Contralaterally transplanted human embryonic stem cell-derived neural precursor cells (ENStem-A) migrate and improve brain functions in stroke-damaged rats

The transplantation of neural precursor cells (NPCs) is known to be a promising approach to ameliorating behavioral deficits after stroke in a rodent model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). Previous studies have shown that transplanted NPCs migrate toward the infarct region, survive and differentiate into mature neurons to some extent. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of NPC migration following transplantation into stroke animals have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the fates of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived NPCs (ENStem-A) for 8 weeks following transplantation into the side contralateral to the infarct region using 7.0T animal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). T2- and T2*-weighted MRI analyses indicated that the migrating cells were clearly detectable at the infarct boundary zone by 1 week, and the intensity of the MRI signals robustly increased within 4 weeks after transplantation. Afterwards, the signals were slightly increased or unchanged. At 8 weeks, we performed Prussian blue staining and immunohistochemical staining using human-specific markers, and found that high percentages of transplanted cells migrated to the infarct boundary. Most of these cells were CXCR4-positive. We also observed that the migrating cells expressed markers for various stages of neural differentiation, including Nestin, Tuj1, NeuN, TH, DARPP-32 and SV38, indicating that the transplanted cells may partially contribute to the reconstruction of the damaged neural tissues after stroke. Interestingly, we found that the extent of gliosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells) and apoptosis (TUNEL-positive cells) were significantly decreased in the cell-transplanted group, suggesting that hESC-NPCs have a positive role in reducing glia scar formation and cell death after stroke. No tumors formed in our study. We also performed various behavioral tests, including rotarod, stepping and modified neurological severity score tests, and found that the transplanted animals exhibited significant improvements in sensorimotor functions during the 8 weeks after transplantation. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that hESC-NPCs have the capacity to migrate to the infarct region, form neural tissues efficiently and contribute to behavioral recovery in a rodent model of ischemic stroke.     

Negative-pressure wound therapy induces endothelial progenitor cell mobilization in diabetic patients with foot infection or skin defects

Non healing chronic wounds are difficult to treat in patients with diabetes and can result in severe medical problems for these patients and for society. Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been adopted to treat intractable chronic wounds and has been reported to be effective. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of this treatment have not been elucidated. To assess the vasculogenic effect of NPWT, we evaluated the systemic mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) during NPWT. Twenty-two of 29 consecutive patients who presented at the clinic of Seoul National Universty Hospital between December 2009 and November 2010 who underwent NPWT for diabetic foot infections or skin ulcers were included in this study. Peripheral blood samples were taken before NPWT (pre-NPWT) and 7–14 days after the initiation of NPWT (during-NPWT). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis showed that the number of cells in EPC-enriched fractions increased after NPWT, and the numbers of EPC colony forming units (CFUs) significantly increased during NPWT. We believe that NPWT is useful for treating patients with diabetic foot infections and skin ulcers, especially when these conditions are accompanied by peripheral arterial insufficiency. The systemic mobilization of EPCs during NPWT may be a mechanism for healing intractable wounds in diabetic patients with foot infections or skin defects via the formation of increased granulation tissue with numerous small blood vessels.     

Biochemical and Structural Studies of Conserved Maf Proteins Revealed Nucleotide Pyrophosphatases with a Preference for Modified Nucleotides

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Catalytic effect analysis of metallic additives on light crude oil by TG and DSC tests

This research aimed at the investigation of the effect of different metallic additive on the combustion and kinetic behavior of crude oil. For this purpose, the thermal behavior of the oil-only and oil–metallic salts mixtures were studies by the thermogravimetry (TG)/derivative thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) on heating rate at 10 °C min^?1. The result shows that Dagang crude oil exhibited apparent low temperature oxidation (LTO), fuel deposition, and high temperature oxidation processes. With the addition of metallic salts, the LTO process has been shortened and samples added CuSO₄, CrCl₃·6H₂O, and AlCl₃·6H₂O achieved a much lower peak temperature than that of oil. Based on the Arrhenius model, metallic additives were proven to have obvious influence on the combustion activation energy. And, by comprehensive analysis of TG/DSC profile and activation energy, ZnSO₄ exhibited a positive influence on light crude oil combustion during the high pressure air injection process.     

