Development of Hematopoietic and Endothelial Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells: Lessons from the Studies using Mouse as a Model

The current progress using the human embryonic stem cell (hESC) model system has provided much insight into the early origins of the hematopoietic and endothelial lineages, particularly the elusive hemangioblast. Recently, the cellular hierarchy and molecular regulation controlling hematopoietic commitment have been further elucidated. These findings not only provide new insights into early human development, but also advance the knowledge required to develop techniques capable of generating a given cell type for potential clinical applications. This review will focus on the latest advances using the hESC model system, capitalizing on the well-established mouse embryonic stem cell model system, as a means to investigate the lineage commitment events underlying the early embryonic development of human hematopoietic and endothelial cells

Influence of Microelement Concentration on the Intensity of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Aims: To establish a nutritional and constitutional profile concerning the micronutrient plasma concentration of patients who suffer from AWS. Method: Observational case control study to determine whether patients who exhibited symptoms of AWS (N = 60) had micronutrient plasmatic concentration deficiencies when compared with healthy controls (N = 34). Results: There were statistically significant differences between the concentrations of nutrients that are correlated with glutamate hyperactivity (zinc, magnesium and folate/vitamin B12/homocysteine). Conclusion: Evidence from literature and our experiment suggests that brain activity, especially the glutamatergic system, might be directly involved in micronutrient concentrations. Therefore, their supplementation to the AWS patient might improve symptom evolution.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Associacao Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa (AFIP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilCtr Referencia Tratamento Alcool Tabaco & Outras, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2012/06731-4Web of Scienc

Spatial distribution of lead in the surface layers of mountain forest soils, an example from the Karkonosze National Park, Poland

), and correlated strongly with the stocks of organic matter, both being significantly higher in the lowest altitudinal zone (500-750 m a.s.l.) compared to the highest zone (1250-1380 m a.s.l.). Nevertheless, there was no simple correlation of Pb pools vs. altitude. The largest pools of Pb are stored in the layer 0-10 cm. The pools of accumulated Pb determined in this study are much higher than those assessed on the basis of available data on former and present Pb deposition rates. These findings may be assigned to a seeder-feeder effect and horizontal transport of pollutants. The highest amounts of Pb were identified in three distinct areas (hot spots), in particular in the vicinities of mountain passes, which may be explained by meteorological factors as well as by the influence of local pollution

Making Ends Meet: Women’s Social Capital Development in Regional Informal Economies

The project examines how women workers and employers navigate the informal sector of Michigan’s economy. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis has impacted women especially, with layoffs in service sector jobs and women leaving the labor force to care for children. Women engage the labor market through social networks and “brokerage institutions” such as churches, schools, gyms, neighborhoods, to find household service workers and to find work. The research design employs mixed methodologies - archival data analysis and in-depth interviews - to map and model supply chains and networks in the connections between formal and informal work in Lansing’s regional informal economy

The Polish Media System: 1989-2011

Praca recenzowana / peer-reviewed pape

Polski system medialny 1989-2011

Praca recenzowana / Peer-reviewed paperPublikacja składa się z trzech części. Pierwsza, zatytułowana „U źródeł transformacji systemu medialnego Polski”, została poświęcona okresowi przemian systemu medialnego zapoczątkowanych w 1989 r. Druga część publikacji omawia media „głównego nurtu”. Na trzecią część publikacji składają się rozdziały poświęcone mediom spoza głównego nurtu, często niszowym i mało znanym, co nie znaczy, że mniej ważnym

Creating and curating an archive: Bury St Edmunds and its Anglo-Saxon past

This contribution explores the mechanisms by which the Benedictine foundation of Bury St Edmunds sought to legitimise and preserve their spurious pre-Conquest privileges and holdings throughout the Middle Ages. The archive is extraordinary in terms of the large number of surviving registers and cartularies which contain copies of Anglo-Saxon charters, many of which are wholly or partly in Old English. The essay charts the changing use to which these ancient documents were put in response to threats to the foundation's continued enjoyment of its liberties. The focus throughout the essay is to demonstrate how pragmatic considerations at every stage affects the development of the archive and the ways in which these linguistically challenging texts were presented, re-presented, and represented during the Abbey’s history

Characterization and Therapeutic Potential of Human Amniotic Fluid Cells in Mediating Neuroprotection

Brain injury, either surgically induced or as a result of trauma or stroke, is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Since transplantable stem cell sources are showing a great deal of promise and are actively being pursued to provide neuroprotection post-injury, in this body of work, we set out to characterize and examine the therapeutic potential of amniotic fluid derived (AF) cells as a potential cell source for cell-based therapies in mediating neuroprotection post-injury. Despite their heterogeneity, we found that AF cells are mainly epithelial in origin and express various genes involved in stem cell maintenance and neural commitment. A very small subset of AF cells also express pluripotency markers OCT4a, SOX2 and NANOG, which can be enriched for by single cell cloning. SOX2 positive clones have the capacity to give rise to a neuronal phenotype, in neural induction conditions, which can be used to examine the neural differentiation capabilities of AF cells. Subsequently, we examined the ability of AF cells to mediate a neuroprotective effect in a surgically induced brain injury model through gap junctional-mediated direct cell-cell communication and as a vehicle for GDNF delivery post-injury. AF cells express high levels of CX43 and are able to establish functional gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) with cortical astrocytes. We report an induction of Cx43 expression in astrocytes following injury and demonstrate, for the first time, CX43 expression at the interface between implanted AF cells and host astrocytes. In an effort to boost host endogenous neuroprotective mechanisms post-injury, via neurotrophic factor delivery, we engineered AF cells to secrete GDNF (AF-GDNF). GDNF pre-treatment significantly increased AF cell and cortical neuron survival rates following exposure to hydrogen peroxide. AF-GDNF cells, seeded on polyglycolic acid (PGA) scaffolds, survived longer in serum-free conditions and continued to secrete GDNF post-implantation activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in host neural cells in the peri-lesion area. Despite some promising trends, we did not observe significant behavioural improvements following AF-GDNF/PGA implantation nor reduced lesion volume during the 7 day time-frame. In conclusion, through GJIC with cortical astrocytes and delivery of exogenous neurotrophic factors, AF cells hold great promise in mediating neuroprotection post-injury

Wielokryterialna analiza porównawcza – narzędzie do oceny jakości użytkowej mieszkań

Choosing (buying) flats is a multistage, complicated decision which many elusive factors affect. Mathematical methods allow for construction of the measuring tool letting for making these processes more objective. It requires distinguishing features affecting the decision making in this process by specific groups of users and determining their importances.Wybór (zakup) mieszkania to wieloetapowa, skomplikowana decyzja, na którą wpływa wiele trudno uchwytnych czynników. Metody matematyczne pozwalają na budowę narzędzia pomiarowego pozwalającego na zobiektywizowanie tych procesów. Wymaga to wyodrębnienia cech mających wpływ na podejmowanie decyzji przez określone grupy użytkowników oraz określenia ich wag w tym procesie