28 research outputs found
Biphasic Electrical Currents Stimulation Promotes both Proliferation and Differentiation of Fetal Neural Stem Cells
The use of non-chemical methods to differentiate stem cells has attracted
researchers from multiple disciplines, including the engineering and the
biomedical fields. No doubt, growth factor based methods are still the most
dominant of achieving some level of proliferation and differentiation control -
however, chemical based methods are still limited by the quality, source, and
amount of the utilized reagents. Well-defined non-chemical methods to
differentiate stem cells allow stem cell scientists to control stem cell biology
by precisely administering the pre-defined parameters, whether they are
structural cues, substrate stiffness, or in the form of current flow. We have
developed a culture system that allows normal stem cell growth and the option of
applying continuous and defined levels of electric current to alter the cell
biology of growing cells. This biphasic current stimulator chip employing ITO
electrodes generates both positive and negative currents in the same culture
chamber without affecting surface chemistry. We found that biphasic electrical
currents (BECs) significantly increased the proliferation of fetal neural stem
cells (NSCs). Furthermore, BECs also promoted the differentiation of fetal NSCs
into neuronal cells, as assessed using immunocytochemistry. Our results clearly
show that BECs promote both the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of
fetal NSCs. It may apply to the development of strategies that employ NSCs in
the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's
and Parkinson's diseases
Biphasic Electrical Currents Stimulation Promotes both Proliferation and Differentiation of Fetal Neural Stem Cells
The use of non-chemical methods to differentiate stem cells has attracted
researchers from multiple disciplines, including the engineering and the
biomedical fields. No doubt, growth factor based methods are still the most
dominant of achieving some level of proliferation and differentiation control -
however, chemical based methods are still limited by the quality, source, and
amount of the utilized reagents. Well-defined non-chemical methods to
differentiate stem cells allow stem cell scientists to control stem cell biology
by precisely administering the pre-defined parameters, whether they are
structural cues, substrate stiffness, or in the form of current flow. We have
developed a culture system that allows normal stem cell growth and the option of
applying continuous and defined levels of electric current to alter the cell
biology of growing cells. This biphasic current stimulator chip employing ITO
electrodes generates both positive and negative currents in the same culture
chamber without affecting surface chemistry. We found that biphasic electrical
currents (BECs) significantly increased the proliferation of fetal neural stem
cells (NSCs). Furthermore, BECs also promoted the differentiation of fetal NSCs
into neuronal cells, as assessed using immunocytochemistry. Our results clearly
show that BECs promote both the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of
fetal NSCs. It may apply to the development of strategies that employ NSCs in
the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's
and Parkinson's diseases
Effective psychotherapy with low-income clients: The importance of attending to social class
The purpose of this article is to explore some of the issues associated with conducting psychotherapy with low-income clients. Throughout the article, we draw from our specific clinical experiences working with low-income Latina mothers in a depression prevention program. The themes that we address regarding class and psychotherapy are in the areas of assessment of social class, integration of class issues into the therapy process, and managing differences in social class between therapists and clients. As we discuss these themes, we provide concrete recommendations in order to advance awareness and effectiveness in working with economically disadvantaged populations. Ā© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011
An investigation into triple bottom line value of Pavegen tiles : installation at UBC
It has been proposed to install eight Pavegen tiles in the new Student Union Building (SUB) at
UBC. Each tile produces 3J of energy when stepped on and the combined purchase, shipping,
and installation cost of eight tiles is 30 244.27, the internal rate of return to be -66.18% and the payback period
to be 303 149 years. Environmental indicators found that the energy required to produce and to
ship the device to be 142.88MJ while it would only generate 6MJ over its lifetime. Needless to
say the economic and environmental analysis both show significant loss. Moreover, the device
cannot be called āsustainableā because it produces net negative energy over its cradle-to-grave
life. The social indicators show the potential to reach 40 000 students over the life of the device
which can be either very positive or very negative depending on peopleās reaction. Unfortunately
anyone who discovers the economic and especially the environmental indicators, will likely
develop a negative reaction. Hence, it is not recommended to purchase the Pavegen tiles.
Both primary and secondary research was performed. Secondary research included books,
internet sources, Pavegen customer information sheets, and AMS information sheets. Primary
research included a student survey and a faculty survey. Many details about the product were not
available due to intellectual property limitations and so numerous assumptions and estimates
were made. A sensitivity analysis was performed where possible to asses the effect of variations
in the assumptions. It was determined that the overall conclusion would not be affected by such
variations. Assumptions made included: no maintenance costs, all tiles reach their full lifetime,
constant inflation rate of 2%, quantity of the materials used in fabrication, and that only 30% of
students use the stairs in the SUB. Disclaimer: āUBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.āApplied Science, Faculty ofUnreviewedUndergraduat
Developing a culturally appropriate depression prevention program: The family coping skills program
Depression is a disorder that can have particularly deleterious effects on individuals from racial/ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds. Culturally appropriate prevention programs offer a way to provide accessible and effective mental health services to these underserved papulations. The authors introduce the Family Coping Skills Program (FCSP), a novel depression prevention program developed specifically for low-income Latina mothers. The authors present the theoretical underpinnings of the FCSP and describe their efforts to make the program culturally appropriate and to enhance recruitment and retention of participants. Initial outcome data from an uncontrolled trial were promising and support continued development and evaluation of the FCSP and other similar programs. Copyright 2005 by the Educational Publishing Foundation
Developing a culturally appropriate depression prevention program: Opportunities and challenges
This paper describes the experiences of the first author and his colleagues in the development and implementation of a depression prevention program that specifically targets Latina mothers. Building on the earlier papers that highlight the underutilization of mental health services by Latinos in general, this paper will make the case that the situation is particularly concerning with regards to depression. In addition to the fact that depression is a highly prevalent disorder among Latino adults, the potential consequences for children of parents with depression are significant. Thus, the underutilization of formal mental health services by Latinos makes depression a critical public health problem that calls for creative solutions. One possible solution is the careful development and implementation of prevention programs. Depression prevention programs have some advantages over formal mental health treatment in that they can be offered at a relatively low cost, can be packaged in ways that make them less stigmatizing, and if effective, can reduce the incidence of cases that develop into clinical depression.This paper will describe the process of developing a novel depression prevention program, with a particular focus on the attention paid to cultural sensitivity. We describe the complexity inherent in defining cultural sensitivity and illustrate in concrete ways its implementation in the development and evaluation of the prevention program. In addition, we explore some of the challenges that emerge when attempting to balance the creation of a program that is culturally sensitive with the demands of rigorous quantitative evaluation. Ā© 2009 Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies