Stomach engineering: region-specific characterization of the decellularized porcine stomach.

Purpose: Patients affected by microgastria, severe gastroesophageal reflux, or those who have undergone subtotal gastrectomy, have commonly described reporting dumping syndromes or other symptoms that seriously impair the quality of their life. Gastric tissue engineering may offer an alternative approach to treating these pathologies. Decellularization protocols have great potential to generate novel biomaterials for large gastric defect repair.

Serum C-terminal telopeptide of Type-I collagen (CTx) concentration and myocardial hyperechogenicity in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Objective: This study sought to determine the serum concentrations of C-terminal telopeptide of Type-I collagen (CTx), a marker of collagen degradation, in a hospital population of cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The study also evaluated the prevalence of myocardial hyperechogenicity of the left ventricle (LV) in the same cats.

Animals And Procedure: Cats brought to a university veterinary cardiology service entered the study when they had an echocardiographic diagnosis of HCM; echocardiographically normal cats served as controls.

Lung viral infection modelling in a bioengineered whole-organ.

Lung infections are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and this situation has been exacerbated by the emergence of COVID-19. Pre-clinical modelling of viral infections has relied on cell cultures that lack 3D structure and the context of lung extracellular matrices. Here, we propose a bioreactor-based, whole-organ lung model of viral infection.

Characterization of serum and tissue oxytocinase and tissue oxytocin in the pregnant and non-pregnant mare.

Oxytocin is a hormone with functions in: reproduction, maternal bonding, milk ejection, and feeding/social behavior, and is reported to be present in a variety of tissues. Our goal is to characterize oxytocin and leucyl and cystinyl aminopeptidase (LNPEP/oxytocinase), a key regulator of oxytocin in mares. We measured serum and tissue LNPEP by ELISA from ovulation (D0) until D21-22 in non-pregnant (n = 5) and pregnant mares (n = 6); and in periparturient and postpartum mares (n = 18).

VANL-100 Attenuates Beta-Amyloid-Induced Toxicity in SH-SY5Y Cells.

Antioxidants are being explored as novel therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) through strategies such as chemically linking antioxidants to synthesize novel co-drugs. The main objective of this study was to assess the cytoprotective effects of the novel antioxidant compound VANL-100 in a cellular model of beta-amyloid (Aβ)-induced toxicity. The cytotoxic effects of Aβ in the presence and absence of all antioxidant compounds were measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2-5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in SH-SY5Y cells in both pre-treatment and co-treatment experiments.

Influence of staple line number and configuration on the leakage of small intestinal functional end-to-end stapled anastomosis: An ex vivo study.

Objective: To determine the influence of the staple line configuration on the leakage of small intestinal functional end-to-end stapled anastomosis (FEESA).

Study Design: Experimental, ex vivo, randomized study.

Sample Population: Jejunal segments (N = 72) from 10 mature, canine cadavers.

Naturally Occurring Antioxidant Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease.

It is estimated that the prevalence rate of Alzheimer's disease (AD) will double by the year 2040. Although currently available treatments help with symptom management, they do not prevent, delay the progression of, or cure the disease. Interestingly, a shared characteristic of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases and disorders is oxidative stress.

Hemorrhagic Resuscitation Guided by Viscoelastography in Far-Forward Combat and Austere Civilian Environments: Goal-Directed Whole-Blood and Blood-Component Therapy Far from the Trauma Center.

Modern approaches to resuscitation seek to bring patient interventions as close as possible to the initial trauma. In recent decades, fresh or cold-stored whole blood has gained widespread support in multiple settings as the best first agent in resuscitation after massive blood loss. However, whole blood is not a panacea, and while current guidelines promote continued resuscitation with fixed ratios of blood products, the debate about the optimal resuscitation strategy-especially in austere or challenging environments-is by no means settled.

Viscoelastic Testing and Coagulopathy of Traumatic Brain Injury.

A unique coagulopathy often manifests following traumatic brain injury, leading the clinician down a difficult decision path on appropriate prophylaxis and therapy. Conventional coagulation assays-such as prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, and international normalized ratio-have historically been utilized to assess hemostasis and guide treatment following traumatic brain injury. However, these plasma-based assays alone often lack the sensitivity to diagnose and adequately treat coagulopathy associated with traumatic brain injury.

Recellularization of Native Tissue Derived Acellular Scaffolds with Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

The functionalization of decellularized scaffolds is still challenging because of the recellularization-related limitations, including the finding of the most optimal kind of cell(s) and the best way to control their distribution within the scaffolds to generate native mimicking tissues. That is why researchers have been encouraged to study stem cells, in particular, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as alternative cells to repopulate and functionalize the scaffolds properly. MSCs could be obtained from various sources and have therapeutic effects on a wide range of inflammatory/degenerative diseases.

Conjugating homogenized liver-extracellular matrix into decellularized hepatic scaffold for liver tissue engineering.

The generation of a transplantable liver scaffold is crucial for the treatment of end-stage liver failure. Unfortunately, decellularized liver scaffolds suffer from lack of bioactive molecules and functionality. In this study, we conjugated homogenized liver-extracellular matrix (ECM) into a decellularized liver in a rat model to improve its structural and functional properties.

Evaluation of the performance of an endoscopic 3-mm electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing device intended for single use after multiple use-and-resterilization cycles.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of an endoscopic 3-mm electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing device (EBVS) intended for single use after multiple use-and-resterilization cycles.

Study Design: Ex vivo study.

