Antiglycation and antioxidant activities of the crude extract and saponin fraction of Tribulus terrestris before and after microcapsule release.

Objective: The present study investigated antiglycation and antioxidant activities of crude dry extract and saponin fraction of Tribulus terrestris. It also developed a method of microencapsulation and evaluated antiglycation and antioxidant activities of crude dry extract and saponin fraction before and after microcapsule release.

Methods: Antiglycation activity was determined by relative electrophoretic mobility (REM), free amino groups and inhibition of advanced glycation end-product (AGE) formation.

Biochar increases soil carbon pools: Evidence from a global meta-analysis.

Biochar is a carbon-rich material that increases soil C sequestration and mitigates climate change. However, due to the variability of experimental conditions, types of biochar and soil, the influence of biochar on the accumulation of different soil carbon fractions remains unclear. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed that included 586 paired comparisons obtained from 169 studies conducted in various countries around the globe.

Costly immunometabolic remodelling in disused muscle buildup through physical exercise.

The mechanisms underlying the immunometabolic disturbances during skeletal muscle atrophy caused by a plethora of circumstances ranging from hospitalization to spaceflight missions remain unknown. Here, we outline the possible pathways that might be dysregulated in such conditions and assess the potential of physical exercise to mitigate and promote the recovery of muscle morphology, metabolism and function after intervals of disuse. Studies applying exercise to attenuate disuse-induced muscle atrophy have shown a pivotal role of circulating myokines in the activation of anabolic signalling pathways.

Genetic Modification of Limbal Stem Cells to Decrease Allogeneic Immune Responses.

Limbal stem cell (LSC) transplantation is the only efficient treatment for patients affected by LSC deficiency (LSCD). Allogeneic LSC transplantation is one of the most successful alternative for patients with bilateral LSCD. Nevertheless, the high variability of the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) remains a relevant obstacle to long-term allogeneic graft survival.

A scoping review on biochar-based fertilizers: enrichment techniques and agro-environmental application.

Biochar is a carbonized biomass that can be used as a soil amendment. However, the exclusive use of biochar may present some limitations, such as the lack of nutrients. Thus, biochar enrichment techniques have made it possible to obtain biochar-based fertilizers (BCFs), with great potential to improve soil fertility.

Type and Intensity as Key Variable of Exercise in Metainflammation Diseases: A Review.

Monocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations exhibit functions that vary between the anti- and pro-inflammatory spectrum, such as classic CD16- and non-classical CD16+monocytes, as well as T helper 2 lymphocytes (Th2), the Th1/Th17 lymphocytes ratio, and T regulatory lymphocytes (Treg). Metabolic disease-associated inflammation is accompanied by an imbalance in monocyte and lymphocyte phenotypes and functionality, as well as a stronger proportion of inflammatory subpopulations. These changes appear to be important for the development and progression of diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A Case of Acute Interstitial Nephritis After Two Doses of the BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine.

Background: The development of vaccines to prevent COVID-19 breakouts came with highly positive results but some unexpected side effects. Rare side effects have been seen with the BNT162b2 SARS-CoV 2 vaccine.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 45-year-old female patient who developed an acute kidney injury needing urgent hemodialysis one week after the second administration of the BNT162b2 SARS-CoV 2 vaccine.

Differential tissue accumulation in the invasive Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, under two environmentally relevant lanthanum concentrations.

Among the environmental emerging concern rare earth elements, lanthanum (La) is one of the most common and reactive. Lanthanum is widely used in numerous modern technologies and applications, and its intense usage results in increasing discharges into the environment, with potentially deleterious consequences to earthlings. Therefore, we exposed the important food resource and powerful monitoring tool Manila clam to two environmentally relevant concentrations of La (0.

Enhanced recovery open radical prostatectomy: costs and length of hospital stay.

Purpose: To evaluate factors related to the length of hospital stay and costs in patients undergoing local multimodal anesthetic solution compared to neuraxial block, both in association with general anesthesia.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 77 consecutive patients submitted to open radical prostatectomies: 42 under general anesthesia plus neuraxial block, and 35 under enhanced recovery multimodal general anesthesia associated with preemptive target anesthetic solution (3 phases-P.T.

Humoral response to BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in peritoneal and hemodialysis patients: A comparative study.

Introduction: Maintenance dialysis patients (MDP) are at higher risk of exposure with increased mortality from COVID-19 with generalized immunization becoming the cornerstone in prevention. This study aims to compare humoral response between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Materials And Methods: Observational prospective study following HD and PD programs from a Portuguese Center receiving BNT162b2 vaccine.

Prion protein complexed to a DNA aptamer induce behavioral and synapse dysfunction in mice.

Conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrP) into the scrapie form (PrP) is the leading step to the development of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), still incurable neurodegenerative disorders. Interaction of PrP with cellular and synthetic ligands that induce formation of scrapie-like conformations has been deeply investigated in vitro. Different nucleic acid (NA) sequences bind PrP and convert it to β-sheet-rich or unfolded species; among such NAs, a 21-mer double-stranded DNA, D67, was shown to induce formation of PrP aggregates that were cytotoxic.

Thromboembolic Risk in COVID-19 Patients: Is There a Hidden Link?

Background Although evidence has emerged indicating that patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia present a high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), its real incidence and best diagnosis course remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the incidence of pulmonary embolism in these patients and the role of D-dimer serum level as a predictive factor of a new VTE event. Methodology This was a single-center retrospective observational cohort study conducted in a tertiary hospital.

Ouabain-Na/K-ATPase Signaling Regulates Retinal Neuroinflammation and ROS Production Preventing Neuronal Death by an Autophagy-Dependent Mechanism Following Optic Nerve Axotomy In Vitro.

Ouabain is a classic NaKATPase ligand and it has been described to have neuroprotective effects on neurons and glial cells at nanomolar concentrations. In the present work, the neuroprotective and immunomodulatory potential of ouabain was evaluated in neonatal rat retinal cells using an optic nerve axotomy model in vitro. After axotomy, cultured retinal cells were treated with ouabain (3 nM) at different periods.

Genetic Modification of Limbs Using Machine Perfusion.

Genetic engineering is a promising tool to repair genetic disorders, improve graft function, or reduce immune responses toward allografts. organ perfusion systems have the potential to mitigate ischemic-reperfusion injury, prolong preservation time, or even rescue organ function. We aim at combining both technologies to develop a modular platform allowing the genetic modification of vascularized composite (VC) allografts.

Generation of HLA Universal Megakaryocytes and Platelets by Genetic Engineering.

Patelet transfusion refractoriness remains a relevant hurdle in the treatment of severe alloimmunized thrombocytopenic patients. Antibodies specific for the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class I are considered the major immunological cause for PLT transfusion refractoriness. Due to the insufficient availability of HLA-matched PLTs, the development of new technologies is highly desirable to provide an adequate management of thrombocytopenia in immunized patients.

Yellow fever vaccine protects mice against Zika virus infection.

Zika virus (ZIKV) emerged as an important infectious disease agent in Brazil in 2016. Infection usually leads to mild symptoms, but severe congenital neurological disorders and Guillain-Barré syndrome have been reported following ZIKV exposure. Creating an effective vaccine against ZIKV is a public health priority.

Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccination in a Patient with Homozygous CFHR3/CFHR1 Gene Deletion.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) affecting the kidneys. Compared with typical HUS due to an infection from shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, atypical HUS involves a genetic or acquired dysregulation of the complement alternative pathway. In the presence of a mutation in a complement gene, a second trigger is often necessary for the development of the disease.