Magnetofection potentiates gene delivery to cultured endothelial cells

Modification of cellular functions by overexpression of genes is increasingly practised for research of signalling pathways, but restricted by limitations of low efficiency. We investigated whether the novel technique of magnetofection (MF) could enhance gene transfer to cultured primary endothelial cells. MF of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) increased transfection efficiency of a luciferase reporter gene up to 360-fold compared to various conventional transfection systems. In contrast, there was only an up to 1.6-fold increase in toxicity caused by MF suggesting that the advantages of MF outbalanced the increase in toxicity. MF efficiently increased transfection efficiency using several commercially available cationic lipid transfection reagents and polyethyleneimine (PEI). Using PEI, even confluent HUVEC could be efficiently transfected to express luciferase activity. Using a green fluorescent protein vector maximum percentages of transfected cells amounted up to 38.7% while PEI without MF resulted in only 1.3% transfected cells. Likewise, in porcine aortic endothelial cells MF increased expression of a luciferase or beta-galactosidase reporter, reaching an efficiency of 37.5% of cells. MF is an effective tool for pDNA transfection of endothelial cells allowing high efficiencies. It may be of great use for investigating protein function in cell culture experiments

Disproving the myth of racial harassment and trauma among Indonesian Americans

Racial trauma among Asians, including Indonesians, has increased dramatically in the United States. While many studies have been written about the significance of recurring race-related traumatic incidents, the broader meaning of the unexpected and dark side of racial trauma experiences among Indonesians who reside in the United States is under-reported. This study aims to explore the meaning of experience dealing with racial trauma among Indonesians living in the United States using a qualitative phenomenological approach. We conducted in-depth interviews via the Zoom platform with a nationally representative purposive sample of 16 adults aged 26 and older. In analyzing this phenomenological study, all stages of phenomenological reduction were used. The findings demonstrate that racial trauma among Indonesian Americans can be categorized into three themes: 1) feeling sad and angry, 2) being exhausted, and 3) suffering physically. Therefore, the myth that Asian Americans are immune to racism and its effects is not necessarily true. This study also offers implications for future research on racial understanding and discussion

Disproving the myth of racial harassment and trauma among Indonesian Americans

Racial trauma among Asians, including Indonesians, has increased dramatically in the United States. While many studies have been written about the significance of recurring race-related traumatic incidents, the broader meaning of the unexpected and dark side of racial trauma experiences among Indonesians who reside in the United States is under-reported. This study aims to explore the meaning of experience dealing with racial trauma among Indonesians living in the United States using a qualitative phenomenological approach. We conducted in-depth interviews via the Zoom platform with a nationally representative purposive sample of 16 adults aged 26 and older. In analyzing this phenomenological study, all stages of phenomenological reduction were used. The findings demonstrate that racial trauma among Indonesian Americans can be categorized into three themes: 1) feeling sad and angry, 2) being exhausted, and 3) suffering physically. Therefore, the myth that Asian Americans are immune to racism and its effects is not necessarily true. This study also offers implications for future research on racial understanding and discussion

Crucial role of local peroxynitrite formation in neutrophil-induced endothelial cell activation

Introduction and methods: The reaction of superoxide anions and NO not only results in a decreased availability of NO, but also leads to the formation of peroxynitrite, the role of which in the cardiovascular system is still discussed controversially. In cultured human endothelial cells, we studied whether there is a significant interaction between endothelial NO and neutrophil-derived superoxide anions in terms of endothelial peroxynitrite formation. We particularly studied whether a significantly higher redox-stress can be found in those endothelial cells directly adjacent to an activated neutrophil. Results: A considerable part of the 2,7-dihydrodichlorofluoresceine signal in endothelial cells was due to oxidation by peroxynitrite. Providing superoxide radicals by enzymatic source or by the neutrophil respiratory burst increased the fluorescence, which was attenuated by blockade of endothelial NO-synthase, suggesting that peroxynitrite was formed from neutrophil- or extracellular enzyme-derived superoxide and endothelial NO. Considerably higher fluorescence intensity was observed in endothelial cells in direct neighborhood to a neutrophil. This was particularly pronounced in the presence of a NO-donor and was accompanied by a strong activation of NF-κB and increased expression of E-selectin in these cells. Conclusion: Endothelial cells adjacent to neutrophils may have elevated levels of peroxynitrite that result in an increased expression of adhesion molecules. Such cells might represent a preferential site for adhesion and migration of additional neutrophils when simultaneously high concentrations of NO and neutrophil-derived superoxide are present

