Tension-Compression Loading with Chemical Stimulation Results in Additive Increases to Functional Properties of Anatomic Meniscal Constructs

Objective: This study aimed to improve the functional properties of anatomically-shaped meniscus constructs through simultaneous tension and compression mechanical stimulation in conjunction with chemical stimulation. Methods: Scaffoldless meniscal constructs were subjected to simultaneous tension and compressive stimulation and chemical stimulation. The temporal aspect of mechanical loadingwas studied by employing two separate five day stimulation periods. Chemical stimulation consisted of the application of a catabolic GAG-depleting enzyme, chondroitinase ABC (C-ABC), and an anabolic growth factor, TGF-b1. Mechanical and chemical stimulation combinations were studied through a full-factorial experimental design and assessed for histological, biochemical, and biomechanical properties following 4 wks of culture. Results: Mechanical loading applied from days 10–14 resulted in significant increases in compressive, tensile, and biochemical properties of meniscal constructs. When mechanical and chemical stimuliwere combined significant additive increases in collagen per wet weight (4-fold), compressive instantaneous (3-fold) and relaxation (2-fold) moduli, and tensile moduli in the circumferential (4-fold) and radial (6-fold) directions were obtained. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a stimulation regimen of simultaneous tension and compression mechanical stimulation, C-ABC, and TGF-b1 is able to create anatomic meniscus constructs replicating the compressive mechanica

Anti-Cripto Mab inhibit tumour growth and overcome MDR in a human leukaemia MDR cell line by inhibition of Akt and activation of JNK/SAPK and bad death pathways

Doxorubicin (DOX) selection of CCRF-CEM leukaemia cell line resulted in multidrug resistance (MDR) CEM/A7R cell line, which overexpresses MDR, 1 coded P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Here, we report for the first time that oncoprotein Cripto, a founding member of epidermal growth factor-Cripto-FRL, 1-Criptic family is overexpressed in the CEM/A7R cells, and anti-Cripto monoclonal antibodies (Mab) inhibited CEM/A7R cell growth both in vitro and in an established xenograft tumour in severe combined immunodeficiency mice. Cripto Mab synergistically enhanced sensitivity of the MDR cells to Pgp substrates epirubicin (EPI), daunorubicin (DAU) and non-Pgp substrates nucleoside analogue cytosine arabinoside (AraC). In particular, the combination of anti-Cripto Mab at less than 50% of inhibition concentrations with noncytotoxic concentrations of EPI or DAU inhibited more than 90% of CEM/A7R cell growth. Cripto Mab slightly inhibited Pgp expression, and had little effect on Pgp function, indicating that a mechanism independent of Pgp was involved in overcoming MDR. We demonstrated that anti-Cripto Mab-induced CEM/A7R cell apoptosis, which was associated with an enhanced activity of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase and inhibition of Akt phosphorylation, resulting in an activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway as evidenced by dephosphorylation of Bad at Ser136, Bcl-2 at Ser70 and a cleaved caspase-9

A light-emitting memristor

A light-emitting memristor (LEM) is reported based on a metal/mixed conductor/metal structure, where the mixed conductor is the ionic transition metal complex ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridine) with hexafluorophosphate counter ions. The device shows memory effects upon the application of an ac bias, in both current and electroluminescence intensity. The observation of memory in light emission offers the potential for optical read-out of the state of memristive devices. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Cascaded light-emitting devices based on a ruthenium complex

The architecture for the fabrication of cascaded light-emitting devices, which was based on a transition metal complex, was analyzed. The patterning of the organic layer of the device was not required by the architecture. In this device, the metal electrode which acted as an anode for one device and a cathode for the neighbouring device. The devices were panelled in a single row on a indium tin oxide (ITO) covered glass. It was observed that architecture allowed the monolithic fabrication of panels, which showed intrinsic fault tolerance to short circuits and were amenble to scaling to large areas

Improved turn-on times of iridium electroluminescent devices by use of ionic liquids

We demonstrate an improvement in the turn-on time of electroluminescent devices based on the iridium complex [Ir(ppy) 2(dtb-bpy)] +(PF 6-), where ppy is 2-phenylpyridine and dtb-bpy is 4,4'-di-terf-butyl-2,2'-dipyridine, by introduction of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate BMIM +(PF 6-). Addition of 0.46 mol of the ionic liquid per mole of Ir complex reduces the turn-on time from 5 h to 40 min. However, the device lifetime is also reduced by a factor of 3 over this range, suggesting a tradeoff between device speed and stability. These results are discussed within the framework of the electrodynamic model of device operation and are found to be consistent with an increase in the ionic conductivity of the [Ir(ppy) 2(dtb-bpy)] +(PF 6-) films upon the addition of ionic liquid. © 2005 American Chemical Society

Enhanced emission from fcc fluorescent photonic crystals

We fabricated a high quality fcc photonic crystal composed of ruthenium tris-bipyridine [Ru (bpy) 3] 2+ (PF 6-) 2. Solid-angle-resolved spectroscopy was performed over 76% of 2π sr, with ∼2° resolution. Anisotropic emission patterns are explained with an analytic model of two plane waves coupled by diffraction from a Bragg plane. Two distinct types of emissive enhancements are observed, one due to modes coupling confined directions into leaky directions and the other due to maxima in the optical mode density adjacent to partial photonic band gaps. © 2008 The American Physical Society

Addition of a phosphorescent dopant in electroluminescent devices from ionic transition metal complexes

Ionic transition metal complexes have emerged as promising candidates for applications in solid-state electroluminescent devices. This is due to the fact that a single, solution-processable layer sandwiched between two air-stable electrodes can yield high-efficiency devices. In this paper we demonstrate tuning of the emission of these devices in the red part of the spectrum by dispersing an ionic osmium complex into an ionic ruthenium complex matrix. This is shown to lead to devices that are more efficient than those from pristine films of the matrix or the dopant alone. These devices also show improved stability compared to devices based on the matrix and feature an emission spectrum that can be tuned by the concentration of the dopant. © 2005 American Chemical Society