Analysis of CGF Biomolecules,Structure and Cell Population: Characterization of the Stemness Features of CGF Cells and Osteogenic Potential

Concentrated Growth Factors (CGF) represent new autologous (blood-derived biomaterial), attracting growing interest in the field of regenerative medicine. In this study, the chemical, structural, and biological characterization of CGF was carried out. CGF molecular characterization was performed by GC/MS to quantify small metabolites and by ELISA to measure growth factors and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) release; structural CGF characterization was carried out by SEM analysis and immunohistochemistry; CGF has been cultured, and its primary cells were isolated for the identification of their surface markers by flow cytometry, Western blot, and real-time PCR; finally, the osteogenic differentiation of CGF primary cells was evaluated through matrix mineralization by alizarin red staining and through mRNA quantification of osteogenic differentiation markers by real-time PCR. We found that CGF has a complex inner structure capable of influencing the release of growth factors, metabolites, and cells. These cells, which could regulate the production and release of the CGF growth factors, show stem features and are able to differentiate into osteoblasts producing a mineralized matrix. These data, taken together, highlight interesting new perspectives for the use of CGF in regenerative medicine.     

Computer-algebra systems and electromagnetic problems

This paper presents some computer-algebra systems, and explains how these systems are likely to be relevant in addressing electromagnetic problems. After a historical survey, we discuss the various systems and their features. Some examples are given, with an important bibliography. A listing of Web sites (of interest to the antennas and propagation community) is also given. Finally, we outline how a given problem can be formalized and analyzed using symbolic-algebra systems, and show an example calculation for a conformal-microstrip antenna     

The superiority of pinacidil over adenosine cardioplegia in blood-perfused isolated hearts

BACKGROUND: Our laboratory has shown that the potassium-channel opener pinacidil is an effective cardioplegic agent. A theoretical benefit of cardioplegia with potassium-channel openers is that it arrests the heart at hyperpolarized membrane potentials, a state of minimal metabolic requirement. This study was designed to examine another nondepolarizing agent, adenosine, and to test the hypothesis that it could provide comparable cardioprotection or augment potassium-channel opener cardioplegia. METHODS: Using the blood-perfused Langendorff technique, isolated rabbit hearts were arrested for 30 minutes of global normothermic ischemia. Cardioplegia consisted of either Krebs-Henseleit solution alone (control) or with pinacidil (50 micromol/L), adenosine (200 micromol/L to 1 mmol/ L), or pinacidil + adenosine (200 micromol/L). Recovery of developed pressure and coronary flow were recorded. RESULTS: Postischemic functional recovery for control, pinacidil, adenosine, and adenosine + pinacidil groups was 44.1%+/-3.4%, 59.5%+/-5.2% (p < 0.05 versus control), 37.0%+/-4.5%, and 56.0%+/-2.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Adenosine, alone or as adjunct to pinacidil cardioplegia, was not an effective cardioplegic agent, despite shorter times to electromechanical arrest than control. The ineffectiveness of adenosine suggests that the cardioprotective properties of potassium-channel openers involve mechanisms other than the avoidance of membrane depolarization.     

Short communication: Comparing real-time PCR and bacteriological cultures for Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus in bulk-tank milk samples

For more than 30 yr, a control plan for Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus has been carried out in more than 1,500 dairy herds of the province of Brescia (northern Italy). From 2010 to 2011, the apparent prevalence of Strep. agalactiae has been relatively stable around 10%, but the apparent prevalence of Staph. aureus has been greater than 40% with an increasing trend. The aim of this paper was to estimate and compare the diagnostic accuracy of 3 assays for the detection of Strep. agalactiae and Staph. aureus in bulk-tank milk samples (BTMS) in field conditions. The assays were a qualitative and a quantitative bacteriological culture (BC) for each pathogen and a homemade multiplex real-time PCR (rt-PCR). Because a gold standard was not available, the sensitivities (Se) and specificities (Sp) were evaluated using a Bayesian latent class approach. In 2012 we collected one BTMS from 165 dairy herds that were found positive for Strep. agalactiae in the previous 2-yr campaigns of eradication plan. In most cases, BTMS collected in these herds were positive for Staph. aureus as well, confirming the wide spread of this pathogen. At the same time we also collected composite milk samples from all the 8,624 lactating cows to evaluate the within-herd prevalence of Strep. agalactiae. Streptococcus agalactiae samples were cultured using a selective medium Tallium Kristalviolette Tossin, whereas for Staph. aureus, we used Baird Parker modified medium with added Rabbit Plasma Fibrinogen ISO-Formulation. In parallel, BTMS were tested using the rt-PCR. Regarding Strep. agalactiae, the posterior median of Se and Sp of the 2 BC was similar [qualitative BC: Se = 98%, posterior credible interval (95%PCI): 94–100%, and Sp = 99%, 95%PCI: 96–100%; quantitative BC: Se = 99%, 95%PCI: 96–100%, and Sp = 99%, 95%PCI: 95–100%] and higher than those of the rt-PCR (at 40 cycle threshold, Se = 92%, 95%PCI: 85–97%; Sp = 94%, 95%PCI: 88–98%). Also in case of Staph. aureus, the posterior medians of BC were generally higher than those of rt-PCR. In fact, although the Se of BC was slightly lower (rt-PCR at 40 cycle threshold, median Se = 99%, 95%PCI: 97–100%, and qualitative BC, median Se = 94%, 95%PCI: 87–99%), the Sp was much higher (rt-PCR at 40 cycle threshold, median Sp = 67%, 95%PCI: 38–97%; qualitative BC, median Sp = 95%; 95%PCI: 76–100%). Our study confirms that BC and rt-PCR are reliable diagnostic tools to detect Strep. agalactiae and Staph. aureus, and rt-PCR results should be confirmed by BC carried out on BTMS and possibly on composite milk samples.     

Unusual eg 3d x2?y2 Orbital Ordering and Low-Energy Excitations in the CE Structure of NaMn7O12

Similarly to the half-doped manganese oxides with perovskite structure like La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃, the double perovskite compound NaMn₇O₁₂ contains an equal number of Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions in the corner-sharing network of MnO₆ octahedra and exhibits a CE order of the charge and spins of these ions at low temperature. Though, in NaMn₇O₁₂ the order is complete, the charge and spin ordering transitions are sharp and the system is free of disorder, phase coexistence or structural inhomogeneities thanks to the absence of chemical substitutions. Here we discuss two unusual features of the CE structure of NaMn₇O₁₂: (1) the e _g 3d x ²−y ² orbital ordering expected from the direct crystallographic observation of compressed Mn³⁺O₆ octahedra below the charge ordering transition; (2) the existence of a large amount of low-energy excitations evidenced by the low temperature behavior of the specific heat. We propose a picture of nearly degenerate spin and orbital configurations of the CE structure arising from the peculiar orbital ordering.     

Assay of Sudan I contamination of foodstuff by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry and isotope dilution

Food safety represents one of the main issues of national and international agencies appointed to health control. In April 2003, a French agency disclosed that powdered or smashed hot chili pepper imported from India and Pakistan was heavily contaminated with a carcinogenic azo dye known as Sudan I. This paper deals with a modern approach for assaying the content of this colorant in foodstuff down to a limit of a few tens of parts per billion. The isotope dilution method combined with APCI tandem mass spectrometry was used. The internal standard, 1-(d5-phenylazo)-2-naphthalenol, was obtained by simple chemistry, and its structure was determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The mass spectrometric method is more sensitive than the HPLC approach by a factor of 20.     

Charge, orbital and spin ordering phenomena in the mixed valence manganite (NaMn3+(3))(Mn3+(2)Mn4+(2))O12

Mixed-valence manganites with the ABO3 perovskite structure display a variety of magnetic and structural transitions, dramatic changes of electrical conductivity and magnetoresistance effects. The physical properties vary with the relative concentration of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in the octahedral corner-sharing network, and the proportion of these two cations is usually changed by doping the trivalent large A cation (for example, La3+) with divalent cations. As the dopant and the original cation have, in general, different sizes, and as they are distributed randomly in the structure, such systems are characterized by local distortions that make it difficult to obtain direct information about their crystallographic and physical properties. On the other hand, the double oxides of formula AA'3Mn4O12 contain a perovskite-like network of oxygen octahedra centred on the Mn cations, coupled with an ordered arrangement of the A and A' cations, whose valences control the proportion of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in the structure. The compound investigated in this work, (NaMn3+(3))(Mn3+(2)Mn4+(2))O12, contains an equal number of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in the octahedral sites. We show that the absence of disorder enables the unambiguous determination of symmetry, the direct observation of full, or nearly full, charge ordering of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in distinct crystallographic sites, and a nearly perfect orbital ordering of the Mn3+ octahedra.     

SOI CMOS Implementation of a Multirate PSK Demodulator for Space Communications

A low-power phase-shift keying demodulator integrated circuit (IC) has been implemented using silicon-on-insulator CMOS technology for deep space and satellite applications. The demodulator employs double differential detection to increase its robustness to the Doppler shift caused by the movement of the space vehicle and sampling technique with 1-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) at the front to reduce the complexity and power dissipation. In particular, digital decimation is used after sampling to achieve a low power implementation of multirate transmission. Operating at ultra-high-frequency (435 MHz), the receiver system supports a wide range of data rates (0.1-100 Kbps). From test results, the power consumption of the demodulator circuit including the 1-bit ADC is below 1 mW for data rates up to 100 Kbps     

铸态粗晶Ti-5553钛合金高温变形行为与机理研究

本文借助Gleeble-3800热模拟试验机系统地研究了铸态粗晶Ti-5553合金在温度700 ℃~1100 ℃、应变速率为0.001 s_^-1~10 s_^-1条件下的高温变形行为。研究结果表明合金的流变应力对变形温度和速率都有强敏感性,流变软化过程也随变形参数的改变呈现出不同的模式。通过经典的动力学模型,建立了合金高温变形的本构关系和激活能分布图,进一步基于动态材料模型构建了合金的热加工图并实现了对不同加工区间变形机制的识别。合金在低温区(700 ℃)和高速率区( 1 s_^-1)均展现出失稳变形的特征,包括外部开裂、绝热剪切带、局部流变等机制,在实际加工中应对这些加工区域进行规避。合金在800 ℃及中低速率( 0.1 s_^-1)变形下的主导机制为α相的动态析出,在中高温(900 ℃-1100 ℃)及中低速率变形下的主导机制为动态回复与动态再结晶的结合。此外,合金在高温较低应变速率(1100 ℃/0.01 s_^-1)条件的变形中表现出大范围动态再结晶的行为特点并伴随稳定的流变软化,因此此条件附近的参数区间被认定为该合金的最优加工窗口,应在实际加工中给予优先考虑。