Differentiation Medium Research Articles

Midwives’ perceptions and experiences of recommending and delivering vaccinations to pregnant women following the Covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study

BackgroundPregnant women and their unborn babies are at an increased risk of hospitalisation, morbidity, and mortality from illness. However, uptake of influenza, pertussis and Covid-19 vaccinations offered during pregnancy is below the desired rate. This research aims to explore UK midwives’ experiences of approaching and discussing vaccinations with pregnant women, and their perceived role in pregnant women's vaccination decisions. MethodsMidwives in the West Midlands, UK were recruited via participating hospitals and midwife specific social media groups. Interviews were conducted remotely from April to July 2023 and analysed with a deductive codebook coding strategy using thematic analysis. FindingsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 midwives identifying the following key themes: Recommendations to have vaccinations reported on the contents of recommendations and how they are communicated; Messages and guidance included the importance of up-to-date informational needs for midwives to administer vaccinations and the barriers caused by uncertainty and conflicting messages about the Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy; Delivery of vaccinations included the convenience of offering vaccinations during standard antenatal appointments; and Midwives’ barriers explored the pandemic specific and other barriers midwives face in the administering of vaccinations. DiscussionThese findings contribute to the understanding of how midwives discuss the topic of vaccinations with pregnant women. This research highlights the importance for midwives to receive clear and consistent information. A strong emphasis on why vaccines are important when recommending to pregnant women in addition to standard information on the availability and timing may have a bearing in helping women to make informed decisions about accepting vaccinations.

Antibiotic Resistance Patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacterial Species Isolated from Various Clinical Samples

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections have become a real burden in healthcare settings, contributing substantially to nosocomial infections. The emergence of several drug-resistant strains was the major issue causing massive mortality. Multiple-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates containing beta-lactamase were becoming more prevalent. Objective: To investigate and characterize the antibiotic resistance patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from different clinical samples. Methods: A total of 618 different clinical samples including blood, pus and urine samples were collected from the patients visiting Indus Medical College Hospital Tando Muhammad Khan, Sindh, Pakistan. All the clinical samples were processed for the isolation of bacterial species using specific culture media. The identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains was achieved based on Gram’s staining and certain biochemical tests including Cetrimide test. Moreover, antibiotic susceptibility testing was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results: A total of 452 bacterial strains were isolated and pure cultured from different clinical samples. Among these, 60.62% were Gram-negative and 25% of the total isolates were found to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Antibiotic sensitivity testing results revealed the highest resistance ratio of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains against Ticarcillin (46.02%), while Colistin showed the lowest resistance (3.54%). Overall, 14.15% of the isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were found to be multi-drug-resistant bacteria. Conclusion: The results of the present study reveal an increased ratio of antibiotic resistance particularly of Ticarcillin, piperacillin and imipenem in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from various clinical samples.

Evaluation of Anti-biofilm Activity of Silica nanoparticles against dental Streptococcus mutans: In-Vitro Study

