Bai Hu Tang, Si Ni Tang, and Xue Bi Tang amplify pro-inflammatory activities and reduce apoptosis in endothelial cells in a cell culture model of sepsis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response of the body to a severe infection or massive tissue injury. Despite intensive research, sepsis continues to have a high mortality rate and successful treatment options are strongly needed. Bai Hu Tang (BHT), Si Ni Tang (SNT), and Xue Bi Tang (XBT) are ancient traditional Chinese formulas derived from Chinese herbs that are used to treat Sepsis, but their mechanisms of activity are largely unknown.

Semi-automatic measurement of rigid gas-permeable contact lens movement in keratoconus patients using blinking images.

Purpose: To introduce a method for estimation of the rigid gas-permeable contact lens (RGP) movement.

Materials And Methods: Videos captured from normal blinking of keratoconus patients while wearing RGP lenses were used for this study. The videos are recorded using the CCD camera of a smart phone attached to the eyepiece of the slit lamp.

The Development of New Factor Xa Inhibitors Based on Amide Synthesis.

Background: Factor Xa (FXa) is known to play a central role in blood coagulation cascade and considered to be one of the most attractive targets for oral anticoagulants of new generation.

Objective: Our approach for the development of directly acting oral anticoagulants (DOAC), FXa inhibitors was demonstrated in this work.

Method: Chemical synthesis is the base of our approach for the development of potential inhibitors.

Automated Detection of Epileptic Biomarkers in Resting-State Interictal MEG Data.

Certain differences between brain networks of healthy and epilectic subjects have been reported even during the interictal activity, in which no epileptic seizures occur. Here, magnetoencephalography (MEG) data recorded in the resting state is used to discriminate between healthy subjects and patients with either idiopathic generalized epilepsy or frontal focal epilepsy. Signal features extracted from interictal periods without any epileptiform activity are used to train a machine learning algorithm to draw a diagnosis.

miR-146a, miR-146b, and miR-155 increase expression of IL-6 and IL-8 and support HSP10 in an In vitro sepsis model.

microRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in inflammation processes including sepsis. This study aimed to identify miRNAs as candidates for therapies that are involved in the innate immune response and to assess their potential functions in the activation of the endothelium. We stimulated THP-1 monocytes with 10 ng/ml LPS for 4 h and used the supernatant for the stimulation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) or human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMEC) for 16 h.

Muscle synergy extraction during arm reaching movements at different speeds.

Objective: Muscle synergy is the activation of a group of muscles that contribute to a particular movement. The goal of the present study is to examine the hypothesis that human reaching movements at different speeds share similar muscle synergies and to investigate the kinesiology basis and innervation of muscles.

Methods: Electromyographic activity from six muscles of the upper limb and shoulder girdle were recorded during three movements at different speeds, i.

Results of a Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Visomitin Eye Drops in Patients with Dry Eye Syndrome.

Introduction: This article presents the results of an international, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical study of Visomitin (Mitotech LLC, Moscow, Russian Federation) eye drops in patients with dry eye syndrome (DES). Visomitin is the first registered (in Russia) drug with a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant (SkQ1) as the active ingredient.

Methods: In this multicenter (10 sites) study of 240 subjects with DES, study drug (Visomitin or placebo) was self-administered three times daily (TID) for 6 weeks, followed by a 6-week follow-up period.

Nanoparticle Delivered VEGF-A siRNA Enhances Photodynamic Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer Treatment.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is believed to promote hypoxic conditions to tumor cells leading to overexpression of angiogenic markers such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this study, PDT was combined with lipid-calcium-phosphate nanoparticles (LCP NPs) to deliver VEGF-A small interfering RNA (siVEGF-A) to human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) xenograft models. VEGF-A were significantly decreased for groups treated with siVEGF-A in human oral squamous cancer cell (HOSCC), SCC4 and SAS models.

Surface Plasmon Resonance Analysis Shows an IgG-Isotype-Specific Defect in ABO Blood Group Antibody Formation in Patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency.

Background: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most common clinically severe primary immunodeficiency and comprises a heterogeneous group of patients with recurrent severe bacterial infections due to the failure to produce IgG antibodies after exposure to infectious agents and immunization. Diagnostic recommendations for antibody failure include assessment of isoagglutinins. We have readdressed this four decades old but still accepted recommendation with up to date methodology.

