Real-time tracking of fibrinolysis under constant wall shear and various pulsatile flows in an in-vitro thrombolysis model.

A great need exists for the development of a more representative in-vitro model to efficiently screen novel thrombolytic therapies. We herein report the design, validation, and characterization of a highly reproducible, physiological scale, flowing clot lysis platform with real-time fibrinolysis monitoring to screen thrombolytic drugs utilizing a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled clot analog. Using this Real-Time Fluorometric Flowing Fibrinolysis assay (RT-FluFF assay), a tPa-dependent degree of thrombolysis was observed both via clot mass loss as well as fluorometrically monitored release of FITC-labeled fibrin degradation products.

Non-Additive Effects of Combined NOX1/4 Inhibition and Calcimimetic Treatment on a Rat Model of Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD).

Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) increases cardiovascular calcification and skeletal fragility in part by increasing systemic oxidative stress and disrupting mineral homeostasis through secondary hyperparathyroidism. We hypothesized that treatments to reduce reactive oxygen species formation and reduce parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels would have additive beneficial effects to prevent cardiovascular calcification and deleterious bone architecture and mechanics before end-stage kidney disease. To test this hypothesis, we treated a naturally progressive model of CKD-MBD, the Cy/+ rat, beginning early in CKD with the NADPH oxidase (NOX1/4) inhibitor GKT-137831 (GKT), the preclinical analogue of the calcimimetic etelcalcetide, KP-2326 (KP), and their combination.

Cancellous Bone May Have a Greater Adaptive Strain Threshold Than Cortical Bone.

Strain magnitude has a controlling influence on bone adaptive response. However, questions remain as to how and if cancellous and cortical bone tissues respond differently to varied strain magnitudes, particularly at a molecular level. The goal of this study was to characterize the time-dependent gene expression, bone formation, and structural response of the cancellous and cortical bone of female C57Bl/6 mice to mechanical loading by applying varying load levels (low: -3.

Green-Light-Activated Photoreaction via Genetic Hybridization of Far-Red Fluorescent Protein and Silk.

Fluorescent proteins often result in phototoxicity and cytotoxicity, in particular because some red fluorescent proteins produce and release reactive oxygen species (ROS). The photogeneration of ROS is considered as a detrimental side effect in cellular imaging or is proactively utilized for ablating cancerous tissue. As ancient textiles or biomaterials, silk produced by silkworms can directly be used as fabrics or be processed into materials and structures to host other functional nanomaterials.