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Mol Cells 2021 Feb;44(2):79-87

Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Korea.

Chromatin dynamics is essential for maintaining genomic integrity and regulating gene expression. Conserved bromodomain-containing AAA+ ATPases play important roles in nucleosome organization as histone chaperones. Recently, the high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of Abo1 revealed that it forms a hexameric ring and undergoes a conformational change upon ATP hydrolysis. Read More

Plants (Basel) 2020 Nov 25;9(12). Epub 2020 Nov 25.

CONACYT-Research Fellow Colegio de Postgraduados Campus Campeche, Carretera Haltunchén-Edzná km 17.5, Sihochac, Campeche 24450, Mexico.

Spines are key plant modifications developed to deal against herbivores; however, its physical structure and chemical composition have been little explored in plant species. Here, we took advantage of high-throughput chromatography to characterize chemical composition of Lem. spines, a species traditionally used for fiber extraction. Read More

Int Urol Nephrol 2021 Mar 15;53(3):531-538. Epub 2020 Oct 15.

Department of Nephrology, University of Health Sciences Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital, Saim Cikrikci Street, No: 59, Karabaglar, 35360, Izmir, Turkey.

Background: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is characterized by sporadic, recurrent attacks of fever and serosal inflammation. AA amyloidosis (AAA) is a disorder characterized by the extracellular tissue deposition of serum amyloid A protein (SAA). Azurocidin is a neutrophil-derived granule protein. Read More

PLoS One 2020 28;15(8):e0234409. Epub 2020 Aug 28.

Centre for Individualized Medicine in Arterial Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.

Background: An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a progressive chronic dilatation of the abdominal aorta with terminally rupture when the aortic wall is so weakened that aortic wall stress exceeds wall strength. No effective medical treatment exists so far. We aimed to test whether intraluminal admission of Penta-Galloyl Glucose (PGG) treatment in a rodent AAA model could hold the potential to inhibit aneurysmal progression. Read More

Mol Cell 2020 02 31;77(3):571-585.e4. Epub 2019 Dec 31.

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. Electronic address:

Сhromatin is critical for genome compaction and gene expression. On a coarse scale, the genome is divided into euchromatin, which harbors the majority of genes and is enriched in active chromatin marks, and heterochromatin, which is gene-poor but repeat-rich. The conserved molecular hallmark of heterochromatin is the H3K9me3 modification, which is associated with gene silencing. Read More

Mol Cell 2020 02 31;77(3):556-570.e6. Epub 2019 Dec 31.

California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 147-75, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. Electronic address:

Regulation of transcription is the main mechanism responsible for precise control of gene expression. Whereas the majority of transcriptional regulation is mediated by DNA-binding transcription factors that bind to regulatory gene regions, an elegant alternative strategy employs small RNA guides, Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) to identify targets of transcriptional repression. Here, we show that in Drosophila the small ubiquitin-like protein SUMO and the SUMO E3 ligase Su(var)2-10 are required for piRNA-guided deposition of repressive chromatin marks and transcriptional silencing of piRNA targets. Read More

Cardiovasc Res 2020 Sep;116(11):1897-1909

Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.

Aims: Overactivated B cells secrete pathological antibodies, which in turn accelerate the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHcy) aggravates AAA in mice; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. In this study, we further investigated whether homocysteine (Hcy)-activated B cells produce antigen-specific antibodies that ultimately contribute to AAA formation. Read More

Exp Cell Res 2019 11 29;384(1):111589. Epub 2019 Aug 29.

Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44141, USA. Electronic address:

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are characterized by matrix remodeling, elastin degradation, absence of nitric oxide (NO) signaling, and inflammation, influencing smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype and gene expression. Little is known about the biomolecular release and intrinsic biomechanics of human AAA-SMCs. NO delivery could be an attractive therapeutic strategy to restore lost functionality of AAA-SMCs by inhibiting inflammation and cell stiffening. Read More

Acta Biomater 2019 04 5;88:149-161. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Institute of Biomechanics, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 16/2, 8010 Graz, Austria; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Structural Engineering, 7491 Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address:

Arterial walls can be regarded as composite materials consisting of collagen fibers embedded in an elastic matrix and smooth muscle cells. Remodeling of the structural proteins has been shown to play a significant role in the mechanical behavior of walls during pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). In this study, we systematically studied the change in the microstructure, histology and mechanics to link them to AAA disease progression. Read More

Heart Vessels 2019 May 7;34(5):875-882. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100005, People's Republic of China.

Inflammation plays a critical role in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Chemokine receptor CXCR2 mediates inflammatory cell chemotaxis in several diseases. However, the role of CXCR2 in AAA and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Read More

BMC Biol 2018 10 3;16(1):110. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.

Background: H3.3 is an ancient and conserved H3 variant and plays essential roles in transcriptional regulation. HIRA complex, which is composed of HIRA, UBN1 or UBN2, and Cabin1, is a H3. Read More

3D Print Med 2018 17;4(1). Epub 2018 Jan 17.

1The School of Engineering, Institute for Materials and Processes, The University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB UK.

Background: There is a potential for direct model manufacturing of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) using 3D printing technique for generating flexible semi-transparent prototypes. A patient-specific AAA model was manufactured using fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printing technology. A flexible, semi-transparent thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), called Cheetah Water (produced by Ninjatek, USA), was used as the flexible, transparent material for model manufacture with a hydrophilic support structure 3D printed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Read More

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2018 Aug 12;75(2):187-198. Epub 2018 Apr 12.

State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

Two sediment cores were collected from Dianchi Lake, a plateau lake in Southwest China, to study the temporal trends and to investigate the sources of sedimentary deposited polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. The ΣPAH16 concentration in the two sediment cores ranged from 172.5 to 2244. Read More

Med Dosim 2019 Spring;44(1):74-82. Epub 2018 Mar 26.

Departamento de Física Médica, Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva (INCA), Praça da Cruz Vermelha, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20230-130, Brazil.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of dose calculation algorithms used in radiotherapy treatment planning systems (TPSs) in comparison with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in nonelectronic equilibrium conditions. MC simulations with PENELOPE package were performed for comparison of doses calculated by pencil beam convolution (PBC), analytical anisotropy algorithm (AAA), and Acuros XB TPS algorithms. Relative depth dose curves were calculated in heterogeneous water phantoms with layers of bone (1. Read More

Tissue Eng Part A 2018 06 2;24(11-12):979-989. Epub 2018 Feb 2.

1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic , Cleveland, Ohio.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are localized expansions of the abdominal aorta that grow slowly to rupture. AAA growth is driven by irreversible elastic matrix breakdown in the aorta wall by chronically upregulated matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). Since adult vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) poorly regenerate elastic matrix, we previously explored utility of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and SMCs derived therefrom (BM-SMCs) for this purpose. Read More

Ann Vasc Surg 2018 Jan 6;46:357-366. Epub 2017 Sep 6.

Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Electronic address:

Background: The natural history of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) can be investigated through longitudinal evaluation of localized aneurysm characteristics exploiting clinical images. The major challenge is to identify corresponding regions between follow-ups. We have recently developed an algorithm (VascForm) based on nonrigid registration that can obtain surface correspondence and quantify surface growth distribution. Read More

Materials (Basel) 2017 Aug 25;10(9). Epub 2017 Aug 25.

KTH Solid Mechanics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.

(1) Background: Vascular tissue seems to adapt towards stable homeostatic mechanical conditions, however, failure of reaching homeostasis may result in pathologies. Current vascular tissue adaptation models use many assumptions, the implications of which are far from being fully understood; (2) Methods: The present study investigates the plausibility of different growth kinematics in modeling Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) evolution in time. A structurally motivated constitutive description for the vessel wall is coupled to multi-constituent tissue growth descriptions; Constituent deposition preserved either the constituent's density or its volume, and Isotropic Volume Growth (IVG), in-Plane Volume Growth (PVG), in-Thickness Volume Growth (TVG) and No Volume Growth (NVG) describe the kinematics of the growing vessel wall. Read More

Acta Biomater 2017 04 10;52:60-73. Epub 2017 Jan 10.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, ND 20, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. Electronic address:

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) involve slow dilation and weakening of the aortic wall due to breakdown of structural matrix components, such as elastic fibers by chronically overexpressed matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), primarily, MMPs-2 and -9. Auto-regenerative repair of disrupted elastic fibers by smooth muscle cells (SMCs) at the AAA site is intrinsically poor and together with chronic proteolysis prevents restoration of elastin homeostasis, necessary to enable AAA growth arrest or regression to a healthy state. Oral doxycycline (DOX) therapy can inhibit MMPs to slow AAA growth, but has systemwide side-effects and inhibits new elastin deposition within AAA tissue, diminishing prospects for restoring elastin homeostasis preventing the arrest/regression of AAA growth. Read More

Acta Biomater 2017 04 21;52:171-186. Epub 2016 Nov 21.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, ND 20, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. Electronic address:

Arresting or regressing growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), localized expansions of the abdominal aorta are contingent on inhibiting chronically overexpressed matrix metalloproteases (MMPs)-2 and -9 that disrupt elastic matrix within the aortic wall, concurrent with providing a stimulus to augmenting inherently poor auto-regeneration of these matrix structures. In a recent study we demonstrated that localized, controlled and sustained delivery of doxycycline (DOX; a tetracycline-based antibiotic) from poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA NPs), enhances elastic matrix deposition and MMP-inhibition at a fraction of the therapeutically effective oral dose. The surface functionalization of these NPs with cationic amphiphiles, which enhances their arterial uptake, was also shown to have pro-matrix regenerative and anti-MMP effects independent of the DOX. Read More

J Endovasc Ther 2015 Jun 21;22(3):406-12. Epub 2015 Apr 21.

Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Purpose: To determine the relationship between asymmetrical intraluminal thrombus (ILT) deposition in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and growth rate and to explore its biomechanical perspective.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with AAA underwent at least 2 computed tomography scans during surveillance. The volumes of the AAA (VAAA) and thrombus (VILT) and the maximum thrombus thickness (ILTthick) were computed. Read More

J Tissue Eng Regen Med 2017 03 6;11(3):679-693. Epub 2014 Nov 6.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) involve slow proteolysis and loss of structural matrix components (collagen and elastin), which lead to wall thinning, weakening and ultimate rupture. At this time, no established non-surgical therapy is available to slow or arrest AAA growth. Inhibiting matrix metalloproteases (MMPs; e. Read More

Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2014 Dec 17;307(12):H1786-95. Epub 2014 Oct 17.

Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California; and

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is often accompanied by in traluminal thrombus (ILT), which complicates AAA progression and risk of rupture. Patient-specific computational fluid dynamics modeling of 10 small human AAA was performed to investigate relations between hemodynamics and ILT progression. The patients were imaged using magnetic resonance twice in a 2- to 3-yr interval. Read More

Muscle Nerve 2014 Aug 14;50(2):295-9. Epub 2014 Jul 14.

Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12631 East 17th Avenue, Aurora, Colorado, USA.

Introduction: Valosin-containing protein (VCP) is a ubiquitously expressed, multifunctional AAA-ATPase protein. Its dominant mutations cause hereditary inclusion body myopathy associated with Paget disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The pattern of muscle weakness in IBMPFD patients is variable and includes limb-girdle, scapuloperoneal, distal, or axial distributions. Read More

Jpn J Radiol 2014 Feb 25;32(2):109-12. Epub 2013 Dec 25.

Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Gunma University Hospital, 3-39-15 Showa, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan,

A 62-year-old male presented with sudden onset of low back and right leg pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), along with a large mass lesion causing vertebral body erosion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested that the mass lesion consisted of a chronic hematoma. Read More

Acta Biomater 2013 May 29;9(5):6511-25. Epub 2013 Jan 29.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are abnormal expansions of the aortic wall, typically characterized by chronic up-regulation of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs)-2 and -9. These MMPs degrade elastin and elastic matrix within the aortic wall, leading to a progressive loss of elasticity of the abdominal aorta as the condition progresses. Doxycycline (DOX) is a tetracycline-based antibiotic which has shown significant promise in delaying and slowing the growth of AAAs in both clinical studies and animal models. Read More

Med Phys 2012 Jun;39(6Part17):3816-3817

Stanford University Cancer Center, Palo Alto, CA.

Purpose: The Acuros XB (AXB) Advanced Dose algorithm (Varian Medical Systems) represents a dramatic shift in clinical photon dose calculation methodology from pencil-beam superposition/convolution methods. Early studies evaluating the accuracy of the algorithm in lung have found good agreement with both measurement and Monte Carlo based dose calculations. In this study, a dosimetric validation of Acuros is performed for clinical SBRT lung planning cases using Monte Carlo (MC) calculations as a benchmark. Read More

J Vasc Surg 2012 Aug 5;56(2):455-61. Epub 2012 May 5.

Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisc., USA.

Objective: The calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) model is a widely accepted rodent model for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Calcium deposition, mainly consisting of calcium phosphate (CaPO(4)) crystals, has been reported to exist in human and experimental aneurysms. CaPO(4) crystals have been used for in vitro DNA transfection by mixing CaCl(2) and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Read More

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2011 Dec;58(6):633-8

Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.

Chronic infusion of angiotensin II (AngII) into mice augments the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Catalase is an important antioxidant enzyme in cellular peroxisome, and it physiologically maintains tissue and cellular redox homeostasis and thus plays a central role in defense against oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to define whether deficiency of catalase influences AngII-induced AAAs. Read More

Med Phys 2011 Apr;38(4):2208-21

Department of Medical Physics, British Columbia Cancer Agency-Vancouver Island Center, Victoria, British Columbia V8R 6V5, Canada.

Purpose: The dosimetric accuracy of the recently released Acuros XB advanced dose calculation algorithm (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) is investigated for single radiation fields incident on homogeneous and heterogeneous geometries, and a comparison is made to the analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA).

Methods: Ion chamber measurements for the 6 and 18 MV beams within a range of field sizes (from 4.0 x 4. Read More

J R Soc Interface 2011 Oct 6;8(63):1449-61. Epub 2011 Apr 6.

Department of Solid Mechanics, School of Engineering Sciences, The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are frequently characterized by the development of an intra-luminal thrombus (ILT), which is known to have multiple biochemical and biomechanical implications. Development of the ILT is not well understood, and shear-stress-triggered activation of platelets could be the first step in its evolution. Vortical structures (VSs) in the flow affect platelet dynamics, which motivated the present study of a possible correlation between VS and ILT formation in AAAs. Read More