The influence of new reciprocating link medial linkage orthosis on walking and independence in a spinal cord injury patient.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and evaluation of a new medial linkage reciprocating gait orthosis (MLRGO) that incorporates a reciprocal mechanism and is sensitive to pelvic motion to potentially assist paraplegic patients to walk and provide functional independence.

Case Description And Methods: The new orthosis was constructed and tested by a 20-year-old female paraplegic subject with transverse myelitis at T10 level, who was 4 years post injury and had also been an isocentric reciprocating gait orthosis (IRGO) user for 2 years. She received gait training for 12 weeks before undertaking gait analysis, and also completed a questionnaire that was designed to assess the perceived functionality of the new MLRGO when compared with an IRGO.

Emotional arousal modulation of right temporoparietal cortex in depression depends on parental depression status in women: first evidence.

Background: Structural and Electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities in right temporoparietal cortex have been associated with family history of depression (FH). Here we investigate if functional abnormalities in this area, indexed by attenuated responses to emotionally arousing stimuli, are also family-history-dependent.

Methods: Neuromagnetic activity for emotional and neutral complex scenes was recorded by Magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 20 depressed patients without, 8 depressed patients with FH, and 15 healthy controls.

Nanoparticle delivery of HIF1α siRNA combined with photodynamic therapy as a potential treatment strategy for head-and-neck cancer.

Combination therapy has become a major strategy in cancer treatment. We used anisamide-targeted lipid-calcium-phosphate (LCP) nanoparticles to efficiently deliver HIF1α siRNA to the cytoplasm of sigma receptor-expressing SCC4 and SAS cells that were also subjected to photodynamic therapy (PDT). HIF1α siRNA nanoparticles effectively reduced HIF1α expression, increased cell death, and significantly inhibited cell growth following photosan-mediated photodynamic therapy in cultured cells.

Accuracy assessment of a marker-free method for registration of CT and stereo images applied in image-guided implantology: a phantom study.

To assess the accuracy of a proposed marker-free registration method as opposed to the conventional marker-based method using an image-guided dental system, and investigating the best configurations of anatomical landmarks for various surgical fields in a phantom study, a CT-compatible dental phantom consisting of implanted targets was used. Two marker-free registration methods were evaluated, first using dental anatomical landmarks and second, using a reference marker tool. Six implanted markers, distributed in the inner space of the phantom were used as the targets; the values of target registration error (TRE) for each target were measured and compared with the marker-based method.

Design and analysis of a new medial reciprocal linkage using a lower limb paralysis simulator.

Study Design: A feasibility study on the effect of a new reciprocating orthosis on specific gait parameters for use by people with spinal cord injury.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to design and develop a new medial linkage orthosis (MLO) mechanism incorporating a reciprocating motion and to determine its efficacy in improving specific spatiotemporal, kinematic and kinetic parameters while ambulating when worn by healthy subjects. This was achieved via the use of a lower limb paralysis simulator (LLPS).

Topical methotrexate pretreatment enhances the therapeutic effect of topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy on hamster buccal pouch precancers.

Background/purpose: Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is effective for treatment of human oral precancerous lesions. This animal study aimed to assess whether topical methotrexate (MTX) pretreatment could enhance the therapeutic effect of topical ALA-PDT on hamster buccal pouch precancerous lesions.

Methods: Twenty hamster buccal pouch precancerous lesions were treated with either topical ALA-PDT with topical MTX pretreatment (topical MTX-ALA-PDT group, n = 10) or topical ALA-PDT alone (topical ALA-PDT group, n = 10).

The Resazurin Reduction Assay Can Distinguish Cytotoxic from Cytostatic Compounds in Spheroid Screening Assays.

Spheroid-based cellular screening approaches represent a highly physiologic experimental setup to identify novel anticancer drugs and an innovative preclinical model to reduce the high failure rate of anticancer compounds in clinical trials. The resazurin reduction (RR) assay, known as the alamarBlue or CellTiter-Blue assay, is frequently used to determine cell viability/proliferation capacity in eukaryotic cells. Whether this assay is applicable to assess viability in multicellular spheroids has not been evaluated.

