Enhancement of T2* Weighted MRI Imaging Sensitivity of U87MG Glioblastoma Cells Using γ-Ray Irradiated Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid-Conjugated Iron Nanoparticles.

INTRODUCTION: It has been reported that low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (LMWHA) exhibits a potentially beneficial effect on cancer therapy through targeting of CD44 receptors on tumor cell surfaces. However, its applicability towards tumor detection is still unclear. In this regard, LMWHA-conjugated iron (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (LMWHA-IONPs) were prepared in order to evaluate its application for enhancing the T2* weighted MRI imaging sensitivity for tumor detection. METHODS: LMWHA and Fe3O4 NPs were produced using γ-ray irradiation and chemical co-precipitation methods, respectively. First, LMWHA-conjugated FITC was prepared to confirm the ability of LMWHA to target U87MG cells using fluorescence microscopy. The hydrodynamic size distribution and dispersion of the IONPs and prepared LMWHA-IONPs were analyzed using dynamic light scattering (DLS). In addition, cell viability assays were performed to examine the biocompatibility of LMWHA and LMWHA-IONPs toward U87MG human glioblastoma and NIH3T3 fibroblast cell lines. The ability of LMWHA-IONPs to target tumor cells was confirmed by detecting iron (Fe) ion content using the thiocyanate method. Finally, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) imaging and in vitro magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to confirm the contrast enhancement effect of LMWHA-IONPs. RESULTS: Florescence analysis results showed that LMWHA-FITC successfully targeted the surfaces of both tested cell types. The ability of LMWHA to target U87MG cells was higher than for NIH3T3 cells. Cell viability experiments showed that the fabricated LMWHA-IONPs possessed good biocompatibility for both cell lines. After co-culturing test cells with the LMWHA-IONPs, detected Fe ion content in the U87MG cells was much higher than that of the NIH3T3 cells in both thiocyanate assays and TOF-SIMs images. Finally, the addition of LMWHA-IONPs to the U87MG cells resulted in an obvious improvement in T2* weighted MR image contrast compared to control NIH3T3 cells. DISCUSSION: Overall, the present results suggest that LMWHA-IONPs fabricated in this study provide an effective MRI contrast agent for improving the diagnosis of early stage glioblastoma in MRI examinations.

Biomedical electrosurgery devices containing nanostructure for minimally invasive surgery: reduction of thermal injury and acceleration of wound healing for liver cancer.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the thermal injury in the liver after a minimally invasive electrosurgery technique with a copper-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC-Cu) surface coating. To effectively utilize electrosurgery in a clinical caner setting, it is necessary to suppress the thermal injury to adjacent tissues. The surface morphologies of DLC-Cu thin films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Three-dimensional liver models were reconstructed using magnetic resonance imaging to simulate the electrosurgical procedure. Our results indicated that the temperature decreased significantly when minimally electrosurgery with nanostructured DLC-Cu thin films was used, and that it continued to decrease with increasing film thickness. In an animal model, thermography revealed that the surgical temperature was significantly lower in the minimally invasive electrosurgery with DLC-Cu thin film (DLC-Cu-SS) compared to untreated electrosurgery. In addition, DLC-Cu-SS created a relatively small thermal injury area and lateral thermal effect. These results indicated that the biomedical nanostructure coating reduced excessive thermal injury, and uniformly distributed temperature in the liver.

The relationship between body composition and femoral neck osteoporosis or osteopenia in adults with previous poliomyelitis.

BACKGROUND: Articles in the literature describing the association between body composition and osteoporosis in subjects with poliomyelitis are scarce. OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between body composition and femoral neck osteoporosis or osteopenia in adults with previous polio. METHOD: After excluding postmenopausal women, 44 polio (mean age ± standard deviation, 46.1 ± 3.3 years) and 44 able-bodied control volunteers (47.0 ± 4.0 years) participated in the study. Each participant's femoral neck bone mineral density (FNBMD) and whole body composition were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. With local reference BMD values of normal young adults installed in the instrument, we obtained T-score values that depended on each FNBMD value. A T-score value of ≤-1.0 indicated decreased T-score, including osteoporosis (T-score ≤ -2.5) and osteopenia (-1.0 to -2.5). This study conducted logistic regression analyses to find factors associated with osteoporosis and osteopenia. RESULTS: Based on the FNBMD T-score values, 60.0% of middle-aged men with polio had osteoporosis. In adjusted logistic regression analyses, total lean tissue mass (Adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.74 [0.56-0.99], P < 0.05) and male gender (947.16 [6.02-148,926.16], P < 0.01) were important factors associated with decreased T-score in polio group. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporosis or osteopenia is a common medical problem for middle-aged men with polio. Reduced total lean tissue mass seems to be one of the important factors associated with osteoporosis or osteopenia among subjects with polio. Further research for a clinical tool to assess lean tissue mass for subjects with polio is needed.

Effects of antibacterial nanostructured composite films on vascular stents: hemodynamic behaviors, microstructural characteristics, and biomechanical properties.

