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Publication
Stretching reduces skin thickness and improves subcutaneous tissue mobility in a murine model of systemic sclerosis
OBJECTIVE Although physical therapy can help preserve mobility in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), stretching has not been used systematically as a treatment to prevent or reverse the disease process. We previously showed in rodent models that …
Publication
Exposure to Vinyl Chloride and Its Influence on Western Diet-Induced Cardiac Remodeling
Obesity, usually caused by high fat diets (HFD), is a major public health issue worldwide, causing obesity associated cardiomyopathy. Moreover, the environmental toxicant vinyl chloride (VC) can exacerbate HFD- induced fatty liver disease. However, …
Publication
Vaspin Prevents Tumor Necrosis Factor-α–Induced Apoptosis in Cardiomyocytes by Promoting Autophagy
Visceral adipose tissue–derived serine protease inhibitor (Vaspin) is an adipocytokine that has been shown to exert anti- inflammatory effects and inhibits apoptosis under diabetic condi- tions. This study was designed to investigate the impact of vaspin …
Publication
Histidine-rich glycoprotein-induced vascular normalization improves EPR-mediated drug targeting to and into tumors
Tumors are characterized by leaky blood vessels, and by an abnormal and heterogeneous vascular network. These pathophysiological characteristics contribute to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, which is one of the key rationales for …
Publication
The elevation of circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 without kidney disease does not increase cardiovascular disease risk
High circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels are probably a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease. FGF23 interacts with the receptor FGFR4 in cardiomyocytes inducing left ventricular hypertrophy. Moreover, …
Publication
Fibulin-7, a heparin binding matricellular protein, promotes renal tubular calcification in mice
Ectopic calcification occurs during development of chronic kidney disease and has a negative impact on long-term prognosis. The precise molecular mechanism and prevention strategies, however, are not established. Fibulin-7 (Fbln7) is a matricellular …
Publication
Mitochondrial proteome disruption in the diabetic heart through targeted epigenetic regulation at the mitochondrial heat shock protein 70 (mtHsp70) nuclear locus
> 99% of the mitochondrial proteome is nuclear-encoded. The mitochondrion relies on a coordinated multi-complex process for nuclear genome-encoded mitochondrial protein import. Mitochondrial heat shock protein 70 (mtHsp70) is a key component of this …
Publication
Deep Vein Thrombosis Induced by Stasis in Mice Monitored by High Frequency Ultrasonography.
Venous thrombosis is a common condition affecting 1 - 2% of the population, with an annual incidence of 1 in 500. Venous thrombosis can lead to death through pulmonary embolism or results in the post-thrombotic syndrome, characterized by chronic leg pain, …
Publication
Semi-Automated Segmentation of the Tumor Vasculature in Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Data
The vascular architecture in tumors contains relevant information for tumor classification and evaluation of therapy responses. To develop a reliable and user-independent analysis tool, a foreground detection algorithm was combined with a …
Publication
Load-Dependent Changes in Left Ventricular Structure and Function in a Pathophysiologically Relevant Murine Model of Reversible Heart Failure
BACKGROUND: To better understand reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling, we developed a murine model wherein mice develop LV remodeling after transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and a small apical myocardial infarct (MI) and undergo reverse LV …