White matter damage disorganizes brain functional networks in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Although progressive functional brain network disruption has been one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's Disease, little is known about the origin of this functional impairment that underlies cognitive symptoms. We investigated how the loss of white matter (WM) integrity disrupts the organization of the functional networks at different frequency bands. The analyses were performed in a sample of healthy elders and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects.

Endothelialization of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) small caliber vascular grafts spun from different polymer blends.

Small caliber vascular grafts represent a challenge to material scientists. In contrast to large caliber grafts, prostheses with diameter <6 mm, lead to increased hemodynamic disturbances and thrombogenic complications. Thus, endothelialization of small caliber grafts should create a compatible interface for hemodynamic processes.

Methotrexate enhances 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy-induced killing of human SCC4 cells by upregulation of coproporphyrinogen oxidase.

Background/purpose: Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is effective for treatment of oral precancerous and cancerous lesions. This in vitro study tried to examine whether the SCC4 cell killing by ALA-PDT was enhanced by pretreatment of methotrexate (MTX).

Methods: To measure the SCC4 cell killing abilities by MTX-pretreated ALA-PDT (MTX-ALA-PDT), the SCC4 cells were pretreated with 0 mg/L, 0.

A region-based anatomical landmark configuration for sinus surgery using image guided navigation system: a phantom-study.

Purpose: To evaluate the current beliefs about the ways to reduce target registration error (TRE) values in image guided Sinus surgery by rearranging the fiducial configuration, and investigating the best configurations for various surgical fields in a phantom study.

Methods: A new CT-compatible skull phantom consisting of implanted targets was designed to enable direct measurement of TRE in four fields of sinus surgery, Frontal, Ethmoid, Sphenoid and Maxillary. The effects of different landmark configurations on TRE values, measured by the Parsiss-IV navigation system were investigated to find the best landmark arrangement for each region, and compared to the TRE prediction formula to assess the clinically accepted landmark selection approaches based on this formula.

Gender disparity in subcortical encoding of binaurally presented speech stimuli: an auditory evoked potentials study.

Objectives: To investigate the influence of gender on subcortical representation of speech acoustic parameters where simultaneously presented to both ears.

Methods: Two-channel speech-evoked auditory brainstem responses were obtained in 25 female and 23 male normal hearing young adults by using binaural presentation of the 40 ms synthetic consonant-vowel/da/, and the encoding of the fast and slow elements of speech stimuli at subcortical level were compared in the temporal and spectral domains between the sexes using independent sample, two tailed t-test.

Results: Highly detectable responses were established in both groups.

The human WBSCR22 protein is involved in the biogenesis of the 40S ribosomal subunits in mammalian cells.

The human WBSCR22 protein was previously shown to be up-regulated in invasive breast cancer and its ectopic expression enhances tumor cell survival in the vasculature. In the current study, we show that the WBSCR22 protein is important for cell growth. Knock-down of WBSCR22 with siRNA results in slower growth of WBSCR22-depleted cells.

The impingement-dislocation risk of total hip replacement: effects of cup orientation and patient maneuvers.

Hip dislocation is one of the most frequent complications after total hip arthroplasty. Impingement and dislocation might be caused due to misalignment of the acetabular cup during surgery, or performing dislocation-prone activities afterwards. A finite element model was developed to predict the impingement and dislocation behavior of the prosthetic joint, for different combinations of cup orientation and patient maneuver.

On the performance of improved ICP algorithms for registration of intra-ultrasound with pre-MR images; a phantom study.

Ultrasound imaging as a simple and being real time has been found very applicable for intra-operative updates of pre-operative MRI data in image guided neurosurgery system. The main challenge here is the presence of speckle noise which influences the accuracy of registration of US-MR images, intra-operatively. In this paper the performance of two improved versions of the well known Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithms to deal with noise and outliers are considered and compared with conventional ICP method.

Identification and analysis of papillomavirus E2 protein binding sites in the human genome.

Papillomavirus E2 protein is required for the replication and maintenance of viral genomes and transcriptional regulation of viral genes. E2 functions through sequence-specific binding to 12-bp DNA motifs-E2 binding sites (E2BS)-in the virus genome. Papillomaviruses are able to establish persistent infection in their host and have developed a long-term relationship with the host cell in order to guarantee the propagation of the virus.