In Vivo Biocompatibility Study of Electrospun Chitosan Microfiber for Tissue Engineering

In this work, we examined the biocompatibility of electrospun chitosan microfibers as a scaffold. The chitosan microfibers showed a three-dimensional pore structure by SEM. The chitosan microfibers supported attachment and viability of rat muscle-derived stem cells (rMDSCs). Subcutaneous implantation of the chitosan microfibers demonstrated that implantation of rMDSCs containing chitosan microfibers induced lower host tissue responses with decreased macrophage accumulation than did the chitosan microfibers alone, probably due to the immunosuppression of the transplanted rMDSCs. Our results collectively show that chitosan microfibers could serve as a biocompatible in vivo scaffold for rMDSCs in rats

Evaluation of synbiotics as gut health improvement agents against Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolated from the pig

Colibacillosis is one of the major health problems in young piglets resulting in poor health and death caused by Escherichia coli producing F18 pili and Shiga toxin 2e. It is pivotal to reduce colibacillosis in weaned piglets to enhance production performance. In this study, we evaluated synbiotics as the gut health improvement agents in the mouse model challenged with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) isolated from piglets. Prebiotic lactulose was formulated with each 5.0 × 106 CFU/mL of Pediococcus acidilactici GB-U15, Lactobacillus plantarum GB-U17, and Lactobacillus plantarum GB 1-3 to produce 3 combinations of synbiotics. A total of 40 three weeks old BALB/c mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 10): a control group and 3 synbiotics treated groups. Each treatment groups were daily administrated with 5.0 × 106 CFU/mL of one synbiotics for the first week, and every 3 days during the second week. All the mice were challenged with 8.0 × 108 CFU/mL of STEC 5 days after animals began to receive synbiotics. Mice treated with synbiotics based on Pediococcus acidilactici GB-U15 and Lactobacillus plantarum GB-U17 significantly improved daily weight gain compared to mice in other groups. While mice treated with GB-U15 showed better fecal index, no significant differences were observed among groups. Gross lesion and histopathological evaluations showed that mice treated with GB-U15 moderately improved recovery from STEC infection. In conclusion, our results suggest that the synbiotics formulated with lactulose and Pediococcus acidilactici GB-U15 have potential benefits to prevent and improve colibacillosis in weaned piglets

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage accompanied by changes in the patterns of chronic migraine: a case report

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has a high mortality rate, and cerebral aneurysm ruptures account for 80% of all cases. Although several previous case studies have reported a headache before aneurysmal SAH, no previous study has reported a case of SAH after a change in the existing migraine pattern without any other clinical signs. A 43-year-old male patient who had suffered chronic migraines for 10 years visited the emergency department due to migraine symptoms, which exacerbated 3 days before the visit. He was admitted for symptom management, and his condition improved after taking migraine-specific medication. However, his consciousness deteriorated, and he became drowsy 8 days from the onset of headache aggravation. Brain computed tomography angiography revealed SAH. A small ruptured aneurysm, which was not detected by brain magnetic resonance angiography performed a few days earlier, was found in the A1 segment of the right anterior cerebral artery. We performed emergency endovascular coil embolization in the right A1 without any other complications. After the procedure, his neurological symptoms no longer exacerbated during hospitalization. He showed only a mild headache after 2 weeks and was discharged. Aneurysmal SAH is one of the most devastating neurological diseases, but early detection and treatment of aneurysms before major rupture may facilitate a good prognosis. If the pattern of previously diagnosed chronic migraine changes suddenly, a minor leak before the major rupture of a cerebral aneurysm should be considered, even if a sentinel headache has not been suggested

Facile Fabrication of Flexible In‐Plane Graphene Micro‐Supercapacitor via Flash Reduction

