Anti-necroptotic effects of human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells in skeletal muscle cell death model via secretion of GRO-α.

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have therapeutic applications and potential for use in regenerative medicine. However, the use of hMSCs in research and clinical medicine is limited by a lack of information pertaining to their donor-specific functional attributes. In this study, we compared the characteristics of same-donor derived placenta (PL) and Wharton's jelly (WJ)-derived hMSCs, we also compared their mechanism of action in a skeletal muscle disease in vitro model.

Relationship between lower limb muscle activity and cortical activation among elderly people during walking: Effects of fast speed and cognitive dual task.

Objective: Gait is a complex behavior that involves not only the musculoskeletal system, but also higher-order brain functions, including cognition. This study was performed to investigate the correlation between lower limb muscle activity and cortical activation during treadmill walking in two groups of elderly people: the young-old (aged 65-74 years) and the old-old (aged 75-84 years).

Methods: Thirty-one young-old and 31 old-old people participated in this study.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Neutralizing Antibody Production after COVID-19 Vaccination Using Newly Developed Rapid Point-of-Care Test.

(1) Objective: To investigate the factors that affect rates of neutralizing antibody production and duration after vaccination using the newly developed SARS-CoV-2 POCT. (2) Methods: The production of immunoglobulin and neutralizing antibody in clinical subjects who completed various vaccines was analyzed using the POCT, the semi-quantitative was interpreted by measurement application, and the quantified neutralizing antibody titers were using the ELISA. (3) Results: According to the clinical performance analysis of the POCT, the clinical sensitivity and the specificity were 96.

Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells with High Aurora Kinase A Expression Show Improved Proliferation, Migration, and Therapeutic Potential.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are effective therapeutic agents that contribute to tissue repair and regeneration by secreting various factors. However, donor-dependent variations in MSC proliferation and therapeutic potentials result in variable production yields and clinical outcomes, thereby impeding MSC-based therapies. Hence, selection of MSCs with high proliferation and therapeutic potentials would be important for effective clinical application of MSCs.

Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduce Fibrosis in a Mouse Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy by Upregulating microRNA 499.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) in an animal model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Mdx mice (3-5 months old) were administered five different doses of WJ-MSCs through their tail veins. A week after injection, grip strength measurements, creatine kinase (CK) assays, immunohistochemistry, and western blots were performed for comparison between healthy mice, mdx control mice, and WJ-MSC-injected mdx mice.

Correlation between cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost and lower-limb muscle activity during inclined treadmill gait in older adults.

Background: Inclined walking requires more cardiopulmonary metabolic energy and muscle strength than flat-level walking. This study sought to investigate changes in lower-limb muscle activity and cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost during treadmill walking with different inclination grades and to discern any correlation between these two measures in older adults.

Methods: Twenty-four healthy older adults (n = 11 males; mean age: 75.

Exposure of Mesenchymal Stem Cells to an Alzheimer's Disease Environment Enhances Therapeutic Effects.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising tool for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies suggested that the coculture of human MSCs with AD in an model reduced the expression of amyloid-beta 42 (A42) in the medium as well as the overexpression of amyloid-beta- (A-) degrading enzymes such as neprilysin (NEP). We focused on the role of primed MSCs (human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) exposed to an AD cell line via a coculture system) in reducing the levels of A and inhibiting cell death.

Wearable hip-assist robot modulates cortical activation during gait in stroke patients: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Background: Gait dysfunction is common in post-stroke patients as a result of impairment in cerebral gait mechanism. Powered robotic exoskeletons are promising tools to maximize neural recovery by delivering repetitive walking practice.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the modulating effect of the Gait Enhancing and Motivating System-Hip (GEMS-H) on cortical activation during gait in patients with chronic stroke.

Pressure Stimuli Improve the Proliferation of Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells under Hypoxic Culture Conditions.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are safe, and they have good therapeutic efficacy through their paracrine action. However, long-term culture to produce sufficient MSCs for clinical use can result in side-effects, such as an inevitable senescence and the reduction of the therapeutic efficacy of the MSCs. In order to overcome this, the primary culture conditions of the MSCs can be modified to simulate the stem cells' niche environment, resulting in accelerated proliferation, the achievement of the target production yield at earlier passages, and the improvement of the therapeutic efficacy.

Anti-Fibrotic Effect of Human Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Skeletal Muscle Cells, Mediated by Secretion of MMP-1.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) components play an important role in maintaining skeletal muscle function, but excessive accumulation of ECM components interferes with skeletal muscle regeneration after injury, eventually inducing fibrosis. Increased oxidative stress level caused by dystrophin deficiency is a key factor in fibrosis in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered a promising therapeutic agent for various diseases involving fibrosis.

Training for Walking Efficiency With a Wearable Hip-Assist Robot in Patients With Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background and Purpose- The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gait training with a newly developed wearable hip-assist robot on locomotor function and efficiency in patients with chronic stroke. Methods- Twenty-eight patients with stroke with hemiparesis were initially enrolled, and 26 patients completed the randomized controlled trial (14 in the experimental and 12 in the control groups). The experimental group participated in a gait training program over a total of 10 sessions, including 5 treadmill sessions and 5 over-ground gait training sessions while wearing a hip-assist robot, the Gait Enhancing and Motivating System (GEMS, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Suwon, Republic of Korea).

