Optimizing transport methods to preserve function of self-innervating muscle cells for laryngeal injection.

Objectives: Recently, our laboratory has discovered a self-innervating population of muscle cells, called motor endplate-expressing cells (MEEs). The cells innately release a wide variety of neurotrophic factors into the microenvironment promoting innervation when used as an injectable treatment. Unlike other stem cells, the therapeutic potential of MEEs is dependent on the cells' ability to maintain phenotypical cell surface proteins in particular motor endplates (MEPs).

Validation of a reduction in time for avian influenza virus isolation using specific pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs.

Background: The international gold standard for avian influenza virus (AIV) diagnosis is virus isolation (VI) in specific pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs). AIV isolation typically involves a 6-day turnaround, during which premises under suspicion for notifiable AIV infection are held under restriction regardless of molecular diagnoses, often with significant welfare implications.

Methods: A reduction in time for negation by VI was investigated following experimental inoculation of AIV from known-positive original clinical material into ECEs.

Multi-Layered Implant Approach for Hemilaryngectomy Reconstruction in a Porcine Model.

Objective: Partial laryngectomies result in voice, swallowing, and airway impairment for thousands of patients in the United States each year. Treatment options for dynamic restoration of laryngeal function are limited. Thus, there is a need for new reconstructive approaches.

A combination of peripherally restricted CB and CB cannabinoid receptor agonists reduces bladder afferent sensitisation in cystitis.

Cannabinoid agonists can potentially ameliorate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including pain associated with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). This study aims to determine the contributions of the cannabinoid 1 receptors (CBRs) and CBRs in regulating the activity of different functional classes of afferents, comparing normal healthy bladder with bladders from guinea pigs with protamine/zymosan-induced cystitis. The mechanosensitivity of different functional afferent classes was determined by ex vivo single-unit extracellular recordings.

SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission via the skin to oro-nasal route with the production of bioaerosols in the ferret model.

Direct and indirect transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been attributed to virus survival in droplets, bioaerosols and on fomites including skin and surfaces. Survival of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) on the skin and virus transference following rounds of skin-to-skin contact were assessed on porcine skin as a surrogate for human skin. SARS-CoV-2 variants were detectable on skin by RT-qPCR after 72 h at biologically relevant temperatures (35.

Gut Analysis Toolbox - automating quantitative analysis of enteric neurons.

The enteric nervous system (ENS) consists of an extensive network of neurons and glial cells embedded within the wall of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Alterations in neuronal distribution and function are strongly associated with GI dysfunction. Current methods for assessing neuronal distribution suffer from undersampling, partly due to challenges associated with imaging and analyzing large tissue areas, and operator bias due to manual analysis.

Ribosomal S6 kinase 1 regulates inflammaging via the senescence secretome.

Inhibition of S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) extends lifespan and improves healthspan in mice, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Cellular senescence is a stable growth arrest accompanied by an inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Cellular senescence and SASP-mediated chronic inflammation contribute to age-related pathology, but the specific role of S6K1 has not been determined.

The wetting of H2O by CO2.

Biphasic interfaces are complex but fascinating regimes that display a number of properties distinct from those of the bulk. The CO2-H2O interface, in particular, has been the subject of a number of studies on account of its importance for the carbon life cycle as well as carbon capture and sequestration schemes. Despite this attention, there remain a number of open questions on the nature of the CO2-H2O interface, particularly concerning the interfacial tension and phase behavior of CO2 at the interface.

Tissue-Engineered Implant for Hemilaryngectomy Reconstruction with Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury.

Objective: Laryngeal cancer resections often require excision of portions of the larynx along with sacrifice of the ipsilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). In such cases, there are no reconstructive options that reliably restore laryngeal function, rendering patients with severe functional impairment. To address this unmet clinical need, we extend our evaluation of a 3-implant mucosal, muscle, cartilage reconstruction approach aimed at promoting functional laryngeal restoration in a porcine hemilaryngectomy model with ipsilateral RLN transection.

Assessment of Survival Kinetics for Emergent Highly Pathogenic Clade 2.3.4.4 H5Nx Avian Influenza Viruses.

High pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) cause high morbidity and mortality in poultry species. HPAIV prevalence means high numbers of infected wild birds could lead to spill over events for farmed poultry. How these pathogens survive in the environment is important for disease maintenance and potential dissemination.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant (B.1.617.2) in Domestic Dogs and Zoo Tigers in England and Jersey during 2021.

Reverse zoonotic transmission events of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been described since the start of the pandemic, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) designated the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in animals a reportable disease. Eighteen domestic and zoo animals in Great Britain and Jersey were tested by APHA for SARS-CoV-2 during 2020-2023. One domestic cat (), three domestic dogs (), and three Amur tigers () from a zoo were confirmed positive during 2020-2021 and reported to the WOAH.

Antibody elution with 2-me/SDS solution: Uses for multi-layer immunohistochemical analysis of wholemount preparations of human colonic myenteric plexus.

