Recent progress in the differentiation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) to cardiomyocyte- like cells and their clinical application

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) are one of the cells found in bone marrow stromal. A large number of studies have shown that BMMSCs cannot only differentiate into hematopoietic stromal cells, but can migrate and position themselves in multiple non-hematopoietic organizations and differentiate into the corresponding tissue cells; this characteristic demonstrates their multilineage differentiation potential. In different conditions, BMMSCs can differentiate into bone, cartilage, fat, cardiomyocyte, endothelial cells and nerve cell, etc. Because BMMSCs are easy to acquire, they can proliferate in vitro, have multi-differentiation potential after implantation in vivo, and therefore have wide application prospects for the treatment of cardiovascular disease as the ideal seed cells. This review focuses on the biological characteristics of BMMSCs, the induction and differentiation of cardiomyocyte-like cells and the application in the cardiovascular field.Key words: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), cardiomyocyte-like cells, cardiovascular disease

Identification and Behavioral Evaluation of Sex Pheromone Components of the Chinese Pine Caterpillar Moth, Dendrolimus tabulaeformis

Background: The Chinese pine caterpillar moth, Dendrolimus tabulaeformis Tsai and Liu (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is the most important defoliator of coniferous trees in northern China. Outbreaks occur over enormous areas and often lead to the death of forests during 2–3 successive years of defoliation. The sex pheromone of D. tabulaeformis was investigated to define its chemistry and behavioral activity. Methodology/Principal Findings: Sex pheromone was collected from calling female D. tabulaeformis by headspace solid phase microextraction (SPME) and by solvent extraction of pheromone glands. Extracts were analyzed by coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and coupled GC-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD), using antennae from male moths. Five components from the extracts elicited antennal responses. These compounds were identified by a combination of retention indices, electron impact mass spectral matches, and derivatization as (Z)-5-dodecenyl acetate (Z5-12:OAc), (Z)-5-dodecenyl alcohol (Z5-12:OH), (5Z,7E)-5,7-dodecadien-1-yl acetate (Z5,E7-12:OAc), (5Z,7E)-5,7-dodecadien-1-yl propionate (Z5,E7-12:OPr), and (5Z,7E)-5,7-dodecadien-1-ol (Z5,E7-12:OH). Behavioral assays showed that male D. tabulaeformis strongly discriminated against incomplete and aberrant blend ratios. The correct ratio of Z5,E7-12:OAc, Z5,E7-12:OH, and Z5,E7-12:OPr was essential for optimal upwind flight and source contact. The two monoenes, Z5-12:OAc and Z5-12:OH, alone or binary mixtures, had no effect on behavioral responses when added to the optimal threecomponen

Repeatability of Corneal Elevation Maps in Keratoconus Patients Using the Tomography Matching Method

To assess repeatability of corneal tomography in successive measurements by Pentacam in keratoconus (KC) and normal eyes based on the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm. The study involved 143 keratoconic and 143 matched normal eyes. ICP algorithm was used to estimate six single and combined misalignment (CM) parameters, the root mean square (RMS) of the difference in elevation data pre (PreICP-RMS) and post (PosICP-RMS) tomography matching. Corneal keratometry, expressed in the form of M, J0 and J45 (power vector analysis parameters), was used to evaluate the effect of misalignment on corneal curvature measurements. The PreICP-RMS and PosICP-RMS were statistically higher (P < 0.01) in KC than normal eyes. CM increased significantly (p = 0.00), more in KC (16.76 ± 20.88 μm) than in normal eyes (5.43 ± 4.08 μm). PreICP-RMS, PosICP-RMS and CM were correlated with keratoconus grade (p < 0.05). Corneal astigmatism J0 was different (p = 0.01) for the second tomography measurements with misalignment consideration (−1.11 ± 2.35 D) or not (−1.18 ± 2.35 D), while M and J45 kept similar. KC corneas consistently show higher misalignments between successive tomography measurements and lower repeatability compared with healthy eyes. The influence of misalignment is evidently clearer in the estimation of astigmatism than spherical curvature. These higher errors appear correlated with KC progression

Solidly Mounted Resonators with Carbon Nanotube Electrodes for Biosensing Applications

The work reported here shows a direct experimental comparison of the sensitivities of AlN solidly mounted resonators (SMR)-based biosensors fabricated with standard metal electrodes and with carbon nanotube electrodes. SMRs resonating at frequencies around 1.75 GHz have been fabricated, some devices using a thin film of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the top electrode material and some identical devices using a chromium/gold electrode. Protein solutions with different concentrations were loaded on the top of the resonators and their responses to mass-load from physically adsorbed coatings were investigated. Results show that resonators using CNTs as the top electrode material exhibited higher frequency change for a given load due to the higher active surface area of a thin film of interconnecting CNTs compared to that of a metal thin film electrode and hence exhibited greater mass loading sensitivity. It is therefore concluded that the use of CNT electrodes on resonators for their use as gravimetric biosensors is viable and worthwhile

AlN-based BAW resonators with CNT electrodes for gravimetric biosensing

Solidly mounted resonators (SMRs) with a top carbon nanotubes (CNTs) surface coating that doubles as an electrode and as a sensing layer have been fabricated. The influence of the CNTs on the frequency response of the resonators was studied by direct comparison to identical devices with a top metallic electrode. It was found that the CNTs introduced significantly less mass load on the resonators and these devices exhibited a greater quality factor, Q (>2000, compared to ∼1000 for devices with metal electrodes), which increases the gravimetric sensitivity of the devices by allowing the tracking of smaller frequency shifts. Protein solutions with different concentrations were loaded on the top of the resonators and their responses to mass-load from physically adsorbed coatings were investigated. Results show that resonators using CNTs as the top electrode exhibited a higher frequency change for a given load (∼0.25 MHz cm2 ng−1) compared to that of a metal thin film electrode (∼0.14 MHz cm2 ng−1), due to the lower mass of the CNT electrodes and their higher active surface area compared to that of a thin film metal electrode. It is therefore concluded that the use of CNT electrodes on resonators for their use as gravimetric biosensors is a significant improvement over metallic electrodes that are normally employed

Compensation defects in annealed undoped liquid encapsulated Czochralski InP

As-grown undoped n-type semiconducting and annealed undoped semi-insulating (SI) liquid encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) InP has been studied by temperature dependent Hall measurement, photoluminescence spectroscopy, infrared absorption, and photocurrent spectroscopy. P-type conduction SI InP can frequently be obtained by annealing undoped LEC InP. This is caused by a high concentration of thermally induced native acceptor defects. In some cases, it can be shown that the thermally induced n-type SI property of undoped LEC InP is caused by a midgap donor compensating for the net shallow acceptors. The midgap donor is proposed to be a phosphorus antisite related defect. Traps in annealed SI InP have been detected by photocurrent spectroscopy and have been compared with reported results. The mechanisms of defect formation are discussed. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Formation of P In defect in annealed liquid-encapsulated Czochralski InP

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements have been carried out on liquid-encapsulated Czochralski-grown undoped InP wafers, which reproducibly become semi-insulating upon annealing in an ambient of phosphorus at 800-900°C. The measurements reveal a high concentration of hydrogen complexes in the form V InH 4 existing in the material before annealing in agreement with recent experimental studies. It is argued that the dominant and essential process producing the semi-insulating behavior is the compensation produced by an EL 2-like deep donor phosphorus antisite defect, which is formed by the dissociation of the hydrogen complexes during the process of annealing. The deep donor compensates acceptors, the majority of which are shallow residual acceptor impurities and deep hydrogen associated V In and isolated V In levels, produced at the first stage of the dissociation of the V InH 4 complex. The high concentration of indium vacancies produced by the dissociation are the precursor of the EL 2-like phosphorus antisite. These results show the importance of hydrogen on the electrical properties of InP and indicate that this largely results from low formation energy of the complex V InH 4 in comparison with that of an isolated V In. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Modular and predictable assembly of porous organic molecular crystals

Nanoporous molecular frameworks are important in applications such as separation, storage and catalysis. Empirical rules exist for their assembly but it is still challenging to place and segregate functionality in three-dimensional porous solids in a predictable way. Indeed, recent studies of mixed crystalline frameworks suggest a preference for the statistical distribution of functionalities throughout the pores rather than, for example, the functional group localization found in the reactive sites of enzymes. This is a potential limitation for 'one-pot' chemical syntheses of porous frameworks from simple starting materials. An alternative strategy is to prepare porous solids from synthetically preorganized molecular pores. In principle, functional organic pore modules could be covalently prefabricated and then assembled to produce materials with specific properties. However, this vision of mix-and-match assembly is far from being realized, not least because of the challenge in reliably predicting three-dimensional structures for molecular crystals, which lack the strong directional bonding found in networks. Here we show that highly porous crystalline solids can be produced by mixing different organic cage modules that self-assemble by means of chiral recognition. The structures of the resulting materials can be predicted computationally, allowing in silico materials design strategies. The constituent pore modules are synthesized in high yields on gram scales in a one-step reaction. Assembly of the porous co-crystals is as simple as combining the modules in solution and removing the solvent. In some cases, the chiral recognition between modules can be exploited to produce porous organic nanoparticles. We show that the method is valid for four different cage modules and can in principle be generalized in a computationally predictable manner based on a lock-and-key assembly between modules

A Spotlight on the Egyptian Honeybee (Apis mellifera lamarckii)

Egypt has an ongoing long history with beekeeping, which started with the ancient Egyptians making various reliefs and inscriptions of beekeeping on their tombs and temples. The Egyptian honeybee (Apis mellifera lamarckii) is an authentic Egyptian honeybee subspecies utilized in apiculture. A. m. lamarckii is a distinct honeybee subspecies that has a particular body color, size, and high levels of hygienic behavior. Additionally, it has distinctive characteristics; including the presenceof the half-queens, an excessive number of swarm cells, high adaptability to climatic conditions, good resistance to specific bee diseases, including the Varro disorder, and continuous breeding during the whole year despite low productivity, using very little propolis, and tending to abscond readily. This review discusses the history of beekeeping in Egypt and its current situation in addition to its morphology, genetic analysis, and distinctive characters, and the defensive behaviors of native A. m.lamarckii subspecies.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Evaluating the repeatability of corneal elevation through calculating the misalignment between Successive topography measurements during the follow up of LASIK

The study aims to evaluate, using the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm, the repeatability of successive corneal elevation measurements taken post-LASIK. Two topography maps of 98 LASIK participants were recorded preoperatively (Pre), 1 month (Pos1M) and 3 months postoperatively (Pos3M). Elevation of the second measurement was fitted to the first measurement by calculating using ICP, and correcting for, both translational and rotational misalignment components. The RMS of elevation differences between anterior corneal measurements were statistically significant post-LASIK compared to preoperation (P < 0.05). A misalignment ratio used to describe the weighting of the elevation difference caused by misalignment relative to the total difference remained stable (0.40 and 0.23 for anterior and posterior corneal surfaces, respectively) in different periods. The study also considered the combined misalignment parameter (CM), which represents the total effect of all individual misalignment components on the repeatability of corneal topography maps. CM was significantly greater post-LASIK relative to pre-LASIK (P < 0.05). Overall, the contribution of misalignment to the total difference between successive corneal measurements remained stable pre and post operation, while the combined effect of refractive error correction and optical diameter appeared to have a significant influence on the elevation repeatability in the early stages of the follow up period