Can the Penile Cuff Test Predict the Outcome of Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate for Benign Prostatic Obstruction?

Objective: To determine whether the penile cuff test can predict surgical outcomes prior to Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate for benign prostatic obstruction.

Methods: Men scheduled to undergo Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate were enrolled in this study, and all patients underwent the penile cuff test prior to and 3 months after surgery. Patients were categorized as obstructed, nonobstructed, or uncertain by nomogram.

A wearable hip-assist robot reduces the cardiopulmonary metabolic energy expenditure during stair ascent in elderly adults: a pilot cross-sectional study.

Background: Stair ascent is one of the most important and challenging activities of daily living to maintain mobility and independence in elderly adults. Recently, various types of wearable walking assist robots have been developed to improve gait function and metabolic efficiency for elderly adults. Several studies have shown that walking assist robots can improve cardiopulmonary metabolic efficiency during level walking in elderly.

Innovative Distribution Priorities for the Medical Devices Industry in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Purpose: This study aimed to set priorities for improving the medical device distribution structure and to suggest an innovative improvement plan for the distribution structure using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, focusing on stakeholders in the medical device industry.

Methods: This study conducted a survey with 35 specialists using the AHP method, which is a multiple-criteria decisionmaking methodology, in order to set priorities for improvement plans to address the problems faced by the medical device distribution structure.

Results: The AHP analysis showed that supply stability was the most important factor, followed by greater transparency, efficiency, smart supply, and cost reduction.

Potent effect of the MDM2 inhibitor AMG232 on suppression of glioblastoma stem cells.

Testing new ways to identify untapped opportunities for glioblastoma therapies remains highly significant. Amplification and overexpression of MDM2 gene is frequent in glioblastoma and disrupting the MDM2-p53 interaction is a promising strategy to treat the cancer. RG7112 is the first-in class inhibitor and recently discovered AMG232 is the most potent MDM2 inhibitor known to date.

High-Dose Compound Heat Map for 3D-Cultured Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells in a Micropillar and Microwell Chip Platform.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is recognized as the most common and lethal form of central nervous system cancer. To cure GBM patients, many target-specific chemotherapeutic agents have been developing. However, 2D monolayer cell-based toxicity and efficacy tests did not efficiently screen agents due to the pool reflection of in vivo microenvironments (cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix interaction).

Gait performance and foot pressure distribution during wearable robot-assisted gait in elderly adults.

Background: A robotic exoskeleton device is an intelligent system designed to improve gait performance and quality of life for the wearer. Robotic technology has developed rapidly in recent years, and several robot-assisted gait devices were developed to enhance gait function and activities of daily living in elderly adults and patients with gait disorders. In this study, we investigated the effects of the Gait-enhancing Mechatronic System (GEMS), a new wearable robotic hip-assist device developed by Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd.

Volumetric Analysis of 3-D-Cultured Colonies in Wet Alginate Spots Using 384-Pillar Plate.

The volumetric analysis of three-dimensional (3-D)-cultured colonies in alginate spots has been proposed to increase drug efficacy. In a previously developed pillar/well chip platform, colonies within spots are usually stained and dried for analysis of cell viability using two-dimensional (2-D) fluorescent images. Since the number of viable cells in colonies is directly related to colony volume, we proposed the 3-D analysis of colonies for high-accuracy cell viability calculation.

Assessing the Readjustable Sling Procedure (Remeex System) for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence With Detrusor Underactivity.

Purpose: Many surgeons worry about postoperative voiding problems in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and detrusor underactivity (DU). This study hypothesized that adjusting the tension after surgery would benefit patients with DU, and therefore researchers evaluated the outcomes and quality of life of women with SUI and DU who underwent the readjustable sling procedure (Remeex).

Methods: The medical records of 27 patients who were treated with the Remeex system for SUI and DU between 2007 and 2013 were retrospectively analyzed.

Surgical Outcomes and Safety of Robotic Sacrocolpopexy in Women With Apical Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the surgical outcomes and safety of robotic sacrocolpopexy (RSC) in patients with uterine/vaginal vault prolapse.

Methods: Between January 2009 and June 2015, 16 women with apical prolapse underwent RSC. Pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) examination was performed, and treatment success was defined as the presence of grade 0 or I apical prolapse upon POP-Q examination at the final follow-up.

High-Throughput Clonogenic Analysis of 3D-Cultured Patient-Derived Cells with a Micropillar and Microwell Chip.

A high-throughput clonogenic assay with a micropillar-microwell chip platform is proposed by using the colony area of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patient-derived cells (PDCs) from colony images. Unlike conventional cell lines, PDCs from the tumor are composed of heterogeneous cell populations, and some clonogenic populations form colonies during culture while the rest die off or remain unchanged, thus causing the diverse distribution of colony size. Therefore, area-based analysis of the total colonies is not sufficient to estimate total cell viability or toxicity responses.

Diagnosing bladder outlet obstruction using the penile cuff test in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Aim: The current standard diagnostic test to evaluate bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) is pressure-flow study (PFS). The penile cuff test (PCT) was introduced as a non-invasive alternative to PFS to determine the isovolumetric bladder pressure and also flow rate. The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and acceptability of the PCT, compared to those of PFS, in the assessment of BOO in men.