Publications by authors named "A Somoza"
Inefficient targeting of muscle stem cells (MuSCs), also called satellite cells, represents a major bottleneck of current therapeutic strategies for muscular dystrophies, as it precludes the possibility of promoting compensatory regeneration. Here we describe a muscle-targeting delivery platform, based on gold nanoparticles, that enables the release of therapeutic oligonucleotides into MuSCs. We demonstrate that AuNPs conjugation to an aptamer against α7/β1 integrin dimers directs either local or systemic delivery of microRNA-206 to MuSCs, thereby promoting muscle regeneration and improving muscle functionality, in a mouse model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe sensitivity of positron annihilation characteristics to changes in the molecular packing in network-forming polymers has been demonstrated since the early 1980s. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is a unique technique that can provide direct information on the free volume in polymers through the experimental parameters of the free volume hole distribution, their mean value, and volume fraction. This knowledge is currently applied for PALS investigations on the main processes that govern the molecular organization in some green polymers when subjected to different synthesis procedures or environmental conditions (humidity, physical aging, temperature).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a very challenging disease with a very poor prognosis. It is characterized by a dense desmoplastic stroma that hampers drug penetration and limits the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy (CT). As an alternative, the combination of CT with hyperthermia (HT) has been proposed as an innovative treatment modality for PDAC.
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- CeO samples were made using the polymeric precursor method with varying calcination temperatures, leading to changes in particle size and shape.
- Advanced techniques like positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) revealed the presence of different types of oxygen vacancies associated with various cerium ions.
- Impedance spectroscopy showed that as the calcination temperature increased, there was a reduction in electrical conductance and the formation of polarons in the material.
Article Synopsis
- The synthesis of protic ionic liquids (PILs) often yields incomplete proton transfer, leading to the presence of both parent compounds and ionic species, diminishing their purity.
- This study examines tris(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium-based PILs with various anions that are low in toxicity and can disrupt the hydrogen-bonding network in biopolymers, focusing on improving synthesis methods by avoiding solvents and maintaining moderate temperatures.
- NMR analysis revealed that the ionicity of these PILs ranges from 20% to 86%, suggesting that the term "ionic liquid" may not be entirely accurate, as both un-ionized and ionic species are present; thermal stability tests show minimal influence from the anions