Health care provided to recent asylumseeking and non-asylum-seeking pediatric patients in 2016 and 2017 at a Swiss tertiary hospital - a retrospective study

Background Asylum-seeking children represent an increasing and vulnerable group of patients whose health needs are largely unmet. Data on the health care provision to asylum-seeking children in European contexts is scarce. In this study we compare the health care provided to recent asylum-seeking and non-asylum-seeking children at a Swiss tertiary hospital. Methods We performed a cross-sectional retrospective study in a pediatric tertiary care hospital in Basel, Switzerland. All patients and visits from January 2016 to December 2017 were identified, using administrative and medical electronic health records. The asylum-seeking status was systematically assessed and the patients were allocated accordingly in the two study groups. Results A total of 202,316 visits by 55,789 patients were included, of which asylum-seeking patients accounted for 1674 (1%) visits by 439 (1%) individuals. The emergency department recorded the highest number of visits in both groups with a lower proportion in asylum-seeking compared to non-asylum-seeking children: 19% (317/1674) and 32% (64,315/200,642) respectively. The median number of visits per patient was 1 (IQR 1–2) in the asylum-seeking and 2 (IQR 1–4) in the non-asylum-seeking children. Hospital admissions were more common in asylum-seeking compared to non-asylum-seeking patients with 11% (184/1674) and 7% (14,692/200,642). Frequent visits (> 15 visits per patient) accounted for 48% (807/1674) of total visits in asylum-seeking and 25% (49,886/200,642) of total visits in non-asylum-seeking patients. Conclusions Hospital visits by asylum-seeking children represented a small proportion of all visits. The emergency department had the highest number of visits in all patients but was less frequently used by asylum-seeking children. Frequent care suggests that asylum-seeking patients also present with more complex diseases. Further studies are needed, focusing on asylum-seeking children with medical complexity.publishedVersio

Chemical interdiffusion between Na-series tephritic and phonolitic melts with different H2O content, temperature, and oxygen fugacity values

The diffusive exchange of major elements in Na-series tephrite–phonolite diffusion couples with compositions relevant to the Canary Islands magmatism was determined at 300 MPa and variable H2O concentrations (0.3 wt % to 3.3 wt %), temperatures (1150 to 1300 °C), and fO2 levels (NNO−1.5 to NNO+1.7). Composition-dependent effective binary diffusion coefficients were determined from concentration–distance profiles. Results show a wide range of diffusivities for different cations, consistently following the sequence Na Al K ≥ Mg = Fe = Ca > Si > Ti, with a mild diffusivity contrast (0.2–0.8 log units) between tephritic and phonolitic melts. Na is the fastest component, with diffusivities falling ∼ 1.0 log units above those of Si for any given condition. An anomalously fast Al diffusion is observed, with DAl falling ∼ 0.4 log units above Si and ∼ 0.6 log units below Na, suggesting a prevalence of Al–alkali coupling across our range of run conditions. The relationships between log D and H2O content in melt for all cations in an intermediate composition are strongly nonlinear and can be fitted using an exponential function with a convergence in diffusion coefficients for different temperatures with increasing H2O content. Thus, Arrhenius analyses result in a decrease in activation energies from 222–293 kJ mol−1 at 1.7 wt % H2O to 48–112 kJ mol−1 at 3.0 wt % H2O. These results provide new data on chemical interdiffusion in highly alkaline Na-rich melts and suggest that H2O content plays a key role in increasing the chemical efficiency of magma mixing at low temperatures. The obtained dataset is used to test chemical controls of magma mixing in the El Abrigo ignimbrite, Tenerife, where banded pumices involving basanitic–tephritic to phonolitic magmas are common in several compositionally bimodal ignimbrite units

BDAQ53, a versatile pixel detector readout and test system for the ATLAS and CMS HL-LHC upgrades

BDAQ53 is a readout system and verification framework for hybrid pixel detector readout chips of the RD53 family. These chips are designed for the upgrade of the inner tracking detectors of the ATLAS and CMS experiments. BDAQ53 is used in applications where versatility and rapid customization are required, such as in laboratory testing environments, test beam campaigns, and permanent setups for quality control measurements. It consists of custom and commercial hardware, a Python-based software framework, and FPGA firmware. BDAQ53 is developed as open source software with both software and firmware being hosted in a public repository.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure