In Vitro Angiogenesis Inhibition and Endothelial Cell Growth and Morphology

A co-culture assay with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) was used to study whether selected angiogenesis inhibitors were able to inhibit differentiation and network formation of HUVECs in vitro. The effect of the inhibitors was determined by the morphology and the calculated percentage area covered by HUVECs. Neutralizing VEGF with avastin and polyclonal goat anti-VEGF antibody and inhibiting VEGFR2 with sorafenib and vatalanib resulted in the formation of HUVEC clusters of variable sizes as a result of inhibited EC differentiation. Furthermore, numerous inhibitors of the VEGF signaling pathways were tested for their effect on the growth and differentiation of HUVECs. The effects of these inhibitors did not reveal a cluster morphology, either individually or when combined to block VEGFR2 downstream pathways. Only the addition of N-methyl-p-bromolevamisole revealed a similar morphology as when targeting VEGF and VEGFR2, meaning it may have an inhibitory influence directly on VEGFR signaling. Additionally, several nuclear receptor ligands and miscellaneous compounds that might affect EC growth and differentiation were tested, but only dexamethasone gave rise to cluster formation similarly to VEGF-neutralizing compounds. These results point to a link between angiogenesis, HUVEC differentiation and glucocorticoid receptor activation.     

Catalytic effects of metals of the iron subgroup on the chlorination of titanium carbide to form nanostructural carbon

The effect of the reaction temperature and the metals of an iron subgroup on the thermo-chemical treatment of titanium carbide with a chlorine gas and their influence on the carbon structure obtained thereby was studied. Different analytical methods such as porosity measurements, X-ray diffraction spectrometry and a high-resolution electron microscopy revealed the catalytic behaviour of the above-mentioned metals, which appeared to support the formation of graphitised carbon at much lower temperatures compared to those needed for the ordinary thermo-chemical chlorination of titanium carbide.     

Diagenetic transformation of dissolved organic nitrogen compounds under contrasting sedimentary redox conditions in the Black Sea

Remineralization of organic matter in reactive marine sediments releases nutrients and dissolved organic matter (DOM) into the ocean. Here we focused on the molecular-level characterization of DOM by high-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) in sediment pore waters and bottom waters from contrasting redox regimes in the northern Black Sea with particular emphasis on nitrogen-bearing compounds to derive an improved understanding of the molecular transformations involved in nitrogen release. The number of nitrogen-bearing molecules is generally higher in pore waters than in bottom waters. This suggests intensified degradation of nitrogen-bearing precursor molecules such as proteins in anoxic sediments: No significant difference was observed between sediments deposited under oxic vs anoxic conditions (average O/C ratios of 0.55) suggesting that the different organic matter quality induced by contrasting redox conditions does not impact protein diagenesis in the subseafloor. Compounds in the pore waters were on average larger, less oxygenated, and had a higher number of unsaturations. Applying a mathematical model, we could show that the assemblages of nitrogen-bearing molecular formulas are potential products of proteinaceous material that was transformed by the following reactions: (a) hydrolysis and deamination, both reducing the molecular size and nitrogen content of the products and intermediates; (b) oxidation and hydration of the intermediates; and (c) methylation and dehydration.     

Arabinosylated phenolics obtained from SO2‐steam‐pretreated sugarcane bagasse

A pentose‐rich hydrolysate fraction obtained by extraction of steam‐pretreated sugarcane bagasse was analysed with regard to dissolved phenolics. The liquid obtained after steam pretreatment (2% SO₂ (w/w) at 190 °C for 5 min) was divided into two parts: one containing dissolved compounds originating from hemicellulose (with xylose as the dominating compound), and the other containing predominantly dissolved compounds originating from lignin. Using nuclear magnetic resonance, the main dissolved compounds originating from lignin were identified as the glycosylated aromatics, 5‐O‐(trans‐feruloyl)‐L‐Arabinofuranose and 5‐O‐(trans‐coumaroyl)‐L‐Arabinofuranose, together with p‐coumaric acid and small amounts of more common free phenolics such as p‐hydroxybenzaldehyde, p‐hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillin. The phenolic compounds were analysed and quantified using reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. The findings show that SO₂ steam explosion opened up new degradation pathways during lignin degradation. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Sleep Disorders Reduce Health-Related Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis (Nottingham Health Profile Data in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis)

Quality of Life (QoL) is decreased in multiple sclerosis (MS), but studies about the impact of sleep disorders (SD) on health-related quality of Life (HRQoL) are lacking. From our original cohort, a cross-sectional polysomnographic (PSG) study in consecutive MS patients, we retrospectively analysed the previously unpublished data of the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Those MS patients suffering from sleep disorders (n = 49) showed significantly lower HRQoL compared to MS patients without sleep disorders (n = 17). Subsequently, we classified the patients into four subgroups: insomnia (n = 17), restless-legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder and SD due to leg pain (n = 24), obstructive sleep apnea (n = 8) and patients without sleep disorder (n = 17). OSA and insomnia patients showed significantly higher NHP values and decreased HRQoL not only for the sleep subscale but also for the “energy” and “emotional” area of the NHP. In addition, OSA patients also showed increased NHP values in the “physical abilities” area. Interestingly, we did not find a correlation between the objective PSG parameters and the subjective sleep items of the NHP. However, this study demonstrates that sleep disorders can reduce HRQoL in MS patients and should be considered as an important confounder in all studies investigating HRQoL in MS.     

Influence of Oxygen During Pretreatment of Kraft Pulp with NO2

Abstract

Large additions of O₂ during the pretreatment of modified or industrial kraft pulp with NO₂ under conditions which favored an autocatalytic generation of NO₂ from produced and added HNO₃ led to a decreased viscosity after a subsequent oxygen bleaching, If the comparison was made at high kappa numbers. The difference was less apparent when the oxygen bleaching was extended. The yield of pulp at a given kappa number was reduced by large O₂ additions. An Increased yield of nitric acid contributed to these effects.

Hydrogen cyanide and ammonia were produced during the pretreatment in reactions between lignin and generated nitrogen oxides. Addition of O₂ led to decreased yields of these products.     

Alkoxide Route to La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 Films and Powders

An all-alkoxide route to films and nano-phase powders of the La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃ perovskite is described. To our knowledge, this is the first purely alkoxide-based route to (La_{1− x} Sr _x )CoO₃, and it yields phase-pure and elementally homogeneous perovskite at 700°C by heating at 2°C/min. At 700°C, a cubic unit cell was obtained with a _c=3.853Å, and after further heating to 1000°C, a rhombohedral cell could be indexed: a _r=5.417 Å, α_r=59.94°. Ninety to 130 nm thick films of La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃ were obtained by spin coating. The gel-to-oxide conversion was studied in some detail, using thermo-gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer.     

Weight reduction is not a major reason for improvement in rheumatoid arthritis from lacto-vegetarian,vegan or Mediterranean diets

Objectives  

Several investigators have reported that clinical improvements of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), from participating in therapeutic diet intervention studies, have been accompanied by loss of body weight. This has raised the question whether weight reduction per se can improve RA. In order to test this hypothesis, three previously conducted diet intervention studies, comprising 95 patients with RA, were pooled. Together with Age, Gender, and Disease Duration, change during the test period in body weight, characterised dichotomously as reduction or no reduction (dichoΔBody Weight), as well as Diet (dichotomously as ordinary diet or test diet), were the independent variables. Dependent variables were the difference (Δ) from baseline to conclusion of the study in five different disease outcome measures. ΔESR and ΔPain Score were both characterised numerically and dichotomously (improvement or no improvement). ΔAcute Phase Response, ΔPhysical Function, and ΔTender Joint Count were characterised dichotomously only. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse associations between the independent and the disease outcome variables.     

Coupled multipolar interactions in small-particle metallic clusters

We propose a new formalism for computing the optical properties of small clusters of particles. It is a generalization of the coupled dipole-dipole particle-interaction model and allows one in principle to take into account all multipolar interactions in the long-wavelength limit. The method is illustrated by computations of the optical properties of N = 6 particle clusters for different multipolar approximations. We examine the effect of separation between particles and compare the optical spectra with the discrete-dipole approximation and the generalized Mie theory.     

A Chip for an Implantable Neural Stimulator

This paper describes a chip for a multichannel neural stimulator for functional electrical stimulation (FES). The purpose of FES is to restore muscular control in disabled patients. The chip performs all the signal processing required in an implanted neural stimulator. The power and digital data transmission to the stimulator passes through a 5 MHz inductive link. From the signals transmitted to the stimulator, the chip is able to generate charge-balanced current pulses with a controllable length up to 256 s and an amplitude up to 2 mA, for stimulation of nerve fibers. The quiescent current consumption of the chip is approx. 650 A at supply voltages of 6–12 V, and its size is 3.9×3.5 mm². It has 4 output channels for use in a multipolar cuff electrode.