Assessment of cd93 stem cell growth and survival on three-dimensional biodegradable pcl-gelatin scaffold

Background and purpose: Application of three-dimensional scaffolds with the ability to simulate a three-dimensional in vivo environment has opened new perspective on targeted differentiation and therapeutic use of stem cells. In this study we examined the compatibility of CD93 stem cells with biodegradable pcl- gelatin scaffold. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, three-dimensional scaffolds made of PCL -gelatin using electrospining synthesis and its molecular structure was tested by SEM electron microscopy. The scaffold surface was disinfected by UV ray. The hematopoietic CD93stem cells of those isolated previously were divided into two groups including normal cultured (plate) and culture on scaffolds (scaffold + cell). The survival and growth of the cells were measured through MTT assay and electron microscopy at 7, 14, and 28 days after culturing. Results: Electron microscopic analysis on the seventh day showed appropriate adhesion of CD93 cells on scaffold fibers and secretion of extracellular matrix. Survival rate of the cells at 7, 14, and 28 days after culturing were not significantly different between the two groups. But at the same days significant differences were observed in the Scaffold + Cell group (P< 0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that PCL nanofiber scaffolds has high compatibility with CD93 stem cells and proximity to this scaffold lead to increased survival and growth of the cells. Further studies on the treatment of tissue damage and scarring by CD93 stem cells using this scaffold can be effective in increasing treatment efficiency. © 2016, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Diversity and distribution of endemic and threatened plant species in the Sorkhabad Protected Area, Zanjan, NW Iran and identification of the biodiversity hotspots in the area

Protected areas are a mainstay of biodiversity conservation. All over the world, plant biodiversity is at risk and every year the number of threatened species increases dramatically. Many of these species are endemic. Sorkhabad Protected Area is situated in Zanjan Province, NW Iran, and is located in the Irano-Anatolian global biodiversity hotspot. The aim of this study is to investigate endemic and threatened vascular plant species, classify the local rarity of these species and identify hotspots of them in this area. 81 endemic species belonging to 59 genera within 22 families and 116 threatened species belonging to 86 genera within 46 families were collected from the area. Fabaceae with 16 and Asteraceae with 14 endemic species are the two largest families and Astragalus L. with 13 endemic species is the largest genus in terms of the number of endemic species. The degree of endemism in the Sorkhabad Protected Area is 15.2 percent. The distribution map of species was prepared using ArcGIS 10.3. The hotspots in terms of endemic and threatened species richness were identified, occupying all told 50,709 ha (41.35%) of the Sorkhabad Protected Area. Identifying the hotspots will help to obtain a proper management program and consequently preserve the biodiversity of this area

The effects of extender type, freezing and thawing rates on fertility of the cryopreserved semen of the Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius)

Cryopreservation of semen from the Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius) and effects of extender type, freezing and thawing rates on fertilization ability were studied. After assessment of semen quality, one part of semen was diluted with three parts of different extender and decanted into 0.5ml straws. Freezing was carried out at two freezing levels, 1.5cm and 2cm above surface of liquid nitrogen. The semen was thawed at 5°C for 90s, 15°C for 45s or 25°C for 30s in water baths and used for fertilization. Using the extender: 0.3 M glucose+10% methanol+10% egg yolk, and 0.6 M sucrose 10% DMSO + 10% egg yolk, yielded the highest post-thaw fertilization rates, with 67.05%±8.76 and 59.78%±5.08 eyeing rates, respectively. No significant differences were found in the fertilization rates with two freezing levels (P>0.05), however eyeing and hatching rates were higher for 2cm above the surface of the liquid nitrogen than for 1.5cm. Thawing of cryopreserved semen was best using the 25°C water bath for 30s and significant differences were seen in the eyeing rates between 25°C and 5°C or 15°C (P<0.05). Significant interactions (P<0.05) were found between effects of extender type and thawing rates and extender type and freezing rates

Challenges Associated with CO2 Sequestration and Hydrocarbon Recovery

In the near- and midterm future, carbon capture and storage (CCS), also called CO2 geo-sequestration, is likely to play a significant role in the reduction of atmospheric greenhouse gas. By expanding the set of possible sequestration targets, it is expected that CCS will enable larger quantities of CO2 to be sequestered, mitigating human activity-driven climate change. In general, oil and gas reservoirs are ideal geologic storage sites for CO2 because they have successfully held hydrocarbon molecules for millions of years. In addition to the significant and reliable storage capacity of hydrocarbon reservoirs, there is a considerable body of knowledge related to the behavior of hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs, and significant amounts of data are often acquired during their exploitation, factors which improve the economics and safety of any CCS project. By making use of existing and future oil and gas projects, CCS can become a major contributor in the fight against global warming, as well as a sizeable contributor to energy production worldwide. The CCS sequestration targets discussed in this study are sandstones, coal beds, shales, and carbonates. The potential and challenges associated with each of them are discussed in detail, and suggested topics for future research work are provided

Experimental Study of the Effect of Base-level fall at the Beginning of the Bend on Reduction of Scour around a Rectangular Bridge Pier Located in the 180 Degree Sharp Bend

