Stem Cell Therapy in Ocular Pathologies in the Past 20 Years

Stem cell therapies are successfully used in various fields of medicine. This new approach of research is also expanding in ophthalmology. Huge investments, resources and important clinical trials have been performed in stem cell research and in potential therapies. In recent years, great strides have been made in genetic research, which permitted and enhanced the differentiation of stem cells. Moreover, the possibility of exploiting stem cells from other districts (such as adipose, dental pulp, bone marrow stem cells, etc.) for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases, renders this topic fascinating. Furthermore, great strides have been made in biomedical engineering, which have proposed new materials and threedimensional structures useful for cell therapy of the eye. The encouraging results obtained on clinical trials conducted on animals have given a significant boost in the creation of study protocols also in humans. Results are limited to date, but clinical trials continue to evolve. Our attention is centered on the literature reported over the past 20 years, considering animal (the most represented in literature) and human clinical trials, which are limiting. The aim of our review is to present a brief overview of the main types of treatments based on stem cells in the field of ophthalmic pathologies

A Bridging Mechanism in the Homogenization of Brittle Composites with Soft Inclusions

We provide a homogenisation result for the energy-functional associated with a purely brittle composite whose microstructure is characterised by soft periodic inclusions embedded in a stiffer matrix. We show that the two constituents as above can be suitably arranged on a microscopic scale \u3b5 to obtain, in the limit as \u3b5 tends to zero, a homogeneous macroscopic energy-functional explicitly depending on the opening of the crack

Adipose Stem Cells in Modern-Day Ophthalmology

Stem cells (SCs) have evolved as an interesting and viable factor in ophthalmologic patient care in the past decades. SCs have been classified as either embryonic, mesenchymal, tissue-specific, or induced pluripotent cells. Multiple novel management techniques and clinical trials have been established to date. While available publications are predominantly animal-model-based, significant material is derived from human studies and case-selected scenarios. This possibility of explanting cells from viable tissue to regenerate/repair damaged tissue points to an exciting future of therapeutic options in all fields of medicine, and ophthalmology is surely not left out. Adipose tissue obtained from lipo-aspirates has been shown to produce mesenchymal SCs that are potentially useful in different body parts, including the oculo-visual system. An overview of the anatomy, physiology, and extraction process for adipose-tissue-derived stem cells (ADSC) is important for better understanding the potential therapeutic benefits. This review examines published data on ADSCs in immune-modulatory, therapeutic, and regenerative treatments. We also look at the future of ADSC applications for ophthalmic patient care. The adverse effects of this relatively novel therapy are also discussed

How and when of eyelid reconstruction using autologous transplantation

Reconstructive surgery of the eyelid after tumor excision, trauma or other causes can be challenging, especially due to the complexities of the anatomic structures and to the necessity of both functional and aesthetic successful outcomes. The aim of this minireview was to investigate the use of tissue transplantation in eyelid reconstruction. Surgical procedures are various, based on the use of both flaps, pedicled or free, and grafts, in order to guarantee adequate tissue reconstruction and blood supply, which are necessary for correct healing. Common techniques normally include the use of local tissues, combining non-vascularized grafts with a vascularized flap for the two lamellae repair, to attempt a reconstruction similar to the original anatomy. When defects are too wide, vast, deep, and complex or when no adjacent healthy tissues are available, distant area tissues need to be recruited as free flaps or grafts and paired with mucosal layer reconstruction. With regards to the anterior lamella, full thickness skin grafts are commonly preferred. With regards to the reconstruction of posterior lamella, there are different graft options, which include conjunctival or tarsoconjunctival, mucosal or palatal or cartilaginous grafts usually combined with local flaps. Free flap transplantation, normally reserved for rare select cases, include the use of the radial forearm and anterolateral flaps combined with mucosal grafts, which are surgical options currently reported in the literature

Youth Baseball Caregiver Understanding of Safe Pitching Guidelines and Player Injury

