A Molecular Rheology Dynamics Study on 3D Printing of Liquid Crystal Elastomers.

This work presents a rheological study of a biocompatible and biodegradable liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) ink for three dimensional (3D) printing. These materials have shown that their structural variations have an effect on morphology, mechanical properties, alignment, and their impact on cell response. Within the last decade LCEs are extensively studied as potential printing materials for soft robotics applications, due to the actuation properties that are produced when liquid crystal (LC) moieties are induced through external stimuli. This report utilizes experiments and coarse-grained molecular dynamics to study the macroscopic rheology of LCEs in nonlinear shear flow. Results from the shear flow simulations are in line with the outcomes of these experimental investigations. This work believes the insights from these results can be used to design and print new material with desirable properties necessary for targeted applications.

Carotid Endarterectomy Versus Stenting for the Treatment of Patients With Carotid Artery Stenosis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a surgical procedure that treats the narrowed carotid arteries, which may be narrowed by atherosclerosis. Stenting is the insertion of a wire mesh scaffold into the narrowed portion of the carotid artery to keep it open by preventing blood from clotting. Using the study done over 10 years back as a point of reference, this study will seek an update on an assessment comparing CEA and stenting in studies carried out between 2015 and to date. The PICOS (population, intervention, control, outcome, and study designs) criteria were used to construct a set of inclusion and exclusion guidelines. This meta-analysis and systematic review used two forms of investigative analysis; both quantitative and qualitative assessments. From the studies, stroke (95% CI: 0.51-0.71, P < 0.001), myocardial infarction (95% CI: 1.49-3.42, P = 0.001), and stroke or death analysis (95% CI: 0.53-0.77, P < 0.001) were noted to be significant. From the analysis, CEA was observed as having better treatment results in terms of stroke events and stroke or death incidences when compared to stenting. Carotid stenting was observed as having lower cases of myocardial infarctions when compared to endarterectomy.

Repositioning Glibenclamide in cardiac fibrosis by targeting TGF-ß1-pSmad2/3-NLRP3 cascade.

The proposed objective of this study is to attenuate cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome and related genes in uninephrectomized-DOCA fed rat model. Cardiac fibrosis was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by uninephrectomy and by subsequent administration of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) every 4th day till 28 days along with 1% NaCl in drinking water. Further, the animals in treatment groups were treated with Glibenclamide (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) for 28 days which was selected based on docking study. Interim analysis was carried out on the 14th day to assess the hemodynamic parameters. On the 28th day, anthropometric, hemodynamic, biochemical and oxidative stress parameters, gene expression (TGF-ß1, pSmad 2/3, NLRP3, IL-1ß and MMP-9), ex vivo Langendorff studies and Masson's trichrome staining of heart was carried out. Results were interpreted using ANOVA followed by post hoc Bonferroni test. Glibenclamide treatment significantly reduced the increase in blood pressure. Furthermore, the ECG patterns of the treatment groups displayed a lower frequency of the slow repolarizing events seen in the model animals. Moreover, Glibenclamide treatment demonstrated normal LV function as evidenced by a significant decrease in LVEDP. Besides, this intervention improved the anthropometric parameters and less collagen deposition in Masson's trichrome staining. The cascade of TGF-ß1-pSmad2/3-NLRP3 was downregulated along with suppression of IL-1ß. Our study repositioned anti-diabetic drug Glibenclamide to treat cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-ß1-pSmad2/3-NLRP3 cascade.