Background: Dental caries is a prevalent chronic infection caused by cariogenic bacteria that cling to teeth, mainly Streptococcus mutans. These bacteria break down sugars into acid over time, demineralizing the tooth structure. Biofilm as an early colonizer and is the most important bacterium in the formation of dental caries . Materials and Methods: The present study concentrates on isolation and identification of the S.mutans pathogen from patients suffering from dental caries. On specific media, the isolates were cultivated. From human teeth, one hundred dental caries samples are gathered. Using MS-agar (Mitis Salivarius agar), only fifty samples are regarded as positive bacterial isolates to identify the S.mutans isolates, their morphological, cultural, biochemical, and VITEK features were examined. . The microtiter plate method was used to detect the development of biofilms by comparing the characteristics of the isolates. In this work, the median values of optical density (OD) at 630 nm were utilised to employ ELISA to distinguish between S. mutans isolates that developed biofilms and those that did not. To confirm the type of bacteria using molecular identification. Objectives: The purpose of this work is to determine the subminimum and minimum inhibitory concentrations of silica nanoparticles that function as anti-biofilm agents, as they have an impact on bacterial growth and details of silica nanoparticle characterization. Results: In this study considered to be S.mutans are twenty isolates the morphological, cultural, biochemical, and VITEK properties of the bacterial isolates were used to identify them . in this study molecular identification to more confirm of S.mutans the result of PCR showed that 20/20(100%) isolates were PCR positive for 16r RNA gene . in this investigation different isolates were evaluated for their capacity to create biofilm; nine (45%) were judged to be strong producers, seven (35%), to be moderate producers, and four (20%) to be weak producers. the sol-gel method was used in this study to synthesis silica nanoparticles, which were then characterised by XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, and TEM. In this study, Si-NPs were tested against isolates of S.mutans by using a resazurin mediated microtiter plate the results have shown that silica nanoparticles has inhibitory action (MIC) against S. mutans with concentration 0,78 mg/ml and sub-MIC with concentration 0.39 mg/ml. .The anti-biofilm effect of silica nanoparticles on isolates of S. mutans in the current investigation revealed that the biofilm mean of control (biofilm development without silica nanoparticles) was 0.583, whereas the findings for anti-biofilm utilizing sub-MIC of NPs, was 0.185 in microtiter plate method when the (p value) less than 0.05 this proves the NPs effected on the biofilm formation by S.murans and inhibition it . Conclusion: Silica nanoparticles' anti-biofilm action on S.mutans isolates demonstrated the importance of biofilm inhibition.

Biofilm Production Activity and Antibiotics Susceptibility of Streptococcus mutans Isolates from Patients with Dental Caries

Dental caries, a prevalent chronic infectious ailment, commences with the adherence of cariogenic bacteria to the teeth, particularly Streptococcus mutans. These microorganisms utilize sugars to produce acid, resulting in the gradual demineralization of the dental structure. Streptococcus mutans a gram positive bacterium is found to play the most significant role in the dental caries in terms of being the earliest colonizer in the formation of caries. The current research focuses on the isolation and identification of the Streptococcus mutans pathogen in individuals affected by dental caries. The isolated strains were cultured on specific media, with one hundred samples of dental caries obtained from human teeth. Among these samples, fifty were identified as positive bacterial isolates utilizing MS-agar (Mitist Salivares agar), with ten isolates categorized under the group Streptococci and twenty isolates identified as S. mutans. Identification of bacterial isolates was carried out based on morphological and cultural characteristics, biochemical tests, and VITEK-II. Additionally, an antibiogram assay was conducted to assess the susceptibility and resistance of the pathogen to various drugs. The findings revealed that all locally isolated S. mutans strains displayed 100% resistance to Cefepime, while showing different levels of resistance and susceptibility to other antibiotics such as Doxycycline, Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, Vancomycin, Tetracycline, Ampicillin, and Meropenem. In this study, ELISA was employed to differentiate between Streptococcus. mutans isolates that produced biofilms and those that did not by utilizing the optical density at 630 nm. Bacterial biofilms contribute to chronic diseases that pose challenges in treatment. Twenty distinct isolates were evaluated for their biofilm-forming capabilities, with 9 (45%) identified as strong biofilm producers, 7 (35%) classified as moderate biofilm producers, and 4 (20%) categorized as weak biofilm producers

Pemberitaan Pemain Naturalisasi Dalam Media dengan Analisis DNA Dan Visone

Sports mass media have recently been discussing the discourse on the naturalization of national team players. This discourse is a project initiated by PSSI (All Indonesia Football Association) and BTN (National Team Agency). The reason for doing this is to boost the national team's performance to achieve more in the international arena. This naturalization discourse has raised pros and cons in the eyes of national football lovers. This naturalization issue has been linked to media interest in reporting it. From this problem, the author has a question: how do the media in Indonesia frame the news of the Naturalization of Indonesian National Team Players in recent times? The study used qualitative research and media framing analysis techniques. Data collection was carried out by observation and observation of several media. As for the data analysis technique, this study used media framing analysis with the DNA and Visone applications to determine the media's bias in its reporting. The existence of these similarities makes a country's sovereignty that must be loved. Several specific media reports naturalized players with certain frames to lead readers to be pro or con. This study concluded that some media in Indonesia framed the news of naturalization positively because the increasing achievements of the national team can prove it. A small portion of the media viewed it negatively because it was difficult for local players to defend the Indonesian national team. Keywords: Naturalized player, Framing analysis, DNA and Visone

Analytic solutions for effective elastic moduli of isotropic solids containing oblate spheroid pores with critical porosity

AbstractAccurate characterization for effective elastic moduli of porous solids is crucial for better understanding their mechanical behaviour and wave propagation, which has found many applications in the fields of engineering, rock physics and exploration geophysics. We choose the spheroids with different aspect ratios to describe the various pore geometries in porous solids. The approximate equations for compressibility and shear compliance of spheroid pores and differential effective medium theory constrained by critical porosity are used to derive the asymptotic solutions for effective elastic moduli of the solids containing randomly oriented spheroids. The critical porosity in the new asymptotic solutions can be flexibly adjusted according to the elastic moduli – porosity relation of a real solid, thus extending the application of classic David‐Zimmerman model because it simply assumes the critical porosity is one. The asymptotic solutions are valid for the solids containing crack‐like oblate spheroids with aspect ratio < 0.3, nearly spherical pores (0.7 < < 1.3) and needle‐like prolate pores with > 3, instead of just valid in the limiting cases, for example perfectly spherical pores (= 1) and infinite thin cracks (0). The modelling results also show that the accuracies of asymptotic solutions are weakly affected by the critical porosity and grain Poisson's ratio , although the elastic moduli have appreciable dependency of and . We then use the approximate equations for pore compressibility and shear compliance as inputs into the Mori–Tanaka and Kuster–Toksoz theories and compare their calculations to our results from differential effective medium theory. By comparing the published laboratory measurements with modelled results, we validate our asymptotic solutions for effective elastic moduli.

Carbohydrate-Binding Mechanism of the Coagulant Lectin from Moringa oleifera Seeds (cMoL) Is Related to the Dimeric Protein Structure

This study characterized the binding mechanisms of the lectin cMoL (from Moringa oleifera seeds) to carbohydrates using spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD). The interaction with carbohydrates was studied by evaluating lectin fluorescence emission after titration with glucose or galactose (2.0–11 mM). The Stern–Volmer constant (Ksv), binding constant (Ka), Gibbs free energy (∆G), and Hill coefficient were calculated. After the urea-induced denaturation of cMoL, evaluations were performed using fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), and hemagglutinating activity (HA) evaluations. The MD simulations were performed using the Amber 20 package. The decrease in Ksv revealed that cMoL interacts with carbohydrates via a static mechanism. The cMoL bound carbohydrates spontaneously (ΔG < 0) and presented a Ka on the order of 102, with high selectivity for glucose. Protein–ligand complexes were stabilized by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The Hill parameter (h~2) indicated that the binding occurs through the cMoL dimer. The loss of HA at urea concentrations at which the fluorescence and CD spectra indicated protein monomerization confirmed these results. The MD simulations revealed that glucose bound to the large cavity formed between the monomers. In conclusion, the biotechnological application of cMoL lectin requires specific methods or media to improve its dimeric protein structure.

Clustered ARPE-19 cells distinct in mitochondrial membrane potential may play a pivotal role in cell differentiation

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is associated with the dysfunction and degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. Here, we examined how the formation and expansions of cell clusters are regulated by the differentiation of the RPE cells. In this study, ARPE-19 cells were cultivated in standard or differentiation media, i.e., without or with nicotinamide, to evaluate the spreading of cell clusters specified with differentiated cell phenotypes. Mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) and the distribution of the RPE cell clusters was also monitored with or without rotenone, a mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complex I inhibitor. Cultured ARPE-19 cells generated scattered cell clusters composed mostly of smaller size cells expressing the differentiation markers mouse anti-cellular retinaldehyde–binding protein (CRALBP) and Bestrophin only in differentiation medium. After the increase of the number of clusters, the clusters appeared to paracellularly merge, resulting in expansion of the area occupied by the clusters. Of note, the cells within the clusters selectively had high MMP and were in accordance with the expression of RPE differentiation markers. Rotenone repressed the formation of the clusters and decreased intracellular MMP. The above results suggest that clustering of RPE cells with functional mitochondria plays a pivotal role in RPE cell differentiation process and the ETC complex I inhibition greatly influences the composition of RPE cells that are degenerated or differentiation disposed.

Achieving high thermal conductivity and strong bending strength diamond/aluminum composite via nanoscale multi-interface phase structure engineering

Diamond/aluminum composites, as a new generation of thermal management materials, are caught in the dilemma between inhibiting the formation of Al4C3 and improving the performance. Herein, we proposed a strategy for nanoscale multi-interface phase structure engineering, utilizing a combination of magnetron sputtering and vacuum heat treatment to obtain diamond particles with nanoscale TiC-Ti layers. Prolonging the vacuum heating time increases the content of TiC, but results in significant differences in the morphology and coverage of TiC formed on the diamond(100) and (111) facets. First-principles calculations reveal that the work of adhesion and C-Ti reaction tendency of diamond(100)/Ti are stronger than those of diamond(111)/Ti, clarifying the difference in interfacial properties between diamond/Ti and diamond/TiC. Diamond-TiC-Ti configuration obtained in advance contributes to fabricating the composite with diamond-TiC-Al(Al3Ti) structure, and the multi-interface phase structure is beneficial to improve the interface bonding, adjust the acoustic mismatch, and inhibit the formation of Al4C3. (800 °C 0.5 h)@Ti-coated diamond(100 μm)/aluminum composite with the multi-interface phase exhibits excellent thermal conductivity(646 W m−1 K−1) and outstanding bending strength(358 MPa), exceeding 90 % of the theoretical prediction of the differential effective medium model. The performance of (800 °C 0.5 h)@Ti-coated diamond/aluminum composite is about 30 % higher than that of traditional Ti-coated diamond/aluminum composite. The TiC layer formed by increasing the heat treatment time is thicker and discontinuous, leading to a decrease in the thermal conductivity of the composite and a weakening effect of Al4C3 inhibition. We clarified the formation mechanism of interface structure related to diamond orientation by multi-scale characterization. Based on the thermal conductivity prediction models, the interface structures corresponding to different diamond orientations were considered, and the predicted values showed good consistency with the experimental results. By interface modification engineering, we overcome the dilemma of introducing modified layer to inhibit Al-C reaction while leading to additional interface thermal resistance, providing insights into the interfacial thermal transport mechanism.

Optimization of an autaptic culture system for studying cholinergic synapses in sympathetic ganglia.

An autaptic synapse (or 'autapse') is a functional connection between a neuron and itself, commonly used in studying the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic transmission and plasticity in central neurons. Most previous studies on autonomic synaptic functions have relied on spontaneous connections among neurons in mass cultures. However, growing evidence supports the utility of microcultures cultivating autaptic neurons for examining cholinergic transmission within sympathetic ganglia. Despite these advancements, standardized protocols for culturing autaptic sympathetic neurons have yet to be established. Drawing on historical literature, this study delineates optimal experimental conditions to efficiently and reliably produce cholinergic synapses in sympathetic neurons within a short time frame. Our research emphasizes five key factors: (i) the generation of uniformly sized microislands of growth permissive substrates; (ii) the addition of nerve growth factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), and serum to the culture medium; (iii) independence from specific serum and neuronal medium types; (iv) the reciprocal roles of CNTF and glial cells; and (v) the promotion of cholinergic synaptogenesis in SCG neurons through indirect glia co-cultures, rather than direct glial feeder layer cultures. In conclusion, glia-free monocultures of SCG neurons are relatively simple to prepare and yield robust and reliable synaptic currents. This makes them an effective model system for straightforwardly addressing fundamental questions about neurogenic mechanisms involved in cholinergic synaptic transmission in autonomic ganglia. Furthermore, autaptic culture experiments could eventually be implemented to investigate the roles of functional neuron-satellite glia units in regulating cholinergic functions under physiological and pathological conditions.

Alternative Ways to Obtain Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells.

Differentiation approaches to obtain mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have gradually developed over the last few decades. The problem is that different protocols give different MSC types, making further research difficult. Here, we tried three different approaches to differentiate embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from early mesoderm to MSCs using serum-containing or xeno-free differentiation medium and observed differences in the cells' morphology, doubling rate, ability to form colonies, surface marker analysis, and multilineage differentiation potential of the obtained cell lines. We concluded that the xeno-free medium best fits the criteria of MSCs' morphology, growth kinetics, and surface marker characterization. In contrast, the serum-containing medium gives better potential for further MSC differentiation into osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic lineages.

Influence of Chitosan on the Viability of Encapsulated and Dehydrated Formulations of Vegetative Cells of Actinomycetes.

This study focuses on developing an encapsulated and dehydrated formulation of vegetative actinobacteria cells for an efficient application in sustainable agriculture, both as a fungicidal agent in crop protection and as a growth-stimulating agent in plants. Three strains of actinobacteria were used: one from a collection (Streptomyces sp.) and two natives to agricultural soil, which were identified as S3 and S6. Vegetative cells propagated in a specific liquid medium for mycelium production were encapsulated in various alginate-chitosan composites produced by extrusion. Optimal conditions for cell encapsulation were determined, and cell damage from air-drying at room temperature was evaluated. The fresh and dehydrated composites were characterized by porosity, functional groups, size and shape, and their ability to protect the immobilized vegetative cells' viability. Actinomycetes were immobilized in capsules of 2.1-2.7 mm diameter with a sphericity index ranging from 0.058 to 0.112. Encapsulation efficiency ranged from 50% to 88%, and cell viability after drying varied between 44% and 96%, depending on the composite type, strain, and airflow. Among the three immobilized and dried strains, S3 and S6 showed greater resistance to encapsulation and drying with a 4 L·min-1 airflow when immobilized in coated and core-shell composites. Encapsulation in alginate-chitosan matrices effectively protects vegetative actinobacteria cells during dehydration, maintaining their viability and functionality for agricultural applications.

Global existence and extinction for a fast diffusion p-Laplace equation with logarithmic nonlinearity and special medium void

Abstract This article is devoted to the global existence and extinction behavior of the weak solution to a fast diffusion p p -Laplace equation with logarithmic nonlinearity and special medium void. By applying energy estimates approach, Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev inequality, and some ordinary differential inequalities, the global existence result is proved and the sufficient conditions on the occurrence of the extinction and nonextinction phenomena are given.

Shale Reservoir Rock Physics Modeling and “Sweet Spot” Prediction Based on Digital Core

Abstract With the increasing advancement in shale exploration and development, the complex pore structure and organic-rich characteristics of shale have gradually become the focus of rock physics models. This study combined digital core technology to obtain detailed information on the shale mineral composition, content, pore and crack contents, and composition. The isotropic self-compatible approximation (SCA) model was used to couple the shale minerals and hard pores to construct a brittle mineral framework. The VRH model was used to mix kerogen and clay, and the SCA-DEM (differential equivalent medium) model was used to add organic pores to construct a clay-organic matter mineral framework. The anisotropic SCA model treated the clay-organic matter mineral framework as an inclusion added to the brittle mineral framework to construct the shale mineral framework. The Eshelby–Cheng model was used to add fracture to the mineral framework and establish a physical shale model. This model was used to optimise the selection of sensitive elastic parameters for physical properties such as brittle mineral and kerogen content, fracture density, and porosity, and the optimisation results were combined to construct an explanatory quantity template. In addition, according to actual data from a study area in southwestern China, we combined to the interpretation chart established by the model to perform isotropic inversion. Then, we analyzed and interpreted the brittleness index (BI) and total organic carbon (TOC) content of the reservoir and predicted the sweet spot area of the shale reservoir.

Psychological Changes in Green Food Consumption in the Digital Context: Exploring the Role of Green Online Interactions from a Comprehensive Perspective.

The advent of the digital economy has brought new opportunities to food marketing. In China, many food businesses have begun to use interactions under specific social media topics to open up new sales channels. Green food, as a representative of environmentally related topics, is increasingly influencing consumer choices through online interactions. In light of this, this study collected data from a large group of participants engaged in online green interactions to explore the psychological mechanisms behind consumers' choices of green food in an online context. The findings indicate that online green interactions positively influence the willingness to purchase green food, with environmental self-efficacy and flow experience serving as mediators in this relationship. Information trust and consumer traits act as boundary conditions. This study not only deepens the understanding of food consumer behavior in the digital context, but also provides important references for food companies on how to more effectively utilize online interaction to promote the market expansion of green food.

Exosomes, peptides and peri-procedure management – comparative investigations

Introduction: Exosome technology is a promising new advancement in therapeutic options but is still in its early stages, leading to uncertainties. A small pilot study compared traditional peptide technology (Regenerating Skin Nectar with TriHex Technology® and TriHex Technology® peptide + Octapeptide) to two leading exosome products (Stem cell derived Lyophilized exosomes and Platelet derived exosomes) for post-procedure use. These studies were carried out on pre-clinical (ex vivo) and clinical front to investigate effects on the extracellular matrix, dermo-epidermal junction, and skin tolerance as post-procedure outcomes. Methods and materials: The ex vivo model study was conducted by 3D Genomics using photodamaged skin from facelift patients. The skin was divided, processed under BSL2 conditions and cultured in transwells with specific media. Treatments, including peptides and platelet-derived products, were applied daily for 7 days, while stem cell-derived exosomes were applied as a single application as per the described usage. One set was left untreated as a control. Skin samples were treated and analyzed using immunohistochemistry staining for tropoelastin and CD44. RNA was isolated after treatments and sequenced to assess changes in gene expression. The study aimed to compare the effects of different treatments on skin regeneration and tolerance. Clinically, the participants underwent microneedling of the face and applied exosomes and peptides on each side of the face as comparisons. Participants completed questionnaires on Day 0. On Days 0,1,2,3 and 4 participants completed their self-healing ratings and were also assessed by an assessor on their healing rating on a 5-point scale. Results: The plated exosome products exhibited significant toxicity in the ex vivo model and neither of the exosome products produced relevant changes in gene expression or regenerative effects in this model. Participants in the small clinical series experienced unpleasant burning and stinging in keeping with the effects seen in the ex vivo model. In contrast, the peptide technology showed favorable gene expression upregulation and histological changes in the extracellular matrix and was well-tolerated and comfortable for post-procedure use, as has been demonstrated in multiple clinical trials. Conclusion: The overall impression from these pilot studies suggests that peptide formulations are better tolerated and more effectively target ECM regenerative effects. Conversely, exosome preparations appear to be prone to skin reactions and lack clear targeting of skin regenerative pathways.

LINC01133 promotes the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by upregulating CTNNB1 by acting as a sponge for miR-214-3p

BackgroundOsteoporosis results from decreased bone mass and disturbed bone structure. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) demonstrate robust osteogenic differentiation, a critical process for bone formation. This research was designed to examine the functions of LINC01133 in osteogenic differentiation.MethodsDifferentially expressed lncRNAs affecting osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs were identified from the GEO database. A total of 74 osteoporosis patients and 70 controls were enrolled. hBMSCs were stimulated to undergo osteogenic differentiation using an osteogenic differentiation medium (OM). RT-qPCR was performed to evaluate LINC01133 levels and osteogenesis-related genes such as osteocalcin, osteopontin, and RUNX2. An alkaline phosphates (ALP) activity assay was conducted to assess osteogenic differentiation. Cell apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry. Dual luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay were employed to investigate the association between miR-214-3p and LINC01133 or CTNNB1. Loss or gain of function assays were conducted to elucidate the impact of LINC01133 and miR-214-3p on osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs.ResultsLINC01133 and CTNNB1 expression decreased in osteoporotic patients but increased in OM-cultured hBMSCs, whereas miR-214-3p showed an opposite trend. Depletion of LINC01133 suppressed the expression of genes associated with bone formation and ALP activity triggered by OM in hBMSCs, leading to increased cell apoptosis. Nevertheless, this suppression was partially counteracted by the reduced miR-214-3p levels. Mechanistically, LINC01133 and CTNNB1 were identified as direct targets of miR-214-3p.ConclusionsOur study highlights the role of LINC01133 in positively regulating CTNNB1 expression by inhibiting miR-214-3p, thereby promoting osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. These findings may provide valuable insights into bone regeneration in osteoporosis.

Performance Analysis of Tropospheric Radio Refractivity along with Refractivity Gradient and Effective Earth Radius in the Coastal Zone of Nigeria

Study’s Excerpt Analysis of the variability in tropospheric radio refractivity in Ogoja and Warri, Nigeria, was carried out by examining a 42-year dataset (1981-2022) of meteorological factors obtained from NASA. The contributions of dry and wet terms to radio refractivity variations were identified and key parameters such as refractivity gradients and the effective earth radius (k-factor) for both locations were evaluated. The radio wave propagation in the region is lowest during the dry season. Full Abstract Radio refractivity is the ratio of the velocity of radio waves in a specific medium to that in free space. Radio waves propagate according to variations in tropospheric radio refractive index. This study used the refractive index and other pertinent meteorological factors to calculate the radio refractivity of the seasonal troposphere and analyse its variability with monthly temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure measurements that were collected from the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) for Ogoja and Warri over a forty-two-year period (1981 to 2022). We looked at the proportion contributions of the dry and wet term radio refractivity, the refractivity gradient, and the effective earth radius. The outcome signified that in the two locations, radio refractivity values were lowest for the dry season and highest during the rainy season. For Ogoja and Warri, the highest and lowest average radio refractivity values recorded in the wet and dry seasons are, respectively, 382.9085 N-units in May, 346.4311 N-units in January, and 390.9042 N-units in April, 370.3009 N-units in January. For Ogoja and Warri, the wet term (Nwet) provides 31.5210 % and 30.1793%, respectively, to the primary variation in radio refractivity's overall value, whereas the dry term (Ndry) adds up to 69.8207 % and 68.4790 %. Mean refractivity gradients of -43.8326 and -44.5326 N-units/km were found in the subject areas under examination. Furthermore, it was discovered that the mean effective earth radius (k-factor) for Warri and Ogoja were 1.3959 and 1.3873, respectively. The values provided represent the propagation conditions of superrefraction.

79 Microbiological effects of control measures during pork production

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 and efficacy of control measures at a pork processing facility. Outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 associated with pork, though not common globally, have been reported multiple times in recent years in Alberta. Sampling at a commercial facility processing hogs was carried out at monthly intervals for 11 mo. At the facility, the dressed carcasses are sprayed with 5% lactic acid (LA) and immediately air-chilled after the LA spray. At each sampling time, 14 different types of samples were collected: dirt from the holding pen floor (n = 2), gloves of workers (n = 5), scalding water (n = 1), tonsils (n = 5), cecal material (n = 5), five swabs each from hides of animals after bleeding (HAB), and carcasses after scalding (CAS), before evisceration (CBE), after evisceration (CAE), before LA spray (BLA), after LA spray (ALA), 1h after LA spray (ALA1), 2h after LA spray (ALA2), and after chilling (ACH). All samples were enumerated for total plate count (TPC), Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli using specific media for each. In addition, an aliquot of each sample was enriched and tested for the presence of the O-antigen gene (rfbE) for E. coli O157 and Shiga toxin-producing gene (stx1/stx2) using real-time PCR. Cultures positive for both rfbE and stx were further plated for the isolation of E. coli O157:H7. Of the 683 enrichment cultures, 12 were positive for both marker genes, from cecal material (n = 2), dirt (n = 4) and HAB (n = 6). However, none of these samples yielded STEC O157 isolates. Of these enrichment cultures, 69, 45 and 32 were positive for stx1, stx2, and both stx genes, respectively. Positive samples were mostly associated with HAB, cecal material and dirt. HAB was most and least contaminated in August/June and December, differing by 1 log unit for TPC (P < 0.05). Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli on HAB were also affected by month of sampling (P < 0.05), but this temporal trend differed from TPC (Table). The numbers for TPC, Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli all decreased (P < 0.05) as the stage of carcass processing progressed. The overall reduction of TPC and E. coli was 7 and 5 log units, respectively. Scalding, LA spray and air chilling all reduced (P < 0.05) the numbers of indicator bacteria on carcasses. Of the 55 samples each collected from BLA, ALA, ALA1, ALA2, and ACH, 36, 13, 2, 1 and 0 were positive for E. coli, respectively. In conclusion, pork processing environments can be contaminated with STEC from hides, feces and holding pen, but levels of STEC O157 appear to be low. Scalding, LA spray and air chilling can be effective measures to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination of pork.

Endothelial Cells Increase Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation in Scaffold-Free 3D Vascular Tissue.

In this study, we present a versatile, scaffold-free approach to create ring-shaped engineered vascular tissue segments using human mesenchymal stem cell-derived smooth muscle cells (hMSC-SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs). We hypothesized that incorporation of ECs would increase hMSC-SMC differentiation without compromising tissue ring strength or fusion to form tissue tubes. Undifferentiated hMSCs and ECs were co-seeded into custom ring-shaped agarose wells using four different concentrations of ECs: 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%. Co-seeded EC and hMSC rings were cultured in SMC differentiation medium for a total of 22 days. Tissue rings were then harvested for histology, Western blotting, wire myography, and uniaxial tensile testing to examine their structural and functional properties. Differentiated hMSC tissue rings comprising 20% and 30% ECs exhibited significantly greater SMC contractile protein expression, endothelin-1 (ET-1)-meditated contraction, and force at failure compared with the 0% EC rings. On average, the 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% EC rings exhibited a contractile force of 0.745 ± 0.117, 0.830 ± 0.358, 1.31 ± 0.353, and 1.67 ± 0.351 mN (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) in response to ET-1, respectively. Additionally, the mean maximum force at failure for the 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% EC rings was 88.5 ± 36. , 121 ± 59.1, 147 ± 43.1, and 206 ± 0.8 mN (mean ± SD), respectively. Based on these results, 30% EC rings were fused together to form tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBVs) and compared with 0% EC TEBV controls. The addition of 30% ECs in TEBVs did not affect ring fusion but did result in significantly greater SMC protein expression (calponin and smoothelin). In summary, co-seeding hMSCs with ECs to form tissue rings resulted in greater contraction, strength, and hMSC-SMC differentiation compared with hMSCs alone and indicates a method to create a functional 3D human vascular cell coculture model.