Slow Loss Research Articles

Stabilizing the MXenes by Carbon Nanoplating for Developing Hierarchical Nanohybrids with Efficient Lithium Storage and Hydrogen Evolution Capability.

The MXenes combining hydrophilic surface, metallic conductivity and rich surface chemistries represent a new family of 2D materials with widespread applications. However, their poor oxygen resistance causes a great loss of electronic properties and surface reactivity, which significantly inhibits the fabrication, the understanding of the chemical nature and full exploitation of the potential of MXene-based materials. Herein we report a facile carbon nanoplating strategy for efficiently stabilizing the MXenes against structural degradation caused by spontaneous oxidation, which provides a material platform for developing MXene-based materials with attractive structure and properties. Hierarchical MoS2 /Ti3 C2 -MXene@C nanohybrids with excellent structural stability, electrical properties and strong interfacial coupling are fabricated by assembling carbon coated few-layered MoS2 nanoplates on carbon-stabilized Ti3 C2 MXene, exhibiting exceptional performance for Li storage and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Remarkably, ultra-long cycle life of 3000 cycles with high capacities but extremely slow capacity loss of 0.0016% per cycle is achieved for Li storage at a very high rate of 20 A g-1 . They are also highly active HER electrocatalyst with very positive onset potential, low overpotential and long-term stability in acidic solution. Superb properties highlight the great promise of MXene-based materials in cornerstone applications of energy storage and conversion.

Nutrition Needs for Patients With Head & Neck Cancer

Nutrition Needs for Patients With Head & Neck Cancer

Increasing dietary nitrate has no effect on cancellous bone loss or fecal microbiome in ovariectomized rats.

ScopeStudies suggest diets rich in fruit and vegetables reduce bone loss, although the specific compounds responsible are unknown. Substrates for endogenous nitric oxide (NO) production, including organic nitrates and dietary nitrate, may support NO production in age‐related conditions, including osteoporosis. We investigated the capability of dietary nitrate to improve NO bioavailability, reduce bone turnover and loss.Methods and resultsSix‐month‐old Sprague Dawley rats [30 ovariectomized (OVX) and 10 sham‐operated (sham)] were randomized into three groups: (i) vehicle (water) control, (ii) low‐dose nitrate (LDN, 0.1 mmol nitrate/kg bw/day), or (iii) high‐dose nitrate (HDN, 1.0 mmol nitrate/kg bw/day) for three weeks. The sham received vehicle. Serum bone turnover markers; bone mass, mineral density, and quality; histomorphometric parameters; and fecal microbiome were examined. Three weeks of LDN or HDN improved NO bioavailability in a dose‐dependent manner. OVX resulted in cancellous bone loss, increased bone turnover, and fecal microbiome changes. OVX increased relative abundances of Firmicutes and decreased Bacteroideceae and Alcaligenaceae. Nitrate did not affect the skeleton or fecal microbiome.ConclusionThese data indicate that OVX affects the fecal microbiome and that the gut microbiome is associated with bone mass. Three weeks of nitrate supplementation does not slow bone loss or alter the fecal microbiome in OVX.

Effects Of Resistance Plus Aerobic Training On Body Composition In Breast Cancer Survivors On Aromatase Inhibitors