Base-level fall in river beds occurs due to varying natural or unnatural causes. Base-level fall causes the change in the behavior of flow at the location of drop in base-level. In such situations, most of scour occur at the foot of the slope, and slope wall retreats in the upstream direction. This phenomenon widens the wall of the river bank, thus leading to its destruction. The amount of bed topography variations and scour around a rectangular bridge pier with an oblong nose located in the 90 degree angle of a 180 degree sharp bend was studied in this work by generating base-level fall at the beginning of the 180 degree sharp bend, and it was compared with a case without a base-level fall. The results indicated that in the case of base-level fall at the upstream side of the bridge pier, increase in flow depth, as well as reduction in velocity at the area around the pier, is observed, and the maximum depth of scour hole and the volume of scour hole around the pier respectively reduce by 73 and 97% in comparison with those in the case where no base-level fall occurs

Hereditary ataxia with a novel mutation in the Senataxin gene: A case report

Hereditary ataxias (HA) are a group of inherited neurological disorders caused by changes in genes. At least 115 different mutations in the senataxin (SETX) gene causing ataxia have been identified. There are no reports of any SETX gene mutation among the Iranian population. Here we report on two cases with homozygous and heterozygous mutations in which one patient was affected by HA with oculomotor apraxia type 2, and the other was a carrier of the disorder. In 2016, the affected patient was referred to the Biogene Medical and Genetic Laboratory (Tehran, Iran) suffering from imbalance and tremor of both head and body. The coding regions of 18 genes, including the SETX gene, were screened. The target regions were captured using the NimbleGen chip followed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology on the Illumina Hiseq2500 platform. NGS, a DNA sequencing technology, has greatly increased the ability to identify new causes of ataxia; a useful tool for the prevention of primary manifestations and treatment of affected patients. In the present study, a novel mutation in the SETX gene has been identified. © 2019, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

An Evaluation of the Effect of Polycaprolactone/Gelatin (Pcl/Gt) Nanofiber Scaffold on the Therapeutic Function of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hematopoietic stem cells are one of the new therapeutic options for treating skin ulcers. Recently, a new perspective has been developed to better utilize stem cells using nanofiber scaffolds. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of polycaprolactone/gelatin (PCL/GT) nanofiber scaffold on the therapeutic function of hematopoietic stem cells. METHODS: In this experimental study, 15 male BALB / c mice were divided into three groups of five, including the control group, the group receiving stem cells in the wound site (cell group) and the group receiving cell + PCL nanofiber scaffold. PCL/GT nanofiber scaffold was prepared by electrotherapy. After hematoxylin and eosin staining, the parameters of epidermal repair and hair follicle formation in the wound site were evaluated by fluorescence microscope and Image J and SPSS programs. FINDINGS: On day 28 after transplantation, the highest and lowest epidermal thicknesses were observed in the cell + scaffold group and control group, which were 10.5±0.3 and 27.3±0.9 μm, respectively, which was significant (p<0.05). Moreover, the highest and lowest number of hair follicles were observed in the cell + scaffold group and control group, respectively; 5.2±0.2 and 4.2±0.3. The difference between the two groups was significant (p<0.01) CONCLUSION: Polycaprolactone / gelatin (PCL/GT) nanofiber scaffold significantly increases the therapeutic function of hematopoietic stem cells in the wound site

Remote controlling of CAR-T cells and toxicity management: Molecular switches and next generation CARs

Cell-based immunotherapies have been selected for the front-line cancer treatment approaches. Among them, CAR-T cells have shown extraordinary effects in hematologic diseases including chemotherapy-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In this approach, autologous T cells isolated from the patient's body genetically engineered to express a tumor specific synthetic receptor against a tumor antigen, then these cells expanded ex vivo and re-infusion back to the patient body. Recently, significant clinical response and high rates of complete remission of CAR T cell therapy in B-cell malignancies led to the approval of Kymriah and Yescarta (CD19-directed CAR-T cells) were by FDA for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Despite promising therapeutic outcomes, CAR T cells also can elicit the immune-pathologic effects, such as Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), Tumor Lysis Syndrome (TLS), and on-target off-tumor toxicity, that hampered its application. Ineffective control of these highly potent synthetic cells causes discussed potentially life-threatening toxicities, so researchers have developed several mechanisms to remote control CAR T cells. In this paper, we briefly review the introduced toxicities of CAR-T cells, then describe currently existing control approaches and review their procedure, pros, and cons. © 2021 The Author

Mutation characterization and heterodimer analysis of patients with leukocyte adhesion deficiency: Including one novel mutation

Abstract Background and aim Leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 (LAD-I) is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder of neutrophil migration, characterized by severe, recurrent bacterial infections, inadequate pus formation and impaired wound healing. The ITGB2 gene encodes the β2 integrin subunit (CD18) of the leukocyte adhesion cell molecules, and mutations in this gene cause LAD-I. The aim of the current study was to investigate the mutations in patients diagnosed with LAD-I and functional studies of the impact of two previously reported and a novel mutation on the expression of the CD18/CD11a heterodimer. Materials and methods Blood samples were taken from three patients who had signed the consent form. Genomic DNA was extracted and ITGB2 exons and flanking intronic regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Mutation screening was performed after Sanger sequencing of PCR products. For functional studies, COS-7 cells were co-transfected with an expression vector containing cDNA encoding mutant CD18 proteins and normal CD11a. Flow cytometry analysis of CD18/CD11a expression was assessed by dimer-specific IB4 monoclonal antibody. Results Two previously reported mutations and one novel mutation,p. Cys562Tyr, were found. All mutations reduced CD18/CD11 heterodimer expression. Conclusion Our strategy recognized the p.Cys562Tyr mutation as a pathogenic alteration that does not support CD18 heterodimer formation. Therefore, it can be put into a panel of carrier and prenatal diagnosis programs. Keywords Leukocyte adhesion deficiency type I Immunodeficiency Mutation Genetic testing CD1