Control of articular degeneration by extracellular vesicles from stem/stromal cells as a potential strategy for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint condition that contributes to years lived with disability. Current therapeutic approaches are limited as there are no disease-modifying interventions able to delay or inhibit the progression of disease. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the immunomodulatory and regenerative properties of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) to develop new OA therapies.

New potential therapeutic approaches targeting synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis.

Synovial cells play a key role in joint destruction during chronic inflammation. In particular, activated synovial fibroblasts (SFs) undergo intrinsic alterations leading to an aggressive phenotype mediating cartilage destruction and bone erosion in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent research has revealed a number of targets to control arthritogenic changes in SFs.

Modification of the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by the 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms after Lorca's earthquakes (Murcia, Spain).

Information of the modulation effect of the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after earthquakes is scarce and contradictory. A cross-sectional face-to-face interview survey of a representative sample of the adults was carried out after the Lorca (Spain) earthquakes (May 11, 2011). Socio-demographic variables, DSM-IV diagnostic assessment and earthquake-related stressors were obtained from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).

Childhood adversities and 5-HTTLPR polymorphism as risk factors of substance use disorders: retrospective case-control study in Murcia (Spain).

Objective: To explore the separate and joint associations of childhood adversities and 5-HTTLPR polymorphism as risk factors for substance use disorders among adults. : : Retrospective case-control study.

Setting: Cases from the substance unit and controls from a representative sample of the adult general population in the metropolitan area of Murcia (Spain).

Study of the analytical performance at different concentrations of hematological parameters using Spanish EQAS data.

Background External quality assessment programs are one of the currently available tools to evaluate the analytical performance of clinical laboratories, where the measurement error (ME) obtained can be compared with quality specifications to evaluate possible deviations. The objective of this work was to analyze the ME behavior over the analytical range to assess the need to establish concentration-dependent specifications. Methods A total of 389,000 results from 585 laboratories and 2628 analyzers were collected from the Spanish external quality assessment schemes (EQAS) in hematology during the years 2015-2016.

A Boron Dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-Based Cu(II) -Bipyridine Complex for Highly Selective NO Detection.

A BODIPY-containing Cu(II) -bipyridine complex for the simple selective fluorogenic detection of NO in air and in live cells is reported. The detection mechanism is based on NO-promoted Cu(II) to Cu(I) reduction, followed by demetallation of the complex, which results in the clearly enhanced emission of the boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) unit.

Influence of a micro-thread at cervical position and a cylindrical intermediate zone on the mechanical behaviour of dental implants: A three-dimensional finite element analysis.

The purpose of this work is to analyse the influence on the biomechanical behaviour of dental implants of a micro-thread at their cervical part as well as of a cylindrical geometry at an intermediate zone. Stresses and strains in the elements involved, that is, bone, implant, screw and abutment, have to be considered in detail. Three different three-dimensional finite element models are generated to analyse the behaviour of the various components under the so-called tightening and operating conditions.

Microwave-assisted derivatization: application to steroid profiling by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) remains as the gold-standard technique for the study of the steroid metabolome. A main limitation is the need of performing a derivatization step since incubation with strong silylations agents for long periods of time (usually 16 h) is required for the derivatization of hindered hydroxyls present in some steroids of interest. In the present work, a rapid, simple and reproducible microwave-assisted derivatization method was developed.

A new pyrazolo pyrimidine derivative inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 with anti-angiogenic activity.

In a previous study, we reported a new pyrazolo pyrimidine derivative, N(4)-benzyl-N(6),N(6)-dimethyl-1-1(tert-butyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-6,4-diamine (DPP), which inhibited potently cyclooxygenase-2 activity in intact cell assays with minor activity against cyclooxygenase-1 (IC(50)=0.9 nM for cyclooxygenase-2 versus IC(50)=59.6 nM for cyclooxygenase-1).

A novel indazolo-triazolo-benzotriazepine exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 activity and nitric oxide synthase-2 expression.

We have studied the anti-inflammatory activity of (6-(p-bromophenyl)amino-7-(p-chlorophenyl)indazolo[2',3':1,5]-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]-1,3,5-benzotriazepine (ITB), prepared by solid-phase synthesis. This novel compound reduced the production of nitrite and PGE(2) in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide in a concentration-dependent manner.

Cacospongionolide B suppresses the expression of inflammatory enzymes and tumour necrosis factor-alpha by inhibiting nuclear factor-kappa B activation.

1. The marine product cacospongionolide B, a sesterterpene isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Fasciospongia cavernosa, is an inhibitor of secretory phospholipase A(2) with anti-inflammatory properties. In this work, we have studied the mechanism of action of this compound in the inflammatory response induced by zymosan in primary cells and in the mouse air pouch.

A new ditriazine inhibitor of NF-kappaB modulates chronic inflammation and angiogenesis.

We have previously shown that a ditriazine derivative 4,10-dichloropyrido[5,6:4,5]thieno[3,2- d':3,2- d]-1, 2, 3-ditriazine (DTD) modulates acute inflammation in murine models by inhibition of leukocyte functions and expression of inducible enzymes including nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). In the present work, we have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effect of DTD after oral administration in the rat adjuvant-induced arthritis, by reduction of interleukin-1beta and tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels and COX-2 expression in the inflamed tissues. These mediators were also significantly decreased by DTD treatment in the angiogenesis-dependent murine air pouch granuloma model, where this agent exerted anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic effects.

A pyrroloquinazoline derivative with anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity by dual inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase.

In a previous study, we reported a new pyrroloquinazoline derivative, 3-(4'-acetoxy-3',5'-dimethoxy)benzylidene-1,2-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-b]quinazoline-9-one (PQ), which inhibited human purified 5-lipoxygenase activity and prostaglandin E2 release in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In the present work, we show that PQ inhibits cyclo-oxygenase-2 activity in intact cell assays (human monocytes) and purified enzyme preparations (ovine isoenzymes) without affecting cyclo-oxygenase-1 activity.