Bioactive glasses enriched with zinc and strontium: synthesis, characterization, cytocompatibility with osteoblasts and antibacterial properties.

: The aim of the presented work was to characterize the new obtained bioglasses and assess their biological performance . Bioglasses were produced using the sol-gel method in the SiO-PO-CaO system, for the purpose as composite ingredients. Their chemical composition was enriched with ZnO to introduce antibacterial properties and SrO with osteoinductive effect.

Factors influencing the increased Sr radioisotope migration in highly alkaline groundwater at Chornobyl NPP site.

This paper analyses the formation of high Sr concentration in strong alkaline (pH = 9.5-12.5) groundwater using data of the 27 years of observations around the destroyed Chernobyl NPP Unit 4.

Effect of Selected Crosslinking and Stabilization Methods on the Properties of Porous Chitosan Composites Dedicated for Medical Applications.

Chitosan is one of the most commonly employed natural polymers for biomedical applications. However, in order to obtain stable chitosan biomaterials with appropriate strength properties, it is necessary to subject it to crosslinking or stabilization. Composites based on chitosan and bioglass were prepared using the lyophilization method.

Isotope composition of groundwater and surface waters in the area of the Dombrovsky quarry of Kalush-Golinsk deposit of potassium salts.

Enrichment of heavy isotopes of hydrogen (D, H) and oxygen (О) is observed in water samples collected from open brine storage of Kalush-Golinsky deposit. The brine storage facilities were formed during the operation of the Kalush-Golynsky deposit of potassium salts and after its decommissioning. Enrichment of isotopes is also observed in groundwater samples, collected from wells located along with downstream groundwater from brine storage facilities.

The Preliminary Assessment of New Biomaterials Necessitates a Comparison of Direct and Indirect Cytotoxicity Methodological Approaches.

Background: Cytotoxicity testing is a primary method to establish the safety of biomaterials, e.g., biocomposites.

Performance of electrochemical immunoassays for clinical diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 based on selective nucleocapsid N protein detection: Boron-doped diamond, gold and glassy carbon evaluation.

The 21st century has already brought us a plethora of new threats related to viruses that emerge in humans after zoonotic transmission or drastically change their geographic distribution or prevalence. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first spotted at the end of 2019 to rapidly spread in southwest Asia and later cause a global pandemic, which paralyzes the world since then. We have designed novel immunosensors targeting conserved protein sequences of the N protein of SARS-CoV-2 based on lab-produced and purified anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies that are densely grafted onto various surfaces (diamond/gold/glassy carbon).

Assessment of the Toxicity of Biocompatible Materials Supporting Bone Regeneration: Impact of the Type of Assay and Used Controls.

Assessing the toxicity of new biomaterials dedicated to bone regeneration can be difficult. Many reports focus only on a single toxicity parameter, which may be insufficient for a detailed evaluation of the new material. Moreover, published data frequently do not include control cells exposed to the environment without composite or its extract.

Immunization with Leishmania tarentolae-derived norovirus virus-like particles elicits high humoral response and stimulates the production of neutralizing antibodies.

Background: Noroviruses are a major cause of epidemic and sporadic acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Unfortunately, the development of an effective norovirus vaccine has proven difficult and no prophylactic vaccine is currently available. Further research on norovirus vaccine development should be considered an absolute priority and novel vaccine candidates are needed.

Cell-type-specific synaptic imbalance and disrupted homeostatic plasticity in cortical circuits of ASD-associated Chd8 haploinsufficient mice.

Heterozygous mutation of chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 8 (CHD8) is strongly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and results in dysregulated expression of neurodevelopmental and synaptic genes during brain development. To reveal how these changes affect ASD-associated cortical circuits, we studied synaptic transmission in the prefrontal cortex of a haploinsufficient Chd8 mouse model. We report profound alterations to both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission onto deep layer projection neurons, resulting in a reduced excitatory:inhibitory balance, which were found to vary dynamically across neurodevelopment and result from distinct effects of reduced Chd8 expression within individual neuronal subtypes.

Sulfonated cryogel scaffolds for focal delivery in ex-vivo brain tissue cultures.

The human brain has unique features that are difficult to study in animal models, including the mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Despite recent advances in human primary brain tissue culture systems, the use of these models to elucidate cellular disease mechanisms remains limited. A major reason for this is the lack of tools available to precisely manipulate a specific area of the tissue in a reproducible manner.

Molecular determinants of vascular transport of dexamethasone in COVID-19 therapy.

Dexamethasone, a widely used corticosteroid, has recently been reported as the first drug to increase the survival chances of patients with severe COVID-19. Therapeutic agents, including dexamethasone, are mostly transported through the body by binding to serum albumin. Here, the first structure of serum albumin in complex with dexamethasone is reported.

Molecular determinants of vascular transport of dexamethasone in COVID-19 therapy.

Dexamethasone, a widely used corticosteroid, has recently been reported as the first drug to increase the survival chances of patients with severe COVID-19. Therapeutic agents, including dexamethasone, are mostly transported through the body by binding to serum albumin. Herein, we report the first structure of serum albumin in complex with dexamethasone.

Immunosensor Based on Long-Period Fiber Gratings for Detection of Viruses Causing Gastroenteritis.

Since the norovirus is the main cause of acute gastroenteritis all over the world, its fast detection is crucial in medical diagnostics. In this work, a rapid, sensitive, and selective optical fiber biosensor for the detection of norovirus virus-like particles (VLPs) is reported. The sensor is based on highly sensitive long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) coated with antibodies against the main coat protein of the norovirus.

Developmental validation of the ParaDNA Body Fluid ID System-A rapid multiplex mRNA-profiling system for the forensic identification of body fluids.

Identifying the biological origin of forensic traces can provide crucial evidence to aid criminal investigations. Current forensic practice for the identification of body fluids mostly uses protein-based presumptive tests. Such tests cannot identify all of the forensically relevant fluids and have issues of cross-reactivity.

[Decreased retraction of blood clots in patients with venous thromboembolic complications].

Haemostatic disorders play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute venous thrombosis. One of the least studied reactions of blood coagulation and thrombogenesis is spontaneous contraction of blood clots, which takes place at the expense of the contractility apparatus of activated blood platelets adhered to fibrin fibres. The work was aimed at studying the parameters of contraction of blood clots, formed in vitro, in blood of 41 patients with acute venous thromboses as compared with the same parameters in apparently healthy donors.

Tunneling Nanotubes as a Novel Route of Cell-to-Cell Spread of Herpesviruses.

Various types of intercellular connections that are essential for communication between cells are often utilized by pathogens. Recently, a new type of cellular connection, consisting of long, thin, actin-rich membrane extensions named tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), has been shown to play an important role in cell-to-cell spread of HIV and influenza virus. In the present report, we show that TNTs are frequently formed by cells infected by an alphaherpesvirus, bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1).

Assessment of preservation of beta-cell function in children with long-standing type 1 diabetes with "ultrasensitive c-peptide" method.

Introduction: Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a disease caused by the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta-cells. It was previously believed that the loss of the endocrine function of the pancreas is total and inevitable. With the rise of new knowledge and new methods allowing to reliably measure c-peptide in the low plasma concentration range, we have learned otherwise.

Pathological Subtrochanteric Femoral Fracture Due to Extensive Arterio-venous Malformation. A Case Study.

Despite the case of a 19-year-old male with a pathological subtrochanteric left femoral fracture in the course of an extensive arteriovenous malformation of the left thigh. The arteriovenous malformation was diagnosed when the patient was 16 years old. He has undergone several embolization procedures.

Concordance study between the ParaDNA® Intelligence Test, a rapid DNA profiling assay, and a conventional STR typing kit (AmpFlSTR® SGM Plus®).

The ParaDNA® Intelligence Test enables STR profiling directly from human biological samples and evidence items collected from crime scene in 75min. Designed for non-expert use this system allows DNA information to be available to investigators before it would typically be available from a laboratory. The ParaDNA Intelligence Test system amplifies D3S1358, D8S119, D16S539, D18S1358 and TH01 STR loci and the gender typing locus amelogenin and detects the alleles present with HyBeacon® probes.

Anterior interosseous nerve palsy after supracondylar fracture of humerus in adult. Case report.

We present a case of anterior interosseous nerve palsy after a supracondylar fracture of the humerus in a 24-year-old woman. The patient was diagnosed and treated in two hospitals where the impairment of function of the hand indicating nerve damage was not noticed during a standard examination. An open reduction of the fracture with internal fixation using LCP plates and additional screws was performed, ultimately producing a good therapeutic outcome.