Exogenous stem cells pioneer a biobridge to the advantage of host brain cells following stroke: New insights for clinical applications

Stroke continues to maintain its status as one of the top causes of mortality within the United States. Currently, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug in place for stroke patients, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), has a rigid therapeutic window, closing at approximately 4.5 h after stroke onset. Due to this short time frame and other restrictions, such as any condition that increases a patient's risk for hemorrhaging, it has been predicted that <5% of ischemic stroke patients benefit from tPA. Given that rehabilitation therapy remains the only other option for stroke victims, there is a clear unmet clinical need for treatment available for the remaining 95%. While still considered an experimental treatment, the utilization of stem cell therapies for stroke holds consistent promise. Copious preclinical studies report the capacity for transplanted stem cells to rescue the brain parenchyma surrounding the stroke-induced infarct core. At present, the exact mechanisms in which stem cells contribute a robust therapeutic benefit remains unclear. Following stem cell administration, researchers have observed cell replacement, an increase in growth factors, and a reduction in inflammation. With a deeper understanding of the precise mechanism of stem cells, these therapies can be optimized in the clinic to afford the greatest therapeutic benefit. Recent studies have depicted a unique method of endogenous stem cell activation as a result of stem cell therapy. In both traumatic brain injury and stroke models, transplanted mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) facilitated a pathway between the neurogenic niches of the brain and the damaged area through extracellular matrix remodeling. The biobridge pioneered by the MSCs was utilized by the endogenous stem cells, and these cells were able to travel to the damaged areas distal to the neurogenic niches, a feat unachievable without prior remodeling. These studies broaden our understanding of stem cell interactions within the injured brain and help to guide both researchers and clinicians in developing an effective stem cell treatment for stroke. This paper is a review article. Referred literature in this paper has been listed in the references section. The datasets supporting the conclusions of this article are available online by searching various databases, including PubMed. Some original points in this article come from the laboratory practice in our research center and the authors' experiences

Tubo-ovarian abscess caused by Edwardsiella tarda: A case report

Tubo-ovarian abscesses (TOAs) are a complicated form of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). They are usually caused by Bacteroides species or Escherichia coli. A 35-year-old woman presented with TOA caused by an infection with the rare pathogen Edwardsiella tarda. Thus, in a suspected case of a TOA in a patient with PID, we recommend obtaining a culture to test for a wide variety of bacterial organisms. By identifying less common pathogenic causes of TOA earlier, more conservative treatments can be used to mitigate the negative consequences of TOA and the need for surgical intervention

Neuroprotective and neuroregenerative potential of pharmacologically-induced hypothermia with D-alanine D-leucine enkephalin in brain injury

Neurovascular disorders, such as traumatic brain injury and stroke, persist as leading causes of death and disability – thus, the search for novel therapeutic approaches for these disorders continues. Many hurdles have hindered the translation of effective therapies for traumatic brain injury and stroke primarily because of the inherent complexity of neuropathologies and an inability of current treatment approaches to adapt to the unique cell death pathways that accompany the disorder symptoms. Indeed, developing potent treatments for brain injury that incorporate dynamic and multiple disorder-engaging therapeutic targets are likely to produce more effective outcomes than traditional drugs. The therapeutic use of hypothermia presents a promising option which may fit these criteria. While regulated temperature reduction has displayed great promise in preclinical studies of brain injury, clinical trials have been far less consistent and associated with adverse effects, especially when hypothermia is pursued via systemic cooling. Accordingly, devising better methods of inducing hypothermia may facilitate the entry of this treatment modality into the clinic. The use of the delta opioid peptide D-alanine D-leucine enkephalin (DADLE) to pharmacologically induce temperature reduction may offer a potent alternative, as DADLE displays both the ability to cause temperature reduction and to confer a broad profile of other neuroprotective and neuroregenerative processes. This review explores the prospect of DADLE-mediated hypothermia to treat neurovascular brain injuries, emphasizing the translational steps necessary for its clinical translation

Utilizing pharmacotherapy and mesenchymal stem cell therapy to reduce inflammation following traumatic brain injury

The pathologic process of chronic phase traumatic brain injury is associated with spreading inflammation, cell death, and neural dysfunction. It is thought that sequestration of inflammatory mediators can facilitate recovery and promote an environment that fosters cellular regeneration. Studies have targeted post-traumatic brain injury inflammation with the use of pharmacotherapy and cell therapy. These therapeutic options are aimed at reducing the edematous and neurodegenerative inflammation that have been associated with compromising the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. Although studies have yielded positive results from anti-inflammatory pharmacotherapy and cell therapy individually, emerging research has begun to target inflammation using combination therapy. The joint use of anti-inflammatory drugs alongside stem cell transplantation may provide better clinical outcomes for traumatic brain injury patients. Despite the promising results in this field of research, it is important to note that most of the studies mentioned in this review have completed their studies using animal models. Translation of this research into a clinical setting will require additional laboratory experiments and larger preclinical trials

Translational research in early neuroscience careers of high school students

Este artículo presenta los resultados del Proyecto de Investigación Técnica realizado en la Facultad de Ingeniería bajo la dirección del Dr. Ingeniero Alvaro Correa Arroyave y cuyo objetivo general es el diseño y construcción del equipo de corte directo para suelos. Se estudia el significado de la resistencia al corte en suelos y la importancia de los parámetros C y  O en los modelos utilizados para el diseño de obras de ingeniería, en especial en el nivel de seguridad que se debe garantizar tanto en su construcción como durante su vida útil. La confiabilidad de estos modelos depende principalmente de la manera con que se desarrollan los ensayos de laboratorio, en donde se trata de simular en formar conveniente el comportamiento del suelo ante las solicitaciones inducidas por el hombre o la misma naturaleza. Se presentan las características básicas del equipo construido que cumplen con las normas internacionales ASTM-3080n e incorporan innovaciones que responden a las necesidades observadas durante la investigación preliminar. Se efectuaron ejercicios de calibración cuyos resultados demuestran la idoneidad de este equipo de laboratorio