Understanding the impact of bioactive coating materials for human mesenchymal stromal cells and implications for manufacturing

Bioactive materials interact with cells and modulate their characteristics which enable the generation of cell-based products with desired specifications. However, their evaluation and impact are often overlooked when establishing a cell therapy manufacturing process. In this study, we investigated the role of different surfaces for tissue culture including, untreated polystyrene surface, uncoated Cyclic Olefin Polymer (COP) and COP coated with collagen and recombinant fibronectin. It was observed that human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) expanded on COP-coated plates with different bioactive materials resulted in improved cell growth kinetics compared to traditional polystyrene plates and non-coated COP plates. The doubling time obtained was 2.78 and 3.02 days for hMSC seeded in COP plates coated with collagen type I and recombinant fibronectin respectively, and 4.64 days for cells plated in standard polystyrene treated plates. Metabolite analysis reinforced the findings of the growth kinetic studies, specifically that cells cultured on COP plates coated with collagen I and fibronectin exhibited improved growth as evidenced by a higher lactate production rate (9.38 × 105 and 9.67 × 105 pmol/cell/day, respectively) compared to cells from the polystyrene group (5.86 × 105 pmol/cell/day). This study demonstrated that COP is an effective alternative to polystyrene-treated plates when coated with bioactive materials such as collagen and fibronectin, however COP-treated plates without additional coatings were found not to be sufficient to support cell growth. These findings demonstrate the key role biomaterials play in the cell manufacturing process and the importance of optimising this selection

The diagnostic strength of the 24-h pad test for self-reported symptoms of urinary incontinence in pregnancy and after childbirth

The clinical impact of incontinence in pregnancy and after childbirth is growing because some studies report the efficacy of physiotherapy in pregnancy and because obstetric choices are supposed to have significant impact on post-reproductive urinary function (Goldberg et al. in Am J Obstet Gynecol 188:1447–1450, 2003). Thus, the need for objective measurement of urinary incontinence in pregnancy is growing. Data on pad testing in pregnancy are lacking. We assessed the clinical relevance of the 24-h pad test during pregnancy and after childbirth, compared with data on self-reported symptoms of urinary incontinence and visual analogue score. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve, the diagnostic value of pad testing for measuring (severity of) self-reported incontinence during pregnancy is not of clinical relevance. However, for the purposes of research, pad tests, combined with subjective/qualitative considerations, play a critical role in allowing comparisons across studies, quantifying the amount of urine loss and establishing a measure of severity

Increasing condom use in heterosexual men: development of a theory-based interactive digital intervention

Increasing condom use to prevent sexually transmitted infections is a key public health goal. Interventions are more likely to be effective if they are theory- and evidence-based. The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) provides a framework for intervention development. To provide an example of how the BCW was used to develop an intervention to increase condom use in heterosexual men (the MenSS website), the steps of the BCW intervention development process were followed, incorporating evidence from the research literature and views of experts and the target population. Capability (e.g. knowledge) and motivation (e.g. beliefs about pleasure) were identified as important targets of the intervention. We devised ways to address each intervention target, including selecting interactive features and behaviour change techniques. The BCW provides a useful framework for integrating sources of evidence to inform intervention content and deciding which influences on behaviour to target

Interleukin-17D and Nrf2 mediate initial innate immune cell recruitment and restrict MCMV infection.

Innate immune cells quickly infiltrate the site of pathogen entry and not only stave off infection but also initiate antigen presentation and promote adaptive immunity. The recruitment of innate leukocytes has been well studied in the context of extracellular bacterial and fungal infection but less during viral infections. We have recently shown that the understudied cytokine Interleukin (IL)-17D can mediate neutrophil, natural killer (NK) cell and monocyte infiltration in sterile inflammation and cancer. Herein, we show that early immune cell accumulation at the peritoneal site of infection by mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is mediated by IL-17D. Mice deficient in IL-17D or the transcription factor Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), an inducer of IL-17D, featured an early decreased number of innate immune cells at the point of viral entry and were more susceptible to MCMV infection. Interestingly, we were able to artificially induce innate leukocyte infiltration by applying the Nrf2 activator tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ), which rendered mice less susceptible to MCMV infection. Our results implicate the Nrf2/IL-17D axis as a sensor of viral infection and suggest therapeutic benefit in boosting this pathway to promote innate antiviral responses

Glucose Monitoring During Pregnancy

Self-monitoring of blood glucose in women with mild gestational diabetes has recently been proven to be useful in reducing the rates of fetal overgrowth and gestational weight gain. However, uncertainty remains with respect to the optimal frequency and timing of self-monitoring. A continuous glucose monitoring system may have utility in pregnant women with insulin-treated diabetes, especially for those women with blood sugars that are difficult to control or who experience nocturnal hypoglycemia; however, continuous glucose monitoring systems need additional study as part of larger, randomized trials

JWST/MIRI Data Reduction and Products

The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is one of four science instruments to be flown aboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). MIRI operates from 5 to 28.5 microns and provides a suite of versatile capabilities including imaging, low-resolution spectroscopy (LRS), medium-resolution spectroscopy (MRS) via an integral field unit, and coronagraphy. The MIRI pipeline consists of three stages: 1) Raw to Slope Images, 2) Calibrated Slope Images, and 3) Multiple Exposures Combined. The pipeline is designed to provide well-calibrated, high level data products that maximize the scientific return from the instrument

Low back pain beliefs are associated to age, location of work, education and pain-related disability in Chinese healthcare, professionals working in China: a cross sectinal survey

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Evidence pointing towards a more efficacious model of care using a biopsychosocial approach for LBP management highlights the need to understand the pain-related beliefs of patients and those who treat them. The beliefs held by healthcare professionals (HCPs) are known to influence the treatment advice given to patients and consequently management outcomes. Back pain beliefs are known to be influenced by factors such as culture, education, health literacy, place of work, personal experience of LBP and the sequelae of LBP such as disability. There is currently a knowledge gap among these relationships in non-western countries. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between LBP-related beliefs among Chinese HCPs and characteristics of these HCPs. Methods: A convenience sample of 432 HCPs working in various health settings in Shanghai, China, completed a series of questionnaires assessing their demographic characteristics, LBP status, pain-related disability and their beliefs about their own LBP experience, using the Back beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) and the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ).Results: Younger Chinese HCPs (20–29 years) held more negative beliefs and attitudes related to LBP compared to older HCPs (>40years; BBQ mean difference [95% CI]: 2.4 [0.9 - 3.9], p = 0.001). HCPs working outside tertiary hospitals had poorer beliefs concerning the inevitable consequences of LBP (BBQ mean difference [95% CI]: -2.4 [-3.8 - -1.0], p = 0.001). HCPs who experienced LBP had higher level of fear avoidance beliefs when experiencing high LBP-related disability (FABQ-physical mean difference [95% CI]: 2.8 [1.5 - 4.1], p < 0.001; FABQ-work mean difference [95% CI]: 6.2 [4.0 - 8.4], p < 0.001)) and had lower level of fear avoidance beliefs if they had completed postgraduate study(FABQ-physical mean difference [95% CI]: 2.9 [-5.8 - 0.0], p = 0.049).Conclusion: This study suggests that LBP-related beliefs and attitudes among Chinese HCPs are influenced by age, location of work, level of LBP-related disability and education level. Understanding back pain beliefs of Chinese HCPs forms an important foundation for future studies into the condition and its management in China