Osteoblast response to disordered nanotopography

The ability to influence stem cell differentiation is highly desirable as it would help us improve clinical outcomes for patients in various aspects. Many different techniques to achieve this have previously been investigated. This concise study, however, has focused on the topography on which cells grow. Current uncemented orthopaedic implants can fail if the implant fails to bind to the surrounding bone and, typically, forms a soft tissue interface which reduces direct bone contact. Here, we look at the effect of a previously reported nanotopography that utilises nanodisorder to influence mesenchymal stromal cell (as may be found in the bone marrow) differentiation towards bone and to also exert this effect on mature osteoblasts (as may be found in the bone). As topography is a physical technique, it can be envisaged for use in a range of materials such as polymers and metals used in the manufacture of orthopaedic implants

Understanding the Contributions of Beef Cattle to Greenhouse Gas Emissions

This fact sheet describes current and projected beef consumption, methane, nitrogen, beef cattle production, and possibilities for more sustainable beef production

Extensible Terascale Facility (ETF): Indiana-Purdue Grid (IP-Grid)

NSF Award ID: ACI-0338618 Project Dates: 10/1/03-9/30/0

Insomnia as an Independent Predictor of Incident Cardiovascular Disease in HIV: Data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study

Background: Insomnia is associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the general population and is highly prevalent in people with HIV. The CVD risk conferred by insomnia in the HIV population is unknown. Methods: Using the Veterans Aging Cohort Study-Survey Cohort, insomnia symptoms were measured and dummy coded with the item, “Difficulty falling or staying asleep?” (5-point scale from no difficulty to bothers a lot). Incident CVD event ICD-9 codes (acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or coronary artery revascularization) were identified with VA and Medicare administrative data and VA fee-for-service data. Those with baseline CVD were excluded. Results: HIV-infected (N=3,108) veterans had a median follow-up time of 10.8 years, during which 267 CVD events occurred. Compared to HIV-infected veterans with no difficulty falling or staying asleep, HIV-infected veterans bothered a lot by insomnia symptoms had an increased risk of incident CVD after adjusting for demographics (HR=1.64, 95%CI=1.16-2.31, p=.005), CVD risk factors (HR=1.62, 95%CI=1.14-2.30, p=.007), additional potential confounders (hepatitis C infection, renal disease, anemia, alcohol use, cocaine use; HR=1.70, 95%CI=1.19-2.43, p=.003), and HIV-specific factors (HIV-1 RNA, CD4+ T-cell count, ART; HR=1.66, 95%CI=1.16-2.37, p=.005). Additional adjustment for non-benzodiazepine sleep medication (HR=1.62, 95%CI=1.13-2.32, p=.009) did not attenuate the association; however, it fell short of significance at p < .01 after adjustment for depressive symptoms (HR=1.51, 95%CI=0.98-2.32, p=.060) or antidepressant medication (HR=1.51, 95%CI=1.04-2.19, p=.031). Conclusion: Highly bothersome insomnia symptoms were significantly associated with incident CVD in HIV-infected veterans, suggesting that insomnia may be a novel, modifiable risk factor for CVD in HIV

An investigation of polymorphisms in the 17q11.2-12 CC chemokine gene cluster for association with multiple sclerosis in Australians

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) characterised by inflammation and neuronal degeneration. It is believed to result from the complex interaction of a number of genes, each with modest effect. Chemokines are vital to the migration of cells to sites of inflammation, including the CNS, and many are implicated in MS pathogenesis. Most of the CC chemokine genes are encoded in a cluster on chromosome 17q11.2-12, which has been identified in a number of genome wide screens as being potentially associated with MS. METHODS: We conducted a two-stage analysis to investigate the chemokine gene cluster for association with MS. After sequencing the chemokine genes in several DNA pools to identify common polymorphisms, 12 candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in a cohort of Australian MS trio families. RESULTS: Marginally significant (uncorrected) transmission distortion was identified for four of the SNPs after stratification for several factors. We also identified marginally significant (uncorrected) transmission distortion for haplotypes encompassing the CCL2 and CCL11 genes, using two independent cohorts, which was consistent with recent reports from another group. CONCLUSION: Our results implicate several chemokines as possibly being associated with MS susceptibility, and given that chemokines and their receptors are suitable targets for therapeutic agents, further investigation is warranted in this region

