The TrkB agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, impairs fracture healing in mice.

Objectives: To study the effects of the selective TrkB agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), on fracture healing in mice and on an osteoprogenitor cell line, Kusa4b10, .

Methods: Mice received unilateral closed mid-shaft tibial fractures and treated for two weeks with vehicle or 5 mg/kg/day DHF and euthanised at 28 days post-fracture. Calluses were analysed by micro-computed tomography (μCT) and three-point bending biomechanical test.

Teaching students to explain the pathophysiology of diseases to lay audiences with a scaffold that supports student choice.

Expert educators in science argue that science graduates are often lacking skills in effectively communicating scientific information to lay audiences. To address this, we designed a project, Communicating Disease, for final-year undergraduate human pathophysiology students. Students chose a disease, a relevant nonscientific target audience, and a mode of communication and produced a communiqué designed to educate the audience on the pathophysiology of the disease.

A novel rat model of heterotopic ossification after polytrauma with traumatic brain injury.

Neurological heterotopic ossification (NHO) is characterized by abnormal bone growth in soft tissue and joints in response to injury to the central nervous system. The ectopic bone frequently causes pain, restricts mobility, and decreases the quality of life for those affected. NHO commonly develops in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, particularly in the presence of concomitant musculoskeletal injuries (i.

Meta-Analysis of Dependent Transcriptional Networks: A Roadmap for Identifying Novel Conserved Genetic Pathways.

The () and vertebrate - () transcription factors are among the most critical genes for epithelial development, maintenance and homeostasis, and are remarkably well conserved from fungi to humans. Mutations affecting function lead to a myriad of developmental and adult onset epithelial disease, such as aberrant skin barrier formation, facial/palatal clefting, impaired neural tube closure, age-related hearing loss, ectodermal dysplasia, and importantly, cancers of epithelial origin. Recently, mutations in the family member have been shown to lead to both syndromic and non-syndromic facial and palatal clefting in humans, particularly the genetic disorder Van Der Woude Syndrome (VWS), as well as spina bifida, whereas mutations in mammalian lead to exencephaly and facial clefting.

Treadmill Exercise before and during Pregnancy Improves Bone Deficits in Pregnant Growth Restricted Rats without the Exacerbated Effects of High Fat Diet.

Growth restriction programs adult bone deficits and increases the risk of obesity, which may be exacerbated during pregnancy. We aimed to determine if high-fat feeding could exacerbate the bone deficits in pregnant growth restricted dams, and whether treadmill exercise would attenuate these deficits. Uteroplacental insufficiency was induced on embryonic day 18 (E18) in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats using bilateral uterine vessel ligation (restricted) or sham (control) surgery.