Short-term electrical stimulation to promote nerve repair and functional recovery in a rat model.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of duration of electrical stimulation on peripheral nerve regeneration and functional recovery. Based on previous work, we hypothesized that applying 10 minutes of electrical stimulation to a 10-mm rat sciatic nerve defect would significantly improve nerve regeneration and functional recovery compared with the non-electrical stimulation group.

Methods: A silicone tube filled with a collagen gel was used to bridge a 10-mm nerve defect in rats, and either 10 minutes or 60 minutes of electrical stimulation was applied to the nerve during surgery.

Evaluation of embolic protection devices for fat emboli prevention.

Background: Patients with acutely treated femoral shaft fractures with reamed intramedullary nailing are at risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome due to liberation of bone marrow fat particles that travel to the lung and cause damage to the parenchyma. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate: (1) the ability of clinically applicable embolic protection devices to capture such particles; (2) how such a device affects cardiopulmonary function after reamed intramedullary nailing; and (3) evaluation of lung pathology to determine whether filtration affects pulmonary embolic load.

Methods: A total of 12 canines were anesthetized, and hemodynamic monitoring was established.

Resorbable, amino acid-based poly(ester urea)s crosslinked with osteogenic growth peptide with enhanced mechanical properties and bioactivity.

Materials currently used for the treatment of bone defects include ceramics, polymeric scaffolds and composites, which are often impregnated with recombinant growth factors and other bioactive substances. While these materials have seen instances of success, each has inherent shortcomings including prohibitive expense, poor protein stability, poorly defined growth factor release and less than desirable mechanical properties. We have developed a novel class of amino acid-based poly(ester urea)s (PEU) materials which are biodegradable in vivo and possess mechanical properties superior to conventionally used polyesters (<3.

Resveratrol exerts differential effects in vitro and in vivo against ovarian cancer cells.

Epithelial ovarian cancer represents the most lethal gynecological cancer, and the high mortality rate makes this malignancy a major health concern. Poor prognosis results from an inability to detect ovarian cancers at an early, curable stage, as well as from the lack of an effective therapy. Thus, effective and novel strategies for prevention and treatment with non-toxic agents merit serious consideration.

Ovarian cancer activity of cyclic amine and thiaether metal complexes.

A thiaether metal complex 1-aza-4,7-dithiacyclononane-RhCl3, 2, and cyclic amine metal complexes tacn-CuBr2, 3, and Me3tacn-RuCl3, 4, have been evaluated for anticancer activity against the ovarian cancer cell line NuTu-19 and for cell toxicity against the noncancerous ovarian tissue cell line OVepi. Specifically, metal complex 2 is active when compared to cisplatin at micromolar concentrations using the MTT and cell invasion assay. The in vitro results reported warrant further evaluation of metal complex 2 in living systems.