# Background As more athletes participate in youth baseball, there has been an associated increase in upper extremity injuries. Knowledge of baseball injury prevention guidelines continues to be developed and defined as throwing-related injuries rise. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how knowledgeable youth baseball caregivers were about safe pitching guidelines and secondarily determine pitching practices which may be associated with increased risk of player injury. # Methods A twenty-two question survey comprised of demographic data, knowledge of overhead throwing guidelines, pitching history, presence of risk factors associated with overhead throwing and pitching habits was distributed to the caregivers of youth baseball pitchers in North Central Florida. # Results Eighty-three percent (81/98) of those polled were unaware of the existence of safe pitching guidelines, regardless of the pitcher’s playing experience (p > 0.05). Those who pitched more than six months out of the year were significantly more prone to experience throwing arm pain after a performance (p < 0.05). Fifty-two percent (51/98) of the caregivers recalled their child having throwing arm pain as a direct result of pitching, with twenty-six percent (25/98) of pitchers having to miss either a game or a pitching appearance. Twenty-seven percent (26/98) of all players went on to seek medical evaluation for arm discomfort due to pitching. Pitchers 13 years of age and older were more likely to throw curveballs and miss games because of throwing arm pain (p < 0.05). # Conclusion Despite implementation and accessibility of safe pitching guidelines, a large portion of those surveyed were unaware or noncompliant with these established recommendations. Given the results of this study, further measures need to be taken to improve caregivers’ understanding of current guidelines to help increase compliance and protect youth pitchers. # Level of Evidence Cross-sectional survey study, 3

Thermo-electrochemical production of compressed hydrogen from methane with near-zero energy loss

