TGF-βs regulate fibroblast responses, by activating Smad2 or Smad3 signaling, or via Smad-independent path- ways. We have previously demonstrated that myofibroblast-specific Smad3 is critically implicated in repair of the infarcted heart. However, the …

Overuse-induced tendinopathy is highly prevalent in the general population. Percutaneous fenestration, or dry needling, techniques have been increasing in popularity, but despite their current use, there are no controlled laboratory studies to provide …

Patients with phosphoglucomutase (PGM1) deficiency, a congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG) suffer from multiple disease phenotypes. Midline cleft defects are present at birth. Overtime, additional clinical phenotypes, which include severe …

When pancreatic cancer cannot be removed surgically, patients frequently experience morbidity and death from progression of their primary tumor. Radiation therapy (RT) cannot yet substitute for an operation because radiation causes fatal bleeding and …

Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs) are a promising new therapeutic option for myocardial infarction (MI). The tissue matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor 2, also known as TIMP2, is a member of the tissue inhibitor …

Growing evidence suggests that redox-sensitive proteins including glutaredox- ins (Grxs) can protect cardiac muscle cells from oxidative stress-induced dam- age. Mammalian Grx3 has been shown to be critical in regulating cellular redox states. However, …

Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and fibrosis play a crucial role in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), a major bioactive metabolite of natural antioxidant curcumin, is reported to exert even more effective …

Aims: Obesity is associated with high rates of cardiac fatty acid oxidation, low rates of glucose oxidation, cardiac hypertrophy, and heart failure. Whether weight loss can lessen the severity of heart failure associated with obesity is not known. We …

Abstract Long-haul travel does not constitute an obstacle for tourists to travel and is fast gaining the attention of tourists in new and unique experiences. This study was conducted to identify the long-haul travel motivation by international tourists to …

Introduction: The efficacy of preclinical ultrasound at providing a quantitative assessment of mouse models of vascular disease is relatively unknown. In this study, preclinical ultrasound was used in combination with a semi-automatic image processing …