Journals
2018 EN
Samy Zeinab Adel · AlAbdullah Lulwa · Turcani Marian
+2 more
The precise mechanisms of the inflammatory responses after cerebral ischemia in vivo are difficult to elucidate because of the complex nature of multiple series of interactions between cells and molecules. This study explored temporal patterns of secretion of 30 cytokines and chemokines from Sprague Dawley rat astrocytes in primary culture in order to elucidate signaling pathways that are triggered by astrocytes during anoxia. Methods Primary cultures of rat brain astrocytes were incubated for periods of 2–24 hr in the absence of oxygen (anoxia) or under normal partial pressure of oxygen (controls). Simultaneous detection of 29 cytokines and chemokines in the samples was performed using a rat cytokine array panel, while the temporal pattern of angiopoietin‐1 (Ang‐1) secretion was determined separately using ELISA . Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test was used to compare normoxic and anoxic samples and the Hodge–Lehman estimator with exact 95% confidence intervals was computed to assess the size of differences in cytokine secretion. The obtained data were imported into the Core Analysis tool of Ingenuity Pathways Analysis software in order to relate changes in secretion of cytokines and chemokines from astrocytes during anoxia to potential molecular signal networks. Results With the exception of Ang‐1, concentrations of all cytokines/chemokines in samples collected after anoxia exposure were either the same, or higher, than in control groups. No clear pattern of changes could be established for groups of cytokines with similar effects (i.e., pro‐ or anti‐inflammatory cytokines). The pattern of changes in cytokine secretion during anoxia was associated with the HIF ‐1α‐mediated response, as well as cytokines IL ‐1β and cathepsin S pathways, which are related to initiation of inflammation and antigen presentation, respectively, and to ciliary neurotrophic factor. Conclusions These in vitro findings suggest that astrocytes may play a role in triggering inflammation during anoxia/ischemia of the brain.
Journals
2018 EN
Rezvani Zeinab · Jansson Johan · Bengtsson Maria
Recent conceptual studies identify gain, normative and hedonic factors as three categories of motivations of consumer proenvironmental behavior. However, empirical understanding of how these motivations interact and affect proenvironmental behavior is limited. This study is based on a survey of car owners in Sweden ( N = 573) and uses structural equation modeling to analyze the data. The empirical findings point to the importance of all three motivations (gain, normative and hedonic) in consumer electric vehicle adoption intentions. Furthermore, for consumers who perceive high social norms regarding sustainable consumption, the direct effect of hedonic motivations on behavioral intention is stronger, and the direct effect of gain motivations is insignificant. The business strategy implications indicate that targeting consumers who perceive high social norms in relation to proenvironmental behavior and communicating the hedonic and normative aspects of proenvironmental behaviors to this group might be more effective than general mass communication.
Journals
2018 EN
Schwab Miriam Mareen · Himmel Daniel · Kacprzak Sylwia
+14 more
The recently published purely metallo‐organic Ni I salt [Ni(cod) 2 ][Al(OR F ) 4 ] ( 1 , cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene, R F =C(CF 3 ) 3 ) provides a starting point for a new synthesis strategy leading to Ni I phosphine complexes, replacing cod ligands by phosphines. Clearly visible colour changes indicate reactions within minutes, while quantum chemical calculations (PBE0‐D3(BJ)/def2‐TZVPP) approve exergonic reaction enthalpies in all performed ligand exchange reactions. Hence, [Ni(dppp) 2 ][Al(OR F ) 4 ] ( 2 , dppp=1,3‐bis(diphenylphosphino)propane), [Ni(dppe) 2 ][Al(OR F ) 4 ] ( 3 , dppe=1,3‐bis(diphenyl‐phosphino)ethane), three‐coordinate [Ni(PPh 3 ) 3 ][Al(OR F ) 4 ] ( 4 ) and a remarkable two‐coordinate Ni I phosphine complex [Ni(P t Bu 3 ) 2 ][Al(OR F ) 4 ] ( 5 ) were characterised by single crystal X‐ray structure analysis. EPR studies were performed, confirming a nickel d 9 ‐configuration in complexes 2 , 4 and 5 . This result is supported by additional magnetization measurements of 4 and 5 . Further investigations by cyclic voltammetry indicate relatively high oxidation potentials for these Ni I compounds between 0.7 and 1.7 V versus Fc/Fc + . Screening reactions with O 2 and CO gave first insights on the reaction behaviour of the Ni I phosphine complexes towards small molecules with formation of mixed phosphine‐CO‐Ni I complexes and oxidation processes yielding new Ni I and/or Ni II derivatives. Moreover, 4 reacted with CH 2 Cl 2 at RT to give a dimeric Ni II ylide complex ( 4 c ). As CH 2 Cl 2 is a rather stable alkyl halide with relatively high C−Cl bond energies, 4 appears to be a suitable reagent for more general C−Cl bond activation reactions.