BACKGROUND: Treatment for breast cancer is multi-modal and often includes estrogen blockade that can alter body composition. Aerobic training can reduce body fat, while resistsance training improves lean mass and, bone mineral density (BMD); however, it is unclear whether exercise retains its efficacy during aromatase inhibition. Our study determined the influence of combined aerobic + resistance training on body composition of breast cancer survivors (BCS) that use aromatase inhibitors. METHODS: Women cancer survivors are randomized to 9 months of exercise [Resistance + aerobic training] (EX): n= 18 or streching group (SG): n=18]. Body composition was measured by DXA (total body and trunk fat mass % body fat (BF); lean body mass (LBM); spine and total hip BMD at baseline, 3, 6 and 9 months. The exercise group performed by 40 minutes with 7 resistance exercises on machines followed by 30 minutes of treadmill (aerobic) training 3x/wk. Separate 2 x 3 repeated measure ANOVAs were used to compare groups. RESULTS: Retention in the study was 94% in EX and 72% in SG. Adherence to training was 78.2%. Significant group x time interactions were found for total and trunk fat mass, and % body fat, (p<0.001), where women in EX lost fat compared to slight gains among women in SG. There were no significant group x time interactions for LBM, total hip or spine BMD.Table 1: Mean score changes in EX and SG groups from baseline to 9 monthsCONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the potential efficacy of combined training to decrease total and trunk fat mass, an indictor of central adiposity, in breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitor therapy, in which fat mass is considered risk factor for recurrence of cancer, metastasis and other chronic disease. A combined modality program did not slow bone loss in this population, thus modifications to the program to include specific osteogenic training may need to be considered to target this health outcome.

Efficient Enrichment and Analyses of Bacteria at Ultralow Concentration with Quick-Response Magnetic Nanospheres.

Enrichment and purification of bacteria from complex matrices are crucial for their detection and investigation, in which magnetic separation techniques have recently show great application advantages. However, currently used magnetic particles all have their own limitations: Magnetic microparticles exhibit poor binding capacity with targets, while magnetic nanoparticles suffer slow magnetic response and high loss rate during treatment process. Herein, we used a highly controllable layer-by-layer assembly method to fabricate quick-response magnetic nanospheres (MNs), and with Salmonella typhimurium as a model, we successfully achieve their rapid and efficient enrichment. The MNs combined the advantages of magnetic microparticles and nanoparticles. On the one hand, the MNs had a fast magnetic response, and almost 100% of the MNs could be recovered by 1 min attraction with a simple magnetic scaffold. Hence, using antibody conjugated MNs (immunomagnetic nanospheres, IMNs) to capture bacteria hardly generated loss and did not need complex separation tools or techniques. On the other hand, the IMNs showed much excellent capture capacity. With 20 min interaction, almost all of the target bacteria could be captured, and even only one bacterium existing in the samples was not missed, comparing with the immunomagnetic microparticles which could only capture less than 50% of the bacteria. Besides, the IMNs could achieve the same efficient enrichment in complex matrices, such as milk, fetal bovine serum, and urine, demonstrating their good stability, strong anti-interference ability, and low nonspecific adsorption. In addition, the isolated bacteria could be directly used for culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses, and fluorescence immunoassay without a release process, which suggested our IMNs-based enrichment strategy could be conveniently coupled with the downstream identification and analysis techniques. Thus, the MNs provided by this work showed great superiority in bacteria enrichment, which would be a promising tool for bacteria detection and investigation.

Anthropometric and biomechanical characteristics of body segments in persons with spinal cord injury

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience bone and muscle loss in their paralyzed limbs that is most rapid and severe in the first 3years after injury. Restoration of mechanical loading through therapeutic physical activity may potentially slow or reverse post-SCI bone loss, however, therapeutic targets cannot be developed without accurate biomechanical models. Obesity is prevalent among SCI population, and it alters body composition and further affects parameters of these models. Here, clinical whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry data from people with acute (n=39) and chronic (n=61) SCI were analyzed to obtain anthropometric parameters including segment masses, center of mass location, and radius of gyration for both obese and non-obese individuals. Chronic SCI was associated with higher normalized trunk mass of 3.2%BW and smaller normalized leg mass of 1.8%BW in males, but no significant changes in segment centers of mass or radius of gyration. People with chronic SCI had 58.6% lean mass in the trunk, compared to 66.6% lean mass in those with acute SCI (p=0.01), with significant changes in all segments. Obesity was associated with an increase in trunk mass proportion of 3.1%BW, proximal shifts in thigh and upper arm center of mass, and changes to thigh and shank radius of gyration. The data presented here can be used to accurately represent the anthropometrics of SCI population in biomechanical studies, considering obesity and injury duration.