Sample Population: Eight 3-mm EBVS handpieces.

Characterization of silver nanoparticle-modified decellularized rat esophagus for esophageal tissue engineering: Structural properties and biocompatibility.

Decellularized esophageal matrices are ideal scaffolds for esophageal tissue engineering. Unfortunately, in order to improve transplantation possibilities, they require modification to reduce their degradation rate and immunogenicity. To date, no modifying agent has been approved to overcome these limitations.

Micro and ultrastructural changes monitoring during decellularization for the generation of a biocompatible liver.

Decellularization of a whole organ is an attractive process that has been used to create 3D scaffolds structurally and micro-architecturally similar to the native one. Currently used decellularization protocols exhibit disrupted extracellular matrix (ECM) structure and denatured ECM proteins. Therefore, maintaining a balance between ECM preservation and cellular removal is a major challenge.

Incorporation of nanoparticles into transplantable decellularized matrices: Applications and challenges.

Decellularization of tissues can significantly improve regenerative medicine and tissue engineering by producing natural, less immunogenic, three-dimensional, acellular matrices with high biological activity for transplantation. Decellularized matrices retain specific critical components of native tissues such as stem cell niche, various growth factors, and the ability to regenerate in vivo. However, recellularization and functionalization of these matrices remain limited, highlighting the need to improve the characteristics of decellularized matrices.

Silver nanoparticles improve structural stability and biocompatibility of decellularized porcine liver.

No ideal cross-linking agent has been identified for decellularized livers (DLs) yet. In this study, we evaluated structural improvements and biocompatibility of porcine DLs after cross-linking with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Porcine liver slices were decellularized and then loaded with AgNPs (100 nm) after optimization of the highest non-toxic concentration (5 µg/mL) using Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and EAhy926 human endothelial cell lines.

Structure-activity relationships and molecular docking studies of chromene and chromene based azo chromophores: A novel series of potent antimicrobial and anticancer agents.

The design of novel materials with significant biological properties is a main target in drug design research. Chromene compounds represent an interesting medicinal scaffold in drug replacement systems. This report illustrates a successful synthesis and characterization of two novel series of compounds using multi-component reactions.

A co-drug conjugate of naringenin and lipoic acid mediates neuroprotection in a rat model of oxidative stress.

Using our in vitro and in vivo models of oxidative stress, the current study was designed to determine the neuroprotective potential of naringenin, alone or in combination with lipoic acid. In our mixed neuronal culture exposed to hypoxia and subsequent reoxygenation, naringenin was shown to provide significant neuroprotection against cell death at a concentration of 2.5 μmol/L.

A direct comparison of porcine (Strattice™) and bovine (Surgimend™) acellular dermal matrices in implant-based immediate breast reconstruction.

Introduction: Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) assisted implant-based breast reconstruction (IBBR) has grown in popularity over traditional submuscular techniques. Numerous human, bovine or porcine derived ADMs are available with the type used varying considerably worldwide. Yet, comparative evidence for the efficacy of different ADMs particularly xenogenic is limited.

Effect of Age on the Association of Vascular Access Type with Mortality in a Cohort of Incident End-Stage Renal Disease Patients.

Background/aims: All hemodialysis (HD) patients are generally recommended to create a fistula first; but to create a mature arteriovenous fistula (AVF) can be challenging in elderly individuals. It is unclear if elderly incident HD patients derive a survival benefit from an AVF over an arteriovenous graft (AVG) or a tunneled central venous catheter (TDC).

Methods: We examined the association of vascular access type (AVF, AVG, and TDC with and without a maturing AVF/AVG at dialysis transition) at HD initiation with all-cause, cardiovascular (CV), and infection-related mortality in 46,786 US veterans using Cox models with adjustment for confounders.

A novel synthetic chemical entity (UPEI-800) is neuroprotective in vitro and in an in vivo rat model of oxidative stress.

In this study, we tested a novel synthetic pyrazole-containing compound, 5-amino-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonitrile (APPC), as an antioxidant in both in vitro and in vivo models of oxidative stress. In addition, the utility of covalently combining APPC with another well-established antioxidant, lipoic acid (LA), was also tested in both models. The in vitro results demonstrated that pretreatment with APPC in a mixed neuronal-glial culture exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by reoxygenation-refeeding, resulted in significant neuroprotection at concentrations between 2.

UPEI-400, a conjugate of lipoic acid and scopoletin, mediates neuroprotection in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion.

Previously, our laboratory provided evidence that lipoic acid (LA) covalently bonded to various antioxidants, resulted in enhanced neuroprotection compared to LA on its own. The naturally occurring compound scopoletin, a coumarin derivative, has been shown in various in vitro studies to have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanism of actions. The present investigation was designed to determine if scopoletin on its own, or a co-drug consisting of LA and scopoletin covalently bonded together, named UPEI-400, would be capable of demonstrating a similar neuroprotective efficacy.

ELR-CXC chemokine antagonism is neuroprotective in a rat model of ischemic stroke.

Inflammation-related cerebral damage mediated by infiltrating neutrophils following reperfusion plays a role in reperfusion-induced brain damage subsequent to a stroke event. The ELR-CXC family of chemokines are CXCR1 and CXCR2 agonists that are known to drive neutrophil migration and activation. The present study demonstrated the benefit of anti-inflammatory therapy in the treatment of ischemic stroke with the administration of the competitive ELR-CXC chemokine antagonist, CXCL8(3-72)K11R/G31P (G31P).