The purpose of this research was to investigate stresses resulting from different thicknesses and compositions of hydrogenated Cu-incorporated diamond-like carbon (a-C:H/Cu) films at the interface between vascular stent and the artery using three-dimensional reversed finite element models (FEMs). Blood flow velocity variation in vessels with plaques was examined by angiography, and the a-C:H/Cu films were characterized by transmission electron microscopy to analyze surface morphology. FEMs were constructed using a computer-aided reverse design system, and the effects of antibacterial nanostructured composite films in the stress field were investigated. The maximum stress in the vascular stent occurred at the intersections of net-like structures. Data analysis indicated that the stress decreased by 15% in vascular stents with antibacterial nanostructured composite films compared to the control group, and the stress decreased with increasing film thickness. The present results confirmed that antibacterial nanostructured composite films improve the biomechanical properties of vascular stents and release abnormal stress to prevent restenosis. The results of the present study offer the clinical benefit of inducing superior biomechanical behavior in vascular stents.

Research of electrosurgical ablation with antiadhesive functionalization on thermal and histopathological effects of brain tissues in vivo.

Thermal injury and tissue sticking are two major concerns in the electrosurgery. In the present study, the effect of lateral thermal injury caused by different electrosurgical electrodes on wound healing was investigated. An electrosurgical unit equipped with untreated (SS) and titanium oxide layer-coated (TiO2-coated) stainless steel needle-type electrodes was used to create lesions on the rat brain tissue. TiO2 layers were produced by radiofrequency plasma and magnetron sputtering in the form of amorphous (TO-SS-1), anatase (TO-SS-2), and rutile (TO-SS-3) phase. Animals were sacrificed for evaluations at 0, 2, 7, and 28 days postoperatively. TO-SS-3 electrodes generated lower levels of sticking tissue, and the thermographs showed that the recorded highest temperature in brain tissue from the TO-SS-3 electrode was significantly lower than in the SS electrode. The total injury area of brain tissue caused by TO-SS-1 and TO-SS-3 electrodes was significantly lower than that caused by SS electrodes at each time point. The results of the present study reveal that the plating of electrodes with a TiO2 film with rutile phases is an efficient method for improving the performance of electrosurgical units and should benefit wound healing.

Body composition assessment in Taiwanese individuals with poliomyelitis.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the changes in the total and regional body fat mass, and assess the clinical usefulness of the body mass index (BMI) in detecting overweight subjects with sequelae of poliomyelitis. DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional study. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects with poliomyelitis (n=17; age range, 42-57y; mean, 47y; 12 men, 5 women) and able-bodied people (n=17) matched by sex, age, body weight, and body height participated in the study. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total and regional body composition was measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Clinical characteristics such as blood pressure, serum biochemical studies, and habitual behaviors (daily cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercise regimen) of all participants were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with able-bodied controls, subjects with poliomyelitis had a 50% greater total body fat mass, significant increases in the regional fat mass in every part of the body, and had the greatest increase of fat mass in the thorax. Nearly all the subjects (94%) with poliomyelitis were obese according to standards of body composition. However, one third of them had a BMI value of less than 25.0kg/m(2). CONCLUSIONS: People with poliomyelitis have a higher prevalence of obesity and a significant increase in total and regional fat mass. Current BMI underestimates the total body fat mass percentage compared with the control; therefore, a population-specific BMI should be used to address the prevalence of obesity in postpolio survivors.

Morphologic and bony structural changes in the mandible after a unilateral injection of botulinum neurotoxin in adult rats.

PURPOSE: Previous animal experiments showed how reduced masticatory function plays an important role in the craniofacial and mandibular regions in the growing period. However, articles focusing on the effects of reduced masticatory function in adult animals are quite scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of reduced masticatory muscle activity on the jaw bones of adult rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BTX-A) was injected into the left masseter muscle to reduce masticatory muscle function, and sequential changes in the jaw bones were investigated. Ten male 60-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats with a mean body weight of about 300 g were used. The following procedures were performed on each sample: 25 U/mL (0.3 mL) of BTX-A was injected into the left masseter muscle, whereas the right masseter muscle received an equal amount of sterilized saline solution. Ninety days after the procedure, the rats were sacrificed, and the weights of the masseter muscles were recorded. Meanwhile, direct anthropometric measurements were taken, and the cortical thickness, trabecular thickness, and bone mineral content of the skull and mandible were measured. All measurements were evaluated with statistical software. RESULTS: There were significant differences in all measurements on the BTX-A side compared with those on the control side. The differences included a decreased ramus height, increased gonial angle, and increased crown height of the posterior teeth on the injection side. Significant decreases in the muscle weight, bone mineral content, cortical thickness, and trabecular thickness were also seen on the paralyzed side compared with the non-injection side. CONCLUSIONS: We found that reduced masticatory function in adult rats affected the weight of the masseter muscle and the bony structure and dentition.

Prophylactic trans-uterine embolization to reduce intraoperative blood loss for placenta percreta invading the urinary bladder.

Reported herein is the case of a 35-year-old multipara woman diagnosed (on sonography) with total placenta previa that had ruptured through the myometrium of the uterus, invading the wall of the urinary bladder. In the 32nd week of gestation the patient underwent an emergency cesarean section due to profuse vaginal bleeding. Due to possible intraoperative massive bleeding during removal of the placenta it was decided to preserve the uterus and placenta temporarily. The patient underwent superselective trans-uterine embolization through the bilateral anterior branches of the hypogastric arteries, using gelfoam cubes and coils. Two days later cesarean hysterectomy was performed, and the placenta was successfully removed from the invaded urinary bladder. The whole procedure went smoothly and the estimated blood loss was only 1300 mL.