Promoting differentiation and survival of human c-kit+ cardiac progenitor cells ex vivo.

c-kit+ cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) have recently gained much attention due to the therapeutic effects they exert on cardiac function following their administration into the infarcted heart as evidenced by animal studies and by a recent clinical trial (SCIPIO). However, injecting these cells in the heart is associated with poor differentiation into specialized cardiac cell types and with rapid death of the engrafted cells. With the ultimate goal of advancing cardiac stem cell therapy, we sought to facilitate the differentiation of human CPCs into cardiac cell types (e.g. cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells and cardiac fibroblasts) by overexpressing selected cardiac transcription factors in vitro. To achieve that, Gata4, MEF2C, NKX2.5 and TBX5, were overexpressed in CPCs via lentivirus. When individually overexpressed, Gata4 upregulated some cardiomyocyte, smooth muscle cell, and fibroblast markers. TBX5, however, induced only few cardiomyocyte markers, indicating partial differentiation. In addition, these changes in CPC cardiac gene expression observed with Gata4 overexpression were accompanied by marked morphological changes, manifested by the cells becoming wider and largely polygonal. However, introducing the aforementioned transcription factors in various combinations largely failed to further enhance the cardiac differentiation of CPCs induced by Gata4 or TBX5, underscoring the complexity of the interaction between the cardiac transcription factors. Likewise, addition of the chromatin remodeling transcription factor BAF60C to Gata4 and/or TBX5 did not further potentiate their pro-differentiation effects in CPCs. In addition to inducing differentiation, we also endeavored to promote CPC survival by overexpressing a pro-survival gene. To that end, a constitutively active mutant form of Nrf2 (caNrf2) was overexpressed in CPCs. caNrf2 overexpression protected CPCs against hydrogen peroxide- and 2, 3-dimethoxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone (DMNQ)-induced oxidative stress in vitro without altering the overall growth characteristics of the cells. Taken together, our results highlight the potential of Gata4 in facilitating differentiation and the protective role of caNrf2 in CPCs. These effects of Gata4 and caNrf2 may enhance the regenerative capabilities of CPCs and could thus be utilized to advance cell-based heart therapies

The Effect of Teaching and Learning Vocabulary in Lexical Chunks on the Listening Comprehension of Adult Learners of Arabic

This study aimed to investigate how teaching and learning Arabic vocabulary items in multiword form (i.e., chunks and phrases), rather than in single form (i.e., one word at a time), affects learners’ ability to comprehend Arabic listening passages and to examine the relationship between students’ auditory knowledge of words, and that of phrases and listening comprehension. Data sources included three types of tests: the Arabic listening comprehension test, the single-word auditory knowledge test, and the multiword auditory knowledge test. The sample consists of 39 students (experimental group=20, control group=19). The study was separated into a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest portion (Phase 1) and a quantitative non-experimental portion (Phases 2 and 3). The first purpose was to assess the effect of learning Arabic vocabulary in multiword form (experimental group), rather than in single form (control group), on the listening comprehension, while the second two purposes were used to examine the relationship between auditory knowledge and listening comprehension and how much of the listening comprehension is explained by auditory knowledge. The results showed that post-intervention listening comprehension was significantly higher in the experimental group (F(1,36)=6.80, p=.013). The results also showed that the correlation was significant and high between single-word score and listening comprehension at both pre- (r=.79, p\u3c.001) and post-intervention (r=.80, p\u3c.001), as well as between the post-intervention multi-word score and listening comprehension score (r=.84, p\u3c.001). The regression analysis showed that the multi-word auditory knowledge scores positively predicted listening comprehension (β=.640, p=.002), but the single-word auditory knowledge score was not a significant predictor. The whole model was statistically significant (F(2,36)=46.74, R2=.72, p\u3c.001). This study has implications for the fields of second language acquisition, listening comprehension, language research, and teaching methods. More research on learning vocabulary in lexical chunks would further expand the current understanding of this approach and its effect on listening comprehension

A new model for solution of complex distributed constrained problems

In this paper we describe an original computational model for solving different types of Distributed Constraint Satisfaction Problems (DCSP). The proposed model is called Controller-Agents for Constraints Solving (CACS). This model is intended to be used which is an emerged field from the integration between two paradigms of different nature: Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) and the Constraint Satisfaction Problem paradigm (CSP) where all constraints are treated in central manner as a black-box. This model allows grouping constraints to form a subset that will be treated together as a local problem inside the controller. Using this model allows also handling non-binary constraints easily and directly so that no translating of constraints into binary ones is needed. This paper presents the implementation outlines of a prototype of DCSP solver, its usage methodology and overview of the CACS application for timetabling problems

Approaches in the treatment of Parkinson\u27s disease : a focus on stem cell-based therapies.

Parkinson\u27s disease (PD) is a hypokinetic movement disorder resulting from the progressive neurodegeneration of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system in the brain and the resulting imbalance between dopamine and acetylcholine in the basal ganglia motor circuitry. Although drug-based therapy approaches have shown dramatic symptomatic improvement in patients, they do not halt the progressive nature of the disease and their long-term use is associated with distressing adverse side effects. Consequently, several studies have aimed at discovering effective non-pharmacological strategies to reduce or to eliminate the need for drugs and possibly to halt or to reverse the neurodegenerative process in PD. Surgical deep brain stimulation, neurotrophic factor delivery, gene therapy and cell replacement therapy are potential candidates. Here, we review the latest advancements in the aforementioned therapeutic strategies paying special attention to regenerative stem cell- (SC)-based approaches in combating PD. Although intracerebrally transplanted SC-derived cells can replace degenerated neurons in PD and simultaneously secrete neurotrophic factors that can partly protect the viable ones, potential tumorigenicity and low survivability of these cells hinder the advancement of this novel therapeutic approach. Hence, more investigations are needed to resolve the associated safety and efficacy concerns in order to make SC-based therapy a feasible therapy for PD patients

Survival and disinfection of SARS-Cov-2 in environment and contaminated surface

The detection of SARS-Cov-2 in the sewage and water resources has increased the awareness among the people about the possibility survival of SARS-Cov-2 in the environment and the potential to transmit into the human through food chain or water resources. Moreover, the surface contaminated by the virus need to be disinfected frequently by using an effective disinfectant, the current chapter discussed the efficiency of the most traditional treatment process of the sewage and wastewater, and their role in the elimination of the virus as well as the sterility assurance level concept. Moreover, the chemical disinfectant used currently and their temporary efficiency has been reviewed

Study of Radon Concentrations In Some Of Public Ground Water Wells, Sana\u27a - Yemen

This study aims to assess radon-222 concentration levels in public ground water wells in Sana\u27a city, Yemen. Forty-three well water samples were collected from the study area. The alpha spectroscopy method was used to measure the samples using a RAD7 detector. The radon concentrations were in the range from 0.82 ± 0.38 Bq/L to 38.73 ± 2.98 Bq/L. A moderate correlation of radon levels with aquifer type was observed. Also, weak correlations of radon levels with electric conductivity, pH, and temperature, and no correlation with measured heavy metals were observed. Annual effective dose rates () were calculated and were found to be in the range from 0.006 to 0.283 mSv/y. Also, ion analysis of heavy metals was carried out. The analysis shows the maximum concentrations of copper, zinc, arsenic, and lead in groundwater samples were 0.5 mg/L, 0.58 mg/L, 0.7 mg/L, and 0.5 mg/L respectively

Synthesis, antifungal and anti-hiv activities of new heterocyclic compounds

Thiophene chalcones, pyrazolines and 1,5-benzodiazepines are important heterocyclic compounds which show broad spectrum of biological activities. Three series of heterocyclic chalcones and their N-acetylated pyrazoline derivatives have been synthesized in low to good yields. The first step in this study is the synthesis of 3-acetyl-2,5-dichlorothiophene and 2-acetyl-5-chlorothiophene as heterocyclic ketones using Friedel-Crafts acylation. All thiophene chalcones were synthesized in three separate reactions by Claisen-Schmidt reaction of substituted thiophene aldehydes with ketones. Several acetophenone derivatives (series 2 and 3) were produced by cyclization reaction using hydrazine hydrate to form new and known N-acetylated pyrazoline derivatives. A series of substituted 1,5-benzodiazepines were synthesized in moderate to good yields. 4-Methyl-1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-2H-1,5-benzodiazepin-2-one was synthesized as starting material by reacting ortho phenylenediamine and crotonic acid in the presence of toluene. Cyclization of the starting material with appropriate acid chlorides, unsubstituted and five types of groups (fluoro, chloro, bromo, methyl and methoxy) attached at ortho, para and meta position of phenyl ring in the presence of triethylamine and anhydrous tetrahydrofuran have furnished substituted 1,5-benzodiazepines. The structures of the compounds were confirmed by infrared (IR), 1H NMR and 13C NMR (1D and 2D) nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Compounds of series 2 and 3 were tested for their antifungal activities against two types of pathogenic strains, namely Candida albicansa and Aspergillus niger with fluconazole as standard drug. The results for series 2 showed that the presence of bromo and methoxy substitution at para position on phenyl ring in chalcone and pyrazoline, respectively, resulted in significant enhancement in potency against both tested fungal strains with MIC value of ＞64 µg/mL. Compound carrying para fluoro on phenyl ring in pyrazoline derivatives exhibited the highest potency with MIC value of ＞32 µg/mL and 64 µg/mL against C. albicans and A.niger, respectively, among the series 3. The anti-HIV-1 RT assay of substituted 1,5-benzodiazepines (series 4) showed that the presence of chloro substitution at meta and ortho position inhibited the activity of HIV-1 RT with IC50 values 6.87 and 8.62 µM, respectively