The stimulation of osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells by ionic products from akermanite dissolution via activation of the ERK pathway

Our previous study indicates that akermanite, a type of Ca-, Mg-, Si-containing bioceramic, can promote the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we investigated the effect of the extract from akermanite, on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hASCs. The original extract was obtained at 200 mg akermanite/ml LG-DMEM and further diluted with LG-DMEM. The final extracts were denoted as 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, and 1/32 extracts based on the concentrations of the original extract. The LDH assay and live/dead stain were used to reveal the cytotoxicity of the different extracts on hASCs, while the DNA assay was carried out to quantitatively evaluate the proliferation of cells after being cultured with the extracts for 1, 3 and 7 days. Flow cytometry for cell cycle analysis was carried out on cells cultured in two media (GM and 1/2 extract) in order to further analyze the effect of the extract on cell proliferation behaviors. Osteogenic differentiation of hASCs cultured in the extracts was detected by ALP expression and calcium deposition, and further confirmed by real-time PCR analysis. It was shown that Ca, Mg and Si ions in the extract could suppress the LDH release and proliferation of hASCs, whereas promote their osteogenic differentiation. Such effects were concentration-dependent with the 1/4 extract (Ca 2.36 mM, Mg 1.11 mM, Si 1.03 mM) being the optimum in promoting the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs. An immediate increase in ERK was observed in cells cultured in the 1/4 extract and such osteogenic differentiation of hASCs promoted by released ions could be blocked by MEK1-specific inhibitor, PD98059. Briefly, Ca, Mg and Si ions extracted from akermanite in the concentrations of 2.36, 1.11, 1.03 mM, respectively, could facilitate the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs via an ERK pathway, and suppress the proliferation of hASCs without significant cytotoxicity.     

Light stimulates IFNgamma-mediated intercellular adhesion molecule-1 upregulation of cancer cells

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) works as one of the ligands for activating the killing activity of natural killer (NK) cells and cancer specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Expression of ICAM-1 enhances lymphocyte adhesion to the cancer cells in vivo. Cancer cell lines express significantly lower level of ICAM-1 than that of normal epithelium or benign cells. Overexpression of LIGHT (LIGHT: homologous to lymphotoxins, indicating inducible expression, and competes with herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D for herpes virus entry mediator [HVEM/TR2]) in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells was observed to suppress tumor growth in vivo. In order to elucidate the mechanisms how LIGHT overexpression could trigger tumor suppression, the expression level of a panel of cell surface makers CD54, CD56, CD95, and CD119 was investigated in a group of cancer cells. Flow cytometry analysis results demonstrate that LIGHT gene expression in cancer cells can greatly increase ICAM-1 expression level, IFNgamma alone can stimulate cancer cells to express ICAM-1, which can be highly augmented by LIGHT in a dose-dependent manner. This upregulation of ICAM-1 expression is not only at ICAM-1 protein trafficking level on cell surface as demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis, but also at ICAM-1 total protein level as confirmed by Western blot. There is no difference of expression level among these cancer cell lines for the other three cell surface markers: CD56, CD95 (Fas), and CD119. It was confirmed that LIGHT enhancement upregulation of ICAM-1 expression is at least STAT1 and JAK1 dependent by using STAT1-deficient U3A and JAK1-deficient E2A4 cells. These findings suggest that LIGHT-induced inhibition of tumor growth is highly correlated with its upregulation of ICAM-1 expression.     

Formation of Honeycomb‐Patterned Polyetherketone Cardo (PEK‐C) Films in a Highly Humid Atmosphere

Summary: The fabrication of honeycomb‐patterned films from PEK‐C in a humid atmosphere is reported. Some governing factors, such as the concentrations of the polymer solutions, the atmosphere humidity, and the volatility of the solvents, are tested. Moreover, by using PEK‐C, PLEG, and PPO, the different mechanisms between hydrophilic polymers and hydrophobic polymers on pattern formation are also studied.

Influence of the concentration on water droplet arrangement. Concentration: a) 1 and b) 2 g · L^?1.     

An improved MLC segmentation algorithm and software for step-and-shoot IMRT delivery without tongue-and-groove error

We present an improved multileaf collimator (MLC) segmentation algorithm, denoted by SLS(NOTG) (static leaf sequencing with no tongue-and-groove error), for step-and-shoot intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) delivery. SLS(NOTG) is an improvement over the MLC segmentation algorithm called SLS that was developed by Luan et al. [Med. Phys. 31(4), 695-707 (2004)], which did not consider tongue-and-groove error corrections. The aims of SLS(NOTG) are (1) shortening the treatment times of IMRT plans by minimizing their numbers of segments and (2) minimizing the tongue-and-groove errors of the computed IMRT plans. The input to SLS(NOTG) is intensity maps (IMs) produced by current planning systems, and its output is (modified) optimized leaf sequences without tongue-and-groove error. Like the previous SLS algorithm [Luan et al., Med. Phys. 31(4), 695-707 (2004)], SLS(NOTG) is also based on graph algorithmic techniques in computer science. It models the MLC segmentation problem as a weighted minimum-cost path problem, where the weight of the path is the number of segments and the cost of the path is the amount of tongue-and-groove error. Our comparisons of SLS(NOTG) with CORVUS indicated that for the same intensity maps, the numbers of segments computed by SLS(NOTG) are up to 50% less than those by CORVUS 5.0 on the Elekta LINAC system. Our clinical verifications have shown that the dose distributions of the SLS(NOTG) plans do not have tongue-and-groove error and match those of the corresponding CORVUS plans, thus confirming the correctness of SLS(NOTG). Comparing with existing segmentation methods, SLS(NOTG) also has two additional advantages: (1) SLS(NOTG) can compute leaf sequences whose tongue-and-groove error is minimized subject to a constraint on the maximum allowed number of segments, which may be desirable in clinical situations where a treatment with the complete correction of tongue-and-groove error takes too much time, and (2) SLS(NOTG) can be used to minimize a more general type of error called the tongue-or-groove error.     

Distal axonopathy in an alsin-deficient mouse model

Mutations in Alsin are associated with chronic juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS2), juvenile primary lateral sclerosis and infantile-onset ascending spastic paralysis. The primary pathology and pathogenic mechanism of the disease remain largely unknown. Here we show that alsin-deficient mice have motor impairment and degenerative pathology in the distal corticospinal tracts without apparent motor neuron pathology. Our data suggest that ALS2 is predominantly a distal axonopathy, rather than a neuronopathy in the central nervous system of the mouse model, implying that alsin plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the corticospinal axons.     

Studies on the Atom Transfer Radical Branching Copolymerization of Styrene and Acrylonitrile with Divinyl Benzene as the Branching Agent

The branching copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile with divinyl benzene as the branching agent was carried out using atom transfer radical polymerization. Nuclear magnetic resonance and triple detection size exclusion chromatography were used to analyze the reaction. The results suggest that the coupling reaction mainly takes place between the primary chains, forming slightly branched chains in the early stages. The coupling reaction between the branched chains becomes significant at the middle stages, forming highly branched chains. The reaction system consists of primary chains, slightly branched chains containing two primary chains and highly branched chains comprised of more than three primary chains. The weight fraction of the branched chains increases expectedly with monomer conversion.

     

The differential effects of interpersonal conflict from customers and coworkers: trait anger as a moderator

Interpersonal conflict (IC) at work is a frequently experienced type of workplace mistreatment that has been linked to a host of negative workplace outcomes. Previous research has shown that IC can have differential effects based on source, but this has not yet been investigated in terms of customer IC versus coworker IC. To remedy this oversight in the literature, we used a multimethod, multitime point design to compare IC from customers and coworkers experienced by 75 call center employees. Primarily, we investigated burnout, physical health symptoms, and task performance. Results indicated that customer IC was more strongly related to both personal and organizational outcomes. Additionally, trait anger was investigated as a moderator of these relationships, and the results indicated that people who are easy to anger may be more likely to experience negative effects as a result of customer IC. Implications of these findings, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.     

Neurocognitive effects of first- and second-generation antipsychotic drugs in early-stage schizophrenia: a naturalistic 12-month follow-up study

The study aimed to assess the cognitive effects of first- and second-generation antipsychotics on neurocognition under naturalistic treatment conditions. In a 12-month, open-label, multicenter study, 698 patients with early-stage schizophrenia (duration of illness ≤5 years) were prescribed chlorpromazine, sulpiride, clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, or aripiprazole monotherapy. A neuropsychological battery including tests of attention, processing speed, learning/memory, and executive functioning was administered at baseline, 6- and 12-months. The primary outcome was change in a cognitive composite score after 12-months of treatment. At 12 months, treatment resulted in mild to moderate neurocognitive improvements of z=0.32 for chlorpromazine, 0.33 for sulpiride, 0.43 for clozapine, 0.51 for risperidone, 0.69 for olanzapine, 0.64 for quetiapine and 0.46 for aripiprazole. However, the olanzapine and quetiapine groups demonstrated greater improvement in the composite score and processing speed than did the chlorpromazine and sulpiride groups. Both first- and second-generation antipsychotics may improve cognitive function in patients with early-stage schizophrenia. Given that some neurocognitive improvement is attributable to a practice effect, any improvement is likely to be in the range of a small effect size.