Anthraquinone Emodin Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Calcification of Human Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells via the NF-κB Pathway

Exploring effective therapies for delaying calcific heart valve disease (CHVD) is the focus of current cardiovascular clinical and scientific research. In this study, human aortic valve interstitial cells (hVICs) were isolated from patients with CHVD. After expansion, cultured hVICs were induced with the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) with or without anthraquinone emodin (EMD) treatments. Cytotoxicity and flow cytometric analysis were used to assess cell growth, while Alizarin Red S staining was used to detect hVICs calcification. Furthermore, RNA-sequencing analysis was utilized to investigate changes in mRNA profiles of cells cultured in TNF-α conditioned medium with or without EMD. Western blotting and qRT-PCR analyses were used for the verification of key selected genes. Our results indicated that EMD had limited influence on hVIC morphology, whereas in a dose-dependent fashion, EMD interfered with hVIC growth under TNF-α conditioned cell culture. Additionally, hVICs treated with TNF-α plus EMD, presented a gradual decrease of positive Alizarin Red S staining, when compared with cells treated with TNF-α only. Notably, cells treated with TNF-α plus EMD showed 1874 differential expression genes (DEGs), among them, 1131 were upregulated and 743 were downregulated. These DEGs displayed an enrichment of biological functions and signaling pathways, among them, BMP2, RELA, TNF, and TRAF1, were found to be significantly suppressed by EMD and selected given their role in mediating hVIC calcification. In conclusion, our study shows that EMD inhibits TNF-α-induced calcification and phenotypical transformation of hVICs via the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby preventing calcification events stimulated during acute inflammatory responses

Plastic Deformation Behavior of Bi-Crystal Magnesium Nanopillars with a {1012} Twin Boundary under Compression: Molecular Dynamics Simulations

In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the uniaxial compression deformation of bi-crystal magnesium nanopillars with a { 10 1 ¯ 2 } twin boundary (TB). The generation and evolution process of internal defects of magnesium nanopillars were analyzed in detail. Simulation results showed that the initial deformation mechanism was mainly caused by the migration of the twin boundary, and the transformation of TB into (basal/prismatic) B/P interface was observed. After that, basal slip as well as pyramidal slip nucleated during the plastic deformation process. Moreover, a competition mechanism between twin boundary migration and basal slip was found. Basal slip can inhibit the migration of the twin boundary, and { 10 1 ¯ 1 } ⟨ 10 1 ¯ 2 ⟩ twins appear at a certain high strain level ( ε = 0.104). In addition, Schmid factor (SF) analysis was conducted to understand the activations of deformation modes

Anatomical Study of the Descending Genicular Artery Chimeric Flaps

Purpose: With increasing use of the chimeric flap of the descending genicular artery, the authors systematically investigated the anatomy of its branches in cadavers. Methods: Fifteen fresh cadaveric thighs were studied by anatomical dissection. The branches of the descending genicular arteries were skeletonized along their courses to the femoral arteries. Branches’ lengths and diameters were measured to simulate the combined application of the skin, muscle, bone, osteochondral and osteocutaneous flaps with tendon enthesis. Results: The descending genicular artery was noted in 11 thighs, with an average diameter of 1.94 ± 0.36 mm and an average length of 10.69 ± 4.41 mm. In addition, the saphenous artery was noted in all 15 thighs, and the average diameter of the original part was 1.35 ± 0.18 mm. Branches arose from the saphenous artery to supply the skin above the knee, the anterior of tibia, the sartorius muscle and the pes anserinus. The average diameter of the osteoarticular artery was 1.80 ± 0.46 mm which divaricated into a periosteal branch to supply the bone above the medial femoral epicondyle and a few articular branches to supply the bone and the cartilage of the medial femoral condyle. Conclusions: This study systematically investigated the anatomy of the descending genicular artery and its branches. Based on the anatomical features of descending genicular artery, chimeric flap offers combination therapy with other tissue flaps. Besides, considering its long chimeric arm, chimeric flap could be used to repair not only local complex injuries but also defects in different locations. Clinical Relevance: The descending genicular artery chimeric flap is a clinical option for reconstructing compound tissue defects of limbs

Comparison of Pedicled Adductor Longus and Pedicled Sartorius Flap in Inguinal Reconstruction, a Fresh Cadaver Study

Reconstruction surgeries in the inguinal area are challenging for vascular surgeons, oncologists, orthopedists, and others. The pedicled sartorius flap is the most commonly used flap for reconstruction. The pedicled adductor longus is reported as a new method to reconstruct the inguinal region. The related anatomic study is rare. This work aims to make a comparison of pedicled adductor longus and pedicled sartorius on cadavers for better use. Out of the 12 thighs in the 6 cadavers analyzed, the author compares two surgical methods in terms of surgical details, exposure of vascular and nerve pedicle, flap harvesting, flap transposition and flap volume, etc. Through the course of this study, it is showed that the adductor longus flap had a sizable advantage over the sartorius flap in terms of exposure, harvesting, and flap volume

A Review of Fast Bubble-Driven Micromotors Powered by Biocompatible Fuel: Low-Concentration Fuel, Bioactive Fluid and Enzyme

Micromotors are extensively applied in various fields, including cell separation, drug delivery and environmental protection. Micromotors with high speed and good biocompatibility are highly desirable. Bubble-driven micromotors, propelled by the recoil effect of bubbles ejection, show good performance of motility. The toxicity of concentrated hydrogen peroxide hampers their practical applications in many fields, especially biomedical ones. In this paper, the latest progress was reviewed in terms of constructing fast, bubble-driven micromotors which use biocompatible fuels, including low-concentration fuels, bioactive fluids, and enzymes. The geometry of spherical and tubular micromotors could be optimized to acquire good motility using a low-concentration fuel. Moreover, magnesium- and aluminum-incorporated micromotors move rapidly in water if the passivation layer is cleared in the reaction process. Metal micromotors demonstrate perfect motility in native acid without any external chemical fuel. Several kinds of enzymes, including catalase, glucose oxidase, and ureases were investigated to serve as an alternative to conventional catalysts. They can propel micromotors in dilute peroxide or in the absence of peroxide

Plant-Derived Products for Treatment of Vascular Intima Hyperplasia Selectively Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Functions

Natural products are used widely for preventing intimal hyperplasia (IH), a common cardiovascular disease. Four different cells initiate and progress IH, namely, vascular smooth muscle, adventitial and endothelial cells, and circulation or bone marrow-derived cells. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play a critical role in initiation and development of intimal thickening and formation of neointimal hyperplasia. In this review, we describe the different originating cells involved in vascular IH and emphasize the effect of different natural products on inhibiting abnormal cellular functions, such as VSMC proliferation and migration. We further present a classification for the different natural products like phenols, flavonoids, terpenes, and alkaloids that suppress VSMC growth. Abnormal VSMC physiology involves disturbance in MAPKs, PI3K/AKT, JAK-STAT, FAK, and NF-κB signal pathways. Most of the natural isolate studies have revealed G1/S phase of cell cycle arrest, decreased ROS production, induced cell apoptosis, restrained migration, and downregulated collagen deposition. It is necessary to screen optimal drugs from natural sources that preferentially inhibit VSMC rather than vascular endothelial cell growth to prevent early IH, restenosis following graft implantation, and atherosclerotic diseases

Partial talar replacement with a novel 3D printed prosthesis

AbstractBackground The treatment of talus avascular necrosis (AVN) is challenging owing to its unique anatomical features. Despite decades of studies, till date, there is no appropriate treatment for talus AVN. Therefore, surgeons need to develop newer surgical methods. In the present study we introduce a new surgical method, 3D printed partial talus replacement (PTR), to treat partial talus necrosis and collapse (TNC).Methods A male patient with talus AVN underwent PTR in our hospital. The morphology of the talus was quantified using 3D computed tomography (CT) imaging. A novel 3D printed titanium prothesis was designed and manufactured according to the findings of the CT imaging. The prosthesis was applied during talus replantation surgery to reconstruct the anatomical structure of the ankle. The follow-up period for this patient was 24 months. The visual analog scale (VAS) scores before and after surgery, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS), ankle range of motion, and postoperative complications were recorded to evaluate the prognosis.Results The anatomical structure of the talus was reconstructed. The patient was satisfied with the effects of treatment, recovery, and function. The VAS score decreased from 5 to 1. The AOFAS improved from 70 to 93. The range of motion remained the same as that during the pre-operation. The patient returned to a normal life.Conclusion 3D printed PTR is a new surgical method for talus AVN that can provide satisfactory outcomes. In future, PTR might be an effective and preferential treatment for the treatment of partial talus AVN and collapse

A Survey on Mobile Edge Computing: Focusing on Service Adoption and Provision

Mobile cloud computing (MCC) integrates cloud computing (CC) into mobile networks, prolonging the battery life of the mobile users (MUs). However, this mode may cause significant execution delay. To address the delay issue, a new mode known as mobile edge computing (MEC) has been proposed. MEC provides computing and storage service for the edge of network, which enables MUs to execute applications efficiently and meet the delay requirements. In this paper, we present a comprehensive survey of the MEC research from the perspective of service adoption and provision. We first describe the overview of MEC, including the definition, architecture, and service of MEC. After that we review the existing MUs-oriented service adoption of MEC, i.e., offloading. More specifically, the study on offloading is divided into two key taxonomies: computation offloading and data offloading. In addition, each of them is further divided into single MU offloading scheme and multi-MU offloading scheme. Then we survey edge server- (ES-) oriented service provision, including technical indicators, ES placement, and resource allocation. In addition, other issues like applications on MEC and open issues are investigated. Finally, we conclude the paper