BioMedical Engineering OnLine最新文献

Background: Despite the development of various therapeutic approaches over the past decades, the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains a major challenge. The extracellular adenosine-generating enzyme, CD73, is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of GBM, and targeting CD73 may represent a novel approach to treat this cancer. In this study, three-dimensional culture systems based on three hydrogel compositions were characterized and an optimal type was selected to simulate the GBM microenvironment. In addition, the effect of a CD73 inhibitor on GBM cell aggregates and spheroids was investigated as a potential therapeutic approach for this disease.

Methods: Rheology measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cell proliferation assays were performed to analyze the synthesized hydrogel and select an optimal formulation. The viability of tumor cells in the optimal hydrogel was examined histologically and by confocal microscopy. In addition, the sensitivity of the tumor cells to the CD73 inhibitor was investigated using a cell proliferation assay and real-time PCR.

Results: The data showed that the hydrogel containing 5 wt% gelatin and 5 wt% sodium alginate had better rheological properties and higher cell viability. Therefore, it could provide a more suitable environment for GBM cells and better mimic the natural microenvironment. GBM cells treated with CD73 inhibitors significantly decreased the proliferation rate and expression of VEGF and HIF1-α in the optimal hydrogel.

Conclusion: Our current research demonstrates the great potential of CD73 inhibitor for clinical translation of cancer studies by analyzing the behavior and function of 3D tumor cells, and thus for more effective treatment protocols for GBM.

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity is a significant concern in cancer treatment, as certain chemotherapeutic agents can have adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. This can lead to a range of cardiac complications, including heart failure, arrhythmias, myocardial dysfunction, pericardial complications, and vascular toxicity. Strategies to mitigate chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity may include the use of cardioprotective agents (e.g., dexrazoxane), dose adjustments, alternative treatment regimens, and the implementation of preventive measures, such as lifestyle modifications and the management of cardiovascular risk factors. Ginsenosides, the active compounds found in ginseng (Panax ginseng), have been studied for their potential cardioprotective effects in the context of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. In this review, we investigate the cardioprotective effect of ginsenosides in chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. Ginsenosides have been shown to possess potent antioxidant properties, which can help mitigate the oxidative stress and inflammation associated with chemotherapy-induced cardiac injury. They can modulate the expression of antioxidant enzymes and reduce the production of reactive oxygen species, thereby protecting cardiomyocytes from damage. Ginsenosides can also inhibit apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cardiomyocytes, which is a key mechanism underlying chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. Modulation of ion channels, improvement of lipid profiles, anti-platelet and anti-thrombotic effects, and promotion of angiogenesis and neovascularization are another important mechanisms behind potential effects of ginsenosides on cardiovascular health. Ginsenosides can improve various parameters of cardiac function, such as ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and cardiac output, in animal models of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. The cardioprotective effects of ginsenosides have been observed in preclinical studies using various chemotherapeutic agents, including doxorubicin, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil. However, more clinical studies are needed to fully elucidate the therapeutic potential of ginsenosides in preventing and managing chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in cancer patients.

Background: Stroke is the leading cause of acquired motor deficiencies in adults. Restoring prehension abilities is challenging for individuals who have not recovered active hand opening capacities after their rehabilitation. Self-triggered functional electrical stimulation applied to finger extensor muscles to restore grasping abilities in daily life is called grasp neuroprosthesis (GNP) and remains poorly accessible to the post-stroke population. Thus, we developed a GNP prototype with self-triggering control modalities adapted to the characteristics of the post-stroke population and assessed its impact on abilities.

Methods: Through two clinical research protocols, 22 stroke participants used the GNP and its control modalities (EMG activity of a pre-defined muscle, IMU motion detection, foot switches and voice commands) for 3 to 5 sessions over a week. The NeuroPrehens software interpreted user commands through input signals from electromyographic, inertial, foot switches or microphone sensors to trigger an external electrical stimulator using two bipolar channels with surface electrodes. Users tested a panel of 9 control modalities, subjectively evaluated in ease-of-use and reliability with scores out of 10 and selected a preferred one before training with the GNP to perform functional unimanual standardized prehension tasks in a seated position. The responsiveness and functional impact of the GNP were assessed through a posteriori analysis of video recordings of these tasks across the two blinded evaluation multi-crossover N-of-1 randomized controlled trials.

