Antiatherogenic Potential of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation in a High-Fructose/High-Fat Diet: Experimental Randomized Trial

Background. Transcranial electrical stimulation is a promising method for correction of malnutrition-induced hyperlipidemia, in the absence of indications for drug hypolipidemic therapy in young and middle-aged patients with low and moderate cardiovascular risk. Objectives — to study the effect of transcranial electrical stimulation on lipid metabolism in a high-fructose/high-fat (HFHF) diet in rats.Methods. An experimental randomized trial was performed to study the effect of transcranial electrical stimulation on lipid metabolism in a high-calorie diet enriched with fructose and saturated animal fat in rats. The experiments involved 180 outbred male rats and were carried out on the basis of the vivarium of Kuban State Medical University. The animals were divided into three groups: group 1 (control group, n = 60) — followed a standard diet; group 2 (comparison group, n = 60) — followed a HFHF diet; group 3 (experimental group, n = 60) — underwent transcranial electrical stimulation against the background of a HFHF diet. According to the target reference point of the study, the groups were divided into three equal subgroups of 20 rats each: subgroup A — day 30, subgroup B — day 60, and subgroup C — day 90 (biomaterial sampling and euthanasia were carried out on those days). In the obtained blood samples, the following lipid metabolism parameters were evaluated: total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and atherogenic index. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Office Excel 2021 (Microsoft, USA), GraphPadPrism 9 (GraphPad Software, USA) and Statistica 13.3 (StatSoft, USA).Results. On the 30th day of the study, it was noted that in group 3, the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 14.9% lower and the atherogenic index was 30.8% lower (p < 0.05) than in group 2, while total cholesterol concentration, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol had no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). On the 60th day of the study, in group 3, when compared to group 2, the concentration of total cholesterol was 18.7% lower, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 42.9% lower, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 16.7% higher, and the atherogenic index was 56.3% lower (p < 0.05), while triglycerides had no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). On the 90th day of the study, in group 3, when compared to group 2, the concentration of total cholesterol was 29.2% lower, the concentration of triglycerides was 36.0% lower, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 42.8% lower, and the atherogenic index was 57.0% lower (p < 0.05), while the concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol had no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05).Conclusion. High-fructose/high-fat diet leads to a progressive increase in the serum concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, as well as to a moderate decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a growth in the atherogenic index. Transcranial electrical stimulation has a moderate lipid-lowering effect, manifested in the form of a decrease in the serum concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol and atherogenic index, while the effect on the concentration of triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is insignificant

Cassiosomes are stinging-cell structures in the mucus of the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Snorkelers in mangrove forest waters inhabited by the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana report discomfort due to a sensation known as stinging water, the cause of which is unknown. Using a combination of histology, microscopy, microfluidics, videography, molecular biology, and mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we describe C. xamachana stinging-cell structures that we term cassiosomes. These structures are released within C. xamachana mucus and are capable of killing prey. Cassiosomes consist of an outer epithelial layer mainly composed of nematocytes surrounding a core filled by endosymbiotic dinoflagellates hosted within amoebocytes and presumptive mesoglea. Furthermore, we report cassiosome structures in four additional jellyfish species in the same taxonomic group as C. xamachana (Class Scyphozoa; Order Rhizostomeae), categorized as either motile (ciliated) or nonmotile types. This inaugural study provides a qualitative assessment of the stinging contents of C. xamachana mucus and implicates mucus containing cassiosomes and free intact nematocytes as the cause of stinging water

Механизмы ангиогенеза при трансплантации тканеинженерных конструкций

There is a number of problems regarding bioengineered structures creation that require further study in the fi eld of regenerative medicine. One of the critical tasks that require solution is the fact that tissue engineered constructions, as a rule, are large, which signifi cantly limits the possibility of diffusion of nutrients and oxygen in them. Thus, the key task of fundamental medicine is to fi nd a technology for restoring the perfusion of the structures created. The article presents a modern overview of the mechanisms of angiogenesis and possible ways of its stimulation during transplantation of tissue engineered constructions.В области регенеративной медицины при создании биоинженерных конструкций имеется ряд проблем, нуждающихся в дальнейшем изучении. Одной из актуальных задач, требующих решения, является тот факт, что тканеинженерные конструкции, как правило, имеют большие размеры, что значительно ограничивает возможность диффузии в них питательных веществ и кислорода. Таким образом, ключевая задача фундаментальной медицины заключается в поиске технологии восстановления перфузии создаваемых конструкций. В статье представлен современный обзор механизмов ангиогенеза и возможных путей его стимуляции при трансплантации тканеинженерных конструкций

Морфологическая оценка качества децеллюляризации пищевода кры

The main aim of our investigation was analysis and optimization of the existing protocols of esophagus decellularization in rats, identification of parameters affecting the quality of decellularization and intactness of the native properties of esophageal extracellular matrix (ECM). Materials and methods. We developed a modified decellularization protocol based on detergent-enzymatic method using sodium deoxycholate and DNAse. Results. Morphological evaluation of the obtained decellularized matrices demonstrated the absence of cells and cell elements while mechanical properties of ECM were preserved. Conclusion. The developed protocol of esophagus decellularization is a potential basis for obtaining of tissue-engineered esophagus scaffold constructions.Основной целью нашего исследования явились анализ и оптимизация существующих протоколов децеллюляризации пищевода на модели крысы, определение параметров, влияющих на качество децеллюляризации и на сохранность исходных свойств ВКМ пищевода. Материалы и методы. Децеллюляризацию пищевода крысы выполняли с использованием оригинального и модифицированного протоколов, детергент-энзиматическим методом с применением дезоксихолата натрия и ДНКазы. Качество децеллюляризации оценивали с помощью рутинных гистологических методов исследования. Результаты. Морфологические методы оценки полученного децеллюляризированного матрикса подтвердили отсутствие ядер и клеток при сохранности трехмерности, архитектоники каркаса и биомеханических свойств ВКМ. Заключение. Разработанный протокол децеллюляризации пищевода крысы является перспективной основой для получения тканеинженерных конструкций пищевода

Nitrosocarbonyl Hetero-Diels–Alder Cycloaddition: A New Tool for Conjugation

It is demonstrated that nitrosocarbonyl hetero-Diels-Alder chemistry is an efficient and versatile reaction that can be applied in macromolecular synthesis. Polyethylene glycol functionalized with a hydroxamic acid moiety undergoes facile coupling with cyclopentadiene-terminated polystyrene, through a copper-catalyzed as well as thermal hetero-Diels-Alder reaction. The mild and orthogonal methods used to carry out this reaction make it an attractive method for the synthesis of block copolymers. The resulting block copolymers were analyzed and characterized using GPC and NMR. The product materials could be subjected to thermal retro [4 + 2] cycloaddition, allowing for the liberation of the individual polymer chains and subsequent recycling of the diene-terminated polymers. © 2014 American Chemical Society