Search

This paper presents the design of an Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal acquisition system based on 32-bit microprocessor platform. In hardware design, we present a complete design similar to the wearable devices used to monitor heart rates over the long term. The firmware is applied by an adaptive data compression method to increase storage space and reduces data transmission time between hardware devices and personal computer (PC). This adaptive algorithm is a combination of Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression. The ECG signal was applied to the nearly-linear infinite impulse response (IIR) filter to eliminate noise from ECG signals. There are advantages of nearly-linear IIR filter over traditional IIR that the signal pass through filter is not distorted. Improvements in the JPEG compression algorithm make them suitable for one dimensional signals with a resolution greater than 8 bits and optimize the operation of the Huffman compression as well as the microcontroller unit (MCU) system with low processing speed. Placing the IIR filter at the end of the system promotes the ability to filter while reducing signal distortion after the decompression process. We tested the system with 8 records from the MIT/BIH cardiac arrhythmic database before and after we applied the compression algorithm to the firmware and software in the system that shows the effectiveness of these algorithms. The test results show that the system reached a maximum compression ratio of 8,8. The system deployed on the 32bit MCU (PIC32MZ2048), ECG analog front-end ADS1293 and operation time of ECG device up to 110 h (4.5 days).

Two isoforms of the 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase, S6K1 and S6K2, have been identified and are considered key downstream effectors of the mTOR signaling pathway, which is involved in tumor growth and progression. However, their biological roles in the tumor microenvironment are poorly understood. In this study, utilizing tumor xenograft models in S6k1−/− and S6k2−/− mice, we show that loss of S6K1 but not S6K2 in the tumor stroma suppresses tumor growth, accompanied by attenuated tumor angiogenesis. We found that while S6K1 depletion had no effect on the proangiogenic phenotype of endothelial cells, the growth and angiogenesis of tumor xenografts were significantly reduced in wild-type mice upon reconstitution with S6K1-deficient bone marrow cells. Furthermore, upon S6K1 loss, induction of both mRNA and protein levels of Hif-1α and those of the downstream target, Vegf, was compromised in bone marrow–derived macrophages stimulated with lactate. These findings indicate that S6K1 but not S6K2 contributes to establishing a microenvironment that favors tumor growth through mediating angiogenesis, and suggest that attenuated tumor angiogenesis upon loss of S6K1 in the tumor stroma is, at least in part, attributable to impaired upregulation of Vegf in tumor-associated macrophages.

Development of techniques for the preservation of mammalian spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) is a critical step in commercial application of SSC based technologies, including species preservation, amplification of agriculturally valuable germ lines, and human fertility preservations. The objective of this study was to develop an efficient cryopreservation protocol for preservation of bovine SSCs using a slow freezing technique. To maximize the efficiency of SSC cryopreservation, the effects of various methods (tissue vs. cell freezing) and cryoprotective agents (trehalose, sucrose, and polyethylene glycol [PEG]) were tested. Following thawing, cells were enriched for undifferentiated spermatogonia by differential plating and evaluated for recovery rate, proliferation capacity, and apoptosis. Additionally, putative stem cell activity was assessed using SSC xenotransplantation. The recovery rate, and proliferation capacity of undifferentiated spermatogonia were significantly greater for germ cells frozen using tissue freezing methods compared to cell freezing methods. Cryopreservation in the presence of 200 mM trehalose resulted in significantly greater recovery rate, proliferation capacity, and apoptosis of germ cells compared to control. Furthermore, cryopreservation using the tissue freezing method in the presence of 200 mM trehalose resulted in the production of colonies of donor-derived germ cells after xenotransplantation into recipient mouse testes, indicating putative stem cell function. Collectively, these data indicate that cryopreservation using tissue freezing methods in the presence of 200 mM trehalose is an efficient cryopreservation protocol for bovine SSCs.

Objective To study the influence of sugars and establish a serum-free freezing method for the cryopreservation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Design Animal study. Setting University laboratory. Animal(s) C57BL/6-TgEGFP, C57BL/6 mice. Intervention(s) Germ cells enriched from testis cells were frozen using standard freezing medium containing sugars, including monosaccharides, disaccharides, and trisaccharides at 50, 100, and 200 mM, respectively. To study the feasibility of establishing a serum-free freezing method, fetal bovine serum was substituted with knockout serum replacement. Main Outcome Measure(s) Freeze-thawed germ cells were evaluated for recovery rate, proliferation capacity, and stem cell activity after transplantation to recipient testes. Result(s) Supplementation of freezing medium with 200 mM disaccharide is an effective method for cryopreservation of SSCs. Trehalose is the most effective cryoprotectant among all the sugars tested and only lactose was comparable to trehalose. Our proliferation and transplantation data show that serum-free freezing can be achieved in freezing medium supplemented with 200 mM trehalose, 10% knockout serum replacement, and 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for cryopreservation of SSCs. Conclusion(s) These findings raise the possibility of effectively banking frozen SSCs from various species, including humans, in a traditional serum-free medium for germ cell research and male infertility treatments.