticancer nucleoside analogue gemcitabine, was impressively more active than its parent compound gemcitabine, both in vitro and in vivo on experimental leukaemia. Since squalene, which is a natural constituent of shark liver and olive oil, is known to be absorbed orally, we investigated in this short note the absorption and tissue distribution of {sup 3}H-radiolabelled SQdFdC nanoassemblies comparatively to {sup 3}H-gemcitabine after oral administration to mice. Whereas gemcitabine was found to be rapidly absorbed (t{sub max} = 1 h), this compound underwent a rapid clearance from the plasma. Conversely, the SQdFdC nanoassemblies displayed slower absorption followed by the progressive tissue accumulation, and they exhibited a lower clearance rate. The accumulation of the SQdFdC nanoassemblies in tissues such as pancreas, thymus, lung, liver and spleen (except at 1 h post-administration) was similar to that of the gemcitabine, yet exhibited significantly greater penetration and retention into the stomach and intestinal tissues comparatively to gemcitabine. Thus, the SQdFdC nanoassemblies could be of potential interest in the treatment of gastrointestinal tumours by oral route.

Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness in Patients With Subclinical Hypothyroidism and the Relationship Thereof With Visceral Adipose Tissue Thickness.

Science.gov (United States)

Arpaci, Dilek; Gurkan Tocoglu, Aysel; Yilmaz, Sabiye; Korkmaz, Sumeyye; Ergenc, Hasan; Gunduz, Huseyin; Keser, Nurgul; Tamer, Ali

2016-03-01

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is associated with cardiovascular metabolic syndromes, especially dislipidemia and abdominal obesity. Visceral abdominal adipose tissue (VAAT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) have the same ontogenic origin and produce many proinflammatory and proatherogenic cytokines. We evaluated EAT and VAAT thickness in patients with SH. Forty-one patients with SH and 35 controls were included in the study. Demographical and anthropometric features of both patients and controls were recorded. Thyroid and metabolic parameters were measured. EAT was measured using 2D-transthoracic echocardiography. The age and gender distributions were similar in the two groups (P = 0.998 and P = 0.121, respectively). Body mass index (BMI), fat mass, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), the WC/HC ratio, and the thicknesses of VAAT and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue were higher in the case group than the control group (all P values 0.05). We found no difference between the two groups in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level (P = 0.780), but the levels of LDL-C and TG differed significantly (P = 0.002 and P = 0.026, respectively). The serum TSH level was higher and the FT4 level was lower in the case than the control group (both P values <0.01). Increased abdominal adipose tissue thickness in patients with SH is associated with atherosclerosis. To detemine the risk of atherosclerosis in such patients, EAT measurements are valuable; such assessment is simple to perform.

Pancreatic sarcoidosis discovered during Whipple procedure.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Jonathan; Spees, Tanner; Telefus, Phillip; Ranaudo, Jeffrey M; Carryl, Stephen; Xiao, Philip

2013-04-04

Pancreatic sarcoidosis is a rare variant of systemic sarcoidosis, with cases described in literature as recently as January 2010. We present here a case of pancreatic involvement with non-caseating granulomas discovered on laparotomy in a patient with a preoperative diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma. Computer tomography scan without contrast revealed a well-marginated smooth-shaped tumor in the head of the pancreas morphologically consistent with malignancy. During Whipple procedure, the mass was found to be a large lymph node that contained numerous non-caseating granulomas. Radiologically and clinically, non-caseating granulomas of the pancreas are often misdiagnosed as malignant tumor. Special attention given to this differential diagnosis by surgeons, pathologists and clinicians can avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment. Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. © The Author 2013.

Recombinant heparan sulfate for use in tissue engineering applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Whitelock, J.; Ma, J.L.; Davies, N.

2008-01-01

Background: Heparan sulfate (HS) is an important component of many extracellular matrices that interacts with mitogens and morphogens to guide and control tissue and organ development. These interactions are controlled by its structure, which varies when produced by different cell types and diffe......Background: Heparan sulfate (HS) is an important component of many extracellular matrices that interacts with mitogens and morphogens to guide and control tissue and organ development. These interactions are controlled by its structure, which varies when produced by different cell types...

Crossroads of Wnt and Hippo in epithelial tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernascone, Ilenia; Martin-Belmonte, Fernando

2013-08-01

Epithelial tissues undergo constant growth and differentiation during embryonic development and to replace damaged tissue in adult organs. These processes are governed by different signaling pathways that ultimately control the expression of genes associated with cell proliferation, patterning, and death. One essential pathway is Wnt, which controls tubulogenesis in several epithelial organs. Recently, Wnt has been closely linked to other signaling pathways, such as Hippo, that orchestrate proliferation and apoptosis to control organ size. There is evidence that epithelial cell junctions may sequester the transcription factors that act downstream of these signaling pathways, which would represent an important aspect of their functional regulation and their influence on cell behavior. Here, we review the transcriptional control exerted by the Wnt and Hippo signaling pathways during epithelial growth, patterning, and differentiation and recent advances in understanding of the regulation and crosstalk of these pathways in epithelial tissues. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two Herbig-Haro objects discovered by narrow-band CCD imagery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogura, Katsuo

1990-01-01

Two new Herbig-Haro objects, HH 132 and HH 133, have been discovered by CCD imagery behind interference filters on and just off the forbidden S II lines in the red. They are located in Puppis R2 and in Vela R2. Possible locations of their exciting sources are discussed. 12 refs

Protective Effect of Pyruvate Against Radiation-Induced Damage in Collagenized Tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Griko, Y. V.; Yan, Xiaoli

2016-01-01

Exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation produces both acute and late effects on the collagenized tissues and have profound effects on wound healing. Because of the crucial practical importance for new radioprotective agents, our study has been focused on evaluation of the efficacy of non-toxic naturally occurring compounds to protect tissue integrity against high-dose gamma radiation. Here, we demonstrate that molecular integrity of collagen may serve as a sensitive biological marker for quantitative evaluation of molecular damage to collagenized tissue and efficacy of radioprotective agents. Increasing doses of gamma radiation (0-50kGy) result in progressive destruction of the native collagen fibrils, which provide a structural framework, strength, and proper milieu for the regenerating tissue. The strategy used in this study involved the thermodynamic specification of all structural changes in collagenized matrix of skin, aortic heart valve, and bone tissue induced by different doses and conditions of g-irradiation. This study describes a simple biophysical approach utilizing the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) to characterize the structural resistance of the aortic valve matrix exposed to different doses of g-irradiation. It allows us to identify the specific response of each constituent as well as to determine the influence of the different treatments on the characteristic parameters of protein structure. We found that pyruvate, a substance that naturally occurs in the body, provide significant protection (up to 80%) from biochemical and biomechanical damage to the collagenized tissue through the effective targeting of reactive oxygen species. The recently discovered role of pyruvate in the cell antioxidant defense to O2 oxidation, and its essential constituency in the daily human diet, indicate that the administration of pyruvate-based radioprotective formulations may provide safe and effective protection from deleterious effects of ionizing

Epithelial Control of Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Formation through p38α-Dependent Restraint of NF-κB Signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Caballero-Franco, Celia; Guma, Monica; Choo, Min-Kyung; Sano, Yasuyo; Enzler, Thomas; Karin, Michael; Mizoguchi, Atsushi; Park, Jin Mo

2016-03-01

The protein kinase p38α mediates cellular responses to environmental and endogenous cues that direct tissue homeostasis and immune responses. Studies of mice lacking p38α in several different cell types have demonstrated that p38α signaling is essential to maintaining the proliferation-differentiation balance in developing and steady-state tissues. The mechanisms underlying these roles involve cell-autonomous control of signaling and gene expression by p38α. In this study, we show that p38α regulates gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) formation in a noncell-autonomous manner. From an investigation of mice with intestinal epithelial cell-specific deletion of the p38α gene, we find that p38α serves to limit NF-κB signaling and thereby attenuate GALT-promoting chemokine expression in the intestinal epithelium. Loss of this regulation results in GALT hyperplasia and, in some animals, mucosa-associated B cell lymphoma. These anomalies occur independently of luminal microbial stimuli and are most likely driven by direct epithelial-lymphoid interactions. Our study illustrates a novel p38α-dependent mechanism preventing excessive generation of epithelial-derived signals that drive lymphoid tissue overgrowth and malignancy. Copyright © 2016 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Correlated responses in tissue weights measured in vivo by computer tomography in Dorset Down sheep selected for lean tissue growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nsoso, S.J.; Young, M.J.; Beatson, P.R.

2003-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate correlated responses in lean, fat and bone weights in vivo in Dorset Down sheep selected for lean tissue growth. Over the period 1986-1992 inclusive, the lean tissue growth line had been selected using two economic indices for an increased aggregate breeding value incorporating predicted lean and fat weights with positive and negative economic weightings, respectively. The control line was selected for no change in lean tissue growth each year. Animals were born and run on pasture all year round. X-ray computer tomography was used to estimate the weights of lean, fat and bone in vivo in the 1994-born sheep, aged 265-274 days and selected randomly into 12 rams and 12 ewes from the selected line and 10 rams and 9 ewes from the control line. The lean tissue growth line had significantly greater responses in lean weight (+0.65 + 0.10 kg) and lean percentage (+1.19 + 0.17%) and significantly lesser fat weight (-0.36 + 0.08 kg) and fat percentage (-1.88 + 0.20%) compared to the control line. There was a significant increase in bone weight (+0.27 + 0.03 kg) and bone percentage (+0.69 + 0.09%) in the lean tissue growth line compared to the control line. Responses differed significantly between sexes of the lean tissue growth line, rams having a greater response in weight of lean (+1.22 + 0.20 vs. +0.08 + 0.22 kg) and bone (+0.45 + 0.06 vs. +0.09 + 0.07 kg), and a lesser response in weight of fat (-0.03 + 0.15 vs. -0.70 + 0.16 kg) than the ewes. Selection led to significant changes in lean (increase) and fat weights (decrease), and bone weight increased. Although responses in the lean tissue growth line differed significantly between sexes, there were confounding factors due to differences in management and lack of comparison at equal stage of development. Therefore, to assess real genetic differences further studies should be conducted taking these factors into consideration

A three-dimensional soft tissue analysis of Class III malocclusion: a case-controlled cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Johal, Ama; Chaggar, Amrit; Zou, Li Fong

2018-03-01

The present study used the optical surface laser scanning technique to compare the facial features of patients aged 8-18 years presenting with Class I and Class III incisor relationship in a case-control design. Subjects with a Class III incisor relationship, aged 8-18 years, were age and gender matched with Class I control and underwent a 3-dimensional (3-D) optical surface scan of the facial soft tissues. Landmark analysis revealed Class III subjects displayed greater mean dimensions compared to the control group most notably between the ages of 8-10 and 17-18 years in both males and females, in respect of antero-posterior (P = 0.01) and vertical (P = 0.006) facial dimensions. Surface-based analysis, revealed the greatest difference in the lower facial region, followed by the mid-face, whilst the upper face remained fairly consistent. Significant detectable differences were found in the surface facial features of developing Class III subjects.

Discovering the quantum universe the role of particle colliders

CERN Document Server

2006-01-01

What does "Quantum Universe" mean? To discover what the universe is made of and how it works is the challenge of particle physics. "Quantum Universe" defines the quest to explain the universe in terms of quantum physics, which governs the behavior of the microscopic, subatomic world. It describes a revolution in particle physics and a quantum leap in our understanding of the mystery and beauty of the universe.

Colloidal gas aphron foams: A novel approach to a hydrogel based tissue engineered myocardial patch

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Elizabeth Edna

Cardiovascular disease currently affects an estimated 58 million Americans and is the leading cause of death in the US. Over 2.3 million Americans are currently living with heart failure a leading cause of which is acute myocardial infarction, during which a part of the heart muscle is damaged beyond repair. There is a great need to develop treatments for damaged heart tissue. One potential therapy involves replacement of nonfunctioning scar tissue with a patch of healthy, functioning tissue. A tissue engineered cardiac patch would be ideal for such an application. Tissue engineering techniques require the use of porous scaffolds, which serve as a 3-D template for initial cell attachment and grow-th leading to tissue formation. The scaffold must also have mechanical properties closely matching those of the tissues at the site of implantation. Our research presents a new approach to meet these design requirements. A unique interaction between poly(vinyl alcohol) and amino acids has been discovered by our lab, resulting in the production of novel gels. These unique synthetic hydrogels along with one natural hydrogel, alginate (derived from brown seaweed), have been coupled with a new approach to tissue scaffold fabrication using solid colloidal gas aphrons (CGAs). CGAs are colloidal foams containing uniform bubbles with diameters on the order of micrometers. Upon solidification the GCAs form a porous, 3-D network suitable for a tissue scaffold. The project encompasses four specific aims: (I) characterize hydrogel formation mechanism, (II) use colloidal gas aphrons to produce hydrogel scaffolds, (III) chemically and physically characterize scaffold materials and (IV) optimize and evaluate scaffold biocompatibility.

SU-F-T-330: Characterization of the Clinically Released ScandiDos Discover Diode Array for In-Vivo Dose Monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saenz, D; Gutierrez, A [University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: The ScandiDos Discover has obtained FDA clearance and is now clinically released. We studied the essential attenuation and beam hardening components as well as tested the diode array’s ability to detect changes in absolute dose and MLC leaf positions. Methods: The ScandiDos Discover was mounted on the heads of an Elekta VersaHD and a Varian 23EX. Beam attenuation measurements were made at 10 cm depth for 6 MV and 18 MV beam energies. The PDD(10) was measured as a metric for the effect on beam quality. Next, a plan consisting of two orthogonal 10 × 10 cm2 fields was used to adjust the dose per fraction by scaling monitor units to test the absolute dose detection sensitivity of the Discover. A second plan (conformal arc) was then delivered several times independently on the Elekta VersaHD. Artificially introduced MLC position errors in the four central leaves were then added. The errors were incrementally increased from 1 mm to 4 mm and back across seven control points. Results: The absolute dose measured at 10 cm depth decreased by 1.2% and 0.7% for 6 MV and 18 MV beam with the Discover, respectively. Attenuation depended slightly on the field size but only changed the attenuation by 0.1% across 5 × 5 cm{sup 2} and 20 − 20 cm{sup 2} fields. The change in PDD(10) for a 10 − 10 cm{sup 2} field was +0.1% and +0.6% for 6 MV and 18 MV, respectively. Changes in monitor units from −5.0% to 5.0% were faithfully detected. Detected leaf errors were within 1.0 mm of intended errors. Conclusion: A novel in-vivo dosimeter monitoring the radiation beam during treatment was examined through its attenuation and beam hardening characteristics. The device tracked with changes in absolute dose as well as introduced leaf position deviations.

Microjet-assisted dye-enhanced diode laser ablation of cartilaginous tissue

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, John; Bell, Brent A.; Motamedi, Massoud; Frederickson, Chris J.; Wallace, David B.; Hayes, Donald J.; Cowan, Daniel

1994-08-01

Recent studies have established clinical application of laser ablation of cartilaginous tissue. The goal of this study was to investigate removal of cartilaginous tissue using diode laser. To enhance the interaction of laser light with tissue, improve the ablation efficiency and localize the extent of laser-induced thermal damage in surrounding tissue, we studied the use of a novel delivery system developed by MicroFab Technologies to dispense a known amount of Indocyanine Green (ICG) with a high spatial resolution to alter the optical properties of the tissue in a controlled fashion. Canine intervertebral disks were harvested and used within eight hours after collection. One hundred forty nL of ICG was topically applied to both annulus and nucleus at the desired location with the MicroJet prior to each irradiation. Fiber catheters (600 micrometers ) were used and positioned to irradiate the tissue with a 0.8 mm spot size. Laser powers of 3 - 10 W (Diomed, 810 nm) were used to irradiate the tissue with ten pulses (200 - 500 msec). Discs not stained with ICG were irradiated as control samples. Efficient tissue ablation (80 - 300 micrometers /pulse) was observed using ICG to enhance light absorption and confine thermal damage while there was no observable ablation in control studied. The extent of tissue damage observed microscopically was limited to 50 - 100 micrometers . The diode laser/Microjet combination showed promise for applications involving removal of cartilaginous tissue. This procedure can be performed using a low power compact diode laser, is efficient, and potentially more economical compared to procedures using conventional lasers.

3D bioprinting for vascularized tissue fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Dylan; Jia, Jia; Yost, Michael; Markwald, Roger; Mei, Ying

2016-01-01

3D bioprinting holds remarkable promise for rapid fabrication of 3D tissue engineering constructs. Given its scalability, reproducibility, and precise multi-dimensional control that traditional fabrication methods do not provide, 3D bioprinting provides a powerful means to address one of the major challenges in tissue engineering: vascularization. Moderate success of current tissue engineering strategies have been attributed to the current inability to fabricate thick tissue engineering constructs that contain endogenous, engineered vasculature or nutrient channels that can integrate with the host tissue. Successful fabrication of a vascularized tissue construct requires synergy between high throughput, high-resolution bioprinting of larger perfusable channels and instructive bioink that promotes angiogenic sprouting and neovascularization. This review aims to cover the recent progress in the field of 3D bioprinting of vascularized tissues. It will cover the methods of bioprinting vascularized constructs, bioink for vascularization, and perspectives on recent innovations in 3D printing and biomaterials for the next generation of 3D bioprinting for vascularized tissue fabrication. PMID:27230253

Coronaviruses in brain tissue from patients with multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dessau, R B; Lisby, G; Frederiksen, J L

2001-01-01

Brain tissue from 25 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) and as controls brain tissue from 36 patients without neurological disease was tested for the presence of human coronaviral RNA. Four PCR assays with primers specific for N-protein of human coronavirus strain 229E...... and three PCR assays with primers specific for the nucleocapsid protein of human coronavirus strain OC43 were performed. Sporadic positive PCR assays were observed in both patients and controls in some of the PCR assays. However, these results were not reproducible and there was no difference...... in the proportion of positive signals from the MS patients compared to controls. Evidence for a chronic infection with the human coronaviruses strain 229E or OC43 in brain tissue from patients with MS or controls has not been found in this study....

Discovering the cosmos with small spacecraft the American explorer program

CERN Document Server

Harvey, Brian

2018-01-01

Explorer was the original American space program and Explorer 1 its first satellite, launched in 1958. Sixty years later, it is the longest continuously running space program in the world, demonstrating to the world how we can explore the cosmos with small spacecraft. Almost a hundred Explorers have already been launched.  Explorers have made some of the fundamental discoveries of the Space Age.Explorer 1 discovered Earth’s radiation belts. Later Explorers surveyed the Sun, the X-ray and ultraviolet universes, black holes, magnetars and gamma ray bursts. An Explorer found the remnant of the Big Bang. One Explorer chased and was the first to intercept a comet. The program went through a period of few launches during the crisis of funding for space science in the 1980s. However, with the era of ‘faster, cheaper, better,’ the program was reinvented, and new exiting missions began to take shape, like Swift and the asteroid hunter WISE.  Discovering the Cosmos with Small Spacecraft gives an account of ...

Metabolomics studies in brain tissue: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Riano, Carolina; Garcia, Antonia; Barbas, Coral

2016-10-25

Brain is still an organ with a composition to be discovered but beyond that, mental disorders and especially all diseases that curse with dementia are devastating for the patient, the family and the society. Metabolomics can offer an alternative tool for unveiling new insights in the discovery of new treatments and biomarkers of mental disorders. Until now, most of metabolomic studies have been based on biofluids: serum/plasma or urine, because brain tissue accessibility is limited to animal models or post mortem studies, but even so it is crucial for understanding the pathological processes. Metabolomics studies of brain tissue imply several challenges due to sample extraction, along with brain heterogeneity, sample storage, and sample treatment for a wide coverage of metabolites with a wide range of concentrations of many lipophilic and some polar compounds. In this review, the current analytical practices for target and non-targeted metabolomics are described and discussed with emphasis on critical aspects: sample treatment (quenching, homogenization, filtration, centrifugation and extraction), analytical methods, as well as findings considering the used strategies. Besides that, the altered analytes in the different brain regions have been associated with their corresponding pathways to obtain a global overview of their dysregulation, trying to establish the link between altered biological pathways and pathophysiological conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Commercial considerations in tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansbridge, Jonathan

2006-10-01

Tissue engineering is a field with immense promise. Using the example of an early tissue-engineered skin implant, Dermagraft, factors involved in the successful commercial development of devices of this type are explored. Tissue engineering has to strike a balance between tissue culture, which is a resource-intensive activity, and business considerations that are concerned with minimizing cost and maximizing customer convenience. Bioreactor design takes place in a highly regulated environment, so factors to be incorporated into the concept include not only tissue culture considerations but also matters related to asepsis, scaleup, automation and ease of use by the final customer. Dermagraft is an allogeneic tissue. Stasis preservation, in this case cryopreservation, is essential in allogeneic tissue engineering, allowing sterility testing, inventory control and, in the case of Dermagraft, a cellular stress that may be important for hormesis following implantation. Although the use of allogeneic cells provides advantages in manufacturing under suitable conditions, it raises the spectre of immunological rejection. Such rejection has not been experienced with Dermagraft. Possible reasons for this and the vision of further application of allogeneic tissues are important considerations in future tissue-engineered cellular devices. This review illustrates approaches that indicate some of the criteria that may provide a basis for further developments. Marketing is a further requirement for success, which entails understanding of the mechanism of action of the procedure, and is illustrated for Dermagraft. The success of a tissue-engineered product is dependent on many interacting operations, some discussed here, each of which must be performed simultaneously and well.

Modular design of artificial tissue homeostasis: robust control through synthetic cellular heterogeneity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miles Miller

Full Text Available Synthetic biology efforts have largely focused on small engineered gene networks, yet understanding how to integrate multiple synthetic modules and interface them with endogenous pathways remains a challenge. Here we present the design, system integration, and analysis of several large scale synthetic gene circuits for artificial tissue homeostasis. Diabetes therapy represents a possible application for engineered homeostasis, where genetically programmed stem cells maintain a steady population of β-cells despite continuous turnover. We develop a new iterative process that incorporates modular design principles with hierarchical performance optimization targeted for environments with uncertainty and incomplete information. We employ theoretical analysis and computational simulations of multicellular reaction/diffusion models to design and understand system behavior, and find that certain features often associated with robustness (e.g., multicellular synchronization and noise attenuation are actually detrimental for tissue homeostasis. We overcome these problems by engineering a new class of genetic modules for 'synthetic cellular heterogeneity' that function to generate beneficial population diversity. We design two such modules (an asynchronous genetic oscillator and a signaling throttle mechanism, demonstrate their capacity for enhancing robust control, and provide guidance for experimental implementation with various computational techniques. We found that designing modules for synthetic heterogeneity can be complex, and in general requires a framework for non-linear and multifactorial analysis. Consequently, we adapt a 'phenotypic sensitivity analysis' method to determine how functional module behaviors combine to achieve optimal system performance. We ultimately combine this analysis with Bayesian network inference to extract critical, causal relationships between a module's biochemical rate-constants, its high level functional behavior in

Modular design of artificial tissue homeostasis: robust control through synthetic cellular heterogeneity.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Miles; Hafner, Marc; Sontag, Eduardo; Davidsohn, Noah; Subramanian, Sairam; Purnick, Priscilla E M; Lauffenburger, Douglas; Weiss, Ron

2012-01-01

Synthetic biology efforts have largely focused on small engineered gene networks, yet understanding how to integrate multiple synthetic modules and interface them with endogenous pathways remains a challenge. Here we present the design, system integration, and analysis of several large scale synthetic gene circuits for artificial tissue homeostasis. Diabetes therapy represents a possible application for engineered homeostasis, where genetically programmed stem cells maintain a steady population of β-cells despite continuous turnover. We develop a new iterative process that incorporates modular design principles with hierarchical performance optimization targeted for environments with uncertainty and incomplete information. We employ theoretical analysis and computational simulations of multicellular reaction/diffusion models to design and understand system behavior, and find that certain features often associated with robustness (e.g., multicellular synchronization and noise attenuation) are actually detrimental for tissue homeostasis. We overcome these problems by engineering a new class of genetic modules for 'synthetic cellular heterogeneity' that function to generate beneficial population diversity. We design two such modules (an asynchronous genetic oscillator and a signaling throttle mechanism), demonstrate their capacity for enhancing robust control, and provide guidance for experimental implementation with various computational techniques. We found that designing modules for synthetic heterogeneity can be complex, and in general requires a framework for non-linear and multifactorial analysis. Consequently, we adapt a 'phenotypic sensitivity analysis' method to determine how functional module behaviors combine to achieve optimal system performance. We ultimately combine this analysis with Bayesian network inference to extract critical, causal relationships between a module's biochemical rate-constants, its high level functional behavior in isolation, and

Discovering Communicable Scientific Knowledge from Spatio-Temporal Data

Science.gov (United States)

Schwabacher, Mark; Langley, Pat; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This paper describes how we used regression rules to improve upon a result previously published in the Earth science literature. In such a scientific application of machine learning, it is crucially important for the learned models to be understandable and communicable. We recount how we selected a learning algorithm to maximize communicability, and then describe two visualization techniques that we developed to aid in understanding the model by exploiting the spatial nature of the data. We also report how evaluating the learned models across time let us discover an error in the data.

Brown adipose tissue: The heat is on the heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Thoonen, Robrecht; Hindle, Allyson G; Scherrer-Crosbie, Marielle

2016-06-01

The study of brown adipose tissue (BAT) has gained significant scientific interest since the discovery of functional BAT in adult humans. The thermogenic properties of BAT are well recognized; however, data generated in the last decade in both rodents and humans reveal therapeutic potential for BAT against metabolic disorders and obesity. Here we review the current literature in light of a potential role for BAT in beneficially mediating cardiovascular health. We focus mainly on BAT's actions in obesity, vascular tone, and glucose and lipid metabolism. Furthermore, we discuss the recently discovered endocrine factors that have a potential beneficial role in cardiovascular health. These BAT-secreted factors may have a favorable effect against cardiovascular risk either through their metabolic role or by directly affecting the heart. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Interactive Gaussian Graphical Models for Discovering Depth Trends in ChemCam Data

Science.gov (United States)

Oyen, D. A.; Komurlu, C.; Lanza, N. L.

2018-04-01

Interactive Gaussian graphical models discover surface compositional features on rocks in ChemCam targets. Our approach visualizes shot-to-shot relationships among LIBS observations, and identifies the wavelengths involved in the trend.

Discovering Sentinel Rules for Business Intelligence

Science.gov (United States)

Middelfart, Morten; Pedersen, Torben Bach

This paper proposes the concept of sentinel rules for multi-dimensional data that warns users when measure data concerning the external environment changes. For instance, a surge in negative blogging about a company could trigger a sentinel rule warning that revenue will decrease within two months, so a new course of action can be taken. Hereby, we expand the window of opportunity for organizations and facilitate successful navigation even though the world behaves chaotically. Since sentinel rules are at the schema level as opposed to the data level, and operate on data changes as opposed to absolute data values, we are able to discover strong and useful sentinel rules that would otherwise be hidden when using sequential pattern mining or correlation techniques. We present a method for sentinel rule discovery and an implementation of this method that scales linearly on large data volumes.

Sympathetic reflex control of blood flow in human peripheral tissues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, O

1991-01-01

Sympathetic vasoconstrictor reflexes are essential for the maintenance of arterial blood pressure in upright position. It has been generally believed that supraspinal sympathetic vasoconstrictor reflexes elicited by changes in baroreceptor activity play an important role. Recent studies on human...... sympathetic vasoconstrictor reflexes are blocked. Blood flow has been measure by the local 133Xe-technique. The results indicate the presence of spinal as well as supraspinal sympathetic vasoconstrictor reflexes to human peripheral tissues. Especially is emphasized the presence of a local sympathetic veno...... skeletal muscle, cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues of the limbs indicate that the situation is more complex. Measurements have been carried out during acute as well as chronic sympathetic denervation. Spinal sympathetic reflex mechanisms have been evaluated in tetraplegic patients, where supraspinal...

Discovering and Promoting Commodity Health Attributes: Programs and Issues

OpenAIRE

Carman, Hoy F.

2007-01-01

There is a growing consumer segment demanding healthy foods and diets, health and nutrition messages can expand food demand, and governments in the U.S. and EU, faced with increasing obesity and associated health outcomes, want consumers to have reliable information to choose healthy diets. California commodity organizations, charged with expanding the demand for almonds, avocados, strawberries and walnuts, are funding health and nutrition research as a means to discover a unique selling prop...

Vascularization of soft tissue engineering constructs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pimentel Carletto, Rodrigo

nanotechnology-based paradigm for engineering vascularised liver tissue for transplantation”) and the Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation’s Center for Intelligent Drug delivery and sensing Using microcontainers and Nanomechanics (Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF122).......Vascularization is recognized to be the biggest challenge for the fabrication of tissues and finally, organs in vitro. So far, several fabrication techniques have been proposed to create a perfusable vasculature within hydrogels, however, the vascularization and perfusion of hydrogels...... with mechanical properties in the range of soft tissues has not been fully achieved. My project focused on the fabrication and the active perfusion of hydrogel constructs with multi-dimensional vasculature and controlled mechanical properties targeting soft tissues. Specifically, the initial part of the research...

Discover Earth: an earth system science program for libraries and their communities

Science.gov (United States)

Dusenbery, P.

2011-12-01

The view from space has deepened our understanding of Earth as a global, dynamic system. Instruments on satellites and spacecraft, coupled with advances in ground-based research, have provided us with astonishing new perspectives of our planet. Now more than ever, enhancing the public's understanding of Earth's physical and biological systems is vital to helping citizens make informed policy decisions especially when they are faced with the consequences of global climate change. While the focus for education reform is on school improvement, there is considerable research that supports the role that out-of-school experiences can play in student achievement. Libraries provide an untapped resource for engaging underserved youth and their families in fostering an appreciation and deeper understanding of science and technology topics. The Space Science Institute's National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA), the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), and the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) have received funding from NSF to develop a national project called the STAR Library Education Network: a hands-on learning program for libraries and their communities (or STAR-Net for short). STAR stands for Science-Technology, Activities and Resources. STAR-Net includes two exhibitions: Discover Earth and Discover Tech. The Discover Earth exhibition will focus on local earth science topics-such as weather, water cycle, and ecosystem changes-as well as a global view of our changing planet. The main take-away message (or Big Idea) for this exhibition is that the global environment changes - and is changed by - the host community's local environment. The project team is testing whether this approach will be a good strategy for engaging the public, especially in rural America. This presentation will provide an overview of the Discover Earth project and how it is integrating climate change ideas into the exhibit

Controlled Release Strategies for Bone, Cartilage, and Osteochondral Engineering—Part I: Recapitulation of Native Tissue Healing and Variables for the Design of Delivery Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Santo, Vítor E.; Mano, João F.; Reis, Rui L.

2013-01-01

The potential of growth factors to stimulate tissue healing through the enhancement of cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation is undeniable. However, critical parameters on the design of adequate carriers, such as uncontrolled spatiotemporal presence of bioactive factors, inadequate release profiles, and supraphysiological dosages of growth factors, have impaired the translation of these systems onto clinical practice. This review describes the healing cascades for bone, cartilage, and osteochondral interface, highlighting the role of specific growth factors for triggering the reactions leading to tissue regeneration. Critical criteria on the design of carriers for controlled release of bioactive factors are also reported, focusing on the need to provide a spatiotemporal control over the delivery and presentation of these molecules. PMID:23268651

A rigidity transition and glassy dynamics in a model for confluent 3D tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Merkel, Matthias; Manning, M. Lisa

The origin of rigidity in disordered materials is an outstanding open problem in statistical physics. Recently, a new type of rigidity transition was discovered in a family of models for 2D biological tissues, but the mechanisms responsible for rigidity remain unclear. This is not just a statistical physics problem, but also relevant for embryonic development, cancer growth, and wound healing. To gain insight into this rigidity transition and make new predictions about biological bulk tissues, we have developed a fully 3D self-propelled Voronoi (SPV) model. The model takes into account shape, elasticity, and self-propelled motion of the individual cells. We find that in the absence of self-propulsion, this model exhibits a rigidity transition that is controlled by a dimensionless model parameter describing the preferred cell shape, with an accompanying structural order parameter. In the presence of self-propulsion, the rigidity transition appears as a glass-like transition featuring caging and aging effects. Given the similarities between this transition and jamming in particulate solids, it is natural to ask if the two transitions are related. By comparing statistics of Voronoi geometries, we show the transitions are surprisingly close but demonstrably distinct. Furthermore, an index theorem used to identify topologically protected mechanical modes in jammed systems can be extended to these vertex-type models. In our model, residual stresses govern the transition and enter the index theorem in a different way compared to jammed particles, suggesting the origin of rigidity may be different between the two.

Role of adipose secreted factors and kisspeptin in the metabolic control of gonadotropin secretion and puberty

Science.gov (United States)

Factors secreted by adipose tissue continue to be discovered. Evidence indicates a strong link between neural influences and adipocyte expression and secretion of a wide array of cytokines, neurotrophic factors, growth factors, binding proteins, and neuropeptides. These “adipokines” are linked to im...

Prevention of lymphocele by using gelatin-thrombin matrix as a tissue sealant after pelvic lymphadenectomy in patients with gynecologic cancers: a prospective randomized controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yun Hwan; Shin, Hyun Joo; Ju, Woong; Kim, Seung Cheol

2017-05-01

This prospective randomized controlled pilot study aimed to find whether gelatin-thrombin matrix used as a tissue sealant (FloSeal) can prevent the occurrence of pelvic lymphocele in patients with gynecologic cancer who has undergone pelvic lymphadenectomy. Each patient, who undergo a laparotomic pelvic lymph node dissection on both sides, was randomly assigned for FloSeal application on 1 side of the pelvis. The other side of the pelvis without any product application being the control side. The amount of lymph drainage at each side of the pelvis was measured for 3 days, and computed tomography scans were obtained 7 days and 6 months after surgery for detection of pelvic lymphocele. Among 37 cases, the median amount of lymph drainage was significantly decreased in the hemi-pelvis treated with FloSeal compared to the control hemi-pelvis (p=0.025). The occurrence of lymphocele was considerably reduced in treated hemi-pelvis (8/37, 21.6%) compared with control hemi-pelvis (12/37, 32.4%) after 7 post-operative days (p=0.219), and more decreased in the treated hemi-pelvis (5/37, 13.5%) compared with control hemi-pelvis (9/37, 24.3%) after postoperative 6 months (p=0.344). The application of FloSeal as a tissue sealant in lymph nodes resected tissues can reduce the incidence of pelvic lymphocele in gynecologic cancer patients. A large randomized controlled study could confirm these preliminary results. Copyright © 2017. Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology

CWI cryptanalyst discovers new cryptographic attack variant in Flame spy malware

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.M.J. Stevens (Marc); R.J.F. Cramer (Ronald)

2012-01-01

htmlabstractCryptanalyst Marc Stevens from the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) in Amsterdam, known for breaking the https security in 2008 using a cryptanalytic attack on MD5, analyzed the recent Flame virus this week. He discovered that for this spy malware an as yet unknown cryptographic

A non-parametric hierarchical model to discover behavior dynamics from tracks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooij, J.F.P.; Englebienne, G.; Gavrila, D.M.

2012-01-01

We present a novel non-parametric Bayesian model to jointly discover the dynamics of low-level actions and high-level behaviors of tracked people in open environments. Our model represents behaviors as Markov chains of actions which capture high-level temporal dynamics. Actions may be shared by

Orbits of the Asteroids Discovered at the Molėtai Observatory in 2000–2004

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Černis K.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presents statistics of the asteroids observed and discovered at the Molėtai Observatory, Lithuania in 2000–2004 within the project for astrometric observations of the near-Earth objects (NEOs, the main belt asteroids and comets. CCD observations of asteroids were obtained with the 35/51 cm Maksutov-type meniscus telescope and the 1.65 m Ritchey-Chretien reflector. In the Minor Planet Circulars and the Minor Planet Electronic Circulars (2000–2004 we published 6629 astrometric positions of 1114 asteroids. Among them 78 were newly discovered asteroids at Molėtai, a few NEOs were found by our team independently. For the 67 asteroids discovered at Molėtai the precise orbits were calculated. Because of small number of observations, a few asteroids have low-precision orbits and some asteroids have been lost. For seven objects we present their ephemerides for 2015.

The protein precursors of peptides that affect the mechanics of connective tissue and/or muscle in the echinoderm Apostichopus japonicus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurice R Elphick

Full Text Available Peptides that cause muscle relaxation or contraction or that modulate electrically-induced muscle contraction have been discovered in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Phylum Echinodermata; Class Holothuroidea. By analysing transcriptome sequence data, here the protein precursors of six of these myoactive peptides (the SALMFamides Sticho-MFamide-1 and -2, NGIWYamide, stichopin, GN-19 and GLRFA have been identified, providing novel insights on neuropeptide and endocrine-type signalling systems in echinoderms. The A. japonicus SALMFamide precursor comprises eight putative neuropeptides including both L-type and F-type SALMFamides, which contrasts with previous findings from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus where L-type and F-type SALMFamides are encoded by different genes. The NGIWYamide precursor contains five copies of NGIWYamide but, unlike other NG peptide-type neuropeptide precursors in deuterostomian invertebrates, the NGIWYamide precursor does not have a C-terminal neurophysin domain, indicating loss of this character in holothurians. NGIWYamide was originally discovered as a muscle contractant, but it also causes stiffening of mutable connective tissue in the body wall of A. japonicus, whilst holokinins (PLGYMFR and derivative peptides cause softening of the body wall. However, the mechanisms by which these peptides affect the stiffness of body wall connective tissue are unknown. Interestingly, analysis of the A. japonicus transcriptome reveals that the only protein containing the holokinin sequence PLGYMFR is an alpha-5 type collagen. This suggests that proteolysis of collagen may generate peptides (holokinins that affect body wall stiffness in sea cucumbers, providing a novel perspective on mechanisms of mutable connective tissue in echinoderms.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Squid (Loligo Spp.) Tissues of Kedah-Perlis Waters, Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamil, T.; Lias, K.; Norsila, D.; Syafinaz, N.S.

2014-01-01

This study was carried out to determine the concentration of selected heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in three different tissues collected from the ink-sac, head, and muscle of the squid. Squid samples were caught off the coastal waters of Kedah-Perlis, where only mature squids within the maturity size-range of 13 to 15 cm were used. From this study, the concentration of Zn (35.06 ± 4.06 mg/ kg in dry weight) was found significantly higher in all of the tissues, followed by Cu (15.10 ± 13.28 mg/ kg in dry weight), Cd (4.76 ± 3.77 mg/ kg in dry weight), and Pb with an average value of 4.01 ± 0.08 mg/ kg in dry weight. From this study, it was discovered that Zn and Cu concentrations in the tissues were lower than the maximum limit recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization, Malaysian Food Regulation (1985), as well as other countries. Meanwhile, both non-essential elements namely Cd and Pb recorded higher values than that of the recommended concentrations. According to the Metal Pollution Index (MPI), the ink-sac indicated medium-range contamination, while the head and muscle tissues showed low contamination levels. (author)

A Cancer-Indicative microRNA Pattern in Normal Prostate Tissue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thorsten Schlomm

2013-03-01

Full Text Available We analyzed the levels of selected micro-RNAs in normal prostate tissue to assess their potential to indicate tumor foci elsewhere in the prostate. Histologically normal prostate tissue samples from 31 prostate cancer patients and two cancer negative control groups with either unsuspicious or elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA levels (14 and 17 individuals, respectively were analyzed. Based on the expression analysis of 157 microRNAs in a pool of prostate tissue samples and information from data bases/literature, we selected eight microRNAs for quantification by real-time polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs. Selected miRNAs were analyzed in histologically tumor-free biopsy samples from patients and healthy controls. We identified seven microRNAs (miR-124a, miR-146a & b, miR-185, miR-16 and let-7a & b, which displayed significant differential expression in normal prostate tissue from men with prostate cancer compared to both cancer negative control groups. Four microRNAs (miR-185, miR-16 and let-7a and let-7b remained to significantly discriminate normal tissues from prostate cancer patients from those of the cancer negative control group with elevated PSA levels. The transcript levels of these microRNAs were highly indicative for the presence of cancer in the prostates, independently of the PSA level. Our results suggest a microRNA-pattern in histologically normal prostate tissue, indicating prostate cancer elsewhere in the organ.

Discovering new information in bibliographic databases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emil Hudomalj

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Databases contain information that can usually not be revealed by standard query systems. For that purpose, the methods for knowledge discovery from databases can be applied, which enable the user to browse aggregated data, discover trends, produce online reports, explore possible new associations within the data etc. Such methods are successfully employed in various fields, such as banking, insurance and telecommunications, while they are seldom used in libraries. The article reviews the development of query systems for bibliographic databases, including some early attempts to apply modern knowledge discovery methods. Analytical databases are described in more detail, since they usually serve as the basis for knowledge discovery. Data mining approaches are presented, since they are a central step in the knowledge discovery process. The key role of librarians who can play a key part in developing systems for finding new information in existing bibliographic databases is stressed.

Simple anthropometric measures correlate with metabolic risk indicators as strongly as magnetic resonance imaging-measured adipose tissue depots in both HIV-infected and control subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherzer, Rebecca; Shen, Wei; Bacchetti, Peter; Kotler, Donald; Lewis, Cora E; Shlipak, Michael G; Heymsfield, Steven B; Grunfeld, Carl

2008-06-01

Studies in persons without HIV infection have compared percentage body fat (%BF) and waist circumference as markers of risk for the complications of excess adiposity, but only limited study has been conducted in HIV-infected subjects. We compared anthropometric and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based adiposity measures as correlates of metabolic complications of adiposity in HIV-infected and control subjects. The study was a cross-sectional analysis of 666 HIV-positive and 242 control subjects in the Fat Redistribution and Metabolic Change in HIV Infection (FRAM) study assessing body mass index (BMI), waist (WC) and hip (HC) circumferences, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), %BF, and MRI-measured regional adipose tissue. Study outcomes were 3 metabolic risk variables [homeostatic model assessment (HOMA), triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol]. Analyses were stratified by sex and HIV status and adjusted for demographic, lifestyle, and HIV-related factors. In HIV-infected and control subjects, univariate associations with HOMA, triglycerides, and HDL were strongest for WC, MRI-measured visceral adipose tissue, and WHR; in all cases, differences in correlation between the strongest measures for each outcome were small (r HDL, WC appeared to be the best anthropometric correlate of metabolic complications, whereas, for triglycerides, the best was WHR. Relations of simple anthropometric measures with HOMA, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol are approximately as strong as MRI-measured whole-body adipose tissue depots in both HIV-infected and control subjects.

Comparison of HIV DNA and RNA in gut-associated lymphoid tissue of HIV-infected controllers and noncontrollers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatano, Hiroyu; Somsouk, Ma; Sinclair, Elizabeth; Harvill, Kara; Gilman, Lee; Cohen, Michelle; Hoh, Rebecca; Hunt, Peter W; Martin, Jeffrey N; Wong, Joseph K; Deeks, Steven G; Yukl, Steven A

2013-09-10

HIV-infected controllers have provided novel insights into mechanisms of viral control. We investigated the degree to which HIV DNA and RNA are present in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of controllers. Cross-sectional cohort study. Colorectal biopsy pieces were obtained from five untreated noncontrollers, five ART-suppressed patients, and nine untreated controllers. Rectal HIV DNA was lower in controllers (median 496 copies/10(6) CD4 T cells) than in untreated noncontrollers (117483 copies/10(6) CD4+ T cells, P = 0.001) and ART-suppressed patients (6116 copies/10(6) CD4 T cells, P = 0.004). Similarly, rectal HIV RNA was lower in controllers (19 copies/10(6) CD4 T cells) than in noncontrollers (15210 copies/10(6) CD4+ T cells, P = 0.001) and ART-suppressed patients (1625 copies/10(6) CD4+ T cells, P = 0.0599). Rectal HIV RNA/DNA ratios were not statistically different between the three groups. Despite being able to maintain very low plasma HIV RNA levels in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-infected controllers have readily measurable levels of HIV DNA and RNA in GALT. As expected, controllers had lower rectal HIV DNA and RNA compared with untreated noncontrollers and ART-suppressed individuals. Compared with the mechanisms of 'natural' viral control of controllers, long-term ART does not reduce the total HIV reservoir to the level of controllers.

HdhQ111 Mice Exhibit Tissue Specific Metabolite Profiles that Include Striatal Lipid Accumulation

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, Jeffrey B.; Deik, Amy; Fossale, Elisa; Weston, Rory M.; Guide, Jolene R.; Arjomand, Jamshid; Kwak, Seung; Clish, Clary B.; MacDonald, Marcy E.

2015-01-01

in brain, where the striatum featured signature accumulation of a set of lipids including sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol ester and triglyceride species. Importantly, in the presence of the CAG mutation, metabolite changes were unmasked in peripheral tissues by an interaction with dietary fat, implying that the design of studies to discover metabolic changes in HD mutation carriers should include metabolic perturbations. PMID:26295712

HdhQ111 Mice Exhibit Tissue Specific Metabolite Profiles that Include Striatal Lipid Accumulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey B Carroll

most evident in brain, where the striatum featured signature accumulation of a set of lipids including sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol ester and triglyceride species. Importantly, in the presence of the CAG mutation, metabolite changes were unmasked in peripheral tissues by an interaction with dietary fat, implying that the design of studies to discover metabolic changes in HD mutation carriers should include metabolic perturbations.

Discovering Multimodal Behavior in Ms. Pac-Man through Evolution of Modular Neural Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrum, Jacob; Miikkulainen, Risto

2016-03-12

Ms. Pac-Man is a challenging video game in which multiple modes of behavior are required: Ms. Pac-Man must escape ghosts when they are threats and catch them when they are edible, in addition to eating all pills in each level. Past approaches to learning behavior in Ms. Pac-Man have treated the game as a single task to be learned using monolithic policy representations. In contrast, this paper uses a framework called Modular Multi-objective NEAT (MM-NEAT) to evolve modular neural networks. Each module defines a separate behavior. The modules are used at different times according to a policy that can be human-designed (i.e. Multitask) or discovered automatically by evolution. The appropriate number of modules can be fixed or discovered using a genetic operator called Module Mutation. Several versions of Module Mutation are evaluated in this paper. Both fixed modular networks and Module Mutation networks outperform monolithic networks and Multitask networks. Interestingly, the best networks dedicate modules to critical behaviors (such as escaping when surrounded after luring ghosts near a power pill) that do not follow the customary division of the game into chasing edible and escaping threat ghosts. The results demonstrate that MM-NEAT can discover interesting and effective behavior for agents in challenging games.

Optimized path planning for soft tissue resection via laser vaporization

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Weston; Cornwell, Neil; Tucker, Matthew; Mann, Brian; Codd, Patrick

2018-02-01

Robotic and robotic-assisted surgeries are becoming more prevalent with the promise of improving surgical outcomes through increased precision, reduced operating times, and minimally invasive procedures. The handheld laser scalpel in neurosurgery has been shown to provide a more gentle approach to tissue manipulation on or near critical structures over classical tooling, though difficulties of control have prevented large scale adoption of the tool. This paper presents a novel approach to generating a cutting path for the volumetric resection of tissue using a computer-guided laser scalpel. A soft tissue ablation simulator is developed and used in conjunction with an optimization routine to select parameters which maximize the total resection of target tissue while minimizing the damage to surrounding tissue. The simulator predicts the ablative properties of tissue from an interrogation cut for tuning and simulates the removal of a tumorous tissue embedded on the surface of healthy tissue using a laser scalpel. We demonstrate the ability to control depth and smoothness of cut using genetic algorithms to optimize the ablation parameters and cutting path. The laser power level, cutting rate and spacing between cuts are optimized over multiple surface cuts to achieve the desired resection volumes.

Very Bright CV discovered by MASTER-ICATE (Argentina)

Science.gov (United States)

Saffe, C.; Levato, H.; Mallamaci, C.; Lopez, C.; Lipunov, F. Podest V.; Denisenko, D.; Gorbovskoy, E.; Tiurina, N.; Balanutsa, P.; Kornilov, V.; Belinski, A.; Shatskiy, N.; Chazov, V.; Kuznetsov, A.; Yecheistov, V.; Yurkov, V.; Sergienko, Y.; Varda, D.; Sinyakov, E.; Gabovich, A.; Ivanov, K.; Yazev, S.; Budnev, N.; Konstantinov, E.; Chuvalaev, O.; Poleshchuk, V.; Gress, O.; Frolova, A.; Krushinsky, V.; Zalozhnih, I.; Popov, A.; Bourdanov, A.; Parkhomenko, A.; Tlatov, A.; Dormidontov, D.; Senik, V.; Podvorotny, P.; Shumkov, V.; Shurpakov, S.

2013-06-01

MASTER-ICATE very wide-field camera (d=72mm f/1.2 lens + 11 Mpix CCD) located near San Juan, Argentina has discovered OT source at (RA, Dec) = 14h 20m 23.5s -48d 55m 40s on the combined image (exposure 275 sec) taken on 2013-06-08.048 UT. The OT unfiltered magnitude is 12.1m (limit 13.1m). There is no minor planet at this place. The OT is seen in more than 10 images starting from 2013-06-02.967 UT (275 sec exposure) when it was first detected at 12.4m.

BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF AZITROMICYN ON CONNECTIVE TISSUE

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Shafira Kurnia

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: periodontal disease is commonly caused by bacteria, especially actinomyces actinomycetemcomitans and porphyromonas gingivalis have an abilty enter epithelial cells objectives: to investigate systemic azithromycin as the antibiotic of choice for periodontal disease based on biocomptability test in connective tissue. Material and Methods: BHK 21 cell lines were exposed to 0.025%, 0.050%, 0.075%, and 0.1% azithromycin solution for seven times. Samples were put in incubator for 24 hours. Result: Azitrromycin 0.050%-0.1% showed significant difference between life cells percentage and control, however, azithromycin 0.025% revealed insignificant difference with control. Conclusion: 0.025% azithromycin was considered biocompatible with connective tissue and 0.050% was not.

Importance of good manufacturing practices in microbiological monitoring in processing human tissues for transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Pianigiani, Elisa; Ierardi, Francesca; Fimiani, Michele

2013-12-01

Skin allografts represent an important therapeutic resource in the treatment of severe skin loss. The risk associated with application of processed tissues in humans is very low, however, human material always carries the risk of disease transmission. To minimise the risk of contamination of grafts, processing is carried out in clean rooms where air quality is monitored. Procedures and quality control tests are performed to standardise the production process and to guarantee the final product for human use. Since we only validate and distribute aseptic tissues, we conducted a study to determine what type of quality controls for skin processing are the most suitable for detecting processing errors and intercurrent contamination, and for faithfully mapping the process without unduly increasing production costs. Two different methods for quality control were statistically compared using the Fisher exact test. On the basis of the current study we selected our quality control procedure based on pre- and post-processing tissue controls, operator and environmental controls. Evaluation of the predictability of our control methods showed that tissue control was the most reliable method of revealing microbial contamination of grafts. We obtained 100 % sensitivity by doubling tissue controls, while maintaining high specificity (77 %).

Gel spinning of silk tubes for tissue engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Lovett, Michael; Cannizzaro, Christopher; Vunjak-Novakovic, Gordana; Kaplan, David L.

