Additional file 1 of Optimization of soil microbial fuel cell for sustainable bio-electricity production: combined effects of electrode material, electrode spacing, and substrate feeding frequency on power generation and microbial community diversity

Additional file 1: Figure S1. SMFC performance profile at different electrode spacings, substrate feeding intervals and electrode materials. (a) OCV from first block, the arrow shows point of first substrate feeding; (b) OCV from second block; (c) maximum power trends of the two blocks combined. The trends shown with dotted lines represent CF electrodes. Please refer to Table 1 of the main document for details of the different levels of the variables. Figure S2. Nyquist plots and the fits of SEC–MFCs at different electrode spacing: 2 h, 4 h and 8 h are SEC–MFCs at electrode spacing (ES) of 2, 4 and 8 cm, respectively. Figure S3. Nyquist plots of CF–MFCs at ES of 2, 4 and 8 cm, respectively (N:B Graphs were copied directly from EC-lab V11.32, where the fitting was performed). Figure S4. Taxonomic distribution of the 16S rDNA microbial community profile at the Phylum level. Table S1. Analysis of variance table for the model design. Table S2. Solutions for 2 combinations of categoric factor level. Table S3. Pairwise permanova results based on beta-group-significance (α = 0.05)

Ultraporous, Compressible, Wettable Polylactide/Polycaprolactone Sponges for Tissue Engineering

Ultraporous, degradable sponges made of either polylactide or of blends of polylactide/poly­(ε-caprolactone) are prepared by freeze-drying of dispersions of short electrospun fibers and subsequent thermal annealing. The sponges feature ultrahigh porosity (99.6%), a hierarchical cellular structure, and high reversible compressibility with fast recovery from deformation in the dry as well as in the wet state. The sponge properties depend on the fiber dispersion concentration and the annealing temperature. Sponge characteristics like fiber density (2.5–20 mg/cm³), size, shape, crystallinity, mechanical strength, wetability, and structural integrity are user adjustable. Cell culture experiments were successfully performed with Jurkat cells with Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and MTT staining showing rapid cell proliferation. Live/Dead staining demonstrated high viability of the seeded cells. The sponge characteristics and modifications investigated and presented here reveal that these sponges are highly promising for tissue engineering applications

Ultraporous, Compressible, Wettable Polylactide/Polycaprolactone Sponges for Tissue Engineering

Ultraporous, degradable sponges made of either polylactide or of blends of polylactide/poly­(ε-caprolactone) are prepared by freeze-drying of dispersions of short electrospun fibers and subsequent thermal annealing. The sponges feature ultrahigh porosity (99.6%), a hierarchical cellular structure, and high reversible compressibility with fast recovery from deformation in the dry as well as in the wet state. The sponge properties depend on the fiber dispersion concentration and the annealing temperature. Sponge characteristics like fiber density (2.5–20 mg/cm³), size, shape, crystallinity, mechanical strength, wetability, and structural integrity are user adjustable. Cell culture experiments were successfully performed with Jurkat cells with Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and MTT staining showing rapid cell proliferation. Live/Dead staining demonstrated high viability of the seeded cells. The sponge characteristics and modifications investigated and presented here reveal that these sponges are highly promising for tissue engineering applications

Ultraporous, Compressible, Wettable Polylactide/Polycaprolactone Sponges for Tissue Engineering

Ultraporous, degradable sponges made of either polylactide or of blends of polylactide/poly­(ε-caprolactone) are prepared by freeze-drying of dispersions of short electrospun fibers and subsequent thermal annealing. The sponges feature ultrahigh porosity (99.6%), a hierarchical cellular structure, and high reversible compressibility with fast recovery from deformation in the dry as well as in the wet state. The sponge properties depend on the fiber dispersion concentration and the annealing temperature. Sponge characteristics like fiber density (2.5–20 mg/cm³), size, shape, crystallinity, mechanical strength, wetability, and structural integrity are user adjustable. Cell culture experiments were successfully performed with Jurkat cells with Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and MTT staining showing rapid cell proliferation. Live/Dead staining demonstrated high viability of the seeded cells. The sponge characteristics and modifications investigated and presented here reveal that these sponges are highly promising for tissue engineering applications

