Nano-fibrous and ladder-like multi-channel nerve conduits: Degradation and modification by gelatin.

We recently fabricated multi-channel PLLA nerve conduits (NCs, conduits diameter: ~3mm, channels diameter: ~200μm) with nano-fibrous microstructure (NNCs) and ladder-like microstructure (LNCs), and found the nanofibers in the NNCs promote differentiation of nerve stem cells (NSCs) into neurons. In the present study, we evaluated the degradation profile of NNCs and LNCs, and observed that NNCs degraded too fast to implant. To delay the degradation and retain the nano-scale effect of NNCs, we used gelatin to wrap (2% w/v gelatin) or embed (8% w/v gelatin) NNCs and LNCs via vacuum infusion and chemical cross-linking with genipin.

NCoR1 restrains thymic negative selection by repressing Bim expression to spare thymocytes undergoing positive selection.

Thymocytes must pass both positive and negative selections to become mature T cells. Negative selection purges thymocytes whose T-cell receptors (TCR) exhibit high affinity to self-peptide MHC complexes (self pMHC) to avoid autoimmune diseases, while positive selection ensures the survival and maturation of thymocytes whose TCRs display intermediate affinity to self pMHCs for effective immunity, but whether transcriptional regulation helps conserve positively selected thymocytes from being purged by negative selection remains unclear. Here we show that the specific deletion of nuclear receptor co-repressor 1 (NCoR1) in T cells causes excessive negative selection to reduce mature thymocyte numbers.

A novel core-shell lipid nanoparticle for improving oral administration of water soluble chemotherapeutic agents: inhibited intestinal hydrolysis and enhanced lymphatic absorption.

The oral administration of water-soluble chemotherapeutical agents is limited by their serious gastrointestinal side effects, instability at intestinal pH, and poor absorption. Aiming to solve these problems, we chose topotecan (TPT) as a model drug and developed a novel lipid formulation containing core-shell lipid nanoparticle (CLN) that makes the water-soluble drug to 'dissolve' in oil. TPT molecules can be encapsulated into nanoparticles surrounded by oil barrier while avoiding the direct contact with intestinal environment, thus easing the intestinal hydrolytic degradation and gastrointestinal (GI) irritation.

Outcomes of ICU Patients With a Discharge Diagnosis of Critical Illness Polyneuromyopathy: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Objectives: To assess the impact of a discharge diagnosis of critical illness polyneuromyopathy on health-related outcomes in a large cohort of patients requiring ICU admission.

Design: Retrospective cohort with propensity score-matched analysis.

Setting: Analysis of a large multihospital database.

Association of polymorphisms and risk of coronary heart disease in a Chinese Han population.

Genome-wide association studies have identified that gene was associated with telomere length and age-related diseases. However, little study directly focused on the association between gene polymorphisms and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). We conducted a case-control study to examine the effect of polymorphisms on CHD risk among 596 CHD patients and 603 healthy controls from China.

Ilomastat, a synthetic inhibitor of MMPs, prevents lung injury induced by γ-ray irradiation in mice.

Lung injury is one of the pathological features in human or animal after radiation and the main side effect for patient after lung cancer radiotherapy. The efficient protective strategy still needs to exploit and the underlying mechanisms remain to be investigated. We found that the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) significantly increased at the early stage of radiation-induced lung injury (RILI).

Short Course of Postoperative Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin Plus Antivirals Prevents Reinfection of Liver Transplant Recipients.

Background: Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) has been an integral component of prophylaxis against hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence in liver transplantation (LT) recipients, but HBIG is costly and inconvenient to administer, prompting consideration of alternative regimens.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort, we report on the success of antiviral therapy combined with a short course (in hospital only) HBIG in liver transplant recipients with HBV DNA less than 100 IU/mL pre-LT.

Results: A total of 42 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive, human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis D virus-negative patients with pretransplant HBV DNA undetectable to 100 IU/mL who received HBIG 5000 IU in anhepatic phase and daily for 5 days together with nucleos(t)ide analogues indefinitely yielded 1- and 3-year cumulative incidences of recurrence, defined by positive serum HBsAg, of 2.

A simple and reusable bilayer membrane-based microfluidic device for the study of gradient-mediated bacterial behaviors.

We have developed a user-friendly microfluidic device for the study of gradient-mediated bacterial behaviors, including chemotaxis. This device rapidly establishes linear concentration gradients by exploiting solute diffusion through porous membranes in the absence of convective flows. As such, the gradients are created rapidly and can be sustained for long time periods (e.

Role of CaMKII in free fatty acid/hyperlipidemia-induced cardiac remodeling both in vitro and in vivo.

Rationale: The cellular mechanisms of obesity/hyperlipidemia-induced cardiac remodeling are many and not completely elucidated. Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase, has been reported to be involved in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. However, its role in obesity/hyperlipidemia-induced cardiac remodeling is still unknown.

CaMKII Activation Promotes Cardiac Electrical Remodeling and Increases the Susceptibility to Arrhythmia Induction in High-fat Diet-Fed Mice With Hyperlipidemia Conditions.

Background: Obesity/hyperlipidemia is closely related to both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. CaMKII, a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase, has been involved in cardiac arrhythmias of different etiologies. However, its role in obesity/hyperlipidemia-related cardiac arrhythmia is unexplored.

Reversed lipid-based nanoparticles dispersed in oil for malignant tumor treatment via intratumoral injection.

Intratumoral injection of anticancer drugs directly delivers chemotherapeutics to the tumor region, offering an alternative strategy for cancer treatment. However, most hydrophilic drugs spread quickly from the injection site into systemic circulation, leading to inferior antitumor activity and adverse effects in patients. Therefore, we developed novel reversed lipid-based nanoparticles (RLBN) as a nanoscale drug carrier.

Cell-Free DNA from Ascites and Pleural Effusions: Molecular Insights into Genomic Aberrations and Disease Biology.

Collection of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from the blood of individuals with cancer has permitted noninvasive tumor genome analysis. Detection and characterization of cfDNA in ascites and pleural effusions have not yet been reported. Herein, we analyzed cfDNA in the ascites and pleural effusions from six individuals with metastatic cancer.

Temporary Decompression of Symptomatic Epidural Hematoma via an In Situ Epidural Catheter: A Case Report.

Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) following neuraxial anesthesia needs prompt recognition and early decompressive measures to prevent long-term neurologic injury. We report a case of SEH presenting on the second postoperative day during an ongoing epidural infusion. Aspiration of blood through the epidural catheter and a subsequent improvement in the neurological symptoms made us suspect SEH, which was further confirmed by an MRI study.

Over-expression of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) preventing cold ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury in heart transplantation through Foxo3a signaling.

Ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury which inevitably occurs during heart transplantation is the major factor leading to organ failure and graft rejection. In order to develop new therapies to prevent I/R injury, we used both a murine heart transplantation model with 24 hour cold I/R and an in vitro cell culture system to determine whether growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a protective factor in preventing I/R injury in heart transplantation and to further investigate underlying mechanisms of I/R injury. We found that cold I/R caused severe damage to the endocardium, epicardium and myocardium of heart grafts from wild type C57BL/6 mice, whereas grafts from GDF15 transgenic (TG) mice showed less damage as demonstrated by decreased cell apoptosis/death, decreased neutrophils infiltration and the preservation of the normal structure of the heart.

Reversible atrial fibrillation following Crotalinae envenomation.

Background: Cardiotoxicity is a documented complication of Crotalinae envenomation. Reported cardiac complications following snake envenomation have included acute myocardial infarction, electrocardiogram abnormalities and arrhythmias. Few reports exist describing arrhythmia induced by viper envenomation and to our knowledge none describe arrhythmia induced by Crotalinae envenomation.

Rosemary Extracts Upregulate Nrf2, Sestrin2, and MRP2 Protein Level in Human Hepatoma HepG2 Cells.

In the past few decades, the incidence of liver cancer has been rapidly rising across the world. Rosemary is known to possess antioxidant activity and is used as natural antioxidant food preservative. It is proposed to have anticancer activity in treating different tumor models.

Y chromosome polymorphisms may contribute to an increased risk of male-induced unexplained recurrent miscarriage.

The present study aims to explore the relationship between the Y chromosome polymorphisms (1qh+, inv(9), 9qh+, 16qh+, group D/G, Yqh- and Yqh+) and the risk of unexplained recurrent miscarriage (URM). A total of 507 couples with URM were recruited as case group and 465 healthy couples as control group. The Y chromosome polymorphisms of the male individuals were analysed with the G-banding technique, and the results of the chromosome G-banding analysis were determined using the International Naming Standards of Human Genetics (ISCN).

A multi-walled silk fibroin/silk sericin nerve conduit coated with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) sheath for peripheral nerve regeneration.

The linearly oriented multi-walled silk fibroin/silk sericin (SF/SS) nerve conduits (NCs) can provide physical cues similar to native peripheral nerve fasciculi, but the mechanical properties of which are not excellent enough. In this study, NCs with a novel and bionic design with dual structures were developed. The important features of our NCs is that the internal skeleton (the multi-walled SF/SS conduits) has a bionic structure similar to the architecture of native peripheral nerve fasciculi, which is beneficial for nerve regeneration, and the outer sheath (the hollow poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) [PLGA] conduits) could provide strong mechanical protection for the internal skeleton.

Novel Protective Role of Myeloid Differentiation 1 in Pathological Cardiac Remodelling.

Myeloid differentiation 1 (MD-1), a secreted protein interacting with radioprotective 105 (RP105), plays an important role in Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signalling pathway. Previous studies showed that MD-1 may be restricted in the immune system. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that MD-1 was highly expressed in both human and animal hearts.

Predictors of late atrial fibrillation recurrence after cryoballoon-based pulmonary vein isolation: a meta-analysis.

Background: The recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cryoballoon ablation in drug refractory AF patients is high. Late-recurrence of AF has various predictors.

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the related risk factors that can effectively predict late AF recurrence after cryoballoon-based pulmonary vein isolation.

New tuberculosis drug leads from naturally occurring compounds.

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. An estimated 2 billion individuals are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and annually there are approximately 10 million new cases of clinical TB and 1.5 million deaths.

Strategy for Sustaining Cancer Education Services for Underserved Communities.

Innovative strategies are needed to generate resources to replicate and sustain proven, community-based health promotion programs. Authors describe how civic-minded university students can conduct such programs while simultaneously gaining skills that make them competitive graduate school applicants.

Modular construction of multi-subunit protein complexes using engineered tags and microbial transglutaminase.

Motivations for the hierarchical assembly of protein complexes are diverse spanning biosensing, biomedical and bioreactor applications. The assembly processes should be simple, scalable, versatile, and biologically benign to minimize loss of component parts. A "plug and play" methodology comprising a generic linking apparatus may enable rapid design and optimization.

A case of congenital spinal muscular atrophy with pain due to a mutation in TRPV4.

We present a patient with congenital spinal muscular atrophy associated with pain, subjective sensory loss, right talipes equinovarus, delayed walking, and progressive gait impairment. A sister and niece reportedly had Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A, but the patient's electromyogram showed an axonal motor neuropathy or neuronopathy. We identified a c.