2011-01-01

Tubular vessels for tissue engineering are typically fabricated using a molding, dipping, or electrospinning technique. While these techniques provide some control over inner and outer diameters of the tube, they lack the ability to align the polymers or fibers of interest throughout the tube. This is an important aspect of biomaterial composite structure and function for mechanical and biological impact of tissue outcomes. We present a novel aqueous process system to spin tubes from biopolymers and proteins such as silk fibroin. Using silk as an example, this method of winding an aqueous solution around a reciprocating rotating mandrel offers substantial improvement in the control of the tube properties, specifically with regard to winding pattern, tube porosity, and composite features. Silk tube properties are further controlled via different post-spinning processing mechanisms such as methanol-treatment, air-drying, and lyophilization. This approach to tubular scaffold manufacture offers numerous tissue engineering applications such as complex composite biomaterial matrices, blood vessel grafts and nerve guides, among others. PMID:18801570

Intrinsic regulation of blood flow in adipose tissue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, O; Nielsen, Steen Levin; Paaske, W

1976-01-01

Previous studies on intact human subcutaneous tissue have shown, that blood flow remains constant during minor changes in perfusion pressure. This so-called autoregulatory response has not been demonstrable in isolated preparations of adipose tissue. In the present study on isolated, denervated...... subcutaneous tissue in female rabbits only 2 of 12 expts. revealed an autoregulatory response during reduction in arterial perfusion pressure. Effluent blood flow from the tissue in the control state was 15.5 ml/100 g-min (S.D. 6.4, n = 12) corresponding to slight vasodilatation of the exposed tissue...... vasoconstriction with pronounced flow reduction. These two reactions may be important for local regulation of blood flow in subcutaneous tissue during orthostatic changes in arterial and venous pressure. It is concluded that the response in adipose tissue to changes in arterial pressure (autoregulation), venous...

"Discovering the Cell": An Educational Game about Cell and Molecular Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Spiegel, Carolina N.; Alves, Gutemberg G.; Cardona, Tania da S.; Melim, Leandra M. C.; Luz, Mauricio R. M. P.; Araujo-Jorge, Tania C.; Henriques-Pons, Andrea

2008-01-01

The role of games within education becomes clearer as students become more active and are able to take decisions, solve problems and react to the results of those decisions. The educational board game "Discovering the Cell" ("Celula Adentro"), is based on problem-solving learning. This investigative game attempts to stimulate…

Diode laser-induced tissue effects: in vitro tissue model study and in vivo evaluation of wound healing following non-contact application.

Science.gov (United States)

Havel, Miriam; Betz, Christian S; Leunig, Andreas; Sroka, Ronald

2014-08-01

The basic difference between the various common medical laser systems is the wavelength of the emitted light, leading to altered light-tissue interactions due to the optical parameters of the tissue. This study examines laser induced tissue effects in an in vitro tissue model using 1,470 nm diode laser compared to our standard practice for endonasal applications (940 nm diode laser) under standardised and reproducible conditions. Additionally, in vivo induced tissue effects following non-contact application with focus on mucosal healing were investigated in a controlled intra-individual design in patients treated for hypertrophy of nasal turbinate. A certified diode laser system emitting the light of λ = 1470 nm was evaluated with regards to its tissue effects (ablation, coagulation) in an in vitro setup on porcine liver and turkey muscle tissue model. To achieve comparable macroscopic tissue effects the laser fibres (600 µm core diameter) were fixed to a computer controlled stepper motor and the laser light was applied in a reproducible procedure under constant conditions. For the in vivo evaluation, 20 patients with nasal obstruction due to hyperplasia of inferior nasal turbinates were included in this prospective randomised double-blinded comparative trial. The endoscopic controlled endonasal application of λ = 1470 nm on the one and λ = 940 nm on the other side, both in 'non-contact' mode, was carried out as an outpatient procedure under local anaesthesia. The postoperative wound healing process (mucosal swelling, scab formation, bleeding, infection) was endoscopically documented and assessed by an independent physician. In the experimental setup, the 1,470 nm laser diode system proved to be efficient in inducing tissue effects in non-contact mode with a reduced energy factor of 5-10 for highly perfused liver tissue to 10-20 for muscle tissue as compared to the 940 nm diode laser system. In the in vivo evaluation scab formation

Multi-axial mechanical stimulation of tissue engineered cartilage: Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S D Waldman

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The development of tissue engineered cartilage is a promising new approach for the repair of damaged or diseased tissue. Since it has proven difficult to generate cartilaginous tissue with properties similar to that of native articular cartilage, several studies have used mechanical stimuli as a means to improve the quantity and quality of the developed tissue. In this study, we have investigated the effect of multi-axial loading applied during in vitro tissue formation to better reflect the physiological forces that chondrocytes are subjected to in vivo. Dynamic combined compression-shear stimulation (5% compression and 5% shear strain amplitudes increased both collagen and proteoglycan synthesis (76 ± 8% and 73 ± 5%, respectively over the static (unstimulated controls. When this multi-axial loading condition was applied to the chondrocyte cultures over a four week period, there were significant improvements in both extracellular matrix (ECM accumulation and the mechanical properties of the in vitro-formed tissue (3-fold increase in compressive modulus and 1.75-fold increase in shear modulus. Stimulated tissues were also significantly thinner than the static controls (19% reduction suggesting that there was a degree of ECM consolidation as a result of long-term multi-axial loading. This study demonstrated that stimulation by multi-axial forces can improve the quality of the in vitro-formed tissue, but additional studies are required to further optimize the conditions to favour improved biochemical and mechanical properties of the developed tissue.

Decision Tree Approach to Discovering Fraud in Leasing Agreements

OpenAIRE

Horvat Ivan; Pejić Bach Mirjana; Merkač Skok Marjana

2014-01-01

Background: Fraud attempts create large losses for financing subjects in modern economies. At the same time, leasing agreements have become more and more popular as a means of financing objects such as machinery and vehicles, but are more vulnerable to fraud attempts. Objectives: The goal of the paper is to estimate the usability of the data mining approach in discovering fraud in leasing agreements. Methods/Approach: Real-world data from one Croatian leasing firm was used for creating tow mo...

Comparison of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging-measured adipose tissue depots in HIV-infected and control subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherzer, Rebecca; Shen, Wei; Bacchetti, Peter; Kotler, Donald; Lewis, Cora E; Shlipak, Michael G; Punyanitya, Mark; Heymsfield, Steven B; Grunfeld, Carl

2008-10-01

Studies in persons without HIV infection have compared adipose tissue measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but no such study has been conducted in HIV-infected (HIV+) subjects, who have a high prevalence of regional fat loss. We compared DXA- with MRI-measured trunk, leg, arm, and total fat in HIV+ and control subjects. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 877 HIV+ subjects and 260 control subjects in FRAM (Study of Fat Redistribution and Metabolic Change in HIV Infection), stratified by sex and HIV status. Univariate associations of DXA with MRI were strongest for total and trunk fat (r > or = 0.92) and slightly weaker for leg (r > or = 0.87) and arm (r > or = 0.71) fat. The average estimated limb fat was substantially greater for DXA than for MRI for HIV+ and control men and women (all P < 0.0001). Less of a difference was observed in trunk fat measured by DXA and MRI, but the difference was still statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Bland-Altman plots showed increasing differences and variability. Greater average limb fat in control and HIV+ subjects (both P < 0.0001) was associated with greater differences between DXA and MRI measurements. Because the control subjects had more limb fat than did the HIV+ subjects, greater amounts of fat were measured by DXA than by MRI when control subjects were compared with HIV+ subjects. More HIV+ subjects had leg fat in the bottom decile of the control subjects by DXA than by MRI (P < 0.0001). Although DXA- and MRI-measured adipose tissue depots correlate strongly in HIV+ and control subjects, differences increase as average fat increases, particularly for limb fat. DXA may estimate a higher prevalence of peripheral lipoatrophy than does MRI in HIV+ subjects.

Biomechanics and Developmental Neuromotor Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Zernicke, Ronald F.; Schneider, Klaus

1993-01-01

By applying the principles and methods of mechanics to the musculoskeletal system, new insights can be discovered about control of human limb dynamics in both adults and infants. Reviews previous research on how infants gain control of their limbs and learn to reach in the first year of life. (MDM)

Lemongrass-Incorporated Tissue Conditioner Against Candida albicans Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Amornvit, Pokpong; Srithavaj, Theerathavaj

2014-01-01

Background: Tissue conditioner is applied popularly with dental prosthesis during wound healing process but it becomes a reservoir of oral microbiota, especially Candida species after long-term usage. Several antifungal drugs have been mixed with this material to control fungal level. In this study, lemongrass essential oil was added into COE-COMFORT tissue conditioner before being determined for anti-Candida efficacy. Materials and Methods: Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil was primarily determined for antifungal activity against C. albicans American type culture collection (ATCC) 10231 and MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) value by agar disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods, respectively. COE-COMFORT tissue conditioner was prepared as recommended by the manufacturer after a fixed volume of the oil at its MIC or higher concentrations were mixed thoroughly in its liquid part. Antifungal efficacy of the tissue conditioner with/without herb was finally analyzed. Results: Lemongrass essential oil displayed potent antifungal activity against C. albicans ATCC 10231and its MIC value was 0.06% (v/v). Dissimilarly, the tissue conditioner containing the oil at MIC level did not cease the growth of the tested fungus. Both reference and clinical isolates of C. albicans were completely inhibited after exposed to the tissue conditioner containing at least 0.25% (v/v) of the oil (approximately 4-time MIC). The tissue conditioner without herb or with nystatin was employed as negative or positive control, respectively. Conclusion: COE-COMFORT tissue conditioner supplemented with lemongrass essential oil obviously demonstrated another desirable property as in vitro anti-Candida efficacy to minimize the risk of getting Candidal infection. PMID:25177638

FIRST PHOTOMETRIC INVESTIGATION OF THE NEWLY DISCOVERED W UMa-TYPE BINARY STAR MR Com

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qian, S.-B.; Liu, N.-P.; Liao, W.-P.; He, J.-J.; Liu, L.; Zhu, L.-Y.; Wang, J.-J.; Zhao, E.-G., E-mail: qsb@ynao.ac.cn [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), P.O. Box 110, 650011 Kunming (China)

2013-08-01

By analyzing multi-color light curves of the newly discovered W UMa-type binary, MR Com, we discovered that it is a shallow-contact binary with a degree of contact factor of f = 10.0% {+-} 2.1%. Photometric solutions reveal that MR Com is a W-type system with a mass ratio of q = 3.9 where the less massive component is about 90 K hotter than the more massive one. By investigating all of the available times of minimum light, we found that the general trend of the Observed-Calculated (O - C) curve shows a downward parabolic variation while it undergoes a cyclic variation with a small amplitude of 0.0031 days and a period of 10.1 yr. The downward parabolic change corresponds to a long-term decrease in the orbital period at a rate of P-dot = -5.3 x 10{sup -7} days yr{sup -1} that may be caused by a combination of a mass transfer and an angular momentum loss (AML) via magnetic braking. Among the 16 shallow-contact systems with a decreasing orbital period, MR Com has the lowest mass ratio (e.g., 1/q = 0.26). The shallow-contact configuration, the low-mass ratio, and the long-term period decrease all suggest that systems similar to MR Com are on the AML-controlled stage of the evolutionary scheme proposed by Qian. They will oscillate around a critical mass ratio and evolve into a deep contact with a higher mass ratio. The small-amplitude cyclic change in the O - C curve was analyzed for the light-travel time effect via the presence of an extremely cool stellar companion.

Astronomers Discover Fastest-Spinning Pulsar

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

Astronomers using the National Science Foundation's Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope have discovered the fastest-spinning neutron star ever found, a 20-mile-diameter superdense pulsar whirling faster than the blades of a kitchen blender. Their work yields important new information about the nature of one of the most exotic forms of matter known in the Universe. Pulsar Graphic Pulsars Are Spinning Neutron Stars CREDIT: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF (Click on image for larger version) "We believe that the matter in neutron stars is denser than an atomic nucleus, but it is unclear by how much. Our observations of such a rapidly rotating star set a hard upper limit on its size, and hence on how dense the star can be.," said Jason Hessels, a graduate student at McGill University in Montreal. Hessels and his colleagues presented their findings to the American Astronomical Society's meeting in Washington, DC. Pulsars are spinning neutron stars that sling "lighthouse beams" of radio waves or light around as they spin. A neutron star is what is left after a massive star explodes at the end of its "normal" life. With no nuclear fuel left to produce energy to offset the stellar remnant's weight, its material is compressed to extreme densities. The pressure squeezes together most of its protons and electrons to form neutrons; hence, the name "neutron star." "Neutron stars are incredible laboratories for learning about the physics of the fundamental particles of nature, and this pulsar has given us an important new limit," explained Scott Ransom, an astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and one of Hessels' collaborators on this work. The scientists discovered the pulsar, named PSR J1748-2446ad, in a globular cluster of stars called Terzan 5, located some 28,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius. The newly-discovered pulsar is spinning 716 times per second, or at 716 Hertz (Hz), readily beating the previous record of 642 Hz from a pulsar

Multifunctional surfaces with biomimetic nanofibres and drug-eluting micro-patterns for infection control and bone tissue formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XN Chen

2012-09-01

Full Text Available For long-term orthopaedic implants, the creation of a surface that is repulsive to bacteria while adhesive to tissue cells represents a promising strategy to control infection. To obtain such multifunctional surfaces, two possible approaches were explored to incorporate a model antibiotic, rifampicin (Rf, into the osteogenic polycaprolactone (PCL/chitosan (CHS biomimetic nanofibre meshes by (1 blending Rf into the electrospinning solutions and then electrospinning into nanofibres (i.e., Rf-incorporating fibres, or (2 depositing Rf-containing poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA micro-patterns onto the PCL/chitosan nanofibre meshes via ink-jet printing (i.e., Rf-eluting micro-pattern/fibre. Rapid release of Rf from both meshes was measured even though a relatively slower release rate was obtained from the Rf-eluting micro-pattern ones. Antibacterial assay with Staphylococcus epidermidis showed that both mesh surfaces could effectively kill bacteria and prevent biofilm formation. However, only Rf-eluting micro-pattern meshes favoured the attachment, spreading and metabolic activity of preosteoblasts in the cell culture study. Furthermore, the Rf-eluting micro-pattern meshes could better support the osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblasts by up-regulating the gene expression of bone markers (type I collagen and alkaline phosphatase. Clearly, compared to Rf-incorporating nanofibre meshes, Rf-eluting micro-patterns could effectively prevent biofilm formation without sacrificing the osteogenic properties of PCL/chitosan nanofibre surfaces. This finding provides an innovative avenue to design multifunctional surfaces for enhancing bone tissue formation while controlling infection.

Stem cell research: licit or complicit? Is a medical breakthrough based on embryonic and fetal tissue compatible with Catholic teaching?

Science.gov (United States)

Branick, V; Lysaught, M T

1999-01-01

In November 1998 biologists announced that they had discovered a way to isolate and preserve human stem cells. Since stem cells are capable of developing into any kind of human tissue or organ, this was a great scientific coup. Researchers envision using the cells to replace damaged organs and to restore tissue destroyed by, for example, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, or even Alzheimer's. But, since stem cells are taken from aborted embryonic and fetal tissue or "leftover" in vitro embryos, their use raises large ethical issues. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently decided to fund research employing, not stem cells, but "cell lines" derived from them. The NIH has essentially made an ethical determination, finding sufficient "distance" between cell lines and abortion. Can Catholic universities sponsoring biological research agree with this finding? Probably not. In Catholic teaching, the concept of "complicity" would likely preclude such research. However, Catholic teaching would probably allow research done with stem cells obtained from postpartum placental tissue and from adult bone marrow and tissue. These cells, which lack the pluripotency of embryonic and fetal stem cells, are nevertheless scientifically promising and do not involve the destruction of human life.

Nano scaffolds and stem cell therapy in liver tissue engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Montaser, Laila M.; Fawzy, Sherin M.

2015-08-01

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have been constantly developing of late due to the major progress in cell and organ transplantation, as well as advances in materials science and engineering. Although stem cells hold great potential for the treatment of many injuries and degenerative diseases, several obstacles must be overcome before their therapeutic application can be realized. These include the development of advanced techniques to understand and control functions of micro environmental signals and novel methods to track and guide transplanted stem cells. A major complication encountered with stem cell therapies has been the failure of injected cells to engraft to target tissues. The application of nanotechnology to stem cell biology would be able to address those challenges. Combinations of stem cell therapy and nanotechnology in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have achieved significant advances. These combinations allow nanotechnology to engineer scaffolds with various features to control stem cell fate decisions. Fabrication of Nano fiber cell scaffolds onto which stem cells can adhere and spread, forming a niche-like microenvironment which can guide stem cells to proceed to heal damaged tissues. In this paper, current and emergent approach based on stem cells in the field of liver tissue engineering is presented for specific application. The combination of stem cells and tissue engineering opens new perspectives in tissue regeneration for stem cell therapy because of the potential to control stem cell behavior with the physical and chemical characteristics of the engineered scaffold environment.

Innate lymphoid cells in tissue homeostasis and diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Ignacio, Aline; Breda, Cristiane Naffah Souza; Camara, Niels Olsen Saraiva

2017-08-18

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are the most recently discovered family of innate immune cells. They are a part of the innate immune system, but develop from the lymphoid lineage. They lack pattern-recognition receptors and rearranged receptors, and therefore cannot directly mediate antigen specific responses. The progenitors specifically associated with the ILCs lineage have been uncovered, enabling the distinction between ILCs and natural killer cells. Based on the requirement of specific transcription factors and their patterns of cytokine production, ILCs are categorized into three subsets (ILC1, ILC2 and ILC3). First observed in mucosal surfaces, these cell populations interact with hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells throughout the body during homeostasis and diseases, promoting immunity, commensal microbiota tolerance, tissue repair and inflammation. Over the last 8 years, ILCs came into the spotlight as an essential cell type able to integrate diverse host immune responses. Recently, it became known that ILC subsets play a key role in immune responses at barrier surfaces, interacting with the microbiota, nutrients and metabolites. Since the liver receives the venous blood directly from the intestinal vein, the intestine and liver are essential to maintain tolerance and can rapidly respond to infections or tissue damage. Therefore, in this review, we discuss recent findings regarding ILC functions in homeostasis and disease, with a focus on the intestine and liver.

Caught in the act: discovering secreted proteins from fungi and oomycetes in action

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roth, Doris; Grell, Morten Nedergaard; Jensen, Annette Bruun

Host-microbe relationships largely rely on secreted proteins like enzymes, virulence factors and antimicrobial peptides. To discover proteins secreted by microbe and host during the interaction with each other, we produced dual-organism cDNA libraries from three different fungus- or oomycete-infe......, by applying a similar strategy with a fungus-only library. As a result, we will show that our approach is widely applicable and allows us to deepen the understanding a variety of different host-microbe systems.......Host-microbe relationships largely rely on secreted proteins like enzymes, virulence factors and antimicrobial peptides. To discover proteins secreted by microbe and host during the interaction with each other, we produced dual-organism cDNA libraries from three different fungus- or oomycete...

Discovering genes underlying QTL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vanavichit, Apichart [Kasetsart University, Kamphaengsaen, Nakorn Pathom (Thailand)

2002-02-01

A map-based approach has allowed scientists to discover few genes at a time. In addition, the reproductive barrier between cultivated rice and wild relatives has prevented us from utilizing the germ plasm by a map-based approach. Most genetic traits important to agriculture or human diseases are manifested as observable, quantitative phenotypes called Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL). In many instances, the complexity of the phenotype/genotype interaction and the general lack of clearly identifiable gene products render the direct molecular cloning approach ineffective, thus additional strategies like genome mapping are required to identify the QTL in question. Genome mapping requires no prior knowledge of the gene function, but utilizes statistical methods to identify the most likely gene location. To completely characterize genes of interest, the initially mapped region of a gene location will have to be narrowed down to a size that is suitable for cloning and sequencing. Strategies for gene identification within the critical region have to be applied after the sequencing of a potentially large clone or set of clones that contains this gene(s). Tremendous success of positional cloning has been shown for cloning many genes responsible for human diseases, including cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy as well as plant disease resistance genes. Genome and QTL mapping, positional cloning: the pre-genomics era, comparative approaches to gene identification, and positional cloning: the genomics era are discussed in the report. (M. Suetake)

Discovering, Indexing and Interlinking Information Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Celli, Fabrizio; Keizer, Johannes; Jaques, Yves; Konstantopoulos, Stasinos; Vudragović, Dušan

2015-01-01

The social media revolution is having a dramatic effect on the world of scientific publication. Scientists now publish their research interests, theories and outcomes across numerous channels, including personal blogs and other thematic web spaces where ideas, activities and partial results are discussed. Accordingly, information systems that facilitate access to scientific literature must learn to cope with this valuable and varied data, evolving to make this research easily discoverable and available to end users. In this paper we describe the incremental process of discovering web resources in the domain of agricultural science and technology. Making use of Linked Open Data methodologies, we interlink a wide array of custom-crawled resources with the AGRIS bibliographic database in order to enrich the user experience of the AGRIS website. We also discuss the SemaGrow Stack, a query federation and data integration infrastructure used to estimate the semantic distance between crawled web resources and AGRIS.

Michael Maier--nine newly discovered letters.

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Lenke, Nils; Roudet, Nicolas; Tilton, Hereward

2014-02-01

The authors provide a transcription, translation, and evaluation of nine newly discovered letters from the alchemist Michael Maier (1568-1622) to Gebhardt Johann von Alvensleben (1576-1631), a noble landholder in the vicinity of Magdeburg. Stemming from the final year of his life, this correspondence casts new light on Maier's biography, detailing his efforts to secure patronage amid the financial crisis of the early Thirty Years' War. While his ill-fated quest to perfect potable gold continued to form the central focus of his patronage suits, Maier also offered his services in several arts that he had condemned in his printed works, namely astrology and "supernatural" magic. Remarks concerning his previously unknown acquaintance with Heinrich Khunrath call for a re-evaluation of Maier's negotiation of the discursive boundaries between Lutheran orthodoxy and Paracelsianism. The letters also reveal Maier's substantial contribution to a work previously ascribed solely to the English alchemist Francis Anthony.

Effects of initiating moderate wine intake on abdominal adipose tissue in adults with type 2 diabetes: a 2-year randomized controlled trial.

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Golan, Rachel; Shelef, Ilan; Shemesh, Elad; Henkin, Yaakov; Schwarzfuchs, Dan; Gepner, Yftach; Harman-Boehm, Ilana; Witkow, Shula; Friger, Michael; Chassidim, Yoash; Liberty, Idit F; Sarusi, Benjamin; Serfaty, Dana; Bril, Nitzan; Rein, Michal; Cohen, Noa; Ben-Avraham, Sivan; Ceglarek, Uta; Stumvoll, Michael; Blüher, Matthias; Thiery, Joachim; Stampfer, Meir J; Rudich, Assaf; Shai, Iris

2017-02-01

To generate evidence-based conclusions about the effect of wine consumption on weight gain and abdominal fat accumulation and distribution in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the 2-year randomized controlled CASCADE (CArdiovaSCulAr Diabetes & Ethanol) trial, patients following a Mediterranean diet were randomly assigned to drink 150 ml of mineral water, white wine or red wine with dinner for 2 years. Visceral adiposity and abdominal fat distribution were measured in a subgroup of sixty-five participants, using abdominal MRI. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Soroka-Medical Center and the Nuclear Research Center Negev, Israel. Alcohol-abstaining adults with well-controlled type 2 diabetes. Forty-eight participants (red wine, n 27; mineral water, n 21) who completed a second MRI measurement were included in the 2-year analysis. Similar weight losses (sd) were observed: red wine 1·3 (3·9) kg; water 1·0 (4·2) kg (P=0·8 between groups). Changes (95 % CI) in abdominal adipose-tissue distribution were similar: red wine, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) -3·0 (-8·0, 2·0) %, deep subcutaneous adipose tissue (DSAT) +5·2 (-1·1, 11·6) %, superficial subcutaneous adipose tissue (SSAT) -1·9 (-5·0, 1·2) %; water, VAT -3·2 (-8·9, 2·5) %, DSAT +2·9 (-2·8, 8·6) %, SSAT -0·15 (-3·3, 2·9) %. No changes in antidiabetic medication and no substantial changes in energy intake (+126 (sd 2889) kJ/d (+30·2 (sd 690) kcal/d), P=0·8) were recorded. A 2-year decrease in glycated Hb (β=0·28, P=0·05) was associated with a decrease in VAT. Moderate wine consumption, as part of a Mediterranean diet, in persons with controlled diabetes did not promote weight gain or abdominal adiposity.

Three-dimensional bioprinting of thick vascularized tissues

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Kolesky, David B.; Homan, Kimberly A.; Skylar-Scott, Mark A.; Lewis, Jennifer A.

2016-03-01

The advancement of tissue and, ultimately, organ engineering requires the ability to pattern human tissues composed of cells, extracellular matrix, and vasculature with controlled microenvironments that can be sustained over prolonged time periods. To date, bioprinting methods have yielded thin tissues that only survive for short durations. To improve their physiological relevance, we report a method for bioprinting 3D cell-laden, vascularized tissues that exceed 1 cm in thickness and can be perfused on chip for long time periods (>6 wk). Specifically, we integrate parenchyma, stroma, and endothelium into a single thick tissue by coprinting multiple inks composed of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and human neonatal dermal fibroblasts (hNDFs) within a customized extracellular matrix alongside embedded vasculature, which is subsequently lined with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). These thick vascularized tissues are actively perfused with growth factors to differentiate hMSCs toward an osteogenic lineage in situ. This longitudinal study of emergent biological phenomena in complex microenvironments represents a foundational step in human tissue generation.

Managing Carious Lesions: Consensus Recommendations on Carious Tissue Removal.

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Schwendicke, F; Frencken, J E; Bjørndal, L; Maltz, M; Manton, D J; Ricketts, D; Van Landuyt, K; Banerjee, A; Campus, G; Doméjean, S; Fontana, M; Leal, S; Lo, E; Machiulskiene, V; Schulte, A; Splieth, C; Zandona, A F; Innes, N P T

2016-05-01

The International Caries Consensus Collaboration undertook a consensus process and here presents clinical recommendations for carious tissue removal and managing cavitated carious lesions, including restoration, based on texture of demineralized dentine. Dentists should manage the disease dental caries and control activity of existing cavitated lesions to preserve hard tissues and retain teeth long-term. Entering the restorative cycle should be avoided as far as possible. Controlling the disease in cavitated carious lesions should be attempted using methods which are aimed at biofilm removal or control first. Only when cavitated carious lesions either are noncleansable or can no longer be sealed are restorative interventions indicated. When a restoration is indicated, the priorities are as follows: preserving healthy and remineralizable tissue, achieving a restorative seal, maintaining pulpal health, and maximizing restoration success. Carious tissue is removed purely to create conditions for long-lasting restorations. Bacterially contaminated or demineralized tissues close to the pulp do not need to be removed. In deeper lesions in teeth with sensible (vital) pulps, preserving pulpal health should be prioritized, while in shallow or moderately deep lesions, restoration longevity becomes more important. For teeth with shallow or moderately deep cavitated lesions, carious tissue removal is performed according toselective removal to firm dentine.In deep cavitated lesions in primary or permanent teeth,selective removal to soft dentineshould be performed, although in permanent teeth,stepwise removalis an option. The evidence and, therefore, these recommendations support less invasive carious lesion management, delaying entry to, and slowing down, the restorative cycle by preserving tooth tissue and retaining teeth long-term. © International & American Associations for Dental Research 2016.

Improving the Interpretability of Classification Rules Discovered by an Ant Colony Algorithm: Extended Results.

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Otero, Fernando E B; Freitas, Alex A

2016-01-01

Most ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms for inducing classification rules use a ACO-based procedure to create a rule in a one-at-a-time fashion. An improved search strategy has been proposed in the cAnt-Miner[Formula: see text] algorithm, where an ACO-based procedure is used to create a complete list of rules (ordered rules), i.e., the ACO search is guided by the quality of a list of rules instead of an individual rule. In this paper we propose an extension of the cAnt-Miner[Formula: see text] algorithm to discover a set of rules (unordered rules). The main motivations for this work are to improve the interpretation of individual rules by discovering a set of rules and to evaluate the impact on the predictive accuracy of the algorithm. We also propose a new measure to evaluate the interpretability of the discovered rules to mitigate the fact that the commonly used model size measure ignores how the rules are used to make a class prediction. Comparisons with state-of-the-art rule induction algorithms, support vector machines, and the cAnt-Miner[Formula: see text] producing ordered rules are also presented.

Biological N2 fixation mainly controlled by Sphagnum tissue N:P ratio in ombrotrophic bogs

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Zivkovic, Tatjana; Moore, Tim R.

2017-04-01

Most of the 18 Pg nitrogen (N) accumulated in northern nutrient-poor and Sphagnum-dominated peatlands (bogs and fens) can be attributed to N2-fixation by diazotrophs either associated with the live Sphagnum or non-symbiotically in the deeper peat such as through methane consumption close to the water table. Where atmospheric N deposition is low (Sphagnum, suggested by the increase in tissue N:P to >16. It is unclear how Sphagnum-hosted diazotrophic activity may be affected by N deposition and thus changes in N:P ratio. First, we investigated the effects of long-term addition of different sources of nitrogen (0, 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 g N m-2 y-1as NH4Cl and NaNO3), and phosphorus (5 g P m-2 y-1as KH2PO4) on Sphagnum nutrient status (N, P and N:P ratio), net primary productivity (NPP) and Sphagnum-associated N2fixation at Mer Bleue, a temperate ombrotrophic bog. We show that N concentration in Sphagnum tissue increased with larger rates of N addition, with a stronger effect on Sphagnum from NH4 than NO3. The addition of P created a 3.5 fold increase in Sphagnum P content compared to controls. Sphagnum NPP decreased linearly with the rise in N:P ratio, while linear growth declined exponentially with increase in Sphagnum N content. Rates of N2-fixation determined in the laboratory significantly decreased in response to even the smallest addition of both N species. In contrast, the addition of P increased N2 fixation by up to 100 times compared to N treatments and up to 5-30 times compared to controls. The change in N2-fixation was best modeled by the N:P ratio, across all experimental treatments. Secondly, to test the role of N:P ratio on N2-fixation across a range of bogs, eight study sites along the latitudinal gradient from temperate, boreal to subarctic zone in eastern Canada were selected. From each bog, two predominant microptopographies, hummocks and hollows, were tested for both N2-fixation activity in the laboratory and Sphagnum tissue concentrations of N, P and N

Nanomaterials for Craniofacial and Dental Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, G; Zhou, T; Lin, S; Shi, S; Lin, Y

2017-07-01

Tissue engineering shows great potential as a future treatment for the craniofacial and dental defects caused by trauma, tumor, and other diseases. Due to the biomimetic features and excellent physiochemical properties, nanomaterials are of vital importance in promoting cell growth and stimulating tissue regeneration in tissue engineering. For craniofacial and dental tissue engineering, the frequently used nanomaterials include nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanotubes, and nanosheets. Nanofibers are attractive for cell invasion and proliferation because of their resemblance to extracellular matrix and the presence of large pores, and they have been used as scaffolds in bone, cartilage, and tooth regeneration. Nanotubes and nanoparticles improve the mechanical and chemical properties of scaffold, increase cell attachment and migration, and facilitate tissue regeneration. In addition, nanofibers and nanoparticles are also used as a delivery system to carry the bioactive agent in bone and tooth regeneration, have better control of the release speed of agent upon degradation of the matrix, and promote tissue regeneration. Although applications of nanomaterials in tissue engineering remain in their infancy with numerous challenges to face, the current results indicate that nanomaterials have massive potential in craniofacial and dental tissue engineering.

Cell microenvironment engineering and monitoring for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: the recent advances.

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Barthes, Julien; Özçelik, Hayriye; Hindié, Mathilde; Ndreu-Halili, Albana; Hasan, Anwarul; Vrana, Nihal Engin

2014-01-01

In tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, the conditions in the immediate vicinity of the cells have a direct effect on cells' behaviour and subsequently on clinical outcomes. Physical, chemical, and biological control of cell microenvironment are of crucial importance for the ability to direct and control cell behaviour in 3-dimensional tissue engineering scaffolds spatially and temporally. In this review, we will focus on the different aspects of cell microenvironment such as surface micro-, nanotopography, extracellular matrix composition and distribution, controlled release of soluble factors, and mechanical stress/strain conditions and how these aspects and their interactions can be used to achieve a higher degree of control over cellular activities. The effect of these parameters on the cellular behaviour within tissue engineering context is discussed and how these parameters are used to develop engineered tissues is elaborated. Also, recent techniques developed for the monitoring of the cell microenvironment in vitro and in vivo are reviewed, together with recent tissue engineering applications where the control of cell microenvironment has been exploited. Cell microenvironment engineering and monitoring are crucial parts of tissue engineering efforts and systems which utilize different components of the cell microenvironment simultaneously can provide more functional engineered tissues in the near future.

Cell Microenvironment Engineering and Monitoring for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: The Recent Advances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julien Barthes

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, the conditions in the immediate vicinity of the cells have a direct effect on cells’ behaviour and subsequently on clinical outcomes. Physical, chemical, and biological control of cell microenvironment are of crucial importance for the ability to direct and control cell behaviour in 3-dimensional tissue engineering scaffolds spatially and temporally. In this review, we will focus on the different aspects of cell microenvironment such as surface micro-, nanotopography, extracellular matrix composition and distribution, controlled release of soluble factors, and mechanical stress/strain conditions and how these aspects and their interactions can be used to achieve a higher degree of control over cellular activities. The effect of these parameters on the cellular behaviour within tissue engineering context is discussed and how these parameters are used to develop engineered tissues is elaborated. Also, recent techniques developed for the monitoring of the cell microenvironment in vitro and in vivo are reviewed, together with recent tissue engineering applications where the control of cell microenvironment has been exploited. Cell microenvironment engineering and monitoring are crucial parts of tissue engineering efforts and systems which utilize different components of the cell microenvironment simultaneously can provide more functional engineered tissues in the near future.

Determination of feasibility and utility of microscope-integrated optical coherence tomography during ophthalmic surgery: the DISCOVER Study RESCAN Results.

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Ehlers, Justis P; Goshe, Jeff; Dupps, William J; Kaiser, Peter K; Singh, Rishi P; Gans, Richard; Eisengart, Jonathan; Srivastava, Sunil K

2015-10-01

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has transformed the clinical management of a myriad of ophthalmic conditions. Applying OCT to ophthalmic surgery may have implications for surgical decision making and patient outcomes. To assess the feasibility and effect on surgical decision making of a microscope-integrated intraoperative OCT (iOCT) system. Report highlighting the 1-year results (March 2014-February 2015) of the RESCAN 700 portion of the DISCOVER (Determination of Feasibility of Intraoperative Spectral Domain Microscope Combined/Integrated OCT Visualization During En Face Retinal and Ophthalmic Surgery) study, a single-site, multisurgeon, prospective consecutive case series regarding this investigational device. Participants included patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery. Data on clinical characteristics were collected, and iOCT was performed during surgical milestones, as directed by the operating surgeon. A surgeon questionnaire was issued to each surgeon and was completed after each case to evaluate the role of iOCT during surgery and its particular role in select surgical procedures. Percentage of cases with successful acquisition of iOCT (ie, feasibility). Percentage of cases in which iOCT altered surgical decision making (ie, utility). During year 1 of the DISCOVER study, a total of 227 eyes (91 anterior segment cases and 136 posterior segment cases) underwent imaging with the RESCAN 700 system. Successful imaging (eg, the ability to acquire an OCT image of the tissue of interest) was obtained for 224 of 227 eyes (99% [95% CI, 98%-100%]). During lamellar keratoplasty, the iOCT data provided information that altered the surgeon's decision making in 38% of the cases (eg, complete graft apposition when the surgeon believed there was interface fluid). In membrane peeling procedures, iOCT information was discordant with the surgeon's impression of membrane peel completeness in 19% of cases (eg, lack of residual membrane or presence of occult membrane), thus

Providing a New Model for Discovering Cloud Services Based on Ontology

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B. Heydari

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Due to its efficient, flexible, and dynamic substructure in information technology and service quality parameters estimation, cloud computing has become one of the most important issues in computer world. Discovering cloud services has been posed as a fundamental issue in reaching out high efficiency. In order to do one’s own operations in cloud space, any user needs to request several various services either simultaneously or according to a working routine. These services can be presented by different cloud producers or different decision-making policies. Therefore, service management is one of the important and challenging issues in cloud computing. With the advent of semantic web and practical services accordingly in cloud computing space, access to different kinds of applications has become possible. Ontology is the core of semantic web and can be used to ease the process of discovering services. A new model based on ontology has been proposed in this paper. The results indicate that the proposed model has explored cloud services based on user search results in lesser time compared to other models.

Medicinal benefits of marine invertebrates: sources for discovering natural drug candidates.

Science.gov (United States)

De Zoysa, Mahanama

2012-01-01

Marine invertebrates are one of the major groups of organisms, which could be diversified under the major taxonomic groups of Porifera, Cnidaria, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, and many other minor phyla. To date, range of medicinal benefits and a significant number of marine natural products (MNPs) have been discovered from marine invertebrates. Seafood diet from edible marine invertebrates such as mollusks and crustaceans has been linked with various medicinal benefits to improve human health. Among marine invertebrates, spongers from phylum Porifera is the most dominant group responsible for discovering large number of MNPs, which have been used as template to develop therapeutic drugs. MNPs isolated from invertebrates have shown wide range of therapeutic properties including antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihypertensive, anticoagulant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and immune modulator, and other medicinal effects. Therefore, marine invertebrates are rich sources of chemical diversity and health benefits for developing drug candidates, cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and molecular probes that can be supported to increase the healthy life span of human. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knots and surfaces a guide to discovering mathematics

CERN Document Server

Farmer, David W

1995-01-01

In most mathematics textbooks, the most exciting part of mathematics-the process of invention and discovery-is completely hidden from the reader. The aim of Knots and Surfaces is to change all that. By means of a series of carefully selected tasks, this book leads readers to discover some real mathematics. There are no formulas to memorize; no procedures to follow. The book is a guide: its job is to start you in the right direction and to bring you back if you stray too far. Discovery is left to you. Suitable for a one-semester course at the beginning undergraduate level, there are no prerequi

Mechanical homeostasis regulating adipose tissue volume

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svedman Paul

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The total body adipose tissue volume is regulated by hormonal, nutritional, paracrine, neuronal and genetic control signals, as well as components of cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions. There are no known locally acting homeostatic mechanisms by which growing adipose tissue might adapt its volume. Presentation of the hypothesis Mechanosensitivity has been demonstrated by mesenchymal cells in tissue culture. Adipocyte differentiation has been shown to be inhibited by stretching in vitro, and a pathway for the response has been elucidated. In humans, intermittent stretching of skin for reconstructional purposes leads to thinning of adipose tissue and thickening of epidermis – findings matching those observed in vitro in response to mechanical stimuli. Furthermore, protracted suspension of one leg increases the intermuscular adipose tissue volume of the limb. These findings may indicate a local homeostatic adipose tissue volume-regulating mechanism based on movement-induced reduction of adipocyte differentiation. This function might, during evolution, have been of importance in confined spaces, where overgrowth of adipose tissue could lead to functional disturbance, as for instance in the turtle. In humans, adipose tissue near muscle might in particular be affected, for instance intermuscularly, extraperitoneally and epicardially. Mechanical homeostasis might also contribute to protracted maintainment of soft tissue shape in the face and neck region. Testing of the hypothesis Assessment of messenger RNA-expression of human adipocytes following activity in adjacent muscle is planned, and study of biochemical and volumetric adipose tissue changes in man are proposed. Implications of the hypothesis The interpretation of metabolic disturbances by means of adipose tissue might be influenced. Possible applications in the head and neck were discussed.

Antifungal Effect of a Dental Tissue Conditioner Containing Nystatin-Loaded Alginate Microparticles.

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Kim, Hyun-Jin; Son, Jun Sik; Kwon, Tae-Yub

2018-02-01

In this in vitro study, nystatin-alginate microparticles were successfully fabricated to control the release of nystatin from a commercial dental tissue conditioner. These nystatin-alginate microparticles were spherical and had a slightly rough surface. The microparticles incorporated into the tissue conditioner were distributed homogeneously throughout the tissue conditioner matrix. The incorporation of the microparticles did not deteriorate the mechanical properties of the original material. The agar diffusion test results showed that the tissue conditioner containing the microparticles had a good antifungal effect against Candida albicans. The nystatin-alginate microparticles efficiently controlled the release of nystatin from the tissue conditioner matrix over the experimental period of 14 days. Moreover, the nystatin-alginate microparticles incorporated in the tissue conditioner showed effective antifungal function even at lower concentrations of nystatin. The current study suggests that the tissue conditioner containing the nystatin-alginate microparticle carrier system has potential as an effective antifungal material.

Local Control Rates of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) to Thoracic, Abdominal, and Soft Tissue Lesions Using Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altoos, Basel; Amini, Arya; Yacoub, Muthanna; Bourlon, Maria T.; Kessler, Elizabeth E.; Flaig, Thomas W.; Fisher, Christine M.; Kavanagh, Brian D.; Lam, Elaine T.; Karam, Sana D.

2015-01-01

We report the radiographic response rate of SBRT compared to conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CF-EBRT) for thoracic, abdominal, skin and soft tissue RCC lesions treated at our institution. Fifty three lesions where included in the study (36 SBRT, 17 CF-EBRT), treated from 2004 to 2014 at our institution. We included patients that had thoracic, skin & soft tissue (SST), and abdominal metastases of histologically confirmed RCC. The most common SBRT fractionation was 50 Gy in 5 fractions. The median time of follow-up was 16 months (range 3–97 months). Median BED was 216.67 (range 66.67–460.0) for SBRT, and 60 (range 46.67–100.83) for CF-EBRT. Median radiographic local control rates at 12, 24, and 36 months were 100, 93.41, and 93.41 % for lesions treated with SBRT versus 62.02, 35.27 and 35.27 % for those treated with CF-EBRT (p < 0.001). Predictive factors for radiographic local control under univariate analysis included BED ≥ 100 Gy (HR, 0.048; 95 % CI, 0.006–0.382; p = 0.005), dose per fraction ≥ 9 Gy (HR, 0.631; 95 % CI, 0.429–0.931; p = 0.021), and gender (HR, 0.254; 95 % CI, 0.066–0.978; p = 0.048). Under multivariate analysis, there were no significant predictors for local control. Toxicity rates were low and equivalent in both groups, with no grade 4 or 5 side effects reported. SBRT is safe and effective for the treatment of RCC metastases to thoracic, abdominal and integumentary soft tissues. Radiographic response rates were greater and more durable using SBRT compared to CF-EBRT. Further prospective trials are needed to evaluate efficacy and safety of SBRT for RCC metastases

A multicellular view of cytokinesis in epithelial tissue.

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Herszterg, Sophie; Pinheiro, Diana; Bellaïche, Yohanns

2014-05-01

The study of cytokinesis in single-cell systems provided a wealth of knowledge on the molecular and biophysical mechanisms controlling daughter cell separation. In this review, we outline recent advances in the understanding of cytokinesis in epithelial tissues. These findings provide evidence for how the cytokinetic machinery adapts to a multicellular context and how the cytokinetic machinery is itself exploited by the tissue for the preservation of tissue function and architecture during proliferation. We propose that cytokinesis in epithelia should be viewed as a multicellular process, whereby the biochemical and mechanical interactions between the dividing cell and its neighbors are essential for successful daughter cell separation while defining epithelial tissue organization and preserving tissue integrity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tuppiap Qeqertaa (Tobias Island): a newly discovered island off northeast Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bennike, O.; Mikkelsen, N.; Forsberg, René

2006-01-01

The small island of Tuppiap Qeqertaa, formerly known as Tobias circle divide or Tobias Island, is situated 80 km off the northeast Greenland coast. The island was discovered in 1993 and is approximately 2 km long and 1.5 km wide. Most of the island is covered by an ice cap that rises to 35 in abo...

Discovering the Art of Mathematics: Using String Art to Investigate Calculus

Science.gov (United States)

von Renesse, Christine; Ecke, Volker

2016-01-01

One goal of our Discovering the Art of Mathematics project is to empower students in the liberal arts to become confident creators of art and imaginative creators of mathematics. In this paper, we describe our experience with using string art to guide liberal arts students in exploring ideas of calculus. We provide excerpts from our inquiry-based…

Hypericin-mediated selective photomodification of connective tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hovhannisyan, V.; Guo, H. W.; Chen, Y. F.; Hovhannisyan, A.; Ghukasyan, V.; Dong, C. Y.

2014-01-01

Controllable modification of biological molecules and supramolecular components of connective tissue are important for biophysical and biomedical applications. Through the use of second harmonic generation imaging, two-photon fluorescence microscopy, and spectrofluorimetry, we found that hypericin, a natural pigment, induces photosensitized destruction of collagen fibers but does not affect elastic fibers and lipids in chicken tendon, skin, and blood vessels. We demonstrated the dynamics and efficiency of collagen photomodification and investigated mechanisms of this processes. Our results suggest that hypericin–mediated photoprocesses in biological tissues may be useful in biomedical applications that require selective modification of connective tissues

Hypericin-mediated selective photomodification of connective tissues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hovhannisyan, V., E-mail: hovv@phys.ntu.edu.tw; Guo, H. W.; Chen, Y. F., E-mail: yfchen@phys.ntu.edu.tw [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Hovhannisyan, A. [Multimedia and Programming, European Regional Education Academy, Yerevan 0037 (Armenia); Ghukasyan, V. [Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514 (United States); Dong, C. Y., E-mail: cydong@phys.ntu.edu.tw [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)

2014-12-29

Controllable modification of biological molecules and supramolecular components of connective tissue are important for biophysical and biomedical applications. Through the use of second harmonic generation imaging, two-photon fluorescence microscopy, and spectrofluorimetry, we found that hypericin, a natural pigment, induces photosensitized destruction of collagen fibers but does not affect elastic fibers and lipids in chicken tendon, skin, and blood vessels. We demonstrated the dynamics and efficiency of collagen photomodification and investigated mechanisms of this processes. Our results suggest that hypericin–mediated photoprocesses in biological tissues may be useful in biomedical applications that require selective modification of connective tissues.

AAV vector encoding human VEGF165-transduced pectineus muscular flaps increase the formation of new tissue through induction of angiogenesis in an in vivo chamber for tissue engineering: A technique to enhance tissue and vessels in microsurgically engineered tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Moimas, Silvia; Manasseri, Benedetto; Cuccia, Giuseppe; Stagno d'Alcontres, Francesco; Geuna, Stefano; Pattarini, Lucia; Zentilin, Lorena; Giacca, Mauro; Colonna, Michele R

2015-01-01

In regenerative medicine, new approaches are required for the creation of tissue substitutes, and the interplay between different research areas, such as tissue engineering, microsurgery and gene therapy, is mandatory. In this article, we report a modification of a published model of tissue engineering, based on an arterio-venous loop enveloped in a cross-linked collagen-glycosaminoglycan template, which acts as an isolated chamber for angiogenesis and new tissue formation. In order to foster tissue formation within the chamber, which entails on the development of new vessels, we wondered whether we might combine tissue engineering with a gene therapy approach. Based on the well-described tropism of adeno-associated viral vectors for post-mitotic tissues, a muscular flap was harvested from the pectineus muscle, inserted into the chamber and transduced by either AAV vector encoding human VEGF165 or AAV vector expressing the reporter gene β-galactosidase, as a control. Histological analysis of the specimens showed that muscle transduction by AAV vector encoding human VEGF165 resulted in enhanced tissue formation, with a significant increase in the number of arterioles within the chamber in comparison with the previously published model. Pectineus muscular flap, transduced by adeno-associated viral vectors, acted as a source of the proangiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor, thus inducing a consistent enhancement of vessel growth into the newly formed tissue within the chamber. In conclusion, our present findings combine three different research fields such as microsurgery, tissue engineering and gene therapy, suggesting and showing the feasibility of a mixed approach for regenerative medicine.

Mitochondrial function in engineered cardiac tissues is regulated by extracellular matrix elasticity and tissue alignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyra-Leite, Davi M; Andres, Allen M; Petersen, Andrew P; Ariyasinghe, Nethika R; Cho, Nathan; Lee, Jezell A; Gottlieb, Roberta A; McCain, Megan L

2017-10-01

Mitochondria in cardiac myocytes are critical for generating ATP to meet the high metabolic demands associated with sarcomere shortening. Distinct remodeling of mitochondrial structure and function occur in cardiac myocytes in both developmental and pathological settings. However, the factors that underlie these changes are poorly understood. Because remodeling of tissue architecture and extracellular matrix (ECM) elasticity are also hallmarks of ventricular development and disease, we hypothesize that these environmental factors regulate mitochondrial function in cardiac myocytes. To test this, we developed a new procedure to transfer tunable polydimethylsiloxane disks microcontact-printed with fibronectin into cell culture microplates. We cultured Sprague-Dawley neonatal rat ventricular myocytes within the wells, which consistently formed tissues following the printed fibronectin, and measured oxygen consumption rate using a Seahorse extracellular flux analyzer. Our data indicate that parameters associated with baseline metabolism are predominantly regulated by ECM elasticity, whereas the ability of tissues to adapt to metabolic stress is regulated by both ECM elasticity and tissue alignment. Furthermore, bioenergetic health index, which reflects both the positive and negative aspects of oxygen consumption, was highest in aligned tissues on the most rigid substrate, suggesting that overall mitochondrial function is regulated by both ECM elasticity and tissue alignment. Our results demonstrate that mitochondrial function is regulated by both ECM elasticity and myofibril architecture in cardiac myocytes. This provides novel insight into how extracellular cues impact mitochondrial function in the context of cardiac development and disease. NEW & NOTEWORTHY A new methodology has been developed to measure O 2 consumption rates in engineered cardiac tissues with independent control over tissue alignment and matrix elasticity. This led to the findings that matrix

Gene expression in periodontal tissues following treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eisenacher Martin

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In periodontitis, treatment aimed at controlling the periodontal biofilm infection results in a resolution of the clinical and histological signs of inflammation. Although the cell types found in periodontal tissues following treatment have been well described, information on gene expression is limited to few candidate genes. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the expression profiles of immune and inflammatory genes in periodontal tissues from sites with severe chronic periodontitis following periodontal therapy in order to identify genes involved in tissue homeostasis. Gingival biopsies from 12 patients with severe chronic periodontitis were taken six to eight weeks following non-surgical periodontal therapy, and from 11 healthy controls. As internal standard, RNA of an immortalized human keratinocyte line (HaCaT was used. Total RNA was subjected to gene expression profiling using a commercially available microarray system focusing on inflammation-related genes. Post-hoc confirmation of selected genes was done by Realtime-PCR. Results Out of the 136 genes analyzed, the 5% most strongly expressed genes compared to healthy controls were Interleukin-12A (IL-12A, Versican (CSPG-2, Matrixmetalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1, Down syndrome critical region protein-1 (DSCR-1, Macrophage inflammatory protein-2β (Cxcl-3, Inhibitor of apoptosis protein-1 (BIRC-1, Cluster of differentiation antigen 38 (CD38, Regulator of G-protein signalling-1 (RGS-1, and Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins murine osteosarcoma virus oncogene (C-FOS; the 5% least strongly expressed genes were Receptor-interacting Serine/Threonine Kinase-2 (RIP-2, Complement component 3 (C3, Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase-2 (COX-2, Interleukin-8 (IL-8, Endothelin-1 (EDN-1, Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-2 (PAI-2, Matrix-metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14, and Interferon regulating factor-7 (IRF-7. Conclusion Gene expression profiles found in periodontal tissues following

Pharmacodynamic correlations using fresh and cryopreserved tissue following use of vaginal rings containing dapivirine and/or maraviroc in a randomized, placebo controlled trial.

