Publications by authors named "Alejandra Contreras Ramos"

Pancreatic β‑cells are the only cells that synthesize insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. Various conditions can affect the mass of pancreatic β‑cells and decrease insulin levels. Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by insulin resistance and chronic hyperglycemia, mainly due to the loss of pancreatic β‑cells caused by an increase in the rate of apoptosis.

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The lusoria artery has a prevalence of 0.5-2% in the general population. The abnormal development of the aortic arch forms vascular rings around the trachea and esophagus, causing pressure on them and leading to characteristic symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, and/or swallowing.

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Boronic acids form diester bonds with cis-hydroxyl groups in carbohydrates. The formation of these adducts could impair the physical and chemical properties of precursors, even their biological activity. Two carbohydrate derivatives from d-fructose and d-arabinose and phenylboronic acid were synthesized in a straightforward one-step procedure and chemically characterized via spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction crystallography.

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Introduction: Fetal and postnatal hypertrophy develop in response to such different exposures or illnesses the mother suffers during gestation as anti-infectious and physical agents, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and even advanced maternal age. This gives rise to high comorbidities in the newborn; therefore, looking for alternatives that contribute to cardiac homeostasis is quite necessary to inhibit the overgrowth of myocytes. Boron-derivative compounds could play a key role in exerting a repairing effect on chronic cardiac damage induced during gestation.

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Overstimulation of pancreatic β-cells can lead to dysfunction and death, prior to the clinical manifestations of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The excessive consumption of carbohydrates induces metabolic alterations that can affect the functions of the β-cells and cause their death. We analyzed the role of p53 in pancreatic β cell death in carbohydrate-supplemented Sprague Dawley rats.

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Adult mesenchymal cells have revolutionized molecular and cell biology in recent decades. They can differentiate into different specialized cell types, in addition to their great capacity for self-renewal, migration, and proliferation. Adipose tissue is one of the least invasive and most accessible sources of mesenchymal cells.

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Hemochromatosis is a disease characterized by excess iron stores in multiple organs, including the liver, pancreas, skin, and heart. The infiltration of the heart is an important factor in morbidity and mortality. Here we describe the case of a pediatric patient with end-stage heart failure who required a heart transplantation, with no complications.

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Objectives: To determine whether metabolic phenotype is associated with the change in carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in patients undergoing bariatric /metabolic surgery (BMS).

Methods: We performed a case-control study of BMS candidates who had metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) or metabolically healthy obesity (MHO). We measured the change in CIMT during the 9 months following BMS.

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Background: In regards to breast cancer (BC), survival or disease-free periods are still compromised mainly in Triple Negative (TN) and HER2 tumors. The participation of estrogen receptor (ER) has been reported as crucial in the signaling pathways, including the NOTCH pathway. The study was aimed to evaluate the expression of NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 in BC and its relationship with the presence of ER, as well as with relapses.

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Article Synopsis
  • Heart failure (HF) is a significant clinical issue, and recent research suggests that exosomal microRNAs (exo-miRNAs) from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) might help manage it by offering cardioprotective properties.
  • A systematic review conducted over the past decade highlights the roles of twenty-four exo-miRNAs from various MSC sources, particularly noting that inhibiting apoptosis is their most commonly reported function.
  • The findings support the idea of using exo-miRNAs in HF treatment and urge further research to explore new hypotheses regarding their application in heart disease management.
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Background: Heart failure (HF) is a deeply serious clinical problem that remains unsolved. Many reports highlight the cardioprotective properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the factors contained in their secretome being particularly important for this function; these include the exosomal miRNAs (exo-miRNAs) secreted with or without stimulus which can modulate various biological processes. In search of new paradigms in heart failure, we wondered whether MSC-derived exosomal microRNAs could play a role in the management of clinical patients.

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NK cells represent a heterogeneous subpopulation of lymphocytes of the innate immune system, which possess powerful antitumor activity. NK cells exhibit their function through a complex collection of receptors that act synergistically to recognize, regulate, or amplify the immune response. TLRs allow cells to detect PAMPs, MAMPs, or DAMPs, which are essential for the initiation of the immune response.

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Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk of fetal congenital ventricular hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We explored the effects and mechanisms of the postnatal progression of fetal hypertrophic failure in rat pups with STZ-induced Gestational Diabetes (GD). The hearts of rat pups (newborn [NB], 8, 15, 25 and 35 days postnatal) were obtained.

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Objectives: We aimed to determine whether parameters associated with adipose tissue (adipocyte density and the circulating concentrations of markers of adipose tissue pathology) predict cardiovascular risk (CVR) modification after metabolic surgery (MS).

Methods: We performed a case-control study of patients with morbid obesity who were candidates for MS. CVR was defined using flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), which were measured during the 9 months following MS.

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Background: This systematic review summarizes results of studies that evaluated the expression of microRNAs (miRs) in prediabetes or type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: The information was obtained from PubMed, EMBL-EBI, Wanfang, Trip Database, Lilacs, CINAHL, Human microRNA Disease Database (HMDD) v3.0, and Google.

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Wilms tumor (WT) is the most frequently diagnosed malignant renal tumor in children. With current treatments, ~90% of children diagnosed with WT survive and generally present with tumors characterized by favorable histology (FHWT), whereas prognosis is poor for the remaining 10% of cases where the tumors are characterized by cellular diffuse anaplasia (DAWT). Relatively few studies have investigated microRNA-related epigenetic regulation and its relationship with altered gene expression in WT.

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NOTCH1 and PAX5 participate in the proliferation and differentiation of B and T lymphocytes. Their expression can be modified by activation of NOTCH1, induced by the Epstein-Barr (EBV) viral proteins identified as LMP1 and LMP2. To identify whether PAX5, NOTCH1, and EBV latency genes participate in the oncogenic process of pediatric patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), the present study aimed to identify the variable expression of NOTCH1 among disease subtypes and to assess its effect on PAX5 expression.

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Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) negatively impact the cardiovascular prognosis of patients undergoing coronary angioplasty due to coronary ischemic injury. The extent of coronary damage and the mechanisms of vascular repair are factors influencing the future development of MACEs. Intrinsic vascular features like the plaque characteristics and coronary artery complexity have demonstrated prognostic information for MACEs.

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Unlabelled: Currently, there are no confident prognostic markers in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing angioplasty. The present study aimed to explore whether basal coronary circulating Mononuclear Progenitor Cells (MPCs) and vascular injury biomarkers were related to development of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and may impact clinical prognosis.

Methods: The number of MPCs and soluble mediators such as IL-1β, sICAM-1, MMP-9, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and nitric oxide were determined in coronary and peripheral circulation.

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Background: Atherosclerosis represents a cardiovascular risk. Chronic inflammation is a key factor for atherogenic progression. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been proposed as a novel biomarker for cardiovascular risks.

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Article Synopsis
  • The incidence of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) varies significantly between Caucasian (2.5/100,000) and Hispanic populations (19.8/100,000) and the study aims to identify maternal factors influencing TAPVC development.
  • In the study, 55 mother-child pairs with TAPVC were compared to 152 healthy pairs, revealing that mothers of TAPVC children had more pregnancies and higher pre-pregnancy BMI, indicating a risk factor.
  • The conclusion emphasizes that maternal obesity is linked to a higher risk of TAPVC in children within the Mexican population, highlighting the importance of maternal health before pregnancy.
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During embryo implantation, the outer layer of the blastocyst interacts with the endometrium giving rise to the development of the trophoblast cell lineage. The cells in this lineage participate in the penetration of endometrium due to their motility and invasive properties. The mechanisms that regulate the differentiation and invasive ability of these cells are essential for the establishment and maintenance of an efficient exchange between maternal and fetal tissues during pregnancy.

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Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been a focus of attention due to their possible applications in medicine, by serving as scaffolds for cell growth and proliferation and improving mesenchymal cell transplantation and engraftment. The emphasis on the benefits of CNTs has been offset by the ample debate on the safety of nanotechnologies. In this study, we determine whether functionalized multiwalled CNTs (fMWCNTs) and functionalized oxygen-doped multiwalled CNTs (fCOxs) have toxic effects on rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro by analyzing morphology and cell proliferation and, using in vivo models, whether they are able to transform MSCs in cancer cells or induce embryotoxicity.

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Objective: To determine the prevalence and spectrum of diseases that predispose to sudden cardiac death in Mexican children, and to identify the main early signs and symptoms that can enable the health personnel to suspect these diseases and to refer the patients to a tertiary hospital in a timely manner.

Methods: Incidence, prevalence, and period prevalence, as well as early symptoms, clinical data, and follow-up were recorded on all children found with diseases that predispose to sudden cardiac death in The Children's Hospital of Mexico.

Results: The study included 59 patients, with a mean age of 8 ± 5 years old, with 40 cardiomyopathies, and 19 with inherited arrhythmogenic diseases.

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