Emerging trends for urban freight transport-The potential for sustainable micromobility

Aim Active transportation referring to non-motorized modes of transport is promoted and popularized both in practice and in the scientific literature, while their use for urban freight transport has been largely neglected. Thus the main scope of the paper is to indicate the development potential of micromobility use in urban freight transport and to check its influence on urban sustainability. Methods The authors have hypothesized that active means of transport, with a focus on micromobility, have great development potential in freight transportation in cities. The implemented methods for analyzing the relationship between users’ characteristics, micromobility, and its impact on urban sustainable development, were logit and probit modelling. The authors’ system includes an analysis of factors connected with the topics of sustainability and micromobilty, that have met an essential scientific gap that this paper addresses. Logistic (logit) regression is used mainly for binary, ordinal, and multi-level outcomes to find the probability of success (i.e. occurrence of some event). Probit regression, however, is primarily used in binary response models and assumes the normal distribution of data. Results The main finding of the article has led the authors to the statement that active means of transport, including micromobility have great development potential in freight transportation in cities. Conclusions Knowledge of the acceptance of micromobility solutions is essential for municipal authorities in shaping the development of urban transport systems. Thus proper strategies and actions need to be prioritized to leverage the sustainability-related co-benefits of active transport

The biology behind the human intervertebral disc and its endplates

The intervertebral discs (IVDs) are roughly cylindrical, fibrocartilaginous, articulating structures connecting the vertebral bodies, and allowing movement in the otherwise rigid anterior portion of the vertebral column. They also transfer loads and dissipate energy. Macroscopically the intervertebral disc can be divided into an outer annulus fibrosus surrounding a centrally located nucleus pulposus. The endplates surround the IVD from both the cranial and caudal ends, and separate them from the vertebral bodies and prevent the highly hydrated nucleus pulposus from bulging into the adjacent vertebrae. The IVD develop from the mesodermal notochord and receive nutrients mostly through the cartilaginous endplates. Physiologically they are innervated only in the outer annulus fibrosus by sensory and sympathetic perivascular nerve fibres, branches from the sinuvertebral nerve, the ventral rami of spinal nerves or from the grey rami communicantes. The IVD undergo changes with ageing and degeneration, the latter having two types i.e. “endplate-driven” involving endplate defects and inward collapse of the annulus fibrosus and “annulus-driven” involving a radial fissure and/or an IVD prolapse. This review summarises and updates the current state of knowledge on the embryology, structure, and biomechanics of the IVD and its endplates. To further translate this into a more clinical context this review also demonstrates the impact of ageing and degeneration on the above properties of both the IVD and its endplates.

Endplate calcification and cervical intervertebral disc degeneration: the role of endplate marrow contact channel occlusion

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the fundamental relationships between cervical intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, endplate calcification, and the patency of endplate marrow contact channels (MCC). Materials and methods: Sixty cervical IVDs were excised from 30 human cadavers. After sectioning the specimens underwent micro computed tomography (microCT) — from all images the number, calibre, diameter and distribution of endplate openings were measured using ImageJ. Next, the specimens were scored for macroscopic degeneration (Thompson’s classification), and subsequently underwent histological analysis for both IVD and endplate degeneration (Boos’s classification) and calcification. Results: The study group comprised 30 female and 30 male IVDs (mean age ± SD: 51.4 ± 19.5). Specimen’s age, macroscopic and microscopic degeneration correlated negatively with the number of MCCs (r = –0.33–(–0.95); p < 0.0001), apart from the MCCs > 300 μm in diameter (r = 0.66–0.79; p < 0.0001). The negative relationship was strongest for the MCCs 10–50 μm in diameter. Conclusions: There is a strong negative correlation between the number of endplate MCCs, and both macroscopic and microscopic cervical IVD and endplate degeneration. This could further support the thesis that endplate calcification, through the occlusion of MCCs, leads to a fall in nutrient transport to the IVD, and subsequently causes its degeneration

Vascular architecture of the human uterine cervix, as assessed in light and scanning electron microscopy

Objectives. The aim of this study was to visualize and describe the vasculature of the human uterine cervix.Materials and Methods. The material for this study was obtained from women (age between 20 to 45 years) during autopsy. The material was collected not later than 24 hours post-mortem. This study was performed using uteri from cadavers of menstruating nulliparas (33 uteri) and menstruating multiparas (27 uteri). Collected uteri were perfused via the afferent vessels with Mercox resin (for corrosion-casting and SEM assessment) or acrylic paint solution (light microscopy assessment). The research protocol was approved by the Jagiellonian University Ethics Committee (registry KBET/121/8/2007).Results. In all cases bilateral cervical branches (1-4), originating from the uterine artery, were found. Both in the vaginal and supravaginal parts of the cervix, four distinct vascular zones were found. In the pericanalar zone ran small veins, responsible for draining the mucosal capillaries. Both in the muscular layer, as well as in the pericanalar zone, arterioles and venules passed close to each other, often adjoining.Conclusions. This study does not confirm the existence of a single “cervicovaginal” artery, but shows that the vascular supply of the cervix comes from several vessels. It also introduces the idea of two systems, responsible for draining blood from the mucosal capillaries. Neither assessment in light microscopy nor in SEM has revealed any differences between multiparas and nulliparas, as to the vascular architecture of the cervix

Computer-assisted assessment of the histological structure of the human sural nerve

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the histological structure (cross-sectional area — CSA, number of nerve bundles) of the human sural nerve at the level above the lateral malleolus, using computer-assisted image analysis.Materials and methods: This study has been conducted using sural nerves dissected from cadavers during routine autopsies. The harvested tissues samples were dehydrated, embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 4 μm and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Each cross-section was photographed (16 × magnification) and the images were analysed using Java ImageJ.Results: The studied group comprised 12 women and 25 men (mean age 60.1 ± 15.7 years), yielding a total of 74 sural nerves (37 right vs. 37 left). The mean ± standard deviation CSA of the sural nerve was 0.14 ± 0.07 cm2. The mean number of nerve bundles in the sural nerve was 10.5 ± 6.0. In terms of gender and side, neither the CSA (p = 0.45 and p = 0.79, respectively) nor the number of nerve bundles revealed any differences (p = 0.34 and p = 0.47, respectively). Strong negative correlations were noted between the age of the donors and the sural nerve CSA (r = –0.69,p = 0.02), as well as the number of nerve bundles (r = –0.57, p = 0.06).Conclusions: This study shows that there are no statistical differences between the CSA and the number of nerve bundles in the sural nerve when compared by gender and side of the lower limb. This study also allows drawing the conclusion that the sural nerve degenerates with age in terms of both the CSA and the number of nerve bundles

Effects of Text-messaging on the Academic Writing of Arab EFL Students

This paper investigates the effect of text-messaging on Arab EFL learners’ English academic writing. It also investigates teachers’ attitudes and reactions to the presence of e-texting features in their students’ writing. Qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis were employed on data obtained from the following sources: (1) a sample of freshman students’ writing, (2) a survey investigating students’ use of e-chatting in Arabic and English, and (3) a questionnaire eliciting teachers’ reactions to students’ use of texting features in academic writing. The data were collected from a student sample of the Arab Open University (AOU). The research findings show that Arab EFL students’ writing does not reveal a heavy use of texting features, which suggests that this phenomenon neither poses a serious threat nor adversely impacts students’ written English

‘Venous lakes’ — a corrosion cast scanning electron microscopy study of regular and myomatous human uterine blood vessels

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the venous structure of regularand myomatous human uteri, using corrosion casting and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Special attention was paid to the endometrium and the socalled ‘venous lakes’.Materials and methods: Uteri collected at autopsy (n = 67) were injected with Mercox CL-2R resin, which penetrated the capillary bed and filled both arteriesand veins. After the polymerisation of the resin, the corrosion was performed. The obtained vascular casts, visualising all vessels including capillaries, were examinedusing scanning electron microscopy.Results: Amongst the 67 uteri prepared for the corrosion casting, only 22 (15 containing leiomyomata) yielded casts of acceptable quality for SEM assessment. Veins of the endometrium and the myometrium were present in the form of a chaotic network, which did not run parallel to the arterialsystem, but was rather independent. Microscopic venous dilations (‘venouslakes’) were observed both within the functional layer of the endometrium and the myometrium. They were digit-like in shape and could be compared to venous sinuses. They drained the subendothelial capillary plexus and were supplied by numerous capillaries and venules. Their size ranged from 270 to 420 μm. Those dilatations were absent in the outer myometrium and the perimetrium, as well as the uterine cervix. We have not observed any arteriovenous anastomoses.Conclusions: The myomatous uteri tend to have larger venous lakes than the normal uteri. The number and size of venous lakes increases with menstrual cycle progression. Further data on morphology and changes in venous lakesusing scanning electronic microscopy should be acquired

A bioactive hybrid three-dimensional tissue-engineering construct for cartilage repair

The aim was to develop a hybrid three-dimensional-tissue engineering construct for chondrogenesis. The hypothesis was that they support chondrogenesis. A biodegradable, highly porous polycaprolactone-grate was produced by solid freeform fabrication. The polycaprolactone support was coated with a chitosan/polyethylene oxide nanofibre sheet produced by electrospinning. Transforming growth factor-3-induced chondrogenesis was followed using the following markers: sex determining region Y/-box 9, runt-related transcription factor 2 and collagen II and X in quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, histology and immunostaining. A polycaprolactone-grate and an optimized chitosan/polyethylene oxide nanofibre sheet supported cellular aggregation, chondrogenesis and matrix formation. In tissue engineering constructs, the sheets were seeded first with mesenchymal stem cells and then piled up according to the lasagne principle. The advantages of such a construct are (1) the cells do not need to migrate to the tissue engineering construct and therefore pore size and interconnectivity problems are omitted and (2) the cell-tight nanofibre sheet and collagen-fibre network mimic a cell culture platform for mesenchymal stem cells/chondrocytes (preventing escape) and hinders in-growth of fibroblasts and fibrous scarring (preventing capture). This allows time for the slowly progressing, multiphase true cartilage regeneration.Peer reviewe