Histo-LOOP: A Novel Embedding Tool for Standardizing, Simplifying, and Advancing Histological Tissue Preparation.

Tissue preparation for paraffin embedding is a crucial step in histological processes. Standardized methods are required to ensure the accuracy of research and clinical diagnostic results. However, standardization is particularly challenging for long luminal tissues.

Effects of asparaginases and L-carnitine on Western-diet-induced hepatosteatosis in mice.

Asparaginases are common chemotherapeutic agents used for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a single or combinational therapy. Accompanying hepatotoxicity makes its use in elderly patients with pre-conditions, as obesity or other hepatopathies, difficult. Various hepatoprotective compounds like, L-carnitine, are discussed to ameliorate the induced hepatotoxicity.

Apolipoprotein E4 Is Associated with Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Dilated Cardiomyopathy-An Animal and In-Human Comparative Study.

ApoE abnormality represents a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Beyond its role in lipid metabolism, novel studies demonstrate a complex involvement of apoE in membrane homeostasis and signaling as well as in nuclear transcription. Due to the large spread of apoE isoforms in the human population, there is a need to understand the apoE's role in pathological processes.

Intra-iliac bone marrow injection as a novel alternative to intra-tibial inoculation in rat model.

Background: Intra-bone marrow injection (IBMI) in rats is adopted in many studies for stem cell and hematopoietic cell transplantation. IBMI in the tibia or the femur results in severe distress to the animal. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate intra-iliac injections as an alternative approach for IBMI.

Effect of Stent Strut Interval on Neointima Formation After Venous Stenting in an Ovine Model.

Objective: The impact of stent design on venous patency is not well studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of stent material burden on endothelial coverage of stented venous segments, which may contribute to vessel healing and patency.

Methods: Segmented self expanding bare nitinol stents (18 × 50 mm) comprising 5 mm long attached metallic rings separated by 2, 5, or 8 mm gaps were implanted in the inferior vena cava (IVC) of 10 sheep.

The gut bacterium produces secondary bile acids and influences liver physiology in gnotobiotic mice.

is a newly described mouse gut bacterium which metabolizes cholic acid (CA) to deoxycholic acid (DCA) via 7α-dehydroxylation. Although bile acids influence metabolic and inflammatory responses, few models exist for studying their metabolism and impact on the host. Mice were colonized from birth with the simplified community Oligo-MM with or without .

Implantation of Human-Sized Coronary Stents into Rat Abdominal Aorta Using a Trans-Femoral Access.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), combined with the deployment of a coronary stent, represents the gold standard in interventional treatment of coronary artery disease. In-stent restenosis (ISR) is determined by an excessive proliferation of neointimal tissue within the stent and limits the long-term success of stents. A variety of animal models have been used to elucidate pathophysiological processes underlying in-stent restenosis (ISR), with the porcine coronary and the rabbit iliac artery models being the most frequently used.

An unusual case of aortic metastasis from lung cancer.

In patients with cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction or aortic dissection without known risk factors for cardiovascular disease, neoplastic disease should be considered as a differential diagnosis. In this report, we present a case of a 51-year old man with previously undiagnosed non-small lung cancer leading to fatal cardiovascular complications due to hemovascular spread, diagnosed post-mortem. This case illustrates the value of autopsy in unexpected deaths.

Apolipoprotein E deficient rats generated via zinc-finger nucleases exhibit pronounced in-stent restenosis.

The long-term success of coronary stent implantation is limited by in-stent restenosis (ISR). In spite of a broad variety of animal models available, an ideal high-throughput model of ISR has been lacking. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) deficient rats enable the evaluation of human-sized coronary stents while at the same time providing an atherogenic phenotype.

The impact of several hydraulic fracking chemicals on Nile tilapia and evaluation of the protective effects of Spirulina platensis.

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) chemicals are used to maximize the extraction of hard-to-reach underground energy resources. Large amounts of fracking fluid could escape to the surrounding environments, including underground and surface water resources, during the chemical mixing stage of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle due to equipment failure or human error. However, the impact of pollution resulting from operational discharges is difficult to assess in aquatic ecosystems.

The Impact of a Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor (L-NAME) on Ischemia⁻Reperfusion Injury of Cholestatic Livers by Pringle Maneuver and Liver Resection after Bile Duct Ligation in Rats.

The Pringle maneuver (PM) has been widely used to control blood loss during liver resection. However, hepatic inflow occlusion can also result in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), especially in patients with a cholestatic, fibrotic, or cirrhotic liver. Here we investigate a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N-Nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on IRI after the PM and partial hepatectomy of cholestatic livers induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in rats.

Sheep models for evaluation of novel patch and prosthesis material in vascular surgery: tips and tricks to avoid possible pitfalls.

Background: In vascular surgery, novel synthetic prosthesis materials for patch-angioplasties, interpositions, bypasses and shunts are continuously under development and optimization. The characteristics of an ideal vascular prosthesis would display long-term patency, biocompatibility, durability, low porosity, lack of stich hole bleeding, ease of handling, kink resistance, infection resistance and reasonable costs. The aim of this study was to establish and report a reliable sheep model including potential pitfalls where those parameters could be analyzed.

Novel synthetic adhesive as an effective alternative to Fibrin based adhesives.

Aim: To compare a novel, fully synthetic, polyurethane based glue (MAR-1) to fibrin sealant in a partial liver resection rat model.

Methods: After 50% resection of the lateral left liver lobe in male Wistar rats ( = 7/group/time point), MAR-1, Fibrin or NaCl was applied. After 14, 21 and 90 postoperative days, sealant degradation, intra-abdominal adhesions were scored, and histological examination of liver tissue was performed.

Protective Effects of Adenosine Receptor Agonist in a Cirrhotic Liver Resection Model.

Objectives: To investigate the role of CGS21680, a selective adenosine A2A receptor agonist, on a bile-duct-ligated cirrhotic liver resection model in rats.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were allotted into 3 groups (n = 7 per time-point): the control group, the bile duct ligation + CGS21680 group (BDL + CGS), and the bile duct ligation group (BDL). Biliary cirrhosis had been previously induced by ligature of the common bile duct in the BDL + CGS and BDL groups.

Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors as a New Therapeutic Strategy in Small Bowel Transplantation.

Background: The long-term outcome of intestinal transplantations is still not favorable, which is partly due to the intestinal susceptibility to ischemia. There are several indications that the inflammatory response to ischemia-reperfusion injury is mediated by cyclooxygenases and that their inhibition may be associated with improved organ function. The aim of this study was to analyze if cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors could improve the early posttransplant outcome after orthotopic small bowel transplantation.

Optimal Timing for Venous Systemic Oxygen Persufflation Supplemented with Nitric Oxide Gas in Cold-Stored, Warm Ischemia-Damaged Experimental Liver Grafts.

Background/aim: Worldwide shortage of donor organs has increased the use of donation after cardiac death (DCD). The aim of this study was to analyze the best time point for venous systemic oxygen persufflation (VSOP) supplemented with nitric oxide (NO) gas during the 1st and 24th hour of cold storage (CS) in warm ischemia (WI)-damaged experimental liver grafts.

Materials And Methods: Liver grafts (n = 5) were retrieved after 30 min of WI induced by cardiac arrest and CS in histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution at 4°C.

Oxygen Insufflation in University of Wisconsin Solution Ameliorates Reperfusion Injury in Small Bowel after Cold Storage and Reperfusion.

BACKGROUND Results in small bowel transplantation are inferior compared to other solid organ transplantations, among other reasons, due to a specific vulnerability to ischemia/reperfusion injury. New strategies are needed to improve organ storage. Here we compare static cold storage in University of Wisconsin solution to storage supplemented with molecular oxygen gas insufflation.

Gut-liver axis improves with meloxicam treatment after cirrhotic liver resection.

Aim: To investigate the effect of meloxicam on the gut-liver axis after cirrhotic liver resection.

Methods: Forty-four male Wistar rats were assigned to three groups: (1) control group (CG); (2) bile duct ligation with meloxicam treatment (BDL + M); and (3) bile duct ligation without meloxicam treatment (BDL). Secondary biliary liver cirrhosis was induced via ligature of the bile duct in the BDL + M and BDL groups.

Impact of oxygen free radicals in rat partial liver transplantation.

Background: Due to the shortage of suitable organs, the demand for partial liver transplantation from living donors has increased worldwide. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has shown protective effects as a free radical scavenger during hypothermic preservation and warm ischemia-reperfusion liver injury; however, no study has reported the effects in partial liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of NAC on liver graft microcirculation and graft function after partial liver transplantation in rats.

Hydroxyectoine ameliorates preservation injury in deceased after cardiac death donors in experimental liver grafts.

Background: Due to the drastic shortage of organ donors, clinicians are increasingly considering the use of deceased after cardiac death donors (DCD). Compatible solutes like Ectoine and Hydroxyectoine are produced by extremophilic bacteria as a cell protectant to survive in harsh environments. We hypothesized that the addition of Hydroxyectoine to Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate solution (HTK) could ameliorate cold ischemic preservation injury of DCD livers.

L-carnitine ameliorates L-asparaginase-induced acute liver toxicity in steatotic rat livers.

Background: Chemotherapy with L-asparaginase is associated with hepatotoxicity resulting in organ dysfunction in patients with preexisting liver disorders. This study investigated the protective effect of L-carnitine during chemotherapy in a steatotic rat liver model.

Methods: Livers from nonsteatotic and steatotic rats were tested in an isolated liver reperfusion model adding L-asparaginase and L-carnitine to the reperfusate.

Impact of venous-systemic oxygen persufflation with nitric oxide gas on steatotic grafts after partial orthotopic liver transplantation in rats.

Background: Steatotic livers are associated with poor graft function after transplantation. We investigated the effects of venous-systemic oxygen persufflation with nitric oxide gas (VSOP-NO) on steatotic partial livers after transplantation.

Methods: Steatotic livers induced by fasting for 2 days and subsequent refeeding for 3 days with a fat-free, carbohydrate-rich diet were reduced in size by 50% and transplanted into Lewis rats after 3 hr of cold storage in histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution.

Influence of two different levels of intra-abdominal hypertension on bacterial translocation in a porcine model.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to quantify bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes due to different levels of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH; 15 vs. 30 mmHg) lasting for 24 h in a porcine model.

Methods: We examined 18 anesthetized and intubated pigs (52.