Publications by authors named "Avendano A"

Haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) is one of the most effective therapies for treating malignant haematological disorders. However, HLA disparities are significant barriers to the success of this process since they increase the risk of graft versus host disease (GvHD). HLA disparities quantification could help to anticipate the probability and degree of GvHD, but the best tool for such quantification remains a challenge.

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Blood and lymphatic vessels in the body are central to molecular and cellular transport, tissue repair, and pathophysiology. Several approaches have been employed for engineering microfabricated blood and lymphatic vessels , yet traditionally these approaches require specialized equipment, facilities, and research training beyond the capabilities of many biomedical laboratories. Here we present xurography as an inexpensive, accessible, and versatile rapid prototyping technique for engineering cylindrical and lumenized microvessels.

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  • Mutations commonly associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were studied in 127 patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), revealing varying prevalence rates like CEBPA (7), FLT3 (8), IDH1 (12), IDH2 (26), and NPM1 (11).
  • CMML patients with CEBPA, FLT3, and/or NPM1 mutations showed more severe symptoms and higher risk characteristics, indicating they were more frequently linked to the myeloproliferative subtype (MP-CMML).
  • The study suggests that these mutations should be included in CMML prognostic models and advocates for treating these patients with AML-type therapies due to their poor
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Background: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) young people are disproportionately affected by HIV in the United States, and substance use is a major driver of new infections. People who use web-based venues to meet sex partners are more likely to report substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections. To our knowledge, no machine learning (ML) interventions have been developed that use web-based and digital technologies to inform and personalize HIV and substance use prevention efforts for SGM young people.

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Introduction: Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with ring sideroblasts (RS) or mutation (MDS-RS/) differ in many clinical features, but share others, such as anemia. RS and mutation can also be found in CMML.

Methods: We compared CMML with and without RS/ and MDS-RS/ considering the criteria established by the 2022 World Health Organization classification.

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Decision-making regarding limb amputation represents a significant clinical challenge, especially when the initial evaluation does not coincide with the criteria established in scales used worldwide, as is the case of the MESS scale. This article presents the case of a 24-year-old female patient who was transferred to a university hospital after a road traffic accident with severe and large lesions in the left lower limb. Despite a poor initial prognosis and in-hospital complications, including multiple surgical procedures and foot drop, a favorable recovery was achieved with complete anatomical salvage of the limb at risk.

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  • Fibrillar collagens and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are crucial components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and this study investigates how specific GAGs—chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS), and hyaluronic acid (HA)—affect the mechanical and microstructural properties of collagen hydrogels.
  • The research reveals that while HA enhances the ECM's stiffness, all GAGs tested do not impact hydraulic permeability, indicating distinct roles in regulating matrix structure and organization.
  • The findings emphasize the importance of utilizing various experimental techniques, like mechanical testing and imaging, to better understand the dynamics of collagen self-assembly and how GAGs influence ECM properties at different
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During the pandemic, it has been recommended that vaccination against COVID-19 be a priority for patients with cancer; however, these patients were not included in the initial studies evaluating the available vaccines. To define the impact of vaccination against COVID-19 in preventing the risk of complications associated with the infection in a cohort of patients with cancer in Colombia. An analytical observational cohort study, based on national registry of patients with cancer and COVID 19 infection ACHOC-C19, was done.

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  • Fibrillar collagens and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are essential components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), influencing its structure and mechanical properties.
  • This study investigates how different GAGs (chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, and hyaluronic acid) affect ECM properties at a cellular scale, including stiffness, transport efficiency, and microstructure of collagen-based hydrogels.
  • The findings reveal that GAGs alter collagen self-assembly kinetics and suggest new methods to study ECM characteristics through techniques like stiffness measurements and turbidity assays.
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  • Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is a growing field in developing countries, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), but research and information are limited, making it challenging to apply findings across diverse populations.
  • The study reviewed PGx knowledge among the LAC scientific community, identified barriers to its clinical use, and surveyed 106 professionals to evaluate these obstacles, revealing that the primary barrier is the lack of guidelines for implementing PGx in practice.
  • Despite these challenges, LAC has contributed 3.44% of global PGx publications and identified gene/drug pairs, such as tamoxifen and clopidogrel, as significant for improving genomic medicine responses, although cost-effectiveness concerns remain a critical issue.
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Background: Ectodermal dysplasias (EDs) are a large and complex group of disorders affecting the ectoderm-derived organs; the clinical and genetic heterogeneity of these conditions renders an accurate diagnosis more challenging. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the clinical utility of a targeted resequencing panel through enhancing the molecular and clinical diagnosis of EDs. Given the recent developments in gene and protein-based therapies for X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, there is a re-emerging interest in identifying the genetic basis of EDs and the respective phenotypic presentations, in an aim to facilitate potential treatments for affected families.

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  • Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation, is influenced by both biochemical signals and mechanical factors in the tissue environment, with interstitial flow and extracellular matrix (ECM) properties being significant contributors.
  • A study using a 3D microfluidic model showed that adding hyaluronan (HA) to collagen hydrogels boosts interstitial flow-induced sprouting, enhancing the properties of stiffness and pore size in the ECM.
  • Interestingly, blocking the HA receptor did not affect this sprouting response, while breaking down HA reduced the benefits of interstitial flow, indicating that HA plays a critical role in improving angiogenic processes by modifying collagen ECM characteristics.
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  • * Real-time monitoring of these interactions in a 3D environment is key to understanding cell functions and developing new therapies, and DNA origami technology can create advanced biosensors for this purpose.
  • * The study reports a method using a DNA origami cell sensing platform within a microfluidic device to monitor live interactions of B cells and dendritic cells, effectively detecting specific nucleic acid sequences in a physiologically relevant model.
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  • Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) aid in tumor development by remodeling the tumor environment and secreting chemokines like CXCL12, which is linked to cancer progression.
  • A study using a 3-D microfluidic model showed that CXCL12 from CAFs increases the permeability of blood vessel analogs, suggesting it helps tumors grow and spread.
  • While CXCL12 promotes a more permeable endothelium that supports tumor activities, it does not significantly drive the contractility of CAFs themselves, indicating a complex interaction in the tumor microenvironment.
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Spondylometaphyseal dysplasia Algerian type (MIM no.: 184253) is an uncommon autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia caused by heterozygous mutations in the gene (MIM no.: 120140).

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Importance: Ivermectin is widely prescribed as a potential treatment for COVID-19 despite uncertainty about its clinical benefit.

Objective: To determine whether ivermectin is an efficacious treatment for mild COVID-19.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Double-blind, randomized trial conducted at a single site in Cali, Colombia.

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Aim: To establish trends in Implant Dentistry in Latin America in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Material And Methods: A steering committee and an advisory group of experts in Implant Dentistry were selected among eighteen countries. An open-ended questionnaire by Delphi methodology was validated including 64 questions, divided in 7 topics, concerning the various trends in dental implantology.

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The University Hospital of Salamanca, in Spain, had its first COVID-19 case on March 1st and as of May 11th, we had 1,100 positive cases. Based on the vulnerability of patients with blood cancers, on March 9th, the Hematology Department developed a protocol, amended as the new information was available, to maintain the Hematology Unit as a "free COVID-19 island." The protocol included symptom-based surveys and screening tests to patients, caregivers, and healthcare personnel to identify early potential positive cases and prevent its spread.

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  • Doctors are studying how well a scoring system called MTSS can predict the survival of people with myelofibrosis (a blood disease) who are getting a special type of transplant.
  • Out of 197 patients, about half died within 3.1 years, but the study found that some patients have a better chance of living longer based on their risk level.
  • They found that factors like the type of donor and certain health issues can affect survival rates, leading to a simpler way to consider the risks and benefits of the transplant.
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Background: In utero endocrine disruption is linked to increased risk of breast cancer later in life. Despite numerous studies establishing this linkage, the long-term molecular changes that predispose mammary cells to carcinogenic transformation are unknown. Herein, we investigated how endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) drive changes within the stroma that can contribute to breast cancer susceptibility.

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This paper describes an experimental characterization scheme of the biophysical properties of reconstituted hydrogel matrices based on indentation testing, quantification of transport via microfluidics, and confocal reflectance microscopy analysis. While methods for characterizing hydrogels exist and are widely used, they often do not measure diffusive and convective transport concurrently, determine the relationship between microstructure and transport properties, and decouple matrix mechanics and transport properties. Our integrated approach enabled independent and quantitative measurements of the structural, mechanical, and transport properties of hydrogels in a single study.

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Angiogenesis is associated with increased vessel sprouting and permeability. Important mediators of these angiogenic responses include local environment of signaling molecules and supporting extracellular matrix (ECM). However, dissecting the interplay of these instructive signals in vivo with multiple cells and extracellular molecules remains a central challenge.

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