Results: Non-paretic foot triggering, whether from EMG or IMU, received the highest scores in both ease-of-use (median scores out of 10: EMG 10, IMU 9) and reliability (EMG 9, IMU 9) and were found viable and appreciated by users, like voice control and head lateral inclination modalities. The assessment of the system's general responsiveness combined with the control modalities latencies revealed median (95% confidence interval) durations between user intent and FES triggering of 333 ms (211 to 561), 217 ms (167 to 355) and 467 ms (147 to 728) for the IMU, EMG and voice control types of modalities, respectively. The functional improvement with the use of the GNP was significant in the two prehension tasks evaluated, with a median (95% confidence interval) improvement of 3 (- 1 to 5) points out of 5.

Conclusions: The GNP prototype and its control modalities were well suited to the post-stroke population in terms of self-triggering, responsiveness and restoration of functional grasping abilities. A wearable version of this device is being developed to improve prehension abilities at home.

Trial registration: Both studies are registered on clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03946488, registered May 10, 2019 and NCT04804384, registered March 18, 2021.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to the loss of urinary sensation, making urination difficult. In a previous experiment involving six healthy participants, we measured heartbeat-induced acoustic pulse waves (HAPWs) at the mid-back, calculated time-series power spectra of heart rate gradients at three ultralow/very low frequencies, distinguished and formulated waveform characteristics (one characteristic for each power spectrum, nearly uniform across participants) at times of increased urine in the bladder and heightened urges to urinate, and developed an algorithm with five of these power spectra to identify when urination is needed by extracting the waveform portion (continuous timepoints) where all of the characteristics were consistent with the formulated characteristics. The objective of this study was to verify the validity of the algorithm fed with data from measured HAPW of participants with SCI and to adapt the algorithm for these individuals.

Methods: In ten participants with SCI, we measured HAPWs continuously and urine volume intermittently, and obtained scores related to urinary sensation. A Boolean output at each data point was obtained by the algorithm fed with the calculated power spectra from each participant's HAPW. Notable times included when the output was positive or when the need to urinate (= ( +)) was judged from the urine volume and urinary sensation scores. The outputs at these notable times were examined with the need to urinate and determined to be true/false. The accuracy of the algorithm was evaluated by the number of true/false-positive/negative points via the F-score with a binary classification model. We attempted to adapt the algorithm for participants with SCI.

Results: The outputs at 13 notable times were examined, yielding seven true-positive, one false-positive, and five false-negative times, with an F-score of 0.70. The algorithm was modified by replacing three thresholds that determine the extraction condition for the slope in the power spectral waveform with new values that included all 12 true-positive points.

Conclusions: Without changing the use of ultralow/very low frequencies or significantly modifying the extraction conditions, the modified algorithm did not miss any true urination times or identify false urination times in ten participants with SCI.

Objectives: To explore the expression of periostin in the epithelium of cholesteatoma with different destruction degrees of the ossicular chain and its clinical value in predicting postoperative hearing recovery.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 100 patients with middle ear cholesteatoma (the cholesteatoma group) admitted to our hospital. Another 100 patients without middle ear cholesteatoma treated in our hospital during the same period were included in the non-cholesteatoma group. Middle ear cholesteatoma patients were further divided into a normal group, a partial destruction group, and a complete destruction group based on the destruction degree of the ossicular chain (Maresh grading). After the treatment, 75 cases were considered as the effective group and 25 cases as the ineffective group. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Interleukin 6, and periostin in the epithelium of middle ear cholesteatoma patients with different destruction degrees of the ossicular chain and different therapeutic effects were compared. The correlation between periostin and inflammatory factors was analyzed using Pearson analysis. The predictive value of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Interleukin 6, and periostin on treatment effect was valued using the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Results: Patients in the cholesteatoma group had a much higher content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Interleukin 6, and periostin than those in the non-cholesteatoma group (P < 0.001). The expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Interleukin 6, and periostin was also largely increased with the destruction group of the ossicular chain. Patients in the ineffective group had much higher expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Interleukin 6, and periostin than those in the effective group (P < 0.001). The Pearson correlation analysis results showed that periostin was positively correlated with the content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 6 (P = 0.868, 0.880, P < 0.001). The areas under the curve of individual or joint tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Interleukin 6, and periostin were 0.627, 0.793, 0.822, and 0.892, respectively.

Conclusions: The expressions of periostin, Interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were markedly increased in the epithelium of middle ear cholesteatoma patients, which were gradually increased with the aggravation of the ossicular chain destruction. Periostin, Interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha could be used as important indicators to predict postoperative hearing recovery.

Background: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a common disease with a high prevalence. Incompetent venous valves are considered as one of the main causes. Besides compression therapy, various surgical therapies are practiced, whereby the reconstruction of valves is of central importance. There is an unmet clinical need, no valve prosthesis is commercially available to date. This work introduces two versions of a patented prosthetic bicuspid valve design made of electrospun thermoplastic silicone polycarbonate polyurethane (TSPCU) nanofiber leaflets attached in a nitinol stent, and their performance in static and pulsatile operation.

Results: The valves mainly fulfill the requirements widely accepted in literature. Valves of both versions were functional in the physiological pressure range up to 50 mmHg with design specific differences.

Conclusions: The here introduced design versions act as a platform technology and can be tailored for an intended implantation site. Evaluation of the original and modified valve concept demonstrated efficacy, with limitations at higher loads for original design. At the current state, the modification is preferable for fabrication, as one processing step is eliminated. Moreover, specific design recommendations could be drawn for valves of similar basic structure. Future work will focus on long-term performance and biocompatibility prior to the initiation of preclinical in vivo studies.

Objective: To explore the application effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) for patients with hepatolithiasis undergoing hepatectomy.

Methods: A retrospective comparative analysis was performed on the clinical data of 120 patients with hepatolithiasis who were admitted to the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery in our hospital between December 2017 and May 2022 using convenience sampling.

Results: There were differences in the impact of different management modes on blood glucose and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores between the two groups of patients (F_{blood glucose} = 32.581, F_VAS = 41.472, all P < 0.001). The average blood glucose levels in the traditional group were higher than those in the ERAS group at two time points, and the VAS scores in the former group were higher than those in the latter at 6, 12 and 24 h after surgery. The remifentanil dosage (49.89 ± 12.12 vs 57.84 ± 11.43 mL, t = - 2.475, P = 0.016), patient-controlled analgesia frequency (3.83 ± 2.23 vs 5.57 ± 3.52 times, t = - 2.481, P = 0.015) and analgesic supplementation frequency (0.57 ± 0.73 vs 1.07 ± 1.02 times, t = - 2.653, P = 0.010) in the ERAS group were all lower than those in the traditional group. Different management modes had different effects on the levels of procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC) in the two groups of patients (F_PCT = 45.371, F_IL-6 = 43.466, F_CRP = 51.364, F_WBC = 65.674, all P < 0.001). The levels of PCT, IL-6, CRP and WBC in the ERAS group were lower than those in the traditional group at three time points: postoperative day 1, 7 and 14. The postoperative hospital stay (8.41 ± 2.55 vs 11.61 ± 3.34 d, t = - 7.812, P < 0.001) and proportion of postoperative complications (9.61% vs 26.47%, χ² = 5.403, P = 0.020) in the ERAS group were lower than those in the traditional group.

Conclusion: The application of ERAS effectively reduces the perioperative stress response, shortens the postoperative length of hospital stay and lowers the overall incidence of postoperative complications in patients with hepatolithiasis.

Periodontal infection is a long-lasting inflammatory condition caused by the growth and development of an abnormal and harmful community of microorganisms. This destructive illness leads to the loss of the tissues that support the teeth, degradation of the bone surrounding the teeth, and eventually tooth loss. To treat oral infections, it is necessary to use nonsurgical methods such as antibiotics. However, the indiscriminate and incorrect use of antibiotics results in drug resistance. Among these alternate therapeutic options, using nanoparticles to treat infectious dental disease was particularly significant. Consequently, researchers have worked to develop an effective and satisfactory drug delivery method for treating periodontal and dental illnesses. Albumin nanoparticles serve a considerable function as carriers in the drug delivery of chemical and biomolecular medications, such as anticancer treatments; they have several advantages, including biocompatibility and biodegradability, and they are well-tolerated with no adverse effects. Albumin nanoparticles have several benefits over other nanomaterials. Protein nanocarriers provide advantages such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, reduced immunogenicity, and lower cytotoxicity. Furthermore, this nanoparticle demonstrated significant intrinsic antibacterial properties without being loaded with antibiotic medicines. As a medication and antibacterial nanoparticle delivery method, albumin nanoparticles have substantial applications in periodontal and dental infectious disorders such as periodontal infection, apical periodontitis, and peri-implantitis. As a result, in this article, we studied the usage of albumin nanoparticles in dental disorders.

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Mechanical thrombectomy, especially with stent retrievers, offers a promising treatment, particularly for patients ineligible for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) therapy. This study aimed to develop and evaluate novel stent retriever designs to enhance mechanical properties and vessel compatibility.

Results: We evaluated four stent designs using finite-element analysis (FEA) to assess their mechanical properties. Based on these evaluations, Stent D emerged as the optimal design due to its superior elasticity and adaptability. Comparative testing of Stent D against commercial stents, Solitaire FR and Trevo XP ProVue, revealed the following metrics: radial forces of 3.77 ± 0.01 N for Solitaire FR, 3.92 ± 0.08 N for Trevo XP ProVue, and 4.10 ± 0.07 N for Stent D; flexibility measurements of 0.38 ± 0.11 N for Solitaire FR, 0.91 ± 0.11 N for Trevo XP ProVue, and 0.59 ± 0.05 N for Stent D; deployment forces of 0.37 ± 0.02 N for Solitaire FR, 0.42 ± 0.04 N for Trevo XP ProVue, and 0.32 ± 0.02 N for Stent D; and recapture forces of 0.38 ± 0.01 N for Solitaire FR, 0.45 ± 0.02 N for Trevo XP ProVue, and 0.35 ± 0.01 N for Stent D. Thrombus retrieval rates were 96.16% for Solitaire FR and 95.51% for Stent D.

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that Stent D performs comparably to commercial stents, highlighting its effective performance in AIS treatment. Stent D shows promise as a candidate for further clinical evaluation due to its superior mechanical properties and effective thrombus retrieval capabilities.

Background: Primary osteoporosis has increasingly emerged as a major issue affecting human health, with a complex specific pathogenic mechanism. As a research hotspot, ferroptosis plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of primary osteoporosis, aiming to explore the link and specific target genes between ferroptosis and primary osteoporosis.

Methods: By utilizing TMT proteomics and bioinformatics analyses, we elucidated the linkages and key targets of the ferroptosis pathway in an ovariectomized osteoporotic rat model. Forty 12-week-old SD female rats were employed in the study, of which 20 female SD rats were ovariectomized as the OVX group and 20 female SD rats were employed as the SHAM group. At the end of the experiments, the femurs of the rats were excised for computed tomography tests and used for hematoxylin and eosin staining. Finally, we extracted bone tissue proteins for TMT proteomics analysis and protein blotting verification.

Results: The proteomics results of the VX and SHAM groups showed that 133 proteins were significantly changed, of which 91 proteins were upregulated and 42 proteins were downregulated, including TXN, TMSB4X, TFRC, TF, RELA, PARP14, CP, CAPG, and ADIPOQ. The expression of key proteins in the bone tissues was detected by protein blotting. The expression of TFR1, TFRC and TF was upregulated, whereas the expression of Cp, TXN and BMP-2 was downregulated.

Conclusions: TMT proteomics and functional enrichment analyses in our study substantiated that in osteoporosis, disturbances in lipid metabolism lead to the emergence of oxidative stress with iron homeostasis imbalance.