Inherited and acquired retinal degenerations are frequent causes of visual impairment and photoreceptor cell replacement therapy may restore visual function to these individuals. To provide a source ...of new retinal neurons for cell based therapies, we developed methods to derive retinal progenitors from human ES cells.
In this report we have used a similar method to direct induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) from human fibroblasts to a retinal progenitor fate, competent to generate photoreceptors. We also found we could purify the photoreceptors derived from the iPS cells using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) after labeling photoreceptors with a lentivirus driving GFP from the IRBP cis-regulatory sequences. Moreover, we found that when we transplanted the FACS purified iPSC derived photoreceptors, they were able to integrate into a normal mouse retina and express photoreceptor markers.
This report provides evidence that enriched populations of human photoreceptors can be derived from iPS cells.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The purpose of this study was to examine whether the effects of hamstring stretching on the passive stiffness of each of the long head of the biceps femoris (BFl), semitendinosus (ST), and ...semimembranosus (SM) vary between passive knee extension and hip flexion stretching maneuvers. In 12 male subjects, before and after five sets of 90 s static stretching, passive lengthening measurements where knee or hip joint was passively rotated to the maximal range of motion (ROM) were performed. During the passive lengthening, shear modulus of each muscle was measured by ultrasound shear wave elastography. Both stretching maneuvers significantly increased maximal ROM and decreased passive torque at a given joint angle. Passive knee extension stretching maneuver significantly reduced shear modulus at a given knee joint angle in all of BFl, ST, and SM. In contrast, the stretching effect by passive hip flexion maneuver was significant only in ST and SM. The present findings indicate that the effects of hamstring stretching on individual passive muscles’ stiffness vary between passive knee extension and hip flexion stretching maneuvers. In terms of reducing the muscle stiffness of BFl, stretching of the hamstring should be performed by passive knee extension rather than hip flexion.
The aim of this study is to propose a new three-degree-of-freedom linear-rotational resonant actuator and its controller. To realize all of the resonant motion, four-phase coils and three sets of the ...permanent magnet are arranged symmetrically. In addition, in order to control the proposed actuator, inverter topology with six-switches is presented. Parameter characteristics obtained through finite-element analysis support the validity of the proposed actuator. Finally, dynamic simulation is performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed actuator.
Human trisomies can alter cellular phenotypes and produce congenital abnormalities such as Down syndrome (DS). Here we have generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from DS fibroblasts and ...introduced a TKNEO transgene into one copy of chromosome 21 by gene targeting. When selecting against TKNEO, spontaneous chromosome loss was the most common cause for survival, with a frequency of ∼10−4, while point mutations, epigenetic silencing, and TKNEO deletions occurred at lower frequencies in this unbiased comparison of inactivating mutations. Mitotic recombination events resulting in extended loss of heterozygosity were not observed in DS iPSCs. The derived, disomic cells proliferated faster and produced more endothelia in vivo than their otherwise isogenic trisomic counterparts, but in vitro hematopoietic differentiation was not consistently altered. Our study describes a targeted removal of a human trisomy, which could prove useful in both clinical and research applications.
► Trisomy correction in Down syndrome iPSCs by gene targeting and negative selection ► Chromosome loss more frequent than other types of mutations ► Comparison of isogenic disomic and trisomic cell lines ► Trisomy 21 slows iPSC proliferation and reduces endothelial differentiation
Rising movements from bed comprise an important aspect of recovery from the bedridden state; however, they have not been sufficiently investigated using motion analysis studies. In particular, the ...effect of using the upper limb of the non-rising side before waist flexion on rising movements remains to be analyzed; this study aimed to clarify this effect. Accordingly, motion analyses were performed on rising movements under two constraint conditions, namely raising the upper limb of the non-rising side (upper limb use-condition) and keeping it in contact with the pelvis (upper limb non-use-condition); subsequently, the kinematics and kinematics parameters were compared. In comparison with the upper limb use-condition, in the upper limb non-use-condition, the distance traveled by the center of mass of the body (CoM trajectory, p < 0.01) increased while switching from the half-side-lying to on-hand postures, horizontal body movement (movement speed (Normalized time/total time), p < 0.01 and weight of center of body mass (CoM momentum in horizontal plane), p < 0.05) during the same period increased, and the half-side-lying time approached the peak value of the waist flexion angular velocity (Time lag between from half-side-lying to waist angler peak velocity, p < 0.05). The compensatory movement that occurred due to the upper limb non-use-condition denoted an increase in body momentum in the horizontal direction, rather than in the sagittal plane. Therefore, the upper limb on the non-rising side contributed to the smooth movement of the body in the horizontal direction. Moreover, this study demonstrated that asymmetrical rising movement in the diagonal direction is a characteristic movement wherein the horizontal movement of the body constitutes the main movement.
Multiple early gastric cancers (EGCs) may develop in 6-14% of patients even after achieving curative endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD); however, a useful biomarker for predicting recurrence is ...not available. The present study investigated whether the expression of CD44 variant 9 (CD44v9), a functional cancer stem cell marker, in the primary gastric cancer tissue represents an indicator of recurrence.
Eighty-eight patients who underwent ESD for EGC from 2008 to 2010 were enrolled and monitored for recurrence for 3 years. The expression levels of CD44v9 in the tissue of initial EGCs were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and the recurrence rate was compared between CD44v9-positive and CD44v9-negative groups. The mucin phenotype and expression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) and programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) were also analysed.
The recurrence rate of EGC was significantly higher in the CD44v9-positive group than in the CD44v9-negative group (hazard ratio (HR), 21.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 5.71-83.1). However, mucin phenotypes and the expression of miR-21 and PDCD4 did not predict recurrence after ESD. Meanwhile, grade of gastric atrophy was also identified as a significant marker of multiple recurrence (HR, 4.95; 95% CI, 1.30-18.8).
CD44 variant 9 expression represents a potential predictive marker for recurrence in EGC.
The hydrogen diffusion behavior in BCC, FCC, and HCP iron has been investigated by means of first-principles calculations. Diffusion coefficients were estimated quantitatively from the migration ...energy derived by the Nudged elastic band method, and phonon calculations including the vibrations of all atoms at every stable and metastable site. Our calculations on the BCC structure show good agreement with those in the previous report. In the FCC structure as well, the calculated diffusion coefficients are in good agreement with experimental data. Our results suggest that the consideration of the antiferromagnetic state in FCC is important for the reproduction of experimental results. For the HCP structure, although there was a lack of systematic experimental results, our calculations predict that the diffusion coefficient is smaller than that in the case of the FCC sample. In the HCP lattice, there are two diffusion paths: one parallel to the
c
-axis and the other in the
c
-plane. The direction and the diffusion coefficient can be controlled by the tuning of
c
/
a
, which is the ratio of the lattice constants.
Oscillatory actuators are expected for various applications such as entertainment systems, consumer products, and so on. In addition, the oscillatory motion is expanded to ...multiple-degrees-of-freedom. A three-degree-of-freedom linear oscillatory actuator (3DOF-LOA) has been developed. A conventional 3DOF-LOA needs five sets of coils for a three-degree-of-freedom motion, and the forces on each axis have interfered with each other. This article proposes a novel 3DOF-LOA with three sets of coils, and its forces on each axis do not interfere with each other. The magnetic structure and the operating principle of the proposed 3DOF-LOA are described. The force characteristics are calculated using a 3-D finite-element method. It is investigated that the proposed actuator can be driven three-axis by only three-coils, and has no interference of forces between each axis.
PDF
