Skin Window Research Articles

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient Analysis of a Slim-Type Double Skin Window System: Using an Experimental and a Simulation Method

Double skin facade systems are known to be capable of preventing overheating in curtain wall buildings to a certain degree. The system induces the efficient blocking of sunlight using a center blind during the summer season. Moreover, it enables overheated air in the cavity layer to be sent outdoors, resulting in a reduction of the use of energy for cooling. However, double skin facade systems can be problematic, in that they must be opened according to seasonal conditions to achieve greater energy consumption efficiencies. In current double skin facade systems, the width of the cavity layer was too wide for residents to easily operate the system. When considering this, research on an easy-to-open 270 mm slim-type double skin window (SDSW) was undertaken in order to confirm its energy efficient performance. First, official testing based on the KS L 9107 Standard was undertaken to analyze solar heat gain coefficients (SHGC) and the cavity air temperatures, according to the open and close conditions of the SDSW’s external windows, enabling an analysis of the effect that the opening of windows had on reducing cooling energy needs. Next, SHGCs and cavity air temperatures were studied according to the different opening conditions of the SDSW’s external window to analyze the most optimal effects on cooling energy reductions by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

Solar Heat Gain Reduction of Ventilated Double Skin Windows without a Shading Device

With global efforts to strengthen various energy-saving policies for buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in South Korea, new laws and regulations have been in force since May 2015 to install shading devices in public buildings and to include the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) reduction performance of shading devices in the evaluation of building performance. By making a ventilated air layer outer glass and inner glass to lower the temperatures of the air layer and glass surface, it is possible to reduce the amount of heat flowing into the building while maintaining the same level of light transmission as plain window systems. This study proposes a double-skin façade window with a 20 mm ventilated air cavity, and assumes that insolation inflow indoors would be reduced through ventilation in the air cavity. The artificial solar lab test results show that the SHGC can be lowered through ventilation by 28% to 52.9%. Additionally, in an outdoor test cell experiment, the results show that the mean temperature was 0.6 K and the peak temperature was 0.9 K lower with ventilation in the air cavity than that without ventilation in the air cavity.

B-36 ダブルスキン窓の熱性能値に関する実験および数値解析 : 第2報 熱貫流率と日射熱取得率の解析

B-36 ダブルスキン窓の熱性能値に関する実験および数値解析 : 第2報 熱貫流率と日射熱取得率の解析

A-29 表裏で反射率の異なるブラインドを組み込んだダブルスキンファサードの熱性能に関する研究(学術研究)

A-29 表裏で反射率の異なるブラインドを組み込んだダブルスキンファサードの熱性能に関する研究(学術研究)

Computational Simulation of Tumor Hypoxia Based on In Vivo Microvasculature Assessed in a Dorsal Skin Window Chamber.

Malignant growth usually leads to the depletion of oxygen (O2) supply in most solid tumors. Hypoxia can cause resistance to standard radiotherapy, some chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Furthermore, it can also trigger malignant progression by modulating gene expression and inducing genetic instability. The relationship between microvasculature, perfusion and tumor hypoxia has been intensively studied and many computational simulations have been developed to model tissue O2 transport. Usually simplified 2D phantoms are used to investigate tumor hypoxia and it is assumed that vessels are perpendicular to the region of interest and randomly distributed across the domain. Such idealistic topology overlooks vascular heterogeneity and is not accurate enough to approximate real scenarios. In addition, experimental verification of the spatial gradient of computational simulations is not directly feasible. Realistic vasculature obtained from fluorescence imaging imported as geometry for partial differential equations solving did not receive necessary attention so far. Therefore, we established a computational simulation of in vivo conditions using experimental data obtained from dorsal skin window chamber tumor preparations in nude rats for the verification of computational results. Tumor microvasculature was assessed by fluorescence microscopy. Since the conventional finite difference method can hardly satisfy the real measurements, we established a finite element method (FEM) for the experimental data in this study. Realistic 2D tumor microvasculature was reconstructed by segmenting fluorescence images and then translated into FEM topology. O2 distributions and the O2 gradients were obtained by solving reaction-diffusion equations. The simulation results show that the development of tumor hypoxia is greatly influenced by the irregular architecture and function of microvascular networks.

