The Plasma Levels of Protein Adiponectin (AdipoQ) and Meteorin-Like (Metrnl) in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Purpose: This study aimed to measure the concentrations of the Adiponectin and Meteorin - Like (Metrnl) in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients. Patients and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study contained two groups: Group 1 (86 newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus type 2 patients) and group 2 (71 healthy persons). The plasma concentrations of Adiponectin and Metrnl were measured by Enzyme Link Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results: The plasma level of Adiponectin of the newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus type 2 group and the healthy group were 1219.82 ng/mL (1132.43-2772.50) and 1187.25 ng/mL (1160.66-3807.50) respectively. The plasma level of Metrnl of two groups were 757.60 pg/mL (564.15-994.00) and 697.60 pg/mL (538.50-986.10) respectively. There were no significant difference between two groups. Metrnl had no correlation with glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, BMI. Adiponectin had correlation with Metrnl and HDL-cholesterol. Adiponectin had no correlation to glucose, HbA1c, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglyceride, BMI. People with the lower Adiponectin concentration had the higher risk of diabetes (OR=6.52; 95% CI: 2.43 -17.55). Conclusion: Adiponectin and Metrnl were not significantly different in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and healthy people. The lower concentration of Adiponectin might increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Effective degradation of tetracycline in aqueous solution by an electro-Fenton process using chemically modified carbon/α-FeOOH as catalyst.

This study applied an electro-Fenton process using chemically modified activated carbon derived from rubber seed shells loaded with α-FeOOH (RSCF) as catalyst to remove tetracycline residues from aquatic environment. Catalyst characteristics were evaluated using SEM, EDS, XRD, and XPS, showing successful insertion of iron onto the activated carbon. The effects of the parameters were investigated, and the highest treatment efficiency was achieved at pH of 3, Fe: H2O2 ratio (w/w) of 500:1, catalyst dose of 1 g/L, initial TCH concentration of 100 mg/L, and electric current of 150 mA, with more than 90% of TCH being eliminated within 30 min. Furthermore, even after five cycles of use, the treatment efficiency remains above 90%. The rate constant is calculated to be 0.218 min-1, with high regression coefficients (R 2 = 0.93). The activation energy (Ea) was found to be 32.2 kJ/mol, indicating that the degradation of TCH was a simple reaction with a low activation energy. These findings showed that the RSCF is a highly efficient and cost-effective catalyst for TCH degradation. Moreover, the use of e-Fenton process has the advantage of high efficiency, low cost thanks to the recyclability of the catalyst, and environmental friendliness thanks to less use of H2O2.

Superiority of left heart deformation in early anthracycline-related cardiac dysfunction detection.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the incidence of early cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) and the characteristics of left and right heart deformations during anthracycline chemotherapy. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled a cohort of 351 chemotherapy-naïve women with breast cancer and cardiovascular risk factors who were scheduled to receive anthracycline. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) and right ventricular and left atrial longitudinal strains were evaluated using echocardiography at baseline, before every subsequent cycles and at 3 weeks after the final anthracycline dose. CTRCD was defined as a new LVEF reduction by ≥10 percentage points to an LVEF<50% and/or a new relative decline in GLS by >15% from the baseline value. RESULTS: Eighteen (5.1%) patients had evidence of asymptomatic CTRCD during anthracycline treatment, and 50% developed CTRCD before completing the chemotherapy regimen. In the CTRCD group, while LV-GLS decrease significantly after the first dose of anthracycline, the reduction of right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain and left atrial reservoir strain were observed after the second dose. Other strain indices could not be used to identify early CTRCD. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiotoxicity appeared soon after the initiation of anthracycline chemotherapy. Among the left-heart and right-heart mechanics, LV-GLS remains the best deformation indicator for detecting early CTRCD.

Combination of deep eutectic solvent and functionalized metal-organic frameworks as a green process for the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural from sugars.

Biomass is an abundant and sustainable resource that can be converted into energy and chemicals. Therefore, the development of efficient methods for the conversion of biomass into platform intermediates is crucial. In this study, the one-pot conversion of sugars into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural was achieved using the metal-organic framework combined with metal ions [MIL-101(Cr)] as a high-activity catalyst, and a deep eutectic solvent (choline chloride and lactic acid) as a green solvent. The optimal temperature, time, amount of catalyst used, and amount of deep eutectic solvent used were all determined. The highest HMF yield of 49.74% and furfural yield of 55.90% were obtained. The recyclability of the catalysts and deep eutectic solvent was also investigated. After three reaction runs, the HMF yield was still nearly 30.00%. Finally, the MIL-101(Cr) catalytic system was selected to study the kinetic mechanism underlying the conversion of glucose into HMF.

Highly effective synthesis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from lignocellulosic biomass over a green and one-pot reaction in biphasic system.

In this study, different types of lignocellulosic biomas were used as substrates for the conversion to 5-HMF via biphasic reaction system that is composed of a reaction phase (aqueous phase) and an extraction phase (organic phase) under the catalysis of various metal salts. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs), ionic liquid [BMIM]Cl, aqueous choline chloride, aqueous betaine hydrochloride, and ethylamine hydrochloride were used as the reaction phase in the combination of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as organic solvents. The highest yields of 5-HMF obtained from pineapple stems in reactions with DES were 40.98%, 37.26%, and 23.44% for ChCl:Lac, ChCl:OA, and EaCl:Lac, respectively. Moreover, the combination of dimethyl sulfoxide, betaine hydrochloride aqueous solution, and AlCl3·6H2O with the pineapple stem conversion system resulted in a maximum yield of 61.04% ± 0.55% of 5-HMF. This study also demonstrated that AlCl3·6H2O and betaine hydrochloride could be effectively reused four times, which indicates a green and effective process.

Not just if, but how much: Children and adults use cost and need to make evaluations about generosity across contexts.

Evaluations of others' generosity are critical for selecting quality social partners, yet the factors which systematically affect these evaluations and whether they vary across development are still relatively unclear. Here, we establish that two key dimensions adults and children (aged 4 to 7 years) consider are the cost associated with a giving action and the need of the recipient, through six pre-registered experiments with Canadian and U.S. American participants. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrate that adults' and children's third-party evaluations of generosity are sensitive to variations in each factor, across several operationalizations of cost and need in both comparative and standalone contexts, suggesting cost and need can be spontaneously evoked. However, children's responses were more consistent for need scenarios than cost scenarios. In Experiments 3 and 4, we modified our scenarios to evaluate whether variations in cost and need are considered simultaneously in both generosity evaluations and affiliative preferences. Adults' and older children's (ages 6 to 7) evaluations of generosity and affiliative preferences were sensitive to both factors, but younger children did not utilize this information systematically. Importantly, in Experiments 5 and 6, adults' and older children's generosity evaluations were only sensitive to information about cost and need when the giver's actions conferred utility to a recipient, but not when actions were self-serving. Taken together, we establish robust evidence that cost and need are considered in generosity evaluations by demonstrating that Canadian and U.S. American adults and children utilize this information consistently, spontaneously, and simultaneously.

Aortic regurgitation progression after mitral valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the fate of untreated moderate aortic regurgitation after mitral valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease. The aim of this study was to compare the progression to significant aortic valve disease of untreated moderate and mild aortic regurgitation after mitral valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease. METHODS: Among patients who underwent mitral valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease without concomitant aortic valve intervention at our institution between January 2005 and December 2017, we selected 338 patients with pure aortic regurgitation (273 patients with mild and 65 patients with moderate aortic regurgitation). RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 10.0 years, 16 patients developed significant aortic valve disease. Freedom from significant aortic valve disease at 3 years, 8 years, and 14 years was 100%, 97.8 ± 1.1%, and 93.5 ± 2.3% in patients with mild aortic regurgitation, and 98.5 ± 1.5%, 94.5 ± 3.2%, and 80.6 ± 7.5% in patients with moderate aortic regurgitation (log-rank test: p = 0.007). Seven patients with mild aortic regurgitation and two patients with moderate aortic regurgitation underwent aortic valve replacement. CONCLUSIONS: After mitral valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease, untreated moderate aortic regurgitation progressed more frequently to significant aortic valve disease compared to untreated mild aortic regurgitation. A marked difference in freedom from significant aortic valve disease occurred after eight years. Aortic valve replacement was rarely needed.

The Correlation Between Angiopoietin-Like 3 and Metabolic Markers of Some Lipid and Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients at the First Diagnosis.

Purpose: Angiopoietin-Like3 is a protein that plays an important role in regulating plasma triglyceride concentrations by inhibiting the enzyme lipoprotein lipase. Lipid metabolism and glucose metabolism are closely related and interact with each other. ANGPTL3 may also be a factor involved in blood glucose regulation through an increase in free fatty acids generated from enhanced lipolysis in adipose tissue leading to insulin resistance. This study aimed to investigate plasma ANGPTL3 concentrations and their correlation with lipid and glucose metabolic markers in newly diagnosed type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients. Subject and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 98 healthy subjects (control group) and 103 patients with type 2 diabetes at the first diagnosis, without any treatment (patient group). Plasma ANGPTL3 concentration was quantified by the ELISA method. The study determines the correlation of ANGPTL3 concentration with some indicators reflecting lipid and glucose metabolism. Results: The concentration of ANGPTL3 in the newly diagnosed type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patient group was lower than in the control group, the difference was statistically significant with p < 0.05. In the patient group: there was an inverse correlation between ANGPTL3 concentration and HDL-C concentration (r = -0.37; p<0.001), and a positive correlation with triglyceride concentration (r = 0.275; p < 0.05). There was no correlation between plasma ANGPTL3 levels and anthropometric indices, total cholesterol, HDL-C, glucose, HbA1C, insulin, and HOMA-IR. In the control group: there was no correlation between ANGPTL3 and any of the indicators mentioned above. Conclusion: ANGPTL3 levels in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were statistically significantly lower than in healthy subjects. Plasma ANGPTL3 was positively correlated with triglyceride levels and inversely correlated with HDL-C levels in newly diagnosed type 2 Diabetes mellitus patients.

Physical oral care prevents ventilator-associated pneumonia in Vietnam: A prospective interventional study.

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has emerged as a critical issue in the intensive care unit (ICU) because of its high burden on patients and medical staff. Here, we examined the potential for reducing VAP incidence through physical oral care interventions without any medication. METHODS: This prospective interventional study compared VAP incidence during an 8-month baseline period (usual oral care) and a 9-month intervention period (physical oral care with sponge brush) among patients who received mechanical ventilation for >48 h in a tertiary care hospital in Vietnam from 2017 to 2019. Physical oral care was provided by general ICU nurses who had been trained by dentists and infection control nurses. VAP was diagnosed using the Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score. RESULTS: In total, 423 patients were enrolled in the baseline group and 454 patients were enrolled in the intervention group; 303 and 300 patients, respectively, were included in the analysis. Two hundred thirty-eight VAP episodes were identified: 135 (44.6%) during the baseline period and 103 (34.3%) during the intervention period. Univariate analysis revealed significant reduction of VAP occurrence in the intervention period (odds ratio = 0.65; 95% confidence interval = 0.47-0.90; P = 0.010). The incidences of VAP per 1000 ventilator-days were 63.4 (135/2128) during the baseline period and 48.4 (103/2128) during the intervention period (P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Physical oral care without any medication (e.g., chlorhexidine) reduced VAP incidence in the ICU. This method could be used to reduce VAP incidence, particularly in countries with limited medical resources.

Amyloid ß Dodecamer Disrupts the Neuronal Membrane More Strongly than the Mature Fibril: Understanding the Role of Oligomers in Neurotoxicity.

The amyloid cascade hypothesis states that senile plaques, composed of amyloid ß (Aß) fibrils, play a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, recent experiments have shown that Aß oligomers are more toxic to neurons than highly ordered fibrils. The molecular mechanism underlying this observation remains largely unknown. One of the possible scenarios for neurotoxicity is that Aß peptides create pores in the lipid membrane that allow Ca2+ ions to enter cells, resulting in a signal of cell apoptosis. Hence, one might think that oligomers are more toxic due to their higher ability to create ion channels than fibrils. In this work, we study the effect of Aß42 dodecamer and fibrils on a neuronal membrane, which is similar to that observed in AD patients, using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Due to short simulation times, we cannot observe the formation of pores, but useful insight on the early events of this process has been obtained. Namely, we showed that dodecamer distorts the lipid membrane to a greater extent than fibrils, which may indicate that ion channels can be more easily formed in the presence of oligomers. Based on this result, we anticipate that oligomers are more toxic than mature fibrils, as observed experimentally. Moreover, the Aß-membrane interaction was found to be governed by the repulsive electrostatic interaction between Aß and the ganglioside GM1 lipid. We calculated the bending and compressibility modulus of the membrane in the absence of Aß and obtained good agreement with the experiment. We predict that the dodecamer will increase the compressibility modulus but has little effect on the bending modulus. Due to the weak interaction with the membrane, fibrils insignificantly change the membrane elastic properties.

Investigating the Immunomodulatory Potential of Dental Pulp Stem Cell Cultured on Decellularized Bladder Hydrogel towards Macrophage Response In Vitro.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess immunomodulatory properties and capacity for endogenous regeneration. Therefore, MSC therapy is a promising treatment strategy for COVID-19. However, the cells cannot stay in the lung long enough to exert their function. The extracellular matrix from porcine bladders (B-ECM) has been shown not only to regulate cellular activities but also to possess immunoregulatory characteristics. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that B-ECM hydrogel could be an excellent scaffold for MSCs to grow and could anchor MSCs long enough in the lung so that they can exhibit their immunomodulatory functions. In this study, ECM degradation products and a co-culture system of MSCs and macrophages were developed to study the immunomodulatory properties of ECM and MSCs under septic conditions. The results showed that B-ECM degradation products could decrease pro-inflammatory and increase anti-inflammatory cytokines from macrophages. In an in vivo mimicking co-culture system, MSCs cultured on B-ECM hydrogel exhibited immunomodulatory properties at both gene and protein levels. Both B-ECM degradation products and MSC conditioned medium supported the wound healing of alveolar epithelial cells. The results from the study could offer a basis for investigation of immunomodulation by ECM and MSCs before conducting in vivo experiments, which could later be applied in regenerative medicine.

Correlation between the ankle-brachial index and microalbuminuria with certain risk factors in type 2 diabetes patients.

The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a fast, simple, noninvasive method that provides accurate results in the early diagnosis of peripheral artery disease. Microalbuminuria is considered a predictor of renal and cardiovascular complications in patients with diabetes. This study was conducted to determine the correlation between ABI and microalbuminuria with certain risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. SUBJECTS AND RESEARCH METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 62 inpatients with type 2 diabetes. All patients were measured for ABI as well as microalbuminuria, HbA1c, glucose and lipidemia in the blood. RESULTS: The study results showed that in patients with dyslipidemia, the risk of having microalbuminuria (+) increased 5.7 times and ABI ≤0.90 increased 8.6 times (P = 0.004 and 0.021, respectively). Fasting blood glucose >7.2 mmol/L had 5.7 times higher microalbuminuria (+) risk and 8.6 times higher ABI ≤0.90 (P = 0.004 and 0.021, respectively). Patients with HbA1c ≥7% were 2.9 times more likely to have microalbuminuria (+) and ABI ≤0.90 (P = 0.043 and 0.048, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral vascular disease risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia and waist circumference and the effectiveness of fasting blood glucose and HbA1c control increased the risk of high microalbuminuria and ABI in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Predictability of Fused 3D-T2-SPACE and 3D-TOF-MRA Images in Identifying Conflict in Trigeminal Neuralgia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of fused three-dimensional T2 sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions (3D-SPACE) and three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (3D-TOF-MRA) sequences for detecting neurovascular compression (NVC) in patients presenting with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). METHODS: A prospective study was carried in 33 consecutive patients (m/f: 17/16; mean age, 56.3 ± 10.4 years) with unilateral TN confirmed NVC and consensus by two experienced radiologists on fused 3D-SPACE and 3D-TOF-MRA sequences of 3-tesla (3-T) MRI. All patients underwent microvascular decompression (MVD), using photos and video in surgery as documents compared with MRI. Both the MRI and MVD were reported for three grades (contact, compression, distortion), vessel types (artery or vein), identification of offending vessel, site (juxtapontine, cisternal, and juxtapetrous), and location (cranial, caudal, medial, lateral). Agreement between preoperative MRI visualization and surgical findings was assessed using the kappa (K) statistic. RESULTS: The k-values for the agreement were excellent for the grade of NVC (k=0.82), vessel types (k=0.78), and location of conflict (k=0.74), and good for identification of the offending vessel (0.65) and the site-affected vessel (k=0.69). CONCLUSION: The fused D3-SPACE and 3D-TOF-MRA images are highly effective tools for the evaluation and treatment planning of NVC in TN patients.

Diagnostic imaging in a patient with an isolated blunt traumatic gallbladder injury.

Isolated gallbladder injuries are very uncommon in blunt abdominal trauma due to its small size. Further, they are well protected by the surrounding liver, omentum, and the rib cage. A case of traumatic gallbladder injury in a 47-year-old man with progressive right hypochondrial pain is presented. The gallbladder injury was caused due to a blunt abdominal trauma after a motor vehicle accident. The patient had a history of chronic alcoholism and narcotics abuse. The patient was also human immunodeficiency virus-positive and was on stable treatment for tuberculosis. A diagnosis of gallbladder contusion with intramural dissection was made after an ultrasound and computed tomography scan. However, the patient refused surgery and thus, an ultrasound-guided percutaneous transhepatic drainage of the gallbladder was performed as a temporary treatment. Subsequently, a successful cholecystectomy was performed. Isolated traumatic gallbladder injury has been reviewed due to the rarity of this condition and the diagnostic challenges it poses.

Prevalence of plasma lipid disorders with an emphasis on LDL cholesterol in selected countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity within the Asia-Pacific region, with the prevalence of CVD risk factors such as plasma lipid disorders increasing in many Asian countries. As members of the Cardiovascular RISk Prevention (CRISP) in Asia network, the authors have focused on plasma lipid disorders in the six countries within which they have clinical experience: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia. Based on country-specific national surveys, the prevalence of abnormal levels of total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C, respectively), and triglycerides (TG) are reported. An important caveat is that countries have used different thresholds to define plasma lipid disorders, making direct comparisons difficult. The prevalence of abnormal lipid levels was as follows: high total cholesterol (30.2-47.7%, thresholds: 190-213 mg/dL); high LDL-C (33.2-47.5%; thresholds: 130-135 mg/dL); low/abnormal HDL-C (22.9-72.0%; thresholds: 39-50 mg/dL); and high/abnormal TG (13.9-38.7%; thresholds: 150-177 mg/dL). Similarities and differences between country-specific guidelines for the management of plasma lipid disorders are highlighted. Based on the authors' clinical experience, some of the possible reasons for suboptimal management of plasma lipid disorders in each country are described. Issues common to several countries include physician reluctance to prescribe high-dose and/or high-intensity statins and poor understanding of disease, treatments, and side effects among patients. Treatment costs and geographical constraints have also hampered disease management in Indonesia and the Philippines. Understanding the factors governing the prevalence of plasma lipid disorders helps enhance strategies to reduce the burden of CVD in the Asia-Pacific region.

Long-term outcome in mediastinal malignancies: video-assisted thoracoscopic versus open surgery.

PURPOSE: There are not many studies comparing long-term oncological outcomes between video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open surgery for mediastinal malignancies. This study aimed to compare perioperative and long-term outcomes of these two techniques in the treatment of mediastinal malignancies. METHODS: This is a retrospective study: patients with mediastinal malignancies underwent VATS or open surgery from 2010 to 2013 and were followed until 2019. The primary endpoints were long-term oncological outcomes, including tumor recurrence and mortality. Secondary endpoints were perioperative outcomes (operative duration, blood loss, pain, chest drainage duration, hospital length of stay, and complications). RESULTS: There were 36 patients in the VATS group and 49 patients in the open group. The median follow-up duration was 90 months. VATS significantly reduced operation time (84.6 versus 124.8 min), blood loss (59.8 versus 235.2 ml), postoperative pain score (4.9 versus 6.7), the duration of chest tube drainage (2.1 versus 3.1 days), and postoperative hospital stay (5.2 versus 8.0 days). The two groups were comparable regarding the recurrence rate (2.4 versus 2.1/100 person-years) and mortality rate (0.8 versus 0.9/100 person-years). CONCLUSION: Compared with open surgery, VATS is less traumatic, reduces postoperative chest drainage, and shortens hospital stay with comparable long-term oncological outcomes. We advocate the VATS approach as a favored option for the resection of mediastinal malignancies.

Surgical repair for post-tuberculosis tracheobronchial stenosis.

AIM: Post-tuberculosis tracheobronchial stenosis is rare but one of the most dangerous complications of tracheobronchial tuberculosis. Balloon dilatation, stent insertion, laser photoresection, argon plasma coagulation, and cryotherapy are some of the initial treatments recommended for mild to moderate cases. Here, we report a case series of patients who underwent segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis for bronchial stenosis and a sliding technique for severe and long-segment tracheal stenosis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with post-tuberculosis tracheobronchial stenosis operated on in our thoracic surgery department. Of the 7 cases that were treated, two had severe tracheal stenosis stretching over 50% of the tracheal length, one was operated on using resection and end-to-end anastomosis, and the other had sliding tracheoplasty. The other 5 cases of bronchial stem stenosis were treated with segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis. RESULTS: All five patients with bronchial stenosis had a good outcome; the ipsilateral lung was well ventilated and respiratory function was good. One patient with tracheal stenosis, treated with segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis, died after the surgery, and the other patient, treated with slide tracheoplasty, had a good recovery. CONCLUSION: The treatment plan for patients with post-tuberculosis tracheobronchial stenosis should be on a patient-by-patient basis. Sliding tracheoplasty can be a treatment option in patients with long-segment tracheal stenosis.

The evolutionary background and functional consequences of the rs2071307 polymorphism in human tropoelastin.

Elastin is a major polymeric protein of the extracellular matrix, providing critical properties of extensibility and elastic recoil. The rs2071307 genomic polymorphism, resulting in the substitution of a serine for a glycine residue in a VPG motif in tropoelastin, has an unusually high minor allele frequency in humans. A consequence of such allelic heterozygosity would be the presence of a heterogeneous elastin polymer in up to 50% of the population, a situation which appears to be unique to Homo sapiens. VPG motifs are extremely common in hydrophobic domains of tropoelastins and are the sites of transient ß-turns that are essential for maintaining the conformational flexibility required for its function as an entropic elastomer. Earlier data demonstrated that single amino acid substitutions in tropoelastin can have functional consequences for polymeric elastin, particularly when present in mixed polymers. Here, using NMR and molecular dynamics approaches, we show the rs2071307 polymorphism reduces local propensity for ß-turn formation, with a consequent increase in polypeptide hydration and an expansion of the conformational ensemble manifested as an increased hydrodynamic radius, radius of gyration and asphericity. Furthermore, this substitution affects functional properties of polymeric elastin, particularly in heterogeneous polymers mimicking allelic heterozygosity. We discuss whether such effects, together with the unusually high minor allele frequency of the polymorphism, could imply some some evolutionary advantage for the heterozygous state.

Characterization of Porcine Urinary Bladder Matrix Hydrogels from Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Decellularization Method.

Urinary bladder matrix (UBM) is one of the most studied extracellular matrixes (ECM) in the tissue engineering field. Although almost all of the UBM hydrogels were prepared by using peracetic acid (PAA), recent studies indicated that PAA was not a trustworthy way to decellularize UBM. A stronger detergent, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), may help tackle this issue; however, its effects on the hydrogels' characteristics remain unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a more reliable protocol to decellularize UBM, using SDS, and to compare the characteristics of hydrogels obtained from this method to the widely employed technique, using PAA. The results indicated that SDS was superior to PAA in decellularization efficacy. Different decellularization methods led to dissimilar gelation kinetics; however, the methods did not affect other hydrogel characteristics in terms of biochemical composition, surface morphology and rheological properties. The SDS-treated hydrogels possessed excellent cytocompatibility in vitro. These results showed that the SDS decellularization method could offer a more stable and safer way to obtain acellular UBM, due to reducing immunogenicity. The hydrogels prepared from this technique had comparable characteristics as those from PAA and could be a potential candidate as a scaffold for tissue remodeling.

Emergence of Barrel Motif in Amyloid-ß Trimer: A Computational Study.

Amyloid-ß (Aß) peptides form assemblies that are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Aß oligomers are soluble, mobile, and toxic forms of the peptide that act in the extracellular space before assembling into protofibrils and fibrils. Therefore, oligomers play an important role in the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease. Since it is difficult to determine by experiment the atomic structures of oligomers, which accumulate fast and are polymorphic, computer simulation is a useful tool to investigate elusive oligomers' structures. In this work, we report extended all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, both canonical and replica exchange, of Aß(1-42) trimer starting from two different initial conformations: (i) the pose produced by the best docking of a monomer aside of a dimer (simulation 1), representing oligomers freshly formed by assembling monomers, and (ii) a configuration extracted from an experimental mature fibril structure (simulation 2), representing settled oligomers in equilibrium with extended fibrils. We showed that in simulation 1, regions with small ß-barrels are populated, indicating the chance of spontaneous formation of domains resembling channel-like structures. These structural domains are alternative to those more representative of mature fibrils (simulation 2), the latter showing a stable bundle of C-termini that is not sampled in simulation 1. Moreover, trimer of Aß(1-42) can form internal pores that are large enough to be accessed by water molecules and Ca2+ ions.