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Dezzutti, Charlene S; Richardson-Harman, Nicola; Rohan, Lisa C; Marzinke, Mark A; Hoesley, Craig J; Panther, Lori; Johnson, Sherri; Nuttall, Jeremy P; Nel, Annalene; Chen, Beatrice A

2016-07-01

The ex vivo challenge assay is a bio-indicator of drug efficacy and was utilized in this randomized, placebo controlled trial as one of the exploratory endpoints. Fresh and cryopreserved tissues were evaluated for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) relationships. HIV-negative women used vaginal rings containing 25 mg dapivirine (DPV)/100 mg maraviroc (MVC) (n = 12), DPV only (n = 12), MVC only (n = 12), or placebo (n = 12) for 28 days. Blood plasma, cervicovaginal fluid (CVF), and cervical biopsies were collected for drug quantification and the ex vivo challenge assay; half (fresh) were exposed immediately to HIV while the other half were cryopreserved, thawed, then exposed to HIV. HIV replication was monitored by p24 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from culture supernatant. Data were log-transformed and analyzed by linear least squared regression, nonlinear Emax dose-response model and Satterthwaite t test. HIV replication was greater in fresh compared to cryopreserved tissue (P = 0.04). DPV was detected in all compartments, while MVC was consistently detected only in CVF. Significant negative correlations between p24 and DPV levels were observed in fresh cervical tissue (P = 0.01) and CVF (P = 0.03), but not plasma. CVF MVC levels showed a significant negative correlation with p24 levels (P = 0.03); drug levels in plasma and tissue were not correlated with HIV suppression. p24 levels from cryopreserved tissue did not correlate to either drug from any compartment. Fresh tissue replicated HIV to greater levels and defined PK/PD relationships while cryopreserved tissue did not. The ex vivo challenge assay using fresh tissue could prioritize drugs being considered for HIV prevention.

Carnosine supplementation protects rat brain tissue against ethanol-induced oxidative stress.

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Ozel Turkcu, Ummuhani; Bilgihan, Ayşe; Biberoglu, Gursel; Mertoglu Caglar, Oznur

2010-06-01

Ethanol causes oxidative stress and tissue damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of antioxidant carnosine on the oxidative stress induced by ethanol in the rat brain tissue. Forty male rats were divided equally into four groups as control, carnosine (CAR), ethanol (EtOH), and ethanol plus carnosine (EtOH + CAR). Rats in the control group (n = 10) were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 0.9% saline; EtOH group (n = 10) with 2 g/kg/day ethanol, CAR group (n = 10) received carnosine at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day and EtOH + CAR group (n = 10) received carnosine (orally) and ethanol (i.p.). All animals were sacrificed using ketamine and brain tissues were removed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO) and tissue carnosine levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured. Endogenous CAR levels in the rat brain tissue specimens were significantly increased in the CAR and EtOH groups when compared to the control animals. MDA and PCO levels in the EtOH group were significantly increased as compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). CAR treatment also decreased MDA levels in the CAR group as compared to the control group. Increased SOD activities were obtained in the EtOH + CAR group as compared to the control (P < 0.05). CAR levels in the rat brain were significantly increased in the CAR, EtOH and CAR + EtOH groups when compared to the control animals. These findings indicated that carnosine may appear as a protective agent against ethanol-induced brain damage.

Whole-organ isolation approach as a basis for tissue-specific analyses in Schistosoma mansoni.

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Steffen Hahnel

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis is one of the most important parasitic diseases worldwide, second only to malaria. Schistosomes exhibit an exceptional reproductive biology since the sexual maturation of the female, which includes the differentiation of the reproductive organs, is controlled by pairing. Pathogenicity originates from eggs, which cause severe inflammation in their hosts. Elucidation of processes contributing to female maturation is not only of interest to basic science but also considering novel concepts combating schistosomiasis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To get direct access to the reproductive organs, we established a novel protocol using a combined detergent/protease-treatment removing the tegument and the musculature of adult Schistosoma mansoni. All steps were monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and bright-field microscopy (BF. We focused on the gonads of adult schistosomes and demonstrated that isolated and purified testes and ovaries can be used for morphological and structural studies as well as sources for RNA and protein of sufficient amounts for subsequent analyses such as RT-PCR and immunoblotting. To this end, first exemplary evidence was obtained for tissue-specific transcription within the gonads (axonemal dynein intermediate chain gene SmAxDynIC; aquaporin gene SmAQP as well as for post-transcriptional regulation (SmAQP. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The presented method provides a new way of getting access to tissue-specific material of S. mansoni. With regard to many still unanswered questions of schistosome biology, such as elucidating the molecular processes involved in schistosome reproduction, this protocol provides opportunities for, e.g., sub-transcriptomics and sub-proteomics at the organ level. This will promote the characterisation of gene-expression profiles, or more specifically to complete knowledge of signalling pathways contributing to differentiation processes, so discovering involved

Indentation and Observation of Anisotropic Soft Tissues Using an Indenter Device

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Parinaz ASHRAFI

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Soft tissues of human body have complex structures and different mechanical behaviors than those of traditional engineering materials. There is a great urge to understand tissue behavior of human body. Experimental data is needed for improvement of soft tissue modeling and advancement in implants and prosthesis, as well as diagnosis of diseases. Mechanical behavior and responses change when tissue loses its liveliness and viability. One of the techniques for soft tissue testing is indentation, which is applied on live tissue in its physiological environment. Indentation affords several advantages over other types of tests such as uniaxial tension, biaxial tension, and simple shear and suction, thus it is of interest to develop new indentation techniques from which more valid data can be extracted. In this study a new indenter device was designed and constructed. Displacement and force rate cyclic loading, and relaxation experiments were conducted on human arm. The in-vivo force rate controlled cyclic loading test method which is novel is compared with the traditional displacement controlled cyclic loading tests. Anisotropic behavior of tissue cannot be determined by axisymmetric tips, therefore ellipsoid tips were used for examining anisotropy and inplane material direction of bulk soft tissues

GraphTeams: a method for discovering spatial gene clusters in Hi-C sequencing data.

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Schulz, Tizian; Stoye, Jens; Doerr, Daniel

2018-05-08

Hi-C sequencing offers novel, cost-effective means to study the spatial conformation of chromosomes. We use data obtained from Hi-C experiments to provide new evidence for the existence of spatial gene clusters. These are sets of genes with associated functionality that exhibit close proximity to each other in the spatial conformation of chromosomes across several related species. We present the first gene cluster model capable of handling spatial data. Our model generalizes a popular computational model for gene cluster prediction, called δ-teams, from sequences to graphs. Following previous lines of research, we subsequently extend our model to allow for several vertices being associated with the same label. The model, called δ-teams with families, is particular suitable for our application as it enables handling of gene duplicates. We develop algorithmic solutions for both models. We implemented the algorithm for discovering δ-teams with families and integrated it into a fully automated workflow for discovering gene clusters in Hi-C data, called GraphTeams. We applied it to human and mouse data to find intra- and interchromosomal gene cluster candidates. The results include intrachromosomal clusters that seem to exhibit a closer proximity in space than on their chromosomal DNA sequence. We further discovered interchromosomal gene clusters that contain genes from different chromosomes within the human genome, but are located on a single chromosome in mouse. By identifying δ-teams with families, we provide a flexible model to discover gene cluster candidates in Hi-C data. Our analysis of Hi-C data from human and mouse reveals several known gene clusters (thus validating our approach), but also few sparsely studied or possibly unknown gene cluster candidates that could be the source of further experimental investigations.

Discovering and explaining work-family strategies of parents in Luxembourg

OpenAIRE

Zhelyazkova, Nevena

2014-01-01

The presented analysis discovers and explains typical patterns of work-family reconciliation for parents who had a child in the same period (2003) and in the same country (Luxembourg), thus facing the same macroeconomic and institutional conditions. Work-family trajectories are reconstructed as sequences of states using administrative records, so that working hours and use of leave provisions or other social security benefits are taken into account. Next, a clustering algorithm is applied to ...

Discovering Social Circles in Ego Networks (Author’s Manuscript)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-10

refer to as social cir- cles. Practically all major social networks provide such functionality, for example, ‘circles’ on Google+, and ‘lists’ on Facebook ...Discovering Social Circles in Ego Networks Julian McAuley and Jure Leskovec Stanford jmcauley@cs.stanford.edu, jure@cs.stanford.edu January 11, 2013...Abstract People’s personal social networks are big and cluttered, and currently there is no good way to automatically organize them. Social networking

SU-E-T-630: Predictive Modeling of Mortality, Tumor Control, and Normal Tissue Complications After Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindsay, WD; Berlind, CG; Gee, JC; Simone, CB

2015-01-01

Purpose: While rates of local control have been well characterized after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), less data are available characterizing survival and normal tissue toxicities, and no validated models exist assessing these parameters after SBRT. We evaluate the reliability of various machine learning techniques when applied to radiation oncology datasets to create predictive models of mortality, tumor control, and normal tissue complications. Methods: A dataset of 204 consecutive patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) at the University of Pennsylvania between 2009 and 2013 was used to create predictive models of tumor control, normal tissue complications, and mortality in this IRB-approved study. Nearly 200 data fields of detailed patient- and tumor-specific information, radiotherapy dosimetric measurements, and clinical outcomes data were collected. Predictive models were created for local tumor control, 1- and 3-year overall survival, and nodal failure using 60% of the data (leaving the remainder as a test set). After applying feature selection and dimensionality reduction, nonlinear support vector classification was applied to the resulting features. Models were evaluated for accuracy and area under ROC curve on the 81-patient test set. Results: Models for common events in the dataset (such as mortality at one year) had the highest predictive power (AUC = .67, p < 0.05). For rare occurrences such as radiation pneumonitis and local failure (each occurring in less than 10% of patients), too few events were present to create reliable models. Conclusion: Although this study demonstrates the validity of predictive analytics using information extracted from patient medical records and can most reliably predict for survival after SBRT, larger sample sizes are needed to develop predictive models for normal tissue toxicities and more advanced

SU-E-T-630: Predictive Modeling of Mortality, Tumor Control, and Normal Tissue Complications After Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindsay, WD [University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Oncora Medical, LLC, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Berlind, CG [Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (Georgia); Oncora Medical, LLC, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Gee, JC; Simone, CB [University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: While rates of local control have been well characterized after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), less data are available characterizing survival and normal tissue toxicities, and no validated models exist assessing these parameters after SBRT. We evaluate the reliability of various machine learning techniques when applied to radiation oncology datasets to create predictive models of mortality, tumor control, and normal tissue complications. Methods: A dataset of 204 consecutive patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) at the University of Pennsylvania between 2009 and 2013 was used to create predictive models of tumor control, normal tissue complications, and mortality in this IRB-approved study. Nearly 200 data fields of detailed patient- and tumor-specific information, radiotherapy dosimetric measurements, and clinical outcomes data were collected. Predictive models were created for local tumor control, 1- and 3-year overall survival, and nodal failure using 60% of the data (leaving the remainder as a test set). After applying feature selection and dimensionality reduction, nonlinear support vector classification was applied to the resulting features. Models were evaluated for accuracy and area under ROC curve on the 81-patient test set. Results: Models for common events in the dataset (such as mortality at one year) had the highest predictive power (AUC = .67, p < 0.05). For rare occurrences such as radiation pneumonitis and local failure (each occurring in less than 10% of patients), too few events were present to create reliable models. Conclusion: Although this study demonstrates the validity of predictive analytics using information extracted from patient medical records and can most reliably predict for survival after SBRT, larger sample sizes are needed to develop predictive models for normal tissue toxicities and more advanced

A Topic Space Oriented User Group Discovering Scheme in Social Network: A Trust Chain Based Interest Measuring Perspective

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Wang Dong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, user group has become an effective platform for information sharing and communicating among users in social network sites. In present work, we propose a single topic user group discovering scheme, which includes three phases: topic impact evaluation, interest degree measurement, and trust chain based discovering, to enable selecting influential topic and discovering users into a topic oriented group. Our main works include (1 an overview of proposed scheme and its related definitions; (2 topic space construction method based on topic relatedness clustering and its impact (influence degree and popularity degree evaluation; (3 a trust chain model to take user relation network topological information into account with a strength classification perspective; (4 an interest degree (user explicit and implicit interest degree evaluation method based on trust chain among users; and (5 a topic space oriented user group discovering method to group core users according to their explicit interest degrees and to predict ordinary users under implicit interest and user trust chain. Finally, experimental results are given to explain effectiveness and feasibility of our scheme.

Using Appreciative Inquiry to Discover and Deliver Change for Surgical Technology Students

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Cabai, Katherine A.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine efficacious teaching-learning strategies that community college stakeholders employ that enhance surgical technology student outcomes. Knowles's adult learning theory, constructivist theory, and appreciative inquiry served as the theoretical foundation for this study. Discovering effective aspects and…

Characterization of A-11, a newly discovered X-chromosomal gene that is under both single-active-X control and tissue-specific control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nadon, N.L.

1987-01-01

The A-11 transcript is present in fibroblasts, but is not normally expressed in B- or T-lymphoblastoid cells. The regulation of the A-11 loci on both the active and inactive X chromosomes is very easily perturbed. The A-11 locus on the fibroblast-derived inactive X in a hybrid cell is reactivated at a very high rate by 5-azacytidine, an inhibitor of DNA methylation, while the A-11 locus on the active X in B-lymphoblastoid cells is derepressed at a very high rate after gamma irradiation. The A-11 gene codes for a mature transcript of about 1.9 kb. The A-11 cDNA clone is incomplete, and contains 753 bases from the 3' end of the gene. A genomic clone that contains about 17 kb of human DNA and hybridizes to the A-11 cDNA was isolated. This clone contains at least the last exon of the A-11 gene, as determined by Northern blotting, nuclease protection experiments, and DNA sequencing. When the genomic clone is transferred into mouse cells. A-11 transcripts of both normal and abnormal sizes are produced, indicating that it is possible that the genomic clone contains the entire locus. However, at this time, the 5' end of the gene has not been located

Long Non-Coding RNAs Associated with Metabolic Traits in Human White Adipose Tissue

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Hui Gao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs belong to a recently discovered class of molecules proposed to regulate various cellular processes. Here, we systematically analyzed their expression in human subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT and found that a limited set was differentially expressed in obesity and/or the insulin resistant state. Two lncRNAs herein termed adipocyte-specific metabolic related lncRNAs, ASMER-1 and ASMER-2 were enriched in adipocytes and regulated by both obesity and insulin resistance. Knockdown of either ASMER-1 or ASMER-2 by antisense oligonucleotides in in vitro differentiated human adipocytes revealed that both genes regulated adipogenesis, lipid mobilization and adiponectin secretion. The observed effects could be attributed to crosstalk between ASMERs and genes within the master regulatory pathways for adipocyte function including PPARG and INSR. Altogether, our data demonstrate that lncRNAs are modulators of the metabolic and secretory functions in human fat cells and provide an emerging link between WAT and common metabolic conditions. Keywords: White adipose tissue, Adipocytes, Long non-coding RNAs, Metabolic traits, Lipolysis, Adiponectin

Prospects for Ground-Based Detection and Follow-up of TESS-Discovered Exoplanets

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Varakian, Matthew; Deming, Drake

2018-01-01

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will monitor over 200,000 main sequence dwarf stars for exoplanetary transits, with the goal of discovering small planets orbiting stars that are bright enough for follow-up observations. We here evaluate the prospects for ground-based transit detection and follow-up of the TESS-discovered planets. We focus particularly on the TESS planets that only transit once during each 27.4 day TESS observing window per region, and we calculate to what extent ground-based recovery of additional transits will be possible. Using simulated exoplanet systems from Sullivan et al. and assuming the use of a 60-cm telescope at a high quality observing site, we project the S/N ratios for transits of such planets. We use Phoenix stellar models for stars with surface temperatures from 2500K to 12000K, and we account for limb darkening, red atmospheric noise, and missed transits due to the day-night cycle and poor weather.

Bladder tissue engineering through nanotechnology.

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Harrington, Daniel A; Sharma, Arun K; Erickson, Bradley A; Cheng, Earl Y

2008-08-01

The field of tissue engineering has developed in phases: initially researchers searched for "inert" biomaterials to act solely as replacement structures in the body. Then, they explored biodegradable scaffolds--both naturally derived and synthetic--for the temporary support of growing tissues. Now, a third phase of tissue engineering has developed, through the subcategory of "regenerative medicine." This renewed focus toward control over tissue morphology and cell phenotype requires proportional advances in scaffold design. Discoveries in nanotechnology have driven both our understanding of cell-substrate interactions, and our ability to influence them. By operating at the size regime of proteins themselves, nanotechnology gives us the opportunity to directly speak the language of cells, through reliable, repeatable creation of nanoscale features. Understanding the synthesis of nanoscale materials, via "top-down" and "bottom-up" strategies, allows researchers to assess the capabilities and limits inherent in both techniques. Urology research as a whole, and bladder regeneration in particular, are well-positioned to benefit from such advances, since our present technology has yet to reach the end goal of functional bladder restoration. In this article, we discuss the current applications of nanoscale materials to bladder tissue engineering, and encourage researchers to explore these interdisciplinary technologies now, or risk playing catch-up in the future.

Discovering Land Cover Web Map Services from the Deep Web with JavaScript Invocation Rules

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Dongyang Hou

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Automatic discovery of isolated land cover web map services (LCWMSs can potentially help in sharing land cover data. Currently, various search engine-based and crawler-based approaches have been developed for finding services dispersed throughout the surface web. In fact, with the prevalence of geospatial web applications, a considerable number of LCWMSs are hidden in JavaScript code, which belongs to the deep web. However, discovering LCWMSs from JavaScript code remains an open challenge. This paper aims to solve this challenge by proposing a focused deep web crawler for finding more LCWMSs from deep web JavaScript code and the surface web. First, the names of a group of JavaScript links are abstracted as initial judgements. Through name matching, these judgements are utilized to judge whether or not the fetched webpages contain predefined JavaScript links that may prompt JavaScript code to invoke WMSs. Secondly, some JavaScript invocation functions and URL formats for WMS are summarized as JavaScript invocation rules from prior knowledge of how WMSs are employed and coded in JavaScript. These invocation rules are used to identify the JavaScript code for extracting candidate WMSs through rule matching. The above two operations are incorporated into a traditional focused crawling strategy situated between the tasks of fetching webpages and parsing webpages. Thirdly, LCWMSs are selected by matching services with a set of land cover keywords. Moreover, a search engine for LCWMSs is implemented that uses the focused deep web crawler to retrieve and integrate the LCWMSs it discovers. In the first experiment, eight online geospatial web applications serve as seed URLs (Uniform Resource Locators and crawling scopes; the proposed crawler addresses only the JavaScript code in these eight applications. All 32 available WMSs hidden in JavaScript code were found using the proposed crawler, while not one WMS was discovered through the focused crawler

Proangiogenic scaffolds as functional templates for cardiac tissue engineering.

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Madden, Lauran R; Mortisen, Derek J; Sussman, Eric M; Dupras, Sarah K; Fugate, James A; Cuy, Janet L; Hauch, Kip D; Laflamme, Michael A; Murry, Charles E; Ratner, Buddy D

2010-08-24

We demonstrate here a cardiac tissue-engineering strategy addressing multicellular organization, integration into host myocardium, and directional cues to reconstruct the functional architecture of heart muscle. Microtemplating is used to shape poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) hydrogel into a tissue-engineering scaffold with architectures driving heart tissue integration. The construct contains parallel channels to organize cardiomyocyte bundles, supported by micrometer-sized, spherical, interconnected pores that enhance angiogenesis while reducing scarring. Surface-modified scaffolds were seeded with human ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes and cultured in vitro. Cardiomyocytes survived and proliferated for 2 wk in scaffolds, reaching adult heart densities. Cardiac implantation of acellular scaffolds with pore diameters of 30-40 microm showed angiogenesis and reduced fibrotic response, coinciding with a shift in macrophage phenotype toward the M2 state. This work establishes a foundation for spatially controlled cardiac tissue engineering by providing discrete compartments for cardiomyocytes and stroma in a scaffold that enhances vascularization and integration while controlling the inflammatory response.

AAV vector encoding human VEGF165–transduced pectineus muscular flaps increase the formation of new tissue through induction of angiogenesis in an in vivo chamber for tissue engineering: A technique to enhance tissue and vessels in microsurgically engineered tissue

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Silvia Moimas

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In regenerative medicine, new approaches are required for the creation of tissue substitutes, and the interplay between different research areas, such as tissue engineering, microsurgery and gene therapy, is mandatory. In this article, we report a modification of a published model of tissue engineering, based on an arterio-venous loop enveloped in a cross-linked collagen–glycosaminoglycan template, which acts as an isolated chamber for angiogenesis and new tissue formation. In order to foster tissue formation within the chamber, which entails on the development of new vessels, we wondered whether we might combine tissue engineering with a gene therapy approach. Based on the well-described tropism of adeno-associated viral vectors for post-mitotic tissues, a muscular flap was harvested from the pectineus muscle, inserted into the chamber and transduced by either AAV vector encoding human VEGF165 or AAV vector expressing the reporter gene β-galactosidase, as a control. Histological analysis of the specimens showed that muscle transduction by AAV vector encoding human VEGF165 resulted in enhanced tissue formation, with a significant increase in the number of arterioles within the chamber in comparison with the previously published model. Pectineus muscular flap, transduced by adeno-associated viral vectors, acted as a source of the proangiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor, thus inducing a consistent enhancement of vessel growth into the newly formed tissue within the chamber. In conclusion, our present findings combine three different research fields such as microsurgery, tissue engineering and gene therapy, suggesting and showing the feasibility of a mixed approach for regenerative medicine.

Real-time optoacoustic monitoring of temperature in tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larina, Irina V; Larin, Kirill V; Esenaliev, Rinat O

2005-01-01

To improve the safety and efficacy of thermal therapy, it is necessary to map tissue temperature in real time with submillimetre spatial resolution. Accurate temperature maps may provide the necessary control of the boundaries of the heated regions and minimize thermal damage to surrounding normal tissues. Current imaging modalities fail to monitor tissue temperature in real time with high resolution and accuracy. We investigated a non-invasive optoacoustic method for accurate, real-time monitoring of tissue temperature during thermotherapy. In this study, we induced temperature gradients in tissue and tissue-like samples and monitored the temperature distribution using the optoacoustic technique. The fundamental harmonic of a Q-switched Nd : YAG laser (λ = 1064 nm) was used for optoacoustic wave generation and probing of tissue temperature. The tissue temperature was also monitored with a multi-sensor temperature probe inserted in the samples. Good agreement between optoacoustically measured and actual tissue temperatures was obtained. The accuracy of temperature monitoring was better than 1 0 C, while the spatial resolution was about 1 mm. These data suggest that the optoacoustic technique has the potential to be used for non-invasive, real-time temperature monitoring during thermotherapy

Longitudinal Stretching for Maturation of Vascular Tissues Using Magnetic Forces

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Timothy R. Olsen

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Cellular spheroids were studied to determine their use as “bioinks” in the biofabrication of tissue engineered constructs. Specifically, magnetic forces were used to mediate the cyclic longitudinal stretching of tissues composed of Janus magnetic cellular spheroids (JMCSs, as part of a post-processing method for enhancing the deposition and mechanical properties of an extracellular matrix (ECM. The purpose was to accelerate the conventional tissue maturation process via novel post-processing techniques that accelerate the functional, structural, and mechanical mimicking of native tissues. The results of a forty-day study of JMCSs indicated an expression of collagen I, collagen IV, elastin, and fibronectin, which are important vascular ECM proteins. Most notably, the subsequent exposure of fused tissue sheets composed of JMCSs to magnetic forces did not hinder the production of these key proteins. Quantitative results demonstrate that cyclic longitudinal stretching of the tissue sheets mediated by these magnetic forces increased the Young’s modulus and induced collagen fiber alignment over a seven day period, when compared to statically conditioned controls. Specifically, the elastin and collagen content of these dynamically-conditioned sheets were 35- and three-fold greater, respectively, at seven days compared to the statically-conditioned controls at three days. These findings indicate the potential of using magnetic forces in tissue maturation, specifically through the cyclic longitudinal stretching of tissues.

Tissue Banking, Bioinformatics, and Electronic Medical Records: The Front-End Requirements for Personalized Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Suh, K. Stephen; Sarojini, Sreeja; Youssif, Maher; Nalley, Kip; Milinovikj, Natasha; Elloumi, Fathi; Russell, Steven; Pecora, Andrew; Schecter, Elyssa; Goy, Andre

2013-01-01

Personalized medicine promises patient-tailored treatments that enhance patient care and decrease overall treatment costs by focusing on genetics and “-omics” data obtained from patient biospecimens and records to guide therapy choices that generate good clinical outcomes. The approach relies on diagnostic and prognostic use of novel biomarkers discovered through combinations of tissue banking, bioinformatics, and electronic medical records (EMRs). The analytical power of bioinformatic platforms combined with patient clinical data from EMRs can reveal potential biomarkers and clinical phenotypes that allow researchers to develop experimental strategies using selected patient biospecimens stored in tissue banks. For cancer, high-quality biospecimens collected at diagnosis, first relapse, and various treatment stages provide crucial resources for study designs. To enlarge biospecimen collections, patient education regarding the value of specimen donation is vital. One approach for increasing consent is to offer publically available illustrations and game-like engagements demonstrating how wider sample availability facilitates development of novel therapies. The critical value of tissue bank samples, bioinformatics, and EMR in the early stages of the biomarker discovery process for personalized medicine is often overlooked. The data obtained also require cross-disciplinary collaborations to translate experimental results into clinical practice and diagnostic and prognostic use in personalized medicine. PMID:23818899

Collagenous Extracellular Matrix Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering: Lessons from the Common Sea Urchin Tissue

Science.gov (United States)

Goh, Kheng Lim; Holmes, David F.

2017-01-01

Scaffolds for tissue engineering application may be made from a collagenous extracellular matrix (ECM) of connective tissues because the ECM can mimic the functions of the target tissue. The primary sources of collagenous ECM material are calf skin and bone. However, these sources are associated with the risk of having bovine spongiform encephalopathy or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Alternative sources for collagenous ECM materials may be derived from livestock, e.g., pigs, and from marine animals, e.g., sea urchins. Collagenous ECM of the sea urchin possesses structural features and mechanical properties that are similar to those of mammalian ones. However, even more intriguing is that some tissues such as the ligamentous catch apparatus can exhibit mutability, namely rapid reversible changes in the tissue mechanical properties. These tissues are known as mutable collagenous tissues (MCTs). The mutability of these tissues has been the subject of on-going investigations, covering the biochemistry, structural biology and mechanical properties of the collagenous components. Recent studies point to a nerve-control system for regulating the ECM macromolecules that are involved in the sliding action of collagen fibrils in the MCT. This review discusses the key attributes of the structure and function of the ECM of the sea urchin ligaments that are related to the fibril-fibril sliding action—the focus is on the respective components within the hierarchical architecture of the tissue. In this context, structure refers to size, shape and separation distance of the ECM components while function is associated with mechanical properties e.g., strength and stiffness. For simplicity, the components that address the different length scale from the largest to the smallest are as follows: collagen fibres, collagen fibrils, interfibrillar matrix and collagen molecules. Application of recent theories of stress transfer and fracture mechanisms in fibre reinforced

Collagenous Extracellular Matrix Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering: Lessons from the Common Sea Urchin Tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Goh, Kheng Lim; Holmes, David F

2017-04-25

Scaffolds for tissue engineering application may be made from a collagenous extracellular matrix (ECM) of connective tissues because the ECM can mimic the functions of the target tissue. The primary sources of collagenous ECM material are calf skin and bone. However, these sources are associated with the risk of having bovine spongiform encephalopathy or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Alternative sources for collagenous ECM materials may be derived from livestock, e.g., pigs, and from marine animals, e.g., sea urchins. Collagenous ECM of the sea urchin possesses structural features and mechanical properties that are similar to those of mammalian ones. However, even more intriguing is that some tissues such as the ligamentous catch apparatus can exhibit mutability, namely rapid reversible changes in the tissue mechanical properties. These tissues are known as mutable collagenous tissues (MCTs). The mutability of these tissues has been the subject of on-going investigations, covering the biochemistry, structural biology and mechanical properties of the collagenous components. Recent studies point to a nerve-control system for regulating the ECM macromolecules that are involved in the sliding action of collagen fibrils in the MCT. This review discusses the key attributes of the structure and function of the ECM of the sea urchin ligaments that are related to the fibril-fibril sliding action-the focus is on the respective components within the hierarchical architecture of the tissue. In this context, structure refers to size, shape and separation distance of the ECM components while function is associated with mechanical properties e.g., strength and stiffness. For simplicity, the components that address the different length scale from the largest to the smallest are as follows: collagen fibres, collagen fibrils, interfibrillar matrix and collagen molecules. Application of recent theories of stress transfer and fracture mechanisms in fibre reinforced

Collagenous Extracellular Matrix Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering: Lessons from the Common Sea Urchin Tissue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kheng Lim Goh

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Scaffolds for tissue engineering application may be made from a collagenous extracellular matrix (ECM of connective tissues because the ECM can mimic the functions of the target tissue. The primary sources of collagenous ECM material are calf skin and bone. However, these sources are associated with the risk of having bovine spongiform encephalopathy or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Alternative sources for collagenous ECM materials may be derived from livestock, e.g., pigs, and from marine animals, e.g., sea urchins. Collagenous ECM of the sea urchin possesses structural features and mechanical properties that are similar to those of mammalian ones. However, even more intriguing is that some tissues such as the ligamentous catch apparatus can exhibit mutability, namely rapid reversible changes in the tissue mechanical properties. These tissues are known as mutable collagenous tissues (MCTs. The mutability of these tissues has been the subject of on-going investigations, covering the biochemistry, structural biology and mechanical properties of the collagenous components. Recent studies point to a nerve-control system for regulating the ECM macromolecules that are involved in the sliding action of collagen fibrils in the MCT. This review discusses the key attributes of the structure and function of the ECM of the sea urchin ligaments that are related to the fibril-fibril sliding action—the focus is on the respective components within the hierarchical architecture of the tissue. In this context, structure refers to size, shape and separation distance of the ECM components while function is associated with mechanical properties e.g., strength and stiffness. For simplicity, the components that address the different length scale from the largest to the smallest are as follows: collagen fibres, collagen fibrils, interfibrillar matrix and collagen molecules. Application of recent theories of stress transfer and fracture mechanisms in fibre

Tissue specificity of the hormonal response in sex accessory tissues is associated with nuclear matrix protein patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Getzenberg, R H; Coffey, D S

1990-09-01

The DNA of interphase nuclei have very specific three-dimensional organizations that are different in different cell types, and it is possible that this varying DNA organization is responsible for the tissue specificity of gene expression. The nuclear matrix organizes the three-dimensional structure of the DNA and is believed to be involved in the control of gene expression. This study compares the nuclear structural proteins between two sex accessory tissues in the same animal responding to the same androgen stimulation by the differential expression of major tissue-specific secretory proteins. We demonstrate here that the nuclear matrix is tissue specific in the rat ventral prostate and seminal vesicle, and undergoes characteristic alterations in its protein composition upon androgen withdrawal. Three types of nuclear matrix proteins were observed: 1) nuclear matrix proteins that are different and tissue specific in the rat ventral prostate and seminal vesicle, 2) a set of nuclear matrix proteins that either appear or disappear upon androgen withdrawal, and 3) a set of proteins that are common to both the ventral prostate and seminal vesicle and do not change with the hormonal state of the animal. Since the nuclear matrix is known to bind androgen receptors in a tissue- and steroid-specific manner, we propose that the tissue specificity of the nuclear matrix arranges the DNA in a unique conformation, which may be involved in the specific interaction of transcription factors with DNA sequences, resulting in tissue-specific patterns of secretory protein expression.

Biocomposite nanofibrous strategies for the controlled release of biomolecules for skin tissue regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gandhimathi C

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Chinnasamy Gandhimathi,1 Jayarama Reddy Venugopal,2 Velmurugan Bhaarathy,2 Seeram Ramakrishna,2 Srinivasan Dinesh Kumar1 1Cellular and Molecular Epigenetics Laboratory, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; 2Center for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore Abstract: Nanotechnology and tissue engineering have enabled engineering of nanostructured strategies to meet the current challenges in skin tissue regeneration. Electrospinning technology creates porous nanofibrous scaffolds to mimic extracellular matrix of the native tissues. The present study was performed to gain some insights into the applications of poly(L-lactic acid-co-poly-(ε-caprolactone (PLACL/silk fibroin (SF/vitamin E (VE/curcumin (Cur nanofibrous scaffolds and to assess their potential for being used as substrates for the culture of human dermal fibroblasts for skin tissue engineering. PLACL/SF/VE/Cur nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated by electrospinning and characterized by fiber morphology, membrane porosity, wettability, mechanical strength, and chemical properties by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR analysis. Human dermal fibroblasts were cultured on these scaffolds, and the cell scaffold interactions were analyzed by cell proliferation, cell morphology, secretion of collagen, expression of F-actin, and 5-chloromethylfluorescein diacetate (CMFDA dye. The electrospun nanofiber diameter was obtained between 198±4 nm and 332±13 nm for PLACL, PLACL/SF, PLACL/SF/VE, and PLACL/SF/VE/Cur nanofibrous scaffolds. FTIR analysis showed the presence of the amide groups I, II, and III, and a porosity of up to 92% obtained on these nanofibrous scaffolds. The results showed that the fibroblast proliferation, cell morphology, F-actin, CMFDA dye expression, and secretion of collagen were significantly increased in PLACL/SF/VE/Cur when compared

Guided genetic screen to identify genes essential in the regeneration of hair cells and other tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Wuhong; Xu, Lisha; Huang, Sunny C; Pettie, Kade; Idol, Jennifer; Rissone, Alberto; Jimenez, Erin; Sinclair, Jason W; Slevin, Claire; Varshney, Gaurav K; Jones, MaryPat; Carrington, Blake; Bishop, Kevin; Huang, Haigen; Sood, Raman; Lin, Shuo; Burgess, Shawn M

2018-01-01

Regenerative medicine holds great promise for both degenerative diseases and traumatic tissue injury which represent significant challenges to the health care system. Hearing loss, which affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, is caused primarily by a permanent loss of the mechanosensory receptors of the inner ear known as hair cells. This failure to regenerate hair cells after loss is limited to mammals, while all other non-mammalian vertebrates tested were able to completely regenerate these mechanosensory receptors after injury. To understand the mechanism of hair cell regeneration and its association with regeneration of other tissues, we performed a guided mutagenesis screen using zebrafish lateral line hair cells as a screening platform to identify genes that are essential for hair cell regeneration, and further investigated how genes essential for hair cell regeneration were involved in the regeneration of other tissues. We created genetic mutations either by retroviral insertion or CRISPR/Cas9 approaches, and developed a high-throughput screening pipeline for analyzing hair cell development and regeneration. We screened 254 gene mutations and identified 7 genes specifically affecting hair cell regeneration. These hair cell regeneration genes fell into distinct and somewhat surprising functional categories. By examining the regeneration of caudal fin and liver, we found these hair cell regeneration genes often also affected other types of tissue regeneration. Therefore, our results demonstrate guided screening is an effective approach to discover regeneration candidates, and hair cell regeneration is associated with other tissue regeneration.

Tissue biocompatibility of kevlar aramid fibers and polymethylmethacrylate, composites in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, J D; Mullarky, R H; Ryan, D E

1987-01-01

Two groups of female NZW rabbits were implanted in the paravertebral muscles with aramid (du Pont Kevlar aramid 49) fibers and aramid-polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) composites for 14 and 28 days. Rabbits were killed at these times periods, necropsies performed, sites scored for gross tissue response, and tissue specimens containing the implants removed for histopathological evaluation. A mild fibrous tissue reaction was observed around all implants containing aramid fiber similar to that observed around the silicone control implant. Some foreign body giant cells were also present adjacent to the fibers. An intense necrotic inflammatory reaction was present around the positive control material (PVC Y-78). The tissue response to implantation of aramid fiber and fiber-PMMA composites indicates that aramid is a biocompatible material.

A systematic framework to discover pattern for web spam classification

OpenAIRE

Jelodar, Hamed; Wang, Yongli; Yuan, Chi; Jiang, Xiaohui

2017-01-01

Web spam is a big problem for search engine users in World Wide Web. They use deceptive techniques to achieve high rankings. Although many researchers have presented the different approach for classification and web spam detection still it is an open issue in computer science. Analyzing and evaluating these websites can be an effective step for discovering and categorizing the features of these websites. There are several methods and algorithms for detecting those websites, such as decision t...

Adjunctive Systemic Antimicrobial Therapy vs Asepsis in Conjunction with Guided Tissue Regeneration: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Ta'a, Mahmoud

2016-01-01

This randomized clinical trial compares the usefulness of adjunctive antibiotics, while strict asepsis was followed during periodontal surgery involving guided tissue regeneration. Two groups of 20 consecutive patients each with advanced periodontal disease were randomly assigned to treatment. They displayed one angular defect each with an intrabony component ≥3 mm, probing pocket depth and probing attachment level (PAL) ≥7 mm. Test group included 13 males, mean age 60 years, treated with enamel matrix derivative (EMD) and demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft with modified papilla preservation technique, received oral amoxicillin 1 gm, 1 hour preoperatively and 2 gm for 2 days postoperatively. Control group included 10 males, mean age 57 years, treated with EMD and demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft with modified papilla preservation technique, received no antibiotics. Outcome measures were clinical attachment level (CAL) gain, residual periodontal pocket depth (res. PD), gingival recession (GR), bleeding on probing (BOP), adverse events and postoperative complications. Patients were followed up to 12 months after periodontal surgery involving guided tissue regeneration. There were no significant differences between both groups for CAL gain, res. PD, GR, BOP nor other clinical parameters, though patients' subjective perception of postoperative discomfort was significantly smaller in the group receiving antibiotics. Antibiotics do not provide significant advantages concerning clinical periodontal parameters nor concerning postoperative infections in case of proper asepsis. It does, on the contrary, reduce postoperative discomfort. Regarding the results of this study, adjunc-tive systemic antibiotics in combination with guided tissue regeneration may be useful in reducing postoperative discomfort but may not be helpful for improving periodontal regeneration outcomes.

Inhibition of tissue angiotensin converting enzyme. Quantitation by autoradiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaguchi, K.; Chai, S.Y.; Jackson, B.; Johnston, C.I.; Mendelsohn, F.A.

1988-01-01

Inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in serum and tissues of rats was studied after administration of lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor. Tissue ACE was assessed by quantitative in vitro autoradiography using the ACE inhibitor [ 125 I]351A, as a ligand, and serum ACE was measured by a fluorimetric method. Following oral administration of lisinopril (10 mg/kg), serum ACE activity was acutely reduced but recovered gradually over 24 hours. Four hours after lisinopril administration, ACE activity was markedly inhibited in kidney (11% of control level), adrenal (8%), duodenum (8%), and lung (33%; p less than 0.05). In contrast, ACE in testis was little altered by lisinopril (96%). In brain, ACE activity was markedly reduced 4 hours after lisinopril administration in the circumventricular organs, including the subfornical organ (16-22%) and organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (7%; p less than 0.05). In other areas of the brain, including the choroid plexus and caudate putamen, ACE activity was unchanged. Twenty-four hours after administration, ACE activity in peripheral tissues and the circumventricular organs of the brain had only partially recovered toward control levels, as it was still below 50% of control activity levels. These results establish that lisinopril has differential effects on inhibiting ACE in different tissues and suggest that the prolonged tissue ACE inhibition after a single oral dose of lisinopril may reflect targets involved in the hypotensive action of ACE inhibitors

Incidentally found and unexpected tumors discovered by MRI examination for temporomandibular joint arthrosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagi, Yoshinobu; Asaumi, Jun-ichi; Maki, Yuu; Murakami, Jun; Hisatomi, Miki; Matsuzaki, Hidenobu; Konouchi, Hironobu; Honda, Yosutoshi; Kishi, Kanji

2003-01-01

We examined the frequency of incidentally found or unexpected tumors discovered at the time of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region for patients with suspicion of TMJ arthrosis. Five MR images (T1-weighted transverse scout image and proton density and T2-weighted oblique sagittal images at the open and closed mouth) were acquired. In 2776 MRI examinations of TMJ arthrosis, two tumors were discovered. They consisted of an adenoid cystic carcinoma in the deep portion of the parotid gland, and a malignant tumor extending from the infratemporal fossa to the parapharyngeal space. The rate of incidentally founded or unexpected tumors in TMJ examinations was low (0.072%), but the two tumors found were malignant tumors, and therefore, scout image should be carefully examined, not only used for positing the slice

Incidentally found and unexpected tumors discovered by MRI examination for temporomandibular joint arthrosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanagi, Yoshinobu; Asaumi, Jun-ichi E-mail: asaumi@md.okayama-u.ac.jp; Maki, Yuu; Murakami, Jun; Hisatomi, Miki; Matsuzaki, Hidenobu; Konouchi, Hironobu; Honda, Yosutoshi; Kishi, Kanji

2003-07-01

We examined the frequency of incidentally found or unexpected tumors discovered at the time of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region for patients with suspicion of TMJ arthrosis. Five MR images (T1-weighted transverse scout image and proton density and T2-weighted oblique sagittal images at the open and closed mouth) were acquired. In 2776 MRI examinations of TMJ arthrosis, two tumors were discovered. They consisted of an adenoid cystic carcinoma in the deep portion of the parotid gland, and a malignant tumor extending from the infratemporal fossa to the parapharyngeal space. The rate of incidentally founded or unexpected tumors in TMJ examinations was low (0.072%), but the two tumors found were malignant tumors, and therefore, scout image should be carefully examined, not only used for positing the slice.

Discover Earth: An earth system science program for libraries and their communities

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, L.; Dusenbery, P.

2010-12-01

The view from space has deepened our understanding of Earth as a global, dynamic system. Instruments on satellites and spacecraft, coupled with advances in ground-based research, have provided us with astonishing new perspectives of our planet. Now more than ever, enhancing the public’s understanding of Earth’s physical and biological systems is vital to helping citizens make informed policy decisions especially when they are faced with the consequences of global climate change. In spite of this relevance, there are many obstacles to achieving broad public understanding of key earth system science (ESS) concepts. Strategies for addressing climate change can only succeed with the full engagement of the general public. As reported by U.S. News and World Report in 2010, small towns in rural America are emerging as the front line in the climate change debate in the country. The Space Science Institute’s National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA), the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), and the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) have received funding from NSF to develop a national project called the STAR Library Education Network: a hands-on learning program for libraries and their communities (or STAR-Net for short). STAR stands for Science-Technology, Activities and Resources. There are two distinct components of STAR-Net: Discover Earth and Discover Tech. While the focus for education reform is on school improvement, there is considerable research that supports the role that out-of-school experiences can play in student achievement. Libraries provide an untapped resource for engaging underserved youth and their families in fostering an appreciation and deeper understanding of science and technology topics. The overarching goal of the project is to reach underserved youth and their families with informal STEM learning experiences. The Discover Earth part of STAR_Net will produce ESS

Sensitivity of regional meteorology and atmospheric composition during the DISCOVER-AQ period to subgrid-scale cloud-radiation interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, X.; Allen, D. J.; Herwehe, J. A.; Alapaty, K. V.; Loughner, C.; Pickering, K. E.

2014-12-01

Subgrid-scale cloudiness directly influences global and regional atmospheric radiation budgets by attenuating shortwave radiation, leading to suppressed convection, decreased surface precipitation as well as other meteorological parameter changes. We use the latest version of WRF (v3.6, Apr 2014), which incorporates the Kain-Fritsch (KF) convective parameterization to provide subgrid-scale cloud fraction and condensate feedback to the rapid radiative transfer model-global (RRTMG) shortwave and longwave radiation schemes. We apply the KF scheme to simulate the DISCOVER-AQ Maryland field campaign (July 2011), and compare the sensitivity of meteorological parameters to the control run that does not include subgrid cloudiness. Furthermore, we will examine the chemical impact from subgrid cloudiness using a regional chemical transport model (CMAQ). There are several meteorological parameters influenced by subgrid cumulus clouds that are very important to air quality modeling, including changes in surface temperature that impact biogenic emission rates; changes in PBL depth that affect pollutant concentrations; and changes in surface humidity levels that impact peroxide-related reactions. Additionally, subgrid cumulus clouds directly impact air pollutant concentrations by modulating photochemistry and vertical mixing. Finally, we will compare with DISCOVER-AQ flight observation data and evaluate how well this off-line CMAQ simulation driven by WRF with the KF scheme simulates the effects of regional convection on atmospheric composition.

How to assess the plasma delivery of RONS into tissue fluid and tissue

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Jun-Seok; Szili, Endre J.; Gaur, Nishtha; Hong, Sung-Ha; Furuta, Hiroshi; Kurita, Hirofumi; Mizuno, Akira; Hatta, Akimitsu; Short, Robert D.

2016-08-01

The efficacy of helium (He) and argon (Ar) plasma jets are being investigated for different healthcare applications including wound and cancer therapy, sterilisation and surface disinfections. Current research points to a potential link between the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and outcomes in a range of biological and medical applications. As new data accrue, further strengthening this link, it becomes important to understand the controlled delivery of RONS into solutions, tissue fluids and tissues. This paper investigates the use of He and Ar plasma jets to deliver three RONS (hydrogen peroxide—H2O2, nitrite—\\text{NO}2- and nitrate—\\text{NO}3- ) and molecular oxygen (O2) directly into deionised (DI) water, or indirectly into DI water through an agarose target. The DI water is used in place of tissue fluid and the agarose target serves as a surrogate of tissue. Direct plasma jet treatments deliver more RONS and O2 than the through-agarose treatments for equivalent treatments times. The former only deliver RONS whilst the plasma jets are ignited; the latter continues to deliver RONS into the DI water long after the plasmas are extinguished. The He plasma jet is more effective at delivering H2O2 and \\text{NO}2- directly into DI water, but the Ar plasma jet is more effective at nitrating the DI water in both direct and through-agarose treatments. DI water directly treated with the plasma jets is deoxygenated, with the He plasma jet purging more O2 than the Ar plasma jet. This effect is known as ‘sparging’. In contrast, for through-agarose treatments both jets oxygenated the DI water. These results indicate that in the context of direct and indirect plasma jet treatments of real tissue fluids and tissue, the choice of process gas (He or Ar) could have a profound effect on the concentrations of RONS and O2. Irrespective of operating gas, sparging of tissue fluid (in an open wound) for long prolonged periods during direct plasma

The plant tissue culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crocomo, O.J.; Sharp, W.R.

1973-01-01

Progress in the field of plant tissue culture at the Plant Biochemistry Sector, Centro de Energia na Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, S.P., Brazil, pertains to the simplification of development in 'Phaseolus vulgaris' by dividing the organism into its component organs, tissues, and cells and the maintenance of these components on defined culture media 'in vitro'. This achievement has set the stage for probing the basis for the stability of the differentiated states and/or the reentry of mature differentiated cells into the mitotic cell cycle and their subsequent redifferentiation. Data from such studies at the cytological and biochemical level have been invaluable in the elucidation of the control mechanisms responsible for expression of the cellular phenotype. Unlimited possibilities exist for the application of tissue culture in the vegetative propagation of 'Phaseolus' and other important cultivars in providing genocopies or a large scale and/or readily obtaining plantlets from haploid cell lines or from protoplast (wall-less cells) hybridization products following genetic manipulation. These tools are being applied in this laboratory for the development and selection of high protein synthesizing 'Phaseolus' cultivars

Advanced Fabrication Techniques for Precisely Controlled Micro and Nano Scale Environments for Complex Tissue Regeneration and Biomedical Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Benjamin

As modern medicine advances, it is still very challenging to cure joint defects due to their poor inherent regenerative capacity, complex stratified architecture, and disparate biomechanical properties. The current clinical standard for catastrophic or late stage joint degradation is a total joint implant, where the damaged joint is completely excised and replaced with a metallic or artificial joint. However, these procedures still only lasts for 10-15 years, and there are hosts of recovery complications which can occur. Thus, these studies have sought to employ advanced biomaterials and scaffold fabricated techniques to effectively regrow joint tissue, instead of merely replacing it with artificial materials. We can hypothesize here that the inclusion of biomimetic and bioactive nanomaterials with highly functional electrospun and 3D printed scaffold can improve physical characteristics (mechanical strength, surface interactions and nanotexture) enhance cellular growth and direct stem cell differentiation for bone, cartilage and vascular growth as well as cancer metastasis modeling. Nanomaterial inclusion and controlled 3D printed features effectively increased nano surface roughness, Young's Modulus and provided effective flow paths for simulated arterial blood. All of the approaches explored proved highly effective for increasing cell growth, as a result of increasing micro-complexity and nanomaterial incorporation. Additionally, chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation, cell migration, cell to cell interaction and vascular formation were enhanced. Finally, growth-factor(gf)-loaded polymer nanospheres greatly improved vascular cell behavior, and provided a highly bioactive scaffold for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) co-culture and bone formation. In conclusion, electrospinning and 3D printing when combined effectively with biomimetic and bioactive nanomaterials (i.e. carbon nanomaterials, collagen, nHA, polymer

AgRP Neurons Control Systemic Insulin Sensitivity via Myostatin Expression in Brown Adipose Tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Steculorum, Sophie M; Ruud, Johan; Karakasilioti, Ismene; Backes, Heiko; Engström Ruud, Linda; Timper, Katharina; Hess, Martin E; Tsaousidou, Eva; Mauer, Jan; Vogt, Merly C; Paeger, Lars; Bremser, Stephan; Klein, Andreas C; Morgan, Donald A; Frommolt, Peter; Brinkkötter, Paul T; Hammerschmidt, Philipp; Benzing, Thomas; Rahmouni, Kamal; Wunderlich, F Thomas; Kloppenburg, Peter; Brüning, Jens C

2016-03-24

Activation of Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons potently promotes feeding, and chronically altering their activity also affects peripheral glucose homeostasis. We demonstrate that acute activation of AgRP neurons causes insulin resistance through impairment of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into brown adipose tissue (BAT). AgRP neuron activation acutely reprograms gene expression in BAT toward a myogenic signature, including increased expression of myostatin. Interference with myostatin activity improves insulin sensitivity that was impaired by AgRP neurons activation. Optogenetic circuitry mapping reveals that feeding and insulin sensitivity are controlled by both distinct and overlapping projections. Stimulation of AgRP → LHA projections impairs insulin sensitivity and promotes feeding while activation of AgRP → anterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (aBNST)vl projections, distinct from AgRP → aBNSTdm projections controlling feeding, mediate the effect of AgRP neuron activation on BAT-myostatin expression and insulin sensitivity. Collectively, our results suggest that AgRP neurons in mice induce not only eating, but also insulin resistance by stimulating expression of muscle-related genes in BAT, revealing a mechanism by which these neurons rapidly coordinate hunger states with glucose homeostasis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tissue-specific Proteogenomic Analysis of Plutella xylostella Larval Midgut Using a Multialgorithm Pipeline.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xun; Xie, Shangbo; Armengaud, Jean; Xie, Wen; Guo, Zhaojiang; Kang, Shi; Wu, Qingjun; Wang, Shaoli; Xia, Jixing; He, Rongjun; Zhang, Youjun

2016-06-01

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is the major cosmopolitan pest of brassica and other cruciferous crops. Its larval midgut is a dynamic tissue that interfaces with a wide variety of toxicological and physiological processes. The draft sequence of the P. xylostella genome was recently released, but its annotation remains challenging because of the low sequence coverage of this branch of life and the poor description of exon/intron splicing rules for these insects. Peptide sequencing by computational assignment of tandem mass spectra to genome sequence information provides an experimental independent approach for confirming or refuting protein predictions, a concept that has been termed proteogenomics. In this study, we carried out an in-depth proteogenomic analysis to complement genome annotation of P. xylostella larval midgut based on shotgun HPLC-ESI-MS/MS data by means of a multialgorithm pipeline. A total of 876,341 tandem mass spectra were searched against the predicted P. xylostella protein sequences and a whole-genome six-frame translation database. Based on a data set comprising 2694 novel genome search specific peptides, we discovered 439 novel protein-coding genes and corrected 128 existing gene models. To get the most accurate data to seed further insect genome annotation, more than half of the novel protein-coding genes, i.e. 235 over 439, were further validated after RT-PCR amplification and sequencing of the corresponding transcripts. Furthermore, we validated 53 novel alternative splicings. Finally, a total of 6764 proteins were identified, resulting in one of the most comprehensive proteogenomic study of a nonmodel animal. As the first tissue-specific proteogenomics analysis of P. xylostella, this study provides the fundamental basis for high-throughput proteomics and functional genomics approaches aimed at deciphering the molecular mechanisms of resistance and controlling this pest. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and

Tissue-specific Proteogenomic Analysis of Plutella xylostella Larval Midgut Using a Multialgorithm Pipeline*

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xun; Xie, Shangbo; Armengaud, Jean; Xie, Wen; Guo, Zhaojiang; Kang, Shi; Wu, Qingjun; Wang, Shaoli; Xia, Jixing; He, Rongjun; Zhang, Youjun

2016-01-01

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is the major cosmopolitan pest of brassica and other cruciferous crops. Its larval midgut is a dynamic tissue that interfaces with a wide variety of toxicological and physiological processes. The draft sequence of the P. xylostella genome was recently released, but its annotation remains challenging because of the low sequence coverage of this branch of life and the poor description of exon/intron splicing rules for these insects. Peptide sequencing by computational assignment of tandem mass spectra to genome sequence information provides an experimental independent approach for confirming or refuting protein predictions, a concept that has been termed proteogenomics. In this study, we carried out an in-depth proteogenomic analysis to complement genome annotation of P. xylostella larval midgut based on shotgun HPLC-ESI-MS/MS data by means of a multialgorithm pipeline. A total of 876,341 tandem mass spectra were searched against the predicted P. xylostella protein sequences and a whole-genome six-frame translation database. Based on a data set comprising 2694 novel genome search specific peptides, we discovered 439 novel protein-coding genes and corrected 128 existing gene models. To get the most accurate data to seed further insect genome annotation, more than half of the novel protein-coding genes, i.e. 235 over 439, were further validated after RT-PCR amplification and sequencing of the corresponding transcripts. Furthermore, we validated 53 novel alternative splicings. Finally, a total of 6764 proteins were identified, resulting in one of the most comprehensive proteogenomic study of a nonmodel animal. As the first tissue-specific proteogenomics analysis of P. xylostella, this study provides the fundamental basis for high-throughput proteomics and functional genomics approaches aimed at deciphering the molecular mechanisms of resistance and controlling this pest. PMID:26902207

Optomechanical tests of hydrated biological tissues subjected to laser shaping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omel'chenko, A I; Sobol', E N

2008-01-01

The mechanical properties of a matrix are studied upon changing the size and shape of biological tissues during dehydration caused by weak laser-induced heating. The cartilage deformation, dehydration dynamics, and hydraulic conductivity are measured upon laser heating. The hydrated state and the shape of samples of separated fascias and cartilaginous tissues were controlled by using computer-aided processing of tissue images in polarised light. (laser biology)

Quality assurance in tissue banking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Von Versen, R.; Mnig, H. J.; Bettin, D.

1999-01-01

Today the different kinds of human allografts have the full acceptance for the clinical application for the treatment of a very wide range of indications in many medical disciplines. An essential aspect of this acceptance of these allografts is the complete biological safety, first of all the exclusion of virus contaminations. The German Institute for Cell and Tissue Replacement (DIZG) is functioning as a national tissue bank cooperating with more than 300 hospitals in Germany and Austria. Its profile is determined by the processing of tissue allografts like cortical and cancellous bone, fascia lata, tendon as well as skin, skin substitutes and cultured autologous and allogenic kerytinocytes. DIZG is licensed by the German Federal Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products and the country health authorities. To ensure that the allografts fulfill the highest quality requirements a controlled and certified quality management system has been established. In accordance with the Good Manufacturing Practice all procedures are perform-ned on the basis of validated methods. All non-vital allografts are sterilized by a chemical sterilisation method with peracetic acid (PAA) that is validated by the Robert Koch Institute, an independent governmental institution, for the inactivation of bacteria, fungi and viruses. The used test viruses are Pseudorabies V, Polio V, Bovine Virusdiarrhoe V, Parvo V, Hepatitis A V, HIV). The DIZG quality management system (QMS) is based on ISO 9001 which is required for institutions that are involved in processing, research and education and is certified by an international auditing body. With this presentation the validation design shall be introduced and the responsibility of regional and national tissue banks for internal and external quality control and quality assurance shall be discussed

Bioactive glass in tissue engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Rahaman, Mohamed N.; Day, Delbert E.; Bal, B. Sonny; Fu, Qiang; Jung, Steven B.; Bonewald, Lynda F.; Tomsia, Antoni P.

2011-01-01

This review focuses on recent advances in the development and use of bioactive glass for tissue engineering applications. Despite its inherent brittleness, bioactive glass has several appealing characteristics as a scaffold material for bone tissue engineering. New bioactive glasses based on borate and borosilicate compositions have shown the ability to enhance new bone formation when compared to silicate bioactive glass. Borate-based bioactive glasses also have controllable degradation rates, so the degradation of the bioactive glass implant can be more closely matched to the rate of new bone formation. Bioactive glasses can be doped with trace quantities of elements such as Cu, Zn and Sr, which are known to be beneficial for healthy bone growth. In addition to the new bioactive glasses, recent advances in biomaterials processing have resulted in the creation of scaffold architectures with a range of mechanical properties suitable for the substitution of loaded as well as non-loaded bone. While bioactive glass has been extensively investigated for bone repair, there has been relatively little research on the application of bioactive glass to the repair of soft tissues. However, recent work has shown the ability of bioactive glass to promote angiogenesis, which is critical to numerous applications in tissue regeneration, such as neovascularization for bone regeneration and the healing of soft tissue wounds. Bioactive glass has also been shown to enhance neocartilage formation during in vitro culture of chondrocyte-seeded hydrogels, and to serve as a subchondral substrate for tissue-engineered osteochondral constructs. Methods used to manipulate the structure and performance of bioactive glass in these tissue engineering applications are analyzed. PMID:21421084

Chemical Abundance Measurements of Ultra-Faint Dwarf Galaxies Discovered by the Dark Energy Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Nagasawa, Daniel; Marshall, Jennifer L.; Simon, Joshua D.; Hansen, Terese; Li, Ting; Bernstein, Rebecca; Balbinot, Eduardo; Drlica-Wagner, Alex; Pace, Andrew; Strigari, Louis; Pellegrino, Craig; DePoy, Darren L.; Suntzeff, Nicholas; Bechtol, Keith; Dark Energy Suvey

2018-01-01

We present chemical abundance analysis results derived from high-resolution spectroscopy of ultra-faint dwarfs discovered by the Dark Energy Survey. Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies preserve a fossil record of the chemical abundance patterns imprinted by the first stars in the Universe. High-resolution spectroscopic observations of member stars in several recently discovered Milky Way satellites reveal a range of abundance patterns among ultra-faint dwarfs suggesting that star formation processes in the early Universe were quite diverse. The chemical content provides a glimpse not only of the varied nucleosynthetic processes and chemical history of the dwarfs themselves, but also the environment in which they were formed. We present the chemical abundance analysis of these objects and discuss possible explanations for the observed abundance patterns.

Brain insulin controls adipose tissue lipolysis and lipogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Scherer, Thomas; O’Hare, James; Diggs-Andrews, Kelly; Schweiger, Martina; Cheng, Bob; Lindtner, Claudia; Zielinski, Elizabeth; Vempati, Prashant; Su, Kai; Dighe, Shveta; Milsom, Thomas; Puchowicz, Michelle; Scheja, Ludger; Zechner, Rudolf; Fisher, Simon J.; Previs, Stephen F.; Buettner, Christoph

2011-01-01

SUMMARY White adipose tissue (WAT) dysfunction plays a key role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (DM2). Unrestrained WAT lipolysis results in increased fatty acid release leading to insulin resistance and lipotoxicity, while impaired de novo lipogenesis in WAT decreases the synthesis of insulin sensitizing fatty acid species like palmitoleate. Here we show that insulin infused into the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) of Sprague Dawley rats increases WAT lipogenic protein expression, and inactivates hormone sensitive lipase (Hsl) and suppresses lipolysis. Conversely, mice that lack the neuronal insulin receptor exhibit unrestrained lipolysis and decreased de novo lipogenesis in WAT. Thus, brain and in particular hypothalamic insulin action play a pivotal role in WAT functionality. PMID:21284985

Corticosterone binding to tissues of adrenalectomized lean and obese Zucker rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Grasa, M M; Cabot, C; Balada, F; Virgili, J; Sanchis, D; Monserrat, C; Fernández-López, J A; Remesar, X; Alemany, M

1998-12-01

The binding of corticosterone, dexamethasone and aldosterone was investigated in plasma and in homogenates of liver, kidney, brain, brown adipose tissue and visceral (periovaric) and subcutaneous white adipose tissues of Zucker lean and obese rats: intact controls, adrenalectomized and sham-operated. Corticosterone-binding globulin (CBG) accounted for most of the binding, whereas that of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors was much lower. Plasma corticosterone levels increased in sham-operated and obviously decreased in the adrenalectomized animals. Sham-operated and adrenalectomized lean rats showed decreased plasma CBG; in the obese, CBG levels were lower than in controls and were not affected by either surgery. No variation with obesity or surgery was observed either in dexamethasone or aldosterone binding, the latter being practically zero in most samples. When expressed per unit of tissue protein, CBG activity was maximal in adipose tissues, with lowest values in brain and liver. In lean rats, tissue CBG activity decreased with either surgical treatment; no changes were observed in the obese, which also had lower CBG tissue levels. The relative lack of changes in CBG of obese rats suggests that they have lost -- at least in part -- the ability to counter-modulate the changes in glucocorticoid levels through CBG modulation, thus relying only on the control of corticosterone levels. This interpretation agrees with the postulated role of CBG modulating the availability of glucocorticoids to target cells.

Genomic expression patterns of cardiac tissues from dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Oyama, Mark A; Chittur, Sridar

2005-07-01

To evaluate global genome expression patterns of left ventricular tissues from dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Tissues obtained from the left ventricle of 2 Doberman Pinschers with end-stage DCM and 5 healthy control dogs. Transcriptional activities of 23,851 canine DNA sequences were determined by use of an oligonucleotide microarray. Genome expression patterns of DCM tissue were evaluated by measuring the relative amount of complementary RNA hybridization to the microarray probes and comparing it with gene expression for tissues from 5 healthy control dogs. 478 transcripts were differentially expressed (> or = 2.5-fold change). In DCM tissue, expression of 173 transcripts was upregulated and expression of 305 transcripts was downregulated, compared with expression for control tissues. Of the 478 transcripts, 167 genes could be specifically identified. These genes were grouped into 1 of 8 categories on the basis of their primary physiologic function. Grouping revealed that pathways involving cellular energy production, signaling and communication, and cell structure were generally downregulated, whereas pathways involving cellular defense and stress responses were upregulated. Many previously unreported genes that may contribute to the pathophysiologic aspects of heart disease were identified. Evaluation of global expression patterns provides a molecular portrait of heart failure, yields insights into the pathophysiologic aspects of DCM, and identifies intriguing genes and pathways for further study.

Indirect Low-Intensity Ultrasonic Stimulation for Tissue Engineering

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Hyoungshin Park

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS treatment has been shown to increase mass transport, which could benefit tissue grafts during the immediate postimplant period, when blood supply to the implanted tissue is suboptimal. In this in vitro study, we investigated effects of LIUS stimulation on dye diffusion, proliferation, metabolism, and tropomyosin expression of muscle cells (C2C12 and on tissue viability and gene expression of human adipose tissue organoids. We found that LIUS increased dye diffusion within adjacent tissue culture wells and caused anisotropic diffusion patterns. This effect was confirmed by a hydrophone measurement resulting in acoustic pressure 150–341 Pa in wells. Cellular studies showed that LIUS significantly increased proliferation, metabolic activity, and expression of tropomyosin. Adipose tissue treated with LIUS showed significantly increased metabolic activity and the cells had similar morphology to normal unilocular adipocytes. Gene analysis showed that tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression (a marker for tissue damage was significantly lower for stimulated organoids than for control groups. Our data suggests that LIUS could be a useful modality for improving graft survival in vivo.

Understanding biomaterial-tissue interface quality: combined in vitro evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Gasik, Michael

2017-12-01

One of the greatest challenges in the development of new medical products and devices remains in providing maximal patient safety, efficacy and suitability for the purpose. A 'good quality' of the tissue-implant interface is one of the most critical factors for the success of the implant integration. In this paper this challenge is being discussed from the point of view of basic stimuli combination to experimental testing. The focus is in particular on bacterial effects on tissue-implant interaction (for different materials). The demonstration of the experimental evaluation of the tissue-implant interface is for dental abutment with mucosal contact. This shows that testing of the interface quality could be the most relevant in controlled conditions, which mimic as possible the clinical applications, but consider variables being under the control of the evaluator.

Novel transcripts discovered by mining genomic DNA from defined regions of bovine chromosome 6

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eberlein Annett

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Linkage analyses strongly suggest a number of QTL for production, health and conformation traits in the middle part of bovine chromosome 6 (BTA6. The identification of the molecular background underlying the genetic variation at the QTL and subsequent functional studies require a well-annotated gene sequence map of the critical QTL intervals. To complete the sequence map of the defined subchromosomal regions on BTA6 poorly covered with comparative gene information, we focused on targeted isolation of transcribed sequences from bovine bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC clones mapped to the QTL intervals. Results Using the method of exon trapping, 92 unique exon trapping sequences (ETS were discovered in a chromosomal region of poor gene coverage. Sequence identity to the current NCBI sequence assembly for BTA6 was detected for 91% of unique ETS. Comparative sequence similarity search revealed that 11% of the isolated ETS displayed high similarity to genomic sequences located on the syntenic chromosomes of the human and mouse reference genome assemblies. Nearly a third of the ETS identified similar equivalent sequences in genomic sequence scaffolds from the alternative Celera-based sequence assembly of the human genome. Screening gene, EST, and protein databases detected 17% of ETS with identity to known transcribed sequences. Expression analysis of a subset of the ETS showed that most ETS (84% displayed a distinctive expression pattern in a multi-tissue panel of a lactating cow verifying their existence in the bovine transcriptome. Conclusion The results of our study demonstrate that the exon trapping method based on region-specific BAC clones is very useful for targeted screening for novel transcripts located within a defined chromosomal region being deficiently endowed with annotated gene information. The majority of identified ETS represents unknown noncoding sequences in intergenic regions on BTA6 displaying a

Challenges and opportunities for tissue-engineering polarized epithelium.

Science.gov (United States)

Paz, Ana C; Soleas, John; Poon, James C H; Trieu, Dennis; Waddell, Thomas K; McGuigan, Alison P

2014-02-01

The epithelium is one of the most important tissue types in the body and the specific organization of the epithelial cells in these tissues is important for achieving appropriate function. Since many tissues contain an epithelial component, engineering functional epithelium and understanding the factors that control epithelial maturation and organization are important for generating whole artificial organ replacements. Furthermore, disruption of the cellular organization leads to tissue malfunction and disease; therefore, engineered epithelium could provide a valuable in vitro model to study disease phenotypes. Despite the importance of epithelial tissues, a surprisingly limited amount of effort has been focused on organizing epithelial cells into artificial polarized epithelium with an appropriate structure that resembles that seen in vivo. In this review, we provide an overview of epithelial tissue organization and highlight the importance of cell polarization to achieve appropriate epithelium function. We next describe the in vitro models that exist to create polarized epithelium and summarize attempts to engineer artificial epithelium for clinical use. Finally, we highlight the opportunities that exist to translate strategies from tissue engineering other tissues to generate polarized epithelium with a functional structure.

Discovering Authentication Credentials in Volatile Memory of Android Mobile Devices

OpenAIRE

Apostolopoulos , Dimitris; Marinakis , Giannis; Ntantogian , Christoforos; Xenakis , Christos

2013-01-01

Part 5: Adoption Issues in e/m-Services; International audience; This paper investigates whether authentication credentials in the volatile memory of Android mobile devices can be discovered using freely available tools. The experiments that we carried out for each application included two different sets: In the first set, our goal was to check if we could recover our own submitted credentials from the memory dump of the mobile device. In the second set of experiments, the goal was to find pa...

Use of the Culture Care Theory and ethnonursing method to discover how nursing faculty teach culture care.

Science.gov (United States)

Mixer, Sandra J

2008-04-01

As the world becomes increasingly multicultural, transcultural nursing education is critical to ensuring a culturally competent workforce. This paper presents a comprehensive review of literature and results of an ethnonursing pilot study using the Culture Care Theory (CCT) to discover how nursing faculty teach culture care. The literature revealed that despite 50 years of transcultural nursing knowledge development through theory, research and practice, there remains a lack of formal, integrated culture education in nursing. The importance of faculty providing generic and professional care to nursing students and using an organising framework to teach culture care was discovered. Additionally, care was essential for faculty health and well-being to enable faculty to teach culture care. This unique use of the theory and method demonstrates its usefulness in discovering and describing the complex nature of teaching culture care. Larger scale studies are predicted to further substantiate the CCT, building the discipline of nursing.

A tissue dose-based comparative exposure assessment of manganese using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling—The importance of homeostatic control for an essential metal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gentry, P. Robinan, E-mail: rgentry@ramboll.com [Ramboll Environ US Corporation, 3701 Armand St., Monroe, LA 71201 (United States); Van Landingham, Cynthia; Fuller, William G. [Ramboll Environ US Corporation, 3701 Armand St., Monroe, LA 71201 (United States); Sulsky, Sandra I. [Ramboll Environ US Corporation, Amherst, MA (United States); Greene, Tracy B. [Ramboll Environ US Corporation, 3701 Armand St., Monroe, LA 71201 (United States); Clewell, Harvey J.; Andersen, Melvin E. [ScitoVation, RTP, NC (United States); Roels, Harry A. [Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels (Belgium); Taylor, Michael D. [NIPERA, Durham, NC (United States); Keene, Athena M. [Afton Chemical Corporation, Richmond, VA (United States)

2017-05-01

A physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model (Schroeter et al., 2011) was applied to simulate target tissue manganese (Mn) concentrations following occupational and environmental exposures. These estimates of target tissue Mn concentrations were compared to determine margins of safety (MOS) and to evaluate the biological relevance of applying safety factors to derive acceptable Mn air concentrations. Mn blood concentrations measured in occupational studies permitted verification of the human PBPK models, increasing confidence in the resulting estimates. Mn exposure was determined based on measured ambient air Mn concentrations and dietary data in Canada and the United States (US). Incorporating dietary and inhalation exposures into the models indicated that increases in target tissue concentrations above endogenous levels only begin to occur when humans are exposed to levels of Mn in ambient air (i.e. > 10 μg/m{sup 3}) that are far higher than those currently measured in Canada or the US. A MOS greater than three orders of magnitude was observed, indicating that current Mn air concentrations are far below concentrations that would be required to produce the target tissue Mn concentrations associated with subclinical neurological effects. This application of PBPK modeling for an essential element clearly demonstrates that the conventional application of default factors to “convert” an occupational exposure to an equivalent continuous environmental exposure, followed by the application of safety factors, is not appropriate in the case of Mn. PBPK modeling demonstrates that the relationship between ambient Mn exposures and dose-to-target tissue is not linear due to normal tissue background levels and homeostatic controls. - Highlights: • Manganese is an essential nutrient, adding complexity to its risk assessment. • Nonlinearities in biological processes are important for manganese risk assessment. • A PBPK model was used to estimate target tissue

A highly abundant bacteriophage discovered in the unknown sequences of human faecal metagenomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dutilh, Bas E; Cassman, Noriko; McNair, Katelyn; Sanchez, Savannah E; Silva, Genivaldo G Z; Boling, Lance; Barr, Jeremy J; Speth, Daan R; Seguritan, Victor; Aziz, Ramy K; Felts, Ben; Dinsdale, Elizabeth A; Mokili, John L; Edwards, Robert A

2014-01-01

Metagenomics, or sequencing of the genetic material from a complete microbial community, is a promising tool to discover novel microbes and viruses. Viral metagenomes typically contain many unknown sequences. Here we describe the discovery of a previously unidentified bacteriophage present in the

Phosphorylation of ribosomal proteins induced by auxins in maize embryonic tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, L.; Aguilar, R.; Mendez, A.P.; de Jimenez, E.S.

1990-01-01

The effect of auxin on ribosomal protein phosphorylation of germinating maize (Zea mays) tissues was investigated. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and autoradiography of [ 32 P] ribosomal protein patterns for natural and synthetic auxin-treated tissues were performed. Both the rate of 32 P incorporation and the electrophoretic patterns were dependent on 32 P pulse length, suggesting that active protein phosphorylation-dephosphorylation occurred in small and large subunit proteins, in control as well as in auxin-treated tissues. The effect of ribosomal protein phosphorylation on in vitro translation was tested. Measurements of poly(U) translation rates as a function of ribosome concentration provided apparent K m values significantly different for auxin-treated and nontreated tissues. These findings suggest that auxin might exert some kind of translational control by regulating the phosphorylated status of ribosomal proteins

Tissue engineered bone versus alloplastic commercial biomaterials in craniofacial reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucaciu, Ondine; Băciuţ, Mihaela; Băciuţ, G; Câmpian, R; Soriţău, Olga; Bran, S; Crişan, B; Crişan, Liana

2010-01-01

This research was developed in order to demonstrate the tissue engineering method as an alternative to conventional methods for bone reconstruction, in order to overcome the frequent failures of alloplastic commercial biomaterials, allografts and autografts. Tissue engineering is an in vitro method used to obtain cell based osteoinductive bone grafts. This study evaluated the feasibility of creating tissue-engineered bone using mesenchymal cells seeded on a scaffold obtained from the deciduous red deer antler. We have chosen mesenchymal stem cells because they are easy to obtain, capable to differentiate into cells of mesenchymal origin (osteoblasts) and to produce tissue such as bone. As scaffold, we have chosen the red deer antler because it has a high level of porosity. We conducted a case control study, on three groups of mice type CD1--two study groups (n=20) and a control group (n=20). For the study groups, we obtained bone grafts through tissue engineering, using mesenchymal stem cells seeded on the scaffold made of deciduous red deer antler. Bone defects were surgically induced on the left parietal bone of all subjects. In the control group, we grafted the bone defects with commercial biomaterials (OsteoSet, Wright Medical Technology, Inc., Arlington, Federal USA). Subjects were sacrificed at two and four months, the healing process was morphologically and histologically evaluated using descriptive histology and the golden standard - histological scoring. The grafts obtained in vivo through tissue engineering using adult stem cell, seeded on the scaffold obtained from the red deer antler using osteogenic medium have proven their osteogenic properties.

Hard tissue compatibility of natural hydroxyapatite/chitosan composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Xiaojun; Gui Lai; Lue Xiaoying

2008-01-01

The natural hydroxyapatite/chitosan (NHC) composite is a new synthesized material. The aim of this experiment was to assess the bone tissue compatibility of this NHC composite in vivo. Twenty-four healthy New Zealand rabbits were included in this study. Of those, 20 were used as the experimental group and four as the control group. In the experimental group, animals receive a cranium defect procedure and NHC composite repair. In the control group, animals underwent the cranium defect procedure without NHC composite repair. At 1, 4, 12, 24, and 40 weeks after surgery, the animals were sacrificed and samples were taken and assessed by gross observation, three-dimensional (3D) computerized tomographic (CT) reconstruction, histology and scanning electron microscope. Our results showed that at 1 week after repairing the bone defect with the NHC composite in the experimental group, new bone appeared around the composite and matured gradually. At 24 weeks after surgery, there were little collagenous tissues present between the material and surrounding bones. At 40 weeks after surgery, new bone had grown into the mature bone and total osseointegration had occurred. In the control group, however, no bone defect healing was observed at 40 weeks after surgery. All these results of the present in vivo work suggest that the NHC composite has a good hard tissue biocompatibility and an excellent osteoconductivity. It is suitable for artificial bone implants and frame materials of tissue engineering.

