Maxillofacial bone defects can have a profound impact on both facial function and aesthetics. While various biomaterial scaffolds have shown promise in addressing these challenges, regenerating bone in this region remains complex due to its irregular shape, intricate structure, and differing cellular origins compared to other bones in the human body. Moreover, the significant and variable mechanical loads placed on the maxillofacial bones add further complexity, especially in cases of difficult-to-treat medical conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConductive polymer composites are commonly present in flexible electrodes for neural interfaces, implantable sensors, and aerospace applications. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a widely used additive manufacturing technology, where conductive filaments frequently contain carbon-based fillers. In this study, the static and dynamic mechanical properties and the electrical properties (resistance, signal transmission, resistance measurements during cyclic tensile, bending and temperature tests) were investigated for polylactic acid (PLA)-based, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)-based, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based, and polyamide (PA)-based conductive filaments with carbon-based additives.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: To date, there are limited options for severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus. As ADP-ribosylation events are involved in regulating the life cycle of coronaviruses and the inflammatory reactions of the host; we have, here, assessed the repurposing of registered PARP inhibitors for the treatment of COVID-19.
Experimental Approach: The effects of PARP inhibitors on virus uptake were assessed in cell-based experiments using multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Iron oxide nanoparticles with a wüstite structure have been prepared by thermal decomposition. In air, they undergo a spontaneous transition into a thermodynamically more stable magnetite structure that grows from the surface. The thickness of this magnetite shell increases with time, thereby producing a series of core-shell nanoparticles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(1) Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) mutations directly affect mTORC activity and, as a result, protein synthesis. In several cancer types, TSC mutation is part of the driver mutation panel. TSC mutations have been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, tolerance to reactive oxygen species due to increased thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) enzyme activity, tolerance to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and apoptosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe human body has several barriers that protect its integrity and shield it from mechanical, chemical, and microbial harm. The various barriers include the skin, intestinal and respiratory epithelia, blood-brain barrier (BBB), and immune system. In the present review, the focus is on the physical barriers that are formed by cell layers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) express somatostatin receptors (SSTRs), targets for therapy with either unlabeled or radioactively labeled somatostatin analogs (SSA). Associated with worse prognosis, dedifferentiated NET loose SSTR expression, which may be linked to deregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling on an intracellular level. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway alterations on SSTR expression and its function in NET.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COVID-19 virus is spread by pulmonary droplets. Its high infectivity is caused by the high-affinity binding of the viral spike protein to the ACE2 receptors on the surface of respiratory epithelial cell membranes. The proper hydration of nasal mucosa plays an essential role in defense of bacterial and viral infections.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExercise initiates systemic adaptation to promote health and prevent various lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that circulating exosomes mediate some of the beneficial effects of exercise via the transfer of microRNAs between tissues. Yet to date, a comprehensive profile of the exosomal miRNA (exomiR) content released following short-term (0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Mutation in a tuberous sclerosis gene (TSC1 or 2) leads to continuous activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). mTOR activation alters cellular including vitamin A metabolism and retinoic acid receptor beta (RARβ) expression. The goal of the present study was to investigate the molecular connection between vitamin A metabolism and TSC mutation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLung carcinoma is still the most common malignancy worldwide. One of the major subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is adenocarcinoma (AC). As driver mutations and hence therapies differ in AC subtypes, we theorized that the expression and function of ABC drug transporters important in multidrug resistance (MDR) would correlate with characteristic driver mutations KRAS or EGFR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTuberous sclerosis, angiomyolipoma and lymphangioleiomyomatosis are a group of diseases characterized by mutation in tuberous sclerosis genes (TSC 1-2). TSC mutation leads to continuous activation of the mTOR pathway that requires adaptation to increased ATP requirement. With limited treatment options, there is an increasing demand to identify novel therapeutic targets and to understand the correlations between mTOR pathway activation and the lack of cell death in the presence of TSC mutation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLoss of Somatostatin Receptor 2 (SSTR2) expression and rising CXC Chemokine Receptor Type 4 (CXCR4) expression are associated with dedifferentiation in neuroendocrine tumors (NET). In NET, CXCR4 expression is associated with enhanced metastatic and invasive potential and worse prognosis but might be a theragnostic target. Likewise, activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling may promote a more aggressive phenotype in NET.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn spite of intensive research, the survival rates of patients diagnosed with tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) have not improved significantly in the last decade. Immunotherapy as novel and efficacious treatment option in several other malignancies has failed in neuro-oncology likely due to the immunosuppressive property of the brain tissues. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant CNS neoplasm, while meningioma (MNG) is a mainly low grade or benign brain tumor originating from the non-glial tissues of the CNS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Premature neonates are susceptible to opportunistic and nosocomial infections. Efforts have been made to determine whether the neonatal gut microbiome possesses potential for causing bloodstream infections in newborns via microbial translocation from the gastrointestinal tract. We aimed to examine similarities in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) strains found in the gastrointestinal tract and bloodstream in bacteremic neonates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground Despite improved screening techniques, diagnosis of lung cancer is often late and its prognosis is poor. In the present study, in vitro chemosensitivity of solid tumours and pleural effusions of lung adenocarcinomas were analysed and compared with clinical drug response.Methods Tumour cells were isolated from resected solid tumours or pleural effusions, and cryopreserved.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The predominant metastatic site of lung cancer (LC) is the brain. Although outdated, conventional cisplatin treatment is still the main therapeutic approach for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), since targeted therapy that offers better tumor control is not always possible. In the present study brain metastasis associated cytokine expression was investigated in primary NSCLC adenocarcinoma (AC) tissues with known oncogenic mutations in the presence or absence of platina based and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) drugs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF, a zoonotic food borne parasite that can infect almost all warm-blooded animals including people, and ranks 4th among 24 most significant global foodborne parasites listed by the World Health Organization/United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO/WHO, 2014). Exposure to has been reported in wildlife and people in the Canadian North, despite low densities of feline definitive hosts. The ecology of this host-parasite system could be affected by changing climate and landscape in boreal and sub-Arctic regions, and surveillance data are critically needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudies support that regular physical activity (PA) decelerates senescence-related decline of physiological and molecular parameters in the elderly. We have addressed the other end of this spectrum: healthy and young, inactive individuals participated in a 6-month long personal trainer-guided lifestyle program. We have measured physiological and molecular parameters (differentiating high- and low responders) and their correlation with PA (sedentary status).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (AT2s) behave as stem cells and show clonal proliferation upon alveolar injury followed by trans-differentiation (TD) into Type 1 alveolar epithelial cells (AT1s). In the present study we identified signaling pathways involved in the physiological AT2-to-AT1 TD process.
Methods: AT2 cells can be isolated from human lungs and cultured in vitro where they undergo TD into AT1s.
Species of are a globally distributed assemblage of nematodes, often with distinct host ranges, which include people, domestic, and wild animals. spp. are important in northern Canada, where dietary habits of people and methods of meat preparation (drying, smoking, fermenting as well as raw) increase the risk posed by these foodborne zoonotic parasites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith thymic senescence the epithelial network shrinks to be replaced by adipose tissue. Transcription factor TBX-1 controls thymus organogenesis, however, the same TBX-1 has also been reported to orchestrate beige adipose tissue development. Given these different roles of TBX-1, we have assessed if thymic TBX-1 expression persists and demonstrates this dualism during adulthood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF