Intra-Aortic Clusters Undergo Endothelial to Hematopoietic Phenotypic Transition during Early Embryogenesis

Intra-aortic clusters (IACs) attach to floor of large arteries and are considered to have recently acquired hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-potential in vertebrate early mid-gestation embryos. The formation and function of IACs is poorly understood. To address this issue, IACs were characterized by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry in mouse embryos. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that IACs simultaneously express the surface antigens CD31, CD34 and c-Kit. As embryos developed from 9.5 to 10.5 dpc, IACs up-regulate the hematopoietic markers CD41 and CD45 while down-regulating the endothelial surface antigen VE-cadherin/CD144, suggesting that IACs lose endothelial phenotype after 9.5 dpc. Analysis of the hematopoietic potential of IACs revealed a significant change in macrophage CFC activity from 9.5 to 10.5 dpc. To further characterize IACs, we isolated IACs based on CD45 expression. Correspondingly, the expression of hematopoietic transcription factors in the CD45(neg) fraction of IACs was significantly up-regulated. These results suggest that the transition from endothelial to hematopoietic phenotype of IACs occurs after 9.5 dpc

Aspartic acid grafting on cellulose and chitosan for enhanced Nd(III) sorption

International audienceCellulose and chitosan have intrinsic sorption properties for Nd(III); however, their efficiency for metal recovery can be easily improved by a relatively simple chemical modification. The grating of aspartic acid via an intermediary chlorination step of the polysaccharides allows increasing sorption capacities due to the specific reactivity of carboxylate groups. The grafting process is confirmed by elemental analysis, FTIR spectrometry, while the physical properties of the derivatives are characterized by XRD (crystallinity) and TGA (thermogravimetric analysis). The sorption properties are carried out by investigating the effect of the pH, studying the uptake kinetics and evaluating the thermodynamics (sorption isotherms). The sorption properties of modified sorbents are systematically compared to the performance of raw materials. Sorption capacity is doubled after grafting aspartic acid onto biopolymer backbone. Sorption isotherms are described by the Freundlich and the Langmuir equation and maximum sorption capacities reach up to 77-80 mg Nd g(-1) at pH 5. The uptake kinetics are described by the pseudo-first order reaction rate and under selected experimental conditions the equilibrium is reached within 3 h of contact. The sorption is spontaneous, endothermic. Metal desorption can be successfully performed with 0.5 M nitric acid and the sorbents can be recycled for at least 4 sorption/desorption cycles without significant loss in sorption/desorption performances

Synthesis and characterization of poly(carboxymethyl)-cellulose for enhanced La(III) sorption

International audienceThe grafting of amino and carboxylic acid groups on cellulose increased La(III) sorption efficiency of cellulose: maximum sorption capacity increased from 38 mg La g(-1) for cellulose to 101 and 170 mg La g(-1) for amino derivative (PAC) and amino-carboxylic derivative (PCMC). Langmuir equation successfully fits sorption isotherms while uptake kinetics are effectively modeled using the pseudo-first order rate equation (though resistance to intraparticle diffusion plays a significant role in the control of metal recovery). Uptake equilibrium occurred within 150-180 min. The thermodynamic study shows that the reaction is spontaneous, endothermic and entropic. Nitric acid solutions (0.5 M concentration) can be efficiently used for metal recovery and sorbent can be recycled for at least 5 cycles with limited decrease in sorption performance for the three sorbents. The materials were characterized by elemental analysis, acid-base titration, FTIR spectrometry, x-ray diffraction analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, SEM-EDX analysis and also by TGA

Treatment and Prognosis of Oral Cancer Patients with Confirmed Contralateral Neck Metastasis: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis

The prognosis of oral cancer that has metastasized to the contralateral cervical lymph nodes is poor, although the appropriate treatment method has not been established because of its rarity. A multicenter retrospective study on the treatment and prognosis of pN2c oral cancer patients was conducted. We investigated the treatment and prognosis of 62 pN2c patients out of 388 pN+ patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas. Statistical analysis was performed on the various factors with overall survival (OS) and disease specific survival (DSS). In multivariate cox regression analysis, advanced T stage was significantly correlated with poor OS (p = 0.011) and DSS (p = 0.023) of patients with pN2c neck. In pN2c patients, OS, DSS, and neck control was not different between those undergoing ipsilateral neck dissection initially and those undergoing bilateral neck dissection. Thus, contralateral elective neck dissection is not recommended. The most important risk factor for prognosis in pN2c oral cancer patients is advanced T stage. No evidence was found to recommend contralateral elective neck dissection in clinically N1/2b patients. Therefore, the indication for contralateral elective neck dissection in N1/2b patients should be carefully determined in consideration of individual conditions

Serum Anticholinergic Activity: A Possible Peripheral Marker of the Anticholinergic Burden in the Central Nervous System in Alzheimer’s Disease

We review the utility of serum anticholinergic activity (SAA) as a peripheral marker of anticholinergic activity (AA) in the central nervous system (CAA). We hypothesize that the compensatory mechanisms of the cholinergic system do not contribute to SAA if their system is intact and that if central cholinergic system deteriorates alone in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or Lewy body dementia, CAA and SAA are caused by way of hyperactivity of inflammatory system and SAA is a marker of the anticholinergic burden in CNS. Taking into account the diurnal variations in the plasma levels of corticosteroids, which are thought to affect SAA, it should be measured at noon or just afterward

Confocal images of IACs expressing CD31/CD34/c-Kit in the AGM region.

<p>Transverse sections of AGM region from ICR mouse embryos at 9.0 and 10.5 dpc were stained with antibodies and observed by confocal microscopy. (<b>A</b>) IACs were observed in the omphalomesenteric artery (OMA) at 9.0 dpc (left; magnified view of IACs in upper right panel) and in the OMA, dorsal aorta (DA) and umbilical artery (UA) at 10.5 dpc (right). CD31 (red), c-Kit (green), and TOTO-3 (blue). Arrows indicate IACs. Original magnification is 20x. (<b>B-D</b>) IACs were observed in the DA (B), OMA (C) and UA (D) at 10.5 dpc. Left panel shows staining for CD31 (red), c-Kit (green), and TOTO-3 (blue), and right panel shows staining for CD34 (red), c-Kit (green), and TOTO-3 (blue) staining. Images were taken at 40x and zoom was used to show a detail at right lower panel. Another IAC in the DA is shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0035763#pone.0035763.s001" target="_blank">Figure S1</a>. (<b>E</b>) IACs expressing Ki-67, a marker of proliferation, were observed in the DA (left), OMA (middle) and UA (right). Ki-67 (red), c-Kit (green), and TOTO-3 (blue). Images were taken at 40x and zoom was used to show a detail.</p