Current Status of Angiogenic Cell Therapy and Related Strategies Applied in Critical Limb Ischemia

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) constitutes the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), it is characterized by progressive blockade of arterial vessels, commonly correlated to atherosclerosis. Currently, revascularization strategies (bypass grafting, angioplasty) remain the first option for CLI patients, although less than 45% of them are eligible for surgical intervention mainly due to associated comorbidities. Moreover, patients usually require amputation in the short-term. Angiogenic cell therapy has arisen as a promising alternative for these “no-option” patients, with many studies demonstrating the potential of stem cells to enhance revascularization by promoting vessel formation and blood flow recovery in ischemic tissues. Herein, we provide an overview of studies focused on the use of angiogenic cell therapies in CLI in the last years, from approaches testing different cell types in animal/pre-clinical models of CLI, to the clinical trials currently under evaluation. Furthermore, recent alternatives related to stem cell therapies such as the use of secretomes, exosomes, or even microRNA, will be also described.     

Indoor heterogeneous photochemistry of furfural drives emissions of nitrous acid

People spend approximately 80% of their time indoor, making the understanding of the indoor chemistry an important task for safety. The high surface-area-to-volume ratio characteristic of indoor environments leads the semi-volatile organic compounds (sVOCs) to deposit on the surfaces. Using a long path absorption photometer (LOPAP), this work investigates the formation of nitrous acid (HONO) through the photochemistry of adsorbed nitrate anions and its enhancement by the presence of furfural. Using a high-resolution proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS), this work also investigates the surface emissions of VOCs from irradiated films of furfural and a mix of furfural and nitrate anions. Among the emitted VOCs, 2(5H)-furanone/2-Butenedial was observed at high concentrations, leading to maleic anhydride formation after UV irradiation. Moreover, the addition of potassium nitrate to the film formed NO_x and HONO concentrations up to 10 ppb, which scales to ca. 4 ppb for realistic indoor conditions. This work helps to understand the high levels of HONO and NO_x measured indoors.     

Assessing continuous bivariate effects among different groups through nonparametric regression models: An application to breast cancer detection

In many applications, the joint effect of two continuous covariates on the target binary response may vary across groups defined by levels of a given factor. A testing procedure that would enable this type of surface-by-factor interactions to be detected has been designed. To accomplish this goal, a logistic generalized additive model (GAM) with bivariate continuous interactions varying across groups defined by levels of a factor is considered. A local scoring algorithm based on local linear kernel smoothers was implemented to estimate the proposed logistic GAM. Bootstrap resampling techniques were used for the purpose of testing for factor-by-surface interactions. Given the high computational cost involved, binning techniques were used to speed up computation in the estimation and testing processes. The adequacy of the bootstrap-based test was assessed by means of a simulation study. If a factor-by-surface interaction is detected in the model, it is then established that the use of the odds-ratio curves is very useful in obtaining a direct interpretation of the fitted model. The benefits of using this methodology when analyzing real data are illustrated by applying the technique to the outputs produced by a computerized system dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer.     

Slip Control System for a Deep-Sea Mining Machine

Tracked vehicles capable of locomotion in the deep sea are used for manganese nodule mining. This requires specific technical solutions in various respects. Locomotion in the soft sea bed is one of them. For the Crawler to safely maneuver, an automatic drive mode with slip control of the driving tracks is essential. Based on experimental studies at IKS, University of Siegen, slip control for the NIOT-IKS mining machine has been developed and implemented. The experimental setup for the development of the slip control along with the logic of the automatic driving mode is described. The system is critically discussed and the test results and future work are briefly outlined. Note to Practitioners-The work is carried out as part of the polymetallic nodule mining program of the Government of India. The technique of slip control is a specific requirement for a tracked vehicle used in the deep sea. Slip is common in many vehicles-tracked and otherwise. Examples are steam engines in the early days and ordinary cars while negotiating slush or snow/ice and dozers working in soft soil. While these are manually controlled by drivers who have firsthand knowledge of the environmental conditions, in the case of a mining machine in deep sea, it has to be completely automatic and, hence, is challenging. The knowledge generated in this work could be effectively used by practitioners in other related areas of automobile engineering for updating their expertise. Also, similar techniques may be used for maneuvering vehicles sent to other planets     

Standardizing formats of corporate source data

This paper describe an approach for improving the data quality of corporate sources when databases are used for bibliometric purposes. Research management relies on bibliographic databases and citation index systems as analytical tools, yet the raw resources for bibliometric studies are plagued by a lack of consistency in fied formatting for institution data. The present contribution puts forth a Natural Language Processing (NLP)-oriented method for the identification of the structures guiding corporate data and their mapping into a standardized format. The proposed unification process is based on the definition of address patterns and the ensuing application of Enhanced Finite-State Transducers (E-FST). Our procedure was tested on address formats downloaded from the INSPEC, MEDLINE and CAB Abstracts. The results demonstrate the helpfulness of the method as long as close control of errors is exercised as far as the formats to be unified. The computational efficacy of the model is noteworthy, due to the fact that it is firmly guided by the definition of data in the application domain.     

