A Novel Dressing Composed of Adipose Stem Cells and Decellularized Wharton's Jelly Facilitated Wound Healing and Relieved Lymphedema by Enhancing Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis in a Rat Model.

Lymphedema causes tissue swelling due to the accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the tissue, which delays the process of wound-healing. Developing effective treatment options of lymphedema is still an urgent issue. In this study, we aim to fabricate tissue-engineered moist wound dressings with adipose stem cells (ASCs) and decellularized Wharton's jelly (dWJ) from the human umbilical cord in order to ameliorate lymphedema.

Adrenal Crisis Mimicking COVID-19 Encephalopathy in a Teenager with Craniopharyngioma.

There is an increasing number of reported cases with neurological manifestations of COVID-19 in children. Symptoms include headache, general malaise, ageusia, seizure and alterations in consciousness. The differential diagnosis includes several potentially lethal conditions including encephalopathy, encephalitis, intracranial hemorrhage, thrombosis and adrenal crisis.

Epidemiology and risk factors associated with avascular necrosis in patients with autoimmune diseases: a nationwide study.

Background/aims: Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a clinical condition characterized by the death of bone components due to interruption in the blood supply. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and determine the risk factors for AVN in patients with autoimmune diseases.

Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort analysis using claims data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

Cryopreserved allogenic vascular graft in free-flap reconstructive microsurgery: case report.

The use of cryopreserved allogenic vascular graft in reconstructive microsurgery has rarely been reported. Here, we report a case of lower extremity reconstruction using cryopreserved hepatic artery as the vein conduit. Postoperative flap perfusion was uneventful with satisfactory wound healing, and graft patency was observed on follow-up color Doppler.

Sonication-Assisted Method for Decellularization of Human Umbilical Artery for Small-Caliber Vascular Tissue Engineering.

Decellularized vascular grafts are useful for the construction of biological small-diameter tissue-engineered vascular grafts (≤6 mm). Traditional chemical decellularization requires a long treatment time, which may damage the structure and alter the mechanical properties. Decellularization using sonication is expected to solve this problem.

Lysophosphatidic acid receptors 2 and 3 regulate erythropoiesis at different hematopoietic stages.

Hematopoiesis, the complex developmental process that forms blood components and replenishes the blood system, involves multiple intracellular and extracellular mechanisms. We previously demonstrated that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a lipid growth factor, has opposing regulatory effects on erythrocyte differentiation through activation of LPA receptors 2 and 3; yet the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. In this study, LPA is observed that highly expressed in common myeloid progenitors (CMP) in murine myeloid cells, whereas the expression of LPA displaces in megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitors (MEP) of later stage of myeloid differentiation.

Epidemiology and risk factors for avascular necrosis in childhood systemic lupus erythematosus in a Taiwanese population.

Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with greater disease activity, more aggressive course, and high rates of organ damage. The prolonged use of corticosteroids in childhood SLE contributes to increased morbidity, including avascular necrosis (AVN). We conducted this retrospective study using claims data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, enrolling 1,472 children with newly-diagnosed SLE between 2005 and 2013.

A Novel Function of the Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor 3 (LPAR3) Gene in Zebrafish on Modulating Anxiety, Circadian Rhythm Locomotor Activity, and Short-Term Memory.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a small lysophospholipid molecule that activates multiple cellular functions through pathways with G-protein-coupled receptors. So far, six LPA receptors (LPAR1 to LPAR6) have been discovered and each one of them can connect to the downstream cell message-transmitting network. A previous study demonstrated that LPA receptors found in blood-producing stem cells can enhance erythropoietic processes through the activation of LPAR3.

The Antithrombotic Function of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate on Human Adipose-Stem-Cell-Recellularized Tissue Engineered Vascular Graft In Vitro.

Adipose stem cells (ASCs) show potential in the recellularization of tissue engineerined vascular grafts (TEVGs). However, whether sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) could further enhance the adhesion, proliferation, and antithrombosis of ASCs on decellularized vascular scaffolds is unknown. This study investigated the effect of S1P on the recellularization of TEVGs with ASCs.

Dietary Supplementation with Hazelnut Oil Reduces Serum Hyperlipidemia and Ameliorates the Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Hamsters Fed a High-Cholesterol Diet.

: Hazelnut oil (HO) is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study intended to analyze the effects of hazelnut oil supplementation on the serum lipid profile and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in hamsters fed a high-cholesterol (HC) diet. : Hamsters were fed a basic diet (control group) and an HC diet (HC group) for 16 weeks ( = 10 in each group).

Pectoral Fin Anomalies in Knockdown Zebrafish Embryos Related to the Cascade Effect of N-Cadherin and Extracellular Matrix Formation.

Functional knockdown of zebrafish causes hypoplasia or aplasia of pectoral fins. This study aimed to assess developmental pectoral fin anomalies in morpholino knockdown zebrafish embryos. The expression of cartilage-related genes in the morphant was analyzed by DNA microarray, immunostaining, and thin-section histology to examine the detailed distribution of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during different pectoral fin developmental stages.

A nanodroplet cell processing platform facilitating drug synergy evaluations for anti-cancer treatments.

Therapeutic drug synergism intervened in cancer treatments has been demonstrated to be more effective than using a single effector. However, it remains inherently challenging, with a limited cell count from tumor samples, to achieve potent personalized drug cocktails. To address the issue above, we herein present a nanodroplet cell processing platform.

Decellularized porcine coronary artery with adipose stem cells for vascular tissue engineering.

