Vasculogenic and osteogenesis-enhancing potential of human umbilical cord blood endothelial colony-forming cells

Umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial colony-forming cells (UCB-ECFC) show utility in neovascularization, but their contribution to osteogenesis has not been defined. Cocultures of UCB-ECFC with human fetal-mesenchymal stem cells (hfMSC) resulted in earlier induction of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (Day 7 vs. 10) and increased mineralization (1.9×; p <.001) compared to hfMSC monocultures. This effect was mediated through soluble factors in ECFC-conditioned media, leading to 1.8-2.2× higher ALP levels and a 1.4-1.5× increase in calcium deposition (p <.01) in a dose-dependent manner. Transcriptomic and protein array studies demonstrated high basal levels of osteogenic (BMPs and TGF-ßs) and angiogenic (VEGF and angiopoietins) regulators. Comparison of defined UCB and adult peripheral blood ECFC showed higher osteogenic and angiogenic gene expression in UCB-ECFC. Subcutaneous implantation of UCB-ECFC with hfMSC in immunodeficient mice resulted in the formation of chimeric human vessels, with a 2.2-fold increase in host neovascularization compared to hfMSC-only implants (p = .001). We conclude that this study shows that UCB-ECFC have potential in therapeutic angiogenesis and osteogenic applications in conjunction with MSC. We speculate that UCB-ECFC play an important role in skeletal and vascular development during perinatal development but less so in later life when expression of key osteogenesis and angiogenesis genes in ECFC is lower.

Fetal Umbilical Artery Doppler Pulsatility Index as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children - A Long-Term Follow Up Study

Abstract Objective To determine if high umbilical artery Doppler (UAD) pulsatility index (PI) is associated with cardio-vascular (CV) risk-factors in children at age 12 years. Methods We studied 195 children at age 12 years who had had in-utero UAD studies performed at 28 weeks gestation. The children were grouped according to whether their umbilical Doppler PI was high (indicating poor feto-placental circulation) or normal. At age 12 years we assessed CV risk factors, including anthropometric measures, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity (a measure of arterial compliance), cardio-respiratory fitness and homocysteine and cholesterol serum levels. Results Compared with children with a normal UAD PI (N=88), the children (N=107) with high UAD PI had higher resting pulse rate (p=0.04), higher pulse wave velocity (p=0.046), higher serum homocysteine levels (p=0.032) and reduced arterial compliance (7.58 v 8.50 m/sec, p=0.029) using univariate analysis. These differences were not present when adjusting for cofounders was modelled. Conclusion High PI on UAD testing in-utero may be associated with increased likelihood of some cardio-vascular risk factors at age 12-years but confounding variables may be as important. Our study raises possible long-term benefits of in-utero UAD measurements.

Fetal umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index and childhood neurocognitive outcome at 12 years

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an elevated fetal umbilical artery Doppler (UAD) pulsatility index (PI) at 28 weeks' gestation, in the absence of fetal growth restriction (FGR) and prematurity, is associated with adverse neurocognitive outcome in children aged 12 years.

METHODS: Prospective cohort study, comparing children with a normal fetal UAD PI (<90th centile) (n=110) and those with an elevated PI (≥90th centile) (n=40). UAD was performed at 28, 32 and 34 weeks gestation. At 12 years of age, all children were assessed under standardised conditions at Queen's University, Belfast, UK to determine cognitive and behavioural outcomes using the British Ability Score-II and Achenbach Child Behavioural Checklist Parent Rated Version under standardised conditions. Regression analysis was performed, controlling for confounders such as gender, socioeconomic status and age at assessment.

RESULTS: The mean age of follow-up was 12.4 years (±0.5 SD) with 44% of children male (n=63). When UAD was assessed at 28 weeks, the elevated fetal UAD group had lower scores in cognitive assessments of information processing and memory. Parameters included (1) recall of objects immediate verbal (p=0.002), (2) delayed verbal (p=0.008) and (3) recall of objects immediate spatial (p=0.0016). There were no significant differences between the Doppler groups at 32 or 34 weeks' gestation.

CONCLUSIONS: An elevated UAD PI at 28 weeks' gestation in the absence of FGR or prematurity is associated with lower scores of declarative memory in children aged 12 years. A potential explanation for this is an element of placental insufficiency in the presence of the appropriately grown fetus, which affects the development of the fetal hippocampus and information processing and memory long-term. These findings, however, had no impact on overall academic ability, mental processing and reasoning or overall behavioural function.

Eye Spy Private High: Re-conceptualizing High Policing Theory

This paper contests traditional analyses of high policing, suggesting that it needs to be decoupled (in theoretical terms) from its umbilical linkage to public actors and the preservation and augmentation of state authority. Arguing that conventional conceptualizations of high policing fail to acknowledge the role of private actors, we adopt the term `private high policing' to more accurately reflect the complexity of this paradigm. In particular, we note a long legacy of protecting dominant interests within corporate power structures, as well as increased involvement in outsourced security services for Western states. This has reached its zenith in the recent conflict/reconstruction efforts in Iraq. Eschewing conventional notions of the `proxy' debate, we propose a more complex relationship of obfuscation whereby both public and private high policing actors cross-permeate and coalesce in the pursuit of symbiotic state and corporate objectives.

