Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Evaluation of Chitosan Nanoparticles Cross-Linked with Phytic Acid and Loaded with Colistin against Extensively Drug-Resistant Bacteria.

The natural evolution of microorganisms, as well as the inappropriate use of medicines, have accelerated the problem of drug resistance to many of the antibiotics employed today. Colistin, a lipopeptide antibiotic used as a last resort against multi-resistant strains, has also begun to present these challenges. Therefore, this study was focused on establishing whether colistin associated with chitosan nanoparticles could improve its antibiotic activity on an extremely resistant clinical isolate of , which is a clinically relevant Gram-negative bacterium.

Biopolymers as a Potential Alternative for the Retention of Pollutants from Vinasse: An In Silico Approach.

Vinasse, a waste from the bioethanol industry, presents a crucial environmental challenge due to its high organic matter content, which is difficult to biodegrade. Currently, no sustainable alternatives are available for treating the amount of vinasse generated. Conversely, biopolymers such as cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, and chitosan are emerging as an interesting alternative for vinasse control due to their flocculating capacity against several organic compounds.

Enhancing the physicochemical stability and antioxidant activity of cape gooseberry calyx extract through nanoencapsulation in soy lecithin liposomes.

The focus of this study was on the development, physicochemical characterisation and evaluation of the antioxidant activity of cape gooseberry calyx extract loaded into nanoliposomal systems. Various nanoliposomes were prepared and optimised using the ethanol injection method and characterised based on particle size, polydispersity and zeta potential measurements. Subsequently, the encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release profile of the natural antioxidant extract (NAE) were evaluated, and its antioxidant activity was assessed using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay.

Transcription Factor HES-1: How Is the Expression of This Transcriptional Factor in Paucibacillary Leprosy Patients?

Introduction: Leprosy is an ancient and chronic infectious disease caused by 2 mycobacteria (Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis). Recently, our research group observed that HES-1, an innate cellular component of the Notch signaling pathway, is related to the pathogenesis of leprosy. Therefore, it could be helpful in its detection.

variants are associated with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Chile.

To assess the association between variants and nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Chile and the effects of these variants on global DNA methylation. The authors obtained genotypes for nine variants from 247 cases and 453 controls for genotype-phenotype associations. The effect of significant polymorphisms on global DNA methylation (percentage of long interspersed element-1 methylation) was evaluated in a subsample of 95 controls.

Development, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Ampicillin-Loaded Nanoparticles Based on Poly(maleic acid--vinylpyrrolidone) on Resistant Strains.

This study was focused on synthesizing, characterizing, and evaluating the antimicrobial effect of polymer nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with ampicillin. For this, the NPs were produced through polymeric self-assembly in aqueous media assisted by high-intensity sonication, using anionic polymers corresponding to the sodium salts of poly(maleic acid--vinylpyrrolidone) and poly(maleic acid--vinylpyrrolidone) modified with decyl-amine, here named as PMA-VP and PMA-VP-N10, respectively. The polymeric NPs were analyzed and characterized through the formation of polymeric pseudo-phases utilizing pyrene as fluorescent probe, as well as by measurements of particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, and encapsulation efficiency.

Vitamin B12 Transport Genes and Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip With or Without Cleft Palate in Chile.

The aims of this study were to assess the association between polymorphisms within genes involved in vitamin B12 transport and nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) and global DNA methylation in Chile. From 247 cases and 453 controls, we obtained variant genotypes for CBLIF, CUBN, AMN, ABCC1, CD320, and TCN2 from a single nucleotide polymorphisms array. Global DNA methylation in 95 controls was obtained through LINE-1 methylation.

Case Report: Endothelial Glycocalyx Damage in Critically ill Patients With SARS-CoV-2-Related Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C).

Endothelial insult and damage is one of the reported consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection. It has been associated with severe inflammation, thrombotic phenomena and profound hypoxemia in critically ill patients. Endothelial activation leads to a loss of the endothelium's antithrombotic properties which, under normal conditions, are maintained by the endothelial glycocalyx, a carbohydrate-rich layer that covers the luminal surface of endothelial cells.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of 70 patients with Sézary syndrome: a single-institutional experience at Moffitt cancer center.

Sézary syndrome (SS) is a rare and aggressive leukemic variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, with a median overall survival (OS) rate of 2-4 years. Few studies have described the clinical outcome of SS patients since 2012. We retrospectively analyzed 70 patients diagnosed with SS treated at a high-volume tertiary cancer center between 2000 and 2018.

In Silico Characterization of the Interaction between the PBP2a "Decoy" Protein of Resistant and the Monomeric Units of Eudragit E-100 and Poly(Maleic Acid--Octadecene) Polymers.

Antimicrobial treatment alternatives for methicillin-resistant (MRSA) are increasingly limited. MRSA strains are resistant to methicillin due to the formation of β-lactamase enzymes, as well as the acquisition of the mecA gene, which encodes the penicillin-binding protein (PBP2a) that reduces the affinity for β-lactam drugs. Previous studies have shown that the use of ampicillin-loaded nanoparticles can improve antimicrobial activity on resistant strains.

Maternal genotypes of folate/one-carbon metabolism gene variants and nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate risk in Chile.

The aim of this study was to evaluate, in a case-control design, the association between maternal genotypes for variants in 23 genes involved in folate/one-carbon metabolism and nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in a Chilean population. After applying several filters to an Illumina array, we extracted 175 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 150 mothers of NSCL/P cases and 150 control women. Association was evaluated using computed odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) in additive, recessive, and dominant models.

Radiation-induced toxicity in rectal epithelial stem cell contributes to acute radiation injury in rectum.

Background: Radiation-induced rectal epithelial damage is a very common side effect of pelvic radiotherapy and often compromise the life quality and treatment outcome in patients with pelvic malignancies. Unlike small bowel and colon, effect of radiation in rectal stem cells has not been explored extensively. Here we demonstrate that Lgr5-positive rectal stem cells are radiosensitive and organoid-based transplantation of rectal stem cells mitigates radiation damage in rectum.

Antimicrobial Contribution of Chitosan Surface-Modified Nanoliposomes Combined with Colistin against Sensitive and Colistin-Resistant Clinical .

Colistin is a re-emergent antibiotic peptide used as a last resort in clinical practice to overcome multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections. Unfortunately, the dissemination of colistin-resistant strains has increased in recent years and is considered a public health problem worldwide. Strategies to reduce resistance to antibiotics such as nanotechnology have been applied successfully.

Development of Antioxidant-Loaded Nanoliposomes Employing Lecithins with Different Purity Grades.

This work focused on comparing the ability of lecithins with two purity grades regarding their performance in the development of nanoliposomes, as well as their ability to contain and release polar (trans-aconitic acid) and non-polar (quercetin) antioxidant compounds. First, the chemical characterization of both lecithins was carried out through infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI/MS), and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (mDSC). Second, nanoliposomes were prepared by the ethanol injection method and characterized by means of particle size, polydispersity, and zeta potential measurements.

Nonsyndromic orofacial clefts in Chile: LINE-1 methylation and MTHFR variants.

To evaluate the risk of nonsyndromic orofacial clefts (NSOFCs) associated with LINE-1 methylation, as a marker of global DNA methylation, and the effect of MTHFR functional variants on this variable. LINE-1 methylation was evaluated by bisulfite modification coupled to DNA pyrosequencing in 95 NSOFC cases and 95 controls. In these subjects, genotypes for variants c.

Establishment and characterization of VOA1066 cells: An undifferentiated endometrial carcinoma cell line.

Dedifferentiated endometrial carcinoma (DDEC) is a rare but highly aggressive type of endometrial cancer, in which an undifferentiated carcinoma arises from a low-grade endometrioid endometrial carcinoma. The low-grade component is often eclipsed, likely due to an outgrowth of the undifferentiated component, and the tumor may appear as a pure undifferentiated endometrial carcinoma (UEC). We and others have recently identified inactivating mutations of SMARCA4, SMARCB1 or ARID1B, subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, that are unique to the undifferentiated component and are present in a large portion of DDEC and UEC.

Coffee Consumption and Its Inverse Relationship with Gastric Cancer: An Ecological Study.

Coffee is the second most popular drink worldwide, and it has various components with antioxidant and antitumor properties. Due to its chemical composition, it could act as an antitumor substance in the gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between coffee consumption and the incidence/mortality of stomach cancer in the highest-consuming countries.

Production, physicochemical characterization, and anticancer activity of methotrexate-loaded phytic acid-chitosan nanoparticles on HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Methotrexate-loaded phytic acid-chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized by ionic gelation assisted by high-intensity sonication. The nanoparticles were characterized by particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential (ZP) and encapsulation efficiency. Their physical stability was evaluated at 4 °C and 40 °C, whereas the in-vitro methotrexate release was assessed at pH 7.

Development of Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanoparticles-PECNs Loaded with Ampicillin by Means of Polyelectrolyte Complexation and Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization (UHPH).

This study was focused on synthesizing, characterizing and evaluating the biological potential of Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanoparticles (PECNs) loaded with the antibiotic ampicillin. For this, the PECNs were produced initially by polyelectrolytic complexation (bottom-up method) and subsequently subjected to ultra-high pressure homogenization-UHPH (top-down method). The synthetic polymeric materials corresponding to the sodium salt of poly(maleic acid--octadecene) (PAM-18Na) and the chloride salt of Eudragit E-100 (EuCl) were used, where the order of polyelectrolyte complexation, the polyelectrolyte ratio and the UHPH conditions on the PECNs features were evaluated.

Relationship between the Ionization Degree and the Inter-Polymeric Aggregation of the Poly(maleic acid--octadecene) Salts Regarding Time.

Alternating amphiphilic copolymers are macromolecular systems with a polarity duality in their structure, since they are generally formed by alternating segments corresponding to a potential electrolyte group and an alkyl (aliphatic or aromatic) group. These systems, depending on the ionization degree, as well as the time, may form different types of intra and interpolymeric aggregates in aqueous media. Therefore, this study, which in fact is the continuation of a previously reported work, is focused on establishing how the ionization degree of the sodium and potassium salts of the poly(maleic acid--octadecene) affect zeta potential, pH, electrical conductivity, particle size, polydispersity index, and surface tension over time.

Study of In Vitro and In Vivo Carbamazepine Release from Coarse and Nanometric Pharmaceutical Emulsions Obtained via Ultra-High-Pressure Homogenization.

In the past decade, pharmaceutical nanotechnology has proven to be a promising alternative for improving the physicochemical and biopharmaceutical features for conventional pharmaceutical drug formulations. The goal of this study was to develop, characterize, and evaluate the in vitro and in vivo release of the model drug carbamazepine (CBZ) from two emulsified formulations with different droplet sizes (coarse and nanometric). Briefly, oil-in-water emulsions were developed using (i) Sacha inchi oil, ultrapure water, Tween 80, and Span 80 as surfactants, (ii) methyl-paraben and propyl-paraben as preservatives, and (iii) CBZ as a nonpolar model drug.

How I treat newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia in an outpatient setting: a multidisciplinary team perspective.

Historically, patients with acute myeloid leukemia received intensive chemotherapy requiring hospitalization, which can diminish quality of life and increase healthcare costs. The introduction of new therapies facilitated a shift toward outpatient therapy, which requires coordination of a multidisciplinary team, thorough patient evaluation, careful preparation and rigorous patient monitoring. Many patients are candidates for multiple treatment approaches; we generally employ CPX-351 (Vyxeos®) as an intensive outpatient approach and venetoclax (Venclyxto/Venclexta®) plus hypomethylating agents as a lower-intensity approach, with 2-3 visits/week during treatment.

Production and Characterization of Chitosan-Polyanion Nanoparticles by Polyelectrolyte Complexation Assisted by High-Intensity Sonication for the Modified Release of Methotrexate.

A promising strategy to improve the effectivity of anticancer treatment and decrease its side effects is to modulate drug release by using nanoparticulates (NPs) as carriers. In this study, methotrexate-loaded chitosan-polyanion nanoparticles were produced by polyelectrolyte complexation assisted by high-intensity sonication, using several anionic polymers, such as the sodium and potassium salts of poly(maleic acid--ethylene) and poly(maleic acid--octadecene), here named PAM-2 and PAM-18, respectively. Such NPs were analyzed and characterized according to particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency.