Adhesive and mechanical regulation of mesenchymal stem cell differentiation in human bone marrow and periosteum-derived progenitor cells

It has previously been demonstrated that cell shape can influence commitment of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMCs) to adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, and other lineages. Human periosteum-derived cells (hPDCs) exhibit multipotency similar to hBMCs, but hPDCs may offer enhanced potential for osteogenesis and chondrogenesis given their apparent endogenous role in bone and cartilage repair in vivo. Here, we examined whether hPDC differentiation is regulated by adhesive and mechanical cues comparable to that reported for hBMC differentiation. When cultured in the appropriate induction media, hPDCs at high cell seeding density demonstrated enhanced levels of adipogenic or chondrogenic markers as compared with hPDCs at low cell seeding density. Cell seeding density correlated inversely with projected area of cell spreading, and directly limiting cell spreading with micropatterned substrates promoted adipogenesis or chondrogenesis while substrates promoting cell spreading supported osteogenesis. Interestingly, cell seeding density influenced differentiation through both changes in cell shape and non-shape-mediated effects: density-dependent adipogenesis and chondrogenesis were regulated primarily by cell shape whereas non-shape effects strongly influenced osteogenic potential. Inhibition of cytoskeletal contractility by adding the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632 further enhanced adipogenic differentiation and discouraged osteogenic differentiation of hPDCs. Together, our results suggest that multipotent lineage decisions of hPDCs are impacted by cell adhesive and mechanical cues, though to different extents than hBMCs. Thus, future studies of hPDCs and other primary stem cell populations with clinical potential should consider varying biophysical metrics for more thorough optimization of stem cell differentiation.R01 EB000262 - NIBIB NIH HHS; R01 GM060692 - NIGMS NIH HHSPublished versio

Economic Patterns in Voting

After the controversial election of 2016, many questions were left unanswered by traditional polling and prediction standards. Our paper aims to examine economic and demographic behaviors that drive voting patterns in three key Rust Belt states. After examining several pivotal works, we describe their contribution to the literature, and explain how our work will contribute to the research discussed. We then proceed to examine American Community Survey data for years predating general elections in the three pivotal states – Illinois, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania – examining each at the county level. Our results suggest several important factors in voter decisions, especially when examining the interactions between demographic factors and economic factors. Consequently, we find that while economic factors may be significant in voter decisions, they may not be key in voter decisions

Hubungan Antara Merokok Dengan Terjadinya Disfungsi Ereksi Pada Sopir Angkutan Umum Di Terminal Karombasan Manado

: Smoking habit has become a culture in many countries in the world. During smoking, each cigarette can release morre than 4000 toxic chemicals such as nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, and black tin. Smoking can cause health problem inter alia erectile dysfunction. This study was aimed to analyze the relationship between smoking and erectile dysfunction among public transportation drivers. This was an analytical survey study with a cross sectional design conducted at Terminal Karombasan Manado. There were 60 drivers as respondents. Data of respondent characteristic were obtained by interview and filling the IIEF questionnaires (International Index of Erectile Function) given directly to the respondents. The results showed that of 60 drivers, there were 86.7% that had erectile dysfunction. The Chi-square test analyzing the relationship between smoking and erectile dysfunction showed a p value of 0.04. Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between smoking and erectile dysfunction among drivers of public transportation at Terminal Karombasan Manado

Development and validation of a chemostat gut model to study both planktonic and biofilm modes of growth of Clostridium difficile and human microbiota

Copyright: 2014 Crowther et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.The human gastrointestinal tract harbours a complex microbial community which exist in planktonic and sessile form. The degree to which composition and function of faecal and mucosal microbiota differ remains unclear. We describe the development and characterisation of an in vitro human gut model, which can be used to facilitate the formation and longitudinal analysis of mature mixed species biofilms. This enables the investigation of the role of biofilms in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). A well established and validated human gut model of simulated CDI was adapted to incorporate glass rods that create a solid-gaseous-liquid interface for biofilm formation. The continuous chemostat model was inoculated with a pooled human faecal emulsion and controlled to mimic colonic conditions in vivo. Planktonic and sessile bacterial populations were enumerated for up to 46 days. Biofilm consistently formed macroscopic structures on all glass rods over extended periods of time, providing a framework to sample and analyse biofilm structures independently. Whilst variation in biofilm biomass is evident between rods, populations of sessile bacterial groups (log10 cfu/g of biofilm) remain relatively consistent between rods at each sampling point. All bacterial groups enumerated within the planktonic communities were also present within biofilm structures. The planktonic mode of growth of C. difficile and gut microbiota closely reflected observations within the original gut model. However, distinct differences were observed in the behaviour of sessile and planktonic C. difficile populations, with C. difficile spores preferentially persisting within biofilm structures. The redesigned biofilm chemostat model has been validated for reproducible and consistent formation of mixed species intestinal biofilms. This model can be utilised for the analysis of sessile mixed species communities longitudinally, potentially providing information of the role of biofilms in CDI.Peer reviewe

Novice Teachers: Do They Use What We Teach Them?

Teacher educators frequently engage in some rather agonizing soul searching regarding their effectiveness in preparing preservice teachers. Students pass through their classes, go on to other classes, and eventually they are in the real world of the classroom. Teacher educators seldom get direct feedback from students as to the relevance or the value of the instruction they received. Lacking this feedback, teacher educators who teach from a whole language perspective frequently question whether students actually use the instructional strategies they were taught in their reading courses, or whether they choose the more traditional basal reader approach

Size-Dependent Deposition, Translocation, and Microglial Activation of Inhaled Silver Nanoparticles in the Rodent Nose and Brain.

BackgroundSilver nanoparticles (AgNP) are present in personal, commercial, and industrial products, which are often aerosolized. Current understanding of the deposition, translocation, and health-related impacts of AgNP inhalation is limited.ObjectivesWe determined a) the deposition and retention of inhaled Ag in the nasal cavity from nose-only exposure; b) the timing for Ag translocation to and retention/clearance in the olfactory bulb (OB); and c) whether the presence of Ag in the OB affects microglial activity.MethodsMale Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed nose-only to citrate-buffered 20- or 110-nm AgNP (C20 or C110, respectively) or citrate buffer alone for 6 hr. The nasal cavity and OB were examined for the presence of Ag and for biological responses up to 56 days post-exposure (8 weeks).ResultsThe highest nasal Ag deposition was observed on Day 0 for both AgNP sizes. Inhalation of aerosolized C20 resulted in rapid translocation of Ag to the OB and in microglial activation at Days 0, 1, and 7. In contrast, inhalation of C110 resulted in a gradual but progressive transport of Ag to and retention in the OB, with a trend for microglial activation to variably be above control.ConclusionsThe results of this study show that after rats experienced a 6-hr inhalation exposure to 20- and 110-nm AgNP at a single point in time, Ag deposition in the nose, the rate of translocation to the brain, and subsequent microglial activation in the OB differed depending on AgNP size and time since exposure. Citation: Patchin ES, Anderson DS, Silva RM, Uyeminami DL, Scott GM, Guo T, Van Winkle LS, Pinkerton KE. 2016. Size-dependent deposition, translocation, and microglial activation of inhaled silver nanoparticles in the rodent nose and brain. Environ Health Perspect 124:1870-1875; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP234

ADR Accounting Principles Choice And The Market Reaction To Form 20-F

In this study, we conjecture that non-U.S. firms, choosing to be listed on the major U.S. exchanges, will incur the added costs associated with the supplemental disclosure requirements in order to get that information impounded in the home country equity share price via the ADR share price in the manner described by Fishman and Hagerty (1989).  More specifically, we evaluate the equity share response to U.S.-listed ADR Form 20-F filing in a manner similar to Chen and Sami (2009, 2008) anticipating that the incremental disclosures will prompt ADR and equity security share responses.  Unlike prior studies, we investigate whether the Form 20-F filings prompt U.S. dominant cross-market information flows from the ADR share market back to the home country equity share market proportional to the incremental Form 20-F information.  We employ bivariate and single equation models of the cross-market ADR and equity security share response to the filing, controlling for the firm-specific Form 20-F accounting principles choice.  Preliminary results indicate that both ADR and equity security share markets respond to the Form 20-F filing.  There is a strong indication that the U.S. ADR share market response dominates the cross-market information flow driving the home country equity share market response.  Furthermore, we find that the cross-market response to ADR Form 20-F filing is not equal across the three available accounting principle choices in either the ADR share market or the home country equity share market. Our results are consistent with U.S. GAAP conveying the most of new price relevant information, IFRS, and local accounting standards being informative but not to the same extent

The Essence of Transpersonal Psychology Contemporary Views

The authors compiled 80 chronologically ordered passages from the contemporary psychology literature that address the essence of transpersonal psychology. A thematic analysis of these passages revealed that the two most frequent categories, occurring 53 (66.2%) and 49 (61.2%) times respectively, were: (a) Going beyond or transcending the individual, ego, self, the personal, personality, or personal identity; existence of a deeper, true, or authentic Self; and (b) Spirituality, psychospiritual, psychospiritual development, the spiritual, spirit. Other, less frequent, themes included: special states of consciousness; interconnectivity/unity; going beyond other schools of psychology; emphasis on a scientific approach; mysticism; full range of consciousness; greater potential; inclusion of non-Western psychologies; meditation; and existence of a wider reality