A Critical Review of Methodologies for Evaluating Iron Fertilizers Based on Iron Reduction and Uptake by Strategy I Plants.

Under iron (Fe)-limited conditions, plants have developed strategies for acquiring this essential micronutrient. Several Fe sources have been studied as potential fertilizers, with Fe synthetic chelates being the most used to prevent and correct Fe chlorosis in crops. The determination of the activity of the Fe chelate reductase (FCR) enzyme has long been described in the literature to understand the efficiency of Strategy I plants in acquiring Fe from fertilizers under deficient conditions.

Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis as an Extraintestinal Manifestation of Crohn's Disease.

Cutaneous involvement is one of the most common extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). More commonly, pyoderma gangrenosum and erythema nodosum are noted, but psoriasis, aphthous stomatitis, Sweet's syndrome, and vasculitis may also occur. Leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) is a rare cutaneous manifestation, characterized by the appearance of palpable purpura, urticaria, and ulcer-necrotic lesions predominantly in the lower extremities that improve with immunosuppressive therapy.

Treatment of acute severe ulcerative colitis using accelerated infliximab regimen based on infliximab trough level: A case report.

Background: Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is a complication of ulcerative colitis associated with high levels of circulating tumor necrosis factor alpha, due to the intense inflammation and faster stool clearance of anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs. Dose-intensified infliximab treatment can be beneficial and is associated with lower rates of colectomy. The aim of the study was to present a case of a patient with ASUC and megacolon, treated with hydrocortisone and accelerated scheme of infliximab that was monitored by drug trough level.

Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Cellular Populations of the Central Nervous System: The Influence of Donor Age.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a biologic therapy that promotes healing responses across multiple medical fields, including the central nervous system (CNS). The efficacy of this therapy depends on several factors such as the donor's health status and age. This work aims to prove the effect of PRP on cellular models of the CNS, considering the differences between PRP from young and elderly donors.

Intraosseous infiltrations of Platelet-Rich Plasma for severe hip osteoarthritis: A pilot study.

Objective: Addressing the subchondral bone through intraosseous infiltrations of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) may improve the effectiveness of this technique for severe hip osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods: Forty patients with HOA degree 2 and 3 according to the Tönnis scale were recruited for this study. They were susceptible to a total hip arthroplasty, without response to previous treatment based on intraarticular infiltrations of PRP.

Platelet-rich plasma combined with allograft to treat osteochondritis dissecans of the knee: a case report.

Background: Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee is a prevalent pathology in young, active people that is brought about by either traumatic, developmental, or iatrogenic etiologies.

Case Presentation: A 40-year-old Caucasian man reporting pain, swelling, and functional reduction was evaluated and diagnosed with internal condyle osteochondritis dissecans of the knee. Harnessing the trophic, chondroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties of platelet-rich plasma, we carried out a knee open-sky surgical technique in which we combined autologous therapy with osteochondral allograft to treat the focal, large, and deep traumatic-iatrogenic osteochondritis dissecans of the knee.

Current concepts in intraosseous Platelet-Rich Plasma injections for knee osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative process that slowly destroys the joints producing pain and loss of function, and diminishes the quality of life. Current treatments alleviate this symptomatology but do not stop the disease, being total knee arthroplasty the only definitive solution. Among the emerging treatments, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) has shown promising results in the treatment of OA.

Treating Severe Knee Osteoarthritis with Combination of Intra-Osseous and Intra-Articular Infiltrations of Platelet-Rich Plasma: An Observational Study.

Objective: Assessing the therapeutic effects of a combination of intra-articular and intra-osseous infiltrations of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat severe knee osteoarthritis (KOA) using intra-articular injections of PRP as the control group.

Design: In this observational study, 60 patients suffering from severe KOA were treated with intra-articular infiltrations of PRP (IA group) or with a combination of intra-osseous and intra-articular infiltrations of PRP (IO group). Both groups were matched for sex, age, body mass index, and radiographic severity (III and IV degree according to Ahlbäck scale).

Cryopreservation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in an Allogeneic Bioscaffold based on Platelet Rich Plasma and Synovial Fluid.

Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has emerged as an alternative strategy to treat knee osteoarthritis. In this context, MSCs derived from synovial fluid could provide higher chondrogenic and cartilage regeneration, presenting synovial fluid as an appropriate MSCs source. An allogeneic and biomimetic bioscaffold composed of Platelet Rich Plasma and synovial fluid that preserve and mimics the natural environment of MSCs isolated from knee has also been developed.

Autologous bioscaffolds based on different concentrations of platelet rich plasma and synovial fluid as a vehicle for mesenchymal stem cells.

In the field of tissue engineering, diverse types of bioscaffolds are being developed currently for osteochondral defect applications. In this work, a novel scaffold based on platelet rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been evaluated to observe its effect on immobilized cells. The bioscaffolds were prepared by mixing different volumes of synovial fluid (SF) with PRP from patients obtaining three formulations at PRP-SF ratios of 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 (v/v).

Response of soybean plants to the application of synthetic and biodegradable Fe chelates and Fe complexes.

The growing concern over the environmental risk of synthetic chelate application promotes the search for alternatives in Fe fertilization, such as biodegradable chelating agents and natural complexing agents. In this work, plant responses to the application of several Fe treatments (chelates and complexes) was analyzed to study their potential use in Fe fertilization under calcareous conditions. Thus, the root ferric chelate reductase (FCR) activity of soybean (Glycine max cv.

Intraosseous Infiltration of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Severe Hip Osteoarthritis.

This work describes a technique of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) infiltration for the treatment of severe hip osteoarthritis (OA). Although the results achieved with intra-articular infiltrations of PRP are promising, they may be insufficient in the long-term for severe hip OA. The technique consists of a combined intra-articular and intraosseous infiltration of PRP to reach all joint tissues, especially the subchondral bone, and hence facilitate a greater distribution of PRP.

Correction: Platelet-rich plasma, an adjuvant biological therapy to assist peripheral nerve repair.

[This corrects the article on p. 47 in vol. 12, PMID: 28250739.

Platelet-rich plasma, an adjuvant biological therapy to assist peripheral nerve repair.

Therapies such as direct tension-free microsurgical repair or transplantation of a nerve autograft, are nowadays used to treat traumatic peripheral nerve injuries (PNI), focused on the enhancement of the intrinsic regenerative potential of injured axons. However, these therapies fail to recreate the suitable cellular and molecular microenvironment of peripheral nerve repair and in some cases, the functional recovery of nerve injuries is incomplete. Thus, new biomedical engineering strategies based on tissue engineering approaches through molecular intervention and scaffolding offer promising outcomes on the field.

The use of spent mushroom compost to enhance the ability of Atriplex halimus to phytoremediate contaminated mine soils.

The mushroom cultivation industry produces a huge amount of spent mushroom compost (SMC), a wide world agricultural organic waste which causes serious environmental problems. However, this cheap organic waste could be useful in the remediation of contaminated soils. The aim of this work was to assess the potential of SMC in combination with the native shrub Atriplex halimus, to phytoremediate two mine soils contaminated with Cd, Pb and Cu.

Assessment of the Behavior of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Immobilized in Biomimetic Alginate Microcapsules.

The combination of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and biomimetic matrices for cell-based therapies has led to enormous advances, including the field of cell microencapsulation technology. In the present work, we have evaluated the potential of genetically modified MSCs from mice bone marrow, D1-MSCs, immobilized in alginate microcapsules with different RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) densities. Results demonstrated that the microcapsules represent a suitable platform for D1-MSC encapsulation since cell immobilization into alginate matrices does not affect their main characteristics.

Comparison of Chemical and Enzymatic Interesterification of Fully Hydrogenated Soybean Oil and Walnut Oil to Produce a Fat Base with Adequate Nutritional and Physical Characteristics.

The optimal physical, chemical and nutritional properties of natural lipids depend on the structure and composition of triacylglycerols. However, they are not always mutually compatible. Lipid modification is a good way to give them specific functionalities, increase their oxidative stability, or improve their nutritional value.

Evaluation of different RGD ligand densities in the development of cell-based drug delivery systems.

Background: The inclusion of the tripeptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) in otherwise inert biomaterials employed for cell encapsulation has been observed to be an effective strategy to provide the immobilized cells with a more suitable microenvironment.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of different RGD densities on the behavior of baby hamster kidney (BHK) fibroblasts able to secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) encapsulated in alginate microcapsules.

Methods: Alginate was modified by varying the concentration of RGD peptides in the coupling reaction.

The synergistic effects of the RGD density and the microenvironment on the behavior of encapsulated cells: in vitro and in vivo direct comparative study.

The inclusion of the tripeptide RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) in otherwise inert biomaterials employed for cell encapsulation has been observed to be an effective strategy to provide the immobilized cells with a more suitable microenvironment. However, some controversial results collected during the last years, especially in vivo, have questioned its effectiveness. Here, we have studied the behavior of C2 C12 myoblasts immobilized in alginate-poly-l-lysine-alginate microcapsules with different densities of RGD.

Cadmium and lead bioavailability and their effects on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons biodegradation by spent mushroom substrate.

Bioremediation of mixed metal-organic soil pollution constitutes a difficult task in different ecosystems all around the world. The aims of this work are to determine the capacity of two spent mushroom substrates (Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus) to immobilize Cd and Pb, to assess the effect of these metals on laccase activity, and to determine the potential of spent A. bisporus substrate to biodegrade four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH): fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene, when those toxic heavy metals Cd and Pb are present.

Primary peri-aortic hemangiosarcoma in a dog.

A 10-year-old intact male Norwich terrier dog was evaluated for progressive, intermittent increased respiratory effort. Thoracic radiographs, ultrasonography, and computed tomography were used to identify a caudodorsal thoracic extrapulmonary mass and the presence of pulmonary metastasis. Blood transfusion and stabilization measures were not successful and the patient died.

Predictors of functional outcome among stroke patients in Lima, Peru.

Background: Because of the aging population in low- and middle-income countries, cerebrovascular disease is expected to remain a leading cause of death. Little has been published about stroke in Peru. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized stroke patients at a referral center hospital in Lima, Peru to explore factors associated with functional outcome among stroke patients.

Effect of citric acid on metals mobility in pruning wastes and biosolids compost and metals uptake in Atriplex halimus and Rosmarinus officinalis.

To assess metal mobility in pruning waste and biosolids compost (pH 6.9 and total concentration of metals in milligram per kilogram of Cd 1.9, Cu 132, Fe 8,513, Mn 192, Pb 81, and Zn 313), shrubs species Atriplex halimus and Rosmarinus officinalis were transplanted in this substrate and irrigated with citric acid (4 g L(-1), pH 2.