A laser-scanning confocal microscopy study of carrageenan in red algae from seaweed farms near the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal

Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty ex P.C. Silva, a red macroalga, is a commercial source of carrageenan, a widely used polysaccharide compound important in the food and pharmaceutical industries, in nanotechnology, and in pharmacological applications. Carrageenan is found mainly in the cell wall and in the intercellular matrix. This is the first study to propose the characterization of carrageenans in vitro, using the auto-fluorescence properties of the alga treated with different polyamines: putrescine, spermidine, and spermine. This study suggests a four-phase cultivation sequence for seaweed farmers to enhance and assess the potential carrageenan yield of their crops. In phase 1, seedlings were treated with each of the polyamines. Explants were subsequently transferred through two additional culture phases before being planted on the sea farms in phase 4 and then harvested after 60 days for analysis. Images from transverse sections of 11 representative cultured K. alvarezii samples were obtained at 561 nm excitation wavelength for both the cell center and the cell wall of each sample. Spectral data were also analyzed using the spectral phasor algorithm of SimFCS developed at the Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics (www.lfd.uci.edu). We report on the identification of several spectral fluorescence emission fingerprints from different auto-fluorescence compounds spatially mapped using this technique. These fingerprints have the potential to improve strain selection of explants for enhanced carrageenan yield in seaweed farming operations as well as to enable wholesale pricing to correspond with crop quality

Comment on "Observation of neutronless fusion reactions in picosecond laser plasmas"

The paper by Belyaev et al. [Phys. Rev. E {\bf 72}, 026406 (2005)] reported the first experimental observation of alpha particles produced in the thermonuclear reaction $^{11}$B($p,\alpha$)$^{8}$Be induced by laser-irradiation on a $^{11}$B polyethylene (CH$_2$) composite target. The laser used in the experiment is characterized by a picosecond pulse duration and a peak of intensity of 2$\times10^{18}$ W/cm$^2$. We suggest that both the background-reduction method adopted in their detection system and the choice of the detection energy region of the reaction products are possibly inadequate. Consequently the total yield reported underestimates the true yield. Based on their observation, we give an estimation of the total yield to be higher than their conclusion, i.e., of the order of 10$^5 \alpha$ per shot.Comment: 3 figures, accepted for publication in the Comment section of Physical Review

Surgical treatment of solitary sternal metastasis from breast cancer Case report

Bone metastasis is a frequent and early complication of breast cancer. This case report describes a technique for a partial exeresis of the sternum and the reconstruction of the pleura with autologous dermis from the lower abdomen and the loss of substance with a myocutaneous flap

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) alter DNA methylation and genomic integrity of sheep fetal cells in a simplified in vitro model of pregnancy exposure

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants ubiquitously detectable in the environment and in the food chain. Prenatal exposure to PCBs negatively affects fetal development and produces long-term detrimental effects on child health. The present study sought to evaluate the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of chronic PCB exposure on fetal cells during pregnancy. To this aim, sheep embryonic fibroblasts (SEF) and amniocytes (SA) were cultured in vitro in the presence of low doses of PCBs for a period of 120 days, comparable to the full term of ovine pregnancy. Cellular proliferation rates, global DNA methylation, chromosome integrity, and markers of DNA damage were evaluated at different time points. Moreover, SEF treated with PCBs for 60 days were left untreated for one further month and then examined in order to evaluate the reversibility of PCB-induced epigenetic defects. PCB-treated SEF were more sensitive than SA treated with PCBs, in terms of low cell proliferation, and increased DNA damage and global DNA methylation, which were still detectable after interruption of PCB treatment. These data indicate that chronic exposure of fetal cells to PCBs causes permanent genomic and epigenetic instability, which may influence both prenatal and post-natal growth up to adulthood. Our in vitro model offer a simple and controlled means of studying the effects of different contaminants on fetal cells - one that could set the stage for targeted in vivo studies

Thoracoscopy in pleural effusion –two techniques: awake single-access video-assisted thoracic surgery versus 2-ports video-assisted thoracic surgery under general anesthesia

Awake single access video-assisted thoracic surgery with local anesthesia improves procedure tolerance, reduces postoperative stay and costs. MATERIALS & METHODS: Local anesthesia was made with lidocaine and ropivacaine. We realize one 20 mm incision for the 'single-access', and two incisions for the '2-trocars technique'. RESULTS: Mortality rate was 0% in both groups. Postoperative stay: 3dd ± 4 versus 4dd ± 5, mean operative time: 39 min versus 37 min (p < 0.05). Chest tube duration: 2dd ± 5 versus 3dd ± 6. COMPLICATIONS: 11/95 versus 10/79. CONCLUSION: Awake technique reduce postoperative hospital stay and chest drainage duration, similar complications and recurrence rate. The authors can say that 'awake single-access VATS' is an optimal diagnostic and therapeutic tool for the management of pleural effusions, but above extends surgical indication to high-risk patients

Determination of the photodisintegration reaction rates involving charged particles: systematical calculations and proposed measurements based on Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP)

Photodisintegration reaction rates involving charged particles are of relevance to the p-process nucleosynthesis that aims at explaining the production of the stable neutron-deficient nuclides heavier than iron. In this study, the cross sections and astrophysical rates of (g,p) and (g,a) reactions for about 3000 target nuclei with 10<Z<100 ranging from stable to proton dripline nuclei are computed. To study the sensitivity of the calculations to the optical model potentials (OMPs), both the phenomenological Woods-Saxon and the microscopic folding OMPs are taken into account. The systematic comparisons show that the reaction rates, especially for the (g,a) reaction, are dramatically influenced by the OMPs. Thus the better determination of the OMP is crucial to reduce the uncertainties of the photodisintegration reaction rates involving charged particles. Meanwhile, a gamma-beam facility at ELI-NP is being developed, which will open new opportunities to experimentally study the photodisintegration reactions of astrophysics interest. Considering both the important reactions identified by the nucleosynthesis studies and the purpose of complementing the experimental results for the reactions involving p-nuclei, the measurements of six (g,p) and eight (g,a) reactions based on the gamma-beam facility at ELI-NP and the ELISSA detector for the charged particles detection are proposed, and the GEANT4 simulations are correspondingly performed. The minimum required energies of the gamma-beam to measure these reactions are estimated. It is shown that the direct measurements of these photonuclear reactions within the Gamow windows at T_9=2.5 for p-process are fairly feasible and promising at ELI-NP. The expected experimental results will be used to constrain the OMPs of the charged particles, which can eventually reduce the uncertainties of the reaction rates for the p-process nucleosynthesis.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, Phys. Rev. C accepte

Conveying Audience Emotions through Humanoid Robot Gestures to an Orchestra during a Live Musical Exhibition

In the last twenty years, robotics have been applied in many heterogeneous contexts. Among them, the use of humanoid robots during musical concerts have been proposed and investigated by many authors. In this paper, we propose a contribution in the area of robotics application in music, consisting of a system for conveying audience emotions during a live musical exhibition, by means of a humanoid robot. In particular, we provide all spectators with a mobile app, by means of which they can select a specific color while listening to a piece of music (act). Each color is mapped to an emotion, and the audience preferences are then processed in order to select the next act to be played. This decision, based on the overall emotion felt by the audience, is then communicated by the robot through body gestures to the orchestra. Our first results show that spectators enjoy such kind of interactive musical performance, and are encouraging for further investigations

Human Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells express several immunomodulatory molecules both in their naïve state and hepatocyte-like differentiated progeny: prospects for their use in liver diseases.

Wharton’s jelly (WJ), the main constituent of umbilical cord, is a reliable source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). WJ-MSC show unique ability in crossing lineage borders. As other extraembryonic mesenchymal populations (placenta and amnionderived cells), WJ-MSC express several immunomodulatory molecules, essential during the initial phases of human development. Indeed, our recent work pointed out the expression of non-classical HLA molecules as HLA-G in such cells, together with a favorable combination of B7 costimulators. Very few data in literature suggest that some of the immune features of the naïve cells are maintained after performing differentiation. The aim of this work was extending the knowledge on the expression of immunomodulatory molecules by naïve and differentiated WJ-MSC. To this purpose, WJMSC underwent differentiation to osteoblasts, adipocytes and hepatocyte-like cells. Differentiated cells were characterized, by both RT-PCR, ICC and histological stains for the acquisistion of the desired phenotypical features. RT-PCR and ICC were used to investigate the differential expression of immune-related molecules in control and differentiated cells. WJ-MSC resulted expressing diverse immunomodulatory molecules which spans from non-classical type I HLAs (i.e. HLA-E, -F, -G) , to further members of the B7 family, and of the CEA superfamily, for all of which in vivo immunomodulating functions are known. In addition, we demonstrated for the first time that the expression of these molecules is maintained after performing osteogenic, adipogenic or hepatogenic differentiation. Further experiments are undergoing to better evaluating the implications of these findings in the evolving field of liver regenerative medicine

Mediastinal syndrome from plasmablastic lymphoma in human immunodeficiency virus and human herpes virus 8 negative patient with polycythemia vera: a case report

Background: Plasmoblastic lymphoma is a rare and aggressive subtype of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, which occurs usually in the jaw of immunocompromised subjects. Case presentation: We describe the occurrence of plasmoblastic lymphoma in the mediastinum and chest wall skin of an human immunodeficiency virus-negative 63-year-old Caucasian man who had had polycytemia vera 7 years before. At admission, the patient showed a superior vena cava syndrome, with persistent dyspnoea, cough, and distension of the jugular veins. Imaging findings showed a 9.7 × 8 × 5.7 cm mediastinal mass. A chest wall neoformation biopsy and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the mediastinal mass allowed diagnosis of plasmoblastic lymphoma and establishment of an immediate chemotherapeutic regimen, with rapid remission of compression symptoms. Conclusions: Plasmoblastic lymphoma is a very uncommon, difficult to diagnose, and aggressive disease. The presented case represents the first rare mediastinal plasmoblastic lymphoma in a human immunodeficiency virus-/human herpesvirus-8-negative patient. Pathologists should be aware that this tumor does appear in sites other than the oral cavity. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a low-cost, repeatable, easy-to-perform technique, with a high diagnostic accuracy and with very low complication and mortality rates. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy could represent the right alternative to surgery in those patients affected by plasmoblastic lymphoma, being rapid and minimally invasive. It allowed establishment of prompt medical treatment with subsequent considerable reduction of the neoplastic tissue and resolution of the mediastinal syndrome