Higher monomeric C-reactive protein levels are associated with premature coronary artery disease.

Introduction: Chronic inflammation is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Currently, the inflammatory cardiovascular risk is assessed via C-reactive protein (CRP) levels measured using a high-sensitivity assay (hsCRP). Monomeric CRP (mCRP) is a locally produced form of CRP that has emerged as a potential biomarker of inflammation.

Characterization and Evaluation of Zero-Order Release System Comprising Glycero-(9,10-trioxolane)-trialeate and PLA: Opportunity for Packaging and Biomedicine Applications.

Glycerol-(9,10-trioxolane) trioleate (OTOA) is a promising material that combines good plasticizing properties for PLA with profound antimicrobial activity, which makes it suitable for application in state-of-the-art biomedical and packaging materials with added functionality. On the other hand, application of OTOA in PLA-based antibacterial materials is hindered by a lack of knowledge on kinetics of the OTOA release. In this work, the release of glycero-(9,10-trioxolane) trioleate (OTOA) from PLA films with 50% OTOA content was studied during incubation in normal saline solution, and for the first time, the kinetics of OTOA release from PLA film was evaluated.

Von Willebrand Factor Collagen-Binding Activity and Von Willebrand Factor-Mediated Platelet Adhesion in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

In this study, we investigated von Willebrand factor (VWF)-related parameters in 30 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and 50 patients without CAD. In both groups, the following were measured: the VWF antigen level (VWF:Ag); the VWF ristocetin cofactor activity (VWF:RCo); the VWF collagen-binding activity (VWF:CB); and VWF-mediated platelet adhesion. Platelet adhesion was measured in whole blood at a shear rate of 1300 s using a microfluidic chamber with a collagen-coated surface.

Mutagenesis of the Peptide Inhibitor of ASIC3 Channel Introduces Binding to Thumb Domain of ASIC1a but Reduces Analgesic Activity.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), which act as proton-gating sodium channels, have garnered attention as pharmacological targets. ASIC1a isoform, notably prevalent in the central nervous system, plays an important role in synaptic plasticity, anxiety, neurodegeneration, etc. In the peripheral nervous system, ASIC1a shares prominence with ASIC3, the latter well established for its involvement in pain signaling, mechanical sensitivity, and inflammatory hyperalgesia.

TNFR1 signaling promotes pancreatic tumor growth by limiting dendritic cell number and function.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one the most intractable cancers, in part due to its highly inflammatory microenvironment and paucity of infiltrating dendritic cells (DCs). Here, we find that genetic ablation or antibody blockade of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) enhanced intratumor T cell activation and slowed PDAC growth. While anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibition alone had little effect, it further enhanced intratumor T cell activation in combination with anti-TNFR1.