Patterned hearts: Bioengineers create rubber-like material bearing micropatterns for stronger, more elastic hearts

Apr. 29, 2013 ? A team of bioengineers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is the first to report creating artificial heart tissue that closely mimics the functions of natural heart tissue through the use of human-based materials. Their work will advance how clinicians treat the damaging effects caused by heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

"Scientists and clinicians alike are eager for new approaches to creating artificial heart tissues that resemble the native tissues as much as possible, in terms of physical properties and function," said Nasim Annabi, PhD, BWH Renal Division, first study author. "Current biomaterials used to repair hearts after a heart attack and other cardiovascular events lack suitable functionality and strength. We are introducing an alternative that has the mechanical properties and functions of native heart tissue."

The study was published online on April 26, 2013 in Advanced Functional Materials.

The researchers created MeTro gel-an advanced rubber-like material made from tropoelastin, the protein in human tissues that makes them elastic. The gel was then combined with microfabrication techniques to generate gels containing well-defined micropatterns for high elasticity.

The researchers then used these highly elastic micropatterned gels to create heart tissue that contained beating heart muscle cells.

"The micropatterned gel provides elastic mechanical support of natural heart muscle tissue as demonstrated by its ability to promote attachment, spreading, alignment, function and communication of heart muscle cells," said Annabi.

The researchers state that MeTro gel will provide a model for future studies on how heart cells behave. Moreover, the work lays the foundation for creating more elaborate 3D versions of heart tissue that will contain vascular networks.

"This can be achieved by assembling tandem layers of micropatterned MeTro gels seeded with heart muscles cells in different layers," said Ali Khademhosseini, PhD, BWH Division of Biomedical Engineering, co-senior study author. "As we continue to move forward with finding better ways to mend a broken heart, we hope the biomaterials we engineer will allow us to successfully address the limitations of current artificial tissues."

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (HL092836, DE019024, EB012597, AR057837, DE021468, HL099073, EB008392); National Health and Medical Research Council; CRC for Polymers; BHP-Billiton Fulbright Scholarship; National Science Foundation; Office of Naval Research Young National Investigator Award; Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers; Australian Research Council; and Australian Defense Health Foundation and National Health and Medical Research Council.

Anthony Weiss, PhD, University of Sydney, co-senior study author is scientific founder of Elastagen Pty Ltd.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital.

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Journal Reference:

1. Nasim Annabi, Kelly Tsang, Suzanne M. Mithieux, Mehdi Nikkhah, Afshin Ameri, Ali Khademhosseini, Anthony S. Weiss. Highly Elastic Micropatterned Hydrogel for Engineering Functional Cardiac Tissue. Advanced Functional Materials, 2013; DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201300570

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/biochemistry/~3/OQiD_HD9WH0/130429133652.htm

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NYC exhibition depicts ancient Buddhist caves

NEW YORK (AP) ? The China Institute Gallery has been transformed into an ancient cave, taking visitors back more than a millennium to a dazzling world where Buddhist worshippers adorned the walls with colorful frescoes, silk prayer banners and lavishly painted life-size clay sculptures.

"Dunhuang: Buddhist Art at the Gateway of the Silk Road" features a replica of an 8th century cave carved into the limestone cliffs at the edge of the Gobi Desert southeast of the oasis town of Dunhuang from 366 to about 1300.

It is one of 735 Mogao Caves constructed during what is known as the high Tang period (705-781), designed for devout Buddhists to gather and worship. Nearly every inch is covered in art, with a canopy ceiling resplendent in floral and diamond shapes. One end is filled with life-sized sculptures of a Buddha flanked by two monk disciples wearing luxuriously patterned robes, two bare-chested figures and two ferocious-looking guardians in military armor.

While there have been exhibitions that have featured individual pieces from the Mogoa Caves, this is the first exhibition in the United States to put all the elements of the cave shrines into context, said Annette Juliano, a professor of Chinese art history at Rutgers University.

It shows the "relationship between the architecture, the pictures, the subject matter and the (ritual) practices . the actual use of the cave, rather than just an abstraction," added Juliano, who visited the caves for the first time in 1980.

Many of the caves are exquisitely preserved but others are fragile due to neglect over the centuries and the conditions of the surrounding desert and sand dunes. To protect them from further erosion, tourist access is limited to several dozen caves a day that are rotated regularly.

The exhibition also features a 6th-century replica of an elaborate square altar called the Central Stupa Pillar that highlights the religious ritual of circumambulation ? an act of veneration ? in which the faithful walk clockwise around the altar that contains four niches, each holding a Buddha.

"Walking around the stupa pillar helps to empty your mind to allow visualization, to focus on the images of the Buddhas," said Juliano, who contributed an essay to the exhibition catalog.

Exact, hand-painted reproductions of wall motifs and story scenes complete the exhibition space in this gallery. Among the highlights is a Thousand Buddha pattern that covers an entire wall and is symbolic of the deity's omnipresence. Among the narrative paintings is the tale of the Deer King and his journey toward enlightenment.

Authentic silk prayer banners, a handwritten Buddhist scripture in near mint condition, a Yuan dynasty fragment of a mathematical document, small clay figurines, Persian silver coins that bear witness to foreign travelers on the Silk Road, patterned floor tiles and oil lamps used to light the dark caves round out the small two-gallery exhibition.

The Mogao Cave shrines, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, were largely unknown in the West until they were discovered in 1900 by a Hungarian archaeologist, Sir Aurel Stein.

Dunhuang, located at the north and south crossroads of the Silk Road, was a strategic hub of trade and religion. Stein, who made several treks through Central Asia, had heard rumors of a cave room sealed in the 11th century containing tens of thousands of manuscripts, scrolls, silk paintings and textiles dating in Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit and other languages.

A local caretaker had uncovered the treasure trove after discovering a crack in the wall of a corridor leading to a larger cave. It's not clear why the room was sealed, but scholars speculate they were walled up to protect them from the threat of invasion from nomadic people.

Stein was able to persuade the caretaker to sell a portion of the material in exchange for money for the cave's upkeep. In subsequent years, almost 80 percent of the contents were taken out of the country by foreign adventurers. Today, the treasures are found in various museums and libraries around the world.

The exhibition, organized by the Dunhuang Academy, runs through July 21. A second exhibition in the fall will focus on paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists inspired by the caves.

__

Online: www.chinainstitute.org

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nyc-exhibition-depicts-ancient-buddhist-caves-063312779.html

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C++ - Computers, Math, Science, and Technology - Wrong Planet

I don't know any good online tutorials.

Honestly, I think you should buy "The C++ Programming language" by Stroustrup (the creator of the language). Make sure it's the 4th edition, because C++ has changed a lot. The book is thick, but that's because C++ is so powerful.

The problem about C++ is that it's still pretty easy to write bad code, and you will see a lot of bad C++ code out there. That's partially because in early versions of the language, there was no other choice.

EDIT: I'm a bit confused. In German, the 4th edition already appeared in 2010. I'm not sure which English edition it's based on. But the 4th English edition will appear in May.
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Twilight is the best pony... or is it Fluttershy?

Source: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt229738.html

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Mom, daughter recover from bombings side-by-side

>>> back now at 8:11, it has been 11 days since the tragic boston marathon bombings. natalie met up with one family who she introduced us to on "rock center."

>> a mother and daughter now side by side . celeste cochran lost both her legs in the blast and 18-year-old sidney nearly bled to death from a severed artery. in a "today" "rock center" exclusive i was able to speak to them.

>> i kept saying over and over no, no. in your head you think give me the last five minutes back.

>> reporter: celeste corcoran stood with her husband kevin and daughter sidney at the end of the finish line.

>> before they put me under i wanted to die and i remember thinking like i can't. i can't. i don't want to leave my family. you know? there's still too much to do.

>> reporter: in the blast, celeste and kevin were completely separated from their daughter, while kevin helped celeste, who lost both her legs, bystanders rushed over to take care of sidney .

>> from the moment i got like in the ambulance i wanted to know where they were. i thought i was going to wake up and have no one left but my brother.

>> reporter: tell me about first seeing each other again.

>> it was waterworks. complete waterworks.

>> wasn't a dry eye anywhere. i couldn't get close enough to her. normally i'm hugging her and not being able to physically get up and go to her has been hard.

>> reporter: did you know the extent of her injury yet in.

>> right before they brought her in they made sure they told me so i wouldn't be in shock more than i already was. so i was a little prepared and honestly, the shock wasn't bad at all because i knew i at least had my mother.

>> reporter: there are so many pictures that stay with so many of us. we see all the help, the people who came running to help you, sidney , and a gentleman, matt smith , who you recently met.

>> i wanted to find him and meet him and thank him. he was just holding my gaze the entire time, getting right up in my face, he kept calling me buddy and kept saying i would be okay and to stay with him and keep my eyes open . it was really difficult, just feeling so tired because all of the blood, my lips turned blue, so everything was tingly. i felt like i was fading.

