Publications by authors named "C M Shanahan"

Background: Vascular calcification is a detrimental aging pathology markedly accelerated in patients with chronic kidney disease. Prelamin A is a biomarker of vascular smooth muscle cell aging that accelerates calcification however the mechanisms remain undefined.

Methods: Vascular smooth muscle cells were transduced with prelamin A using an adenoviral vector and epigenetic modifications were monitored using immunofluorescence and targeted polymerase chain reaction array.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The ECM (extracellular matrix) provides the microenvironmental niche sensed by resident vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Aging and disease are associated with dramatic changes in ECM composition and properties; however, their impact on the VSMC phenotype remains poorly studied.

Methods: Here, we describe a novel in vitro model system that utilizes endogenous ECM to study how modifications associated with age and metabolic disease impact the VSMC phenotype.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Globally, while people are living longer, many experience a decline in health due to age-related diseases, highlighting the need for better classification systems to address these issues.
  • A consensus meeting with 150 experts established criteria for identifying ageing-related pathologies, requiring a 70% agreement for approval among participants.
  • The agreed criteria focus on conditions that progress with age, contribute to functional decline, and are backed by human studies, setting a foundation for future classification and staging efforts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Two methods are described for synthesizing ()-(+)-1,2-epoxy-5-hexene using cheap and accessible materials.
  • - The first method involves a two-step process with mCPBA epoxidation and chiral resolution, yielding 24-30%.
  • - The second method starts with ()-epichlorohydrin, achieving 55-60% yield and high purity through ring-opening and closure reactions. Both methods have been tested successfully on scales of 100-200 grams.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF