Validation and proposal of case definitions for identifying patients with myasthenia gravis.

Background And Purpose: Public medical insurance data are increasingly used to study myasthenia gravis (MG); however, a validated case definition is lacking. We assessed the clinical characteristics of patients identified according to previously used case definitions.

Methods: Patients with diagnosis code G70.

Sex differences and risk factors in recurrent ischemic stroke.

Introduction: Recurrent ischemic stroke (RIS) is associated with increased mortality and poor outcomes. Therefore, secondary prevention is critical for reducing the risk of recurrent stroke. Previous studies have found sex differences in risk factors in patients with first-ever stroke; however, the results have been inconsistent for recurrent stroke.

Endolymphatic Hydrops in Patients With Vestibular Migraine and Concurrent Meniere's Disease.

Intravenous contrast agent enhanced, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear (iMRI) confirmed that patients with Menière's disease (MD) and vestibular migraine (VM) could present with endolymphatic hydrops (EH). The present study aimed to investigate EH characteristics and their interrelation to neurotologic testing in patients with VM, MD, or VM with concurrent MD (VM-MD). Sixty-two patients (45 females, aged 23-81 years) with definite or probable VM ( = 25, 19 definite), MD ( = 29, 17 definite), or showing characteristics of both diseases ( = 8) were included in this study.

Behavior of Muscle-Derived Stem Cells on Silica Nanostructured Substrates.

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the responses of rat muscle-derived stem cells (rMDSCs) to growth on silica nanostructured substrates (SN) with nanoscale topographic surfaces. SN of different sizes (SN-60, SN-150, SN-300, SN-500, and SN-700) were prepared using silica nanoparticles with sizes of 60-700 nm. The prepared SN showed roughness at the nanoscale level.

A Knock-Down Cell-Based Study for the Functional Analysis of Chloride Intracellular Channel 1 (CLIC1): Integrated Proteomics and Microarray Study.

Background: Previously, we detected that chloride intracellular channel 1 (CLIC1) was involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD).

Objective: In this study, we aimed to use high-throughput screening (HTS) approaches to identify critical factors associated with the function of CLIC1 in knock-down cells.

Methods: We down-regulated CLIC1 in human A549 cells via siRNA and then conducted serial HTS studies, including proteomics integrated with a microarray and the implementation of bioinformatics algorithms.

Functional study of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) in keratinocytes: microarray integrating bioinformatics approaches.

The function of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been gradually elucidated in several diseases, especially in various cancers. However, the role of ALDH1 in skin-related diseases has been mostly unknown. Previously, we found that ALDH1 is involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD).

Functional study of 14-3-3 protein epsilon (YWHAE) in keratinocytes: microarray integrating bioinformatics approaches.

Previously, we detected that 14-3-3 protein epsilon (YWHAE) was involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) and tyrosinase-mediated pigmentation. In this study, we aimed to identify critical factors associated with YWHAE in human keratinocytes using high-throughput screening (HTS) approaches to reveal its functions in skin. We overexpressed YWHAE in human HaCaT keratinocytes and then conducted serial HTS studies, including RNA sequencing integrated with antibody arrays and the implementation of bioinformatics algorithms.

An OMICS-based study of the role of C3dg in keratinocytes: RNA sequencing, antibody-chip array, and bioinformatics approaches.

Previously, we have identified the C3dg protein as an important player in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). In this study, we aimed to identify critical factors associated with C3dg in human keratinocytes based on high-throughput screening (HTS) approaches. We overexpressed C3dg in HaCaT human keratinocytes and conducted serial HTS studies, including RNA sequencing analysis integrated with antibody-chip arrays and implementation of bioinformatics algorithms (PPI mappings).

Evaluation of small intestine submucosa and poly(caprolactone-co-lactide) conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration.

The present study employed nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) only, which were made of small intestine submucosa (SIS) and poly(caprolactone-co-lactide) (PCLA) to promote nerve regeneration in a peripheral nerve injury (PNI) model with nerve defects of 15 mm. The SIS- and PCLA-NGCs were easily prepared by rolling of a SIS sheet and a bioplotter using PCLA, respectively. The prepared SIS- and PCLA-NGCs fulfilled the general requirement for use as artificial peripheral NGCs such as easy fabrication, reproducibility for mass production, suturability, sterilizability, wettability, and proper mechanical properties to resist collapsing when applied to in vivo implantation.

Tissue engineered regeneration of completely transected spinal cord using human mesenchymal stem cells.

The present study employed a combinatorial strategy using poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds seeded with human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to promote cell survival, differentiation, and neurological function in a completely transected spinal cord injury (SCI) model. The SCI model was prepared by complete removal of a 2-mm length of spinal cord in the eighth-to-ninth spinal vertebra, a procedure that resulted in bilateral hindlimb paralysis. PLGA scaffolds 2 mm in length without hMSCs (control) or with different numbers of hMSCs (1 × 10(5), 2 × 10(4), and 4 × 10(3)) were fitted into the completely transected spinal cord.

In vivo biofunctionality comparison of different topographic PLLA scaffolds.

In this work, the in vivo biodegradation of, biocompatibility of, and host response to various topographic scaffolds were investigated. Randomly oriented fibrous poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) nanofibers were fabricated using the electrospinning technique. A PLLA scaffold was obtained by salt leaching.

Regeneration of completely transected spinal cord using scaffold of poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/small intestinal submucosa seeded with rat bone marrow stem cells.

Using a complete spinal cord transection model, the present study employed a combinatorial strategy comprising rat bone marrow stem cells (rBMSCs) and polymer scaffolds to regenerate neurological function after spinal cord injury (SCI) of different lengths. SCI models with completely transected lesions were prepared by surgical removal of 1 mm (SC1) or 3 mm (SC3) lengths of spinal cord in the eighth-to-ninth spinal vertebrae, a procedure that resulted in bilateral hindlimb paralysis. A cylindrical poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/small intestinal submucosa scaffold 1 or 3 mm in length with or without rBMSCs was fitted into the completely transected lesion.