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Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) stimulate angiogenesis within a wound environment and this effect is mediated through paracrine interactions with the endothelial cells present. Here we report that human MSC-conditioned medium (n=3 donors) significantly increased EaHy-926 endothelial cell adhesion and cell migration, but that this stimulatory effect was markedly donor-dependent. MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry demonstrated that whilst collagen type I and fibronectin were secreted by all of the MSC cultures, the small leucine rich proteoglycan, decorin was secreted only by the MSC culture that was least effective upon EaHy-926 cells. These individual extracellular matrix components were then tested as culture substrata. EaHy-926 cell adherence was greatest on fibronectin-coated surfaces with least adherence on decorin-coated surfaces. Scratch wound assays were used to examine cell migration. EaHy-926 cell scratch wound closure was quickest on substrates of fibronectin and slowest on decorin. However, EaHy-926 cell migration was stimulated by the addition of MSC-conditioned medium irrespective of the types of culture substrates. These data suggest that whilst the MSC secretome may generally be considered angiogenic, the composition of the secretome is variable and this variation probably contributes to donor-donor differences in activity. Hence, screening and optimizing MSC secretomes will improve the clinical effectiveness of pro-angiogenic MSC-based therapies.

Transient absorption measurements were performed on single CdTe nanowires. The traces show fast decays that were assigned to charge carrier trapping at surface states. The observed power dependence suggests the existence of a trap-filling mechanism. Acoustic phonon modes were also observed, which were assigned to breathing modes of the nanowires. Both the fundamental breathing mode and the first overtone were observed, and the dephasing times provide information about how the nanowires interact with their environment.

The assessment of gas behavior in chemical engineering systems necessitates a profound understanding of thermodynamic principles that govern the interactions among the components within a given system. To this end, the deviation from ideality in a single gas or gas mixture is associated with the disparity between the actual behavior of the gas or gas mixture and the behavior anticipated by the ideal gas model. This study is aimed at scrutinizing the deviation from ideal behavior in a gas mixture composed of CH4 and CO2. The analysis employs the cubic equations of state: Van Der Waals, Soave-Redlich-Kwong, and generalized Virial equations, truncated to the third term. These equations are widely recognized for their utility in characterizing substance behavior under specific thermodynamic conditions. The investigation involves an evaluation of the mixture's behavior by assessing variations in the compressibility factor concerning pressure, volume, and pressure, using a thermodynamic calculator at 296.15 K and 15 bar. The findings of this study reveal the prevalence of attractive intermolecular forces at higher pressures and repulsive interactions at lower pressures. An analogous examination of the effect of altering the composition of CH4 was undertaken using the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation, which incorporates parameters allowing for an evaluation of the impact of molecule size and intermolecular interactions within the mixture. Furthermore, experimental data were employed to validate the results obtained in this study. Consequently, it can be inferred that these equations provide insight into the influence of pressure on molecular interaction forces, encompassing repulsive and attractive forces, which in turn can define the new volume of a real system. Thus, based on the corroboration established herein, these equations demonstrate a high degree of consistency and applicability, thereby expanding the realm of thermodynamic inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pulmonary infections are the most common infectious cause of disability and mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) stage V patients on haemodialysis after cardiovascular disease. The incidence of pathogenic invasion of the lungs causing pneumonia is markedly higher in CKD stage V patients undergoing haemodialysis as compared to the general population. The risk is due to various factors including immune dysfunction, prolonged hospital stays leading to contact exposure, and hospital-acquired infections. The other important factors are anaemia, uremic toxins promoting pulmonary oedema, age, and vascular access through the arteriovenous fistula and internal jugular vein leading to catheter-induced respiratory infections. Aim: To study the common pathogens involved in causing lung infection in CKD stage V patients on maintenance haemodialysis. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Medicine/Nephrology at Andhra Medical College and King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The duration of the study was two months, from June 2019 to July 2019. A total of 50 patients were included in the study with CKD stage V on haemodialysis. The samples were between ages 18 to 75 years with respiratory symptoms and signs including fever, productive cough, and shortness of breath being the major complaints. These patients were subjected to certain investigations to isolate the organism. The parameters assessed were blood culture and sputum culture, haemoglobin, and chest X-ray. Sputum examination for Acid-fast Bacilli (AFB) was done to rule out tuberculosis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 was used for statistical analysis and measurement, data were expressed as the Mean±Standard Deviation (SD). Results: The majority of the subjects were in the mean age group of 49 years and males were predominantly affected. The commonly isolated organism was Gram-negative bacilli-Pseudomonas, with access common through arteriovenous fistula as compared to Escherichia coli (E.coli), which was common in patients with access through Internal Jugular Vein (IJV). Conclusion: The respiratory infection, that posed the burden in the present study was pneumonia. The common organism isolated was gram-negative bacteria being pseudomonas. The respiratory infections identified, were more through Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF) access and common in patients with moderate to severe anaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than any other of its aspects, assessment plays a central role in determining the quality of education. Quality of primary/basic education (QoE) can be viewed as the extent to which the process of education at the primary education level maximizes desirable outcomes in terms of cognitive, affective and psychomotor behaviour of the learners. Given human resources demand for development in the society some cognitive skills are more desirable than others. Hence education, to meet the skill demand of the society must ensure the development of such desirable skills among learners. Since teachers are the key executors in the processes of ensuring the development of these skills, their perception as to the level to which each of such skills differ in enhancing quality of primary/basic education, and the level to which current assessment practices ensure the development of each of these skills are important in any attempt to contribute solution to the problem of quality in basic education in Africa. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which primary school teachers in Botswana and Nigeria perceive the six levels of Bloom's cognitive behaviour as being different in the extent to which they enhance quality in basic education and the level to which their current classroom assessment practices involve items that measure each of these levels of cognitive behaviour. Survey data from 191 primary school teachers from Gaborone district in Botswana, and 300 similar teachers from Delta State in Nigeria were analysed using repeated measure ANOVA to test related hypotheses. The main finding was that there is a significant discrepancy between the level to which, in the perception of the teachers, each of Bloom's level of cognitive behaviour enhances quality of education and the level to which their classroom assessment practices are able to provide for the development of such behaviour among learners. The results were discussed and recommendations made on how to enhance quality in primary/basic education through classroom assessment practices. (Contains 10 tables.)

The aim of the study was to dosimetrically compare interstitial high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BT) and modern external beam radiotherapy modalities, as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and stereotactic radiotherapy with Cyberknife (CK) of tumours of the tongue and floor of the mouth in terms of dose to the critical organs.