Background: Decellularized xenogenic vascular tissue has potential applications in small-diameter tissue engineering vascular grafts. Decellularization removes most xenogenic antigen and leaves most of the extracellular matrix for cell adhesion, migration and proliferation. Recellularization is recognized as an important step to improve the endothelialization of decellularized vascular grafts in vivo and most studies used endothelial cells for recellularization.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate in Endothelial Cell Recellularization Improves Patency and Endothelialization of Decellularized Vascular Grafts In Vivo.

Background: S1P has been shown to improve the endothelialization of decellularized vascular grafts in vitro. Here, we evaluated the potential of tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) constructed by ECs and S1P on decellularized vascular scaffolds in a rat model.

Methods: Rat aorta was decellularized mainly by 0.

In Vivo Performance of Decellularized Vascular Grafts: A Review Article.

Due to poor vessel quality in patients with cardiovascular diseases, there has been an increased demand for small-diameter tissue-engineered blood vessels that can be used as replacement grafts in bypass surgery. Decellularization techniques to minimize cellular inflammation have been applied in tissue engineering research for the development of small-diameter vascular grafts. The biocompatibility of allogenic or xenogenic decellularized matrices has been evaluated in vitro and in vivo.

Anti-apoptotic effects of IGF-I on mortality and dysmorphogenesis in tbx5-deficient zebrafish embryos.

Background: Tbx5 deficiency in zebrafish causes several abnormal phenotypes of the heart and pectoral fins. It has been reported that exogenous human growth hormone can enhance expression of downstream mediators in the growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) pathway and partially restore dysmorphogenesis in tbx5 morphants. This study aimed to further evaluate the effects of IGF-I on cell apoptosis and dysmorphogenesis in zebrafish embryos deficient for tbx5.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate improves endothelialization with reduction of thrombosis in recellularized human umbilical vein graft by inhibiting syndecan-1 shedding in vitro.

Unlabelled: Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has been known to promote endothelial cell (EC) proliferation and protect Syndecan-1 (SDC1) from shedding, thereby maintaining this antithrombotic signal. In the present study, we investigated the effect of S1P in the construction of a functional tissue-engineered blood vessel by using human endothelial cells and decellularized human umbilical vein (DHUV) scaffolds. Both human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human cord blood derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) were seeded onto the scaffold with or without the S1P treatment.

Scaffolds and Cell-Based Tissue Engineering for Blood Vessel Therapy.

The increasing morbidity of cardiovascular diseases in modern society has made it crucial to develop a small-caliber blood vessel. In the absence of appropriate autologous vascular grafts, an alternative prosthesis must be constructed for cardiovascular disease patients. The aim of this article is to describe the advances in making cell-seeded cardiovascular prostheses.

Pharmacological activation of lysophosphatidic acid receptors regulates erythropoiesis.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a growth factor-like phospholipid, regulates numerous physiological functions, including cell proliferation and differentiation. In a previous study, we have demonstrated that LPA activates erythropoiesis by activating the LPA 3 receptor subtype (LPA3) under erythropoietin (EPO) induction. In the present study, we applied a pharmacological approach to further elucidate the functions of LPA receptors during red blood cell (RBC) differentiation.

Opposing regulation of megakaryopoiesis by LPA receptors 2 and 3 in K562 human erythroleukemia cells.

Erythrocytes and megakaryocytes (MK) are derived from a common progenitor that undergoes lineage specification. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a lipid growth factor was previously shown to be a regulator for erythropoietic process through activating LPA receptor 3 (LPA3). However, whether LPA affects megakaryopoiesis remains unclear.

Calreticulin activates β1 integrin via fucosylation by fucosyltransferase 1 in J82 human bladder cancer cells.

Fucosylation regulates various pathological events in cells. We reported that different levels of CRT (calreticulin) affect the cell adhesion and metastasis of bladder cancer. However, the precise mechanism of tumour metastasis regulated by CRT remains unclear.

Ultrasound-guided perineural steroid injection to treat intractable pain due to sciatic nerve injury.

Purpose: Sciatic neuropathy is a rare but serious complication of cardiac surgery. Neuropathic pain following nerve injury can be severely debilitating and largely resistant to treatment. We present a case of this complication where ultrasound-guided perineural steroid injection at the site of the sciatic nerve injury provided excellent pain relief and facilitated subsequent rehabilitation.

Clinical analysis of Enterobacter bacteremia in pediatric patients: a 10-year study.

Background: Enterobacter species has emerged as an important pathogen of nosocomial bacteremia. The purpose of this study is to review the clinical characteristics of bacteremia in pediatric patients.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of patients (under the age of 18 years) having Enterobacter bacteremia who were treated at Taipei the Veterans General Hospital from January 2001 to June 2011.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate induces VEGF-C expression through a MMP-2/FGF-1/FGFR-1-dependent pathway in endothelial cells in vitro.

Aim: To investigate whether sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a potent angiogenic factor, induced vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) expression in endothelial cells in vitro and to examine its underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were examined. VEGF-C mRNA expression in the cells was assessed using real-time PCR.

The paracrine effect of exogenous growth hormone alleviates dysmorphogenesis caused by tbx5 deficiency in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.

Background: Dysmorphogenesis and multiple organ defects are well known in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos with T-box transcription factor 5 (tbx5) deficiencies, mimicking human Holt-Oram syndrome.

Methods: Using an oligonucleotide-based microarray analysis to study the expression of special genes in tbx5 morphants, we demonstrated that GH and some GH-related genes were markedly downregulated. Zebrafish embryos microinjected with tbx5-morpholino (MO) antisense RNA and mismatched antisense RNA in the 1-cell stage served as controls, while zebrafish embryos co-injected with exogenous growth hormone (GH) concomitant with tbx5-MO comprised the treatment group.