Basic fibroblastic growth factor affects the osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells in a treatment‐dependent manner

AimTo determine how basic fibroblastic growth factor (bFGF) affected the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in vitro and in vivo.MethodologyBasic fibroblastic growth factor stimulation of DPSCs was divided into a pre‐treatment period and an osteogenic differentiation period. Alizarin red quantification experiments and alkaline phosphatase activity quantification assay were performed to examine the osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs after different bFGF stimulation. Quantification reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the osteogenic gene expression of DPSCs after different bFGF stimulation. In addition, DPSCs that received the 1 and 2 weeks bFGF pre‐treatments as in the in vitro experiments were mineralized for 1 week and seeded into hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP) pills and subcutaneously transplanted into naked mice for 2 or 3 months. The transplants were removed, sliced and stained using Modified Ponceau Trichrome Stain to observe the formation of mineralized tissue.ResultsBasic fibroblastic growth factor stimulation in the osteogenic differentiation period decreased the in vitro osteogenic differentiation ability of DPSCs. One week pre‐treatment with bFGF increased the in vitro osteogenic differentiation ability of DPSCs, whereas 2 weeks pre‐treatment with bFGF decreased the in vitro osteogenic differentiation ability of DPSCs. The pre‐treatment period was vital for the osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs in vitro. The in vivo results were similar to the in vitro results.ConclusionsBasic fibroblastic growth factor affected the osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs in a treatment‐dependent manner both in vitro and in vivo.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111933/1/iej12368.pd

Altered networks in bothersome tinnitus: a functional connectivity study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective was to examine functional connectivity linked to the auditory system in patients with bothersome tinnitus. Activity was low frequency (< 0.1 Hz), spontaneous blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses at rest. The question was whether the experience of chronic bothersome tinnitus induced changes in synaptic efficacy between co-activated components. Functional connectivity for seed regions in auditory, visual, attention, and control networks was computed across all 2 mm³brain volumes in 17 patients with moderate-severe bothersome tinnitus (<it>Tinnitus Handicap Index: average </it>53.5 ± 3.6 (range 38-76)) and 17 age-matched controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In bothersome tinnitus, negative correlations reciprocally characterized functional connectivity between auditory and occipital/visual cortex. Negative correlations indicate that when BOLD response magnitudes increased in auditory or visual cortex they decreased in the linked visual or auditory cortex, suggesting reciprocally phase reversed activity between functionally connected locations in tinnitus. Both groups showed similar connectivity with positive correlations within the auditory network. Connectivity for primary visual cortex in tinnitus included extensive negative correlations in the ventral attention temporoparietal junction and in the inferior frontal gyrus and rostral insula - executive control network components. Rostral insula and inferior frontal gyrus connectivity in tinnitus also showed greater negative correlations in occipital cortex.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results imply that in bothersome tinnitus there is dissociation between activity in auditory cortex and visual, attention and control networks. The reciprocal negative correlations in connectivity between these networks might be maladaptive or reflect adaptations to reduce phantom noise salience and conflict with attention to non-auditory tasks.</p

Diversity of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates in European Wildlife

Staphylococcus aureus is a well-known colonizer and cause of infection among animals and it has been described from numerous domestic and wild animal species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of S. aureus in a convenience sample of European wildlife and to review what previously has been observed in the subject field. 124 S. aureus isolates were collected from wildlife in Germany, Austria and Sweden; they were characterized by DNA microarray hybridization and, for isolates with novel hybridization patterns, by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The isolates were assigned to 29 clonal complexes and singleton sequence types (CC1, CC5, CC6, CC7, CC8, CC9, CC12, CC15, CC22, CC25, CC30, CC49, CC59, CC88, CC97, CC130, CC133, CC398, ST425, CC599, CC692, CC707, ST890, CC1956, ST2425, CC2671, ST2691, CC2767 and ST2963), some of which (ST2425, ST2691, ST2963) were not described previously. Resistance rates in wildlife strains were rather low and mecA-MRSA isolates were rare (n = 6). mecC-MRSA (n = 8) were identified from a fox, a fallow deer, hares and hedgehogs. The common cattle- associated lineages CC479 and CC705 were not detected in wildlife in the present study while, in contrast, a third common cattle lineage, CC97, was found to be common among cervids. No Staphylococcus argenteus or Staphylococcus schweitzeri-like isolates were found. Systematic studies are required to monitor the possible transmission of human- and livestock- associated S. aureus/MRSA to wildlife and vice versa as well as the possible transmission, by unprotected contact to animals. The prevalence of S. aureus/MRSA in wildlife as well as its population structures in different wildlife host species warrants further investigation

Meta-Analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Relative to ER Status Reveal Elevated Activity of MYC and E2F in the “Basal” Breast Cancer Subgroup

10.1371/journal.pone.0004710PLoS ONE43

Integrated Ugi-Based Assembly of Functionally, Skeletally, and Stereochemically Diverse 1,4-Benzodiazepin-2-ones

A practical, integrated and versatile U-4CR-based assembly of 1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones exhibiting functionally, skeletally, and stereochemically diverse substitution patterns is described. By virtue of its convergence, atom economy, and bond-forming efficiency, the methodology documented herein exemplifies the reconciliation of structural complexity and experimental simplicity in the context of medicinal chemistry projects.This work was financially supported by the Galician Government (Spain), Projects: 09CSA016234PR and GPC-2014-PG037. J.A. thanks FUNDAYACUCHO (Venezuela) for a predoctoral grant and Deputación da Coruña (Spain) for a postdoctoral research grant. A.N.-V. thanks the Spanish government for a Ramón y Cajal research contract

First hybodont shark assemblage from the Cretaceous of Malaysia: updated report

A new hybodont assemblage was found in Cretaceous freshwater sediment of Peninsular Malaysia. This is the first discovery of Mesozoic nonmarine fishes from Malaysia. A faunal comparison with the Khorat Group has also been carried out. Approximately 100 specimens were prepared and examined in this study. The Malaysian material provides a finer understanding of morphological variation in the teeth of freshwater hybodont sharks from Southeastern Asia, as well as of their distribution. It points out for the first time to a biostratigraphical correlation between the Cretaceous freshwater deposits in Peninsular Malaysia with those of the Khorat Group in Thailand

First Cretaceous fish fauna from Malaysia

Cretaceous fish fossils are reported from Malaysia for the first time. They were found with dinosaur and turtle remains in nonmarine sediments in the interior of Pahang State, Peninsular Malaysia. This fish assemblage consists mostly of isolated teeth, with minor amounts of noncranial remains, including vertebral centra, scales, coprolites, and hybodont fin spines. Over 100 fish teeth were examined. Nine taxa were confirmed from this fish assemblage: six (identified and unidentified) species of hybodont sharks, Heteroptychodus kokutensis, Isanodus paladeji, Lonchidion aff. khoratensis, Mukdahanodus aff. trisivakulii, Egertonodus sp., and Hybodontidae indet., and three species of actinopterygians (ray-finned fishes): ‘Lepidotes’ sp., Halecomorphi indet., and Ginglymodi indet. This fish assemblage has strong affinities with Early Cretaceous (Barremian–early Aptian) faunas of Thailand, because the four hybodont species, H. kokutensis, I. paladeji, L. khoratensis, and M. trisivakulii, were previously known only from the Sao Khua Formation (Khorat Group) and equivalent strata of Ko Kut (Kut Island). Egertonodus has been confirmed in Asia for the first time. Overall, this fish assemblage shows a close linkage to Early Cretaceous (Barremian–early Aptian) faunas of Thailand. Based on faunal composition and biostratigraphic correlation, we suggest a Barremian–early Aptian age for this new fauna from Malaysia. © 2019, © by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology