24 research outputs found
Functionalized Positive Nanoparticles Reduce Mucin Swelling and Dispersion
Multi-functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) have been extensively investigated for their potential in household and commercial products, and biomedical applications. Previous reports have confirmed the cellular nanotoxicity and adverse inflammatory effects on pulmonary systems induced by NPs. However, possible health hazards resulting from mucus rheological disturbances induced by NPs are underexplored. Accumulation of viscous, poorly dispersed, and less transportable mucus leading to improper mucus rheology and dysfunctional mucociliary clearance are typically found to associate with many respiratory diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis (CF), and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Whether functionalized NPs can alter mucus rheology and its operational mechanisms have not been resolved. Herein, we report that positively charged functionalized NPs can hinder mucin gel hydration and effectively induce mucin aggregation. The positively charged NPs can significantly reduce the rate of mucin matrix swelling by a maximum of 7.5 folds. These NPs significantly increase the size of aggregated mucin by approximately 30 times within 24 hrs. EGTA chelation of indigenous mucin crosslinkers (Ca2+ ions) was unable to effectively disperse NP-induced aggregated mucins. Our results have demonstrated that positively charged functionalized NPs can impede mucin gel swelling by crosslinking the matrix. This report also highlights the unexpected health risk of NP-induced change in mucus rheological properties resulting in possible mucociliary transport impairment on epithelial mucosa and related health problems. In addition, our data can serve as a prospective guideline for designing nanocarriers for airway drug delivery applications
Computed Tomography Annular Dimensions: A Novel Method to Compare Prosthetic Valve Hemodynamics
Mortality at 1 year for the direct comparison of tirofiban and abciximab during percutaneous coronary revascularization: do tirofiban and ReoPro give similar efficacy outcomes at trial 1-year follow-up
Outcomes at 6 months for the direct comparison of tirofiban and abciximab during percutaneous coronary revascularisation with stent placement: the TARGET follow-up study
Comparison of Outcomes After Transcatheter vs Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Among Patients at Intermediate Operative Risk With a History of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: A Post Hoc Analysis of the SURTAVI Randomized Clinical Trial
Clinical outcomes of TAVI or SAVR in men and women with aortic stenosis at intermediate operative risk: A post hoc analysis of the randomised SURTAVI trial
Comparison of a Complete Percutaneous Versus Surgical Approach to Aortic Valve Replacement and Revascularization in Patients at Intermediate Surgical Risk Results From the Randomized SURTAVI Trial
Causes of death in intermediate-risk patients: The Randomized Surgical Replacement and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Trial
Critical ischemia of the fingers in an auto mechanic as a result of occupational exposure
Hypothenar hammer syndrome is a rare cause of ischemic fingers observed mainly in young men smoking cigarettes and it is associated with repeated trauma of the ulnar artery in the area of the hypothenar eminence of the dominant-hand arm, resulting in a deficit of blood supply with the occurrence of hand symptoms typical for chronic and sometimes critical ischemia. Artery injury in this location is most often the result of multiple repetitions of the same activity being mostly the result of occupational exposure. We present a case of a 27-year-old car mechanic admitted to the hospital with symptoms of critical ischemia of the fingers III, IV, and V of the right hand, which resolved after conservative treatment