Safe Coated Microneedles with Reduced Puncture Occurrence after Administration

The goal of this study is the preparation of safer coated microneedles so that tips remaining after the initial use are less likely to be reinserted on a second use. Twelve groups of uncoated microneedles (u-MNs) were prepared from the combination of three different aspect ratios (height to base width) and four kinds of polymer (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), nylon and polylactic acid (PLA)). After coating the u-MNs with polyvinyl alcohol formulation to make coated MNs (c-MNs), the force displacement of the u-MNs and the c-MNs was measured. The aspect ratio was reduced from 2.2, 2.5 and 3.0 with u-MNs to 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 with c-MNs, respectively, after the coating formulation was applied to the MNs. All PLA MNs had a puncture performance of more than 95%. However, the puncture performance of u-MNs made of PE and of PP with a 3.0 aspect ratio was only 8% and 53%, respectively, whereas the rates of c-MNs made of PE and of PP were 82% and 95%, respectively. In animal experiments with PP MNs with a 3.0 aspect ratio, the 59% rate of puncture performance with u-MNs increased to above 96% with c-MNs and fell to 13% for r-MNs. Safe c-MNs can overcome the disadvantages of standard c-MNs by reducing the probable contamination of remaining tips after use. Safe c-MNs have advantages over standard c-MNs in terms of humidity resistance, reasonable cost, sterilization process and short processing time through the separate process of u-MN preparation and simple dip-coating

Neuronal ApoE Regulates the Cell-to-Cell Transmission of α-Synuclein

The presence of protein inclusions, called Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs), in the brain is the main feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Recent evidence that the prion-like propagation of α-synuclein (α-syn), as a major component of LBs and LNs, plays an important role in the progression of PD has gained much attention, although the molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated whether neuronal ApoE regulates the cell-to-cell transmission of α-syn and explored its molecular mechanism using in vitro and in vivo model systems. We demonstrate that neuronal ApoE deficiency attenuates both α-syn uptake and release by downregulating LRP-1 and LDLR expression and enhancing chaperone-mediated autophagy activity, respectively, thereby contributing to α-syn propagation. In addition, we observed that α-syn propagation was attenuated in ApoE knockout mice injected with pre-formed mouse α-syn fibrils. This study will help our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying α-syn propagation

Foldable and washable textile-based OLEDs with a multi-functional near-room-temperature encapsulation layer for smart e-textiles

Wearable electronic devices are being developed because of their wide potential applications and user convenience. Among them, wearable organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) play an important role in visualizing the data signal processed in wearable electronics to humans. In this study, textile-based OLEDs were fabricated and their practical utility was demonstrated. The textile-based OLEDs exhibited a stable operating lifetime under ambient conditions, enough mechanical durability to endure the deformation by the movement of humans, and washability for maintaining its optoelectronic properties even in water condition such as rain, sweat, or washing. In this study, the main technology used to realize this textile-based OLED was multi-functional near-room-temperature encapsulation. The outstanding impermeability of TiO2 film deposited at near-room-temperature was demonstrated. The internal residual stress in the encapsulation layer was controlled, and the device was capped by highly cross-linked hydrophobic polymer film, providing a highly impermeable, mechanically flexible, and waterproof encapsulation.N

Human bloodstream infection caused by Staphylococcus pettenkoferi

Staphylococcus pettenkoferi is a recently isolated human pathogen with only a few reported cases of infection. We report a case of bloodstream infection caused by S. pettenkoferi in a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis.Rintala H, 2008, BMC MICROBIOL, V8, DOI 10.1186/1471-2180-8-56Tang YW, 2008, DIAGN MICR INFEC DIS, V60, P351, DOI 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2007.11.005Trulzsch K, 2007, INT J SYST EVOL MICR, V57, P1543, DOI 10.1099/ijs.0.64381-0Loiez C, 2007, J CLIN MICROBIOL, V45, P1069, DOI 10.1128/JCM.02328-06Lau SKP, 2006, J CLIN PATHOL, V59, P219, DOI 10.1136/jcp.2004.025247Mellmann A, 2006, EMERG INFECT DIS, V12, P333Fontana C, 2005, J CLIN MICROBIOL, V43, P615, DOI 10.1128/JCM.43.2.615-619.2005Woo PCY, 2003, J CLIN MICROBIOL, V41, P1996, DOI 10.1128/JCM.41.5.1996-2001.2003Trulzsch K, 2002, DIAGN MICR INFEC DIS, V43, P175Drancourt M, 2002, J CLIN MICROBIOL, V40, P1333, DOI 10.1128/JCM.40.4.1333-1338.2002Kim SD, 2000, INFECT CONT HOSP EP, V21, P213Pfaller MA, 1999, DIAGN MICR INFEC DIS, V33, P283Huebner J, 1999, ANNU REV MED, V50, P223

Hypoxia inducible factor-1α directly induces the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand in periodontal ligament fibroblasts

The original publication is available at www.springerlink.comDuring orthodontic tooth movement, local hypoxia and enhanced osteoclastogenesis are observed in the compression side of periodontal tissues. The receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) is an osteoblast/stromal cell-derived factor that is essential for osteoclastogenesis. In this study, we examined the effect of hypoxia on RANKL expression in human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) to investigate the relationship between local hypoxia and enhanced osteoclastogenesis in the compression side of periodontal tissues. Hypoxia significantly enhanced the levels of RANKL mRNA and protein as well as hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) protein in PDLFs. Constitutively active HIF-1alpha alone significantly increased the levels of RANKL expression in PDLFs under normoxic conditions, whereas dominant negative HIF-1alpha blocked hypoxia-induced RANKL expression. To investigate further whether HIF-1alpha directly regulates RANKL transcription, a luciferase reporter assay was performed using the reporter vector containing the RANKL promoter sequence. Exposure to hypoxia or overexpression of constitutively active HIF-1alpha significantly increased RANKL promoter activity, whereas dominant negative HIF-1alpha blocked hypoxia-induced RANKL promoter activity. Furthermore, mutations of putative HIF-1alpha binding elements in RANKL promoter prevented hypoxia-induced RANKL promoter activity. The results of chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that hypoxia or constitutively active HIF-1alpha increased the DNA binding of HIF-1alpha to RANKL promoter. These results suggest that HIF-1alpha mediates hypoxia-induced up-regulation of RANKL expression and that in compression side periodontal ligament, hypoxia enhances osteoclastogenesis, at least in part, via an increased RANKL expression in PDLFs. ⓒ 2011 The Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology and Springer Netherlands.

Powdered Green Tea (Matcha) Attenuates the Cognitive Dysfunction via the Regulation of Systemic Inflammation in Chronic PM2.5-Exposed BALB/c Mice

This study was conducted to evaluate the anti-amnesic effect of the aqueous extract of powdered green tea (matcha) (EM) in particulate matter (PM)2.5-induced systemic inflammation in BALB/c mice. EM ameliorated spatial learning and memory function, short-term memory function, and long-term learning and memory function in PM2.5-induced mice. EM protected against antioxidant deficit in pulmonary, dermal, and cerebral tissues. In addition, EM improved the cholinergic system through the regulation of acetylcholine (ACh) levels and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in brain tissue, and it protected mitochondrial dysfunction by regulating the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP contents in brain tissue. EM attenuated systemic inflammation and apoptotic signaling in pulmonary, dermal, olfactory bulb, and hippocampal tissues. Moreover, EM suppressed neuronal cytotoxicity and cholinergic dysfunction in hippocampal tissue. This study suggests that EM might be a potential substance to improve PM2.5-induced cognitive dysfunction via the regulation of systemic inflammation