A Comparison of Human Neutrophils Acquired from Four Experimental Models of Inflammation.

Defects in neutrophil function have been implicated in a wide spectrum of clinical conditions. Several models are employed to study activated human neutrophils akin to those found at a site of inflammation. These include whole blood (WB) ex vivo stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and in vivo techniques: cantharidin blister, skin windows and intra-dermal injection of UV-killed E.coli (UVKEc). Neutrophils obtained from these have never been compared. We compared the activation status of neutrophils from each technique in order to inform the optimal model for use in human studies. Healthy male volunteers were randomised to undergo one of the four techniques (n = 5/group). LPS: WB stimulated with 1ng/ml of LPS for 4 hours. Cantharidin: 12.5μl of 0.1% cantharidin elicited a single blister, aspirated at 24 hours. Skin windows: four 6mm mechanical-suction blisters created, de-roofed and an exudate-collection chamber placed over the windows for 4 hours before aspiration. UVKEc: 1.5 x 107 UVKEc injected intra-dermally. A single 10mm mechanical-suction blister formed and aspirated at 4 hours. Unstimulated WB used as the control. Flow cytometry was used to determine activation status using CD16, CD11b, CD54, CD62L and CD88. Functional status was assessed with a phagocytosis assay. The pattern of neutrophil activation was similar in all models. Neutrophil CD11b was elevated in all models, most markedly in UVKEc (p<0.0001), and CD54 was also elevated but only significant in the LPS model (p = 0.001). CD62L was significantly reduced in all 4 models (p<0.0001) and CD88 was also suppressed in all. There were no changes in CD16 in any model, neither was there any significant difference in the phagocytic capacity of the neutrophils. In summary, there are no significant differences in activation marker expression or phagocytic capacity in the neutrophils obtained from each technique. Therefore we believe whole blood stimulation is the best model in experimentally challenging inpatient populations.

Application of the Technique of &amp;quot;Mobile Skin and Soft Tissue Window&amp;quot; in Single Segment Lumbar Interbody Fusion

To investigate the surgical techniques and short-term clinical effects of minimally invasive lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases, 43 patients who underwent minimally invasive posterior lumbar interbody fusion from January 2012 to September 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The lesion was located by C- arm fluoroscopy during the operation. The working areas for placing pedicle screw, fusion and decompression were well exposed by the technique of "mobile skin and soft tissue window". The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of incision, blood drainage and complication after operation were recorded. Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) of pre-operation, 7 days, 1, 3 and 12 months postoperatively were evaluated. 37 patients were followed up for an average of 15.2 ± 4.7 months. Intraoperative blood loss was 175.1 ± 71.8 ml; operation time was 129.0 ± 12.0 min; length of incision was 5.4 ± 0.3 cm and postoperative blood drainage was 116.5 ± 66.0 ml. Postoperative lumbar and leg VAS and ODI scores were significantly decreased, comparing with that of pre-operation (P < 0.05). Lumbar VAS score was 6.6 ± 0.8 before operation and 0.7 ± 0.6 at 12-month follow-up. Leg VAS score was 7.0 ± 0.1 before operation and 0.6 ± 0.5 at 12-month follow-up. Average ODI percent was 68.6% ± 5.4% before operation and 6.2% ± 1.6% at 12-month follow-up. There were no internal fixation loose and fracture, and the radiographic findings were consistent with the standard of the lumbar interbody fusion at the last follow-up. In the current study, the minimally invasive treatment concept and the technology of "mobile skin and soft tissue window" are applied to the traditional posterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery. This modified method can not only obtain good vision without special instruments, but can also significantly reduce the skin incision and muscle tissue dissection, get less surgical trauma and better functional recovery, achieving a satisfactory clinical effect for single segment lumbar degenerative disease.

Thermal Models for Box Type Windows: Part 1

Techniques for the thermal modelling of contemporary single skin windows with insulating glass units are well developed, but their applicability for traditional box type windows is under investigated. Due to their different construction and dimensions, a different type of natural convection is encountered in their air cavity. In this article, a literature review is conducted to analyse the characteristics of this flow and its difference from the flows in contemporary windows. Finally, the best-known correlations used to quantify the convective heat transfer in glazing cavities are analysed with regards to their validity for the specific case of box type windows.

Leukocyte XII Regulates Venous Thrombosis Risk

Introduction: Previous studies show that Factor XII (XII) participates in the inflammatory response. XII regulates the expression of monocyte FcγII receptor and stimulates monocytes and macrophages to release interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6. XII deficient patients have reduced leukocyte migration into skin windows. In vitro, purified XIIa corrects neutrophil aggregation and degranulation defects in XII-deficient plasma. Recent studies show that leukocytes initiate and propagate venous thrombosis in vivo. We examined the contribution of XII in the inflammatory response and venous thrombosis.Methods & Results: Sterile punch biopsy wounds were created on wild type (WT) and F12-/- mice. On Days 2 and 5, there was a ~3-fold decrease in CD11b-stained cells in F12-/- woundsvs. WT. On the thioglycolate (TG)-induced sterile peritonitis assay, lavage fluid from F12-/- mice contained significantly less peritoneal exudative cells (PEC)] on days 1 and 7, (p<0.008). To determine the contribution of XII in WBC function, we used XII siRNA (Alnylam Pharmaceuticals) to create plasma XII deficiency in WT mice. After tail vein injection, plasma XII was reduced to < 5% within 24 h (T1/2 plasma XII: 6.7 h). In the TG assay, even though plasma XII is decreased to less than 5%, PEC migration is the same as in WT mice. These data suggest that the reduced leukocyte migration observed in F12-/- mice is related to altered leukocyte function. On adoptive bone marrow (BM) transplantation (BMT) experiments, WT BM transplanted into KO hosts corrects the leukocyte migration defect on the TG assay. These data suggest that there is a pool of XII associated with BM cells that is functionally distinct than plasma-derived, hepatic XII. F12 cDNA is found in leukocytes and shares sequence homology to hepatic XII. Immunofluorescence confirms XII antigen on murine BM-derived and human peripheral blood WBCs. No XII antigen is observed in BM-derived leukocytes from F12-/- mice. When WBC are activated with fMLF, XII antigen translocates to the external membrane. F12-/- PMNs have reduced chemotaxis to fMLF and adherence to several integrin-binding glycoproteins. pAktS473 mediates neutrophil cell migration, integrin activation, and cytoskeletal assembly. Normal and F12-/- PMNs exhibit pAktS473 in response to fMLF and XII. Histologically, F12-/- wounds show a smaller wound gap and a greater percentage of wound re-epithelialization than WT controls. Inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis induced by 90% restriction to flow at 24h contains a smaller thrombus in F12-/- than WT mice (p<0.04). Histologically, IVC thrombi from WT mice contain abundant neutrophils that are adherent to the wall and trapped within a dense fibrin network (Fig 1). siRNA treatment results in less-occlusive thrombi (n.s) with an adequate neutrophil content but a finer fibrin network (Fig 1). F12-/- thrombi are non-occlusive and contain significantly less adherent neutrophils (Fig 1). XII itself is integrally a part of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in the forming thrombus and F12-/- mice have reduced NETs at sites of occlusion. WT BM transplanted into F12-/- hosts corrects the thrombus weight and degree of inflammation in F12-/- mice to normal. Likewise, F12-/- BM into WT hosts, reduces thrombus weight and degree of inflammation.Conclusions: Leukocyte XII has a dual role in neutrophil function. We hypothesize that signaling by leukocyte XII contributes to neutrophil trafficking in sites of inflammation and venous stasis. At these sites, neutrophils become indispensable for activation of both the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of coagulation during the early formation of intraluminal fibrin and for subsequent thrombus propagation by NETs and the activation of circulating XII. Defining the signaling pathway of XII in leukocytes will further our understanding as to the mechanism(s) by which these cells cooperate to initiate and propagate venous thrombosis in vivo. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Vascular distribution imaging of dorsal skin window chamber in mouse with spectral domain optical coherence tomography

Doppler optical coherence tomography or optical Doppler tomography (ODT) has been demonstrated to spatially localize flow velocity mapping as well as to obtain images of microstructure of samples simultaneously. In recent decades, spectral domain Doppler optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been applied to observe three-dimensional (3D) vascular distribution. In this study, we developed a spectral domain optical coherence tomography system (SD-OCT) using super luminescent diode (SLD) as light source. The center wavelength of SLD is 835 nm with a 45-nm bandwidth. Theoretically, the transverse resolution, axial resolution and penetration depth of this SD-OCT system are 6.13 μm, 6.84 μm and 3.62 mm, respectively. By imaging mouse model with dorsal skin window chamber, we obtained a series of real-time OCT images and reconstructed 3D images of the specific area inside the dorsal skin window chamber by Amira. As a result, we can obtain the clear and complex distribution images of blood vessels of mouse model.

Angiogenic Effect of Bioactive Borate Glass Microfibers and Beads in the Hairless Mouse

AbstractThe purpose of this project was to investigate the angiogenic mechanism of bioactive borate glass for soft tissue repair in a ‘hairless’ SKH1 mouse model. Subcutaneous microvascular responses to bioactive glass microfibers (45S5, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu) and bioactive glass beads (13-93, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu) were assessed via: noninvasive imaging of skin microvasculature; histomorphometry of microvascular densities; and quantitative PCR measurements of mRNA expression of VEGF and FGF-2 cytokines. Live imaging via dorsal skin windows showed the formation at twoweeks of a halo-like structure infused with microvessels surrounding implanted boratebased 13-93B3 and 13-93B3Cu glass beads, a response not observed with silicate-based 13-93 glass beads. Quantitative histomorphometry of tissues implanted with plugs of 45S5, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu glass microfibers revealed microvascular densities that were 1.6-, 2.3-, and 2.7-times higher, respectively, than the sham control valueswhereas 13-93, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu glass beads caused the microvascular density to increase 1.3-, 1.6-, and 2.5-fold, respectively, relative to sham controls. Quantitative PCR measurements indicate a marginally significant increased expression of VEGF mRNA in tissues with 13-93B3Cu glass beads, an outcome that supported the hypothesis that copper-doped borate glass could promote VEGF expression followed by angiogenesis for enhanced wound healing.

제천 박도수가옥 및 정원태가옥의 창호에 관한 연구

This study investigated the windows and doors of Jecheon Park Dosu's House and Jecheon Jeong Wontae's House, designated as a Important Folklore Cultural Heritage in Jecheon. It aimed to contribute to the study of traditional house, and to the conservation policy of architectural Heritage in Jecheon. This study used the research methods of the literature analysis and the field survey, and it was to analyze the spatial characteristics of the windows and doors in each building. The result are as followings. Firstly, the wooden board door(板張門) of a hinged door type is found in the kitchen of An-chae, and the Bongchang(封窓) and Gwangchang(光窓) towards the courtyard is installed for ventilation and lighting. Secondly, the slender-ribbed windows and doors(細箭 窓戶) of double swinging type towards the courtyard is installed in An-bang, and Merum(遠音) is found. Thirdly, the framed panel door(骨板門) of a hinged door type towards the backyard is found in Daechung(大廳). Lastly, the slender-ribbed windows and doors of double swinging type towards the outside is found in Sarang-bang of Sarang-chae, and Merum(遠音) is installed. Especially, double skin windows and doors is installed in Jecheon Park Dosu's House.