Indirect immunofluorescence is usually restricted to 3-5 markers per preparation, limiting analysis of coexistence. A solution containing 2-mercaptoethanol and sodium dodecyl sulfate (2-ME/SDS) can elute indirect immunofluorescence labelling (i.e.

Characterization of viscerofugal neurons in human colon by retrograde tracing and multi-layer immunohistochemistry.

Background And Aims: Viscerofugal neurons (VFNs) have cell bodies in the myenteric plexus and axons that project to sympathetic prevertebral ganglia. In animals they activate sympathetic motility reflexes and may modulate glucose metabolism and feeding. We used rapid retrograde tracing from colonic nerves to identify VFNs in human colon for the first time, using preparations with multi-layer immunohistochemistry.

In vivo challenge studies on vaccinated chickens indicate a virus genotype mismatched vaccine still offers significant protection against NDV.

Although commercial vaccines against Newcastle Disease have been available for decades, outbreaks still occur in the face of vaccination Further vaccination may accelerate viral evolution resulting in a further reduction in vaccine efficacy. A key question is whether genotype-matched vaccines can confer better protection against contemporary type 1 Avian Paramyxoviruses. To assess this, an in vivo vaccine-challenge study was undertaken to assess protection afforded by 'genotype-matched' and commercial vaccine formulations.

From the organ bath to the whole person: a review of human colonic motility.

Motor function of the colon is essential for health. Our current understanding of the mechanisms that underlie colonic motility are based upon a range of experimental techniques, including molecular biology, single cell studies, recordings from muscle strips, analysis of part or whole organ ex vivo through to in vivo human recordings. For the surgeon involved in the clinical management of colonic conditions this amounts to a formidable volume of material.

Understanding the disease and economic impact of avirulent avian paramyxovirus type 1 (APMV-1) infection in Great Britain.

Newcastle disease (ND) is a notifiable disease affecting chickens and other avian species caused by virulent strains of type 1 (APMV-1). While outbreaks of ND can have devastating consequences, avirulent strains of APMV-1 generally cause subclinical infections or mild disease. However, viruses can cause different levels of disease in different species and virulence can evolve following cross-species transmission events.

Interspecies Transmission of Swine Influenza A Viruses and Human Seasonal Vaccine-Mediated Protection Investigated in Ferret Model.

We investigated the infection dynamics of 2 influenza A(H1N1) virus isolates from the swine 1A.3.3.

Enhanced Abductor Function in Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis with Muscle Stem Cells.

Introduction: Patients with bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) experience airway obstruction because of loss of abductor function of posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscles. We previously reported that implantation of autologous muscle progenitor (stem) cells into thyroarytenoid muscles during reinnervation resulted in improved adductor function. In this study, that same approach was applied to treating PCA muscles in a canine model of BVFP.

Types of Neurons in the Human Colonic Myenteric Plexus Identified by Multilayer Immunohistochemical Coding.

Background And Aims: Gut functions including motility, secretion, and blood flow are largely controlled by the enteric nervous system. Characterizing the different classes of enteric neurons in the human gut is an important step to understand how its circuitry is organized and how it is affected by disease.

Methods: Using multiplexed immunohistochemistry, 12 discriminating antisera were applied to distinguish different classes of myenteric neurons in the human colon (2596 neurons, 12 patients) according to their chemical coding.

Impact of Needle Selection on Survival of Muscle-Derived Cells When Used for Laryngeal Injections.

Objective: To describe how differing injector needles and delivery vehicles impact Autologous Muscle-Derived Cell (AMDC) viability when used for laryngeal injection.

Methods: In this study, adult porcine muscle tissue was harvested and used to create AMDC populations. While controlling cell concentration (1 × 10 cells/ml), AMDCs including Muscle Progenitor Cells (MPCs) or Motor Endplate Expressing Cells (MEEs) were suspended in either phosphate-buffered saline or polymerizable (in-situ scaffold forming) type I oligomeric collagen solution.

Inhibited postprandial retrograde cyclic motor pattern in the distal colon of patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have recurrent lower abdominal pain, associated with altered bowel habit (diarrhea and/or constipation). As bowel habit is altered, abnormalities in colonic motility are likely to contribute; however, characterization of colonic motor patterns in patients with IBS remains poor. Utilizing fiber-optic manometry, we aimed to characterize distal colonic postprandial colon motility in diarrhea-predominant IBS.

Engineered collagen polymeric materials create noninflammatory regenerative microenvironments that avoid classical foreign body responses.

The efficacy and longevity of medical implants and devices is largely determined by the host immune response, which extends along a continuum from pro-inflammatory/pro-fibrotic to anti-inflammatory/pro-regenerative. Using a rat subcutaneous implantation model, along with histological and transcriptomics analyses, we characterized the tissue response to a collagen polymeric scaffold fabricated from polymerizable type I oligomeric collagen (Oligomer) in comparison to commercial synthetic and collagen-based products. In contrast to commercial biomaterials, no evidence of an immune-mediated foreign body reaction, fibrosis, or bioresorption was observed with Oligomer scaffolds for beyond 60 days.