BACKGROUNDS The Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is an inherited connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) receptors TGFBR1 or TGFBR2. Most patients with LDS develop severe aortic aneurysms resulting in early need of surgical intervention. In order to gain further insight into the pathophysiology of the disorder, we investigated circulating outgrowth e...

AIM As a preliminary to the construction of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) bearing scaffold for bridging larger lesions in the spinal cord, we have investigated the response of purified cultured OECs to nanoscale fibers of varying diameter using US FDA-approved, biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic-acid). MATERIALS & METHODS Conventional electrospinning produced fibers of approximately 7...

The recent success of olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) assisted regeneration of injured spinal cord has seen a rising interest in the use of these cells in tissue-engineered systems. Previously shown to support neural cell growth through glial scar tissue, OECs have the potential to assist neural network formation in living electrode systems to produce superior neuroprosthetic electrode surface...

Olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation is a promising strategy for treating spinal cord injury (SCI), as has been demonstrated in experimental SCI models and naturally occurring SCI in dogs. However, the presence of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans within the extracellular matrix of the glial scar can inhibit efficient axonal repair and limit the therapeutic potential of OECs. Here ...

PURPOSE To investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features for differentiating ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma (OEC) from high-grade serous adenocarcinoma (HGSC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-three patients with 25 OECs and 93 patients with 139 HGSCs confirmed by surgery and pathology underwent conventional MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). The MRI features of the tumors, in...

The enhancement of endogenous angiogenesis after stroke will be critical in neurorepair therapies where endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) might be key players. Our aim was to determine the influence of cerebral ischaemia and the role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) on the angiogenic function of EPCs. Permanent focal cerebral ischaemia was induced by middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusio...

OBJECTIVE Since 2009, seven countries in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines, have been utilizing a laboratory referral service for HIV-1 viral load (VL) offered by The Ladymeade Reference Unit (LRU) Laboratory, Barbados. The objective of this study was to evaluate...

extraordinary regenerative properties of the peripheral olfactory system, and the role played by olfactory ensheath-ing cells (OEC), have been known for many years (Doucette, 1990). However, until recently this niche of neurobiology remained relatively obscure, attracting the attention of an enthusiastic, but relatively small band of scienti®c devotees. The OEC's sudden rise to prominence has h...

with OECs. These are the cells that ensheath the axons within the olfactory nerve and constitute the major glial component of the superficially located nerve fiber layer of the olfactory bulb. This property of the OEC to provide a permissive boundary between the PNS and CNS is The OEC, originally described by the Spanish histologist Blanes Viale at the end of the nineteenth century, shares prop...

Herein, we assessed the effect of full native peptide amyloid-beta (Aβ) (1-42) and its fragments (25-35 35-25) on tissue transglutaminase (TG2) isoforms (TG2-Long TG2-Short) expression levels olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). Vimentin glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) were also studied. The pre-treatment with indicaxanthin from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit TG2 isoforms, cell viability, total...