Neurodegeneration Induced by Metals in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Metals are a component of a variety of ecosystems and organisms. They can generally be divided into essential and nonessential metals. The essential metals are involved in physiological processes once the deficiency of these metals has been associated with diseases. Although iron, manganese, copper, and zinc are important for life, it has been evidenced that they are also involved in neuronal damage in many neurodegenerative disorders. Nonessential metals, which are metals without physiological functions, are present in trace or higher levels in living organisms. Occupational, environmental, or deliberate exposures to lead, mercury, aluminum, and cadmium are clearly correlated with the increase of toxicity and varied kinds of pathological situations. Actually, the field of neurotoxicology needs to satisfy two opposing demands: the testing of a growing list of chemicals and resource limitations and ethical concerns associated with testing using traditional mammalian species. Toxicological assays using alternative animal models may relieve some of this pressure by allowing testing of more compounds while reducing expenses and using fewer mammals. The nervous system is by far the more complex system in C. elegans. Almost a third of their cells are neurons (302 neurons versus 959 cells in adult hermaphrodite). It initially underwent extensive development as a model organism in order to study the nervous system, and its neuronal lineage and the complete wiring diagram of its nervous system are stereotyped and fully described. The neurotransmission systems are phylogenetically conserved from nematodes to vertebrates, which allows for findings from C. elegans to be extrapolated and further confirmed in vertebrate systems. Different strains of C. elegans offer a new perspective on neurodegenerative processes. Some genes have been found to be related to neurodegeneration induced by metals. Studying these interactions may be an effective tool to slow neuronal loss and deterioration.

生物文化多样性研究进展

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 生物文化多样性研究进展 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201709191676 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家重点研发计划（2016YFC0502106） Progress in biocultural diversity research Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:生物文化多样性包括生物多样性、文化多样性和二者之间的复杂联系，是保持自然界和人类社会健康的基础。由于其内涵丰富、涉及学科众多、研究内容广泛，在研究时把握研究对象及相应尺度尤为重要。生物多样性和文化多样性通过自然和社会的各种因素紧密连接在一起，表现为空间上的重合、共同的进化过程以及受到共同的威胁。对生物多样性和文化多样性进行共同保护是减缓生物多样性丧失和保护传统文化的有效途径。主要从生物多样性和文化多样性的关系、传统生态知识、文化景观等三大方面对相关研究进行了梳理，并指出了主要发展趋势。我国学者在生物文化多样性研究的一些领域做出了富有特色和价值的工作，但在保持我国优势和特色领域发展的同时，还需紧跟国际热点和趋势，在机制与系统分析、生物文化多样性的环境影响、生物文化多样性的保护与管理等方面加强研究。 Abstract:Biocultural diversity includes biodiversity, cultural diversity, and their intrinsic relationship. It is important in maintaining the health of both nature and human society. Because biocultural diversity has abundant meaning, extensive research content, and is relevant to multiple disciplines, it is important to clarify the study object and relative scale in biocultural diversity research. Biodiversity and cultural diversity are closely linked through natural and social factors. Their relationships are reflected in geographic overlap, co-evolution, and common threats. Protecting biodiversity and cultural diversity together is an effective approach to slow biodiversity loss and protect traditional cultures. In this paper, three important research fields of biocultural diversity, the relationship between biodiversity and cultural diversity, traditional ecological knowledge, and cultural landscapes, are introduced and summarized, and their major trends are pointed out. Although Chinese scholars have conducted some characteristic and impressive work in ethnobotany and ethnoecology, biocultural diversity research focusing on other issues should be carried out and promoted. It is important to strengthen mechanism and systematic analysis, environmental influences, and conservation and management of biocultural diversity study in China. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Production of ready to drink red and rosé wines from new seedless grapevine crossbreeds

Monomeric and polymeric flavan-3-ols (proanthocyanidins) content in grapes is higher in seeds compared to berry skins. Monomeric flavan-3-ols are more astringent, however, they can combine with other monomer, with anthocyanins and with mannoproteins released by yeast and therefore lose their harsh features in wines. Proanthocyanidins extracted during fermentation and maceration processes in red wines, are important for the organoleptic characteristics of the product and for its aging. There is a difference between skins and seeds proanthocyanidins, with the latter being perceived as more harsh and astringent. One of the most important purposes of refinement and aging of red wines very rich in polyphenols is the slow loss of bitterness. Instead, for wines ready to drink seeds tannins can give bitter overtones, therefore reducing their quality since consumers generally prefer a reduced astringency and attenuated bitterness. This paper investigates the possibility of employ some new seedless grapes crossings of Vitis vinifera L., obtained in recent breeding programs carried out at the CREA-VE of Turi, for the production of improved red and rosé wines made with traditionally red winemaking.

A Polymetallic Metal‐Organic Framework‐Derived Strategy toward Synergistically Multidoped Metal Oxide Electrodes with Ultralong Cycle Life and High Volumetric Capacity

Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are very convenient self‐templated precursors toward functional materials with tunable functionalities. Although a huge family of MOFs has been discovered, conventional MOF‐derived strategies are largely limited to the sole MOF source based on a handful of the metal elements. The limitation in structure and functionalities greatly restrains the maximum performance of MOF‐based materials for fulfilling the practical potential. This study reports a polymetallic MOF‐derived strategy for easy synthesis of metal‐oxide‐based nanohybrids with precisely tailored multicomponent active dopants. A variety of MoO2‐based nanohybrids with synergistical co‐doping of W, Cu, and P are yielded by controlled pyrolysis of tailor‐made polymetallic MOFs. The W doping induces the formation of MoxW1−xO2 solid solution with better activity. The homogeneous dispersion of Cu nanocrystallites in robust P‐doped carbon skeleton creates a conductive network for fast charge transfer. Boosting by synergistically multidoping effect, the Mo0.8W0.2O2‐Cu@P‐doped carbon nanohybrids with optimized composition exhibit exceptionally long cycle life of 2000 cycles with high capacities but very slow capacity loss (0.043% per cycle), as well as high power output for lithium storage. Remarkably, the co‐doping of heavy W and Cu elements in MoO2 with high density makes them particularly suitable for high volumetric lithium storage.

Self-Reported Hearing Impairment and Incident Frailty in English Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A 4-Year Follow-Up Study.

ObjectivesTo examine the association between hearing impairment and incident frailty in older adults.DesignCross‐sectional and longitudinal analyses with 4‐year follow‐up using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.SettingCommunity.ParticipantsCommunity‐dwelling individuals aged 60 and older with data on hearing and frailty status (N = 2,836).MeasurementsHearing impairment was defined as poor self‐reported hearing. Having none of the five Fried frailty phenotype components (slow walking, weak grip, self‐reported exhaustion, weight loss and low physical activity) was defined as not frail, having one or two as prefrail, and having three or more as frail. Participants who were not frail at baseline were followed for incident prefrailty and frailty. Participants who were prefrail at baseline were followed for incident frailty.ResultsOne thousand three hundred ninety six (49%) participants were not frail, 1,178 (42%) were prefrail, and 262 (9%) were frail according to the Fried phenotype. At follow‐up, there were 367 new cases of prefrailty and frailty among those who were not frail at baseline (n = 1,396) and 133 new cases of frailty among those who were prefrail at baseline (n = 1,178). Cross‐sectional analysis showed an association between hearing impairment and frailty (age‐ and sex‐adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.37–2.01), which remained after further adjustments for wealth, education, cardiovascular disease, cognition, and depression. In longitudinal analyses, nonfrail participants with hearing impairment were at greater risk of becoming prefrail and frail at follow‐up (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.05–1.95), but the association was attenuated after further adjustment. Prefrail participants with hearing impairment had a greater risk of becoming frail at follow‐up (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.07–2.51) even after further adjustment.ConclusionHearing impairment in prefrail older adults was associated with greater risk of becoming frail, independent of covariates, suggesting that hearing impairment may hasten the progression of frailty.

The First Measurement of Seasonal Trends in the Equatorial Ionospheric Anomaly Trough at the CHUK GNSS Site During the Solar Maximum in 2014

The equatorial region of the Earth’s ionosphere exhibits large temporal variations in electron density that have significant implications on satellite signal transmissions. In this paper, the first observation results of the variations in the trough of the equatorial ionospheric anomaly at the permanent Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) site in Chuuk (Geographic: 7.5° N, 151.9° E; Geomagnetic: 0.4° N) are presented. It was found that the daytime Global Positioning System (GPS) total electron content (TEC) values vary according to the 27 day period of solar rotation , and that these trends show sharp contrast with those of summer. The amplitudes of the semi-annual anomaly were 12.4 TECU (33 %) on 19th of March and 8.8 TECU (23 %) on 25th of October respectively, with a yearly averaged value of 38.0 TECU. The equinoctial asymmetry at the March equinox was higher than that at the October equinox rather than the November equinox. Daily mean TEC values were higher in December than in June, which could be interpreted as annual or winter anomalies. The nighttime GPS TEC enhancements during 20:00-24:00 LT also exhibited the semi-annual variation. The pre-midnight TEC enhancement could be explained with the slow loss process of electron density that is largely produced during the daytime of equinox. However, the significant peaks around 22:00-23:00 LT at the spring equinox require other mechanisms other than the slow loss process of the electron density.

소듐과 이산화탄소 반응에 의한 소듐유로막힘 및 재료손상 현상 연구

본 논문의 목적은 소듐냉각고속로(sodium cooled fast reactor, SFR)와 초임계 <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> Brayton cycle의 연계 시, 원자로 열수송 계통과 동력변환 계통의 압력 경계를 형성하는 회로인쇄형 열교환기의 경계면에 균열이 발생해 고압(약 200 bar)의 <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX>가 상압 수준의 액체소듐유로 측에 유입되었을 때의 물리/화학적 현상을 파악하여 열교환기 설계에 활용 가능한 실험 자료를 생산하는 것이다. 열교환기의 소듐-<TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> 경계면 균열 현상은 경계면의 균열 크기에 따라 미세 균열에 의한 소듐유로막힘(plugging) 현상과 상대적으로 큰 균열에 의한 열교환기 재료손상(wastage) 현상으로 나뉜다. Plugging 실험결과, 소듐유로 직경이 3mm일 때 <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> 주입 즉시 소듐 흐름이 정지한 반면 소듐유로 직경이 5 mm일 때는 유량이 감소되기 시작하는 시점은 3 mm의 경우와 유사하게 <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> 주입 즉시 나타났지만 소듐의 흐름이 완전히 정지할 때까지는 상대적으로 오랜 시간이 소요되었다. 이러한 실험결과는 실제 열교환기의 소듐-<TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> 경계면에서 미세균열이 발생했을 때, 소듐유로 직경이 3 mm로 좁을 경우 균열 발생과 동시에 해당 소듐유로가 반응생성물에 의해 막혀 해당 유로 외의 유로들로 지속적인 열교환기 운전이 가능하지만, 소듐유로의 직경이 5 mm로 넓어질 경우 소듐유로가 고체생성물에 의해 즉시 막히지 않고 생성물이 소듐유로를 따라 계통 내부를 이동하다 일정 농도 이상이 되어야 소듐유로를 막게 할 것으로 예상할 수 있는 결과이다. Wastage 실험결과, 열교환의 재질(STS316, Inconel600, G91 합금강), 운전온도(<TEX>$400{\sim}500^{\circ}C$</TEX>), 노즐직경(0.2~0.8 mm), 시편-노즐 거리(2~6 mm)와 무관하게 고압(약 200~250 bar)의 <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> 분사에 의한 시편의 물리적 손상(erosion) 현상은 발생하지 않았다. 노즐에서의 분사되는 <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX>의 분사속도는 마하 0.4~0.7인 것으로 확인되었다. 본 연구의 실험결과는 열교환기 파손 대처 설계에 배경 실험 자료로 활용될 것으로 기대된다. We investigated the physical/chemical phenomena that a slow loss of <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> inventory into sodium after the sodium-<TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> boundary failure in printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs), which is considered for the supercritical <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> Brayton cycle power conversion system of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR). The first phenomenon is plugging inside narrow sodium channels by micro cracks and the other one is damage propagation referred to as wastage combined with the corrosion/erosion effect. Experimental results of plugging shows that sodium flow immediately stopped as <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> was injected through the nozzle at <TEX>$300{\sim}400^{\circ}C$</TEX> in 3 mmID sodium channels, whereas sodium flow stopped about 60 min after <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> injection in 5 mmID sodium channels. These results imply that if pressure boundary of sodium-<TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> fails a narrow sodium channel would be plugged by reaction products in a short time whereas a relatively wider sodium channel would be plugged with higher concentration of reaction products. Wastage by the erosion effect of <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> (200~250 bar) hardly occurred regardless of the kinds of materials (stainless steel 316, Inconel 600, and 9Cr-1Mo steel), temperature (<TEX>$400{\sim}500^{\circ}C$</TEX>), or the diameter of the <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> nozzle (0.2~0.8 mm). Velocities at the <TEX>$CO_2$</TEX> nozzle were specified as Mach 0.4~0.7. Our experimental results are expected to be used for determining the design parameters of PCHEs for their safeties.

