Processing methods for human amniotic membrane as scaffold for tissue engineering with mesenchymal stromal human cells.

Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering and life sciences toward the development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or improve tissue function. The aims of this work were to compare chemically and physically processed human Amniotic Membranes (hAM) and analyze the cytocompatibility and proliferation rate (PR) of two primary human mesenchymal stromal cell lines, from different sources and donor conditions seeded over these scaffolds. The evaluated hAM processes were: cold shock to obtain a frozen amniotic membrane (FEAM) with remaining dead epithelial cells, denudation of hAM with trypsin for 20/10 min (DEAM20/10) or treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate to decellularized hAM (DAM). All samples were sterilized with gamma radiation. The selection of the treated hAM to then generate composites was performed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and characterization by X-ray diffraction, selecting DEAM10 and FEAM as scaffolds for cell seeding. Two sources of primary human stromal cells were used, both developed by our researchers, human Dental Pulp Stem Cells (hDPSC) from living donors and human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (hMSC) from bone marrow isolated from brain dead donors. This last line of cells conveys a novel source of human cells that, to our knowledge, have not been tested as part of this type of construct. We developed four in vitro constructs without cytotoxicity signs and with different PR depending on the scaffolds and cells. hDPSC and hMSC grew over both FEAM and DEAM10, but DEAM10 allowed higher PR.

Text mining and word embedding for classification of decision making variables in breast cancer surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Decision making in surgical oncology of the breast has increased its complexity over the last twenty years. This Delphi survey investigates the opinion of an expert panel about the decision making process in surgical procedures on the breast for oncological purposes. METHODS: Twenty-seven experts were invited to partake into a Delphi Survey. At the first round they have been asked to provide a list of features involved in the decision making process (patient's characteristics; disease characteristics; surgical techniques, outcomes) and comment on it. Using text-mining techniques we extracted a list of mono-bi-trigrams potentially representative of decision drivers. A technique of "natural language processing" called Word2vec was used to validate changes to texts using synonyms and plesionyms. Word2Vec was also used to test the semantic relevance of n-grams within a corpus of knowledge made up of books edited by panel members. The final list of variables extracted was submitted to the judgement of the panel for final validation at the second round of the Delphi using closed ended questions. RESULTS: 52 features out of 59 have been approved by the panel. The overall consensus was 87.1% CONCLUSIONS: Text mining and natural language processing allowed the extraction of a number of decision drivers and outcomes as part of the decision making process in surgical oncology on the breast. This result was obtained transforming narrative texts into structured data. The high level of consensus among experts provided validation to this process.

Skeletal morphology and development of the olfactory region of Spea (Anura: Scaphiopodidae).

The nasal capsules of anurans are formed by an intricate set of sac-like cavities that house the olfactory organ and constitute the beginning of the respiratory system. In tadpoles, nasal capsules do not have a respiratory function, but each is composed of a single soft tissue cavity lined with olfactory epithelium. Our study has revealed that in Spea the nasal cartilages and septomaxillae are de novo adult structures that form dorsal to the larval skeleton of the ethmoid region. The only element of the adult nasal capsule that is partially derived from the larval skeleton is the solum nasi. Development of the nasal skeleton begins at about Gosner Stage 31, with chondrification of the septum nasi and lamina orbitonasalis. The alary cartilage and superior prenasal cartilage are the first of the anterior nasal cartilages to chondrify at Gosner Stage 37. By Gosner Stages 40/41, the ethmoid region is composed of the larval structures ventrally and the adult structures dorsally. By Stage 44, the larval structures have eroded. The adult nasal capsule is characterized by: (1) a septum nasi that projects ventrally beyond the plane of the nasal floor; (2) a paranasal commissure that forms the ventral margin of the fenestra nasolateralis; and (3) a large skeletal support for the eminentia olfactoria formed by the nasal floor and vomer. The timing of chondrification of the anterior nasal cartilages and the development of the postnasal wall, inferior prenasal cartilage, fenestra nasolateralis, and paranasal commissure are discussed and compared with those of other anuran species. This study also includes a discussion of the morphology of the skeletal support for the eminentia olfactoria, a structure best developed in distinctly ground-dwelling frogs such as spadefoot toads. Finally, we propose a more precise restriction of the terminology that is used to designate the posterior structures of the olfactory region of anurans.

Ontogeny of the bizarre: an osteological description of Pipa pipa (Anura: pipidae), with an account of skeletal development in the species.

The adult osteology of the direct-developing pipid frog, Pipa pipa, is described based on cleared-and-stained and dry skeletal specimens. Observations on skeletal development are based on cleared-and-stained embryos and young removed from the backs of preserved females. Osteologically, P.pipa is distinguished from its congeners and other pipid anurans by its large size and peculiar skull, which is extremely depressed and hyperossified. Skulls of the smallest individuals are not significantly different from those of other basal anurans at a similar stage of development; comparisons are made with Bombina orientalis, Discoglossus sardus, Spea bombifrons, Rhinophrynus dorsalis, and Xenopus laevis. The general sequence of chondrification and ossification resembles that of X.laevis; however, there is evidence that the mandible forms earlier in Pipa than in Xenopus. The major allometric transformations that result in the morphologically bizarre skull of adult P.pipa commence after the embryo has resorbed its tail, an event interpreted as marking the end of metamorphic climax in this taxon. In addition, ontogenetic comparisons reveal that the sacrum forms differently in Discoglossus sardus,Silurana tropicalis, and P.pipa. The development of the sphenethmoid region of the skull is the same in P.pipa and X.laevis, and distinctly different from the development of this region of the skull in other non-pipid basal anurans and neobatrachians for which ontogenetic descriptions exist.

Osteology and skeletal development of Discoglossus sardus (Anura:Discoglossidae).

Although frogs in the archaeobatrachian family Discoglossidae are reasonably well known, descriptions of their larval skeletons and osteogenesis are almost nonexistent. Skeletogenesis, chondrocranial development, and the adult skeleton of Discoglossus sardus are described on the basis of cleared and stained, dry, and radiographed specimens. In D. sardus, the first elements to ossify are the parasphenoid, frontoparietals, exoccipitals, neural arches, ischium, long bones, and dermal elements of the pectoral girdle (Gosner Stage 36). Major reconstruction of the chondrocranium begins at the onset of metamorphosis (Stage 41), contemporaneous with the ossification of the premaxillae, maxillae, vomers, and septomaxillae. Several cranial (e.g, pterygoid, mentomeckelian, sphenethmoid) and postcranial (e.g., carpals, hyoid) elements do not commence ossification until metamorphosis (Stage 46). Discoglossids are characterized by the presence of a facial foramen in the lateral wall of the chondrocranium, a rod-like epipubis developing from two primordia, and the lack of a neopalatine bone. Adult male Discoglossus possess an enlarged, crested metacarpal II and a broad prepollical element. This detailed description serves as a model to compare the development of other discoglossid frogs and provides detailed descriptions of several enigmatic structures.

[Changes in insulin (IRI) and NEFA levels in diabetic subjects after acute intravenous glipizide and tolbutamide administration]. / Modificazioni dei tassi insulinico (IRI) e dei NEFA in soggetti diabetici dopo carico acuto endovenoso di glipizide e di tolbutamide

Glypizide and i.v. tolbutamide were administered to a series of diabetics. On different days, 10 subjects (controls for themselves) received 1 mg glypizide anal 100 mg tolbutamide; a further 10 received 2 mg glypizide and 200 mg tolbutamide. Blood sugar and insulin and NEFA values were determined every 10' for one hour after the injection. It was found that the hypoglycaemising activity of glypizide was about 140 times that of tolbutamide. It also caused a greater incretion of insuline and a more marked reduction of NEFA.