1,720,957 research outputs found
Cardiac development and remodelling in Magic-F1 transgenic mice
Full text linkMAGIC-F1 (Met Activating Genetically Improved Chimeric Factor 1) is a human recombi- nant protein, derived from dimerization of the receptor-binding domain of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Previous experiments demonstrated that skeletal muscle specific expression of Magic-F1 can induce constitutive muscular hypertrophy, improve running performance and accelerate muscle regeneration after injury in hemizigous transgenic mice [1]. Furthermore, the microarray analysis of Magic-F1+/+ satellite cells showed transcriptomic changes in genes involved in the control of muscle growth, development and vascularisation [2].
In this study we demonstrate that Magic-F1 mice show an alteration of the heart morphol- ogy. Morphometric analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction of the hearth revealed that MAGIC-F1 paracrine effect is able to induce a robust remodelling of the left ventricle cham- ber in transgenic mice. Interestingly, we found in Magic-F1 hearts an alteration of Phd2 and HIF1 protein levels. These two oxygen sensors are found dysregulated in cardiac ischaemic conditions, where generalised hypoxia causes functional impairments in cardiomyocytes and structural tissue damage [3-4]. These preliminary results support the involvement of oxygen sensors in Magic-F1-induced cardiac hypertrophy and dilation. In addition, Magic-F1+/+ mice can be used as non-pressure overload model to further investigate the role of oxygen-sensors in ischaemic heart disease. To better understand the biological effects of MAGIC-F1 on the mor- phology and function of cardiac muscle, more detailed studies are required. It could be also interesting to have a longer follow-up of the homozygous animals, to investigate the progres- sion of the cardiac remodelling upon a double dose of MAGIC-F1
Muscle hypertrophy and vascularization induction using recombinant proteins
No full textMet-Activating Genetically Improved Chimeric Factor-1 is an engineered protein that contains two human Met-binding domains that protects myogenic precursors against apoptosis and increases their fusion ability enhancing muscle differentiation. Previous experiments in both homozygous and hemizygous transgenic mice demonstrated that the skeletal muscle specific expression of Magic-F1 can induce a constitutive muscular hypertrophy, increasing the vessel number in fast twitch fibers, also improving running performance and accelerating muscle regeneration after injury [1]. We also examined the temporal and spatial expression pattern of Magic-F1 in developing organs and tissues of mesenchymal origin. We found that Magic-F1 could be responsible of muscular hypertrophy, cooperating with Pax3 signal pathway in skeletal muscle precursor cells [2]. In order to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Magic-F1, we tested its effect on multipotent and pluripotent stem cells [3]. Murine mesoangioblasts (adult vessel-associated stem cells) expressing Magic-F1 were able to differentiate spontaneously forming myotubes. In addition, in Magic-F1 inducible murine embryonic stem cells subjected to myogenic differentiation, the presence of recombinant protein resulted in improved myogenic commitment. Finally, the microarray analysis of Magic-F1+/+ satellite cells evidenced transcriptomic changes in genes involved in the control of muscle growth, development and vascularisation [4]. Taken together our results candidate Magic-F1 as a potent myogenic inducer, able to affect positively the vascular network, increasing vessel number in fast twitch fibers and modulating the gene expression profile in myogenic progenitor
The effects of micro-grafts in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia
Full text linkAndrogenetic alopecia (AGA) is a hereditary androgen-dependent, progressive thinning of scalp hair affect-ing 60–70% of the adult population worldwide [1]. In AGA, hair is lost in a well-defined pattern, beginning above both temples. Over time, the hairline recedes to form a characteristic "M" shape. Pharmacological treat-ment offers moderate results and hair transplantation represents the only permanent treatment option [2]. Here we describe a clinical approach, based on autologous micro-grafts, called Rigenera® that is able to restore hair loss using a promising CE-certified medical device called Rigeneracons. Its efficacy was demonstrated in the wound care including the management of chronic or non-healing wounds (ulcers, dehiscences, pathological scars) and for hard tissues and cartilage regeneration [3]. A preliminary in vivo study on three patients reported that autologous micro-grafts obtained by Rigenera® protocol were able to promote hair growth even two months after the surgical procedure. The aim of this study was to demonstrate long-term efficacy of Rigenera® protocol in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia performing histological evaluations on scalps after 6 and 9 months from micro-grafts application with respect to controls. Morphological evaluations were performed by Haematoxylin/Eosin and Mallory Trichrome staining on 4-mm punch of scalps from volunteers patients. Re-sults showed that, after 6 months of micro-grafts application, the number of hair follicles in the scalp is in-creased with a beginning of cuticle formation and dermal papilla in proliferation. After 9 months, we reported a well-organized derma, more regular and structured collagen fibres, and hair follicles in Anagen IV/Mesanagen phase. In summary, micro-grafts application improve hair restoration with a positive patient’s subjective as-sessment
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
koamabayili/VECTRON-author-checklist: VECTRON author checklist
No full textWe have done our best to complete the author checklist relating to the use of animals in the hut study. Note that the objective for the hut study was to evaluate the IRS treatment applications for residual efficacy against Anopheles mosquitoes, including the local An. coluzzii mosquito population. Cows were only used to attract mosquitoes into the huts and no tests were carried out directly on the cows. The author checklist is intended for use with studies where experiments are carried out on animals, which is why we have had such difficulty in completing this for the hut study, as many of the questions do not relate to how the cows were used
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