Analysis of Translocation-Competent Secretory Proteins by HDX-MS.

Protein folding is an intricate and precise process in living cells. Most exported proteins evade cytoplasmic folding, become targeted to the membrane, and then trafficked into/across membranes. Their targeting and translocation-competent states are nonnatively folded. However, once they reach the appropriate cellular compartment, they can fold to their native states. The nonnative states of preproteins remain structurally poorly characterized since increased disorder, protein sizes, aggregation propensity, and the observation timescale are often limiting factors for typical structural approaches such as X-ray crystallography and NMR. Here, we present an alternative approach for the in vitro analysis of nonfolded translocation-competent protein states and their comparison with their native states. We make use of hydrogen/deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), a method based on differentiated isotope exchange rates in structured vs unstructured protein states/regions, and highly dynamic vs more rigid regions. We present a complete structural characterization pipeline, starting from the preparation of the polypeptides to data analysis and interpretation. Proteolysis and mass spectrometric conditions for the analysis of the labeled proteins are discussed, followed by the analysis and interpretation of HDX-MS data. We highlight the suitability of HDX-MS for identifying short structured regions within otherwise highly flexible protein states, as illustrated by an exported protein example, experimentally tested in our lab. Finally, we discuss statistical analysis in comparative HDX-MS. The protocol is applicable to any protein and protein size, exhibiting slow or fast loss of translocation competence. It could be easily adapted to more complex assemblies, such as the interaction of chaperones with nonnative protein states.

Clinical and histological risk factors for progression of IgA nephropathy: an update in children, young and adult patients.

The identification of risk factors conditioning the progression of immunoglobulin (Ig)A nephropathy (IgAN) is needed due to the variability of the outcome of this renal disease, which ranges from remission or indolent course to progressive slow loss of renal function or rapidly evolving chronic renal failure. Based on the supposed individual risk of progression, the therapy is modulated from renin-angiotensin inhibitors to corticosteroids, alone or associated with other powerful but potentially harmful immunosuppressors. Over the last 20years, several studies have produced great advances in the field of biomarkers for detecting risk factors that play a role in the progression of IgAN. This review will focus on the clinical and histological risk factors which have been detected and validated by the majority of the studies and which may presently be considered of value for prognostication of outcome in patients with IgAN, driving the individual treatment choice.

Systemic Administration of Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Does Not Halt Osteoporotic Bone Loss in Ovariectomized Rats

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have innate ability to self-renew and immunosuppressive functions, and differentiate into various cell types. They have become a promising cell source for treating many diseases, particular for bone regeneration. Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disorder with elevated systemic inflammation which in turn triggers enhanced bone loss. We hypothesize that systemic infusion of MSCs may suppress the elevated inflammation in the osteoporotic subjects and slow down bone loss. The current project was to address the following two questions: (1) Will a single dose systemic administration of allogenic MSCs have any effect on osteoporotic bone loss? (2) Will multiple administration of allogenic MSCs from single or multiple donors have similar effect on osteoporotic bone loss? 18 ovariectomized (OVX) rats were assigned into 3 groups: the PBS control group, MSCs group 1 (receiving 2x106 GFP-MSCs at Day 10, 46, 91 from the same donor following OVX) and MSCs group 2 (receiving 2x106 GFP-MSCs from three different donors at Day 10, 46, 91). Examinations included Micro-CT, serum analysis, mechanical testing, immunofluorescence staining and bone histomorphometry analysis. Results showed that BV/TV at Day 90, 135, BMD of TV and trabecular number at Day 135 in the PBS group were significantly higher than those in the MSCs group 2, whereas trabecular spacing at Day 90, 135 was significantly smaller than that in MSCs group 2. Mechanical testing data didn’t show significant difference among the three groups. In addition, the ELISA assay showed that level of Rantes in serum in MSCs group 2 was significantly higher than that of the PBS group, whereas IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly lower than those of the PBS group. Bone histomorphometry analysis showed that Oc.S/BS and Oc.N/BS in the PBS group were significant lower than those in MSCs group 2; Ob.S/BS and Ob.N/BS did not show significant difference among the three groups. The current study demonstrated that systemic administration of allogenic MSCs had no obvious effect on osteoporotic bone loss in OVX rats when using the cells from the same donor; and repeated injection of allogeneic MSCs from different donors might promote bone loss in OVX rats. These findings indicate that despite allogenic MSCs systemic infusion is safe, their administration alone may not be an effective mean for preventing osteoporotic bone loss.

Submitted, Not Presented: Clinical Vignettes/Case Reports - Colorectal Cancer Prevention.

Our patient is a 47-year-old male with no significant medical history who presented with progressively worsening dyspnea, decreased exercise tolerance, and bilateral lower extremity edema for the last 5 weeks. He reported diarrhea but denied any dark stools, and had a 60-pound intentional weight loss over the previous four months. He recently returned from a 4-week cruise from Florida to Denmark and his symptoms began while aboard the ship. On exam, he was afebrile with stable vital signs. He was morbidly obese with a BMI of 61 and appeared pale. A grade III/VI systolic murmur was noted at the second intercostal space and he had bibasilar crackles and 2+ bilateral lower extremity pitting edema. Initial stool guaiac testing was negative. He was found to have a profound anemia with a hemoglobin of 3.6 g/dL and a hematocrit of 13.5%. His ferritin and iron levels were also significantly decreased. His symptoms improved blood transfusions and intravenous Lasix, however, his hemoglobin continued to decrease slowly over the next several days requiring additional blood transfusions. His echocardiogram revealed no abnormalities and a repeat stool guaiac test was positive. A colonoscopy was performed revealing a large mass in the ascending colon, and histological analysis was consistent with invasive colonic adenocarcinoma. Further imaging showed metastases to the peritoneum and he was classified as having Stage IVB colon adenocarcinoma. Discussion: In the United States colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. A common presentation of colonic adenocarcinoma is iron deficiency anemia, especially when located in the ascending colon. However, it is uncommon to remain asymptomatic from severe anemia until developing signs of heart failure. His heart failure symptoms resolved after adequate resuscitation with blood products, however he continued to require transfusions due to continual slow blood loss from the tumor. Unfortunately, he did not have any family history of gastrointestinal disorders or cancers and his first screening colonoscopy was not due for another three years. Obesity itself increases the frequency of colon cancer, and this appears to be our patient's sole identifiable risk factor. Our case illustrates the importance of recognizing early symptoms of iron deficiency anemia and correlating this with its most common cause, which is occult gastrointestinal blood loss.

Dynamics of glycerine and water transport across human skin from binary mixtures.

Skin transport properties of glycerine and water from binary mixtures contacting human skin were determined to better understand the mechanism of skin moisturization by aqueous glycerine formulations. Steady-state permeation for 3 H2 O and 14 C-glycerine across split-thickness human skin in vitro and desorption dynamics of the same permeants in isolated human stratum corneum (HSC) were experimentally determined under near equilibrium conditions. These data were compared to a priori values developed in the context of a thermodynamic model for binary mixtures of glycerine and water and a previously determined water sorption isotherm for HSC. This allowed the estimation of diffusion and partition coefficients for each permeant in the HSC, as well as HSC thickness, as a function of composition of the contacting solution. These data may be used to estimate water retention and associated HSC swelling related to the absorption and slow release of glycerine from the skin. It took 6+ days for glycerine to completely desorb from HSC immersed in glycerine/water binary solutions. Desorption of both 3 H2 O and 14 C-glycerine from HSC was slower in pure water than from binary mixtures, a result that is largely explained by the greater swelling of HSC in water. Parametric relationships were developed for water and glycerine intradiffusivities in HSC as functions of HSC water content, and a mutual diffusion coefficient was estimated by analogy with glycerine/water binary solutions. The intradiffusivity of 14 C-glycerine in HSC as inferred from sorption/desorption experiments was shown to be approximately 10-fold less than that inferred from permeation experiments, whereas the corresponding values for 3 H2 O were comparable. These studies confirm that glycerine enters HSC in substantial quantities and has a long residence time therein. The coupling between bulk water and glycerine transport projected from binary solution data suggests the net effect of glycerine is to slow water loss from the skin. The data support the concept of glycerine as a humectant with an excellent balance of skin penetration and retention characteristics; however, they do not rule out the possibility of an additional biological effect on skin barrier homoeostasis.

Isothermal and Cyclic Oxidation Behavior of Fe–B Based Alloys at 927 K

The microstructure and oxidation kinetics of Fe–B-based alloys at 927 K in air with different boron concentrations of 0.95, 1.45, 2.10, and 3.08 wt% were studied. The alloy microstructures were interpreted to consist of α-Fe, Fe2B, and pearlite. After 100-h oxidation, the oxides comprised Fe2O3 at the surfaces and a mixed B2O3–SiO2 layer at matrix/oxide interface. The formation of mixed oxides layer was affected by boron content in the alloy and had obvious influence on the oxide morphology. The isothermal oxidation kinetics at 973 K exhibited initial rapid mass loss followed by slow mass loss, and the oxidation rate constants of the two oxidation stages demonstrated completely opposite tendencies with the increase of boron. The Fe–B 3.08 wt% alloy exhibited the best oxidation resistance after 100 h of cyclic oxidation due to the formation of a well-distributed and continuous B2O3–SiO2 mixed oxide layer.

Intravitreal implantation of TPP1-transduced stem cells delays retinal degeneration in canine CLN2 neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis

The CLN2 form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a neurodegenerative disease that results from mutations in the TPP1 gene. Affected children exhibit progressive declines in most neurological functions including vision. Functional declines are accompanied by progressive brain and retinal atrophy. TPP1 encodes the soluble lysosomal enzyme tripeptidyl peptidase-1 (TPP1). Dachshunds with a TPP1 null mutation exhibit a disorder very similar to human CLN2 disease. Periodic infusion of recombinant TPP1 protein or a single injection of a TPP1 gene therapy vector into the cerebrospinal fluid of affected dogs significantly delays the onset and progression of neurological signs but does not slow vision loss or retinal degeneration. Studies were conducted to determine whether intravitreal implantation of autologous bone marrow derived stem cells transduced with a TPP1 expression construct would inhibit retinal degeneration in the canine model. A single injection of the transduced cells at an early stage in the disease progression substantially inhibited the development of disease-related retinal function deficits and structural changes. No adverse effects of the treatment were detected. These findings indicate that ex vivo gene therapy using autologous stem cells is an effective means of achieving sustained delivery of therapeutic compounds to tissues such as the retina for which systemic administration would be ineffective.