Chikusetsu Saponin IVa liposomes modified with a retro-enantio peptide penetrating the blood-brain barrier to suppress pyroptosis in acute ischemic stroke rats.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic strategies for acute ischemic stroke were faced with substantial constraints, emphasizing the necessity to safeguard neuronal cells during cerebral ischemia to reduce neurological impairments and enhance recovery outcomes. Despite its potential as a neuroprotective agent in stroke treatment, Chikusetsu saponin IVa encounters numerous challenges in clinical application. RESULT: Brain-targeted liposomes modified with THRre peptides showed substantial uptake by bEnd. 3 and PC-12 cells and demonstrated the ability to cross an in vitro blood-brain barrier model, subsequently accumulating in PC-12 cells. In vivo, they could significantly accumulate in rat brain. Treatment with C-IVa-LPs-THRre notably reduced the expression of proteins in the P2RX7/NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway and inflammatory factors. This was evidenced by decreased cerebral infarct size and improved neurological function in MCAO rats. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that C-IVa-LPs-THRre could serve as a promising strategy for targeting cerebral ischemia. This approach enhances drug concentration in the brain, mitigates pyroptosis, and improves the neuroinflammatory response associated with stroke.

Analysis of pulp prognosis in 603 permanent teeth with uncomplicated crown fracture with or without luxation.

AIM: To analyze the pulp prognosis of uncomplicated crown-fractured teeth with or without concurrent luxation injury in adolescent. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Complete dental records of traumatized permanent teeth were obtained, including the patient's name, gender and age, position of the traumatized tooth, its stage of root development, time elapsed between dental injury and treatment, diagnosis, clinical procedures, and follow-up period. Pulp prognosis was evaluated over a period of at least 6 months using Andreasen's classification. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were used to examine the risk factors inherent to the prognosis of pulp healing, with P < 0.05 accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: The study involved 603 teeth with uncomplicated crown fractures followed up for 6 months or longer, of which 104 suffered luxation at the same time. The frequency of pulp necrosis in teeth with complete root development was higher than those with incomplete root development. For uncomplicated crown fracture with luxation, crown-fractured teeth with intrusion had a higher incidence of pulp necrosis than other types of concurrent luxation (OR: 33.613). The incidence of pulp necrosis within 3 months was significantly higher than in other time periods (P = 0.021), and the median survival time was 53 days (95% confidence interval: 34-67 days). CONCLUSIONS: Existence of concurrent luxation injury and complete root development are important risk factors of pulp necrosis in teeth with uncomplicated crown fractures in adolescent.

[Risk factors of non-surgical vertebral fracture after percutaneous kyphoplasty of single segment thoracolumbar fracture].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors of non-surgical vertebral fracture after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in patients with single segment thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture(OVCF). METHODS: The clinical data of 219 patients with single segment thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture underwent percutaneous kyphoplasty from January 2010 to December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 29 cases in non-surgical vertebral body fracture group with 7 males and 22 females aged (67.35±9.92) years. Bone mineral density was(-3.89±0.72)SD, fracture compressed degree was (0.57±0.35)%, bone cement injected volume was (4.53±1.64) ml, and vertebral height recovery was (0.49±0.86)% on average. Ten cases were with vertebral body space fracture, 7 cases with bone cement leakage to the intervertebral disc, 9 cases with bone cement leakage to the peripheral tissue and 14 cases were treated by systemic anti-osteoporosis treatment after operation. Other 190 cases in non-surgical vertebral body without fracture group, and there were 42 males and 148 females, aged (66.98±7.55) years. Bone mineral density was (-3.13±0.59) SD, fracture compressed degree was (0.39±0.60)%, bone cement injected volume was (4.72±1.28) ml, and vertebral height recovery was (0.46±0.94)% on average. Among them, 13 cases were with vertebral body space fracture, 5 cases with bone cement leakage to the intervertebral disc, 29 cases with bone cement leakage to the peripheral tissue and 129 cases were treated by systemic anti-osteoporosis treatment after operation. The factors of gender, age, fracture compressed degree, fractured type, bone mineral density, bone cement injected volume, bone cement leakage, vertebral height recovery, adjacent vertebral fractures, and systemic anti-osteoporosis treatment were studied in the two groups for single factor analysis. For the results with significant differences among above factors, the multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to research the non-surgical vertebral fracture risk factors. RESULTS: Among the 219 patients with single thoracolumbar fractures, 29 cases occurred non-surgical vertebral fractures. The single factor analysis results showed that there was no significant correlation between non-surgical vertebral fracture occurrecne with age, sex, fracture compressed degree, bone cement injected volume, and vertebral height recovery(P>0.05), but there was a significant correlation between non-surgical vertebral fracture occurrence with fractured type, bone cement leakage, systemic anti-osteoporosis treatment, and bone mineral density (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that fractured type(OR=0.135), whether systemic anti-osteoporosis treatment (OR=3.793), bone cement leakage (OR=8.975), and bone density (OR=57.079) are risk factors for postoperative non-surgical vertebral fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Improving the quality of the people, systemic preventing and treating the osteoporosis, improving the surgical skills and decreasing the bone cement leakage during operation are effective methods to prevent postoperative non-surgical vertebral fractures.

Properties of hydrodynamic J-type countercurrent chromatography for protein separation using aqueous two-phase systems: With special reference to constructing conical columns.

Protein separation using hydrodynamic countercurrent chromatography (CCC), where low backpressure is inherent, is more challenging, more time consuming and more costly when compared with separating small molecules. The most hopeful approach is to rationally design suitable columns for already commercialized J-type CCC machinery. By comparing 3 column geometries (3D helix, 2D spiral and 3D cone), we firstly constructed the mechanical model tailored to the conical column on J-type CCC using aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) on protein separation. Aimed at mechanistically understanding hydrodynamic CCC, we then developed a semi-quantitative model to account for contributions of both hydrodynamic and hydrostatic forces to stationary phase retention, and have subsequently compared the modelling outcomes with experimental results. We practiced a methodology to delineate both phase mixing and stationary phase retention before committing to physically constructing CCC columns. Following theoretical analyses, we finally constructed conical columns for J-type CCC. Using model proteins (myoglobin and lysozyme) and with 2 ATPSs containing PEG1000 and phosphate, sound protein separation has been achieved (resolution reaches 1.5-2.0 and stationary phase retention also exceeds 40%) for the selected ATPSs and under a varied level of sample volumes and loadings.

[Lupus anticoagulant: two cases report and literature review].

OBJECTIVE: To deepen the understanding of clinical manifestations and treatment of patients with positive lupus anticoagulant (LAC). METHODS: The clinical data of 2 patients were analyzed and related literature were reviewed. RESULTS: Case 1, a 31-year-old female, diagnosed as lupus anticoagulant positive, secondary to undifferentiated connective tissue disease, was presented with menorrhagia and thrombocytopenia. Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) was positive 1:1000 (homogeneous type) with anti-double stranded DNA positive, and dRVVT LA1/LA2 was 3.4. Coagulation function was alleviated after treatment with glucocorticoid and total glucosides of paeony. Case 2, a 59-year-old female was presented with gingival bleeding, hematuria with the level of F II:C 13%. dRVVT LA1/LA2 was 2.0. Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) was positive 1:1000 (type of cytoplasmic granule), anti-double stranded DNA was positive. The patient was diagnosed as hypoprothrombinemia-lupus anticoagulant syndrome (LAHS) and acquired coagulation factor deficiency. The signs of hemorrhage were alleviated after treatment with methylprednisolone 40 mg/day and cyclophosphamide, while the level of F II:C was below normal. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of patients with positive LAC are variable. The diagnosis relies on history of disease and laboratory test. Currently, there is no standardized treatment. Cases of LAHS should be thoroughly investigated for any known causes and related disorder.

Scale-up protein separation on stainless steel wide bore toroidal columns in the type-J counter-current chromatography.

Manufacturing high-value added biotech biopharmaceutical products (e.g. therapeutic proteins) requires quick-to-develop, GMP-compliant, easy-to-scale and cost effective preparatory chromatography technologies. In this work, we describe the construction and testing of a set of 5-mm inner diameter stainless steel toroidal columns for use on commercially available preparatory scale synchronous J-type counter-current chromatography (CCC) machinery. We used a 20.2m long column with an aqueous two-phase system containing 14% (w/w) PEG1000 and 14% (w/w) potassium phosphate at pH 7, and tested a sample loading of 5% column volume and a mobile phase flow rate of 20ml/min. We then satisfactorily demonstrated the potential for a weekly protein separation and preparation throughput of ca. 11g based on a normal weekly routine for separating a pair of model proteins by making five stacked injections on a single portion of stationary phase with no stripping. Compared to our previous 1.6mm bore PTFE toroidal column, the present columns enlarged the nominal column processing throughput by nearly 10. For an ideal model protein injection modality, we observed a scaling up factor of at least 21. The 2 scales of protein separation and purification steps were realized on the same commercial CCC device.

Soft microfluidic assemblies of sensors, circuits, and radios for the skin.

When mounted on the skin, modern sensors, circuits, radios, and power supply systems have the potential to provide clinical-quality health monitoring capabilities for continuous use, beyond the confines of traditional hospital or laboratory facilities. The most well-developed component technologies are, however, broadly available only in hard, planar formats. As a result, existing options in system design are unable to effectively accommodate integration with the soft, textured, curvilinear, and time-dynamic surfaces of the skin. Here, we describe experimental and theoretical approaches for using ideas in soft microfluidics, structured adhesive surfaces, and controlled mechanical buckling to achieve ultralow modulus, highly stretchable systems that incorporate assemblies of high-modulus, rigid, state-of-the-art functional elements. The outcome is a thin, conformable device technology that can softly laminate onto the surface of the skin to enable advanced, multifunctional operation for physiological monitoring in a wireless mode.

Arabidopsis RPG1 is important for primexine deposition and functions redundantly with RPG2 for plant fertility at the late reproductive stage.

Arabidopsis Ruptured Pollen Grain-1 (RPG1/Sweet8) is a member of the MtN3/saliva protein family that functions as a sugar transporter. The rpg1 mutant shows defective exine pattern formation. In this study, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations showed that much less primexine was deposited in rpg1 tetrads. Furthermore, microspore membrane undulation was abnormal, and sporopollenin accumulation was also defective. This suggests that a reduced primexine deposition in rpg1 leads to abnormal membrane undulation that affects exine pattern formation. Chemical staining revealed thinning of the callose wall of rpg1, as well as significantly reduced expression of Callose synthase-5 (CalS5) in rpg1. The fertility of the rpg1 mutant could be partly restored at late reproductive stages, potentially complemented in part by RPG2, another member of the MtN3/saliva family, which is expressed in the anther during microsporogenesis. The double mutant, rpg1rpg2, was almost sterile and was not restored during late reproduction. These results suggest that RPG1 and RPG2 are involved in primexine deposition and therefore pollen wall pattern formation.

[A retrospective study of 415 uncomplicated crown-fracture teeth].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognosis of uncomplicated crown fractures and the related factors. METHODS: Clinical data of uncomplicated crown fractures treated in Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School of Stomatology from 2000 to 2006 were collected, and the follow-up period was not shorter than six months. The following information was recorded, including patients' age and gender, type of injury, with or without luxation injury, location of injured tooth, stage of root development, time elapsed between the injury and the first dental care, emergency treatment or not, pulp healing. Logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The study comprised of 307 patients with 415 uncomplicated crown-fracture teeth. The frequency of pulp necrosis was significantly higher in crown-fracture teeth with luxation injuries (34.0%) than in crown-fracture teeth without luxation injuries (22.7%) (P < 0.05). Age of patients and type of injury were significantly related to pulp prognosis in crown-fracture teeth without luxation injuries. While stage of root development and type of injury were significantly related to pulp prognosis in crown-fracture teeth with luxation injuries. CONCLUSION: Luxation injuries was significantly related to the prognosis of uncomplicated crown-fracture teeth.

[A retrospective study of pulp healing after luxation injuries].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognosis of luxated permanent teeth and analyze the associated factors of pulp healing after luxation injuries. METHODS: The dental records of patients presented for treatment due to luxation injuries at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from January 2000 to December 2006 were collected, and the follow-up period was not shorter than six months. The following information was recorded, age and gender; type of injury; location of injured tooth; stage of root development; time elapsed between the injury and the first dental care; emergency treatment or not; pulp healing. Logistic regression was used to compare qualitative data and determine the associated factors of pulp healing after luxation injuries. RESULTS: The study was comprised of 157 patients with 238 luxated permanent teeth. The frequency of pulp necrosis was 16.0%, dental pulp calcification 2.1% and pulp survival 81.9%. The frequency of pulp necrosis was highest in intrusion (66.7%). The factors significantly affecting pulp healing were stage of root development and type of injury. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of pulp necrosis was greatest in intrusion. The stage of root development and the type of injury were significant factors related to pulp healing after luxation injuries.