Simulation of LDL permeation into multilayer wall of a coronary bifurcation using WSS-dependent model: effects of hemorheology

Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology - Atherosclerosis, due to the permeation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles into the arterial wall, is one of the most common and deadly diseases...     

Quercetin postconditioning attenuates gastrocnemius muscle ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

Quercetin, an antioxidant derived from plants, can play a beneficial role in the protection of various tissues against ischemia-reperfusion injuries (IRI). The purpose of the present research was to investigate the protective effects of quercetin on gastrocnemius muscle ischemia-reperfusion. A total of 80 adult male Wistar rats (weights: 250–300 g) were divided into ten groups (n = 8 per group). We used silk 6.0 surgical thread to create a knit to occlude the femoral artery and vein for 3 hr. The treated groups, which comprised half of each experimental group, received intraperitoneal injections of 150 mg/kg quercetin after the ischemia. Blood flow was subsequently reestablished in the reperfusion phase. The rats were kept in reperfusion for 3, 7, 14, or 28 days after which they were killed with high doses of anesthetic drugs, and the gastrocnemius muscles were removed and fixed. Tissue processing, hematoxylin and eosin and toluidine blue staining, and immunohistochemistry were used to assess tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) levels. A comparison between treated and untreated ischemic sites showed that on the third day of reperfusion, the severity of edema and NF-κB level decreased significantly; on the 7th day of reperfusion, the severity of edema and the levels of TNF-α and NF-κB decreased significantly; and on the 14th day of reperfusion, all of the parameters showed significant decreases. On the 28th day of reperfusion, there were significantly decreased levels of TNF-α and NF-κB, and decreased mast cell infiltration when compared with the untreated groups. According to the results, administration of quercetin after ischemia could significantly prevent gastrocnemius muscle IRI.     

Simultaneous determination of sucrose and trehalose in olive leaves by spectrophotometry utilizing partial least squares method

This study deals with the simultaneous determination of sucrose and trehalose in olive leaf samples, with easy sample preparation step, by second derivative UV–Vis spectrophotometry and partial least squares technique. A training set consisting of 31 binary mixture solutions was applied for the construction of PLS model. The proposed procedure was successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of both carbohydrates in laboratory prepared mixtures and in real samples. The real samples were from different growth stages of olive plant. The root mean square error of prediction was determined to be 1.95 and 2.06 for sucrose and trehalose, respectively. Also, limit of detection was 0.21 ppm for sucrose and 0.26 ppm for trehalose. The proposed procedure is rapid, simple, and easy to perform which can be used for routine analysis of both carbohydrates in plant leaves.     

Direct oligonucleotide synthesis onto super-paramagnetic beads

Super-paramagnetic beads (SPMB)s used for a variety of molecular diagnostic assays are prepared by attaching pre-synthesized oligonucleotides to the surface via a cumbersome and low efficient method of carbodiimide-mediated amide bond formation. To mainstream the process, we describe a novel procedure of direct oligonucleotide synthesis onto the surface of SPMBs (e.g. MyOne Dynabeads). With the many challenges surrounding containment of paramagnetic beads (≤1 μm) during automated oligonucleotide synthesis, we show that by applying a magnetic force directly to the SPMBs we prevent their loss caused by high-pressure drain steps during synthesis. To date we have synthesized 40mers using a Spacer 9 phosphoramidite (triethylene glycol) coupled to the surface of hydroxylated SPMBs. HPLC analysis shows successful product generation with an average yield of 200 pmol per sample. Furthermore, because of the versatility of this powerful research tool, we envision its use in any laboratory working with conventional synthesis automation, as employed for single columns and for multi-well titer plates. In addition to direct synthesis of oligodeoxynucleotides (DNA) onto SPMBs, this platform also has the potential for RNA and peptide nucleic acid synthesis.     

DNAH5 gene and its correlation with linc02220 expression and sperm characteristics

Molecular Biology Reports - Numerous pieces of evidence show that many environmental and genetic factors can cause male infertility. Much research in recent years has investigated the function of...