Characterization of Commercially Available Human Primary Alveolar Epithelial Cells.

In vitro lung research requires appropriate cell culture models that adequately mimic in vivo structure and function. Previously, researchers extensively used commercially available and easily expandable A549 and NCI-H441 cells, which replicate some but not all features of alveolar epithelial cells. Specifically, these cells are often restricted by terminally altered expression while lacking important alveolar epithelial characteristics. Of late, human primary alveolar epithelial cells (hPAEpCs) have become commercially available but are so far poorly specified. Here, we applied a comprehensive set of technologies to characterize their morphology, surface marker expression, transcriptomic profile, and functional properties. At optimized seeding numbers of 7,500 cells per square centimeter and growth at a gas-liquid interface, hPAEpCs formed regular monolayers with tight junctions and amiloride-sensitive transepithelial ion transport. Electron microscopy revealed lamellar body and microvilli formation characteristic for alveolar type II cells. Protein and single-cell transcriptomic analyses revealed expression of alveolar type I and type II cell markers; yet, transcriptomic data failed to detect NKX2-1, an important transcriptional regulator of alveolar cell differentiation. With increasing passage number, hPAEpCs transdifferentiated toward alveolar-basal intermediates characterized as SFTPC-, KRT8high, and KRT5- cells. In spite of marked changes in the transcriptome as a function of passaging, Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection plots did not reveal major shifts in cell clusters, and epithelial permeability was unaffected. The present work delineates optimized culture conditions, cellular characteristics, and functional properties of commercially available hPAEpCs. hPAEpCs may provide a useful model system for studies on drug delivery, barrier function, and transepithelial ion transport in vitro.

Metabolic Glycoengineering Enables the Ultrastructural Visualization of Sialic Acids in the Glycocalyx of the Alveolar Epithelial Cell Line hAELVi.

The glycocalyx-a plethora of sugars forming a dense layer that covers the cell membrane-is commonly found on the epithelial surface of lumen forming tissue. New glycocalyx specific properties have been defined for various organs in the last decade. However, in the lung alveolar epithelium, its structure and functions remain almost completely unexplored. This is partly due to the lack of physiologically relevant, cost effective in vitro models. As the glycocalyx is an essential but neglected part of the alveolar epithelial barrier, understanding its properties holds the promise to enhance the pulmonary administration of drugs and delivery of nanoparticles. Here, using air-liquid-interface (ALI) cell culture, we focus on combining metabolic glycoengineering with glycan specific electron and confocal microscopy to visualize the glycocalyx of a recently immortalized human alveolar epithelial cell line (hAELVi). For this purpose, we applied different bioorthogonal labeling approaches to visualize sialic acid-an amino sugar that provides negative charge to the lung epithelial glycocalyx-using both fluorescence and gold-nanoparticle labeling. Further, we compared mild chemical fixing/freeze substitution and standard cytochemical electron microscopy embedding protocols for their capacity of contrasting the glycocalyx. In our study, we established hAELVi cells as a convenient model for investigating human alveolar epithelial glycocalyx. Transmission electron microscopy revealed hAELVi cells to develop ultrastructural features reminiscent of alveolar epithelial type II cells (ATII). Further, we visualized extracellular uni- and multilamellar membranous structures in direct proximity to the glycocalyx at ultrastructural level, indicating putative interactions. The lamellar membranes were able to form structures of higher organization, and we report sialic acid to be present within those. In conclusion, combining metabolite specific glycoengineering with ultrastructural localization presents an innovative method with high potential to depict the molecular distribution of individual components of the alveolar epithelial glycocalyx and its interaction partners.

Corrigendum to "A Rare Anatomical Variation of the Termination of Right and Left Cephalic Veins".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/5809656.].

A Rare Anatomical Variation of the Termination of Right and Left Cephalic Veins.

Clinically, the cephalic vein is preferred for haemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), to remove waste products from blood. The cut-down of cephalic vein in the deltopectoral groove is preferred when superior vena caval infusion is necessary. However, cephalic veins exhibit a wide array of developmental variations in terms of formation, course, and termination. In this report, we describe a case of an anomalous cephalic vein with a bifid course of terminations on both left and right upper limbs which has not been described by the previous literature [corrected]. During routine gross anatomy dissection of the neck, we observed a rare case of variation of the termination of the cephalic vein in both right and left upper limbs, of a male cadaver. Knowledge of the variations of cephalic vein is important not only for anatomists but also for surgeons and clinicians as the vein is frequently used for different surgical procedures and for obtaining peripheral venous access as well.

Reconstruction of femoral length from fragmentary femora.

The reconstruction of femoral length (FL) from fragmentary femora is an essential step in estimating stature from fragmentary skeletal remains in forensic investigations. While regression formulae for doing this have been suggested for several populations, such formulae have not been established for Ghanaian skeletal remains. This study, therefore, seeks to derive regression formulae for reconstruction of FL from fragmentary femora of skeletal samples obtained from Ghana. Six measurements (vertical head diameter, transverse head diameter, bicondylar breadth, epicondylar breadth, sub-trochanteric anterior-posterior diameter, and sub-trochanteric transverse diameter) were acquired from different anatomical portions of the femur and the relationship between each acquired measurement and FL was analyzed using linear regression. The results indicated significantly moderate-to-high correlations (r=0.580-0.818) between FL and each acquired measurement. The error estimates of the regression formulae were relatively low (i.e., standard error of estimate, 13.66-19.28 mm), suggesting that the discrepancies between actual and estimated stature were relatively low. Compared with other measurements, sub-trochanteric transverse diameter was the best estimate of FL. In the absence of a complete femur, the regression formulae based on the assessed measurements may be used to infer FL, from which stature can be estimated in forensic investigations.

Musculoskeletal disorders among first-year Ghanaian students in a nursing college.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and extent of MSDs among a sample of freshmen in a nursing college in Ghana. METHODS: A semi-structured self-reported questionnaire including the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to collect information on age, gender and musculoskeletal complaints among a random sample of 200 students at a nursing and midwifery college in the Eastern region of Ghana. RESULTS: Out of the 200 questionnaires administered, 160 were retrieved of which 3 were found to be incomplete and void, yielding a total of 157 evaluable questionnaires, a response rate of 78.5%. One hundred and ten (70.1%) students reported having MSDs in the previous 12 months, of which a total 88 (56.1%) suffered disabling effects, while 70(44.6%) students reported having MSDs in the past 7 days. The prevalence of MSDs in the different body regions was generally low with clustered distribution in the neck, upper back, wrists/hands and lower back. CONCLUSION: Nursing students are at reasonably high risk of MSDs. Strategies to prevent this important public health problem amongst future generation of nursing students must be given utmost priority. This study provides the baseline data for more elaborative studies in the Ghanaian population.

Determination of Sex from Footprint Dimensions in a Ghanaian Population.

The present study sought to verify the utility and reliability of footprint dimensions in sex determination in a Ghanaian population. Bilateral footprints were obtained from 126 Ghanaian students (66 males and 60 females) aged 18-30 years at Koforidua Polytechnic using an ink pad and white papers. Seven dimensions-length of each toe (designated T1-T5) from the most anterior point of the toe to the mid-rear heel point, breadth at ball (BAB) and breadth at heel (BAH)--and the heel-ball (HB) index were obtained from each footprint. Some footprint dimensions (i.e. T2, T3, T4 and T5) showed statistically significant bilateral asymmetry in males only. All the footprint dimensions, except HB index, were significantly greater in males than females (p<0.001). Applied singly in discriminant function analysis, the footprint dimensions allowed 69.8%-80.3% of cases to be correctly classified into their sex groups; the accuracy of sex classification was higher using left footprints than right footprints. With all dimensions subjected to stepwise discriminant function analysis 80.3% and 77% of cases could be correctly classified, combining both T5 and BAH for left footprints and T1, BAB and BAH for left footprints respectively. The present study has demonstrated, for the first time among Ghanaian subjects, the utility and reliability of sex determination standards developed from footprint dimensions. The results thus provide the baseline for elaborated studies in the future.

Predictors of Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy among HIV/AIDS Patients in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

Background. The effectiveness of ART interventions is only realized in maximal levels of adherence. A near perfect adherence level of >95% is required for the effective suppression of HIV/AIDS virus. The main objective of this study was to identify the sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors that facilitate adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV/AIDS patients. Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2013 at the Upper West Regional Hospital, Wa. A total of 201 confirmed HIV 1 seropositive subjects (mean age 36.6 ± 9.9 years) receiving antiretroviral therapy were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using GraphPad Prism version 5. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant for all statistical analyses. Results. Overall lifetime adherence was found to be 62.2% while medication adherence in the last six months, last three months, last month, and last week were 73.6%, 87.1%, 91.0%, and 86.0%, respectively. The study revealed a positive association between adherence to ART and immunological success, with nonadherence increasing the risk (OR (95% CI): 9.2 (3.2-26.9)) of immunological failure. Univariate logistic regression analysis of the data showed that other ailments and side effects of drug were negatively associated with adherence to ART whereas self-perceived wellness, family support, and regular followup were positively associated with adherence to ART. Conclusion. Regular attendance at followup and family support are vital factors for 100% lifetime medication adherence. Effective counseling sessions on adherence for patients on antiretroviral therapy are paramount for the realization of the purpose of antiretroviral therapy programmes in Ghana.