Human neural stem cell growth and differentiation in a gradient-generating microfluidic device

This paper describes a gradient-generating microfluidic platform for optimizing proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in culture. Microfluidic technology has great potential to improve stem cell (SC) cultures, whose promise in cell-based therapies is limited by the inability to precisely control their behavior in culture. Compared to traditional culture tools, microfluidic platforms should provide much greater control over cell microenvironment and rapid optimization of media composition using relatively small numbers of cells. Our platform exposes cells to a concentration gradient of growth factors under continuous flow, thus minimizing autocrine and paracrine signaling. Human NSCs (hNSCs) from the developing cerebral cortex were cultured for more than 1 week in the microfluidic device while constantly exposed to a continuous gradient of a growth factor (GF) mixture containing epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Proliferation and differentiation of NSCs into astrocytes were monitored by time-lapse microscopy and immunocytochemistry. The NSCs remained healthy throughout the entire culture period, and importantly, proliferated and differentiated in a graded and proportional fashion that varied directly with GF concentration. These concentration-dependent cellular responses were quantitatively similar to those measured in control chambers built into the device and in parallel cultures using traditional 6-well plates. This gradient-generating microfluidic platform should be useful for a wide range of basic and applied studies on cultured cells, including SCs.     

Insertion Reactions of Carbon Disulfide into Mg‐C and Mg‐N Bonds: Syntheses and Structural Determinations of Mg(S2CY)2(THF)n(Y=NEt2, NiPr2, iPr,Ph) and BrMg(S2CZ)(THF)3(Z=Ph,iPr)

The insertion reaction of CS₂ with Mg(NR₂)₂ (R= Et, ⁱPr), MgR′₂ (R′= Et, Ph) and R″MgBr (R″= ⁱPr, Ph) respectively lead solid products, Mg(S₂CNR₂)₂(THF)_n ( 1 : R= Et, n=2; 2 : R= ⁱPr, n=1), Mg(S₂C′R)₂(THF)₂ ( 3 : ′R= Et, 4 : ′R= Ph), BrMg(S₂C″R) (THF)₃ ( 5 : ″R= ⁱPr, 6 : ″R= Ph) in which the inserted carbon disulfides act as terminal chelating ligands. These compounds were characterized with ¹H, ¹³C NMR, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analyses, and X‐ray crystallography.     

A scheme for the analysis of monazite and monazite concentrates

A scheme using ion-exchange methods is described for the analysis of monazites and monazite concentrates. The sample is opened up with concentrated sulphuric acid, and the resultant solution is applied to a column of Zeocarb 225 resin. After phosphate has been washed out, lead, aluminium, titanium, iron, uranium, calcium and magnesium are eluted with N hydrochloric acid and determined by specific, mainly spectrophotometric, methods. Rare earth elements are eluted with 3 N hydrochloric acid. Cerium is separated from the other rare earths by solvent extraction of its nitrate with methyl iso-butyl ketone; both groups are determined gravimetrically. Thorium is eluted from the ion-exchange resin with 3.6 N sulphuric acid and determined spectrophotometrically with thorin.The sulphuric acid-insoluble minerals are brought into solution by a double fusion method, and the determinations are carried out by a combination of ion-exchange and photometric procedures. Silica, phosphorus pentoxide, tin and chromium are determined by photometric methods, using separate portions of the sample.Lanthanum, yttrium and ytterbium are determined in a 1 M perchloric acid solution of the mixed rare earth oxides (less cerium) using flame photometry. Samarium, praseodymium and neodymium are determined by spectrophotometry.     

Role of sphingomyelin-MAPKs pathway in heat-induced apoptosis

The role of sphingomyelinase (SMase) activation and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) activation in cellular apoptosis was investigated during the hyperthermic treatment of HL-60 human leukemia cells. Treating the cells for 1 h at 43(o)C caused more than 50% of cellular apoptosis within several hours. The neutral-SMase activity in the cells treated for 1 h at 42(o)C was slightly increased but decreased in the cells treated at 43(o)C or 44(o)C for the same period whereas the acid SMase activity was slightly increased after heating the cells at 42(o)C and 43(o)C and markedly increased at 44(o)C for 1 h. Treatment of cells with inhibitors of SMase activation and ceramide formation significantly reduced the heat-induced apoptosis. Three major families of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), i.e. ERK1/2, p38 and JNK, were activated by the hyperthermic treatment of cells. Inhibition of ERK1/2 with PD98059 exerted little effect on the heat-induced apoptosis and p38 inhibition with SB203580 slightly lessened apoptosis whereas, inhibition of JNK with SP600125 markedly suppressed the heat-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that heat-shock induced the activation of SMase, particularly acid-SMase, thereby causing apoptosis and that JNK played a pivotal role in heat-induced apoptosis in HL-60 leukemia cells.     