Effect of Crude Oil Composition and Blending on Flowing Properties

The effect of crude oil n-paraffin molecular weight distribution on wax crystallization risk was studied. Sixteen highly paraffinic crude oils from Eastern Venezuela were characterized, in terms of hydrocarbon family distribution, by High Temperature Simulate Distillation (HTSD), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), and wax content. n-Paraffin chain length was correlated with crude oil cloud point and pour point. It was demonstrated that high molecular weight linear paraffins are responsible for crude oil wax precipitation. A quantitative correlation between molecular weight distribution and crude oil flowing properties was also obtained. It was found that the wider the molecular weight distribution, the lower is the wax crystallization risk. Blends of different paraffinic crude oils were prepared and their flowing properties were evaluated in comparison with the original crudes. Cloud points below the mean value were obtained. In some cases, a synergistic effect was observed (cloud points below the minimum of the two crude oils). Blends of some of these crudes with condensates afforded improvements on crude oil flow and a reduction of wax crystallization tendency (cloud point). This phenomenon can be attributed to a combination of two factors: I. increases in C24-n-paraffins, and II. a wider molecular weight distribution.     

Expression of INK4 inhibitors of cyclin D-dependent kinases during mouse brain development

In situ hybridization of mouse embryo sections demonstrated expression of mRNAs encoding two polypeptide inhibitors (p18INK4c and p19INK4d) of cyclin D-dependent kinase (CDK) 4 and CDK6 in the central nervous system. No expression of two other INK4 members, p16INK4a and p15INK4b, was observed. The p19INK4d and p18INK4c proteins formed complexes with either CDK4 or CDK6 in a temporal pattern consistent with the results of in situ hybridization. Expression of INK4c was observed at embryonic day 13.5 in neuroepithelial zones of the developing brain, being restricted to dividing neuroblasts but absent from differentiating postmitotic neurons. In the neocortex, p18INK4c was expressed precisely at those developmental stages when neuroblasts switch from a symmetric to an asymmetric pattern of cell division with concomitant increases in their G1 interval. INK4d RNA was detected from embryonic day 11.5 onward, at higher levels than INK4c and with a distinctly different spatial and temporal pattern. Marked INK4d expression was seen in dorsal root ganglia, spinal cord, and focally throughout the brain, but primarily in postmitotic neurons. Neural expression of INK4d continued postnatally into adulthood in postmitotic cells of the dentate gyrus, the pyramidal layer of the hippocampus, and in discrete regions of the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, thalamus, and brainstem. Downregulation of p19INK4d in the dentate gyrus after kainic acid-induced seizures indicated that its expression could also be modified in nondividing cells by excitotoxic stress. Therefore, p19INK4d may contribute to maintaining the quiescent state, acting as a buffer to prevent reactivation of cyclin D-dependent kinases in terminally differentiated cells.     

Influence of two-step process and of different stoichiometric ratios on morphologies generated in castor oil epoxy resins

Phase separation during polymerization was studied in a model system consisting of a diepoxide based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), variable amounts of ethylenediamine (EDA) and the mass of castor oil (CO) necessary to obtain a mass fraction equal to 0-15 in a final system where the stoichiometric ratio of amine to epoxy equivalents, r, was equal to 1. A two-step polymerization process was performed by curing first a system with r = 0-5, during variable times before phase separation, and then carrying the system to r = 1. Thermodynamic analysis of samples with different r values led to a linear relationship between the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter and r. The concentration (P) and average size (D?) of dispersed-phase particles followed opposite trends, i.e. P increased while D? decreased, when either r was increased or the time of curing in the first step of a two-step process was decreased. This was explained by assuming that the competition between nucleation and growth was determined by the viscosity at the cloud point, η_cp. Low values of η_cp favoured growth over nucleation and led to fewer but larger particles.     

Malignoma versus bacterial spondylodiscitis: value of spinal MRI for the differential diagnosis in an emergency situation. Description in an acute case with progressive paraplegia

BACKGROUND: For the radiation oncologist in an emergency situation with acute progressive paraplegia distinguishing between benign versus malignant vertebral compression fracture without known malignoma may cause a severe diagnostic problem, when a rapid therapeutic decision is required. PATIENT AND METHOD: A case of an elderly diabetic patient with acute onset of a progressive neurologic deficit is reported. No malignancy was known so far. The CT of the spine showed a destruction of the 7th and 8th thoracic vertebral body with compression of the spinal cord. The patient was referred to the radiotherapist for radiation of a presumed malignant spinal process. RESULT: For differential diagnosis a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine was performed and could lead to the correct diagnosis of an infectious spondylodiscitis. CONCLUSION: The MRI of the spine has a potential role for correct differentiation between benign and malignant spinal lesions and may thereby assist the radiotherapist in the decision making in an emergency situation.