Background and Objective
Recently, porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM) has been proposed as a possible alternative to autogenous grafts in periodontal plastic surgery. The aim of the present study ...was to investigate the in vitro responses of four different oral cell lines cultured on a novel PADM. Furthermore, tissue reaction to PADM was evaluated histologically after subcutaneous implantation in mice.
Material and Methods
Human gingival fibroblasts (HGF), human osteoblast‐like cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human oral keratinocytes (HOK) were cultured and transferred on to the PADM. A tissue culture polystyrene surface served as the control. The viability of all tested cell lines on PADM was measured by using the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay and PrestoBlue® reagent. The ToxiLight® assay was performed to analyze the effect of PADM on adenylate kinase release. PADM was implanted into nude mice subcutaneously and subjected to histological analysis after 21 d.
Results
Using 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide colorimetric assays, all tested cell lines cultured on PADM demonstrated a significant increase of viability compared to the control group (each p < 0.001) with the exception of HGF and HOK after 3 d (each p > 0.05). According to the PrestoBlue® analysis, all cell lines demonstrated a significant increase of viability compared to the control group at the particular points of measurement after 18 h (HGF p < 0.01; human osteoblast‐like cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HOK each p < 0.001). No significant cytotoxic effects of PADM on the tested cell lines could be observed, as assessed by changes in adenylate kinase release. Subcutaneous implantation of PADM into nude mice demonstrated good integration with surrounding tissues and significant revascularization of its collagen structure.
Conclusion
Overall, the results suggest that PADM is a promising substitute for autogenous soft tissue grafts in periodontal surgery.
This paper deals with establishing of building parameters for 1.2344 (H13) tool steel processed using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology with layer thickness of 50 µm. In the first part of the ...work, testing matrix of models in the form of a cube with chamfered edge were built under various building parameters such as laser scanning speed and laser power. Resulting models were subjected to set of tests including measurement of surface roughness, inspection of inner structure with aid of Light Optical Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy and evaluation of micro-hardness. These tests helped us to evaluate an influence of changes in building strategy to the properties of the resulting model. In the second part of the work, mechanical properties of the H13 steel were examined. For this purpose, the set of samples in the form of "dog bone" were printed under three different alignments towards the building plate and tested on universal testing machine. Mechanical testing of the samples should then reveal if the different orientation and thus different layering of the material somehow influence its mechanical properties. For this type of material, the producer provides the parameters for layer thickness of 30 µm only. Thus, our 50 µm building strategy brings shortening of the building time which is valuable especially for large models. Results of mechanical tests show slight variation in mechanical properties for various alignment of the sample.
Structured illumination behind turbid media Malavalli, A; Ackermann, M; Aegerter, C M
Optics express,
2016-Oct-03, 2016-10-03, 20161003, Letnik:
24, Številka:
20
Journal Article
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In turbid media, light gets multiply scattered to an extent that all the information of its propagation is scrambled over a characteristic distance called the transport mean free path. Controlling ...light propagation through such media is therefore challenging. By using a feedback signal, the input wavefront of light can be shaped such that light gets focused through or even inside a scattering medium Vellekoop et al., Opt. Express36, 67(2008). In this article, we show that such an interferometric focus can be transformed into an array of multiple focal spots with a desired structure. These focal spots can serve as a structured illumination source to image the interior of thick scattering tissues as in deconvolution imaging or in the optical micromanipulation of microscopic targets.