Flash reduction of graphene oxide is an efficient method for producing high quality reduced graphene oxide under room temperature ambient conditions without the use of hazardous reducing agents (such as hydrazine and hydrogen iodide). The entire process is fast, low‐cost, and suitable for large‐scale fabrication, which makes it an attractive process for industrial manufacturing. Herein, we present a simple fabrication method for a flexible in‐plane graphene micro‐supercapacitor using flash light irradiation. All carbon‐based, monolithic supercapacitors with in‐plane geometry can be fabricated with simple flash irradiation, which occurs in only a few milliseconds. The thinness of the fabricated device makes it highly flexible and thus useful for a variety of applications, including portable and wearable electronics. The rapid flash reduction process creates a porous graphene structure with high surface area and good electrical conductivity, which ultimately results in high specific capacitance (36.90 mF cm−2) and good cyclic stability up to 8,000 cycles

Endolymphatic Hydrops in Patients With Vestibular Migraine and Concurrent Meniere's Disease

Objective: Intravenous contrast agent enhanced, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear (iMRI) confirmed that patients with Menière's disease (MD) and vestibular migraine (VM) could present with endolymphatic hydrops (EH). The present study aimed to investigate EH characteristics and their interrelation to neurotologic testing in patients with VM, MD, or VM with concurrent MD (VM-MD). Methods: Sixty–two patients (45 females, aged 23–81 years) with definite or probable VM (n = 25, 19 definite), MD (n = 29, 17 definite), or showing characteristics of both diseases (n = 8) were included in this study. Diagnostic workup included neurotologic assessments including video-oculography (VOG) during caloric stimulation and head-impulse test (HIT), ocular and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (o/cVEMP), pure tone audiometry (PTA), as well as iMRI. EH's degree was assessed visually and via volumetric quantification using a probabilistic atlas-based segmentation of the bony labyrinth and volumetric local thresholding (VOLT). Results: Although a relevant number of VM patients reported varying auditory symptoms (13 of 25, 52.0%), EH in VM was only observed twice. In contrast, EH in VM-MD was prevalent (2/8, 25%) and in MD frequent [23/29, 79.3%; χ2(2) = 29.1, p < 0.001, φ = 0.7]. Location and laterality of EH and neurophysiological testing classifications were highly associated (Fisher exact test, p < 0.005). In MD, visual semi-quantitative grading and volumetric quantification correlated highly to each other (rS = 0.8, p < 0.005, two-sided) and to side differences in VOG during caloric irrigation (vestibular EH ipsilateral: rS = 0.6, p < 0.05, two-sided). In VM, correlations were less pronounced. VM-MD assumed an intermediate position between VM and MD. Conclusion: Cochlear and vestibular hydrops can occur in MD and VM patients with auditory symptoms; this suggests inner ear damage irrespective of the diagnosis of MD or VM. The EH grades often correlated with auditory symptoms such as hearing impairment and tinnitus. Further research is required to uncover whether migraine is one causative factor of EH or whether EH in VM patients with auditory symptoms suggests an additional pathology due to MD

N-Glycans differentially regulate eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment during allergic airway inflammation.

Allergic airway inflammation, including asthma, is usually characterized by the predominant recruitment of eosinophils. However, neutrophilia is also prominent during severe exacerbations. Cell surface-expressed glycans play a role in leukocyte trafficking and recruitment during inflammation. Here, the involvement of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:α-6-D-mannoside β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (MGAT5)-modified N-glycans in eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment during allergic airway inflammation was investigated. Allergen-challenged Mgat5-deficient (Mgat5(-/-)) mice exhibited significantly attenuated airway eosinophilia and inflammation (decreased Th2 cytokines, mucus production) compared with WT counterparts, attributable to decreased rolling, adhesion, and survival of Mgat5(-/-) eosinophils. Interestingly, allergen-challenged Mgat5(-/-) mice developed airway neutrophilia and increased airway reactivity with persistent elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-17A, TNFα, IFNγ)). This increased neutrophil recruitment was also observed in LPS- and thioglycollate (TG)-induced inflammation in Mgat5(-/-) mice. Furthermore, there was significantly increased recruitment of infused Mgat5(-/-) neutrophils compared with WT neutrophils in the peritoneal cavity of TG-exposed WT mice. Mgat5(-/-) neutrophils demonstrated enhanced adhesion to P-selectin as well as increased migration toward keratinocyte-derived chemokine compared with WT neutrophils in vitro along with increased calcium mobilization upon activation and expression of elevated levels of CXCR2, which may contribute to the increased neutrophil recruitment. These data indicate an important role for MGAT5-modified N-glycans in differential regulation of eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment during allergic airway inflammation

Genetic variations of MTHFR gene and their association with preterm birth in Korean women

Background and objective: The MTHFR gene encodes the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase known to be involved in the homocysteine–methionine pathway. It has been reported that the deficiency of MTHFR activity may cause hyperhomocysteinemia which results in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Previous studies reported a correlation between the MTHFR gene polymorphisms (677 T/C and 1298 A/C) and lower MTHFR activity and its association with preterm birth in various populations. Since these results were conflicting, we analyzed the genetic association of MTHFR gene 677 T/C and 1298 A/C polymorphisms with preterm birth in Korean women. Materials and methods: The subjects for case–control study were collected a total of 226 Korean women (98 preterm-birth patients and 128 controls). Genotype frequency differences between the case and the control were assessed using chi-square tests. Mann–Whitney t-test was used to estimate the effects of 1298 A/C genotype on clinicopathological characteristics (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, birth weight, and gestational age at delivery) in preterm-birth patients. Results: Our results showed that the MTHFR 677 C/T polymorphism was significantly associated with preterm-birth patients in the analysis of genotype frequency (P = 0.044) and the over-dominant model (OR = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.320–0.920; P = 0.023). The recessive model showed a marginal trend toward significance (OR = 0.47; 95% CI, 0.220–1.010; P = 0.046). The 1298 A/C polymorphism was also associated with reduced preterm-birth risk in the recessive model (P = 0.032). In the correlation analysis, the 1298 C allele was significantly associated with increasing of gestational age at delivery in preterm-birth patients (P = 0.034). Conclusions: Our findings suggested that the MTHFR gene 677 C/T and 1298 A/C polymorphisms might have protective effects for preterm birth in the Korean women. Keywords: Preterm birth, MTHFR, Polymorphism, Korean women, Genetic associatio

Genetic variations of MTHFR gene and their association with preterm birth in Korean women

Background and objective: The MTHFR gene encodes the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase known to be involved in the homocysteine–methionine pathway. It has been reported that the deficiency of MTHFR activity may cause hyperhomocysteinemia which results in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Previous studies reported a correlation between the MTHFR gene polymorphisms (677 T/C and 1298 A/C) and lower MTHFR activity and its association with preterm birth in various populations. Since these results were conflicting, we analyzed the genetic association of MTHFR gene 677 T/C and 1298 A/C polymorphisms with preterm birth in Korean women. Materials and methods: The subjects for case–control study were collected a total of 226 Korean women (98 preterm-birth patients and 128 controls). Genotype frequency differences between the case and the control were assessed using chi-square tests. Mann–Whitney t-test was used to estimate the effects of 1298 A/C genotype on clinicopathological characteristics (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, birth weight, and gestational age at delivery) in preterm-birth patients. Results: Our results showed that the MTHFR 677 C/T polymorphism was significantly associated with preterm-birth patients in the analysis of genotype frequency (P = 0.044) and the over-dominant model (OR = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.320–0.920; P = 0.023). The recessive model showed a marginal trend toward significance (OR = 0.47; 95% CI, 0.220–1.010; P = 0.046). The 1298 A/C polymorphism was also associated with reduced preterm-birth risk in the recessive model (P = 0.032). In the correlation analysis, the 1298 C allele was significantly associated with increasing of gestational age at delivery in preterm-birth patients (P = 0.034). Conclusions: Our findings suggested that the MTHFR gene 677 C/T and 1298 A/C polymorphisms might have protective effects for preterm birth in the Korean women. Keywords: Preterm birth, MTHFR, Polymorphism, Korean women, Genetic associatio