Retraction Note: Gold Nanoparticles‑enabled Efficient Dual Delivery of Anticancer Therapeutics to HeLa cells

The editors have retracted their article Gold Nanoparticles-enabled Efficient Dual Delivery of Anticancer Therapeutics to HeLa cells. Concerns were brought to the attention of the Editors with respect to apparent inappropriate manipulation of the data in seven of the nine panels shown in Figure 7. The Editors no longer have confidence in the data reported in this Article

Improved delivery of PLGA microparticles and microparticle-cell scaffolds in clinical needle gauges using modified viscosity formulations

Polymer microparticles are widely used as acellular drug delivery platforms in regenerative medicine, and have emerging potential as cellular scaffolds for therapeutic cell delivery. In the clinic, PLGA microparticles are typically administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously, with the clinician and clinical application site determining the precise needle gauge used for delivery. Here, we explored the role of needle diameter in microparticle delivery yield, and develop a modified viscosity formulation to improve microparticle delivery across a range of clinically relevant needle diameters. We have identified an optimal biocompatible formulation containing 0.25% pluronic F127 and 0.25% carboxymethyl cellulose, which can increase delivery payload to 520% across needle gauges 21–30G, and note that needle diameter impacts delivery efficacy. We use this formulation to increase the delivery yield of PLGA microparticles, and separately, PLGA-cell scaffolds supporting viable mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), demonstrating the first in vitro delivery of this cell scaffold system. Together, these results highlight an optimal formulation for the delivery of microparticle and microparticle-cell scaffolds, and illustrate how careful choice of delivery formulation and needle size can dramatically impact delivery payload

Antioxidative and Cytoprotective Efficacy of Ethanolic Extracted Cranberry Pomace against <i>Salmonella</i> Enteritidis Infection in Chicken Liver Cells

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is a globally significant zoonotic foodborne pathogen. Chicken liver is a vital organ that has been recently implicated in several reported human salmonellosis outbreaks in the U.S. One promising strategy for reducing Salmonella in chickens could be through supplementation with natural antimicrobial additives. Ethanolic extracted cranberry pomace (CPOH) is an excellent source of bioactive polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. However, the protective effect of CPOH against S. Enteritidis-induced chicken hepatic cell damage remains unclear. In this study, we used a chicken hepatoma cell (LMH) infection model to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of CPOH. CPOH increased the viability of S. Enteritidis-infected LMH cells. Furthermore, CPOH reduced the adhesion and invasion of S. Enteritidis to LMH cells. CPOH downregulated the expression of Rho GTPase genes that are essential for Salmonella’s entry into LMH cells. Additionally, the expression of antioxidant regulatory genes, such as Nrf2, HO-1, Txn, and Gclc, was increased. Our data show that CPOH effectively protected LMH cells from cell damage through the inhibition of S. Enteritidis adhesion and invasion, as well as the induction of the expression of master antioxidant genes. These findings offer opportunities to develop sustainable, safe, and economic strategies to reduce the colonization and pathogenesis of Salmonella

Burden of Cardiac Siderosis in a Thalassemia-Major Endemic Population: A Preliminary Report From Pakistan

Objective: To describe the initial experience and demographics of T2* cardiac magnetic resonance-based myocardial-iron quantification of transfusion-dependent thalassemia-major (TM) patients from Pakistan and the correlation with serum ferritin.Methods: Eligible TM patients presenting between April 2014 and April 2015 to Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan, for T2*CMR were included. The severity of myocardial-iron deposition was defined as follows: normal T2*\u3e20 ms, mild-moderate T2*10 to 20 ms, and severe T2*\u3c10 ms. Cardiac symptoms were classified using the NYHA functional classification. Echocardiographic systolic and diastolic functions were performed. Continuous variables were presented as the median (minimum-maximum value). Correlation was measured using the Spearman rank correlation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with the NYHA functional class.Results: A total of 83 patients (49 male and 34 female) with TM, age 19 (5 to 45) years at presentation for T2*CMR, were reviewed. At presentation, 70% of the patients were classified as NYHA class II or worse. T2*\u3c20 ms was observed in 62.6% of the patients, with 47% showing severe iron deposition (T2\u3c10 ms). No correlation of T2*\u3c20 ms (r=-0.157, P=0.302) and T2*\u3c10 ms (r=-0.128, P=0.464) was observed with serum ferritin. On multivariate analysis, lower T2* values correlated with a worsening NYHA functional class.CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of severe myocardial iron load in Pakistani TM patients. Serum ferritin did not correlate with T2* values. Lower T2* was the only clinical factor associated with the NYHA functional class