>> what was that reunion like when he came here and you got to meet him for the first time?

>> the moment i saw him walk through that door and just, i just looked at him and i knew it was him, i just started crying, and he got teary eyed and came over and hugged me and he was grabbing my hand.

>> so many people have been so supportive and have come to, you know, offer their support, other fellow amputees, a couple marines.

>> one of those gentlemen, gabriel he has the same injury as mine and he came in here with his legs and i was just amazed. he goes rock climbing , sounds like there's nothing he can't do. granted he's a few years younger than i am but sounds like you know, if you have the spirit and you know that you want to do it, i can absolutely achieve it.

>> and you mentioned of course the most important thing is you have your daughter here celebrating her 18th birthday .

>> yes, today.

>> reporter: today.

>> the marines when they were here, gabriel was liking to say they have two birthdays, the original birthday and the day they got injured because you start a new life.

>> i mean, it is difficult sometimes, like sometimes it really just hits you but other times you're like, wow. you look, that was my life, that happened.

>> there's times when everything just kind of overwhelms you but i just have to really -- i know in my heart that i'm going to be okay. as long as i'm strong enough or want it enough, i will have a different life, a different reality.

>> reporter: you've got your whole family helping you all the way.

>> i do, they're wonderful. i just want to see everything in their lives. i'm not ready to leave. so, yeah, if it's with new legs it's with new legs.

>> and celeste and sidney are getting stronger each and every day. as you know, savannah, with their injuries it's going to be a long road physically and emotionally but they have an incredible support system, their whole family says they're not just boston strong they're corcoran strong.

>> certainly proving that and wonderful the gentleman came and said i have the same injury as you.

>> gabriel ramides, marines, wounded veteran, lifted their spirits when they needed it most.

>> natley, thank you. you'll have a lot more on "rock center with brian williams " tonight

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2b354961/l/0Lvideo0Btoday0Bmsnbc0Bmsn0N0Cid0C516740A27/story01.htm

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Twitter settles dispute with analytics firm over data access

By Gerry Shih

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter Inc and Peoplebrowsr Inc, a social media analytics firm, reached a settlement that would allow Peoplebrowsr to continue to buy Twitter's data until the end of 2013, the two companies announced Thursday.

Beginning next year, Peoplebrowsr will have to purchase access to the full "firehose" of 400 million daily tweets through one of Twitter's authorized data resellers, according to the settlement's terms.

Peoplebrowsr, based in San Francisco, sifts through Twitter and resells social media "intelligence" to clients that include media organizations and the U.S. Department of Defense.

The legal dispute between the two companies flared last late year, when Twitter, which has been ramping up its operations as it approaches a widely anticipated initial public offering, began to exercise greater control over its content.

Although Twitter contends that individual users retain intellectual ownership over their tweets, the company has moved aggressively to block some firms from profiting off of its data.

Peoplebrowsr had been purchasing data from Twitter directly, rather than through a reseller, on a month-to-month basis before Twitter sought to end the arrangement last July.

Peoplebrowsr Chief Executive Andrew Grill said the settlement gave Peoplebrowsr the eight months it needed to "technically and commercially" figure out how to continue providing the same kind of analytical services.

"We got out of this settlement what we needed," he said.

Financial details of the settlement were not disclosed.

Twitter said in a statement: "We're pleased to have this matter dismissed with prejudice, and look forward to PeopleBrowsr's transition by the end of the year off of the Firehose to join the ecosystem of developers utilizing Twitter data via our reseller partnerships."

(Reporting by Gerry Shih; Editing by Bob Burgdorfer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/twitter-settles-dispute-analytics-firm-over-data-access-233257287--sector.html

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Why Are Liberals So Soft On George W. Bush? (OliverWillisLikeKryptoniteToStupid)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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Roku Hits 5M Streaming Players Sold In The U.S., Has Streamed 8B Videos And Music Tracks

Roku just announced via its blog that it has sold 5 million of its streaming Internet media players since its launch back in 2008. The devices have managed to stream a total of 8 billion pieces of content in that time, impressive for a device that started out as essentially a dedicated Netflix box. Roku recently introduced its third-generation hardware to market with the Roku 3, which went on sale in March.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/S6RQzDaNU08/

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Deadly quake hits south-west Iran

9 April 2013 Last updated at 11:39 ET

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake has killed at least 30 people and injured 800 in south-west Iran, officials say.

Rescue teams have been sent to the affected area, but darkness is hampering rescue operations.

The quake struck 90km (60 miles) south of the country's only nuclear power station in Bushehr, the US Geological Survey (USGS) says.

However, the nuclear plant has not been affected and is working normally, officials have said.

The quake was felt across the Gulf in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.

Some 10,000 people are thought to live in the affected area in more than 50 villages, two of which have reportedly been completely levelled.

The governor's office has sent generators to the area so rescue operation can continue overnight, the BBC's Mohsen Asgari in Tehran reports.

Seismologists said the quake struck at 16:22 (11:52 GMT) at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) near the town of Kaki, south of Bushehr - a Gulf port city that is home to Iran's first and only nuclear power plant.

Iran's seismological centre in Bushehr province, linked to Tehran University, registered the quake at a magnitude of 6.1.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

It was a very strange sensation, rather like being on a rocking boat?

End Quote Phil Stevens Office worker in Abu Dhabi

Tens of aftershocks - the strongest measuring a magnitude of 5.4 - struck within an hour, sending many people into the streets for safety.

One resident in Bushehr told Reuters news agency that they could "clearly feel the earthquake" but there was no damage.

State media reported that phone lines had been brought down by the quake and its aftershocks.

The earthquake shook buildings across the Gulf.

"Our entire building started to wobble from side to side for around 30 seconds or so," Phil Stevens, working on the 10th floor of a building in Abu Dhabi, told the BBC.

"It was a very strange sensation, rather like being on a rocking boat. We evacuated our office and quickly learned of the earthquake in Iran."

Fault line

The governor of Bushehr, Fereydoun Hassanvand, told Iranian state TV that the nuclear plant was not damaged.

An official with the Russian firm Atomstroyexport told Russian media that the quake "in no way affected the normal situation at the reactor".

"Personnel continue to work in the normal regime and radiation levels are fully within the norm," the official was quoted by Russian state news agency Ria as saying.

Iran's nuclear programme has roused concern among major powers that Tehran wants to build nuclear weapons - a charge Iran strongly denies.

Iran straddles a major geological fault line, making it prone to seismic activity. In 2003, an earthquake in the city of Bam left more than 25,000 people dead.

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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22077834#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Hearing to determine if NFL faces concussion suits

By MARYCLAIRE DALE

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 7:51 a.m. ET April 9, 2013

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A federal court hearing Tuesday in Philadelphia could determine whether the NFL faces years of litigation over concussion-related brain injuries.

Thousands of former players have accused league officials of concealing what they knew about the risk of playing after a concussion. The lawsuits allege the league glorified violence as the game became a $9 billion-a-year industry.

Some former players suffer from dementia, depression and other brain diseases, and a few have committed suicide. Others are seeking medical monitoring.

The NFL denies any fraud or negligence, and insists that player safety has always been a priority. The league believes the complaints should go to arbitration under terms of the players' collective bargaining agreement.

U.S. District Judge Anita Brody will hear arguments from Supreme Court litigators Paul Clement for the NFL and David Frederick for the players. Brody's ruling is not expected for several months, and is likely to be appealed by the losing side.

It could be years before the cases are resolved, but some observers believe they could cost the league billions of dollars if the players are successful. Their lawyers hope to use the discovery process to access NFL files, including those on the league's much-criticized Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee, which was formed in the 1990s and headed by a rheumatologist, not a neurologist.

Some believe the cases could rival class-action lawsuits against Big Tobacco in terms of the discovery process, although the tobacco litigation involved far more people. About one-third of the league's 12,000 former players have filed suit.

They include two-time Super Bowl quarterback Jim McMahon, who is suffering from early-stage dementia and has said if he had to do it over again, he would play baseball.

Other plaintiffs include the family of Pro Bowler Junior Seau and the widow of lead plaintiff Ray Easterling, both of whom committed suicide last year. Many other players have no symptoms but seek medical monitoring.

The NFL, in motions to dismiss the case, has argued that it has always followed the best available science and made player safety a top priority.

"Medical decisions override everything else," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a speech last month at the University of North Carolina. He is not expected to attend the hearing.

Clement, a former U.S. solicitor general under President George W. Bush who has fought gay marriage, gun-control measures and President Barack Obama's state health care mandates before the Supreme Court.

Players' lawyer David Frederick, an Obama ally, has taken consumer protection fights over investor fees and prescription drug warnings to the high court.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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??ProFootballTalk: Tom Curran joins PFT to give the latest on?Rob Gronkowski's recovery?and whether his off-field activities are to blame for?his setback?

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51477941/ns/sports-nfl/

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