Effect of solid freeform fabrication-based polycaprolactone/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/collagen scaffolds on cellular activities of human adipose-derived stem cells and rat primary hepatocytes.

Highly biocompatible polycaprolactone (PCL)/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)/collagen scaffolds in which the PCL/PLGA collagen solution was selectively dispensed into every other space between the struts were fabricated using solid freeform fabrication (SFF) technology, as we described previously. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the PCL/PLGA/collagen scaffolds (group 3) with PCL/PLGA-only scaffolds (group 1) and PCL/PLGA scaffolds with collagen by the dip-coating method (group 2) using human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) and rat primary hepatocytes. The selectively dispensed collagen formed a three-dimensional (3D) network of nanofibers in group 3, as observed by scanning electron microscopy.

Scaling and root planing treatment for periodontitis to reduce preterm birth and low birth weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: The aim of this study is to perform an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of scaling and root planing (SRP) in reducing the preterm-birth and low-birth-weight risks to analyze important subgroups and to further explore heterogeneity and bias risks in the pooled studies.

Methods: The entire Cochrane Library was searched (from 1990 to September 2011), MEDLINE (from 1950 to September 2011), CINAHL (from 1980 to September 2011), University of Michigan School of Dentistry "Dentistry and Oral Sciences" database (from 1990 to September 2011), conference proceedings, and the ClinicalTrials.gov database.

Plasma carboxypeptidase B downregulates inflammatory responses in autoimmune arthritis.

The immune and coagulation systems are both implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Plasma carboxypeptidase B (CPB), which is activated by the thrombin/thrombomodulin complex, plays a procoagulant role during fibrin clot formation. However, an antiinflammatory role for CPB is suggested by the recent observation that CPB can cleave proinflammatory mediators, such as C5a, bradykinin, and osteopontin.