Lung transplantation after ex vivo lung perfusion versus static cold storage: An institutional cost analysis.

Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a novel lung preservation strategy that facilitates the use of marginal allografts; however, it is more expensive than static cold storage (SCS). To understand how preservation method might affect postoperative costs, we compared outcomes and index hospitalization costs among matched EVLP and SCS preserved lung transplant (LTx) recipients at a single, high-volume institution. A total of 22 EVLP and 66 matched SCS LTx recipients were included; SCS grafts were further stratified as either standard-criteria (SCD) or extended-criteria donors (ECD).

Sex-Dependent Modulation of Anxiety and Fear by 5-HT Receptors in the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis.

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) coordinates behavioral responses to stress through a variety of presynaptic and postsynaptic receptors distributed across functionally diverse neuronal networks in the central nervous system. Efferent 5-HT projections from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) are generally thought to enhance anxiety and aversive learning by activating 5-HT receptor (5-HTR) signaling in the BNST, although an opposing role for postsynaptic 5-HT receptors has recently been suggested. In the present study, we sought to delineate a role for postsynaptic 5-HT receptors in the BNST in aversive behaviors using a conditional knockdown of the 5-HT receptor.

Central Amygdala Prepronociceptin-Expressing Neurons Mediate Palatable Food Consumption and Reward.

Food palatability is one of many factors that drives food consumption, and the hedonic drive to feed is a key contributor to obesity and binge eating. In this study, we identified a population of prepronociceptin-expressing cells in the central amygdala (Pnoc) that are activated by palatable food consumption. Ablation or chemogenetic inhibition of these cells reduces palatable food consumption.

Analysis of TMEFF2 allografts and transgenic mouse models reveals roles in prostate regeneration and cancer.

Background: Previous results from our lab indicate a tumor suppressor role for the transmembrane protein with epidermal growth factor and two follistatin motifs 2 (TMEFF2) in prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we further characterize this role and uncover new functions for TMEFF2 in cancer and adult prostate regeneration.

Methods: The role of TMEFF2 was examined in PCa cells using Matrigel(TM) cultures and allograft models of PCa cells.

The TMEFF2 tumor suppressor modulates integrin expression, RhoA activation and migration of prostate cancer cells.

Cell adhesion and migration play important roles in physiological and pathological states, including embryonic development and cancer invasion and metastasis. The type I transmembrane protein with epidermal growth factor and two follistatin motifs 2 (TMEFF2) is expressed mainly in brain and prostate and its expression is deregulated in prostate cancer. We have previously shown that TMEFF2 can function as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cell migration and invasion of prostate cells.