Characterization of a novel acidic phospholipase A isolated from the venom of Bothrops mattogrossensis: From purification to structural modeling.

Phospholipases A (PLAs) are highly prevalent in Bothrops snake venom and play a crucial role in inflammatory responses and immune cell activation during envenomation. Despite their significance, the specific role of PLAs from Bothrops mattogrossensis venom (BmV) in inflammation is not fully understood. This study sought to isolate and characterize a novel acidic PLA from BmV, designated BmPLA-A, and to evaluate its effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), with a specific focus on cytotoxicity, adhesion, and detachment.

Clinically Expired Platelet Concentrates as a Source of Extracellular Vesicles for Targeted Anti-Cancer Drug Delivery.

The short shelf life of platelet concentrates (PC) of up to 5-7 days leads to higher wastage due to expiry. To address this massive financial burden on the healthcare system, alternative applications for expired PC have emerged in recent years. Engineered nanocarriers functionalized with platelet membranes have shown excellent targeting abilities for tumor cells owing to their platelet membrane proteins.

Reciprocal longitudinal relationship between dental fear and oral health in schoolchildren.

Background: No longitudinal study has evaluated the mutual relationship between dental fear and oral health in the same investigation.

Aim: To evaluate the reciprocal longitudinal relationship between dental fear and oral health in schoolchildren.

Design: This longitudinal study monitored 416 Brazilian children aged 5-7 years of age at baseline for 2 years.

Hydrogel-Assisted Antisense LNA Gapmer Delivery for In Situ Gene Silencing in Spinal Cord Injury.

After spinal cord injury (SCI), nerve regeneration is severely hampered due to the establishment of a highly inhibitory microenvironment at the injury site, through the contribution of multiple factors. The potential of antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) to modify gene expression at different levels, allowing the regulation of cell survival and cell function, together with the availability of chemically modified nucleic acids with favorable biopharmaceutical properties, make AONs an attractive tool for novel SCI therapy developments. In this work, we explored the potential of locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified AON gapmers in combination with a fibrin hydrogel bridging material to induce gene silencing in situ at a SCI lesion site.

Ibuprofen-loaded fibrous patches-taming inhibition at the spinal cord injury site.

It is now widely accepted that a therapeutic strategy for spinal cord injury (SCI) demands a multi-target approach. Here we propose the use of an easily implantable bilayer polymeric patch based on poly(trimethylene carbonate-co-ε-caprolactone) (P(TMC-CL)) that combines physical guidance cues provided by electrospun aligned fibres and the delivery of ibuprofen, as a mean to reduce the inhibitory environment at the lesion site by taming RhoA activation. Bilayer patches comprised a solvent cast film onto which electrospun aligned fibres have been deposited.

Diagnostic Efficacy of Molecular Techniques for Detection and Identification of Leishmania Species in Human Whole Blood and Skin Samples from Ecuador.

Microscopic examination is the standard method for diagnosis of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis despite its low sensitivity. This study compared the diagnosis efficacy of microscopic examination versus polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods and DNA sequencing using whole blood and skin lesion samples from patients with suspected leishmaniasis. The presence of Leishmania was determined by microscopy and amplification of 18S ribosomal RNA gene from blood and skin samples of 22 patients.

Untreated stage IV melanoma patients exhibit abnormal monocyte phenotypes and decreased functional capacity.

Monocytes may contribute to tumor progression in part by mediating tumor-induced immunosuppression. Alterations to the monocyte populations and functions in untreated patients with late-stage melanoma are not fully understood. To characterize these alterations, we compared the frequency, phenotype, and functional capacity of peripheral blood monocytes and other myeloid cells in untreated, newly diagnosed stage IV melanoma patients (n = 18) with those in healthy volunteers.