Sarcopenia Independently and Accurately Predicts Survival in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery for Metastatic Tumors: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Predicting survival and surgical morbidity in patients with spinal metastases would help guide clinical decision making and stratify treatments between surgical intervention and palliative care. PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the frailty/sarcopenia paradigm, as measured by psoas size, is strong predictor of survival in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastasis. To directly compare psoas size with current standards of predicting survival for surgery for spinal metastasis, including Tokuhashi score, Tomita score, and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS). STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Multi-center retrospective cohort. PATIENT SAMPLE: Patients from four academic tertiary care centers who had undergone surgery for spinal metastasis. OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall mortality. METHODS: Morphometric measurements were taken of the psoas muscle at the L4 vertebral level \u3c200 days from surgery. Mortality hazard ratios were calculated using multivariate analysis, with variables included from past medical history, type and extent of tumor spread, type and intensity of surgery, and postoperative chemotherapy or radiation. RESULTS: A total of 271 patients from four institutes were identified. Psoas size was predictive of overall mortality; patients in the smallest psoas tertile had shorter overall survival compared to the middle (OR 0.52, p\u3c0.001) and largest tertile (OR 0.45, p\u3c0.001). Psoas size predicted overall mortality more strongly than Tokuhashi score (OR 0.91, p=0.010), Tomita score (OR 1.07, p=0.04), and KPS (OR 0.99, p=0.58). Psoas size was also predictive of 90-day survival; patients in the smallest psoas tertile had shorter 90-day survival compared to the middle (OR 0.24, p=0.003) and largest tertile (OR 0.16, p=0.001). Psoas size predicted 90-day mortality more strongly than Tokuhashi score (OR 0.73, p=0.002), Tomita score (OR 1.00, p=0.92), and KPS (OR 0.98, p=0.39). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing surgery for spine metastases, psoas size as a surrogate for frailty/sarcopenia predicts 90-day and overall mortality, independent of demographical, functional, oncological and surgical characteristics. The sarcopenia/frailty paradigm is a stronger predictor of survival at these time points than the Tokuhashi score, Tomita score and KPS. Psoas size can be used in clinical decision-making to select which patients with metastatic spine tumors are appropriate surgical candidates. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS: This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs

Sarcopenia as a Prognostic Factor for 90-Day and Overall Mortality in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery for Metastatic Tumors: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Novel methods in predicting survival in patients with spinal metastases may help guide clinical decision-making and stratify treatments regarding surgery vs palliative care. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the frailty/sarcopenia paradigm is predictive of survival and morbidity in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastasis. METHODS: A total of 271 patients from 4 tertiary care centers who had undergone surgery for spinal metastasis were identified. Frailty/sarcopenia was defined by psoas muscle size. Survival hazard ratios were calculated using multivariate analysis, with variables from demographic, functional, oncological, and surgical factors. Secondary outcomes included improvement of neurological function and postoperative morbidity. RESULTS: Patients in the smallest psoas tertile had shorter overall survival compared to the middle and largest tertile. Psoas size (PS) predicted overall mortality more strongly than Tokuhashi score, Tomita score, and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS). PS predicted 90-d mortality more strongly than Tokuhashi score, Tomita score, and KPS. Patients with a larger PS were more likely to have an improvement in deficit compared to the middle tertile. PS was not predictive of 30-d morbidity. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing surgery for spine metastases, PS as a surrogate for frailty/sarcopenia predicts 90-d and overall mortality, independent of demographic, functional, oncological, and surgical characteristics. The frailty/sarcopenia paradigm is a stronger predictor of survival at these time points than other standards. PS can be used in clinical decision-making to select which patients with metastatic spine tumors are appropriate surgical candidates

Field testing of arsenic in groundwater samples of Bangladesh using a test kit based on lyophilized bioreporter bacteria.

A test kit based on living, lyophilized bacterial bioreporters emitting bioluminescence as a response to arsenite and arsenate was applied during a field campaign in six villages across Bangladesh. Bioreporter field measurements of arsenic in groundwater from tube wells were in satisfying agreement with the results of spectroscopic analyses of the same samples conducted in the lab. The practicability of the bioreporter test in terms of logistics and material requirements, suitability for high sample throughput, and waste disposal was much better than that of two commercial chemical test kits that were included as references. The campaigns furthermore demonstrated large local heterogeneity of arsenic in groundwater, underscoring the use of well switching as an effective remedy to avoid high arsenic exposure