Col-OSSOS: Colors of the Interstellar Planetesimal 1I/`Oumuamua

The recent discovery by Pan-STARRS1 of 1I/2017 U1 (`Oumuamua), on an unbound and hyperbolic orbit, offers a rare opportunity to explore the planetary formation processes of other stars, and the effect of the interstellar environment on a planetesimal surface. 1I/`Oumuamua's close encounter with the inner Solar System in 2017 October was a unique chance to make observations matching those used to characterize the small-body populations of our own Solar System. We present near-simultaneous g$^\prime$, r$^\prime$, and J photometry and colors of 1I/`Oumuamua from the 8.1-m Frederick C. Gillett Gemini North Telescope, and $gri$ photometry from the 4.2 m William Herschel Telescope. Our g$^\prime$r$^\prime$J observations are directly comparable to those from the high-precision Colours of the Outer Solar System Origins Survey (Col-OSSOS), which offer unique diagnostic information for distinguishing between outer Solar System surfaces. The J-band data also provide the highest signal-to-noise measurements made of 1I/`Oumuamua in the near-infrared. Substantial, correlated near-infrared and optical variability is present, with the same trend in both near-infrared and optical. Our observations are consistent with 1I/`Oumuamua rotating with a double-peaked period of $8.10 \pm 0.42$ hours and being a highly elongated body with an axial ratio of at least 5.3:1, implying that it has significant internal cohesion. The color of the first interstellar planetesimal is at the neutral end of the range of Solar System $g-r$ and $r-J$ solar-reflectance colors: it is like that of some dynamically excited objects in the Kuiper belt and the less-red Jupiter Trojans.Comment: Accepted to ApJ

Drp2 and Periaxin Form Cajal Bands with Dystroglycan But Have Distinct Roles in Schwann Cell Growth

Cajal bands are cytoplasmic channels flanked by appositions where the abaxonal surface of Schwann cell myelin apposes and adheres to the overlying plasma membrane. These appositions contain a dystroglycan complex that includes periaxin and dystrophin-related protein 2 (Drp2). Loss of periaxin disrupts appositions and Cajal bands in Schwann cells and causes a severe demyelinating neuropathy in mouse and man. Here we have investigated the role of mouse Drp2 in apposition assembly and Cajal band function and compared it to periaxin. We show that Periaxin and Drp2 are not only both required to form appositions, but they must also interact. Periaxin-Drp2 interaction is also required for Drp2 phosphorylation but phosphorylation is not required for the assembly of appositions. Drp2 loss causes corresponding increases in Dystrophin family members, utrophin and dystrophin Dp116 though dystroglycan remains unchanged. We also show that all dystroglycan complexes in Schwann cells utilise the uncleaved form of β-dystroglycan. Drp2-null Schwann cells have disrupted appositions and Cajal bands, and they undergoe focal hypermyelination and concomitant demyelination. Nevertheless, they do not have the short internodal lengths and associated reduced nerve conduction velocity seen in the absence of periaxin, showing that periaxin regulates Schwann cell elongation independent of its role in the dystroglycan complex. We conclude that the primary role of the dystroglycan complex in appositions is to stabilize and limit the radial growth of myelin

Taking Free Flap Surgery Abroad: A Collaborative Approach to a Complex Surgical Problem.

Accessibility to health care, especially complex surgical care, represents one of the major health care disparities in developing countries. While surgical teams may be willing to travel to these areas to help address these needs, there are many logistical and ethical dilemmas inherent in this pursuit. We reviewed our approach to the establishment of the team-based surgical outreach program, wherein we perform head and neck free tissue transfer surgery in Haiti. We describe the challenges encountered in the delivery of surgical care as well as ethical dilemmas relevant to surgical outreach trips, highlighting an approach reliant on strong local cooperation. Despite the obstacles in place, our experience shows that free flap surgery can be successfully and ethically performed in these areas of great need