Particulate β-glucan induces TNF-α production in wound macrophages via a redox-sensitive NF-κβ-dependent pathway.

Glucans are known to promote wound repair. Noncellulosic β-glucans are recognized as potent immunological activators. β-Glucans are generally safe and are known to attenuate the rate of postoperative infection.

Application of carbon fiber composite minielectrodes for measurement of kinetic constants of nitric oxide decay in solution.

Carbon fiber microelectrodes and carbon fiber composite minielectrodes (CFM/CFCM) have been generally used for measurements of nitric oxide (NO) concentration in chemical and biological systems. The response time of a CFM/CFCM is usually from milliseconds to seconds depending on the electrode size, the thickness of coating layers on the electrode, and NO diffusion coefficients of the coating layers. As a result, the time course of recoded current changes (I-t curves) by the CFM/CFCM may be different from the actual time course of NO concentration changes (c-t curves) if the half-life of NO decay is close to or shorter than the response time of the electrode used.

Macrophage dysfunction impairs resolution of inflammation in the wounds of diabetic mice.

Background: Chronic inflammation is a characteristic feature of diabetic cutaneous wounds. We sought to delineate novel mechanisms involved in the impairment of resolution of inflammation in diabetic cutaneous wounds. At the wound-site, efficient dead cell clearance (efferocytosis) is a pre-requisite for the timely resolution of inflammation and successful healing.

Improved function of diabetic wound-site macrophages and accelerated wound closure in response to oral supplementation of a fermented papaya preparation.

Carica papaya Linn is widely known as a medicinal fruit. We sought to study a standardized fermented papaya preparation (FPP) for its effects on wound healing in adult obese diabetic (db/db) mice. FPP blunted the gain in blood glucose and improved the lipid profile after 8 weeks of oral supplementation.

Oxygen regulates the effective diffusion distance of nitric oxide in the aortic wall.

Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) is critical in maintaining vascular tone. Accumulating evidence shows that NO bioavailability is regulated by oxygen concentration. However, it is unclear to what extent the oxygen concentration regulates NO bioavailability in the vascular wall.

Nitric oxide diffusion rate is reduced in the aortic wall.

Endogenous nitric oxide (NO) plays important physiological roles in the body. As a small diatomic molecule, NO has been assumed to freely diffuse in tissues with a diffusion rate similar to that in water. However, this assumption has not been tested experimentally.