Laser nanobubbles induce immunogenic cell death in breast cancer.

Recent advances in immunotherapy have highlighted a need for therapeutics that initiate immunogenic cell death in tumors to stimulate the body's immune response to cancer. This study examines whether laser-generated bubbles surrounding nanoparticles ("nanobubbles") induce an immunogenic response for cancer treatment. A single nanosecond laser pulse at 1064 nm generates micron-sized bubbles surrounding gold nanorods in the cytoplasm of breast cancer cells.

Dynamic extracellular matrix stiffening induces a phenotypic transformation and a migratory shift in epithelial cells.

Soft tissue tumors, including breast cancer, become stiffer throughout disease progression. This increase in stiffness has been shown to correlate to malignant phenotype and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. Unlike current models, utilizing static increases in matrix stiffness, our group has previously created a system that allows for dynamic stiffening of an alginate-matrigel composite hydrogel to mirror the native dynamic process.

A luminescence-based assay for evaluating bactericidal antibody to Borrelia burgdorferi in vaccinated horses' serum.

Background: Current serological tests cannot discriminate between bactericidal Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies from others that are merely a response to Borrelia antigenic stimulation.

Objective: To develop a sensitive and convenient luminescence-based serum bactericidal assay (L-SBA) to identify serum borreliacidal activity.

Study Design: Prospective validation study and method comparison.

Effect of ocean acidification on growth and otolith condition of juvenile scup, Stenotomus chrysops.

Increasing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) from human industrial activities are causing changes in global ocean carbonate chemistry, resulting in a reduction in pH, a process termed "ocean acidification." It is important to determine which species are sensitive to elevated levels of CO2 because of potential impacts to ecosystems, marine resources, biodiversity, food webs, populations, and effects on economies. Previous studies with marine fish have documented that exposure to elevated levels of CO2 caused increased growth and larger otoliths in some species.

Toxicity of un-ionized ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to juvenile bay scallops, Argopecten irradians irradians.

Juvenile bay scallops (7.2-26.4 mm) were exposed for 72 h to different concentrations of un-ionized ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate.

No effect of drains on the postoperative hematoma volume in hip replacement surgery: a randomized study using scintigraphy.

In a prospective randomized study we used erythrocyte scintigraphy to evaluate whether drainage reduced the hematoma volume after total hip arthroplasty. 12 patients were left without drains and 10 patients had two drains inserted, one below the fascia and one subcutaneously. We used tomographic registration (SPECT) to calculate the volume of the hematoma (erythrocytes) about 22 hours after surgery and found that drainage did not reduce the volume, but increased the need for blood transfusion.

Amino acid infusion induces thermogenesis and reduces blood loss during hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia.

Unlabelled: The thermic effect of amino acids is augmented under general anesthesia and counteracts hypothermia. Mild hypothermia may increase surgical bleeding. We studied whether amino acids also induce thermogenesis under spinal anesthesia and whether this endogenous heat production reduces bleeding during hip arthroplasty.

Primary bone grafting does not improve the results in severely displaced distal radius fractures.

We prospectively randomised 45 patients ages 20-70 years with distal radius fractures of Older type III and IV to one of two treatment groups. One group was treated with closed reduction, primary bone grafting, and external fixation for 3 weeks, followed by a plaster cast that allowed volar flexion, for an additional 3 weeks. The other group was treated with closed reduction and external fixation for 6 weeks.

Increases in circulating levels of monocyte-platelet and neutrophil-platelet complexes following hip arthroplasty.

Platelets and leucocytes are important effector cells of the haemostatic and inflammatory responses to tissue injury. To investigate the effects of surgical trauma on platelet activation (assessed by measuring levels of P-selectin and beta-thromboglobulin), leucocyte activation (CD11b expression) and leucocyte-platelet interactions (leucocyte-platelet complexes), 30 patients undergoing primary hip arthroplasty were studied before and at the end of surgery, and on days 1 and 10 post-operatively, using a whole-blood flow cytometry assay. The inflammatory response was followed by measurement of the levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in plasma, and the activation of coagulation was monitored by determination of prothrombin fragment 1+2 levels.

Lateral position reduces blood loss in hip replacement surgery: a prospective randomized study of 74 patients.

We performed a prospective randomized study of 74 patients undergoing hip replacement surgery and compared the perioperative blood loss in the lateral position with that in the supine position. The surgeons and surgical technique were the same in the two groups. The patients operated on in the lateral position had a significantly lower total blood loss, on average 201 ml less.

Surgical hemostasis after tourniquet release does not reduce blood loss in knee replacement. A prospective randomized study of 81 patients.

We studied the effect of timing of tourniquet release on blood loss in 81 patients (85 knees) who were operated on for total knee replacement. The patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups. In one group, the tourniquet was released for hemostasis before wound closure and in the other group, the tourniquet was not released until the wound was closed and a compressive dressing applied.

Diathermy knife does not reduce bleeding in surgery for primary hip arthroplasty. A prospective randomized study of 67 patients.

We evaluated bleeding in a prospective randomized study of 67 patients undergoing primary hip arthroplasty. In group A, all dissections were made with the diathermy knife and in group B, we used the scalpel. In both groups, bleeding points were coagulated with diathermy.

Monte Carlo advice.

The generation of long, high quality random number sequences for Monte Carlo simulations using minicomputers is considered. The importance of the thorough testing of Monte Carlo random number generators is emphasized. A recommendation is given to authors of Monte Carlo papers to specify their random number generator and to describe the randomness testing which that generator has undergone.