Ultraporous, Compressible, Wettable Polylactide/Polycaprolactone Sponges for Tissue Engineering

Ultraporous, degradable sponges made of either polylactide or of blends of polylactide/poly­(ε-caprolactone) are prepared by freeze-drying of dispersions of short electrospun fibers and subsequent thermal annealing. The sponges feature ultrahigh porosity (99.6%), a hierarchical cellular structure, and high reversible compressibility with fast recovery from deformation in the dry as well as in the wet state. The sponge properties depend on the fiber dispersion concentration and the annealing temperature. Sponge characteristics like fiber density (2.5–20 mg/cm³), size, shape, crystallinity, mechanical strength, wetability, and structural integrity are user adjustable. Cell culture experiments were successfully performed with Jurkat cells with Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and MTT staining showing rapid cell proliferation. Live/Dead staining demonstrated high viability of the seeded cells. The sponge characteristics and modifications investigated and presented here reveal that these sponges are highly promising for tissue engineering applications

Ultraporous, Compressible, Wettable Polylactide/Polycaprolactone Sponges for Tissue Engineering

Ultraporous, degradable sponges made of either polylactide or of blends of polylactide/poly­(ε-caprolactone) are prepared by freeze-drying of dispersions of short electrospun fibers and subsequent thermal annealing. The sponges feature ultrahigh porosity (99.6%), a hierarchical cellular structure, and high reversible compressibility with fast recovery from deformation in the dry as well as in the wet state. The sponge properties depend on the fiber dispersion concentration and the annealing temperature. Sponge characteristics like fiber density (2.5–20 mg/cm³), size, shape, crystallinity, mechanical strength, wetability, and structural integrity are user adjustable. Cell culture experiments were successfully performed with Jurkat cells with Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and MTT staining showing rapid cell proliferation. Live/Dead staining demonstrated high viability of the seeded cells. The sponge characteristics and modifications investigated and presented here reveal that these sponges are highly promising for tissue engineering applications

Characterization of the clinical, biological, and therapeutic relevance of EZH2 overexpression in myxofibrosarcoma

[[abstract]]Background: Myxofi brosarcoma is genetically complex and insuffi ciently characterized in molecular determinants of clinical aggressiveness. By reappraising the public transcriptome (GSE21122), EZH2 was identifi ed as a top-ranking differentially upregulated gene among those regulating chromatin organization (GO:0006325) in myxofi brosarcoma tissues.Design: To validate the pathogenetic role of EZH2 in myxofi brosarcoma, mRNA abundance and protein expression of EZH2 were determined in independent samples by branched-chain DNA (bDNA) and immunohistochemical assays, yielding 40 and 87 informative cases, respectively. In vitro, RNA interference and DZNep treatment (targeting EZH2 associated PRC2 complex) were applied in EZH2-expressing myxofi brosarcoma cell lines to evaluate for the biological functions and therapeutic relevance of EZH2. The in vivo effect of DZNep treatment was examined in xenograft models established from two myxofi brosarcoma cell lines.Results: EZH2 protein overexpression was associated with higher histological grade (p=0.002), worse disease-specifi c and metastasis-free survival (both p£0.0001), and mRNA upregulation (p=0.010). In all myxofi brosarcoma cell lines, stable EZH2 knockdown resulted in impaired cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive capabilities with concomitant reductions in anchorage-independent colony formation and well-formed endothelial tubes. In vitro, DZNep caused dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity and downregulated PRC2-associated proteins with induction of cellular apoptosis and attenuation of EZH2 promoter transactivity. The dose-dependent therapeutic effi cacy of DZNep was further corroborated in vivo in both xenograft myxofi brosarcoma models.Conclusions: EZH2 overexpression plays an oncogenic role in myxofi brosarcoma pathogenesis and promotes tumor growth, migration/invasion, and angiogenesis, hence conferring clinical aggressiveness and representing a novel therapeutic target of DZNep therapy

Nanoparticulate Nonviral Agent for the Effective Delivery of pDNA and siRNA to Differentiated Cells and Primary Human T Lymphocytes

Delivery of polynucleotides such as plasmid DNA (pDNA) and siRNA to nondividing and primary cells by nonviral vectors presents a considerable challenge. In this contribution, we introduce a novel type of PDMAEMA-based star-shaped nanoparticles that (i) are efficient transfection agents in clinically relevant and difficult-to-transfect human cells (Jurkat T cells, primary T lymphocytes) and (ii) can efficiently deliver siRNA to human primary T lymphocytes resulting to more than 40% silencing of the targeted gene. Transfection efficiencies achieved by the new vectors in serum-free medium are generally high and only slightly reduced in the presence of serum, while cytotoxicity and cell membrane disruptive potential at physiological pH are low. Therefore, these novel agents are expected to be promising carriers for nonviral gene transfer. Moreover, we propose a general design principle for the construction of polycationic nanoparticles capable of delivering nucleic acids to the above-mentioned cells

PDMAEMA-Grafted Core–Shell–Corona Particles for Nonviral Gene Delivery and Magnetic Cell Separation

Monodisperse, magnetic nanoparticles as vectors for gene delivery were successfully synthesized via the grafting-from approach. First, oleic acid stabilized maghemite nanoparticles (γ-Fe₂O₃) were encapsulated with silica utilizing a reverse microemulsion process with simultaneous functionalization with initiating sites for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Polymerization of 2-(dimethylamino)­ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) from the core–shell nanoparticles led to core–shell–corona hybrid nanoparticles (γ-Fe₂O₃@silica@PDMAEMA) with an average grafting density of 91 polymer chains of DP_<i>n</i> = 540 (PDMAEMA₅₄₀) per particle. The permanent attachment of the arms was verified by field-flow fractionation. The dual-responsive behavior (pH and temperature) was confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and turbidity measurements. The interaction of the hybrid nanoparticles with plasmid DNA at various N/P ratios (polymer nitrogen/DNA phosphorus) was investigated by DLS and zeta-potential measurements, indicating that for N/<i>P</i> ≥ 7.5 the complexes bear a positive net charge and do not undergo secondary aggregation. The hybrids were tested as transfection agents under standard conditions in CHO-K1 and L929 cells, revealing transfection efficiencies >50% and low cytotoxicity at N/P ratios of 10 and 15, respectively. Due to the magnetic properties of the hybrid gene vector, it is possible to collect most of the cells that have incorporated a sufficient amount of magnetic material by using a magnetic activated cell sorting system (MACS). Afterward, cells were further cultivated and displayed a transfection efficiency of ca. 60% together with a high viability

Dual-Responsive Magnetic Core–Shell Nanoparticles for Nonviral Gene Delivery and Cell Separation

We present the synthesis of dual-responsive (pH and temperature) magnetic core–shell nanoparticles utilizing the grafting-from approach. First, oleic acid stabilized superparamagnetic maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles (NPs), prepared by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl, were surface-functionalized with ATRP initiating sites bearing a dopamine anchor group via ligand exchange. Subsequently, 2-(dimethylamino)­ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) was polymerized from the surface by ATRP, yielding dual-responsive magnetic core–shell NPs (γ-Fe₂O₃@PDMAEMA). The attachment of the dopamine anchor group on the nanoparticle's surface is shown to be reversible to a certain extent, resulting in a grafting density of 0.15 chains per nm² after purification. Nevertheless, the grafted NPs show excellent long-term stability in water over a wide pH range and exhibit a pH- and temperature-dependent reversible agglomeration, as revealed by turbidimetry. The efficiency of γ-Fe₂O₃@PDMAEMA hybrid nanoparticles as a potential transfection agent was explored under standard conditions in CHO-K1 cells. Remarkably, γ-Fe₂O₃@PDMAEMA led to a 2-fold increase in the transfection efficiency without increasing the cytotoxicity, as compared to polyethyleneimine (PEI), and yielded on average more than 50% transfected cells. Moreover, after transfection with the hybrid nanoparticles, the cells acquired magnetic properties that could be used for selective isolation of transfected cells