Fe3O4 nanoparticles were efficiently incorporated into the murine macrophage cells (RAW264.7) without visible cytotoxicity. Cell labeling efficiency was found to be over 90% as measured by magnetically activated cell sorting and physical property measurement system. Therefore, such Fe3O4 nanoparticles could provide a useful magnetic cell labeling tool for macrophage cells using their phagocytic/endocytic activity and further apply to the other relevant biomedical applications.

(C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3563073]“
“The global incidence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is increasing and current mammalian models of NASH are imperfect. We have developed a NASH model in the ricefish medaka (Oryzias latipes), which is based on feeding the fish a high-fat diet (HFD). Medaka that are fed a HFD (HFD-medaka) exhibited hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia, Ganetespib in vivo and histological examination of the liver revealed ballooning degeneration. The expression of lipogenic genes (SREBP-1c, FAS and ACC1) was increased, whereas the expression of lipolytic genes (PPARA and CPT1) was decreased.

With respect to liver fatty acid composition, the concentrations of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-6 PUFAs had declined and the n-3: n-6 ratio was reduced. Treatment selleck chemicals of HFD-medaka with the n-3 PUFA eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) mitigated disease, as judged by the restoration of normal liver fatty acid composition and normal expression levels of lipogenic and lipolytic genes. Moreover, medaka that were fed a diet deficient in n-3 PUFAs developed NASH features. Thus, NASH can be induced in medaka by a HFD, and the proportion of n-3 PUFAs in the liver influences the progress of NASH pathology in these fish. Our model should prove helpful for the dissection of the causes of

human NASH and for the design of new and effective therapies.”
“Purpose: The purpose of the study was to characterize differences in donor and recipient relationships between African American (AA) and Caucasian living kidney donors.

Methods: Data from all successful living kidney donors at a single institution between 1991 and 2009 were reviewed. Relationships Cl-amidine mouse between donor and recipient were categorized and between-group comparisons performed.

Results: The study sample consisted of 73 (18%) AA and 324 Caucasian living kidney donors. The distribution of donor-recipient relationships differed significantly between AA and Caucasians. AA donors were more likely to be related to the recipient (88% vs. 74%, p = 0.007) than Caucasians. AA donors were more likely to participate in child to parent donation and were less likely to participate in parent to child donation or to donate to unrelated individuals. Sibling and spousal donations were similar in both groups. Caucasian donors were more likely to be unrelated to the recipient than AA donors.