Endovascular stimulation of the pudendal nerve using a stent-mounted electrode array.

. Previous preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that pudendal nerve is a promising target for restoring bladder control. The spatial proximity between the pudendal nerve and its accompanying blood vessels in the pudendal canal provides an opportunity for endovascular neurostimulation, which is a less invasive approach compared to conventional chronically implanted electrodes.

Feasibility of endovascular stimulation of the femoral nerve using a stent-mounted electrode array.

Electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves has long been a treatment option to restore impaired neural functions that cannot be restored by conventional pharmacological therapies. Endovascular neurostimulation with stent-mounted electrode arrays is a promising and less invasive alternative to traditional implanted electrodes, which typically require invasive implantation surgery. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of endovascular stimulation of the femoral nerve using a stent-mounted electrode array and compared its performance to that of a commercially available pacing catheter.

Boosting the performance of loss-tolerant measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution.

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution can remove all possible detector side channels, and is robust against state preparation flaws when further combined with the loss-tolerant method. However, the secure key rate in this scenario is relatively low, thus hindering its practical application. Here, we first present a four-intensity decoy-state protocol where the signal intensity is modulated only in Z basis for key generation while the decoy intensities are modulated in both Z and X bases for parameter estimation.

Computational modeling of endovascular peripheral nerve stimulation using a stent-mounted electrode array.

Endovascular neuromodulation has attracted substantial interest in recent years as a minimally invasive approach to treat neurological disorders. In this study, we investigated with a computational model the feasibility of stimulating peripheral nerves with an endovascular stent-mounted electrode array.Anatomically realistic FEM models were constructed for the pudendal and vagal neurovascular bundles.

Computational Modeling of an Endovascular Peripheral Nerve Interface.

Implantable neuromodulation devices that interface with the peripheral nervous system are a promising approach to restore functions lost to nerve damage. Existing nerve stimulation electrodes require direct contact with the target nerve and are associated with mechanical nerve damage and fibrous tissue encapsulation. Endovascularly delivered electrode arrays may provide a less invasive solution.

Experimental measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with the double-scanning method.

The measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) can be immune to all detector side-channel attacks. Moreover, it can be easily implemented combining with the matured decoy-state methods under current technology. It, thus, seems a very promising candidate in practical implementation of quantum communications.

Eriodictyol attenuates TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis through repressing TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway in rats.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease characterized by mucosal and submucosal inflammation, which has a low cure rate and is prone to relapse, due to the immune imbalance of the body. Inhibition of inflammation-related pathways can delay the progression of UC. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway is considered to be one of the important signaling pathways involved in colon inflammation.

Histone Modifications Regulate the Developmental Expression of Human Hepatic UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1.

Human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) is a unique enzyme involved in bilirubin conjugation. We previously characterized the hepatic expression of transcription factors affecting UGT1A1 expression during development. Accordingly, in this study, we characterized the ontogenetic expression of hepatic UGT1A1 from the perspective of epigenetic regulation.

Effects of UGT1A1*6, UGT1A1*28, and ABCB1-3435C>T polymorphisms on irinotecan induced toxicity in Chinese cancer patients.

Object: The aim of this study was to investigate whether UGT1A1*6/*28 or ABCB1-3435C>T polymorphisms affect irinotecan-induced severe diarrhea and neutropenia in Chinese cancer patients.

Methods: A total of 157 cancer patients was enrolled in this study and the genotypes of UGT1A1*6/*28 and ABCB1-3435C>T polymorphisms were analyzed by PCRSanger sequence. The relationship between UGT1A1*6/*28 and ABCB1-3435C>T polymorphisms and irinotecan induced severe diarrhea and neutropenia were analyzed.

Esophago-Cardial-Gastric Tunneling Peritoneoscopy: In Vivo Dog Survival Study.

Background: Diagnostic peritoneoscopy is typically performed by using a rigid laparoscope. Inspired by gastric submucosal tunneling for peritoneal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery access and peroral endoscopic myotomy for the treatment of achalasia, we developed a novel esophago-cardial-gastric tunneling (ECGT) peritoneoscopy technique with a flexible endoscope. This study aims to evaluate its feasibility and safety.

Development of a rat model of D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide induced hepatorenal syndrome.

Aim: To develop a practical and reproducible rat model of hepatorenal syndrome for further study of the pathophysiology of human hepatorenal syndrome.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were intravenously injected with D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) via the tail vein to induce fulminant hepatic failure to develop a model of hepatorenal syndrome. Liver and kidney function tests and plasma cytokine levels were measured after D-galactosamine/LPS administration, and hepatic and renal pathology was studied.

Astragalus polysaccharide suppresses excessive collagen accumulation in a murine model of bleomycin-induced scleroderma.

Systemic scleroderma is an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrotic changes in skin and other organs involving excessive collagen deposition. The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway plays a key role in the fibrotic process in systemic scleroderma (SSc). Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) isolated from one of the Chinese herbs, Astragalus mongholicus, are known to have a variety of immunomodulatory activities.

Sinapic acid derivatives from the seeds of Raphanus nussatirus L.

A new disulfide glycoside, raphthioglucoside (1), and a new sinapic acid derivative, sinapic acid 5-hydroxymethylfurfural ester (2), together with sinapic acid (3) have been isolated from the seeds of Raphanus nussatirus L. The structures of compounds 1-3 were determined based on chemical analysis and spectroscopic methods (UV, 1D and 2D NMR, HRFABMS, HREIMS and elemental analysis).