Tissue culture surface characteristics influence the expansion of human bone marrow cells

Human cell therapy applications in tissue engineering, such as the ex vivo production of hematopoietic cells for transplantation, have recently entered the clinic. Although considerable effort has been focused on the development of biological processes to generate therapeutic cells, little has been published on the design and manufacture of devices for implementation of these processes in a robust and reproducible fashion at a clinical scale. In this study, the effect of tissue culture surface chemistry and texture was assessed in human bone marrow (BM) mononuclear cell (MNC) and CD34-enriched cell cultures. Growth and differentiation was assessed by total, progenitor (CFU-GM), stromal (CFU-F), and primitive (LTC-IC) cell output. Tissue culture treated (TCT) plastic significantly increased MNC culture output as compared with non-TCT plastic, whereas CD34-enriched cell cultures gave lower output (than MNC cultures) that was unaffected by TCT plastic. Interestingly, the level of MNC culture output was significantly different on four commercial TCT surfaces, with the best performing surface giving output that was 1.6- to 2.8-fold greater than the worst one. The surface giving the highest output was the best at supporting development of a distinct morphological feature in the adherent layer (i.e. cobblestone area) indicative of primitive cells, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to characterize this surface. For custom injection molding of culture devices, the use of three different resins resulted in MNC culture output that was equivalent to commercial cultureware controls, whereas CD34-enriched cell cultures were highly sensitive to resins containing additives. When the texture of molded parts was roughened by sandblasting of the tool, MNC culture output was significantly reduced and higher spikes of IL-6 and G-CSF production were observed, presumably due to macrophage activation. In conclusion, the manufacture of BM MNC culture devices for clinical applications was optimized by consideration of plastic resin, surface treatment, and texture of the culture substratum. Although CD34-enriched cells were insensitive to surface treatment, they were considerably more sensitive to biocompatibility issues related to resin selection. The development of robust systems for BM MNC expansion will enable clinical trials designed to test the safety and efficacy of cells produced in this novel tissue engineering application.     

Primary DNA damage but not mutagenicity correlates with ciprofloxacin concentrations in German hospital wastewaters

BACKGROUND: Auscultation of patients with mitral annular calcification on echocardiography revealed a particular constellation of findings. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that a particular auscultatory constellation provides a high degree of certainty in diagnosing the combination of mitral annular calcification and aortic sclerosis so often found in the elderly. METHODS: Two groups of patients were studied to evaluate the particular auscultatory constellation under consideration which consisted of: (1) a harsh ejection systolic murmur heard from the 2nd right interspace to the cardiac apex and usually loudest between the 3rd left interspace and the apex; (2) the murmur radiates from the apex towards the left axilla and radiates poorly or not at all from the 2nd right interspace to the neck, and (3) the 2nd heart sound at the cardiac base is normal in intensity, and no ejection clicks are present. Group 1 consisted of patients with mitral annular calcification on echocardiographic examination, and group 2 consisted of patients in whom the particular constellation of auscultatory findings was present and who were then referred for echocardiographic assessment. RESULTS: The particular auscultatory constellation under investigation allowed the diagnosis of the presence of the combination of mitral annular calcification and aortic sclerosis with substantial accuracy. CONCLUSION: The findings in this exploratory study suggest that the pathologic combination of mitral annular calcification and aortic sclerosis can be diagnosed with a reasonably high degree of certainty in elderly patients, if the particular auscultatory configuration is identified.     

Highly Dissipative State of YBa2Cu3O7 Thin Films at Very Large Current Densities

Flux flow instabilities at high current densities have been recently reported to occur in high temperature superconductors. Such flux flow instabilities were already predicted by Larkin and Ovchinnikov. However, other mechanisms may possibly also account for this behaviour, as for instance hot spots or thermal instabilities. To investigate the mechanism at the origin of these instabilities, we have carried out detailed I- V experiments, using short current pulses, on YBCO thin films grown on sapphire substrates. When the current density exceeds 2-3 times the conventional critical current density, we observe an extremely fast transition from a low dissipative state into a highly dissipative state. We present some indications that this transition does not originate from temperature instabilities but is driven by the current.     

Traveller information service based on real-time toll data in Austria

The aim of this work is to demonstrate the suitability of existing toll collection data from the highranking road network in Austria for the generation of traffic information. The development of an area-wide, high-quality traffic information service in various implementations as prototypes was target of the project Smart Mobility Analysis of Real-time Toll-data (GO-SMART). In order to achieve feasible travel time estimations detection and rejection of distorting data is essential. Several methods of outlier detection and filtering have been tested and compared. An algorithm exhibiting good attributes with regard to effectiveness, feasibility and performance has been designed and applied to the data. The developed method is adapted to the specific behaviour and features of the available data that are, among others, caused by system conditions of the tolling system. The proposed method is a combination of moving average, z-score and plausibility checks. For the purpose of displaying fast and up-to-date traffic information a weighted aggregation is suggested. Weights depend on timeliness and related vehicle type of single observations. In order to allow jam detection, a similar behaviour of observed vehicles (chargeable heavy good vehicles) and passenger cars is required in congested situations. This is necessary to assure the same behaviour of the measured part of the traffic (heavy good vehicles) and of the overall traffic. The required assumption could be reproduced for single velocity values as well as for approximation of density?velocity relations. Prototypes of pre-trip and ontrip traveller information services are presented.     

Neuartige Rogowski-Spule aus geraden Teilspulen

Übersicht Die modernen elektronischen Schutz- und Meßgeräte der Starkstromtechnik benötigen an ihren Eingängen solche Spannungssignale, deren Momentanwert dem zu messenden Strom auch im Bereich der Kurzschlußströme proportional ist (einschließlich der Übertragung der Gleichstromkomponente). DiesenForderungen genügen die traditionellen Stromwandler, die einen Eisenkern haben, nicht mehr. Die Stromsignalgeber mit Luftkernspulen (Rogowski-Spulen) könnten auf Grund ihrer linearen Übertragung gut verwendet werden, aber ihre Verbreitung wurde von Problemen bei der Produzierbarkeit der Meßspule behindert.Neue, einfach produzierbare, aus Teilspulen mit geradlinigen Achsen zusammengesetzte Meßspulen wurden theoretisch untersucht. Für die Beurteilung der Genauigkeit wurden drei Fehlerparameter eingeführt. Aufgrund der Zusammenhänge zwischen den geometrischen und den Fehlerparametern der Meßspulen konnten optimale Varianten gewählt werden. Diese idealen Meßspulen genügen den Anforderungen der hohen Genauigkeit und der einfachen Produzierbarkeit und ermöglichen die industrielle Verbreitung der neuartigen Stromwandler ohne Eisenkern.

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A new Rogowski-coil with straight part-coils

Contents The modern electronic protection and measuring equipments of the heavy-current engineering need voltage signals on their inputs, the momentary value of which is proportional to the current to be measured in the range of the short circuit current (including the transmission of the direct current component), too. The traditional iron coretype current transformer does not comply with these requirements. The air core-type current transformers (Rogowski-coils) would be correctly applicable on the basis of their linear transmission, but their propagation was being hindered by the manufacturing problems of the measuring coil.New simply producible measuring coils made of straight axis part-coils have been theoretically investigated. Three error-parameters were introduced for the qualification of accuracy. Optimal parameters could be chosen on the basis of the relations between the geometrical and the error parameters. These ideal measuring coils comply with the requirement both of the high accuracy and of the simple manufacturing. Moreover, they will make possible the wide industrial application of the new current transformer without iron core.

     

Immunologic dysfunction in cancer

The interactions between the tumor and its host are complex, and many aspects of the immune system appear to be adversely affected directly or indirectly by the presence of the tumor. Virtually all of the processes involved in immune induction and action have been implicated in the observed deficient response in tumor-bearing patients. Improved understanding and molecular analysis of the mechanisms underlying the escape of tumors from immune surveillance may lead to the development of novel strategies for the prevention of T-cell immunosuppression in cancer patients, the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies, and potentially prevention of tumor progression or development.     

Economic and CO2 mitigation impacts of promoting biomass heating systems: An input–output study for Vorarlberg, Austria

This paper reports on an empirical investigation about the economic and CO₂ mitigation impacts of bioenergy promotion in the Austrian federal province of Vorarlberg. We study domestic value-added, employment, and fiscal effects by means of a static input–output analysis. The bioenergy systems analysed comprise biomass district heating, pellet heating, and automated wood chip heating systems, as well as logwood stoves and boilers, ceramic stoves, and buffer storage systems. The results indicate that gross economic effects are significant, regarding both investment and operation of the systems, and that the negative economic effects caused by the displacement of conventional decentralised heating systems might be in the order of 20–40%. Finally, CO₂ mitigation effects are substantial, contributing already in 2004 around 35% of the 2010 CO₂ mitigation target of the Land Vorarlberg for all renewable energy sources.