Bone regeneration potential of sub-microfibrous membranes with osteogenic induction of rBMSC for tissue engineering

Purpose: To examine the biocompatibility and osteoinductive potential of  sub-microfibrous membranes with cells in vitro and in vivo.Methods: Polylactic acid (PLA) and poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) were blended at various volume ratios (PLA:PCL = 100:0, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70 and 0:100) and each membrane form was prepared by electrospinning. Cell viability,  biocompatibility, and bone regeneration were measured.Results: The membranes from the PLA/PCL blends prepared by an electrospinning process showed a range of diameter distribution ranging from 1,580 to 550 nm. The cells of 100 % PCL membrane (smallest diameter) exhibited significantly higher adhesion and proliferation than those of the other membranes. Among the  membranes from PLA/PCL blends, PCL membrane showed weak inflammatory changes in the early stages of implantation without acute or chronic inflammation. PCL membranes with osteogenically-induced cells successfully stimulated new bone formation in a rate calvarial defect model.Conclusion: The results indicate that biodegradable PCL sub-microfibrous membrane produced by electrospinning process seems to have excellent biocompatibility, and may be used as a scaffold for bone tissue engineering.Keywords: Biocompatibility, Hard tissue, Biomaterial availability, Bone remodeling, Polylactic acid, Poly-ε-caprolactone, Osteoinductive potential, Sub-microfibrous membrane

Sensitization rates of airborne pollen and mold in children

PurposeAeroallergens are important causative factors of allergic diseases. Previous studies on aeroallergen sensitization rates investigated patients groups that had visited pediatric allergy clinics. In contrast, we investigated sensitization rates in a general population group of elementary school to teenage students in Incheon, Jeju, and Ulsan.MethodsAfter obtaining parental consent, skin-prick tests were performed on 5,094 students between March and June 2010. Elementary school students were tested for 18 common aeroallergens, whereas middle and high school students were tested for 25 allergens. The 25 allergens included Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, pollen (birch, alder, oak, Japanese cedar, pine, willow, elm, maple, Bermuda grass, timothy grass, rye grass, orchard grass, meadow grass, vernal grass, mugwort, Japanese hop, fat hen, ragweed, and plantain), and mold (Penicillatum, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Alternaria).ResultsThe sensitization rates in descending order were 25.79% (D. pteronyssinus), 18.66% (D. farinae), 6.20% (mugwort), and 4.07% (willow) in Incheon; 33.35% (D. pteronyssinus), 24.78% (D. farinae), 15.36% (Japanese cedar), and 7.33% (Alternaria) in Jeju; and 32.79% (D. pteronyssinus), 30.27% (D. farinae), 10.13% (alder), and 8.68% (birch) in Ulsan. The dust mite allergen showed the highest sensitization rate among the 3 regions. The sensitization rate of tree pollen was the highest in Ulsan, whereas that of Alternaria was the highest in Jeju. The ragweed sensitization rates were 0.99% in Incheon, 1.07% in Jeju, and 0.81% in Ulsan.ConclusionThe differences in sensitization rates were because of different regional environmental conditions and distinct surrounding biological species. Hence, subsequent nationwide studies are required

Stemness Evaluation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Placentas According to Developmental Stage: Comparison to Those from Adult Bone Marrow

This study was done to evaluate the stemness of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) derived from placenta according to the development stage and to compare the results to those from adult bone marrow (BM). Based on the source of hMSCs, three groups were defined: group I included term placentas, group II included first-trimester placentas, and group III included adult BM samples. The stemness was evaluated by the proliferation capacity, immunophenotypic expression, mesoderm differentiation, expression of pluripotency markers including telomerase activity. The cumulative population doubling, indicating the proliferation capacity, was significantly higher in group II (P<0.001, 31.7±5.8 vs. 15.7±6.2 with group I, 9.2±4.9 with group III). The pattern of immunophenotypic expression and mesoderm differentiation into adipocytes and osteocytes were similar in all three groups. The expression of pluripotency markers including ALP, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81, Oct-4, and telomerase were strongly positive in group II, but very faint positive in the other groups. In conclusions, hMSCs from placentas have different characteristics according to their developmental stage and express mesenchymal stemness potentials similar to those from adult human BMs

Safety and feasibility of countering neurological impairment by intravenous administration of autologous cord blood in cerebral palsy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Backgrounds</p> <p>We conducted a pilot study of the infusion of intravenous autologous cord blood (CB) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) to assess the safety and feasibility of the procedure as well as its potential efficacy in countering neurological impairment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients diagnosed with CP were enrolled in this study if their parents had elected to bank their CB at birth. Cryopreserved CB units were thawed and infused intravenously over 10~20 minutes. We assessed potential efficacy over 6 months by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), brain perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and various evaluation tools for motor and cognitive functions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty patients received autologous CB infusion and were evaluated. The types of CP were as follows: 11 quadriplegics, 6 hemiplegics, and 3 diplegics. Infusion was generally well-tolerated, although 5 patients experienced temporary nausea, hemoglobinuria, or urticaria during intravenous infusion. Diverse neurological domains improved in 5 patients (25%) as assessed with developmental evaluation tools as well as by fractional anisotropy values in brain MRI-DTI. The neurologic improvement occurred significantly in patients with diplegia or hemiplegia rather than quadriplegia.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Autologous CB infusion is safe and feasible, and has yielded potential benefits in children with CP.</p

