This note reports observations of the change of stiffness of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) with the progress of cell death as measured by AFM. hMSC with impaired membrane, dead and viable cells were labelled with Annexin V and Propidium Iodide after 24h cold storage, followed by AFM measurement and Young's modulus of cells was derived. Viable hMSCs have a Young's modulus (E) in the range of 0.81-1.13kPa and consistent measurement was observed when different measurement locations were chosen. E of cells with partially impaired membrane was 0.69±0.17kPa or in the range of 2.04-4.74kPa, depending upon the measurement locations. With the loss of membrane integrity, though there was no variation on measured E between different locations, a mixed picture of cell stiffness was observed as indicated by cells with E as low as 0.09±0.03kPa, in a mid-range of 4.62±0.67kPa, and the highest of up to 48.98±19.80kPa. With the progress of cell death, the highest stiffness was noticed for cells showing a more granular appearance; also the lowest stiffness for cells with vacuole appearance. Findings from this study indicate that cell stiffness is significantly altered with the progress of cell death.

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• This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the article which has been published in final form at: http://dx

An analysis of propagation of surface polaritons–plasmons along the interface of gyrotropic plasma has been conducted. It has been shown that new wave characteristics appear due to the Rayleigh kind of the wave. The influence of both the plasma and the bounding media has been considered. The role of the interface has been demonstrated. The existence of many new phenomena is proved: the end point of the dispersion in strongly magnetized plasma, singular waves, the nonzero field and Poynting’s vector of the intersection of the dispersion curve and the complex zone, etc.