14‐Membered Cyclopeptides from Paliurus ramosissimus and P. hemsleyanus

Six 14‐membered cyclopeptide alkaloids, i.e., ramosines A–C, mucronine J, and lotusines A and D, were isolated from the roots of Paliurus ramosissimus, and an additional four, hemsines A–D, from the roots of P. hemsleyanus. Among these, ramosines A–C ( 1, 5 , and 6 , resp.) and hemsines A and B ( 7 and 8 , resp.) are new bases of the amphibine‐B type, and hemsines C and D ( 9 and 10 , resp.) are new integerrine‐type alkaloids. Additionally, ramosine C ( 6 ) represents the first 14‐membered cyclopeptide alkaloid possessing a substitution (? OH) at C(13′). Their structural elucidations were based on spectral analysis and molecular‐modeling studies. Pronounced solvent effects in the ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectra of these two types of alkaloids were observed.     

Structure and thermoelectric properties of the new quaternary bismuth selenides A(1-x)M(4-x)Bi(11+x)Se21 (A = K and Rb and Cs; M = Sn and Pb)--members of the grand homologous series Km(M6Se8)m(M(5+n)Se(9+n))

Several members of the new family A(1-x)M(4-x)Bi(11+x)Se21 (A = K, Rb, Cs; M = Sn, Pb) were prepared by direct combination of A2Se, Bi2Se3, Sn (or Pb), and Se at 800 degrees C. The single-crystal structures of K(0.54)Sn(3.54)Bi(11.46)Se21, K(1.46)Pb(3.08)Bi(11.46)Se21, Rb(0.69)Pb(3.69)Bi(11.31)Se21, and Cs(0.65)Pb(3.65)Bi(11.35)Se21 were determined. The compounds A(1-x)M(4-x)Bi(11+x) Se21 crystallize in a new structure type with the monoclinic space group C2/m, in which building units of the Bi2Te3 and NaCl structure type join to give rise to a novel kind of three-dimensional anionic framework with alkali-ion-filled tunnels. The building units are assembled from distorted, edge-sharing (Bi,Sn)Se6 octahedra. Bi and Sn/Pb atoms are disordered over the metal sites of the chalcogenide network, while the alkali site is not fully occupied. A grand homologous series Km(M6Se8)m(M(5+n)Se(9+n)) has been identified of which the compounds A(1-x)M(4-x)Bi(11+x)Se21 are members. We discuss here the crystal structure, charge-transport properties, and very low thermal conductivity of A(1-x)M(4-x)Bi(11+x)Se21.     

Testing the reliability of non-LTE spectroscopic models for complex ions

Collisional-radiative atomic models are widely used to help diagnose experimental plasma conditions through fitting and interpreting measured spectra. Here we present the results of a code comparison in which a variety of models determined plasma temperatures and densities by finding the best fit to an experimental L-shell Kr spectrum from a well characterized, but not benchmarked, laser plasma. While variations in diagnostic strategies and qualities of fit were significant, the results generally confirmed the typically quoted uncertainties for such diagnostics of ±20% in electron temperature and factors of about two in density. The comparison also highlighted some model features important for spectroscopic diagnostics: fine structure was required to match line positions and relative intensities within each charge state and for density diagnostics based on emission from metastable states; an extensive configuration set was required to fit the wings of satellite features and to reliably diagnose the temperature through the inferred charge state distribution; and the inclusion of self-consistent opacity effects was an important factor in the quality of the fit.     

Fabrication and evaluation of bacterial cellulose-polyaniline composites by interfacial polymerization

The fabrication and evaluation of nanocomposites based on microbial cellulose and polyaniline (PANi) are described. Microbial cellulose, so called, bacterial cellulose (BC) was introduced to interfacial polymerization of aniline. Two different phases based on water and chloroform made it easy for nanosized PANi particles to be synthesized on BC. Without any help of a surfactant or templates, BC played a critical role of supporting the growth of PANi. As a function of aniline concentration, the corresponding PANi content and volume resistivity were checked. From morphological images observed by FE-SEM, PANi nanoparticles were densely arrayed along every fiber of BC. The conjugated backbone of PANi was thought to contribute to the improvements of thermal stability of PANi/BC composites. The stiffness and brittleness of PANi were compensated by more ductile BC, suggesting BC can be a promising substrate for it. By the simple and facile interfacial polymerization, the electrical conductivity of PANi/BC composites reached up to 3.8?×?10^?1?S/cm when 0.32?M of aniline was used. This PANi/BC nanocomposite can be useful in applications requiring biocompatibility and electrical conductivity such as biological and chemical sensors.     

Mesogenic and optical properties of α,α′‐bis(4‐alkoxyphenylethynyl)oligothiophenes

Liquid crystalline α,α′‐bis(4‐alkoxyphenylethynyl)oligothiophenes (bi‐ and ter‐thiophene) have been synthesized and their mesogenic behaviour and optical properties investigated. They all exhibited a nematic mesophase, and compounds with long alkoxy chains also showed lamellar phases. Increasing the number of thiophene units increased both the transition temperatures and the mesophase ranges. As for their optical properties, incorporating more thiophene units results in red‐shifted absorption and emission spectra, slightly enhanced quantum efficiency, and a larger Stoke's shift. Most importantly, in terms of the absorption and emission maxima, the incorporation of one 4‐alkoxyphenylethynyl moiety was found to be equivalent to adding one thiophene ring.