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We describe a human nasal epithelial (HNE) organoid model derived directly from patient samples that is well-differentiated and recapitulates the airway epithelium, including the expression of cilia, mucins, tight junctions, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), and ionocytes. This model requires few cells compared to airway epithelial monolayer cultures, with multiple outcome measurements depending on the application. A novel feature of the model is the predictive capacity of lumen formation, a marker of baseline CFTR function that correlates with short-circuit current activation of CFTR in monolayers and discriminates the cystic fibrosis (CF) phenotype from non-CF. Our HNE organoid model is amenable to automated measurements of forskolin-induced swelling (FIS), which distinguishes levels of CFTR activity. While the apical side is not easily accessible, RNA- and DNA-based therapies intended for systemic administration could be evaluated in vitro, or it could be used as an ex vivo biomarker of successful repair of a mutant gene. In conclusion, this highly differentiated airway epithelial model could serve as a surrogate biomarker to assess correction of the mutant gene in CF or other diseases, recapitulating the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of the population.

To date, bone tissue regeneration strategies lack an approach that effectively provides an osteogenic and angiogenic environment conducive to bone growth. In the current study, we evaluated the osteogenic and angiogenic response of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and green fluorescent protein-expressing human umbilical vein endothelial cells (GFP-HUVECs) cocultured on a self-assembled, peptide amphiphile nanomatrix functionalized with the cell adhesive ligand RGDS (PA-RGDS). Analysis of alkaline phosphatase activity, von Kossa staining, Alizarin Red quantification, and osteogenic gene expression, indicates a significant synergistic effect between the PA-RGDS nanomatrix and coculture that promoted hMSC osteogenesis. In addition, coculturing on PA-RGDS resulted in enhanced HUVEC network formation and upregulated vascular endothelial growth factor gene and protein expression. Though PA-RGDS and coculturing hMSCs with HUVECs were each previously reported to individually enhance hMSC osteogenesis, this study is the first to demonstrate a synergistic promotion of HUVEC angiogenesis and hMSC osteogenesis by integrating coculturing with the PA-RGDS nanomatrix. We believe that using the combination of hMSC/HUVEC coculture and PA-RGDS substrate is an efficient method for promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis, which has immense potential as an efficacious, engineered platform for bone tissue regeneration.

Objective: To evaluate perceptions regarding cell phone use in a teaching hospital setting among health care providers, residents, medical students, and patients. Methods: Fifty-three medical students, 41 resident physicians, 32 attending physicians, and 46 nurses working at University Hospital completed a questionnaire about cell phone use practices and their perceptions of cell phone use in the hospital. Forty-three inpatients admitted to medical/surgical units at University Hospital were surveyed at bedside about their perceptions regarding physicians’ cell phone use. Results: All health care providers identified cell phones as a risk to patient confidentiality with no specific group significantly more likely to attribute risk than another. Practitioners were identified as either primarily as inpatient or outpatient practitioners. Inpatient practitioners were significantly more likely to rate cell phones as beneficial to patient care than outpatient practitioners. Physicians were statistically more likely to rate mobile phones as beneficial to patient care as compared to nurses. Among the patient population surveyed, one quarter noted that their physician had used a cell phone in their presence. The majority of those patients observing practitioner cell phone use had reported a beneficial or neutral impact on their care. Significance: Perceived risk of cell phones to patient confidentiality was equal across health care providers surveyed. Physician and medical students were significantly more likely to rate cell phones as beneficial to patients’ care than nurse providers. Patients indicated that their physicians used cell phones in their presence at low rates and reported that the use was either neutral or beneficial to the care they received.

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