Translation, validity and reliability of the fall risk scale for older adults.

Introduction: Falls in older adults are a common and serious threat to health and functional independence. It can cause psychological distress, inability to participate in activities of daily living, brain injury, fractures, and even death. The aim was to analyze the psychometric properties of the self-assessed fall risk scale (FRS) that measures the risk of falls in older adults in a central region of Chile, as well as to verify the concurrent validity against functional fitness tests.

Functional fitness benchmark values for older adults: a systematic review.

Introduction: The use of normative values and/or standards of functional fitness in adults is relevant to overall health and well-being. The objectives of the study were: to identify the physical tests of the senior fitness test (SFT) that have been applied since its proposal and to describe the proposed percentiles according to age, sex and country.

Methods: A systematic review study was conducted in the Pubmed and Scopus databases.

Amitriptyline efficacy in decreasing implant-induced foreign body reaction.

Beyond its actions on the nervous system, amitriptyline (AM) has been shown to lower inflammatory, angiogenic, and fibrogenic markers in a few pathological conditions in human and in experimental animal models. However, its effects on foreign body reaction (FBR), a complex adverse healing process, after biomedical material implantation are not known. We have evaluated the effects of AM on the angiogenic and fibrogenic components on a model of implant-induced FBR.

Sodium butyrate attenuates peritoneal fibroproliferative process in mice.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? Peritoneal injury can result in a persistent fibroproliferative process in the abdominal cavity, causing pain and loss of function of internal organs. This study aimed to demonstrate the use of sodium butyrate (NaBu) as a potential agent to attenuate peritoneal fibrosis induced by a synthetic matrix. What is the main finding and its importance? Our findings provide the first evidence that NaBu attenuates the inflammatory, angiogenesis and fibrogenesis axes involved in the formation of peritoneal fibrovascular tissue, indicating the potential of this compound to ameliorate peritoneal fibrosis.

An In vitro dimerization assay for the adverse outcome pathway approach in risk assessment of human estrogen receptor α-mediated endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) has been recently proposed as an effective framework for chemical risk assessment. The AOP framework offers the advantage of effectively integrating individual in vitro studies and in silico prediction models. Thus, the development of an effective testing method to measure key events caused by chemicals is essential for chemical risk assessment through a fully developed AOP framework.

ST2 deletion accelerates inflammatory-angiogenesis and remodeling in subcutaneous implants in mice.

Implantation of biomedical/synthetic devices to replace and/or repair biological tissues very often induces an adverse healing response (scarce angiogenesis, excessive collagen deposition) which is detrimental to implant functionality and integration to host tissue. Interleukin-33/ST2 axis (IL-33/ST2) has been shown to modulate angiogenic and remodeling processes in several types of injuries. However, its effects on these processes after implantation of synthetic matrix have not been reported.

Benefits of pentoxifylline for skin flap tissue repair in rats.

Purpose: To assess the action of pentoxifylline, administered by subcutaneous route, on skin flap tissue repair in rats, and to verify the histological aspects and biomarkers.

Methods: Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (CT) and treated with pentoxifylline (P1, P3 and P5). Modified McFarlane technique flap was used.

Amitriptyline Downregulates Chronic Inflammatory Response to Biomaterial in Mice.

Recent data has signaled that in addition to its therapeutic indications as antidepressant and analgesic, amitriptyline (AM) exerts anti-inflammatory effects in humans and experimental animal models of acute inflammation. We tested the hypothesis that this compound could also modulate the chronic inflammatory process induced by synthetic matrix in mice. Polyether-polyurethane sponge disks were implanted subcutaneously in 9-week-old male C57BL/6 mice.

Changes in splenic uptake pattern associated with X-ray irradiation.

Purpose: To evaluate the splenic uptake function after irradiation with high-energy X-rays.

Materials And Methods: Fourteen male Wistar rats were distributed into three groups. Group 1 (n = 6) - control, non-irradiated; Group 2 (n = 4) - animals that were irradiated and studied 24 h after irradiation; and Group 3 (n = 4) - animals that were irradiated and studied 48 h after irradiation.

Mitochondrial Oxidative Damage Underlies Regulatory T Cell Defects in Autoimmunity.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are vital for the maintenance of immune homeostasis, while their dysfunction constitutes a cardinal feature of autoimmunity. Under steady-state conditions, mitochondrial metabolism is critical for Treg function; however, the metabolic adaptations of Tregs during autoimmunity are ill-defined. Herein, we report that elevated mitochondrial oxidative stress and a robust DNA damage response (DDR) associated with cell death occur in Tregs in individuals with autoimmunity.

Sodium Butyrate Downregulates Implant-Induced Inflammation in Mice.

Sodium butyrate (NaBu), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, has shown to exert beneficial actions attenuating inflammation in a number of intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases. However, the effects of NaBu on persistent inflammatory processes as in a response to implantation of foreign material have not been investigated. Synthetic matrix of polyether-polyurethane sponge was implanted in mice's subcutaneous layer of the dorsal region, and the animals were treated daily with oral administration of NaBu (100 mg/kg).

Monitoring of Autophagy and Cell Volume Regulation in Kidney Epithelial Cells in Response to Fluid Shear Stress.

Fluidic shear stress applied to epithelial cells inside the kidney tubules affects cell size in an autophagy-related manner. Here, we describe the technical equipment that we routinely use to apply shear stress on cells, as well as immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and three-dimensional cell volume reconstruction techniques used in analysis of the influence of this stress on cells and cellular components. By pointing out details of experimental techniques and potential pitfalls, this review will serve as a guide for those interested in study of how shear stress influences cells.

Automated concentration of [F]fluoride into microliter volumes.

Concentration of [F]fluoride has been mentioned in literature, however, reports have lacked details about system designs, operation, and performance. Here, we describe in detail a compact, fast, fully-automated concentration system based on a micro-sized strong anion exchange cartridge. The concentration of radionuclides enables scaled-up microfluidic synthesis.

Cytokine Production Is Differentially Modulated in Malignant and Non-malignant Tissues in ST2-Receptor Deficient Mice.

IL-33/ST2 axis has been shown to exert both pro- and anti- effects in wound healing and tumor development. To further understand the role of this cytokine complex, we characterized comparatively the inflammatory component of a malignant tissue and non-malignant tissue in mice lacking ST2 receptor (ST2-KO). KO mice and their wild-type (WT) counterparts were either implanted subcutaneously with polyether-polyurethane sponge discs to induce non-malignant fibrovascular tissue growth or inoculated with 4T1 cells to induce mammary tumor.

Evidence of hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering and hepatoprotective effects of the Bixin and Bixin: β-CD inclusion compound in high-fat-fed obese mice.

Associations between obesity, diabetes type II, and steatosis have long been recognized. However, a pharmacotherapy that acts in a multifactorial manner controlling the interactions between these conditions is not available. A variety of natural plants, functional fatty acids, and other natural dietary compounds have been used in various anti-obesity products.

Upregulation of Foreign Body Response in Obese Mice.

Objective: Obesity is a highly prevalent multifactorial metabolic condition in which the need for functional bioengineered substitutes (e.g., scaffolds for tissue engineering) is likely to occur.

Performing radiosynthesis in microvolumes to maximize molar activity of tracers for positron emission tomography.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a molecular diagnostic imaging technology to quantitatively visualize biological processes . For many applications, including imaging of low tissue density targets (e.g.

Kinetics of pancreatic tissue proliferation in a polymeric platform in mice.

Background/objectives: Pancreas regenerative capacity after injury is not always sufficient to comply with the body's requirement of digestive enzymes and hormones. We present an alternative system to induce pancreas parenchyma proliferation (exocrine and endocrine components), rather than regeneration or remodeling in normoglycemic mice.

Methods: Porous discs of polyether-polyurethane were surgically placed adjacent to the native pancreas and removed at days 15, 30 and 45 after implantation.

Induction of liver proliferation using a polymeric platform in mice.

Aims: Currently, animal models of liver regeneration are based on extensive lesions of the native organ and on cellular approaches using biomaterials to host growth factors and extracellular components to create artificial liver systems. We report a polymeric biological platform, minimally invasive, that induced sequential proliferation of liver parenchyma inside the scaffold in mice.

Main Methods: Porous discs of polyether-polyurethane were surgically placed under the left liver lobe and removed at days 4, 8, 12 and 25 after implantation.

Production of diverse PET probes with limited resources: 24 F-labeled compounds prepared with a single radiosynthesizer.

New radiolabeled probes for positron-emission tomography (PET) are providing an ever-increasing ability to answer diverse research and clinical questions and to facilitate the discovery, development, and clinical use of drugs in patient care. Despite the high equipment and facility costs to produce PET probes, many radiopharmacies and radiochemistry laboratories use a dedicated radiosynthesizer to produce each probe, even if the equipment is idle much of the time, to avoid the challenges of reconfiguring the system fluidics to switch from one probe to another. To meet growing demand, more cost-efficient approaches are being developed, such as radiosynthesizers based on disposable "cassettes," that do not require reconfiguration to switch among probes.

Biodiversity and ochratoxin A profile of Aspergillus section Nigri populations isolated from wine grapes in Cyprus vineyards.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the biodiversity of Aspergillus section Nigri populations from Cyprus vineyards by morphological, toxigenic and phylogenetic analysis. Aspergillus section Nigri populations were isolated from grapes of the varieties 'Maratheftiko' and 'Cabernet Sauvignon' originating from six growing regions of Cyprus during 2010 and 2011 years. The isolation frequency of Aspergillus section Nigri from grape samples was 43.

Crosstalk between FSH and relaxin at the end of the proliferative stage of rat Sertoli cells.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the proliferation of immature Sertoli cells through the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 and MEK/ERK1/2 pathways. Mature Sertoli cells stop proliferating and respond to FSH by stimulating cAMP production. To gain insight into possible mechanisms involved in this switch as well as the impact of paracrine factors that stimulate cell proliferation, we analyzed the effects of FSH and relaxin on intracellular signaling pathways involved with proliferation and differentiation in Sertoli cells from 15-day-old rats, which are close to the transition between the two stages.

Estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) mediates expression of β-catenin and proliferation in prostate cancer cell line PC-3.

The aim of the present study was to characterize the mechanism underlying estrogen effects on the androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC-3. 17β-estradiol and the ERβ-selective agonist DPN, but not the ERα-selective agonist PPT, increased the incorporation of [methyl-(3)H]thymidine and the expression of Cyclin D2, suggesting that ERβ mediates the proliferative effect of estrogen on PC-3 cells. In addition, upregulation of Cyclin D2 and incorporation of [methyl-(3)H]thymidine induced by 17β-estradiol and DPN were blocked by the ERβ-selective antagonist PHTPP in PC-3 cells.

A Transmetalation Reaction Enables the Synthesis of [F]5-Fluorouracil from [F]Fluoride for Human PET Imaging.

Translation of new F-fluorination reactions to produce radiotracers for human positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is rare because the chemistry must have useful scope and the process for F-labeled tracer production must be robust and simple to execute. The application of transition metal mediators has enabled impactful F-fluorination methods, but to date none of these reactions have been applied to produce a human-injectable PET tracer. In this article we present chemistry and process innovations that culminate in the first production from [F]fluoride of human doses of [F]5-fluorouracil, a PET tracer for cancer imaging in humans.

Expression and regulation of the estrogen receptors in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells.

The aim of this study was to identify the expression, cellular localization and regulation of classic estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ, ER-α36 isoform and GPER in the androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC-3. In addition, we evaluated the relative contribution of these receptors to the activation of the ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases) signaling pathway. These four estrogen receptors were detected by Western blot assays and were shown by immunofluorescence assays to localize preferentially in extranuclear regions of PC-3 cells.