Device safety assessment of bronchoscopic microwave ablation of normal swine peripheral lung using robotic-assisted bronchoscopy.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the safety of bronchoscopic microwave ablation (MWA) of peripheral lung parenchyma using the NEUWAVE™ FLEX Microwave Ablation System, and robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB) using the MONARCH™ Platform in a swine model.

Methods: Computed tomography (CT)-guided RAB MWA was performed in the peripheral lung parenchyma of 17 Yorkshire swine (40-50 kg) and procedural adverse events (AEs) documented. The acute group (day 0,  = 5) received 4 MWAs at 100 W for 1, 3, 5, and 10 min in 4 different lung lobes.

Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Agonist JWH-015 Inhibits Interleukin-1β-Induced Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts and in Adjuvant Induced Arthritis Rat via Glucocorticoid Receptor.

Management of pain in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a priority that is not fully addressed by the conventional therapies. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonist JWH-015 using RA synovial fibroblasts (RASFs) obtained from patients diagnosed with RA and in a rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) model of RA. Pretreatment of human RASFs with JWH-015 (10-20 μM) markedly inhibited the ability of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) to induce production of IL-6 and IL-8 and cellular expression of inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2).

Development of a Porcine Lymph Drainage Model to Study Particle Migration.

Intra-articular wear particulate migration from the knee joint has been studied in various animal models as well as postmortem in patients who received total knee joint replacement. However, there still exists a need for a simple, yet analogous animal model for tracking the migration of wear debris from the knee joint, especially through the draining lymph nodes. To fill this need, a proof-of-concept porcine model was developed for particle migration from the knee joint into the surrounding lymphatic system.

Local anaesthesia training for undergraduate students - how big is the step from model to man?

Background: Local anesthesia is an important skill and a prerequisite for most dental treatments. However, the step from theory to application on the patient is huge for the novice. Hence, a mannequin training model course was developed and implemented into the existing local anesthesia curriculum in undergraduate dental students.

Safety evaluation of a laxity-minimizing suture at 5 days and 6 weeks after repair of a sheep infraspinatus tendon.

Background: The ideal rotator cuff repair achieves high initial fixation strength and secure tendon-to-bone apposition until biological healing occurs. A suture that reacts to the local stress environment by minimizing suture laxity across the repair could theoretically maintain soft-tissue apposition to bone and therefore improve healing.

Methods: By use of an in vivo ovine shoulder model, the infraspinatus tendon was transected and then repaired with either a laxity-minimizing suture or a traditional high tensile suture.