Thermogravimetry study of the pyrolytic characteristics and kinetics of macro-algae Macrocystis pyrifera residue

Macrocystis pyrifera is one important marine macro-algae, while its residues produced by industrial alginate extraction is a hot potato. To figure out whether its residue is suitable for pyrolysis for biofuel, the pyrolytic characteristics and kinetics of macro-algae M. pyrifera residue was investigated using thermogravimetric method from 50 to 800 °C in an inert argon atmosphere at different heating rates of 5, 10, 20, and 30 °C min^?1. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor was calculated by Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, and Popescu methods, and the kinetic mechanism was deduced by Popescu method. The results showed that the primary devolatilization stage of M. pyrifera residue can be described by Jander function $ \left(\left[ {1 - \left( {1 - \alpha } \right)^{1/3} } \right]^{2}\right) $ . The average activation energy of M. pyrifera residue was 222.4 kJ mol^?1. The results suggested that the experimental results and kinetic parameters provided useful information for the design of pyrolytic processing system using M. pyrifera residue as feedstock.     

高分子模板调控不同形貌氧化亚铜的仿生合成

采用聚丙烯酰胺(PAM)为软模板,在CuSO4、Na2SO3体系中调控合成了片状、海胆状、一维线、针状聚集体氧化亚铜晶体。研究了不同浓度Cu2+、不同PAM含量及不同温度对晶体生长的影响。结果表明,PAM促使氧化亚铜异相成核,氧化亚铜形貌随PAM质量分数的变化而变化:当c(Cu2+)=0.5mol.L-1时,PAM质量分数为3.0%(常温引入体系),产物主要为片状晶体;PAM质量分数为1.0%、3.0%时(高温引入体系),分别获得一维线状、海胆状晶体;当Cu2+浓度为0.1 mol.L-1时,体系中高温引入质量分数3.0%的PAM,得到片层状晶体;当Cu2+浓度为0.3、0.4 mol.L-1时,得到针状聚集体氧化亚铜晶体。分别用X射线粉末衍射、冷场发射扫描电子显微镜和激光粒度仪对所制备的产品进行了表征。     

炔桥联不对称苯基取代双二茂铁衍生物的设计合成和电化学性质

以四苯基环戊二烯酮为起始原料,经过八步连续反应,成功地合成了3个炔桥联不对称五苯基取代双二茂铁衍生物Fc''-C≡C-Fc（1）、Fc''-C≡C-C≡C-Fc（2）和Fc''-C≡C-C≡C-Fc''（3）（Fc''=五苯基二茂铁基,Fc=二茂铁基）。在设计合成双二茂铁衍生物的过程中,首先经过4步反应,制备出已知化合物Fc''-H（4）,再连续进行3步反应,分别得到3个中间化合物Fc''-COCH₃（5）,Fc''-CCl=CHCHO（6）和Fc''-C≡CH（7）,最后利用偶联反应,得到目标化合物1~3。利用X射线单晶衍射和循环伏安法,测定了化合物1、2和5、7的晶体结构,研究了化合物1~7的电化学性质。研究结果表明,分子的C-H…π键相互作用和空间位阻是导致化合物1和2分子中Fc''和Fc基空间排布取向不同的主要原因。当二茂铁的一个环戊二烯环上引入5个苯取代基时,铁中心的氧化还原电位将升高（E_p^a（Fc''-H）=0.658 V,E_p^a（Fc-H）=0.511 V）。与已知化合物Fc-C≡C-Fc（ΔE=0.215 V）和Fc-C≡C-C≡C-Fc（ΔE=0.134 V）相比,化合物1~3的氧化电位差值（ΔE）均有不同程度地提高（ΔE₁=0.236 V;ΔE₂=0.170 V;ΔE₃=0.146 V）。将1与Fc-C≡C-Fc,2与Fc-C≡C-C≡C-Fc和3进行比较发现,当炔桥两端连接不同的基团Fc''和Fc时,其氧化电位差值（ΔE）将明显提高。