The effect of blue light exposure in an ocular melanoma animal model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Uveal melanoma (UM) cell lines, when exposed to blue light in vitro, show a significant increase in proliferation. In order to determine if similar effects could be seen in vivo, we investigated the effect of blue light exposure in a xenograft animal model of UM.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty New Zealand albino rabbits were injected with 1.0 × 10⁶human UM cells (92.1) in the suprachoroidal space of the right eye. Animals were equally divided into two groups; the experimental group was exposed to blue light, while the control group was protected from blue light exposure. The eyes were enucleated after sacrifice and the proliferation rates of the re-cultured tumor cells were assessed using a Sulforhodamine-B assay. Cells were re-cultured for 1 passage only in order to maintain any in vivo cellular changes. Furthermore, Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) protein expression was used to ascertain differences in cellular proliferation between both groups in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded eyes (FFPE).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Blue light exposure led to a statistically significant increase in proliferation for cell lines derived from intraocular tumors (p < 0.01). PCNA expression was significantly higher in the FFPE blue light treated group when compared to controls (p = 0.0096).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is an increasing amount of data suggesting that blue light exposure may influence the progression of UM. Our results support this notion and warrant further studies to evaluate the ability of blue light filtering lenses to slow disease progression in UM patients.</p

Living Bacterial Sacrificial Porogens to Engineer Decellularized Porous Scaffolds

Decellularization and cellularization of organs have emerged as disruptive methods in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Porous hydrogel scaffolds have widespread applications in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and drug discovery as viable tissue mimics. However, the existing hydrogel fabrication techniques suffer from limited control over pore interconnectivity, density and size, which leads to inefficient nutrient and oxygen transport to cells embedded in the scaffolds. Here, we demonstrated an innovative approach to develop a new platform for tissue engineered constructs using live bacteria as sacrificial porogens. E.coli were patterned and cultured in an interconnected three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel network. The growing bacteria created interconnected micropores and microchannels. Then, the scafold was decellularized, and bacteria were eliminated from the scaffold through lysing and washing steps. This 3D porous network method combined with bioprinting has the potential to be broadly applicable and compatible with tissue specific applications allowing seeding of stem cells and other cell types

Autoimmune thyroid diseases in patients with chronic fasciolosis

WOS: 000182186900010PubMed ID: 12741079Background: The prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases and autoantibodies in patients with chronic fasciolosis (CF) was investigated. Methods: Thyroid function of 32 patients with CF and 72 patients without fasciolosis infection was evaluated biochemically. Thyroid hormones, antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) and antithyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) were measured. Results: In patients with CF, the prevalences of autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin were 21.9% (7/32) and 15.6% (5/32) respectively. However, thyroid function disorder was identified in only 3 (9.4%) cases. In the control group, TPOAb and TgAb were determined in 2 (2.7%) cases, but no one had thyroid function disorder. The prevalences of thyroid autoantibodies (chi(2): 7.948, p<0.01) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (chi(2): 4.007, p<0.05) were significantly higher in the CIF group. Conclusions: The high prevalence of TPOAb and TgAb in CF suggests that patients with CF should be evaluated for autoimmune thyroid disorders at the time of diagnosis and during the follow-up period

Halal Certification of Food, Nutraceuticals, and Pharmaceuticals in the Arab World

Food is an organic need and essential to our survival, whereas nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals play an important role in disease prevention and cure. The food processing and healthcare industries are often linked together for economic growth and health promotion. However, the complexity of the ingredients and processes led communities to question their motivation, accuracy, and imposed standards. Different standards are often applied to ensure high quality, reproducibility, and traceability. Many processed products contain ingredients derived from animals, where the consumption of such products is prohibited by several religions and lifestyles. Patients who want to avoid certain medications derived from animal need to know the source of origin and detailed ingredients contained in their medicines. Recently many Muslim and non-Muslim countries have realized the value of Halal products and led to an increase in Halal awareness. This chapter aims to provide more insight into the issue of Halal status of food and medications in the context of healthcare and describe the process of certification and the list of ingredients and drugs with potential non-Halal sources. Traceability procedure and identification of a long list of ingredients is a challenge but also key for verifying the Halal status of the end product. Implementation of Halal-Tayyib concept is essential to determine the Halalness of food and pharmaceuticals. To increase confidence, eliminate suspicion, and improve trust with producers, Halal certification is required. However, exerting 100% effort is possible, whereas achieving products that are 100% clean and pure and comply with Shari’ah is debatable

Robot-Assisted laparoscopy for genital organ prolapse

Support of the anterior and posterior vaginal wall is related to the support and position of the vaginal apex. Therefore, support of the vaginal apex, with or without a concomitant procedure to prevent the formation of an enterocele, is the base for prolapse surgery. A number of surgical approaches, vaginal, open or laparoscopic have been described with or without preservation of the uterus. The use of type I mesh for anchoring of the vaginal apex to the sacral promontorium has lowered the complication rate for these kinds of procedures. As women with urogynaecological problems rarely present with one symptom in isolation combined procedures for stress, urinary incontinence or concomitant pelvic floor compartment defects are often necessary