A Photoprotein in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Measures Ca2+ Mobilization in Cells and in Animals

Exogenous expression of pharmacological targets in transformed cell lines has been the traditional platform for high throughput screening of small molecules. However, exogenous expression in these cells is limited by aberrant dosage, or its toxicity, the potential lack of interaction partners, and alterations to physiology due to transformation itself. Instead, primary cells or cells differentiated from precursors are more physiological, but less amenable to exogenous expression of reporter systems. To overcome this challenge, we stably expressed c-Photina, a Ca2+-sensitive photoprotein, driven by a ubiquitous promoter in a mouse embryonic stem (mES) cell line. The same embryonic stem cell line was also used to generate a transgenic mouse that expresses c-Photina in most tissues. We show here that these cells and mice provide an efficient source of primary cells, cells differentiated from mES cells, including cardiomyocytes, neurons, astrocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, pancreatic islet cells, stably and robustly expressing c-Photina, and may be exploited for miniaturized high throughput screening. Moreover, we provide evidence that the transgenic mice may be suitable for ex-vivo bioimaging studies in both cells and tissues

Artificial Intelligence & Creativity: A Manifesto for Collaboration

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), the field of creativity faces new opportunities and challenges. This manifesto explores several scenarios of human–machine collaboration on creative tasks and proposes “fundamental laws of generative AI” to reinforce the responsible and ethical use of AI in the creativity field. Four scenarios are proposed and discussed: “Co-Cre-AI-tion,” “Organic,” “Plagiarism 3.0,” and “Shut down,” each illustrating different possible futures based on the collaboration between humans and machines. In addition, we have incorporated an AI-generated manifesto that also highlights important themes, ranging from accessibility and ethics to cultural sensitivity. The fundamental laws proposed aim to prevent AIs from generating harmful content and competing directly with humans. Creating labels and laws are also highlighted to ensure responsible use of AIs. The positive future of creativity and AI lies in a harmonious collaboration that can benefit everyone, potentially leading to a new level of creative productivity respecting ethical considerations and human values during the creative process

Телемедицина: перспективы развития

Необходимость развития в условиях цифровой экономики такого направления как телемедицина кажется необходимостью, однако существует противоречие между существующими проблемами в системе организации здравоохранения Российской Федерации и возможностями доступности к услугам телемедицины. Анализ показал, что данное направление востребовано, необходимо, существует ряд сервисов, предлагающих услуги по телемедицине, однако нормативно-правовая база не позволяет в полной мере организовать полноценную работу по предоставлению телемедицинских услуг, в том числе, бесплатных

Autologous human cytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T cells as rescue therapy for ulcerative enteritis in primary immunodeficiency

Patients affected by primary immunodeficiency usually undergo a wide range of infections, including reactivation of latent ones. Here we report two cases suffering from late-onset combined immunodeficiency in which ulcerative enteritis due to human Cytomegalovirus caused a life-threatening malabsorption syndrome

Influence of convergence angle of tooth preparation on the fracture resistance of Y-TZP-based all-ceramic restorations

Objective: To investigate the influence of the convergence angle of tooth preparation on the fracture load of Y-TZP-based ceramic (YZ-Vita YZ) substructure (SB) veneered with a feldspathic porcelain (VM9-Vita VM9). Methods: Finite element stress analysis (FEA) was performed to examine the stress distribution of the system. Eighty YZ SB were fabricated using a CAD-CAM system and divided into four groups (n = 20), according to the total occlusal convergence (TOC) angle: G6-6° TOC; G12-12° TOC; G20-20° TOC; and G20MOD-20° TOC with modified SB. All SB were veneered with VM9, cemented in a fiber reinforced epoxy resin die, and loaded to failure. Half of the specimens from each group (n = 10) were cyclic fatigued (106 cycles) before testing. Failure analysis was performed to determine the fracture origin. Data were statistically analyzed using Anova and Tukey's tests (α = 0.05). Results: The greatest mean load to fracture value was found for the G20MOD, which was predicted by the FEA. Cyclic fatigue did not significantly affect the load of fracture. Catastrophic failure originating from the internal occlusal surface of the SB was the predominant failure mode, except for G20MOD. Significance: The YZ-VM9 restorations resisted greater compression load than the usual physiological occlusal load, regardless of the TOC angle of preparations. Yet, the G20MOD design produced the best performance among the experimental conditions evaluated. © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Pressable Feldspathic Inlays in Premolars: Effect of Cementation Strategy and Mechanical Cycling on the Adhesive Bond Between Dentin and Restoration

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the cementation strategy and mechanical cycling (MC) on the microtensile bond strength (MTBS) of feldspathic inlays cemented to premolars.Materials and Methods: Forty-eight human premolars were prepared and porcelain inlays were produced. Specimens were allocated into 3 groups, based on the cementation strategy: 1) conventional adhesive cementation (RelyX ARC, 3M ESPE): application of etch-and-rinse single bottle adhesive to dentin / ceramic surface treated with hydrofluoric acid (HF) and silane (S) / cementation with resin cement; 2) simplified cementation using a self-adhesive resin cement (RelyX U100, 3M ESPE); 3) modified simplified cementation using a self-adhesive resin cement (RelyX U100, 3M ESPE) with HF+S treatment. Half of the specimens from each group were submitted to MC (2X10(6) pulses, frequency = 4 Hz, load = 100 N). Each specimen was serially sliced for MTBS and the failures were classified. The stress distribution analysis using FEA was verified.Results: All of the bar-samples from G2 were lost during cutting of the specimens. Mechanical-cycling had no significant effect on bond strength, whereas cementation strategy significant affected MTBS results. The most common type of failure was cohesive of cement. FEA showed that stresses were concentrated mainly at the loading region going up to the root fixation.Conclusion: Porcelain inlays cemented with conventional resin cement or self-adhesive resin cement should be associated with ceramic surface treatment. FEA showed the most critical zone for failure is located in the cement region close to the marginal crest.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

High-pressure phase equilibria of systems carbon dioxide + n-eicosane and propane + n-eicosane

In this work we investigated the phase equilibrium behavior of the binary asymmetric systems propane (C3) + n-eicosane (C20) and carbon dioxide (CO2) + n-eicosane (C20). We used a variable-volume view cell for obtaining fluid-fluid equilibrium (FFE), solid-fluid equilibrium (SFE) and solid-fluid-fluid equilibrium (SFFE) experimental data. We modeled the phase equilibria of both systems using the Peng-Robinson Equation of State for describing the fluid phases and an expression for the fugacity of pure solid n-eicosane with parameters fit to reproduce the pure n-eicosane melting line. We performed the phase equilibrium calculations by implementing path-following methods for tracking entire solid-fluid (SF) and solid-fluid-fluid (SFF) equilibrium curves for binary asymmetric mixtures. This made it possible to obtain complete isoplethic lines or complete three-phase equilibrium lines in single runs. Although the model is relatively simple, it is able to grasp the complex observed behavior for the systems studied here. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fil: Rodriguez Reartes, Sabrina Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Cismondi Duarte, Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Franceschi, E.. URI Erechim; BrasilFil: Corazza, M. L.. URI Erechim; BrasilFil: Oliveira, J. Vladimir. URI Erechim; BrasilFil: Zabaloy, Marcelo Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentin

Influence of CAD-CAM diamond bur deterioration on surface roughness and maximum failure load of Y-TZP-based restorations

Purpose: To investigate the influence of CAD-CAM diamond bur deterioration on surface roughness (Ra) and maximum failure load (Lf) of Y-TZP-based ceramic (YZ) substructures (SB) veneered with a feldspathic porcelain. Methods: Two sets of burs (B1 and B2) were used to fabricate 30 YZ SB each in a CAD/CAM system (Cerec In Lab). The SB were identified (1-30) according to the milling sequence (MS). SEM images of the burs were recorded before milling, and after milling 15 and 30 SB. The SB Ra was measured. All SB were veneered, cemented onto a fiber reinforced epoxy resin die, and loaded to failure. Specimens from B1 group were cyclic fatigued (106 cycles) before loading to failure. Fractographic analysis was performed. Data were statistically analyzed using Student's t-test, Weibull analysis, Pearson's correlation and ANOVA (alpha=0.05). Results: The mean Ra value of B1 specimens was statistically greater than B2. Weibull modulus of B1 and B2 were statistically similar. The correlation between MS and Lf was not statistically significant for the groups. MS and Ra had significant correlation for both groups (B1: r=-0.514, P=0.015; B2: r=-0.462, P=0.03). Although the visual aspect (SEM) of the burs was similar after 30 millings, the mean Ra values were significantly different after 27 millings for B1 and 24 millings for B2.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq