The hydrogel films were prepared with sodium alginate (SA) using the freeze-thawing method alone or in combination with ionotropic gelation with CaCl2. The gel properties such as morphology, swelling, film thickness, and content uniformity and in vitro dissolution profiles using Franz diffusion cell were investigated. The cross-linking process was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In vitro protein adsorption test, in vivo wound-healing test, and histopathology

were also performed. The hydrogel (F2) Selleck RSL3 composed of 6% sodium alginate and 1% metronidazole prepared by combined Ca2+ cross-linking and freeze-thawing cycles showed good swelling. This will help to provide moist environment at the wound site. With the in vivo wound-healing and histological studies, F2 was found to improve the wound-healing effect compared with the hydrogel without the drug, and the conventional product.”
“Optogenetics has revolutionized

neuroscience over the past several years by allowing researchers to modulate the activity of specific cell types, both in vitro and in vivo. One promising application of optogenetics is to use channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) mediated spiking to identify distinct cell types in electrophysiological recordings from awake behaving animals. In this paper, we apply this approach to in vivo recordings of the two major projection cell types in the striatum: the direct- and indirect-pathway Saracatinib order medium spiny neurons. We expressed ChR2 in the neurons of the direct or indirect pathways using a cre-dependent viral strategy and performed electrical LY2606368 in vitro recordings together with optical stimulation using an implanted microwire array that included an integrated optical fiber. Despite the apparent simplicity of identifying ChR2-expressing neurons as those that respond to light, we encountered multiple potential confounds when applying this approach. Here, we describe and address these confounds and provide a Matlab tool so that others can implement our analysis methods.

This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Optogenetics (7th BRES) (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are caused by tobacco and alcohol consumption and by infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Tumours often develop within preneoplastic fields of genetically altered cells. The persistence of these fields after treatment presents a major challenge, because it might lead to local recurrences and second primary tumours that are responsible for a large proportion of deaths. Aberrant signalling pathways have been identified in HNSCCs and inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has proved a successful therapeutic strategy.