Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) results from vulnerable plaque rupture, causing ischemic cardiomyocyte necrosis and intense inflammation. Paradoxically, this inflammation releases factors that aid heart repair. Recent findings suggest a role for extracellular vesicles (EVs) in intercellular communication during post-AMI cardiac repair.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, an innovative conductive hybrid biomaterial was synthetized using collagen (COL) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in order for it to be used as a wound dressing. The hydrogels were plasticized with glycerol and enzymatically cross-linked with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). A successful interaction among the components was demonstrated by FTIR, XRD, and XPS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a hyperglycemic state that is typically diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), which is unpleasant, time-consuming, has low reproducibility, and results are tardy. The machine learning (ML) predictive models that have been proposed to improve GDM diagnosis are usually based on instrumental methods that take hours to produce a result. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a simple, fast, and low-cost analytical technique that has never been assessed for the prediction of GDM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHydrogels are three-dimensional crosslinked materials known for their ability to absorb water, exhibit high flexibility, their biodegradability and biocompatibility, and their ability to mimic properties of different tissues in the body. However, their application is limited by inherent deficiencies in their mechanical properties. To address this issue, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and tannins (TA) were incorporated into alginate hydrogels (Alg) to evaluate the impact of the concentration of these nanomaterials on mechanical and adhesive, as well as cytotoxicity and wound-healing properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChitosan (CS)-based scaffolds loaded with extract bark (PE) and grape seed extract (GSE) were successfully developed for wound dressing applications. The effects of incorporating GSE and PE in CS scaffolds were investigated in relation to their physicochemical and biological properties. All scaffolds exhibited porous structures with the ability to absorb more than 70 times their weight when contacted with blood and phosphate buffer solution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOvarian cancer presents a significant challenge due to its high rate of chemoresistance, which complicates the effectiveness of drug-response therapy. This study provides a comprehensive metabolomic analysis of ovarian cancer cell lines OVCAR-3 and SK-OV-3, characterizing their distinct metabolic landscapes. Metabolomics coupled with chemometric analysis enabled us to discriminate between the metabolic profiles of these two cell lines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrent global challenges of the 21st century promote STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education and digitalization as a means for humans to be the central actors in the construction of a sustainable society that favors a sense of worth and global wellbeing. In this scenario, new educational technology tools and immersive learning affordances (possibilities), offer unprecedented potential for the design of smart and dynamic learning systems and contexts that can enhance learning processes across varied audiences and educational settings. However, current STEAM education practice lacks attention to equipping all citizens with the necessary skills to use digital technologies in an ethical, critical and creative way.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Hematopoiesis, the process of blood cell formation involves on a complex network of transcription factors. Among them, the CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPA) plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance between myeloid proliferation and differentiation. Imbalances in this network can lead to disrupted differentiation and contribute to the development of malignant diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Machine learning (ML) corresponds to a wide variety of methods that use mathematics, statistics and computational science to learn from multiple variables simultaneously. By means of pattern recognition, ML methods are able to find hidden correlations and accomplish accurate predictions regarding different conditions. ML has been successfully used to solve varied problems in different areas of science, such as psychology, economics, biology and chemistry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChildren carrying the minor allele 'A' at the fat mass and obesity-associated protein ( gene have higher obesity prevalence. We examined the link between rs9939609 polymorphism and plasma adiponectin and the mediating role of body adiposity, in a cross-sectional study comprising 323 children aged 6-11 years. Adiponectin and genotypes were assessed using a commercial kit and a real-time polymerase chain reaction with high-resolution melting analysis, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are stem cells mainly derived from bone marrow; from where they migrate to repair and regenerate damaged tissues. eEPCs have been classified into two sub-populations, early (eEPC) and late EPCs (lEPC), depending on maturation stages in vitro. In addition, eEPC release endocrine mediators, including small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), which in turn may enhance the eEPC-mediated wound healing properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe pediatric population has various criteria for measuring metabolic syndrome (MetS). The diversity of consensus for diagnosis has led to different non-comparable reported prevalence. Given the increase in its prevalence in pediatric ages, it is necessary to develop efficient methods to encourage early detection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUsing in vitro and in vivo models, this study investigated the hemostatic potential to control bleeding of both unloaded gelatin-graphene oxide aerogels and the same loaded with proanthocyanidins (PAs) from grape skin extract. Our results showed that the physicochemical and mechanical properties of the aerogels were not affected by PA inclusion. In vitro studies showed that PA-loaded aerogels increased the surface charge, blood absorption capacity and cell viability compared to unloaded ones.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, graphene oxide (GO)-based aerogels cross-linked with chitosan (CS), gelatin (GEL), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were characterized and their hemostatic efficiencies both in vitro and in vivo were investigated and compared to commercial materials (ChitoGauze®XR and Spongostan™). All aerogels exhibited highly porous structures and a negative surface charge density favorable to their interaction with blood cells. The in vitro studies showed that all aerogels coagulated >60 % of the blood contained in their structures after 240 s of the whole-blood clotting assay, the GO-CS aerogel being the one with the highest blood clotting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) is the most harmful form of cholesterol associated with vascular atherosclerosis and hepatic injury, mainly due to inflammatory cell infiltration and subsequent severe tissue injury. Lox-1 is the central ox-LDL receptor expressed in endothelial and immune cells, its activation regulating inflammatory cytokines and chemotactic factor secretion. Recently, a Lox-1 truncated protein isoform lacking the ox-LDL binding domain named LOXIN has been described.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTissue regeneration is often impaired in patients with metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus and obesity, exhibiting reduced wound repair and limited regeneration capacity. We and others have demonstrated that wound healing under normal metabolic conditions is potentiated by the secretome of human endothelial cell-differentiated mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC-EC). However, it is unknown whether this effect is sustained under hyperglycemic conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnnu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc
November 2021
The San Carlos population in Chile is an example of an underserved community due to lack of timely access to regular controls and laboratory results. One particular challenge is the adherence to treatment of Epilepsy patients. In this work, we present the design and proof-of-concept of a Point of Care Device (POCD) to measure carbamazepine levels in saliva to screen for correct dose prescription among epilepsy patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAerogels based on gelatin and graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized by microwave-assisted reactions, incorporating grape skin extracts -high in proanthocyanidins (PAs)- to develop a hemostatic device with improved properties. The effects of incorporating PAs into the aerogels were investigated in relation to their physicochemical properties, absorption ability, clotting activity and cytotoxicity in human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells. The aerogels presented highly resistant porous structures, capable of absorbing more than 50 times their weight when in contact with a phosphate saline solution (PBS) and fresh human blood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe natural mechanisms of the body cannot control massive hemorrhaging, resulting in a requirement for hemostatic intervention. In this study, Graphene oxide and Chitosan aerogels reinforced with grape seed (SD) and skin (SK) extracts were developed for use as hemostatic agents by evaluating the influence of pH on their synthesis, and the amount of grape extract added on the physical and chemical properties of the aerogels. The material was evaluated by FTIR, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, DLS, uniaxial compression tests and SEM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEstrogenic steroids and adenosine A receptors promote the wound healing and angiogenesis processes. However, so far, it is unclear whether estrogen may regulate the expression and pro-angiogenic activity of A receptors. Using in vivo analyses, we showed that female wild type (WT) mice have a more rapid wound healing process than female or male A-deficient mice (AKO) mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cerebral complications in preeclampsia are leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide but pathophysiology is largely unknown and a challenge to study. Using an in vitro model of the human blood-brain barrier (BBB), we explored the role of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in preeclampsia.
Methods: The human brain endothelial cell line (hCMEC/D3) cultured on Tranwells insert was exposed (12 hours) to plasma from women with preeclampsia (n = 28), normal pregnancy (n = 28), and nonpregnant (n = 16) controls.
We aim to investigate the role of A receptor in peritonitis-related sepsis by injection of a fecal solution (FS) as a model of polymicrobial infection. C57/black J6 wild-type (WT) and A-deficient mice (AKO) were exposed to sepsis induced by intraperitoneal injection of a FS (FS-induced peritonitis) or instead was injected with saline buffer (Sham). Survival rate and sepsis score were measured up to 48 h.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: In the last years, the utilization of phytomedicines has increased given their good therapeutic activity and fewer side effects compared to allopathic medicines. However, concerns associated with the biocompatibility and toxicity of natural compounds, limit the phytochemical therapeutic action, opening the opportunity to develop new systems that will be able to effectively deliver these substances. This study has developed a nanocomposite of chitosan (CS) functionalized with graphene oxide (GO) for the delivery of proanthocyanidins (PAs), obtained from a grape seed extract (Ext.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: The contribution of apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1), the major apolipoprotein of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), to endothelium-dependent vasodilatation is unclear, and there is little information regarding endothelial receptors involved in this effect. Ecto-F -ATPase is a receptor for APOA1, and its activity in endothelial cells is coupled to adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-sensitive P2Y receptors (P2Y ADP receptors). Ecto-F -ATPase is involved in APOA1-mediated cell proliferation and HDL transcytosis.
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