Little Pink Bush, Drive Through Movie

Little Pink Bush, Drive Through Movie is a collaboration between UK artists Lewis Paul, Sarah Taylor, and American artists Deen Modino and Nicholas J Coste

Expression of Telomerase and Telomere Length Are Unaffected by either Age or Limb Regeneration in Danio rerio

BACKGROUND:The zebrafish is an increasingly popular model for studying many aspects of biology. Recently, ztert, the zebrafish homolog of the mammalian telomerase gene has been cloned and sequenced. In contrast to humans, it has been shown that the zebrafish maintains telomerase activity for much of its adult life and has remarkable regenerative capacity. To date, there has been no longitudinal study to assess whether this retention of telomerase activity equates to the retention of chromosome telomere length through adulthood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:We have systematically analyzed individual organs of zebrafish with regard to both telomere length and telomerase activity at various time points in its adult life. Heart, gills, kidney, spleen, liver, and intestine were evaluated at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 2 years of age by Southern blot analysis. We found that telomeres do not appreciably shorten throughout the lifespan of the zebrafish in any organ. In addition, there was little difference in telomere lengths between organs. Even when cells were under the highest pressure to divide after fin-clipping experiments, telomere length was unaffected. All aged (2 year old) tissues examined also expressed active amounts of telomerase activity as assessed by TRAP assay. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:In contrast to several other species including humans, the retention of lifelong telomerase and telomeres, as we have reported here, would be necessary in the zebrafish to maintain its tremendous regenerative capacity. The ongoing study of the zebrafish's ability to maintain telomerase activity may be helpful in unraveling the complexity involved in the maintenance (or lack thereof) of telomeres in other species such the mouse or human

Gene-enhanced tissue engineering for dental hard tissue regeneration: (2) dentin-pulp and periodontal regeneration

Potential applications for gene-based tissue engineering therapies in the oral and maxillofacial complex include the delivery of growth factors for periodontal regeneration, pulp capping/dentin regeneration, and bone grafting of large osseous defects in dental and craniofacial reconstruction. Part 1 reviewed the principals of gene-enhanced tissue engineering and the techniques of introducing DNA into cells. This manuscript will review recent advances in gene-based therapies for dental hard tissue regeneration, specifically as it pertains to dentin regeneration/pulp capping and periodontal regeneration

Tissue engineering of teeth using adult stem cells

Tooth development, a process which occurs in the developing embryo, involves the reciprocal and sequential signalling between epithelial and mesenchymal tissue of the developing first branchial arch. The oral epithelium produces the first inductive signals for odontogenesis at around E10.0, which trigger off a cascade of events that result in the formation of a tooth. We have engineered a tooth in vitro by harnessing the basic principles of odontogenesis and the inductive capability of the oral epithelium of the developing embryo. We replaced the mesenchymal portion of the developing mandibular primordium with aggregates of stem cells from embryos as well as stem cells taken from adult mice. The cell aggregates were covered with embryonic epithelium from E10.0 mouse embryos to form recombinant explants. In vitro culture of these recombinant explants resulted in the induction of early tooth marker genes in the cell aggregates, indicating that the cells were able to respond to the odontogenic signals produced by the oral epithelium. In vivo culture of explants resulted in the induction of Dspp within the cell aggregates indicating that tooth tissue was present. Three recombinant explants, where the cell aggregates consisted of adult bone marrow cells, produced teeth. To determine whether the oral cavity would be able to sustain the growth of an implanted tooth germ, E14.5 molar rudiments were implanted into the diastema region of the maxilla of adult mice. The resulting teeth appeared to be normal in size and were connected to the underlying bone. These experiments are an indication that it is possible to induce odontogenesis and engineer a tooth using adult cells of non-dental origin. They also indicate that developing tooth germs could be successfully implanted into the gingiva of patients

Stem-cell-based tissue engineering of murine teeth

Teeth develop from reciprocal interactions between mesenchyme cells and epithelium, where the epithelium provides the instructive information for initiation. Based on these initial tissue interactions, we have replaced the mesenchyme cells with mesenchyme created by aggregation of cultured non-dental stem cells in mice. Recombinations between non-dental cell-derived mesenchyme and embryonic oral epithelium stimulate an odontogenic response in the stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, neural stem cells, and adult bone-marrow-derived cells all responded by expressing odontogenic genes. Transfer of recombinations into adult renal capsules resulted in the development of tooth structures and associated bone. Moreover, transfer of embryonic tooth primordia into the adult jaw resulted in development of tooth structures, showing that an embryonic primordium can develop in its adult environment. These results thus provide a significant advance toward the creation of artificial embryonic tooth primordia from cultured cells that can be used to replace missing teeth following transplantation into the adult mouth

Grandes variaciones en la utilización de pruebas por imagen en el diagnóstico y seguimiento de los pacientes con ictus

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Imaging diagnosis is essential for treatment planning in stroke patients. However, use of these techniques varies due to uncertainty about their effectiveness. Our purpose was to describe the use of CT and MRI in stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA) over 5years in hospitals belonging to the Canary Islands Health Service and analyse interhospital variability based on routinely collected administrative data. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We gathered the minimum basic dataset (MBDS) from patients diagnosed with stroke or TIA between 2005 and 2010 in 4hospitals. Patients' age, sex, procedures, secondary diagnoses, and duration of hospital stay were also recorded. We conducted a descriptive analysis of patient characteristics and a bivariate analysis using the t test and the chi square test to detect differences between patients assessed and not assessed with MRI. Logistic regression was used to analyse unequal access to MRI. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our study included 10,487 patients (8,571 with stroke and 1,916 with TIA). The percentage of stroke patients undergoing a CT scan increased from 89.47% in 2005 to 91.50% in 2010. In these patients, use of MRI also increased from 25.41% in 2005 to 36.02% in 2010. Among patients with TIA, use of CT increased from 84.64% to 88.04% and MRI from 32.53% to 39.13%. According to our results, female sex, younger age, and presence of comorbidities increase the likelihood of undergoing MRI.S

Metástasis óseas y compresión medular como debut de carcinoma folicular de tiroides

En el carcinoma de tiroides, las metástasis a distancia son poco frecuentes (10-15% de los folículares). Los sitios más comunes son pulmón, huesos (presentación en forma de lesiones líticas), el cerebro, el hígado, la vejiga y la piel. El diagnóstico de carcinoma folicular a través de una complicación de la metástasis es excepcional, pero se debe considerar en el diagnóstico diferencial de una fractura patológica. Presentamos tres casos de aparición excepcional

Convulsiones secundarias a hipomagnesemia severa en paciente con intestino corto Seizures secondary to hypomagnesemia in patients with short bowel syndrome

El Magnesio (Mg) es el cuarto catión más abundante en el organismo y juega un papel fundamental en numerosas funciones celulares, como la glucólisis o el metabolismo energético¹. Su déficit puede originar alteraciones gastrointestinales, cardiovasculares y neurológicas. Dentro de estas últimas, la sintomatología puede oscilar desde debilidad muscular y parestesias, hasta letargo, hiperreflexia, ataxia, tetania, convulsiones y coma². Presentamos el caso de un varón de 65 años con intestino corto secundario a una amplia resección intestinal por neoplasia de sigma y peritonitis fecaloidea posterior, con ileostomía terminal, que presentó varios episodios de crisis convulsivas tónico-clónicas secundarias a déficit severo de magnesio, como consecuencia de una disminución en la absorción intestinal por pérdidas por una ileostomía de alto débito. Tras instaurar tratamiento con magnesio intravenoso (iv) se consiguieron normalizar sus niveles plasmáticos. Posteriormente se instauraron recomendaciones dietéticas y tratamiento farmacológico, así como Magnesio oral a dosis altas y Calcitriol para incrementar su absorción, pudiendo ser dado de alta.Magnesium (Mg) is the fourth most abundant cation in the body and plays a key role in numerous cellular functions such as glycolysis and energy metabolism. Its deficit may cause gastrointestinal disturbances, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Among the latter, the symptoms may range from muscle weakness and numbness, to lethargy, hyperreflexia, ataxia, tetany, convulsions and coma. We report the case of a man of 65 with short bowel syndrome secondary to extensive bowel resection for sigma neoplasm and subsequent peritonitis, with end ileostomy, who presented several episodes of tonic-clonic seizures secondary to severe magnesium deficiency as a result a decrease in intestinal absorption of losses for high debit ileostomy. After beginning treatment with intravenous magnesium (iv) resulted in plasma levels normalize. Subsequently instituted dietary and pharmacologic treatment recommendations as well as magnesium and highdose oral calcitriol to increase their absorption

History matters : societal acceptance of deep-sea mining and incipient conflicts in Papua New Guinea

New marine industries that develop and grow in response to the changing demand for their products have the potential to exert pressure on fragile marine environments. These emerging industries can benefit local communities but equally can have negative environmental and socio-cultural impacts. The development of new and emerging industries, like deep seabed mining (DSM), requires the acceptance and involvement of local communities. Yet, the history of marine exploitation is imbued with conflicts between industries and local communities. This paper presents a DSM case study in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to stimulate debate around the potential for conflict in the pursuit of resource extraction from the deep sea and the social and environmental harm that these extractions can cause. We do so by first presenting a timeline of local and extra-local events and enabling conditions that form the development background for the DSM Solwara 1 project in PNG. We then undertake a media narrative analysis to consider the contribution of aspects of social acceptability to this highly complex and multi-scale conflict. We find that the lack of (or a decrease in) social acceptability contributed to the conflict situation and ultimately the demise of the Solwara 1 project. Extra-locally, the initial development was positively framed around solutions for decarbonisation using new technology. Over time, actions by international NGOs, financial issues related to foreign companies, and asymmetry in the power balance between the Pacific Island nation and global businesses played a role in growing negative perceptions of acceptability. Historical experiences with prior environmental mining disasters, together with sea tenure governance challenges, and a lack of community and stakeholder acceptance also contributed to the demise of the project. Untangling and debating these complex interactions provides context and reasons for the tension between the lack of societal acceptance at a local scale and the perceived need for DSM products in the global North for innovative technologies and decarbonising societies. Better understanding these interactions and tensions can help emerging industries navigate a future blue economy