Review: Tissue Optical Clearing Window for Blood Flow Monitoring

The tissue optical clearing (TOC) technique could significantly improve the biomedical optical imaging depth, but most current investigations are limited to in vitro studies. For in vivo applications, the TOC method must provide a rapid treatment process, sufficient transparency, and safety for animals, which makes it more difficult. Recently developed innovative optical clearing methods for in vivo use show great potential for enhancing the contrast and resolution of laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) for blood flow monitoring. This paper gives an overview of recent progress in the use of TOC for vascular visualization with LSCI. First, the principle of TOC-induced improvement of LSCI and a quantitative analysis method for evaluating the improvement are described briefly. Second, the paper introduces transparent windows, including various skin windows and a cranial window, that permit LSCI to monitor dermal or cortical blood flow, respectively, with high resolution and contrast. Third, preliminary investigations of the safety of TOC demonstrate that the transparent skin window is switchable, which enables LSCI to repeatedly image blood flow. However, research on in vivo TOC is currently less advanced than that on in vitro TOC. Future work should focus on developing a highly effective, safe method and extending its applications.

Possibilities of Simulations in the Planning of the Retrofit of Historical Double Skin Windows

The original windows of historical buildings represent a significant part of their architectural character and thus the cultural heritage; therefore their preservation should be a high priority. Most of the historical windows in central Europe are double skinned, and for the planning of their retrofit a good understanding of the underlying building physics of such constructions is needed. This is not a trivial question, since these double skin windows differ greatly from most contemporary constructions. It is presented in the article that the low aspect ratio and the large interpane distance results in a turbulent convection with strong vertical temperature stratification in the cavity. This, in combination with the constant air in-and exfiltration through the cavity creates a strong coupling between all the thermal and mass flows through the window and makes questions like what are the exact heat losses through transmission and ventilation hard to answer. An overview is given of the different calculation models that are currently used to calculate glazing area and window heat transfer and their usability for historical double skin windows is evaluated.

Co-implanting orthotopic tissue creates stroma microenvironment enhancing growth and angiogenesis of multiple tumors.

Tumor models are needed to study cancer. Noninvasive imaging of tumors under native conditions in vivo is critical but challenging. Intravital microscopy (IVM) of subcutaneous tumors provides dynamic, continuous, long-term imaging at high resolution. Although popular, subcutaneous tumor models are often criticized for being ectopic and lacking orthotopic tissue microenvironments critical for proper development. Similar IVM of orthotopic and especially spontaneous tumors is seldom possible. Here, we generate and characterize tumor models in mice for breast, lung, prostate and ovarian cancer by co-engrafting tumor spheroids with orthotopic tissue in dorsal skin window chambers for IVM. We use tumor cells and tissue, both genetically engineered to express distinct fluorescent proteins, in order to distinguish neoplastic cells from engrafted tissue. IVM of this new, two-colored model reveals classic tumor morphology with red tumor cell nests surrounded by green stromal elements. The co-implanted tissue forms the supportive stroma and vasculature of these tumors. Tumor growth and angiogenesis are more robust when tumor cells are co-implanted with orthotopic tissue versus other tissues, or in the skin alone. The orthotopic tissue promotes tumor cell mitosis over apoptosis. With time, tumor cells can adapt to new environments and ultimately even grow better in the non-orthotopic tissue over the original orthotopic tissue. These models offer a significant advance by recreating an orthotopic microenvironment in an ectopic location that is still easy to image by IVM. These “ectopic-orthotopic” models provide an exceptional way to study tumor and stroma cells in cancer, and directly show the critical importance of microenvironment in the development of multiple tumors.

Drug-loaded sickle cells programmed ex vivo for delayed hemolysis target hypoxic tumor microvessels and augment tumor drug delivery

Selective drug delivery to hypoxic tumor niches remains a significant therapeutic challenge that calls for new conceptual approaches. Sickle red blood cells (SSRBCs) have shown an ability to target such hypoxic niches and induce tumoricidal effects when used together with exogenous pro-oxidants. Here we determine whether the delivery of a model therapeutic encapsulated in murine SSRBCs can be enhanced by ex vivo photosensitization under conditions that delay autohemolysis to a time that coincides with maximal localization of SSRBCs in a hypoxic tumor. Hyperspectral imaging of 4T1 carcinomas shows oxygen saturation levels <10% in a large fraction (commonly 50% or more) of the tumor. Using video microscopy of dorsal skin window chambers implanted with 4T1 tumors, we demonstrate that allogeneic SSRBCs, but not normal RBCs (nRBCs), selectively accumulate in hypoxic 4T1 tumors between 12 and 24h after systemic administration. We further show that ex vivo photo-oxidation can program SSRBCs to postpone hemolysis/release of a model therapeutic to a point that coincides with their maximum sequestration in hypoxic tumor microvessels. Under these conditions, drug-loaded photosensitized SSRBCs show a 3–4 fold greater drug delivery to tumors compared to non-photosensitized SSRBCs, drug-loaded photosensitized nRBCs, and free drug. These results demonstrate that photo-oxidized SSRBCs, but not photo-oxidized nRBCs, sequester and hemolyze in hypoxic tumors and release substantially more drug than photo-oxidized nRBCs and non-photo-oxidized SSRBCs. Photo-oxidation of drug-loaded SSRBCs thus appears to exploit the unique tumor targeting and carrier properties of SSRBCs to optimize drug delivery to hypoxic tumors. Such programmed and drug-loaded SSRBCs therefore represent a novel and useful tool for augmenting drug delivery to hypoxic solid tumors.

설비공학 분야의 최근 연구 동향 : 2012년 학회지 논문에 대한 종합적 고찰

This article reviews the papers published in the Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering during 2012. It is intended to understand the status of current research in the areas of heating, cooling, ventilation, sanitation, and indoor environments of buildings and plant facilities. The conclusions are as follows : (1) The research works on thermal and fluid engineering have been reviewed as groups of fluid machinery, pipes and valves, fuel cells and power plants, ground-coupled heat pumps, and general heat and mass transfer systems. Research issues are mainly focused on new and renewable energy systems, such as fuel cells, ocean thermal energy conversion power plants, and ground-coupled heat pump systems. (2) Research works on the heat transfer area have been reviewed in the categories of heat transfer characteristics, pool boiling and condensing heat transfer, and industrial heat exchangers. Researches on heat transfer characteristics included the results for natural convection in a square enclosure with two hot circular cylinders, non-uniform grooved tube considering tube expansion, single-tube annular baffle system, broadcasting LED light with ion wind generator, mechanical property and microstructure of SA213 P92 boiler pipe steel, and flat plate using multiple tripping wires. In the area of pool boiling and condensing heat transfer, researches on the design of a micro-channel heat exchanger for a heat pump, numerical simulation of a heat pump evaporator considering the pressure drop in the distributor and capillary tubes, critical heat flux on a thermoexcel-E enhanced surface, and the performance of a fin-and-tube condenser with non-uniform air distribution and different tube types were actively carried out. In the area of industrial heat exchangers, researches on a plate heat exchanger type dehumidifier, fin-tube heat exchanger, an electric circuit transient analogy model in a vertical closed loop ground heat exchanger, heat transfer characteristics of a double skin window for plant factory, a regenerative heat exchanger depending on its porous structure, and various types of plate heat exchangers were performed. (3) In the field of refrigeration, various studies were executed to improve refrigeration system performance, and to evaluate the applicability of alternative refrigerants and new components. Various topics were presented in the area of refrigeration cycle. Research issues mainly focused on the enhancement of the system performance. In the alternative refrigerant area, studies on CO2, R32/R152a mixture, and R1234yf were performed. Studies on the design and performance analysis of various compressors and evaporator were executed. (4) In building mechanical system research fields, twenty-nine studies were conducted to achieve effective design of mechanical systems, and also to maximize the energy efficiency of buildings. The topics of the studies included heating and cooling, HVAC system, ventilation, renewable energy systems, and lighting systems in buildings. New designs and performance tests using numerical methods and experiments provide useful information and key data, which can improve the energy efficiency of buildings. (5) In the fields of the architectural environment, studies for various purposes, such as indoor environment, building energy, and renewable energy were performed. In particular, building energy-related researches and renewable energy systems have been mainly studied, reflecting interests in global climate change, and efforts to reduce building energy consumption by government and architectural specialists. In addition, many researches have been conducted regarding indoor environments.

Co-implanting orthotopic tissue creates stroma microenvironment enhancing growth and angiogenesis of multiple tumors

Tumor models are needed to study cancer. Noninvasive imaging of tumors under native conditions in vivo is critical but challenging. Intravital microscopy (IVM) of subcutaneous tumors provides dynamic, continuous, long-term imaging at high resolution. Although popular, subcutaneous tumor models are often criticized for being ectopic and lacking orthotopic tissue microenvironments critical for proper development. Similar IVM of orthotopic and especially spontaneous tumors is seldom possible. Here, we generate and characterize tumor models in mice for breast, lung, prostate and ovarian cancer by co-engrafting tumor spheroids with orthotopic tissue in dorsal skin window chambers for IVM. We use tumor cells and tissue, both genetically engineered to express distinct fluorescent proteins, in order to distinguish neoplastic cells from engrafted tissue. IVM of this new, two-colored model reveals classic tumor morphology with red tumor cell nests surrounded by green stromal elements. The co-implanted tissue forms the supportive stroma and vasculature of these tumors. Tumor growth and angiogenesis are more robust when tumor cells are co-implanted with orthotopic tissue versus other tissues, or in the skin alone. The orthotopic tissue promotes tumor cell mitosis over apoptosis. With time, tumor cells can adapt to new environments and ultimately even grow better in the non-orthotopic tissue over the original orthotopic tissue. These models offer a significant advance by recreating an orthotopic microenvironment in an ectopic location that is still easy to image by IVM. These “ectopic-orthotopic” models provide an exceptional way to study tumor and stroma cells in cancer, and directly show the critical importance of microenvironment in the development of multiple tumors.

MicroRNA Profiling in Human Neutrophils during Bone Marrow Granulopoiesis and In Vivo Exudation

The purpose of this study was to describe the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of neutrophils and their precursors from the initiation of granulopoiesis in the bone marrow to extravasation and accumulation in skin windows. We analyzed three different cell populations from human bone marrow, polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMNs) from peripheral blood, and extravasated PMNs from skin windows using the Affymetrix 2.0 platform. Our data reveal 135 miRNAs differentially regulated during bone marrow granulopoiesis. The majority is differentially regulated between the myeloblast/promyelocyte (MB/PM) and myelocyte/metamyelocyte (MC/MM) stages of development. These 135 miRNAs were divided into six clusters according to the pattern of their expression. Several miRNAs demonstrate a pronounced increase or reduction at the transition between MB/PM and MC/MM, which is associated with cell cycle arrest and the initiation of terminal differentiation. Seven miRNAs are differentially up-regulated between peripheral blood PMNs and extravasated PMNs and only one of these (miR-132) is also differentially regulated during granulopoiesis. The study indicates that several different miRNAs participate in the regulation of normal granulopoiesis and that miRNAs might also regulate activities of extravasated neutrophils. The data present the miRNA profiles during the development and activation of the neutrophil granulocyte in healthy humans and thus serves as a reference for further research of normal and malignant granulocytic development.

Repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernias through umbilical skin incisions

The use of thoracoscopy and laparoscopy in the treatment of congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDHs) has been recently reported; however, the use of these procedures still remains controversial due to CO2 insufflation and limited working space. In addition, because of difficult techniques, it has not been widely accepted. Among CDH patients, mild cases whose lung is not hypoplastic, and not associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate (PPHN) often develop small defects in the diaphragm that can be repaired using "direct closure." Because direct closure does not require as wide an operative field as that needed for patch closure, we repaired CDH through umbilical skin windows in two neonates with mild CDH to minimize the wounds. With the creation of additional radical small incisions, the surgeries were successfully performed without any intra- or postoperative complications, and the wounds were cosmetically pleasing. The repair of CDHs through umbilical skin windows is a feasible and useful approach in neonates with mild CDH.