Polyethylene Glycol-Based Hydrogel as a 3D Extracellular Matrix Mimic for Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes.

Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models enable us to understand cell behavior that is a better reflection of what occurs in vivo than 2D in vitro models. As a result, developing 3D models for extracellular matrix (ECM) has been growing exponentially. Most of the efforts for these 3D models are geared toward understanding cancer cells.

Temporal Development of Depression and Anxiety in a Large Facial Palsy Cohort.

Introduction: Diagnosis with facial palsy (FP) has been linked to increased psychosocial distress and communication disorders, but limited data exist on the temporal development of depression and anxiety after diagnosis. In a large cohort of FP patients, we characterize the rates of depression and anxiety at several timepoints post-FP diagnosis.

Methods: A de-identified database of all FP patients who presented to a single healthcare system over 22 years was created using Epic SlicerDicer.

Electrostatically Cross-Linked Bioinks for Jetting-Based Bioprinting of 3D Cell Cultures.

It has been acknowledged that thousands of drugs that passed two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models and animal studies often fail when entering human clinical trials. Despite the significant development of three-dimensional (3D) models, developing a high-throughput model that can be reproducible on a scale remains challenging. One of the main challenges is precise cell deposition and the formation of a controllable number of spheroids to achieve more reproducible results for drug discovery and treatment applications.

Cochlear transcriptome analysis of an outbred mouse population (CFW).

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common cause of hearing loss and one of the most prevalent conditions affecting the elderly worldwide. Despite evidence from our lab and others about its polygenic nature, little is known about the specific genes, cell types, and pathways involved in ARHL, impeding the development of therapeutic interventions. In this manuscript, we describe, for the first time, the complete cell-type specific transcriptome of the aging mouse cochlea using snRNA-seq in an outbred mouse model in relation to auditory threshold variation.

Mitochondrial Interaction with Serotonin in Neurobiology and Its Implication in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a lethal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by severe brain pathologies and progressive cognitive decline. While the exact cause of this disease remains unknown, emerging evidence suggests that dysregulation of neurotransmitters contributes to the development of AD pathology and symptoms. Serotonin, a critical neurotransmitter in the brain, plays a pivotal role in regulating various brain processes and is implicated in neurological and psychiatric disorders, including AD.

Elevated Ghrelin Promotes Hippocampal Ghrelin Receptor Defects in Humanized Amyloid-β Knockin Mice During Aging.

Background: Emerging evidence has revealed that dysregulation of the hormone ghrelin and its receptor, growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specifically, defective GHSR function and resultant hippocampal ghrelin resistance are linked to hippocampal synaptic injury in AD paradigms. Also, AD patients exhibit elevated ghrelin activation.

3D Bioprintable Hydrogel with Tunable Stiffness for Exploring Cells Encapsulated in Matrices of Differing Stiffnesses.

In vitro cell models have undergone a shift from 2D models on glass slides to 3D models that better reflect the native 3D microenvironment. 3D bioprinting promises to progress the field by allowing the high-throughput production of reproducible cell-laden structures with high fidelity. The current stiffness range of printable matrices surrounding the cells that mimic the extracellular matrix environment remains limited.

Socioeconomic Disparities in the Pursuit of Care at a High-Volume Institution for Surgical Resection of Vestibular Schwannomas.

Objective: Increased institutional surgical resection case volume for vestibular schwannomas (VSs) has been associated with improved patient outcomes, including reduced risk of prolonged hospital stay and readmission. Socioeconomic disparities in the pursuit of care at these high-volume institutions remain unknown.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort epidemiological study.

Association of Single and Dual Sensory Impairment with Falls among Medicare Beneficiaries.

The purpose of this study was to determine if dual sensory impairment (DSI) is associated with falls and fear of falling among older adults. Using data from the 2019 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS), we studied the cross-sectional association of self-reported hearing/vision impairment with self-reported history/number of falls over the past year, fear of falling (scale 1-6), and a fall requiring medical help using weighted multivariable regressions adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates. Among 11,089 Medicare beneficiaries (mean age = 74, 55% female, 9% Black), DSI is associated with increased prevalence (prevalence ratio = 1.

The Rate of Occult Lesion Diagnosis in a Large Bell's Palsy Cohort.

Objectives: We characterize occult lesion diagnosis rates after initial Bell's palsy diagnoses.

Methods: A de-identified database of all facial palsy patients who presented to an extensive health care system across 22 years was created using Epic SlicerDicer. Among patients with Bell's palsy diagnoses, we extracted demographic and any subsequent occult lesion diagnosis data across various clinical sites.

Hearing Impairment and Allostatic Load in Older Adults.

Importance: Allostatic load, the cumulative strain that results from the chronic stress response, is associated with poor health outcomes. Increased cognitive load and impaired communication associated with hearing loss could potentially be associated with higher allostatic load, but few studies to date have quantified this association.

Objective: To investigate if audiometric hearing loss is associated with allostatic load and evaluate if the association varies by demographic factors.

Electrostatic Assembly of Multiarm PEG-Based Hydrogels as Extracellular Matrix Mimics: Cell Response in the Presence and Absence of RGD Cell Adhesive Ligands.

Synthetic hydrogels have been used widely as extracellular matrix (ECM) mimics due to the ability to control and mimic physical and biochemical cues observed in natural ECM proteins such as collagen, laminin, and fibronectin. Most synthetic hydrogels are formed covalent bonding resulting in slow gelation which is incompatible with drop-on-demand 3D bioprinting of cells and injectable hydrogels for therapeutic delivery. Herein, we developed an electrostatically crosslinked PEG-based hydrogel system for creating high-throughput 3D in vitro models using synthetic hydrogels to mimic the ECM cancer environment.

Cochlear transcriptome analysis of an outbred mouse population (CFW).

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common cause of hearing loss and one of the most prevalent conditions affecting the elderly worldwide. Despite evidence from our lab and others about its polygenic nature, little is known about the specific genes, cell types and pathways involved in ARHL, impeding the development of therapeutic interventions. In this manuscript, we describe, for the first time, the complete cell-type specific transcriptome of the aging mouse cochlea using snRNA-seq in an outbred mouse model in relation to auditory threshold variation.

Tuning the Mechanical Properties of Multiarm RAFT-Based Block Copolyelectrolyte Hydrogels Ionic Cross-Linking for 3D Cell Cultures.

Hydrogels that serve as native extracellular matrix (ECM) mimics are typically naturally derived hydrogels that are physically cross-linked ionic interactions. This means rapid gelation of synthetic polymers, which give control over the chemical and physical cues in hydrogel formation. Herein, we combine the best of both systems by developing a synthetic hydrogel with ionic cross-linking of block copolyelectrolytes to rapidly create hydrogels.

Volumetric analysis of the aging auditory pathway using high resolution magnetic resonance histology.

Numerous shown consequences of age-related hearing loss have been unveiled; however, the relationship of the cortical and subcortical structures of the auditory pathway with aging is not well known. Investigations into neural structure analysis remain sparse due to difficulties of doing so in animal models; however, recent technological advances have been able to achieve a resolution adequate to perform such studies even in the small mouse. We utilize 12 members of the BXD family of recombinant inbred mice and aged separate cohorts.

Use of a Novel Clinical Decision-Making Tool in Vestibular Schwannoma Treatment.

Objective: To determine the usefulness of a personalized tool and its effect on the decision-making process for those with vestibular schwannoma (VS).

Study Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Single institution, academic tertiary care lateral skull base surgery program.

A high-throughput 3D bioprinted cancer cell migration and invasion model with versatile and broad biological applicability.

Understanding the underlying mechanisms of migration and metastasis is a key focus of cancer research. There is an urgent need to develop 3D tumor models that can mimic physiological cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, with high reproducibility and that are suitable for high throughput (HTP) drug screening. Here, we developed a HTP 3D bioprinted migration model using a bespoke drop-on-demand bioprinting platform.

Large-scale phenotyping and characterization of age-related hearing loss in outbred CFW mice.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), or presbycusis, is one of the most prevalent conditions affecting the global population. A substantial fraction of patients with ARHL have no identifiable mutation despite over a hundred having been discovered, suggesting unidentified monogenic or polygenic causes. In this study, we investigated the hearing function of the aging outbred CFW mice through auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds.

Medical students' knowledge of HPV, HPV vaccine, and HPV-associated head and neck cancer.

On the basis of their training, medical students are considered "the best case scenario" among university students in knowledge of the human papillomavirus (HPV). We evaluated differences in knowledge of HPV, HPV vaccine, and head and neck cancer (HNC) among medical students. A previously validated questionnaire was completed by 247 medical students at a Midwestern university.

Advances in 3D Bioprinting for Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine: From Matrix Design to Application.

The tumor microenvironment is highly complex owing to its heterogeneous composition and dynamic nature. This makes tumors difficult to replicate using traditional 2D cell culture models that are frequently used for studying tumor biology and drug screening. This often leads to poor translation of results between in vitro and in vivo and is reflected in the extremely low success rates of new candidate drugs delivered to the clinic.

Cheek Donor Site for Full-Thickness Skin Graft Repair of the Nasal Ala: Outcomes of a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) are useful repairs for reconstructing nasal alar defects. Traditional donor sites include the preauricular, postauricular, and supraclavicular skin.

Objective: To evaluate esthetic outcomes and complications of nasal alar defects repaired with FTSGs from the medial cheek.

Factors Shifting Preference Toward Telemedicine in the Delivery of Skin Cancer Reconstruction Care.

Objectives: Identify which delivery modality for skin reconstruction care, face-to-face (FTF) in-person versus two telemedicine modalities, store-and-forward (S&F) and live video chat (LVC), is patient preferred and how cost, access, wait time, and demographics influence this preference.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Methods: A 16-question survey querying demographics and five scenario-specific preferences questions for the delivery of skin cancer reconstruction care was created and distributed via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a crowdsourcing online marketplace, and in-person to Mohs micrographic surgery patients.

Genetics of noise-induced hearing loss in the mouse model.

Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit worldwide, with the majority of preventable injury attributed to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Highly conserved cochlear genetics between humans and mice have made this animal model a high-yield candidate for better characterizing the biologic and genetic underpinnings of human NIHL. This review aims to summarize advances in understanding the genetics of noise-induced hearing loss in mouse models dating from the early 1990s.

Epidemiology and Prognostic Indicators of Survival in Tongue Lymphoma.

Objectives: Lymphoma, categorized as either non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or Hodgkin's lymphoma, is the second most common malignancy in the head and neck. Primary tongue lymphoma is exceedingly rare, with only case reports or small case series in the literature. This population-based analysis is the first to report the epidemiology and prognostic factors of survival in patients with primary tongue lymphoma.