Neurobiological effects of probiotic-supplemented diets in acutely stressed male Long-Evans rats: Evidence of enhanced resilience

Introduction ~Considering that the human intestine is home to almost 100 trillion microorganisms including bacteria (Cryan, 2011), recent research has focused on the role of the microbiome in neurobiological functions such as stress, anxiety and coping responses. ~Focusing on animal models, previous findings indicate that modifications of the gut microbiota via antibiotics and certain probiotics alter the anxiety response via the vagus nerve & immune system mediation (MacQueen et al., 2017). ~Recently, the concept of Psychobiotics has been introduced to refer to the use of microbiota to positively influence mental health outcomes (Foster et al., 2017)

Minimally invasive surgery for pediatric trauma - A multicenter review

© Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2015. Introduction: The published experience with minimally invasive techniques to treat injured children is currently small. In this multicenter case series, we aimed to characterize the contemporary role of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in pediatric trauma. Materials and Methods: After obtaining Institutional Review Board approval at six pediatric regional trauma centers in the United States, a retrospective review was conducted on children who have undergone thoracoscopy or laparoscopy for the management of trauma over the past 13 years. Results: There were 200 patients with a mean age of 9.6±4.2 years, and 73% were male. Laparoscopy was performed for 187 (94%) and thoracoscopy for 8 (4%), whereas 5 (2%) patients had both, for a total of 205 MIS procedures. Conversion to open surgery occurred in 36% (n=73). Median operative time was 77 (range, 16-369) minutes. Of the 132 procedures completed without conversion, 81 (61%) were diagnostic, whereas the remaining were therapeutic, including the repair of bowel injuries (n=20), distal pancreatectomy (n=5), splenectomy (n=2), repair of traumatic abdominal wall hernias (n=2), evacuation of hemothorax (n=3), and other thoracoscopic or laparoscopic interventions (n=19). Procedures that required conversion were most commonly for bowel injury (n=56). Patients with peritonitis were most likely to require conversion to an open procedure (77.4%). Mean time to a regular diet was 4.2±8.6 days, and mean hospital stay was 6.3±6.5 days. Postoperative complications occurred in 19 patients, long-term sequelae in 10 patients, and permanent disability in 2 patients. There were no deaths or missed injuries. Conclusions: In the stable pediatric trauma patient, laparoscopy and thoracoscopy can be performed safely and effectively for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes

Biomimetic block copolymer membranes

Amphiphilic block copolymer membranes, classified as vesicles, are nano-aggregates receiving a lot of scientific interest due to their wide range of potential applications extending from biomedicine (e.g., drug delivery, imaging, nanoreactors) to material science (biosensors, electronics). This chapter summarizes the principles of vesicle formation, various membrane-forming copolymer systems and their properties as well as common techniques for vesicle preparation and characterization. Copolymer membranes with responsiveness to external stimuli are particularly attractive for use in drug delivery and are, therefore, also discussed. In addition, the chapter reviews recent examples of vesicles encapsulating proteins, enzymes and therapeutics as prospective systems for bio-applications