A tyrosine-rich amelogenin peptide promotes neovasculogenesis in vitro and ex vivo

The formation of new blood vessels has been shown to be fundamental in the repair of many damaged tissues, and we have recently shown that the adult human periodontal ligament contains multipotent stem/progenitor cells that are capable of undergoing vasculogenic and angiogenic differentiation in vitro and ex vivo. Enamel matrix protein (EMP) is a heterogeneous mixture of mainly amelogenin-derived proteins produced during tooth development and has been reported to be sometimes effective in stimulating these processes, including in clinical regeneration of the periodontal ligament. However, the identity of the specific bioactive component of EMP remains unclear. In the present study we show that, while the high-molecular-weight Fraction A of enamel matrix derivative (a heat-treated form of EMP) is unable to stimulate the vasculogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament cells (HPC) in vitro, the low-molecular-weight Fraction C significantly up-regulates the expression of the endothelial markers VEGFR2, Tie-1, Tie-2, VE-cadherin and vWF and markedly increases the internalization of low-density lipoprotein. Furthermore, we also demonstrate, for the first time, that the synthetic homolog of the 45-amino acid tyrosine-rich amelogenin peptide (TRAP) present in Fraction C is likely to be responsible for its vasculogenesis-inducing activity. Moreover, the chemically synthesized TRAP peptide is also shown here to be capable of up-regulating the angiogenic differentiation of the HPC, based on its marked stimulation of in vitro cell migration and tubule formation and of blood vessel formation assay in a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane model ex vivo. This novel peptide, and modified derivatives, might thereby represent a new class of regenerative drug that has the ability to elicit new blood vessel formation and promote wound healing in vivo. © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Replicating landmine blast loading in cellular <i>in Vitro</i> models

Trauma arising from landmines and improvised explosive devices promotes heterotopic ossification, the formation of extra-skeletal bone in non-osseous tissue. To date, experimental platforms that can replicate the loading parameter space relevant to improvised explosive device and landmine blast wave exposure have not been available to study the effects of such non-physiological mechanical loading on cells. Here, we present the design and calibration of three distinct in vitro experimental loading platforms that allow us to replicate the spectrum of loading conditions recorded in near-field blast wave exposure. We subjected cells in suspension or in a three-dimensional hydrogel to strain rates up to 6000 s-1and pressure levels up to 45 MPa. Our results highlight that cellular activation is regulated in a non-linear fashion - not by a single mechanical parameter, it is the combined action of the applied mechanical pressure, rate of loading and loading impulse, along with the extracellular environment used to convey the pressure waves. Finally, our research indicates that PO MSCs are finely tuned to respond to mechanical stimuli that fall within defined ranges of loading

Interaction of enamel matrix proteins with human periodontal ligament cells

Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award for research studies (jointly funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK, and by Institut Straumann) and the Research Discretionary Funds of the Periodontology Unit, UCL Eastman Dental Institute. Financial support was also provided by the NIHR Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre and by the WCU Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (No. R31-10069)

SIMULASI PEMILAH BENDA BERDASARKAN WARNA (HITAM-PUTIH) MENGGUNAKAN SENSOR WARNA BERBASIS MIKROKONTROLER AT89S51

At present the company is always trying to replace the work done by humans, replaced by machines in order to improve the efficiency and quality of production. In other words, many companies automate their production. For example, production processes that were initially carried out manually as in the process of sorting their products. In the industry this process is done manually with human effort and requires a large amount of labor and makes the production process longer. To overcome this problem, companies that want more effective and efficient production processes to change production patterns by applying automation in their production systems. This is realized by the construction of a packing system for goods, where the system usually consists of goods distribution in the form of a mechanical conveyor system and packaging of goods. As in the case of items based on the color sorting system, you will need a tool that can automatically sort this product. This system consists of object sensors, color sensors, conveyor belts, and means of dividing goods. Mechanical systems are built using acrylic, plastic and PVC. The control system in this simulation uses the AT89s51 IC microcontroller.Keyword : Augmented Reality, Satya Negara Indonesia University, Virtual Reality, 3

PEREKAYASAAN MODUL KONTROL PEMINDAI 1D UNTUK KALIBRASI PERANGKAT BRAKHITERAPI

PEREKAYASAAN MODUL KONTROL PEMINDAI 1D UNTUK KALIBRASI PERANGKAT BRAKHITERAPI. Telah dilakukan perekayaasaan perangkat kontrol pemindai satu dimensi (paparan radiasi versus posisi elektrometer), yang akan digunakan untuk menggerakan secara teratur dan presisi perangkat elektrometer. Perangkat elektrometer digunakan untuk melakukan pengukuran dan paparan sumber radioaktif yang akan digunakan pada perangkat brakhiterapi. Perintah pergerakan dilakukan dari ruangan lain menggunakan protokol komunikasi TCP/IP. Aplikasi berbasis peramban digunakan untuk menampilkan menu antarmuka perintah pemindaian. Pada pengujian yang dilakukan tanpa menggunakan elektrometer dan sumber radioaktif, sistem dapat berfungsi dan perintah yang dipilih merespon perintah sesuai dengan yang telah ditentukan tanpa kesalahan. Sistem ini dapat digunakan pada elektrometer analog ataupun yang sudah memiliki fitur penyimpan hasil pengukuran. Hal ini dimungkinkan karena terdapat IP kamera sebagai alat untuk melihat hasil pengukuran dari ruang kontrol. Kata kunci: motor stepper, pemindai, kalibrasi, brakhiterap

Stimulation of chondrogenic differentiation of adult human bone marrow-derived stromal cells by a moderate-strength static magnetic field

Tissue-engineering strategies for the treatment of osteoarthritis would benefit from the ability to induce chondrogenesis in precursor cells. One such cell source is bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs). Here, we examined the effects of moderate-strength static magnetic fields (SMFs) on chondrogenic differentiation in human BMSCs in vitro. Cells were cultured in pellet form and exposed to several strengths of SMFs for various durations. mRNA transcript levels of the early chondrogenic transcription factor SOX9 and the late marker genes ACAN and COL2A1 were determined by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, and production of the cartilage-specific macromolecules sGAG, collage type 2 (Col2), and proteoglycans was determined both biochemically and histologically. The role of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway was also examined. Results showed that a 0.4 T magnetic field applied for 14 days elicited a strong chondrogenic differentiation response in cultured BMSCs, so long as TGF-β3 was also present, that is, a synergistic response of a SMF and TGF-β3 on BMSC chondrogenic differentiation was observed. Further, SMF alone caused TGF-β secretion in culture, and the effects of SMF could be abrogated by the TGF-β receptor blocker SB-431542. These data show that moderate-strength magnetic fields can induce chondrogenesis in BMSCs through a TGF-β-dependent pathway. This finding has potentially important applications in cartilage tissue-engineering strategies

The basidiomycetous yeast Trichosporon may cause severe lung exacerbation in cystic fibrosis patients - clinical analysis of Trichosporon positive patients in a Munich cohort

Background: The relevance of Trichosporon species for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients has not yet been extensively investigated. Methods: The clinical course of CF patients with Trichosporon spp. in their respiratory secretions was analysed between 2003 and 2010 in the Munich CF center. All respiratory samples of 360 CF patients (0 - 52.4 years; mean FEV1 2010 81.4% pred) were investigated. Results: In 8 patients (2.2%, 3 male, mean age 21.8 years) Trichosporon was detected at least once. One patient carried T. asahii. One patient carried T. mycotoxinivorans and one patient T. inkin as determined by DNA sequencing. As potential risk factors for Trichosporon colonization steroid treatment, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and CF associated diabetes were identified in 6, 5, and 2 patients respectively. For one patient, the observation period was not long enough to determine the clinical course. One patient had only a single positive specimen and exhibited a stable clinical course determined by change in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), body-mass-index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP) and immunoglobulin G (IgG). Of 6 patients with repeatedly positive specimen (mean detection period 4.5 years), 4 patients had a greater decline in FEV1 than expected, 2 of these a decline in BMI and 1 an increase in IgG above the reference range. 2 patients received antimycotic treatment: one patient with a tormenting dry cough subjectively improved under Amphotericin B inhalation; one patient with a severe exacerbation due to T. inkin was treated with i.v. Amphotericin B, oral Voriconazole and Posaconazole which stabilized the clinical condition. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the potential association of Trichosporon spp. with severe exacerbations in CF patients

Rising statin use and effect on ischemic stroke outcome

BACKGROUND: Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) have neuroprotective effects in experimental stroke models and are commonly prescribed in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine if patients taking statins before hospital admission for stroke had an improved clinical outcome. METHODS: This was an observational study of 436 patients admitted to the National Institutes of Health Suburban Hospital Stroke Program between July 2000 and December 2002. Self-reported risk factors for stroke were obtained on admission. Stroke severity was determined by the admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. Good outcome was defined as a Rankin score < 2 at discharge. Statistical analyses used univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: There were 436 patients with a final diagnosis of ischemic stroke; statin data were available for 433 of them. A total of 95/433 (22%) of patients were taking a statin when they were admitted, rising from 16% in 2000 to 26% in 2002. Fifty-one percent of patients taking statins had a good outcome compared to 38% of patients not taking statins (p = 0.03). After adjustment for confounding factors, statin pretreatment was associated with a 2.9 odds (95% CI: 1.2–6.7) of a good outcome at the time of hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of patients taking statins when they are admitted with stroke is rising rapidly. Statin pretreatment was significantly associated with an improved functional outcome at discharge. This finding could support the early initiation of statin therapy after stroke

Changing malaria intervention coverage, transmission and hospitalization in Kenya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reports of declining incidence of malaria disease burden across several countries in Africa suggest that the epidemiology of malaria across the continent is in transition. Whether this transition is directly related to the scaling of intervention coverage remains a moot point.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Paediatric admission data from eight Kenyan hospitals and their catchments have been assembled across two three-year time periods: September 2003 to August 2006 (pre-scaled intervention) and September 2006 to August 2009 (post-scaled intervention). Interrupted time series (ITS) models were developed adjusting for variations in rainfall and hospital use by surrounding communities to show changes in malaria hospitalization over the two periods. The temporal changes in factors that might explain changes in disease incidence were examined sequentially for each hospital setting, compared between hospital settings and ranked according to plausible explanatory factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In six out of eight sites there was a decline in Malaria admission rates with declines between 18% and 69%. At two sites malaria admissions rates increased by 55% and 35%. Results from the ITS models indicate that before scaled intervention in September 2006, there was a significant month-to-month decline in the mean malaria admission rates at four hospitals (trend P < 0.05). At the point of scaled intervention, the estimated mean admission rates for malaria was significantly less at four sites compared to the pre-scaled period baseline. Following scaled intervention there was a significant change in the month-to-month trend in the mean malaria admission rates in some but not all of the sites. Plausibility assessment of possible drivers of change pre- versus post-scaled intervention showed inconsistent patterns however, allowing for the increase in rainfall in the second period, there is a suggestion that starting transmission intensity and the scale of change in ITN coverage might explain some but not all of the variation in effect size. At most sites where declines between observation periods were documented admission rates were changing before free mass ITN distribution and prior to the implementation of ACT across Kenya.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study provides evidence of significant within and between location heterogeneity in temporal trends of malaria disease burden. Plausible drivers for changing disease incidence suggest a complex combination of mechanisms, not easily measured retrospectively.</p