[EN] Conventional production of hydrogen requires large industrial plants to minimize energy losses and capital costs associated with steam reforming, water-gas shift, product separation and compression. Here we present a protonic membrane reformer (PMR) that produces high-purity hydrogen from steam methane reforming in a single-stage process with near-zero energy loss. We use a BaZrO3-based proton-conducting electrolyte deposited as a dense film on a porous Ni composite electrode with dual function as a reforming catalyst. At 800 degrees C, we achieve full methane conversion by removing 99% of the formed hydrogen, which is simultaneously compressed electrochemically up to 50 bar. A thermally balanced operation regime is achieved by coupling several thermo-chemical processes. Modelling of a small-scale (10 kg H-2 day-1) hydrogen plant reveals an overall energy efficiency of >87%. The results suggest that future declining electricity prices could make PMRs a competitive alternative for industrial-scale hydrogen plants integrating CO2 capture.This work was supported by the Research Council of Norway (grant 256264) and the Spanish Government (SEV-2016-0683 grant).Malerød-Fjeld, H.; Clark, D.; Yuste Tirados, I.; Zanón González, R.; Catalán-Martínez, D.; Beeaff, D.; Hernández Morejudo, S.... (2017). Thermo-electrochemical production of compressed hydrogen from methane with near-zero energy loss. Nature Energy. 2(12):923-931. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-017-0029-4S923931212Morejudo, S. H. et al. Direct conversion of methane to aromatics in a catalytic co-ionic membrane reactor. Science 353, 563–566 (2016).Chu, S. & Majumdar, A. Opportunities and challenges for a sustainable energy future. Nature 488, 294–303 (2012).Logan, B. E. & Elimelech, M. Membrane-based processes for sustainable power generation using water. Nature 488, 313–319 (2012).Rostrup-Nielsen, J. R. Catalysis and large-scale conversion of natural gas. Catal. Today 21, 257–267 (1994).Voss, C. Applications of pressure swing adsorption technology. Adsorption 11, 527–529 (2005).Gallucci, F., Fernandez, E., Corengia, P. & van Sint Annaland, M. Recent advances on membranes and membrane reactors for hydrogen production. Chem. Eng. Sci. 92, 40–66 (2013).Boeltken, T., Wunsch, A., Gietzelt, T., Pfeifer, P. & Dittmeyer, R. Ultra-compact microstructured methane steam reformer with integrated Palladium membrane for on-site production of pure hydrogen: Experimental demonstration. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 39, 18058–18068 (2014).Al-Mufachi, N. A., Rees, N. V. & Steinberger-Wilkens, R. Hydrogen selective membranes: A review of palladium-based dense metal membranes. Renew. Sustainable Energy Rev. 47, 540–551 (2015).Sengodan, S. et al. Layered oxygen-deficient double perovskite as an efficient and stable anode for direct hydrocarbon solid oxide fuel cells. Nat. Mater. 14, 205–209 (2015).Myung, J.-h, Neagu, D., Miller, D. N. & Irvine, J. T. S. Switching on electrocatalytic activity in solid oxide cells. Nature 537, 528–531 (2016).Iwahara, H., Uchida, H., Ono, K. & Ogaki, K. Proton conduction in sintered oxides based on BaCeO3. J. Electrochem. Soc. 135, 529–533 (1988).Hamakawa, S., Hibino, T. & Iwahara, H. Electrochemical methane coupling using proton conductors. J. Electrochem. Soc. 140, 459–462 (1993).Bonanos, N., Knight, K. S. & Ellis, B. Perovskite solid electrolytes: structure, transport properties and fuel cell applications. Solid State Ion. 79, 161–170 (1995).Norby, T. Solid-state protonic conductors: principles, properties, progress and prospects. Solid State Ion. 125, 1–11 (1999).Kreuer, K. D. On the development of proton conducting materials for technological applications. Solid State Ion. 97, 1–15 (1997).Kreuer, K. D. Aspects of the formation and mobility of protonic charge carriers and the stability of perovskite-type oxides. Solid State Ion. 125, 285–302 (1999).Kreuer, K. D. Proton-conducting oxides. Annu. Rev. Mater. Res. 33, 333–359 (2003).Tao, S. W. & Irvine, J. T. S. A stable, easily sintered proton-conducting oxide electrolyte for moderate-temperature fuel cells and electrolyzers. Adv. Mater. 18, 11581-1584 (2006).Wang, H., Peng, R., Wu, X., Hu, J. & Xia, C. Sintering behavior and conductivity study of yttrium-doped BaCeO3–BaZrO3 solid solutions using ZnO additives. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 92, 2623–2629 (2009).Coors, W. G. in Advances in Ceramics—Synthesis and Characterization, Processing and Specific Applications (Ed. Sikalidis, C.) Ch. 22, 501–520 (InTech, UK, 2011) (2011).Manabe, R. et al. Surface protonics promotes catalysis. Sci. Rep. 6, 38007, (2016).Rohland, B., Eberle, K., Ströbel, R., Scholta, J. & Garche, J. Electrochemical hydrogen compressor. Electrochimica Acta 43, 3841–3846 (1998).Kochetova, N., Animitsa, I., Medvedev, D., Demin, A. & Tsiakaras, P. Recent activity in the development of proton-conducting oxides for high-temperature applications. RSC Adv. 6, 73222–73268 (2016).Yamazaki, Y. et al. Proton trapping in yttrium-doped barium zirconate. Nat. Mater. 12, 647–651 (2013).Kjølseth, C. et al. Space-charge theory applied to the grain boundary impedance of proton conducting BaZr0.9Y0.1O3-δ . Solid State Ion. 181, 268–275 (2010).Coors, W. G A stoichiometric titration method for measuring galvanic hydrogen flux in ceramic hydrogen separation membranes. J. Membr. Sci. 458, 245–253 (2014).Zeppieri, M., Villa, P. L., Verdone, N., Scarsella, M. & De Filippis, P. Kinetic of methane steam reforming reaction over nickel- and rhodium-based catalysts. Appl. Catal. A 387, 147–154 (2010).Wang, B., Zhu, J. & Lin, Z. A theoretical framework for multiphysics modeling of methane fueled solid oxide fuel cell and analysis of low steam methane reforming kinetics. Appl. Energy 176, 1–11 (2016).Overview of Electricity Production and Use in Europe (European Environment Agency, 2016).Edwards, R., Larive, J.-F., Rickeard, D. & Weindorf, W. Well-To-Wheels Analysis of Future Automotive Fuels and Powertrains in the European Context, Well-to-Tank Report Version 4.a, JEC Well-to-Wheels Analysis (Joint Research Centre, 2014).Cho, V. H., Hamilton, B. A. & Kuehn, N. J. Assessment of Hydrogen Production with CO 2 Capture Volume 1: Baseline State-of-the-Art Plants (National Energy Technology Laboratory, 2010).Schjølberg, I. et al. Small-Scale Reformers for On-Site Hydrogen Supply (International Energy Agency-Hydrogen Implementing Agreement, 2012).de Visser, E. et al. Dynamis CO2 quality recommendations. Int. J. Greenhouse Gas Control 2, 478–484 (2008).Bertucciolo, L. et al. Development of Water Electrolysis in the European Union (Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, 2014).Edwards, R. et al. Well-To-Wheels Analysis of Future Automotive Fuels and Powertrains in the European Context, Well-to-Wheels Report Version 4.a, JEC Well-to-Wheels Analysis (Joint Research Centre 2014).Huss, A., Maas, H. & Hass, H. Well-to-Wheels Analysis of Future Automotive Fuels and Powertrains in the European Context, Tank-to-Wheels Report Version 4.0, JEC Technical Reports (Joint Research Centre, 2013)

Discrete-to-continuum limits for strain-alignment coupled systems: magnetostrictive solids, ferroelectric crystals and nematic elastomers

In the framework of linear elasticity, we study the limit of a class of discrete free energies modeling strain-alignment-coupled systems by a rigorous coarse-graining procedure, as the number of molecules diverges. We focus on three paradigmatic examples: magnetostrictive solids, ferroelectric crystals and nematic elastomers, obtaining in the limit three continuum models consistent with those commonly employed in the current literature. We also derive the correspondent macroscopic energies in the presence of displacement boundary conditions and of various kinds of applied external fields