Review of electrospun microtube array membrane (MTAM)-a novel new class of hollow fiber for encapsulated cell therapy (ECT) in clinical applications.

Encapsulated cell therapy (ECT) shows significant potential for treating neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which currently lack curative medicines and must be managed symptomatically. This novel technique encapsulates functional cells with a semi-permeable membrane, providing protection while enabling critical nutrients and therapeutic substances to pass through. Traditional ECT procedures, on the other hand, pose difficulties in terms of cell survival and retrieval.

Unveiling the Power of Anticancer Drug Screening: A Clinical Case Study Comparing the Effectiveness of Hollow Fiber Assay Microtube Array Membrane (MTAM-HFA) in Breast Cancer Patients.

Breast cancer is a severe public health problem, and early treatment with powerful anticancer drugs is critical for success. The researchers investigated the clinical results of a novel screening tool termed Microtube Array Membrane Hollow Fiber Assay (MTAM-HFA) in breast cancer patients in this clinical investigation. In all trial participants, the MTAM-HFA was utilized to identify active medicines for the treatment of breast cancer.

Evaluation of pharmacy value-added services in public health facilities: Staff perception and cost analysis.

Background: Pharmacy Value Added Services (VAS) were introduced in Malaysian public health facilities to facilitate the process of medicine collection. Examples include Drive-through pharmacy, Medicine by Post, SMS Take&Go, Appointment Card and medicine locker, commonly referred to as Medibox.

Objectives: To assess the perception of VAS among pharmacy staff, and to compare the time and cost needed to prepare medications for VAS and conventional counter service.

Tissue-Engineered Vascular Graft with Co-Culture of Smooth Muscle Cells and Human Endothelial Vein Cells on an Electrospun Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Microtube Array Membrane.

Coronary artery disease is one of the major diseases that plagues today's modern society. Conventional treatments utilize synthetic vascular grafts such as Dacron and Teflon in bypass graft surgery. Despite the wide adaptation, these synthetic grafts are often plagued with weaknesses such as low hemocompatibility, thrombosis, intimal hyperplasia, and risks of graft infection.

Metabolic effects of brown fat in transitioning from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism.

Objective: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) controls metabolic rate through thermogenesis. As its regulatory factors during the transition from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism are not well established, our study investigated the relationships between supraclavicular brown adipose tissue (sBAT) activity and physiological/metabolic changes with changes in thyroid status.

Design: Participants with newly diagnosed Graves' disease were recruited.

Ultra-High Packing Density Next Generation Microtube Array Membrane for Absorption Based Applications.

Previously, we successfully developed an extracorporeal endotoxin removal device (EERD) that is based on the novel next generation alternating microtube array membrane (MTAM-A) that was superior to the commercial equivalent. In this article, we demonstrated multiple different parameter modifications that led to multiple different types of novel new MTAM structures, which ultimately led to the formation of the MTAM-A. Contrary to the single layered MTAM, the MTAM-A series consisted of a superior packing density fiber connected in a double layered, alternating position which allowed for the greater fiber count to be packed per unit area.

Effect of Periosteal Flap Augmentation on Outcomes of Modified Broström-Gould Procedure for Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability.

Background: Chronic lateral ankle instability is relatively common after ankle sprains. The modified Broström-Gould procedure (MBG) is the gold standard operative treatment but has a known failure rate of up to 10%, or even more in high-risk groups. Periosteal flap augmentation (PFA) has been proposed to strengthen the repair.

Ultrahigh packing density next generation microtube array membrane: A novel solution for absorption-based extracorporeal endotoxin removal device.

Sepsis is a deadly disease that is widely attributed to endotoxin released by gram-negative bacterial infections often plague emergency care facilities. Conventionally antibiotics and vasopressors are used to treat this disease. Recent treatment protocol shifted to a membrane to remove the offending endotoxin monomer.

Microtube Array Membrane (MTAM)-Based Encapsulated Cell Therapy for Cancer Treatment.

The treatment of cancer has evolved significantly in recent years with a strong focus on immunotherapy. Encapsulated Cell Therapy (ECT) for immunotherapy-based anti-cancer treatment is a unique niche within this landscape, where molecules such as signaling factors and antibodies produced from cells are encapsulated within a vehicle, with a host amount of benefits in terms of treatment efficacy and reduced side effects. However, traditional ECTs generally lie in two extremes; either a macro scale vehicle is utilized, resulting in a retrievable system but with limited diffusion and surface area, or a micro scale vehicle is utilized, resulting in a system that has excellent diffusion and surface area but is unretrievable in the event of side effects occurring, which greatly compromises the biosafety of patients.

Identification of osteoclast-osteoblast coupling factors in humans reveals links between bone and energy metabolism.

Bone remodeling consists of resorption by osteoclasts followed by formation by osteoblasts, and osteoclasts are a source of bone formation-stimulating factors. Here we utilize osteoclast ablation by denosumab (DMAb) and RNA-sequencing of bone biopsies from postmenopausal women to identify osteoclast-secreted factors suppressed by DMAb. Based on these analyses, LIF, CREG2, CST3, CCBE1, and DPP4 are likely osteoclast-derived coupling factors in humans.

Solvent Fractionation and Acetone Precipitation for Crude Saponins from Extract.

is a popular folk medicine in South East Asia. This study was focused on saccharide-containing compounds including saponins, mainly because of their medical potentials. Different organic solvents such as ethyl acetate, butanol, and chloroform were used to fractionate the phytochemical groups, which were consequently precipitated in cold acetone.

Extracellular Microvesicles as New Industrial Therapeutic Frontiers.

