Evaluation of the Effects of Mulberry Leaf Extracts L. on Cardiovascular, Renal, and Platelet Function in Experimental Arterial Hypertension.

Introduction: Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated that consuming foods rich in polyphenols and flavonoids can have beneficial effects on various diseases, including arterial hypertension (HTN). Recent research from our laboratory has shown that certain flavonoids exhibit antihypertensive properties in several animal models of HTN. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of L.

3D Graphene/silk fibroin scaffolds enhance dental pulp stem cell osteo/odontogenic differentiation.

Objectives: The current in vitro study aims to evaluate silk fibroin with and without the addition of graphene as a potential scaffold material for regenerative endodontics.

Material And Methods: Silk fibroin (SF), Silk fibroin/graphene oxide (SF/GO) and silk fibroin coated with reduced graphene oxide (SF/rGO) scaffolds were prepared (n = 30). The microarchitectures and mechanical properties of scaffolds were evaluated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), pore size and water uptake, attenuated total reflectance fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Raman spectroscopy and mechanical compression tests.

Unexpected high toughness of silk gut.

Silk gut fibers were produced from the silkworm silk glands by the usual procedure of immersion in a mildly acidic solution and subsequent stretching. The morphology of the silk guts was assessed by scanning electron microscopy, and their microstructure was assessed by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was found that both naturally spun and silk guts share a common semicrystalline microstructure.

Silkworm Gut Fibres from Silk Glands of -Potential Use as a Scaffold in Tissue Engineering.

High-performance fibroin fibres are ideal candidates for the manufacture of scaffolds with applications in tissue engineering due to the excellent mechanical properties and optimal biocompatibility of this protein. In this work, the manufacture of high-strength fibres made from the silk glands of is explored. The glands were subjected to soaking in aqueous dissolutions of acetic acid and stretched to manufacture the fibres.

The silk of gorse spider mite Tetranychus lintearius represents a novel natural source of nanoparticles and biomaterials.

Spider mites constitute an assemblage of well-known pests in agriculture, but are less known for their ability to spin silk of nanoscale diameters and high Young's moduli. Here, we characterize silk of the gorse spider mite Tetranychus lintearius, which produces copious amounts of silk with nano-dimensions. We determined biophysical characteristics of the silk fibres and manufactured nanoparticles and biofilm derived from native silk.

Increased Alkaline Phosphatase in Cord Blood of Obese Diabetic Mothers Is Associated to Polyunstaurated Fatty Acid Levels.

Introduction: Recent studies indicate that alkaline phosphatase (ALP) may affect expression and activity of fatty acid (FA) transport proteins in placenta and other tissues.

Objective: To evaluate if disturbed FA profile in offspring of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with different maternal pregestational weight could be related to maternal or neonatal ALP.

Methods: Prospective observational study of pregnant women recruited in the third trimester (25 controls, 23 lean-GDM, 20 obese-GDM).

Effect of different cocoon stifling methods on the properties of silk fibroin biomaterials.

Stifling treatments are applied to silk cocoons in order to kill the pupae, preventing the emergence of moths and allowing to preserve the silk during long periods of time. All of them involve the application of aggressive steps, such as sun exposure, hot steam from boiling water or hot air, during hours or even days. None of the scientific articles related to silk fibroin biomaterials has previously taken into account this fact in its section of materials and methods.

Potential use of silkworm gut fiber braids as scaffolds for tendon and ligament tissue engineering.

Tendon and ligament tissue engineering require scaffolds for the treatment of various conditions in the medical field. These must meet requirements such as high tensile strength, biocompatibility, fast and stable repair and a rate of degradation that allows the repair of the damaged tissue. In this work, we propose the use of silkworm gut fiber braids as materials to temporarily replace and repair this type of tissues.

Electrospun silk fibroin scaffolds coated with reduced graphene promote neurite outgrowth of PC-12 cells under electrical stimulation.

Novel approaches to neural research require biocompatible materials capable to act as electrode structures or scaffolds for tissue engineering in order to stimulate or restore the functionality of damaged tissues. This work offers promising results that indicate the potential use of electrospun silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds coated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in this sense. The coated material becomes conductor and electroactive.

Silk fibroin nanoparticles: Efficient vehicles for the natural antioxidant quercetin.

This article describes how silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNs) are capable of adsorbing and releasing quercetin (Q) and how its integrity is highly preserved, as confirmed by antioxidant activity assays. Q loading onto SFNs was optimized in terms of the Q/SFN ratio (w/w), time of adsorption and solvent mixture. Quercetin-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles (QSFNs) were characterized using the dynamic light scattering technique to measure the diameter (Z-Average) and Z-potential (ζ).

Impact of Covalent Functionalization on the Aqueous Processability, Catalytic Activity, and Biocompatibility of Chemically Exfoliated MoS Nanosheets.

Chemically exfoliated MoS (ce-MoS) has emerged in recent years as an attractive two-dimensional material for use in relevant technological applications, but fully exploiting its potential and versatility will most probably require the deployment of appropriate chemical modification strategies. Here, we demonstrate that extensive covalent functionalization of ce-MoS nanosheets with acetic acid groups (∼0.4 groups grafted per MoS unit) based on the organoiodide chemistry brings a number of benefits in terms of their processability and functionality.

Placental MFSD2a transporter is related to decreased DHA in cord blood of women with treated gestational diabetes.

Background & Aims: Maternal-fetal transfer of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is impaired by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. MFSD2a was recently recognized as a lyso-phospholipid (lyso-PL) transporter that facilitates DHA accretion in brain. The role of this transporter in placenta is uncertain.

Placental fatty acid transfer: a key factor in fetal growth.

The functionality of the placenta may affect neonatal adiposity and fetal levels of key nutrients such as long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fetal macrosomia and its complications may occur even in adequately controlled gestational diabetic (GDM) mothers, suggesting that maternal glycemia is not the only determinant of fetal glycemic status and wellbeing. We studied in vivo the placental transfer of fatty acids (FA) labeled with stable isotopes administered to 11 control and 9 GDM pregnant women (6 treated with insulin).

A gene variant in the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) is associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Objective: Adipokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance during pregnancy. We studied the association of genetic variants linked with type 2 diabetes in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) subjects and its influence on maternal adipokines.

Study Design: We recruited 25 healthy pregnant women (Controls) and 45 women with GDM at 24-28 weeks of gestation.

Materno-fetal transfer of docosahexaenoic acid is impaired by gestational diabetes mellitus.

Better knowledge on the disturbed mechanisms implicated in materno-fetal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) transfer in pregnancies with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may have potentially high implications for later on in effective LC-PUFA supplementation. We studied in vivo placental transfer of fatty acids (FA) using stable isotope tracers administrated to 11 control and 9 GDM pregnant women (6 treated with insulin). Subjects received orally [(13)C]palmitic, [(13)C]oleic and [(13)C]linoleic acids, and [(13)C]docosahexaenoic acid ((13)C-DHA) 12 h before elective caesarean section.

Influence of gestational diabetes on circadian rhythms of children and their association with fetal adiposity.

Objective: To analyse the circadian rhythm maturation of temperature, activity and sleep during the first year of life in offspring of diabetic mothers (ODM) and its relationship with obesity markers.

Methods: A prospective analysis of the children of 63 pregnant women (23 controls, 21 gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) controlled with diet and 19 GDM with insulin). Fetal abdominal circumference was evaluated ecographically during gestation.

Placental transfer of fatty acids and fetal implications.

Considerable amounts of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), particularly arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), are deposited in fetal tissues during pregnancy; and this process is facilitated by placental delivery. Nevertheless, the mechanisms involved in LC-PUFA placental transfer remain unclear. Stable isotope techniques have been used to study human placental fatty acid transfer in vivo.

Managing acute postoperative pain: is 3 hours too long?

This case study discusses a 64-year-old opioid-tolerant patient who underwent amputation below the left knee and received pain management in the PACU. The patient's self-reported pain level remained 9 on a 0 to 10 scale despite having received a total of 62 mg of morphine sulfate (MSO 4 ) and 60 mg of ketorolac in just less than 3 hours. The patient's facial expression corresponded to a score of 4 to 5 based on the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale.