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Recently, we have shown that manganese magnetism-engineered iron oxide nanoparticles (MnMEIO NPs) conjugated with exendin-4 (Ex4) act as a contrast agent that directly trace implanted mouse islet β-cells by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here we further advanced this technology to track implanted porcine neonatal pancreatic cell clusters (NPCCs) containing ducts, endocrine, and exocrine cells. NPCCs from one-day-old neonatal pigs were isolated, cultured for three days, and then incubated overnight with MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs. Binding of NPCCs and MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs was confirmed with Prussian blue staining in vitro prior to the transplantation of 2000 MnMEIO-Ex4 NP-labeled NPCCs beneath the left renal capsule of six nondiabetic nude mice. The 7.0 T MRI on recipients revealed persistent hypointense areas at implantation sites for up to 54 days. The MR signal intensity of the graft on left kidney reduced 62–88% compared to the mirror areas on the contralateral kidney. Histological studies showed colocalization of insulin/iron and SOX9/iron staining in NPCC grafts, indicating that MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs were taken up by mature β-cells and pancreatic progenitors. We conclude that MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs are excellent contrast agents for detecting and long-term monitoring implanted NPCCs by MRI.

To specifically detect and trace transplanted islet β-cells by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we conjugated manganese magnetism-engineered iron oxide nanoparticles (MnMEIO NPs) with exendin-4 (Ex4) which specifically binds glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors on the surface of β-cells. The size distribution of MnMEIO and MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs were 67.8 ± 1.3 and 70.2 ± 2.3 nm and zeta potential 33.3 ± 0.5 and 0.6 ± 0.1 mV, respectively. MnMEIO and MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs with iron content ≤ 40 μg/mL did not affect MIN6 β-cell viability and insulin secretion. Positive iron staining was found in MIN6 β-cells loaded with MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs but not in those with MnMEIO NPs. A transmission electron microscope confirmed MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs were distributed in the cytoplasm of MIN6. In vitro MR images revealed a loss of signal intensity in MIN6 β-cells labeled with MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs but not with MnMEIO NPs. After transplantation of islets labeled with MnMEIO-Ex4, the graft under kidney capsule could be visualized on MRI as persistent hypointense areas up to 17 weeks. Moreover, histology of the islet graft showed positive staining for insulin, glucagon and iron. Our results indicate MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs are safe and effective for the detection and long-term monitoring of transplanted β-cells by MRI.

Objective: A set of microsatellite markers with high polymorphism from Tsaiya duck were used for the genetic monitoring and genetic structure analysis of Brown and White Tsaiya duck populations in Taiwan.Methods: The synthetic short tandem repeated probes were used to isolate new microsatellite markers from the genomic DNA of Tsaiya ducks. Eight populations, a total of 566 samples, sourced from Ilan Branch, Livestock Research Institute were genotyped through novel and known markers. The population genetic variables were calculated using optional programs in order to describe and monitor the genetic variability and the genetic structures of these Tsaiya duck populations.Results: In total 24 primer pairs, including 17 novel microsatellite loci from this study and seven previously known loci, were constructed for the detection of genetic variations in duck populations. The average values for the allele number, the effective number of alleles, the observed heterozygosity, the expected heterozygosity, and the polymorphism information content were 11.29, 5.370, 0.591, 0.746, and 0.708, respectively. The results of analysis of molecular variance and principal component analysis indicated a contracting Brown Tsaiya duck cluster and a spreading White Tsaiya duck cluster. The Brown Tsaiya ducks and the White Tsaiya ducks with Pekin ducks were just split to six clusters and three clusters when K was set equal to 6 and 3 in the Bayesian cluster analysis. The individual phylogenetic tree revealed eight taxa, and each individual was assigned to its own population.Conclusion: According to our study, the 24 novel microsatellite markers exhibited a high capacity to analyze relationships of inter- and intra-population in those populations with a relatively limited degree of genetic diversity. We suggest that duck farms in Taiwan could use the new (novel) microsatellite set to monitor the genetic characteristics and structures of their Tsaiya duck populations at various intervals in order to ensure quality breeding and conservation strategies.

Kuang-Ming Liao,1 Chien-Jen Tseng,2 Yi-Chen Chen,3 Jhi-Joung Wang,3,4 Chung-Han Ho3,51Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Chiali, Taiwan; 2Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Chiali, Taiwan; 3Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; 4Allied AI Biomed Center, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan; 5Department of Hospital and Health Care Administration, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, TaiwanObjective: The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes of patients with COPD after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).Patients and methods: All COPD patients who underwent LC from 2000 to 2010 were identified from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database. The outcomes of hospital stay, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and use of mechanical ventilation and life support measures in COPD and non-COPD populations were compared.Results: A total of 3,954 COPD patients who underwent LC were enrolled in our study. There were significant differences in the hospitalization period, ICU stay, and use of mechanical ventilation and life support measures between the COPD and non-COPD populations. The mean hospital stay, ICU stay and number of mechanical ventilation days in the COPD and non-COPD groups were 7.81 vs 6.01 days, 5.5 vs 4.5 days and 6.40 vs 4.74 days, respectively. The use of life support measures, including vasopressors and hemodialysis, and the rates of hospital mortality, acute respiratory failure and pneumonia were also increased in COPD patients compared with those in non-COPD patients.Conclusion: COPD increased the risk of mortality, lengths of hospital and ICU stays, ventilator days and poor outcomes after LC in this study.Keywords: COPD, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, outcome