Journals
2018 EN
Shadmani Saeid · Salehi Zeinab · Doosthosseini Hamid
+2 more
In this study, we implemented a functionalization process on the surface of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) which were fabricated by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method in a low‐pressure CVD (LPCVD) chamber. Surface functionalization was carried out in three stages: hydroxylation of the surface with piranha solution, silanization with a solution of 3‐Aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) in n ‐hexane, and finally functionalization with folic acid as a detection agent. Optical spectroscopy and electron microscopy techniques were used to experimentally characterize materials. Surface functionalization was evaluated using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier‐Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR‐ATR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Miscoscopy (FESEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Cell adhesion to functionalized and non‐functionalized silicon nanowires was compared; a cell assay analysis on lung metastatic cells was conducted. Lung cancer metastatic QUDB cells were seeded on a SiNWs surface in RPMI1640 complete medium. To evaluate the adhesion of cancer cells to these surfaces FESEM imaging was used. The number of cancer cells trapped on the folic acid functionalized SiNWs was found to be approximately 3 times higher than that of the non‐functionalized ones.
Journals
2018 EN
Ghelich Pejman · Salehi Zeinab · Mohajerzedeh Shams
+1 more
In this research, we first performed a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study of the effects of the inlet solution's concentration and channel height to produce microfibres in a microfluidic system by COMSOL 5.3 to find the optimum ratio of sheath to core flow rate. It proved that the ratio of sheath to core flow rate should considered more than 1 to have jet regime in the microchannel. The results show that the level of Ca 2+ diffusion in an alginate inlet solution has a direct and reverse correlation with the initial sheath solution's concentration and initial core solution's concentration, respectively. Secondly, the response surface methodology (RSM) in Design Expert 7.0.0, was used to investigate the effects of alginate and calcium chloride flow rates on the average microfibres' diameter. We found that the best value of Ca 2+ concentration in the core flow to produce fine appropriate microfibres is 150 mol/m 3 . Then, we developed a microchip using lithography, in which a silicon wafer was etched vertically instead of using a SU‐8 photo resist on glass, causing a significant improvement in the quality of channels and mould. The SEM images revealed low roughness of fabricated micro‐channels, which was eye‐catching. Eventually, the possibility of using the microfibres as polymeric carriers for hydrophobic drugs was investigated, and then fluorescent microscopic images of the loaded fibres indicated that the drug is well‐loaded onto the fibres: the results are promising.
Journals
2018 EN
ElKhatib Fatima · Cahier Benjamin · LópezJordà Maurici
+6 more
The preparation of a tetranuclear Ni II complex, constructed of two binuclear species each containing a macrocyclic cryptand‐like ligand and bridged by a nitrate anion, is reported. The metal ions within the binuclear species are hexacoordinate with different distorted environments. One nickel site, Ni1, has as a compressed octahedral geometry, whereas the other nickel site, Ni2, has a geometry closer to a square pyramid due to the presence of a long metal–ligand bond length. A study of the magnetic properties showed that the intradimer exchange coupling is larger than the interdimer coupling due to differences in the metal–ligand intra‐ and interdimer bond lengths, as confirmed by broken‐symmetry DFT calculations. Wave‐function‐based calculations allowed analysis of both the nature and the magnitude of the magnetic anisotropy of the two Ni sites. The Ni1 and Ni2 sites have, respectively, easy and hard axes of magnetization that are almost orthogonal. Magnetostructural correlations showed that the hard axis of magnetization of Ni2 is due to its geometry, which is closer to square‐pyramidal despite the hexacoordination. On the other hand, the easy axis of magnetization of the Ni1 site is a result of the compressed octahedral geometry.
Journals
2018 EN
Marczak Steven · Richards Katherine · Ramshani Zeinab
+5 more
Exosomes carry microRNA biomarkers, occur in higher abundance in cancerous patients than in healthy ones, and because they are present in most biofluids, including blood and urine, these can be obtained noninvasively. Standard laboratory techniques to isolate exosomes are expensive, time consuming, provide poor purity, and recover on the order of 25% of the available exosomes. We present a new microfluidic technique to simultaneously isolate exosomes and preconcentrate them by electrophoresis using a high transverse local electric field generated by ion‐depleting ion‐selective membrane. We use pressure‐driven flow to deliver an exosome sample to a microfluidic chip such that the transverse electric field forces them out of the cross flow and into an agarose gel which filters out unwanted cellular debris while the ion‐selective membrane concentrates the exosomes through an enrichment effect. We efficiently isolated exosomes from 1× PBS buffer, cell culture media, and blood serum. Using flow rates from 150 to 200 μL/h and field strengths of 100 V/cm, we consistently captured between 60 and 80% of exosomes from buffer, cell culture media, and blood serum as confirmed by both fluorescence spectroscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Our microfluidic chip maintained this recovery rate for more than 20 min with a concentration factor of 15 for 10 min of isolation.
Journals
2018 EN
Fülle Lorenz · Offermann Nina · Hansen Jan Niklas
+13 more
Chemokines are important signaling molecules in the immune and nervous system. Using a fluorescence reporter mouse model, we demonstrate that the chemokine CCL17, a ligand of the chemokine receptor CCR4, is produced in the murine brain, particularly in a subset of hippocampal CA1 neurons. We found that basal expression of Ccl17 in hippocampal neurons was strongly enhanced by peripheral challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS‐mediated induction of Ccl17 in the hippocampus was dependent on local tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling, whereas upregulation of Ccl22 required granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF). CCL17 deficiency resulted in a diminished microglia density under homeostatic and inflammatory conditions. Further, microglia from naïve Ccl17 ‐deficient mice possessed a reduced cellular volume and a more polarized process tree as assessed by computer‐assisted imaging analysis. Regarding the overall branching, cell surface area, and total tree length, the morphology of microglia from naïve Ccl17 ‐deficient mice resembled that of microglia from wild‐type mice after LPS stimulation. In line, electrophysiological recordings indicated that CCL17 downmodulates basal synaptic transmission at CA3–CA1 Schaffer collaterals in acute slices from naïve but not LPS‐treated animals. Taken together, our data identify CCL17 as a homeostatic and inducible neuromodulatory chemokine affecting the presence and morphology of microglia and synaptic transmission in the hippocampus.
Journals
2018 EN
Pinnix Chelsea C. · Dabaja Bouthaina S. · Milgrom Sarah A.
+18 more
Background. The purpose of this study was to report the response to and toxicity of ultra–low-dose radiotherapy (RT) for B-cell ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL). Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of patients with indolent B-cell and mantle cell OAL treated with 4 Gy to the orbit(s) in two 2-Gy fractions. Disease response was assessed clinically and/or radiographically at 2 to 4-month intervals after RT. Data collected included rates of overall response, complete response (CR), partial response (PR), and treatment-related toxic effects. Results. Twenty-two patients (median age, 65 years) had the following histologic subtypes: mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT; 14 patients; 64%); follicular lymphoma (5 patients; 23%); mantle cell lymphoma (MCL; 2 patients; 9%); and unclassifiable (1 patient, 4%). The overall response rate was 100%; 19 patients (86%) had a CR and 3 patients (14%) had a PR. The only acute toxic effect was grade 1 dry eye syndrome in 1 patient. Conclusion. Ultra–low-dose RT in patients with OAL is associated with high response rates and minimal toxic effects, and is much shorter in duration and cost. VC 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1095– 1100, 2017
Journals
2018 EN
Jansen Christian · Möller Philipp · Meyer Carsten
+13 more
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) efficiently treats complications of portal hypertension. Liver and spleen stiffness might predict clinically significant portal hypertension. This prospective study investigated liver stiffness in patients receiving TIPS regardless of indication. Of 83 included patients, 16 underwent transient elastography immediately before and 30 minutes after TIPS (acute group), while 67 received shear wave elastography of liver and spleen 1 day before and 7 days after TIPS (chronic group) and were followed further. In blood samples obtained before TIPS from cubital, portal, and hepatic veins, levels of several interleukins (IL1b, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL18) and interferon‐gamma were analyzed. In 27 patients (5 acute, 22 chronic), it resulted in an increase in liver stiffness of >10%. In 56 patients, liver stiffness decreased or remained unchanged (10% in liver stiffness after TIPS were the only independent predictors of mortality in these patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the presence of systemic inflammation predisposes patients to develop increased liver stiffness after TIPS, a predictor of organ failure and death. (NCT03072615) (H epatology 2018;67:1472‐1484).
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins