Iron Oxide‐Labeled Collagen Scaffolds for Non‐Invasive MR Imaging in Tissue Engineering

Non‐invasive imaging holds significant potential for implementation in tissue engineering. It can be used to monitor the localization and function of tissue‐engineered implants, as well as their resorption and remodelling. Thus far, however, the vast majority of effort in this area of research have focused on the use of ultrasmall super‐paramagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticle‐labeled cells, colonizing the scaffolds, to indirectly image the implant material. Reasoning that directly labeling scaffold materials might be more beneficial (enabling imaging also in the case of non‐cellularized implants), more informative (enabling the non‐invasive visualization and quantification of scaffold degradation), and easier to translate into the clinic (cell‐free materials are less complex from a regulatory point‐of‐view), three different types of USPIO nanoparticles are prepared and incorporated both passively and actively (via chemical conjugation; during collagen crosslinking) into collagen‐based scaffold materials. The amount of USPIO incorporated into the scaffolds is optimized, and correlated with MR signal intensity, showing that the labeled scaffolds are highly biocompatible, and that scaffold degradation can be visualized using MRI. This provides an initial proof‐of‐principle for the in vivo visualization of the scaffolds. Consequently, USPIO‐labeled scaffold materials seem to be highly suitable for image‐guided tissue engineering applications.     

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cannabigerol in Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Cultures Are Partly Mediated by TRPA1

Since its medical legalization, cannabis preparations containing the major phytocannabinoids (cannabidiol (CBD) and δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) have been used by patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to alleviate pain and inflammation. However, minor cannabinoids such as cannabigerol (CBG) also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, but due to the lack of studies, they are not widely used. CBG binds several cellular target proteins such as cannabinoid and α2-adrenergic receptors, but it also ligates several members of the transient potential receptor (TRP) family with TRPA1 being the main target. TRPA1 is not only involved in nnociception, but it also protects cells from apoptosis under oxidative stress conditions. Therefore, modulation of TRPA1 signaling by CBG might be used to modulate disease activity in RA as this autoimmune disease is accompanied by oxidative stress and subsequent activation of pro-inflammatory pathways. Rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts (RASF) were stimulated or not with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) for 72 h to induce TRPA1 protein. CBG increased intracellular calcium levels in TNF-stimulated RASF but not unstimulated RASF in a TRPA1-dependent manner. In addition, PoPo3 uptake, a surrogate marker for drug uptake, was enhanced by CBG. RASF cell viability, IL-6 and IL-8 production were decreased by CBG. In peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures (PBMC) alone or together with RASF, CBG-modulated interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, TNF and immunoglobulin M and G production which was dependent on activation stimulus (T cell-dependent or independent). However, effects on PBMCs were only partially mediated by TRPA1 as the antagonist A967079 did inhibit some but not all effects of CBG on cytokine production. In contrast, TRPA1 antagonism even enhanced the inhibitory effects of CBG on immunoglobulin production. CBG showed broad anti-inflammatory effects in isolated RASF, PBMC and PBMC/RASF co-cultures. As CBG is non-psychotropic, it might be used as add-on therapy in RA to reduce IL-6 and autoantibody levels.     

Bilsenkrautsamen enthaltender Mohn

Ohne ZusammenfassungMitteilung aus dem Pharmakognostischen Universitätsinstitut in Wien. (Vorstand: Privatdozent Dr. R. Wasicky.)     

Effects of dietary α-linolenic acid on the conversion and oxidation of13C-α-linolenic acid

The effects of a diet rich in α-linolenic acid vs. one rich in oleic acid on the oxidation of uniformly labeled¹³C-α-linolenic acid and its conversion into longer-chain polyunsaturates (LCP) were investigatedin vivo in healthy human subjects. Volunteers received a diet rich in oleic acid (n=5) or a diet rich in α-linolenic acid (n=7; 8.3 g/d) for 6 wk before and during the study. After 6 wk, subjects were given 45 mg of¹³C-α-linolenic acid dissolved in olive oil. Blood samples were collected att=0, 5, 11, 24, 96, and 336 h. Breath was sampled and CO₂ production was measured each hour for the first 12 h. The mean (±SEM) maximal absolute amount of¹³C-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in plasma total lipids was 0.04 ±0.01 mg in the α-linolenic acid group, which was significantly lower (P=0.01) than the amount of 0.12±0.03 mg¹³C-EPA in the oleic acid group. Amounts of¹³C-docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and¹³C-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) tended to be lower as well. The mean proportion of labeled α-linolenic acid (ALA) recovered as¹³CO₂ in breath after 12 h was 20.4% in the ALA and 15.7% in the oleic acid group, which was not significantly different (P=0.12). The cumulative recovery of¹³C from¹³C-ALA in breath during the first 12 h was negatively correlated with the maximal amounts of plasma¹³C-EPA (r=−0.58,P=0.047) and¹³C-DPA (r=−0.63,P=0.027), but not of¹³C-DHA (r=−0.49,P=0.108). In conclusion, conversion of¹³C-ALA into its LCP may be decreased on diets rich in ALA, while oxidation of¹³C-ALA is negatively correlated with its conversion into LCP. In a few pilot samples, low¹³C enrichments of n−3 LCP were observed in a diet rich in EPA/DHA as compared to oleic acid.     

The choose-get-keep model of psychiatric rehabilitation: A synopsis of recent studies.

Objective: Comprehensive review of studies using the choose-get-keep (CGK) process model of psychiatric rehabilitation. Also, other studies are identified that have demonstrated methodologies useful in future research on the CGK model. Intervention Model: The CGK process is conceptualized as the phases through which people with psychiatric disabilities proceed as they engage in psychiatric rehabilitation. Conclusion: The CGK model is a potentially useful psychiatric rehabilitation intervention that can be implemented in a variety of service settings and that focuses on the activities of the practitioner and the service recipient. The CGK model warrants further empirical study to examine its effectiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acidic hydrolysis of plasmalogens followed by high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple, quantitative method for determining the plasmalogen content of small samples is reported here. The method uses the different susceptibility to acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the alkyl, alkenyl and acyl linkages to separate the plasmalogen subclass from the other two non-labile subclasses. Hydrolysis of plasmenylethanolamine and plasmenylcholine was complete after 4 and 1 min of acid treatment, respectively. The acid-catalyzed hydrolysis did not alter the phospholipid fatty acid composition, making this method useful for fatty acid compositional analysis of the plasmalogen subclass. High-performance liquid chromatography was used for separations, and phospholipids were quantitated by assay of lipid phosphorus or by direct quantitation of peak area. Using this method, small amounts (10 nmol) of ethanolamine glycerophospholipid and choline glycerophospholipid are subjected to acid-catalyzed hydrolysis and subsequent separation of the resulting lysocompounds obtained from plasmalogens from the more acid-stable alkylacyl and diacyl glycerophospholipid fractions. Our values for plasmalogens from commercial preparations of choline and ethanolamine glycerophospholipids agree with literature values. The usefulness of the method is demonstrated for small glycerophospholipid samples that are equivalent to samples from cultured neural cells.     

Technological and spoiling characteristics of the yeast microflora isolated from Bella Di Cerignola table olives

This study focused to investigate the technological significance and the spoiling impact of diverse yeast strains, isolated from 'Bella di Cerignola' Italian table olives. Sixty-four isolates (belonging mainly to the species Candida famata and C. guilliermondii ) were studied to assess their growth at different temperatures (15, 25 and 37 °C), pHs (4.0, 5.0 and 9.5) and NaCl concentrations (0–10.0%) in lab medium. Their pectolytic, xylanolytic, lipolytic and catalase activities were also evaluated. Most of the yeasts showed a moderate pectolytic activity and were able to grow at pH 9.5 after 120 h of incubation. Salt and temperature were the most important environmental variables affecting yeast growth, which could exert a strong selective pressure on yeast population. Candida guilliermondii appeared more resistant to high salt concentrations, whereas C. famata was able to grow at 15 °C.     

Effects of practice on character-classification performance.

Presented a character-classification task to 7 male college students under conditions of limited practice consistent with the characterization of memory search as a high-speed internal exhaustive serial comparison process having an average rate of 25-30 symbols/sec. Ss each performed under 3 positive set size conditions on each of 30 sessions. Results indicate that throughout sessions (a) the relationship between set size and response latency remained linear; (b) equality of slopes obtained from positive and negative trials was maintained; and (c) the estimate of scanning rate was stable, and its absolute value almost identical to previous values obtained with limited practice. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)