Characterisation and evaluation of the regenerative capacity of Stro-4+ enriched bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells using bovine extracellular matrix hydrogel and a novel biocompatible melt electro-written medical-grade polycaprolactone scaffold

Many skeletal tissue regenerative strategies centre around the multifunctional properties of bone marrow derived stromal cells (BMSC) or mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC)/bone marrow derived skeletal stem cells (SSC). Specific identification of these particular stem cells has been inconclusive. However, enriching these heterogeneous bone marrow cell populations with characterised skeletal progenitor markers has been a contributing factor in successful skeletal bone regeneration and repair strategies. In the current studies we have isolated, characterised and enriched ovine bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (oBMSCs) using a specific antibody, Stro-4, examined their multipotential differentiation capacity and, in translational studies combined Stro-4+ oBMSCs with a bovine extracellular matrix (bECM) hydrogel and a biocompatible melt electro-written medical-grade polycaprolactone scaffold, and tested their bone regenerative capacity in a small in vivo, highly vascularised, chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model and a preclinical, critical-sized ovine segmental tibial defect model.Proliferation rates and CFU-F formation were similar between unselected and Stro-4+ oBMSCs. Col1A1, Col2A1, mSOX-9, PPARG gene expression were upregulated in respective osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic culture conditions compared to basal conditions with no significant difference between Stro-4+ and unselected oBMSCs. In contrast, proteoglycan expression, alkaline phosphatase activity and adipogenesis were significantly upregulated in the Stro-4+ cells. Furthermore, with extended cultures, the oBMSCs had a predisposition to maintain a strong chondrogenic phenotype. In the CAM model Stro-4+ oBMSCs/bECM hydrogel was able to induce bone formation at a femur fracture site compared to bECM hydrogel and control blank defect alone. Translational studies in a critical-sized ovine tibial defect showed autograft samples contained significantly more bone, (4250.63 mm3, SD = 1485.57) than blank (1045.29 mm3, SD = 219.68) ECM-hydrogel (1152.58 mm3, SD = 191.95) and Stro-4+/ECM-hydrogel (1127.95 mm3, SD = 166.44) groups.Stro-4+ oBMSCs demonstrated a potential to aid bone repair in vitro and in a small in vivo bone defect model using select scaffolds. However, critically, translation to a large related preclinical model demonstrated the complexities of bringing small scale reported stem-cell material therapies to a clinically relevant model and thus facilitate progression to the clinic

Development of intermediate layer systems for direct deposition of thin film solar cells onto low cost steel substrates

The functionalisation of low-cost steel over large areas with low cost intermediate layers (ILs) for utilisation as substrates in thin film solar modules is reported. Three approaches for the deposition of ILs are demonstrated and evaluated; a thick SiOx sol–gel based on a one-step acidic catalysis applied by spray technique, a commercial screen-printable dielectric ink, and an epoxy-based material (SU8) deposited by screen printing or bar coating. These ILs demonstrated the properties of surface levelling (quantified by mechanical profilometry), electric insulation (tested using breakdown voltage and leakage current) and acted as an anti-diffusion barrier (demonstrated with glow discharge mass spectrometry). Moreover, the performances of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and organic photovoltaic (OPV) thin film solar cells grown on carbon and stainless steels (a-Si:H: 5.53% and OPV: 2.40%) show similar performances as those obtained using a reference glass substrate (a-Si:H: 5.51% and OPV: 2.90%). Finally, a cost analysis taking into account both the SiOx sol–gel and the dielectric ink IL was reported to demonstrate the economic feasibility of the steel/IL prototypes

Plasma lipid profiles discriminate bacterial from viral infection in febrile children

Fever is the most common reason that children present to Emergency Departments. Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection ar

A Model of Minimal Probabilistic Belief Revision

belief revision, probabilistic beliefs, imaging, C73, D81, D83,

Association of periodic and rhythmic electroencephalographic patterns with seizures in critically ill patients

IMPORTANCE Periodic and rhythmic electroencephalographic patterns have been associated with risk of seizures in critically ill patients. However, specific features that confer higher seizure risk remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To analyze the association of distinct characteristics of periodic and rhythmic patterns with seizures. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We reviewed electroencephalographic recordings from 4772 critically ill adults in 3 academic medical centers from February 2013 to September 2015 and performed a multivariate analysis to determine features associated with seizures. INTERVENTIONS Continuous electroencephalography. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Association of periodic and rhythmic patterns and specific characteristics, such as pattern frequency (hertz), Plus modifier, prevalence, and stimulation-induced patterns, and the risk for seizures. RESULTS Of the 4772 patients included in our study, 2868 were men and 1904 were women. Lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs) had the highest association with seizures regardless of frequency and the association was greater when the Plus modifier was present (58%; odds ratio [OR], 2.00, P .10). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, LPDs, LRDA, and GPDs were associated with seizures while generalized rhythmic delta activity was not. Lateralized periodic discharges were associated with seizures at all frequencies with and without Plus modifier, but LRDA and GPDs were associated with seizures when the frequency was 1.5 Hz or faster or when associated with a Plus modifier. Increased pattern prevalence was associated with increased risk for seizures in LPDs and GPDs. Stimulus-induced patterns were not associated with such risk. These findings highlight the importance of detailed electroencephalographic interpretation using standardized nomenclature for seizure risk stratification and clinical decision making.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A New Species of Liolaemus of the Liolaemus alticolor-bibronii Group (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from Mendoza, Argentina

Describimos una nueva especie de Liolaemus del grupo de Liolaemus alticolor-bibronii perteneciente al subgénero Liolaemus sensu stricto. La distribución actual de L. bibronii es muy amplia; sin embargo, estudios preliminares indican que bajo la denominación de L. bibronii habría un complejo de especies. La nueva especie es fenéticamente similar a L. bibronii, habiendo sido confundida con esta durante muchos años. Sin embargo exhibe una combinación de estados de carácter que lo diferencian claramente. Asimismo, el nuevo taxon se distribuye muy distante de la localidad tipo de L. bibronii (ca. 1,600 km). Se diferencia de las demás especies de Liolaemus por su patrón de coloración particular y por una combinación de estados de carácter morfológicos de lepidosis y morfometría. La nueva especie habita en regiones pre-andinas en la localidad de Uspallata, departamento Las Heras, al noroeste de la Provincia de Mendoza, y corresponde a una especie insectívora y ovípara. Con la descripción de esta nuevo taxon, el número de especies miembros del grupo de Liolaemus alticolor-bibronii se incrementó a 30, pero aún existen diversas poblaciones que permanecen sin describirse.We describe a new species of Liolaemus of the L. alticolor-bibronii group of the subgenus Liolaemus sensu stricto. Liolaemus bibroniihas a large geographic distribution; however, preliminary studies suggest that it comprises a species complex. The new species is pheneticallysimilar to L. bibronii and was confused with this taxon for many years. Nevertheless, the new species presents a combination of characterstates that clearly differentiate it. Also, the new taxon is distributed far from L. bibronii type locality (ca. 1,600 km). It differs from other speciesof Liolaemus in presenting a unique color pattern and a combination of morphological character states from lepidosis and morphometry.The new species inhabits pre-Andean localities in Uspallata, Las Heras department, northwest Mendoza Province, and is an insectivorousand oviparous species. With the description of this new taxon, the number of species of the L. alticolor-bibronii group rises to 30, but manypopulations still remain undescribed.Fil: Abdala, Cristian Simón. Fundación Miguel Lillo. Dirección de Zoología. Instituto de Herpetología; ArgentinaFil: Quinteros, Andres Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del Noroeste Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Semhan, Romina Valeria. Fundación Miguel Lillo. Dirección de Zoología. Instituto de Herpetología; Argentin

Taxonomy of the Liolaemus alticolor–bibronii Group (Iguania: Liolaemidae), with Descriptions of Two New Species

Liolaemus alticolor is redescribed herein, providing new character states that distinguish this taxon from all other members of the alticolor–bibronii group. Two new species of the alticolor–bibronii group are also described. One of the new species occurs in northern Argentina, in the Jujuy Province, whereas the other occurs in southern Argentina, in the Neuquén Province (northern Patagonia). Both of them exhibit characters that distinguish them from each other and from all other members of the alticolor–bibronii group. A key to the species of this group is provided.Liolaemus alticolor es redescripto, proveyendo nuevos estados de cara´cter u´tiles para identificar a este taxon de todas las dema´s especies miembros del grupo alticolor–bibronii. Tambie´n, se describen dos nuevas especies de Liolaemus, pertenecientes al grupo alticolor–bibronii. De las nuevas especies, una habita en el norte de Argentina, en la Provincia de Jujuy, mientras que la otra habita en el Norte de la Patagonia, en el sur de Argentina, en la Provincia de Neuque´n. Ambas especies, muestran estados de caracteres que las diferencian entre sı´ y de todos los miembros del grupo alticolor–bibronii. Se incluye una clave de identificacio´n para las especies del grupo.Fil: Quinteros, Andres Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Cátedra de Anatomia Comparada; Argentin

The Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference (PACC): Recommendations on Intrathecal Drug Infusion Systems Best Practices and Guidelines.

Pain treatment is best performed when a patient-centric, safety-based philosophy is used to determine an algorithmic process to guide care. Since 2007, the International Neuromodulation Society has organized a group of experts to evaluate evidence and create a Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference (PACC) to guide practice. The current PACC update was designed to address the deficiencies and innovations emerging since the previous PACC publication of 2012. An extensive literature search identified publications between January 15, 2007 and November 22, 2015 and authors contributed additional relevant sources. After reviewing the literature, the panel convened to determine evidence levels and degrees of recommendations for intrathecal therapy. This meeting served as the basis for consensus development, which was ranked as strong, moderate or weak. Algorithms were developed for intrathecal medication choices to treat nociceptive and neuropathic pain for patients with cancer, terminal illness, and noncancer pain, with either localized or diffuse pain. The PACC has developed an algorithmic process for several aspects of intrathecal drug delivery to promote safe and efficacious evidence-based care. Consensus opinion, based on expertise, was used to fill gaps in evidence. Thirty-one consensus points emerged from the panel considerations. New algorithms and guidance have been established to improve care with the use of intrathecal drug delivery