Cancers in humans and animals can be caused by viruses, but virus-induced tumors are considered to be poor sites for replication of intact virions (lytic replication). Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a ...neoplastic disease associated with a herpesvirus, chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5), that affects green turtles globally. ChHV5 probably replicates in epidermal cells of tumors, because epidermal intranuclear inclusions (EIIs) contain herpesvirus-like particles. However, although EIIs are a sign of herpesvirus replication, they have not yet been firmly linked to ChHV5. Moreover, the dynamics of viral shedding in turtles are unknown, and there are no serological reagents to confirm actual presence of the specific ChHV5 virus in tissues. The investigators analyzed 381 FP tumors for the presence of EIIs and found that overall, about 35% of green turtles had lytic replication in skin tumors with 7% of tumors showing lytic replication. A few (11%) turtles accounted for more than 30% cases having lytic viral replication, and lytic replication was more likely in smaller tumors. To confirm that turtles were actively replicating ChHV5, a prerequisite for shedding, the investigators used antiserum raised against F-VP26, a predicted capsid protein of ChHV5 that localizes to the host cell nucleus during viral replication. This antiserum revealed F-VP26 in EIIs of tumors, thus confirming the presence of replicating ChHV5. In this light, it is proposed that unlike other virus-induced neoplastic diseases, FP is a disease that may depend on superspreaders, a few highly infectious individuals growing numerous small tumors permissive to viral production, for transmission of ChHV5.
Kilohertz frequency alternating current (KHFAC) waveforms reversibly block conduction in mammalian peripheral nerves. The initiation of the KHFAC produces nerve activation, called the onset response, ...before complete block occurs. An amplitude ramp, starting from zero amplitude, is ineffective in eliminating this onset activity. We postulated that initiating the ramp from a non-zero amplitude would produce a different effect on the onset.
Experiments were conducted in an in vivo rat model. KHFAC was applied at supra block threshold amplitudes and then reduced to a lower sub block amplitude (25, 50, 75 and 90% of the block threshold amplitude). The amplitude was then increased again to the original supra block threshold amplitude with an amplitude ramp. This ramp time was varied for each of the amplitude levels tested.
The amplitude ramp was successful in eliminating a second onset. This was always possible for the ramps up from 75 and 90% block threshold amplitude, usually from 50% but never from 25% of the block threshold amplitude.
This maneuver can potentially be used to initiate complete nerve block, transition to partial block and then resume complete block without producing further onset responses.
Fermi Gamma-Ray Imaging of a Radio Galaxy Abdo, A A; Ajello, M; Ballet, J ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
05/2010, Letnik:
328, Številka:
5979
Journal Article
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The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has detected the γ-ray glow emanating from the giant radio lobes of the radio galaxy Centaurus A. The resolved γ-ray image shows the lobes clearly separated from ...the central active source. In contrast to all other active galaxies detected so far in high-energy γ-rays, the lobe flux constitutes a considerable portion (greater than one-half) of the total source emission. The γ-ray emission from the lobes is interpreted as inverse Compton-scattered relic radiation from the cosmic microwave background, with additional contribution at higher energies from the infrared-to-optical extragalactic background light.These measurements provide ã-ray constraints on the magnetic field and particle energy content in radio galaxy lobes, as well as a promising method to probe the cosmic relic photon fields.
Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a cause of respiratory disease in cattle worldwide. It has an integral role in enzootic pneumonia in young dairy calves and summer pneumonia in nursing ...beef calves. Furthermore, bovine RSV infection can predispose calves to secondary bacterial infection by organisms such as Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, and Histophilus somni, resulting in bovine respiratory disease complex, the most prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality among feedlot cattle. Even in cases where animals do not succumb to bovine respiratory disease complex, there can be long-term losses in production performance. This includes reductions in feed efficiency and rate of gain in the feedlot, as well as reproductive performance, milk production, and longevity in the breeding herd. As a result, economic costs to the cattle industry from bovine respiratory disease have been estimated to approach $1 billion annually due to death losses, reduced performance, and costs of vaccinations and treatment modalities. Human and bovine RSV are closely related viruses with similarities in histopathologic lesions and mechanisms of immune modulation induced following infection. Therefore, where appropriate, we provide comparisons between RSV infections in humans and cattle. This review article discusses key aspects of RSV infection of cattle, including epidemiology and strain variability, clinical signs and diagnosis, experimental infection, gross and microscopic lesions, innate and adaptive immune responses, and vaccination strategies.
•The block inception time for kiloHertz frequency alternating current nerve block has not been measured previously.•A novel method was created to extract the block inception time from muscle force ...measurements.•The block inception time was found to be on average 5 ms to 10 ms, with the most rapid inception being 2.5 ms to 5 ms.•Block inception times for KHFAC nerve block were significant more rapid than previously estimated.
Kilohertz frequency alternating currents (KHFAC) produce rapid nerve conduction block of mammalian peripheral nerves and have potential clinical applications in reducing nerve hyperactivity. However, there are no experimental measurements of the block inception time (BIT) for the complete block of mammalian motor axons, i.e. the time from the start of delivery of the KHFAC to the axons reaching a fully blocked state.
A “counted cycles” method (CCM) was designed to exploit characteristics of the onset response, which is typical of KHFAC block, to measure the BIT with a millisecond time resolution. Randomized and repeated experiments were conducted in an in-vivo rodent model, using trains of KHFAC over a range of complete cycle counts at three frequencies (10, 20, and 40 kHz).
Complete motor nerve conduction block was obtained in the rat sciatic nerve (N = 4) with an average BIT range of 5 ms–10 ms. The fastest BIT measured was 2.5 ms–5 ms. There was no statistical difference between the block inception times for the three frequencies tested.
There are no comparable methods to measure the KHFAC BIT.
The KHFAC BIT is faster than previously estimated. KHFAC motor nerve block is established in milliseconds. These results may assist in the design of methods to eliminate the onset response produced by KHFAC nerve block.
Loss-of-function mutations of β-cell KATP channels cause the most severe form of congenital hyperinsulinism (KATPHI). KATPHI is characterized by fasting and protein-induced hypoglycemia that is ...unresponsive to medical therapy. For a better understanding of the pathophysiology of KATPHI, we examined cytosolic calcium (Ca2+i), insulin secretion, oxygen consumption, and U-13Cglucose metabolism in islets isolated from the pancreases of children with KATPHI who required pancreatectomy. Basal Ca2+i and insulin secretion were higher in KATPHI islets compared with controls. Unlike controls, insulin secretion in KATPHI islets increased in response to amino acids but not to glucose. KATPHI islets have an increased basal rate of oxygen consumption and mitochondrial mass. U-13Cglucose metabolism showed a twofold increase in alanine levels and sixfold increase in 13C enrichment of alanine in KATPHI islets, suggesting increased rates of glycolysis. KATPHI islets also exhibited increased serine/glycine and glutamine biosynthesis. In contrast, KATPHI islets had low γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and lacked 13C incorporation into GABA in response to glucose stimulation. The expression of key genes involved in these metabolic pathways was significantly different in KATPHI β-cells compared with control, providing a mechanism for the observed changes. These findings demonstrate that the pathophysiology of KATPHI is complex, and they provide a framework for the identification of new potential therapeutic targets for this devastating condition.
Pollen/ovule (P/O) ratios are often used as proxy for breeding systems. Here, we investigate the relations between breeding systems and P/O ratios, pollination syndromes, life history and climate ...zone in Balsaminaceae. We conducted controlled breeding system experiments (autonomous and active self-pollination and outcrossing tests) for 65 Balsaminaceae species, analysed pollen grain and ovule numbers and evaluated the results in combination with data on pollination syndrome, life history and climate zone on a phylogenetic basis. Based on fruit set, we assigned three breeding systems: autogamy, self-compatibility and self-incompatibility. Self-pollination led to lower fruit set than outcrossing. We neither found significant P/O differences between breeding systems nor between pollination syndromes. However, the numbers of pollen grains and ovules per flower were significantly lower in autogamous species, but pollen grain and ovule numbers did not differ between most pollination syndromes. Finally, we found no relation between breeding system and climate zone, but a relation between climate zone and life history. In Balsaminaceae reproductive traits can change under resource or pollinator limitation, leading to the evolution of autogamy, but are evolutionary rather constant and not under strong selection pressure by pollinator guild and geographic range changes. Colonisation of temperate regions, however, is correlated with transitions towards annual life history. Pollen/ovule-ratios, commonly accepted as good indicators of breeding system, have a low predictive value in Balsaminaceae. In the absence of experimental data on breeding system, additional floral traits (overall pollen grain and ovule number, traits of floral morphology) may be used as proxies.