Hard tissue compatibility of natural hydroxyapatite/chitosan composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang Xiaojun; Gui Lai [Department of Cranio-maxillofacial Surgery, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144 (China); Lue Xiaoying [State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096 (China)], E-mail: laiguiplastic@tom.com, E-mail: luxy@seu.edu.cn

2008-12-15

The natural hydroxyapatite/chitosan (NHC) composite is a new synthesized material. The aim of this experiment was to assess the bone tissue compatibility of this NHC composite in vivo. Twenty-four healthy New Zealand rabbits were included in this study. Of those, 20 were used as the experimental group and four as the control group. In the experimental group, animals receive a cranium defect procedure and NHC composite repair. In the control group, animals underwent the cranium defect procedure without NHC composite repair. At 1, 4, 12, 24, and 40 weeks after surgery, the animals were sacrificed and samples were taken and assessed by gross observation, three-dimensional (3D) computerized tomographic (CT) reconstruction, histology and scanning electron microscope. Our results showed that at 1 week after repairing the bone defect with the NHC composite in the experimental group, new bone appeared around the composite and matured gradually. At 24 weeks after surgery, there were little collagenous tissues present between the material and surrounding bones. At 40 weeks after surgery, new bone had grown into the mature bone and total osseointegration had occurred. In the control group, however, no bone defect healing was observed at 40 weeks after surgery. All these results of the present in vivo work suggest that the NHC composite has a good hard tissue biocompatibility and an excellent osteoconductivity. It is suitable for artificial bone implants and frame materials of tissue engineering.

A strategy to discover genes that carry multi-allelic or mono-allelic risk for common diseases: A cohort allelic sums test (CAST)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgenthaler, Stephan; Thilly, William G.

2007-01-01

A method is described to discover if a gene carries one or more allelic mutations that confer risk for any specified common disease. The method does not depend upon genetic linkage of risk-conferring mutations to high frequency genetic markers such as single nucleotide polymorphisms. Instead, the sums of allelic mutation frequencies in case and control cohorts are determined and a statistical test is applied to discover if the difference in these sums is greater than would be expected by chance. A statistical model is presented that defines the ability of such tests to detect significant gene-disease relationships as a function of case and control cohort sizes and key confounding variables: zygosity and genicity, environmental risk factors, errors in diagnosis, limits to mutant detection, linkage of neutral and risk-conferring mutations, ethnic diversity in the general population and the expectation that among all exonic mutants in the human genome greater than 90% will be neutral with regard to any effect on disease risk. Means to test the null hypothesis for, and determine the statistical power of, each test are provided. For this 'cohort allelic sums test' or 'CAST', the statistical model and test are provided as an Excel (TM) program, CASTAT (C) at http://epidemiology.mit.edu. Based on genetics, technology and statistics, a strategy of enumerating the mutant alleles carried in the exons and splice sites of the estimated ∼25,000 human genes in case cohort samples of 10,000 persons for each of 100 common diseases is proposed and evaluated: A wide range of possible conditions of multi-allelic or mono-allelic and monogenic, multigenic or polygenic (including epistatic) risk are found to be detectable using the statistical criteria of 1 or 10 ''false positive'' gene associations per 25,000 gene-disease pair-wise trials and a statistical power of >0.8. Using estimates of the distribution of both neutral and gene-inactivating nondeleterious mutations in humans and

Comparative proteomic analysis of proteins expression changes in the mammary tissue of cows infected with Escherichia coli mastitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiao-wei; Yang, Yong-xin; Huang, Dong-wei; Cheng, Guang-long; Zhao, Hui-ling

2015-01-01

Cows infected with Escherichia (E.) coli usually experience severe clinical symptoms, including damage to mammary tissues, reduced milk yield, and altered milk composition. In order to investigate the host response to E. coli infection and discover novel markers for mastitis treatment, mammary tissue samples were collected from healthy cows and bovines with naturally occurring severe E. coli mastitis. Changes of mammary tissue proteins were examined using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and label-free proteomic approaches. A total of 95 differentially expressed proteins were identified. Of these, 56 proteins were categorized according to molecular function, cellular component, and biological processes. The most frequent biological processes influenced by the proteins were response to stress, transport, and establishment of localization. Furthermore, a network analysis of the proteins with altered expression in mammary tissues demonstrated that these factors are predominantly involved with binding and structural molecule activities. Vimentin and a-enolase were central "functional hubs" in the network. Based on results from the present study, disease-induced alterations of protein expression in mammary glands and potential markers for the effective treatment of E. coli mastitis were identified. These data have also helped elucidate defense mechanisms that protect the mammary glands and promote the pathogenesis of E. coli mastitis.

Regeneration of articular cartilage by adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells: perspectives from stem cell biology and molecular medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Ling; Cai, Xiaoxiao; Zhang, Shu; Karperien, Marcel; Lin, Yunfeng

2013-05-01

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have been discovered for more than a decade. Due to the large numbers of cells that can be harvested with relatively little donor morbidity, they are considered to be an attractive alternative to bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. Consequently, isolation and differentiation of ASCs draw great attention in the research of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Cartilage defects cause big therapeutic problems because of their low self-repair capacity. Application of ASCs in cartilage regeneration gives hope to treat cartilage defects with autologous stem cells. In recent years, a lot of studies have been performed to test the possibility of using ASCs to re-construct damaged cartilage tissue. In this article, we have reviewed the most up-to-date articles utilizing ASCs for cartilage regeneration in basic and translational research. Our topic covers differentiation of adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes, increased cartilage formation by co-culture of ASCs with chondrocytes and enhancing chondrogenic differentiation of ASCs by gene manipulation. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of serum vaspin levels and vaspin expression in adipose tissue and smooth muscle tissue in pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yuping; Qiao, Ping; Qu, Xiaoxian; Bao, Yirong; Li, Yuhong; Liao, Yini; Ying, Hao

2017-10-01

Vaspin is associated with metabolic parameters and insulin resistance. However, the expression of vaspin in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not been fully explored, and the contribution of vaspin to the biological mechanisms underlying GDM remains unclear. This study aimed to compare circulating vaspin levels and its expression in different insulin target tissues including subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), VAT and smooth muscle tissue (SMT) in pregnant women with and without GDM. A total of 37 women with GDM (GDM group) and 37 normal pregnant women (control group) were selected. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS) and serum vaspin levels were quantified at term, and homeostasis model of assessment2-insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) values were calculated. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to measure mRNA and protein levels of vaspin in VAT, SAT and SMT of 15 GDM women and normal pregnant women. In the GDM group, serum vaspin concentrations were significantly higher than in the control group. Serum vaspin levels were positively correlated with HOMA2-IR in the GDM group but not in the control group. In the GDM group, vaspin mRNA and protein expression levels in SAT and VAT were both significantly higher than in controls, but no difference was found in SMT. Moreover, relative mRNA but not protein expression levels of vaspin in SAT were highest among the three tissues in both groups. Circulating vaspin levels and expression of vaspin in SAT and VAT were higher in GDM women than in normal pregnant women. However, the specific role of vaspin from SAT and VAT in the pathogenesis of GDM needs further study. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

THE INFLUENCE OF AUTOLYSIS ON THE PROTEIN-PEPTIDE PROFILE OF Bos taurus AND Sus scrofa HEART AND AORTA TISSUES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. M. Chernukha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of autolytic processes impact on the protein-peptide profile of Bos taurus and Sus scrofa cardiac muscle and aorta. The results of tissue-specific protein identification are also presented as well as the effect of autolysis. Apolipoprotein A-1 involved in the formation of high-density lipoproteins, peroxiredoxin-1 involved in the suppression of oxidative stress, galectin-1 induced apoptosis of T-lymphocytes, as well as number of heat shock proteins with molecular weight less than 30 kDa were identified in Sus scrofa aorta tissue. It was discovered that functional proteins with molecular weight less than 30 kDa are retained during the freezing process, but destroyed under the action of autolytic enzymes. This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project No. 16–16–10073.

A poly(glycerol sebacate)-coated mesoporous bioactive glass scaffold with adjustable mechanical strength, degradation rate, controlled-release and cell behavior for bone tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Dan; Yang, Kai; Tang, Wei; Liu, Yutong; Yuan, Yuan; Liu, Changsheng

2015-07-01

Various requirements in the field of tissue engineering have motivated the development of three-dimensional scaffold with adjustable physicochemical properties and biological functions. A series of multiparameter-adjustable mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) scaffolds with uncrosslinked poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) coating was prepared in this article. MBG scaffold was prepared by a modified F127/PU co-templating process and then PGS was coated by a simple adsorption and lyophilization process. Through controlling macropore parameters and PGS coating amount, the mechanical strength, degradation rate, controlled-release and cell behavior of the composite scaffold could be modulated in a wide range. PGS coating successfully endowed MBG scaffold with improved toughness and adjustable mechanical strength covering the bearing range of trabecular bone (2-12MPa). Multilevel degradation rate of the scaffold and controlled-release rate of protein from mesopore could be achieved, with little impact on the protein activity owing to an "ultralow-solvent" coating and "nano-cavity entrapment" immobilization method. In vitro studies indicated that PGS coating promoted cell attachment and proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, without affecting the osteogenic induction capacity of MBG substrate. These results first provide strong evidence that uncrosslinked PGS might also yield extraordinary achievements in traditional MBG scaffold. With the multiparameter adjustability, the composite MBG/PGS scaffolds would have a hopeful prospect in bone tissue engineering. The design considerations and coating method of this study can also be extended to other ceramic-based artificial scaffolds and are expected to provide new thoughts on development of future tissue engineering materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tissue types (image)

Science.gov (United States)

... are 4 basic types of tissue: connective tissue, epithelial tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue. Connective tissue supports ... binds them together (bone, blood, and lymph tissues). Epithelial tissue provides a covering (skin, the linings of the ...

Gut microbiota controls adipose tissue expansion, gut barrier and glucose metabolism: novel insights into molecular targets and interventions using prebiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Geurts, L; Neyrinck, A M; Delzenne, N M; Knauf, C; Cani, P D

2014-03-01

Crosstalk between organs is crucial for controlling numerous homeostatic systems (e.g. energy balance, glucose metabolism and immunity). Several pathological conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, are characterised by a loss of or excessive inter-organ communication that contributes to the development of disease. Recently, we and others have identified several mechanisms linking the gut microbiota with the development of obesity and associated disorders (e.g. insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hepatic steatosis). Among these, we described the concept of metabolic endotoxaemia (increase in plasma lipopolysaccharide levels) as one of the triggering factors leading to the development of metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance. Growing evidence suggests that gut microbes contribute to the onset of low-grade inflammation characterising these metabolic disorders via mechanisms associated with gut barrier dysfunctions. We have demonstrated that enteroendocrine cells (producing glucagon-like peptide-1, peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-2) and the endocannabinoid system control gut permeability and metabolic endotoxaemia. Recently, we hypothesised that specific metabolic dysregulations occurring at the level of numerous organs (e.g. gut, adipose tissue, muscles, liver and brain) rely from gut microbiota modifications. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms linking gut permeability, adipose tissue metabolism, and glucose homeostasis, and recent findings that show interactions between the gut microbiota, the endocannabinoid system and the apelinergic system. These specific systems are discussed in the context of the gut-to-peripheral organ axis (intestine, adipose tissue and brain) and impacts on metabolic regulation. In the present review, we also briefly describe the impact of a variety of non-digestible nutrients (i.e. inulin-type fructans, arabinoxylans, chitin glucans and polyphenols). Their effects on the composition of the gut microbiota and

Hierarchical Design of Tissue Regenerative Constructs.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Jonas C; De Laporte, Laura

2018-03-01

The worldwide shortage of organs fosters significant advancements in regenerative therapies. Tissue engineering and regeneration aim to supply or repair organs or tissues by combining material scaffolds, biochemical signals, and cells. The greatest challenge entails the creation of a suitable implantable or injectable 3D macroenvironment and microenvironment to allow for ex vivo or in vivo cell-induced tissue formation. This review gives an overview of the essential components of tissue regenerating scaffolds, ranging from the molecular to the macroscopic scale in a hierarchical manner. Further, this review elaborates about recent pivotal technologies, such as photopatterning, electrospinning, 3D bioprinting, or the assembly of micrometer-scale building blocks, which enable the incorporation of local heterogeneities, similar to most native extracellular matrices. These methods are applied to mimic a vast number of different tissues, including cartilage, bone, nerves, muscle, heart, and blood vessels. Despite the tremendous progress that has been made in the last decade, it remains a hurdle to build biomaterial constructs in vitro or in vivo with a native-like structure and architecture, including spatiotemporal control of biofunctional domains and mechanical properties. New chemistries and assembly methods in water will be crucial to develop therapies that are clinically translatable and can evolve into organized and functional tissues. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

NLRC5: a newly discovered MHC class I transactivator (CITA)

OpenAIRE

Meissner, Torsten B.; Li, Amy; Kobayashi, Koichi S.

2011-01-01

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II are crucial for the function of the human adaptive immune system. An NLR protein, CIITA (MHC class II transactivator), is a master regulator of MHC class II gene expression as well as of some of the genes involved in MHC class II antigen presentation. It has recently been discovered that another member of the NLR protein family, NLRC5, transcriptionally activates MHC class I genes, and thus acts as “CITA” (MHC class I transactivator)...

Spontaneous and X-ray induced chromosomal aberrations in selected connective tissue diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkhardt, W.C.; Jackson, J.F.; Songcharoen, S.; Meydrech, E.F.

1980-01-01

Chromosome studies were performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes of 28 patients with connective tissue disease (6 with progressive systemic sclerosis, 6 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 6 with anti-nuclear antibody positive rheumatoid arthritis, 6 with anti-nuclear antibody negative rheumatoid arthritis, and 4 with mixed connective tissue disease) and on 17 controls to determine the frequency of spontaneous as well as X-ray (75 rads) induced aberrations. The mean spontaneous chromosomal aberration frequency for the 28 patients (9.1%) was significantly (P=0.038) greater than that of controls (6.4%). When patients were categorized into specific clinically designated connective tissue disease subdivisions for comparison with the controls, only X-irradiated cells from the progressive systemic sclerosis group displayed significantly elevated levels of total chromosomal aberrations over those of the control group. The X-irradiated lymphocytes from these patients had an average of 23.6% aberrations per patient, while those of the control group showed an average of 14.9% per patient (P<0.05). (author)

Spontaneous and X-ray induced chromosomal aberrations in selected connective tissue diseases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burkhardt, W C; Jackson, J F; Songcharoen, S; Meydrech, E F [Mississippi Univ., Jackson (USA). Medical Center

1980-01-01

Chromosome studies were performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes of 28 patients with connective tissue disease (6 with progressive systemic sclerosis, 6 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 6 with anti-nuclear antibody positive rheumatoid arthritis, 6 with anti-nuclear antibody negative rheumatoid arthritis, and 4 with mixed connective tissue disease) and on 17 controls to determine the frequency of spontaneous as well as X-ray (75 rads) induced aberrations. The mean spontaneous chromosomal aberration frequency for the 28 patients (9.1%) was significantly (P=0.038) greater than that of controls (6.4%). When patients were categorized into specific clinically designated connective tissue disease subdivisions for comparison with the controls, only X-irradiated cells from the progressive systemic sclerosis group displayed significantly elevated levels of total chromosomal aberrations over those of the control group. The X-irradiated lymphocytes from these patients had an average of 23.6% aberrations per patient, while those of the control group showed an average of 14.9% per patient (P<0.05).

Tissue Multiplatform-Based Metabolomics/Metabonomics for Enhanced Metabolome Coverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorkas, Panagiotis A; Abellona U, M R; Li, Jia V

2018-01-01

The use of tissue as a matrix to elucidate disease pathology or explore intervention comes with several advantages. It allows investigation of the target alteration directly at the focal location and facilitates the detection of molecules that could become elusive after secretion into biofluids. However, tissue metabolomics/metabonomics comes with challenges not encountered in biofluid analyses. Furthermore, tissue heterogeneity does not allow for tissue aliquoting. Here we describe a multiplatform, multi-method workflow which enables metabolic profiling analysis of tissue samples, while it can deliver enhanced metabolome coverage. After applying a dual consecutive extraction (organic followed by aqueous), tissue extracts are analyzed by reversed-phase (RP-) and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC-) ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This pipeline incorporates the required quality control features, enhances versatility, allows provisional aliquoting of tissue extracts for future guided analyses, expands the range of metabolites robustly detected, and supports data integration. It has been successfully employed for the analysis of a wide range of tissue types.

Evaluating Iron Content and Tissue Microstructure with Off-Resonance Saturation MRI

Science.gov (United States)

Fahmy, Sherif R.

We present three magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, each focused on applying off-resonance saturation (ORS) imaging to a different context or application. Particularly, we are interested in using ORS to evaluate the uptake of superparamagnetic MRI contrast agents in biological tissue, and to evaluate endogenous iron content. This relies on ORS being applied at low off-resonance frequency offsets where most of the negative contrast is due to signal loss from direct saturation of the water content of the sample. Additionally, we wish to combine this information with magnetization transfer contrast, which is obtained by applying ORS at offsets that are far from the resonance frequency, where magnetization transfer (MT) becomes the dominant effect rather than direct saturation (DS). In the first study, we observed the uptake of ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles in a simple model system by imaging the uptake in healthy murine liver in vivo, and by testing different metrics to quantify the uptake. Through this process, we discovered an approach that provides high sensitivity and specificity in low-signal scenarios. In the second study, we evaluated image contrast between brain regions in healthy human adults, and related these to the expected iron content in different regions based on age. Images were evaluated based on different MRI contrast mechanisms including quantitative transverse relaxation rates, as well as parameters obtained from ORS imaging. We also performed a field inhomogeneity adjustment on low-offset ORS data using the information obtained from the coarsely sampled ORS spectrum, and this was sufficient to correct for the inhomogeneities. In the third study, we used transverse relaxation, DS - which is strongly dependent on iron content, and MT contrast, in order to classify ex vivo brain samples having Alzheimer's disease pathology and normal controls, and were able to find strong classifiers. The three studies helped

The rs10993994 risk allele for prostate cancer results in clinically relevant changes in microseminoprotein-beta expression in tissue and urine.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hayley C Whitaker

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Microseminoprotein-beta (MSMB regulates apoptosis and using genome-wide association studies the rs10993994 single nucleotide polymorphism in the MSMB promoter has been linked to an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. The promoter location of the risk allele, and its ability to reduce promoter activity, suggested that the rs10993994 risk allele could result in lowered MSMB in benign tissue leading to increased prostate cancer risk.MSMB expression in benign and malignant prostate tissue was examined using immunohistochemistry and compared with the rs10993994 genotype. Urinary MSMB concentrations were determined by ELISA and correlated with urinary PSA, the presence or absence of cancer, rs10993994 genotype and age of onset. MSMB levels in prostate tissue and urine were greatly reduced with tumourigenesis. Urinary MSMB was better than urinary PSA at differentiating men with prostate cancer at all Gleason grades. The high risk allele was associated with heterogeneity of MSMB staining and loss of MSMB in both tissue and urine in benign prostate.These data show that some high risk alleles discovered using genome-wide association studies produce phenotypic effects with potential clinical utility. We provide the first link between a low penetrance polymorphism for prostate cancer and a potential test in human tissue and bodily fluids. There is potential to develop tissue and urinary MSMB for a biomarker of prostate cancer risk, diagnosis and disease monitoring.

The rs10993994 risk allele for prostate cancer results in clinically relevant changes in microseminoprotein-beta expression in tissue and urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitaker, Hayley C; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Ross-Adams, Helen; Warren, Anne Y; Burge, Johanna; George, Anne; Bancroft, Elizabeth; Jhavar, Sameer; Leongamornlert, Daniel; Tymrakiewicz, Malgorzata; Saunders, Edward; Page, Elizabeth; Mitra, Anita; Mitchell, Gillian; Lindeman, Geoffrey J; Evans, D Gareth; Blanco, Ignacio; Mercer, Catherine; Rubinstein, Wendy S; Clowes, Virginia; Douglas, Fiona; Hodgson, Shirley; Walker, Lisa; Donaldson, Alan; Izatt, Louise; Dorkins, Huw; Male, Alison; Tucker, Kathy; Stapleton, Alan; Lam, Jimmy; Kirk, Judy; Lilja, Hans; Easton, Douglas; Cooper, Colin; Eeles, Rosalind; Neal, David E

2010-10-13

Microseminoprotein-beta (MSMB) regulates apoptosis and using genome-wide association studies the rs10993994 single nucleotide polymorphism in the MSMB promoter has been linked to an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. The promoter location of the risk allele, and its ability to reduce promoter activity, suggested that the rs10993994 risk allele could result in lowered MSMB in benign tissue leading to increased prostate cancer risk. MSMB expression in benign and malignant prostate tissue was examined using immunohistochemistry and compared with the rs10993994 genotype. Urinary MSMB concentrations were determined by ELISA and correlated with urinary PSA, the presence or absence of cancer, rs10993994 genotype and age of onset. MSMB levels in prostate tissue and urine were greatly reduced with tumourigenesis. Urinary MSMB was better than urinary PSA at differentiating men with prostate cancer at all Gleason grades. The high risk allele was associated with heterogeneity of MSMB staining and loss of MSMB in both tissue and urine in benign prostate. These data show that some high risk alleles discovered using genome-wide association studies produce phenotypic effects with potential clinical utility. We provide the first link between a low penetrance polymorphism for prostate cancer and a potential test in human tissue and bodily fluids. There is potential to develop tissue and urinary MSMB for a biomarker of prostate cancer risk, diagnosis and disease monitoring.

Laser microtexturing of implant surfaces for enhanced tissue integration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ricci, J.L. [Univ. of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ (United States). Dept. of Orthodontics; Alexander, H. [Orthogen Corp., Springfield, NJ (United States)

2001-07-01

The success or failure of bone and soft tissue-fixed medical devices, such as dental and orthopaedic implants, depends on a complex combination of biological and mechanical factors. These factors are intimately associated with the interface between the implant surface and the surrounding tissue, and are largely determined by the composition, surface chemistry, and surface microgeometry of the implant. The relative contributions of these factors are difficult to assess. This study addresses the contribution of surface microtexture, on a controlled level, to tissue integration. (orig.)

Comparison of micromorphometric testis tissue structures in antenatal fetuses and patients with congenital cryptorchidism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Bunkov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Investigation of paired organs, testicles in particular, in the antenatal period as compared to congenital cryptorchidism in the context of interrelationship can objectively approach the consideration of the whole set of physiological and pathological processes in them, by taking into account histophysiological identity. The paper gives the results of micromorphometric examinations of the units of a communication system (cellular populations and the areas of parenchymatous and stromal structures (intertubular connective tissue, convoluted seminiferous tubules, and spermatogenic epithelium in two groups: 1 34 antenatal (ANT fetuses at 20–41 weeks' gestation and 2 46 children with congenital unilateral cryptorchidism (CR, in whom testis tissue biopsy specimens were examined at the age of 1 to 14 years. Determination of the similarity of micromorphometric structures (the number of cellular population in the intertubular connective tissue, convoluted seminiferous tubules, and the areas of intertubular connective tissue, spermatogenic epithelium, and capillary lumens was analyzed to discover an identity in the testes tissues of the ANT fetuses versus the children with congenital unilateral CR, by considering the position and site of testicles. The findings indicate that there are synchronous changes of individual similar structures between the right and left testicle during its natural descent into the scrotum in the ANT fetuses and in the patients with congenital CR, which is suggestive of the symmetry and relationship between the contralateral sex glands in different ontogenetic groups. This may testify that there are similar processes occurring between the testis tissues in the children with congenital CR and in the ANT fetuses. The findings may become a ground for further consideration of congenital CR in the context of not only the micromorphometry, but also functional activity of tests tissue structures when comparatively analyzing these

3D bio-etching of a complex composite-like embryonic tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazar, Melis; Kim, Yong Tae; Song, Jiho; LeDuc, Philip R; Davidson, Lance A; Messner, William C

2015-08-21

Morphogenesis involves a complex series of cell signaling, migration and differentiation events that are coordinated as tissues self-assemble during embryonic development. Collective cell movements such as those that occur during morphogenesis have typically been studied in 2D with single layers of cultured cells adhering to rigid substrates such as glass or plastic. In vivo, the intricacies of the 3D microenvironment and complex 3D responses are pivotal in the formation of functional tissues. To study such processes as collective cell movements within 3D multilayered tissues, we developed a microfluidic technique capable of producing complex 3D laminar multicellular structures. We call this technique "3D tissue-etching" because it is analogous to techniques used in the microelectromechanics (MEMS) field where complex 3D structures are built by successively removing material from a monolithic solid through subtractive manufacturing. We use a custom-designed microfluidic control system to deliver a range of tissue etching reagents (detergents, chelators, proteases, etc.) to specific regions of multilayered tissues. These tissues were previously isolated by microsurgical excision from embryos of the African claw-toed frog, Xenopus laevis. The ability to shape the 3D form of multicellular tissues and to control 3D stimulation will have a high impact on tissue engineering and regeneration applications in bioengineering and medicine as well as provide significant improvements in the synthesis of highly complex 3D integrated multicellular biosystems.

Activation of vestibule-associated lymphoid tissue in localized provoked vulvodynia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tommola, Päivi; Bützow, Ralf; Unkila-Kallio, Leila; Paavonen, Jorma; Meri, Seppo

2015-04-01

Localized provoked vulvodynia (LPV) may have inflammatory etiology. We wanted to find out whether the cell-mediated immune system becomes activated in the vestibular mucosa in LPV. This was a controlled cross-sectional study. Vestibular mucosal specimens were obtained from 27 patients with severe LPV and 15 controls. Detailed clinical history of the patients was obtained. For immunohistochemistry, antibodies against CD3 (T cells), CD20 (B cells), IgA (mucosal plasma cells), CD163 (dendritic cells [DCs]), CD68 (macrophages), and CD117 (mast cells) were employed. Mann-Whitney U test and χ(2) test were used for statistical analyses. More B lymphocytes and mature mucosal IgA-plasma cells were found in patients than in controls (P associated lymphoid tissue analogous to mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Vestibule-associated lymphoid tissue may emerge as a response to local infection or inflammation in LPV. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.