Microvesicles (MVs) are subcellular physiological vehicles present in all body fluids that mediate the transfer of intercellular information within biological systems and contribute to healthy conditions. MVs have lipid bilayer membranes decorated with multiple ligands that can interact with receptors on target cells, rendering them as promising candidates for targeted delivery. The biotechnology and cell therapy industries are developing MV-based preparations that use this subcellular therapeutic machinery (in a naïve or modified state) for regenerative medicine, as substitutes for intact cell therapy, and as intelligent targeted drug delivery carriers.

Imaging and Quantification of Secreted Peroxynitrite at the Cell Surface by a Streptavidin-Biotin-Controlled Binding Probe.

The ability to detect and image secreted peroxynitrite (ONOO ) along the extracellular surface of a single cell is biologically significant, as ONOO generally exerts its function for host defense and signal transductions at the plasma membrane. However, as a result of the short lifetime and fast diffusion rate of small ONOO , precise determination of the ONOO level at the cell surface remains a challenging task. In this paper, the use of a membrane-anchored streptavidin-biotin-controlled binding probe (CBP), ONOO-CBP, to determine quantitatively the ONOO level at the cell surface and to investigate the effect of different stimulants on the production of ONOO along the plasma membrane of macrophages is reported.

Causes of low peak bone mass in women.

Peak bone mass is the maximum bone mass that accrues during growth and development. Consolidation of peak bone mass normally occurs during early adulthood. Low peak bone mass results from failure to achieve peak bone mass genetic potential, primarily due to bone loss caused by a variety of conditions or processes occurring at younger ages than usual.

Target-activated streptavidin-biotin controlled binding probe.

Target-activated chemical probes are important tools in basic biological research and medical diagnosis for monitoring enzyme activities and reactive small molecules. Based on the fluorescence turn-on mechanism, they can be divided into two classes: dye-based fluorescent probes and caged-luciferin. In this paper, we introduce a new type of chemical probe in which the fluorescence turn-on is based on controlled streptavidin-biotin binding.

S- Cis Diene Conformation: A New Bathochromic Shift Strategy for Near-Infrared Fluorescence Switchable Dye and the Imaging Applications.

In this paper, we present a novel charge-free fluorescence-switchable near-infrared (IR) dye based on merocyanine for target specific imaging. In contrast to the typical bathochromic shift approach by extending π-conjugation, the bathochromic shift of our merocyanine dye to the near-IR region is due to an unusual S- cis diene conformer. This is the first example where a fluorescent dye adopts the stable S- cis conformation.

Periosteal flap augmentation of the Modified Broström-Gould procedure for chronic lateral ankle instability.

Introduction: Chronic lateral ankle instability occurs in up to 20% of ankle injuries. Most can be treated conservatively, but surgical reconstruction is required if conservative treatment fails. Modified Broström-Gould procedure is an effective surgical treatment and the augmentation of this procedure with a periosteal flap may confer additional stability.

Phytochemical profile of Orthosiphon aristatus extracts after storage: Rosmarinic acid and other caffeic acid derivatives.

Background: Orthosiphon aristatus (Blume) Miq. is a medicinal herb which is traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes and kidney diseases in South East Asia. Previous studies reported higher concentration of antioxidative phytochemicals, especially rosmarinic acid (ester of caffeic acid) and other caffeic acid derivatives in this plant extract than the other herbs such as rosemary and sage which are usually used as raw materials to produce rosmarinic acid supplement in the market.

Effects of Playback Theatre on cognitive function and quality of life in older adults in Singapore: A preliminary study.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of Playback Theatre on older adults' cognitive function and well-being, specifically in the Singapore context.

Methods: Eighteen healthy older adults, older than 50 years of age, participated in the study. Due to practical limitations, a single-group pre-post study design was adopted.

An Effective Cell Coculture Platform Based on the Electrospun Microtube Array Membrane for Nerve Regeneration.

Recently, a novel substrate known as an electrospun polylactic acid (PLLA) microtube array membrane (MTAM) was successfully developed as a cell coculture platform. Structurally, this substrate is made up of one-to-one connected, ultrathin, submicron scale fibers that are arranged in an arrayed formation. Its unique structure confers several key advantages which are beneficial in a cell coculture system.

Biochemical Testing Relevant to Bone.

Laboratory biochemical testing is critical to the clinical understanding of bone disorders. Patients with skeletal diseases have underlying themes in their pathophysiology that would be impossible to detect without biochemical assessment of serum and urine minerals, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, parathyroid hormone-related peptide, and bone turnover markers. Bone disorders are caused by abnormalities in signaling pathways that affect bone formation and resorption.

Microtube array membrane bioreactor promotes neuronal differentiation and orientation.

An important challenge in neuronal tissue engineering is to create innovative tools capable of promoting cellular response in terms of neuronal differentiation and neurite orientation that may be used as investigational platforms for studying neurobiological events and neurodegenerative disorders. A novel membrane bioreactor was created to provide a 3D well-controlled microenvironment for neuronal outgrowth. The bioreactor consisted of poly-L-lactic acid highly aligned microtube array (PLLA-MTA) membranes assembled in parallel within a chamber that establish an intraluminal and an extraluminal compartment whose communication occurs through the pores of the MTA membrane walls.

Abaloparatide: Recombinant human PTHrP (1-34) anabolic therapy for osteoporosis.

The treatment of osteoporosis is generally either by inhibition of bone resorption with antiresorptive agents or by stimulation of bone formation with anabolic agents. Currently, teriparatide (recombinant human parathyroid hormone 1-34 [rhPTH (1-34)]) is the only available approved anabolic agent in the U.S.