Alkyl Glycosides from the Flowers of Magnolia obovata

Abstract The flowers of Magnolia obovata were extracted with aqueous MeOH and fractionated into EtOAc, n-BuOH, and H 2 O fractination. Three alkyl glycosides were isolated from the EtOAc fraction through repeated silica gel and ODS column chromatography. The structures were identified to be 2-methylbutan-1-ol-β-Dgalacto-pyranoside (1), 2-methylbutan-1-ol-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), and 2-methylpropan-1-ol-β-D-glucopyranoside (3) on the basis of spectroscopic analyses such as fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, 1D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) ( 1 H and 13 C-NMR), and 2D NMR (gCOSY, gHSQC, and gHMBC). These compounds were isolated for the first time from the flower of M. obovata in this study

A new mosaic der(18)t(1;18)(q32.1;q21.3) with developmental delay and facial dysmorphism

We report the case of a 22-month-old boy with a new mosaic partial unbalanced translocation of 1q and 18q. The patient was referred to our Pediatric Department for developmental delay. He showed mild facial dysmorphism, physical growth retardation, a hearing disability, and had a history of patent ductus arteriosus. White matter abnormality on brain magnetic resonance images was also noted. His initial routine chromosomal analysis revealed a normal 46,XY karyotype. In a microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis, subtle copy number changes in 1q32.1–q44 (copy gain) and 18q21.33–18q23 (copy loss) suggested an unbalanced translocation of t(1;18). Repeated chromosomal analysis revealed a low-level mosaic translocation karyotype of 46,XY,der(18)t(1;18)(q32.1;q21.3)[12]/46,XY[152]. Because his parents had normal karyotypes, his translocation was considered to be de novo. The abnormalities observed in aCGH were confirmed by metaphase fluorescent in situ hybridization. We report this patient as a new karyotype presenting developmental delay, facial dysmorphism, cerebral dysmyelination, and other abnormalities

Evaluation of endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 as a biomarker of glycocalyx damage in canine myxomatous mitral valve disease

Background : Endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM-1) has emerged as a potential biomarker for cardiovascular disease in humans. Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common heart disease in dogs, and we hypothesized that MMVD causes chronic inflammation that increases susceptibility to endothelial glycocalyx (eGCX) damage. In this study, we measured the concentration of ESM-1 in a group of dogs with MMVD and evaluated factors affecting eGCX damage. Results : Sixty-four dogs (control, n = 6; MMVD, n = 58) were enrolled in this study. There was no significant difference in serum ESM-1 concentrations among the MMVD stages. The serum ESM-1 concentration was significantly higher in the death group than in the alive group in MMVD dogs. (p = 0.006). In five dogs with MMVD, serum ESM-1 concentrations tended to decrease when the cardiac drug (pimobendan, furosemide, and digoxin) dose was increased. Conclusions : In cases where MMVD progressed to decompensated heart failure with clinical symptoms and resulted in death, the concentration of serum ESM-1 increased significantly. Therefore, ESM-1 could be utilized as a new potential negative prognostic factor in patients with MMVD

Case report: Fatal insulin overdose in a dog with type 1 diabetes mellitus—characteristics and successful management

Administering more than 10 times the therapeutic dose of insulin is extremely rare in diabetic dogs and is life threatening with hypoglycemia and seizures if not accompanied by appropriate treatment. A 15-year-old, castrated male miniature poodle dog managed for diabetes presented with depression, disorientation, ataxia, and cluster seizures. The dog had been administered 11.1 U/kg of neutral protamine hegadorn (NPH) insulin (10 times the prescribed dose) 3 h before the onset of symptoms. Blood analysis revealed hypoglycemia, with a circulating glucose level of &lt;50 mg/dL. To treat the hypoglycemia-induced seizures, dextrose was repeatedly administered intravenously. Repeated generalized seizures were treated with anticonvulsants and intermittent mannitol. Since refractory hypoglycemia persisted 24 h after the insulin overdose, it was decided to proceed with glucagon treatment (15–30 ng/kg/min titrated to the blood glucose level after a loading dose of 50 ng/kg intravenous bolus infusion). After 37 h of glucagon treatment, blood glucose levels stabilized. After entering a hyperglycemic state, NPH insulin was administered to manage insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. This is the first case documented of successful treatment with glucagon, anticonvulsants and intermittent mannitol for refractory hypoglycemia and seizure caused by fatal insulin overdose. Thus, it has great clinical value in veterinary medicine

Retrospective evaluation of prognosis and survival with various immunosuppressants in 82 dogs diagnosed with meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology (2010–2021)

Background Meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology (MUE) is a comprehensive term for non-infectious inflammatory brain diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by abnormal autoimmune responses. This study aims to compare the differences in survival and clinical response of MUE according to the adjuvant immunosuppressant use. Medical records of 82 dogs diagnosed with MUE were reviewed retrospectively. Results The overall survival time was 769 days (range 14–2687 days). The median survival time for each adjunctive was: leflunomide 1035 days (range 126–2163 days), mycophenolate mofetil 865 days (range 39–2191 days), cyclosporin 441 days (range 11–2176 days), cytosine arabinoside 754 days (range 6–1898 days) and a combination of mycophenolate mofetil and cytosine arabinoside 132 days (range 23–1227 days). There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse events according to the immunosuppressants, but moderate to severe anemia was confirmed in 3 patients (18.7%) in the leflunomide group. Conclusions The survival time and response rate of MUE dogs differed depending on which adjunctive immunosuppressants were used. Leflunomide showed a long survival time and a relatively good response rate in dogs with MUE. However, a large-scale further study with standardized doses of immunosuppressants and supportive treatment and constant monitoring interval is needed