Correlation Between K-value, Density Index and Bifilm Index in Determination of Liquid Al Cleanliness

Aluminum alloys are widely used in the industry thanks to its many advantages such as light weight and high strength. The use of this material in the market is increasing day by day with the developing technology. Due to the high energy inputs in the primary production, the use of secondary ingots by recycling from scrap material are more advantageous. However, the liquid metal quality is quite important in the use of secondary aluminum. It is believed that the quality of recycled aluminum is low, for this purpose, many liquid metal cleaning methods and test methods are used in the industry to assess the melt cleanliness level. In this study, it is aimed to examine the liquid metal quality in castings with varying temperature using K mold. A206 alloy was used, and the test parameters were selected as: (i) at 725 °C, 750 °C and 775 °C casting temperatures, (ii) different hydrogen levels. The hydrogen level was adjusted as low, medium and high with degassing, as-cast, and upgassing of the melt, respectively. The liquid metal quality of the cast samples was examined by the K mold technique. When the results were examined, it was determined that metal K values and the number of inclusions were high at the as-cast and up-gas liquid with increasing casting temperatures. It has been understood that the K mold technique is a practical method for the determination of liquid metal quality, if there is no reduced pressure test machine available at the foundry floor

Preconditioning of mesenchymal stromal cells with low-intensity ultrasound: influence on chondrogenesis and directed SOX9 signaling pathways

Background: Continuous low-intensity ultrasound (cLIUS) facilitates the chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in the absence of exogenously added transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) by upregulating the expression of transcription factor SOX9, a master regulator of chondrogenesis. The present study evaluated the molecular events associated with the signaling pathways impacting SOX9 gene and protein expression under cLIUS. Methods: Human bone marrow-derived MSCs were exposed to cLIUS stimulation at 14 kPa (5 MHz, 2.5 Vpp) for 5 min. The gene and protein expression of SOX9 was evaluated. The specificity of SOX9 upregulation under cLIUS was determined by treating the MSCs with small molecule inhibitors of select signaling molecules, followed by cLIUS treatment. Signaling events regulating SOX9 expression under cLIUS were analyzed by gene expression, immunofluorescence staining, and western blotting. Results: cLIUS upregulated the gene expression of SOX9 and enhanced the nuclear localization of SOX9 protein when compared to non-cLIUS-stimulated control. cLIUS was noted to enhance the phosphorylation of the signaling molecule ERK1/2. Inhibition of MEK/ERK1/2 by PD98059 resulted in the effective abrogation of cLIUS-induced SOX9 expression, indicating that cLIUS-induced SOX9 upregulation was dependent on the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Inhibition of integrin and TRPV4, the upstream cell-surface effectors of ERK1/2, did not inhibit the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and therefore did not abrogate cLIUS-induced SOX9 expression, thereby suggesting the involvement of other mechanoreceptors. Consequently, the effect of cLIUS on the actin cytoskeleton, a mechanosensitive receptor regulating SOX9, was evaluated. Diffused and disrupted actin fibers observed in MSCs under cLIUS closely resembled actin disruption by treatment with cytoskeletal drug Y27632, which is known to increase the gene expression of SOX9. The upregulation of SOX9 under cLIUS was, therefore, related to cLIUS-induced actin reorganization. SOX9 upregulation induced by actin reorganization was also found to be dependent on the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Conclusions: Collectively, preconditioning of MSCs by cLIUS resulted in the nuclear localization of SOX9, phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and disruption of actin filaments, and the expression of SOX9 was dependent on the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 under cLIUS

A Study to investigate the role of p27 and Cyclin E immunoexpression as a prognostic factor in early breast carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cyclin E and p27 expression is easy to assess in human tissues by standard immunohistochemical techniques. Immunohistochemistry is cost effective, relatively easy to perform and will play more of a role in the future management of cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of p27 and cyclin E immunoexpression as a prognostic factor in early breast carcinoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cyclin E and p27 immunohistochemistry was performed on sixty six cases of breast carcinoma submitted over a five year period to the Division of Anatomical Pathology, Groote Schuur hospital; Whittaker and Associates; and PathCare. All tumours included in this study were less than 5 cm in diameter (pT1 and pT2 stage) and all the patients had wide local excisions performed. Follow up information was obtained from patient folders in the Department of Radiation Oncology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no significant association of cyclin E and p27 expression with distant metastasis free survival (MFS) for all invasive carcinomas in contrast to grade, lymph node spread and vascular invasion. However, there was a statistically significant direct association of cyclin E with distant metastases in all invasive carcinomas, in the subgroup of infiltrating duct carcinomas (IDC) and in the node negative group when cyclin E was stratified as negative and positive (low/high). In this study of early breast carcinoma, only 9/66 cases showed cyclin E expression. Of these, four patients had distant metastases, one patient had a local recurrence and four patients were alive at last follow-up. Furthermore, cyclin E expression was significantly associated with grade, lymph node spread, oestrogen receptor status and histological type. None of the lobular carcinomas showed cyclin E positivity and only one case of lobular carcinoma presented with distant metastases.</p> <p>59/66 cases were positive (low/high) for p27 while seven cases were negative, 22 cases showed low expression and 37 cases demonstrated high p27 expression.</p> <p>p27 was significantly associated with oestrogen receptor status only for all invasive carcinomas and in the IDC group. There was no statistical relationship between p27 and cyclin E, but 50 (76%) tumours with positive p27 expression were negative for cyclin E. There were similar results for the invasive ductal carcinoma subgroup.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows that p27 and cyclin E are not good independent prognostic markers for early breast carcinoma in contrast to grade, lymph node spread and vascular invasion for all invasive carcinomas. However, cyclin E provides some prognostic value as there is a direct statistical association with the development of distant metastases. Many previous studies have correlated overexpression of cyclin E with an aggressive course. The inverse relationship between p27 and cyclin E expression which has been reported in the literature has been highlighted, but this was not statistically significant. Most cases showed positive p27 expression and negative Cyclin E expression. This may be due to the early stage of the disease.</p

The use of mesenchymal stem cells for cartilage repair and regeneration: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The management of articular cartilage defects presents many clinical challenges due to its avascular, aneural and alymphatic nature. Bone marrow stimulation techniques, such as microfracture, are the most frequently used method in clinical practice however the resulting mixed fibrocartilage tissue which is inferior to native hyaline cartilage. Other methods have shown promise but are far from perfect. There is an unmet need and growing interest in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering to improve the outcome for patients requiring cartilage repair. Many published reviews on cartilage repair only list human clinical trials, underestimating the wealth of basic sciences and animal studies that are precursors to future research. We therefore set out to perform a systematic review of the literature to assess the translation of stem cell therapy to explore what research had been carried out at each of the stages of translation from bench-top (in vitro), animal (pre-clinical) and human studies (clinical) and assemble an evidence-based cascade for the responsible introduction of stem cell therapy for cartilage defects. This review was conducted in accordance to PRISMA guidelines using CINHAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Knowledge databases from 1st January 1900 to 30th June 2015. In total, there were 2880 studies identified of which 252 studies were included for analysis (100 articles for in vitro studies, 111 studies for animal studies; and 31 studies for human studies). There was a huge variance in cell source in pre-clinical studies both of terms of animal used, location of harvest (fat, marrow, blood or synovium) and allogeneicity. The use of scaffolds, growth factors, number of cell passages and number of cells used was hugely heterogeneous. SHORT CONCLUSIONS: This review offers a comprehensive assessment of the evidence behind the translation of basic science to the clinical practice of cartilage repair. It has revealed a lack of connectivity between the in vitro, pre-clinical and human data and a patchwork quilt of synergistic evidence. Drivers for progress in this space are largely driven by patient demand, surgeon inquisition and a regulatory framework that is learning at the same pace as new developments take place

DNA sequence variants of NPHS2 gene in 674 children with SRNS

WOS: 00029324880032

Results of MEFV gene full DNA sequencing analysis and genetic heterogeneity in 3430 Turkish FMF patients

WOS: 00029324880032

Cdk9/Cyclin T1 complex: a key player during the activation/differentiation process of normal lymphoid B cells.

Cdk9/Cyclin T1 complex is very important in controlling specific differentiative pathways of several cell types. Limited data are available regarding the expression of Cdk9/Cyclin T1 in hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. Cdk9/Cyclin T1 expression seems to be related to particular stages of lymphoid differentiation/activation. In this study, we observed that the expression level of Cdk9/Cyclin T1 in vivo increases in memory B cells compared to naı¨ve B cells, and in activated B cells, compared to non-activated ones. The expression level of the Cdk9/Cyclin T1 complex does not increase in cells induced to differentiate in vitro. In addition, we showed that Cdk9 interacts with E12 and E47, specifically activated during Germinal Center (GC) reaction. Taken together this data suggests an active role for the Cdk9/Cyclin T1 complex during lymphoid differentiation through germinal center reaction

Cdk9/Cyclin T1 complex: a key player during the activation/differentiation process of normal lymphoid B cells

status: publishe

The effects of HIV 1 Tat Protein on cell cycle during cervical carcinogenesis

The role of HPV in the carcinogenesis of intraepithelial and invasive anogenital lesions is currently well established. E6 and E7 oncoproteins of high-risk HPV genotypes are known to inactivate p53 and pRb pathways. Several studies have described an increased prevalence and recurrence of both cervical HPV infection and invasive cervical cancer among HIV-1 positive women compared to HIV-1 negative cases. For these reasons, cervical cancer is considered an AIDS-defining neoplasm. Unlike other AIDS-associated neoplasms, the occurrence of cervical cancer is independent of immune suppression. HIV-1 infection in patients with high grade precancerous lesions and invasive cervical cancers results in a therapy refractory and more aggressive disease phenotype, which is not yet well understood at the molecular level. An upregulation of HPV E6 and E7 gene expressions by HIV-1 proteins such as Tat has been documented by some authors. However, the role of HIV-1 in cervical carcinomas is still unclear. It is already known that HIV-1 Tat protein is able to influence cell cycle progression. Altogether, these facts led us to investigate the effects of Tat on the expression of cell cycle regulator genes. After transfection of HeLa cells with Tat, we analyzed the expression of cell cycle regulators from these cells by IHC and Real-time PCR. A significant reduction in the expression of cell cycle inhibitors of transcription and an increase in the levels of proliferation markers were observed. These results suggest that HIV-1 may enhance cervical carcinogenesis by promoting cell cycle progression. We also found that this HIV-1 Tat-induced cell proliferation was not dependent on the E2F family of transcription factors, and therefore postulate that Sp factors may be involved