Monocyte-derived dendritic cells: a potential target for therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS)

Monocytes can differentiate into dendritic cells (DC), cells with a pivotal role in both protective immunity and tolerance. Defects in the maturation or function of DC may be important in the development of autoimmune disease. We sought to establish if there were differences in the cytokine (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and IL-4)-driven maturation of monocytes to DC in patients with MS and whether drugs used to treat MS affected this process in vitro. We have demonstrated that there is no defect in the ability of magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS)-purified monocytes from patients with MS to differentiate to DC, but equally they show no tendency to acquire a DC phenotype without exogenous cytokines. Interferon-beta1a prevents the acquisition of a full DC phenotype as determined by light and electron microscopy and by flow cytometry. Methylprednisolone not only prevents the development of monocyte-derived DC but totally redirects monocyte differentiation towards a macrophage phenotype. Evidence is evolving for a role for DC in central nervous system immunity, either within the brain or in cervical lymph nodes. The demonstrated effect of both drugs on monocyte differentiation may represent an important site for immune therapy in MS.

Quantum-information processing for a coherent superposition state via a mixed entangled coherent channel

An entangled two-mode coherent state is studied within the framework of 2 x 2-dimensional Hilbert space. An entanglement concentration scheme based on joint Bell-state measurements is worked out. When the entangled coherent state is embedded in vacuum environment, its entanglement is degraded but not totally lost. It is found that the larger the initial coherent amplitude, the faster entanglement decreases. We investigate a scheme to teleport a coherent superposition state while considering a mixed quantum channel. We find that the decohered entangled coherent state may be useless for quantum teleportation as it gives the optimal fidelity of teleportation less than the classical limit 2/3.

Bounded Rationality and Repeated Network Formation

We define a finite-horizon repeated network formation game with consent and study the differences induced by two levels of individual rationality. Perfectly rational players will remain unconnected at the equilibrium, while nonempty equilibrium networks may form when players are assumed to behave as finite automata of limited complexity. We provide structural properties of the sequences of networks which are likely to form in Nash and subgame perfect Nash equilibria of the repeated game. For instance, players can form totally different connected networks at each period or the sequence of networks can exhibit a total order relationship.

Neutral gas depletion mechanisms in dense low-temperature argon plasmas

Neutral gas depletion mechanisms are investigated in a dense low-temperature argon plasma-an inductively coupled magnetic neutral loop (NL) discharge. Gas temperatures are deduced from the Doppler profile of the 772.38 nm line absorbed by argon metastable atoms. Electron density and temperature measurements reveal that at pressures below 0.1 Pa, relatively high degrees of ionization (exceeding 1%) result in electron pressures, p(e) = kT(e)n(e), exceeding the neutral gas pressure. In this regime, neutral dynamics has to be taken into account and depletion through comparatively high ionization rates becomes important. This additional depletion mechanism can be spatially separated due to non-uniform electron temperature and density profiles (non-uniform ionization rate), while the gas temperature is rather uniform within the discharge region. Spatial profiles of the depletion of metastable argon atoms in the NL region are observed by laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy. In this region, the depletion of ground state argon atoms is expected to be even more pronounced since in the investigated high electron density regime the ratio of metastable and ground state argon atom densities is governed by the electron temperature, which peaks in the NL region. This neutral gas depletion is attributed to a high ionization rate in the NL zone and fast ion loss through ambipolar diffusion along the magnetic field lines. This is totally different from what is observed at pressures above 10 Pa where the degree of ionization is relatively low (

Solvation of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate in aqueous ethanol - a green solution for dissolving 'hydrophobic' ionic liquids

The relatively hydrophobic ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate has been found to be totally miscible with aqueous ethanol between 0.5 and 0.9 mol fraction ethanol, whereas the ionic liquid is only partially miscible with either pure water or absolute ethanol; the ability to dissolve 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate in a 'green' aqueous solvent system has important implications for cleaning, purification, and separations using ionic liquids.

On the solubilization of water with ethanol in hydrophobic hexafluorophosphate ionic liquids

The solubility of water in the hydrophobic 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (alkyl = butyl, hexyl, and octyl) ionic liquids, can be significantly increased in the presence of ethanol as a co-solute. 1-Hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate are completely miscible with ethanol, and immiscible with water, whereas 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate is totally miscible with aqueous ethanol only between 0.5-0.9 mole fraction ethanol at 25degreesC. At higher and lower mole fraction of ethanol, the aqueous and IL components are only partially miscible and a biphasic system is obtained upon mixing equal volumes of the IL and aqueous ethanol. The observation of a large range of total miscibility between water and the IL in the three-component system has important implications for purifications and separations from IL.