How does obstructive sleep apnea alter cerebral hemodynamics?

Study Objectives: We aimed to characterize the cerebral hemodynamic response to obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea events, and evaluate their association to polysomnographic parameters. The characterization of the cerebral hemodynamics in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may add complementary information to further the understanding of the severity of the syndrome beyond the conventional polysomnography.

Methods: Severe OSA patients were studied during night sleep while monitored by polysomnography.

The role of individual exopolysaccharides in antibiotic tolerance of aggregates.

The bacterium is involved in chronic infections of cystic fibrosis lungs and chronic wounds. In these infections the bacteria are present as aggregates suspended in host secretions. During the course of the infections there is a selection for mutants that overproduce exopolysaccharides, suggesting that the exopolysaccharides play a role in the persistence and antibiotic tolerance of the aggregated bacteria.

Quantitative plasma profiling by H NMR-based metabolomics: impact of sample treatment.

There is evidence that sample treatment of blood-based biosamples may affect integral signals in nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics. The presence of macromolecules in plasma/serum samples makes investigating low-molecular-weight metabolites challenging. It is particularly relevant in the targeted approach, in which absolute concentrations of selected metabolites are often quantified based on the area of integral signals.

Protease-degradable hydrogels with multifunctional biomimetic peptides for bone tissue engineering.

Mimicking bone extracellular matrix (ECM) is paramount to develop novel biomaterials for bone tissue engineering. In this regard, the combination of integrin-binding ligands together with osteogenic peptides represents a powerful approach to recapitulate the healing microenvironment of bone. In the present work, we designed polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based hydrogels functionalized with cell instructive multifunctional biomimetic peptides (either with cyclic RGD-DWIVA or cyclic RGD-cyclic DWIVA) and cross-linked with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-degradable sequences to enable dynamic enzymatic biodegradation and cell spreading and differentiation.

Comparison of the Antibacterial Effect of Silver Nanoparticles and a Multifunctional Antimicrobial Peptide on Titanium Surface.

Titanium implantation success may be compromised by Staphylococcus aureus surface colonization and posterior infection. To avoid this issue, different strategies have been investigated to promote an antibacterial character to titanium. In this work, two antibacterial agents (silver nanoparticles and a multifunctional antimicrobial peptide) were used to coat titanium surfaces.

Specific processing of meiosis-related transcript is linked to final maturation in human oocytes.

Human meiosis in oocytes entails an intricate regulation of the transcriptome to support late oocyte growth and early embryo development, both crucial to reproductive success. Currently, little is known about the co- and post-transcriptional mRNA processing mechanisms regulating the last meiotic phases, which contribute to transcriptome complexity and influence translation rates. We analyzed gene expression changes, splicing and pre-mRNA processing in an RNA sequencing set of 40 human oocytes at different meiotic maturation stages, matured both in vivo and in vitro.

Integrated Bioluminescent Immunoassays for High-Throughput Sampling and Continuous Monitoring of Cytokines.

Immunoassays show great potential for the detection of low levels of cytokines, due to their high sensitivity and excellent specificity. There is a particular demand for biosensors that enable both high-throughput screening and continuous monitoring of clinically relevant cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα). To this end, we here introduce a novel bioluminescent immunoassay based on the ratiometric plug-and-play immunodiagnostics (RAPPID) platform, with an improved intrinsic signal-to-background and an >80-fold increase in the luminescent signal.

Dual-Action Effect of Gallium and Silver Providing Osseointegration and Antibacterial Properties to Calcium Titanate Coatings on Porous Titanium Implants.

Previously, functional coatings on 3D-printed titanium implants were developed to improve their biointegration by separately incorporating Ga and Ag on the biomaterial surface. Now, a thermochemical treatment modification is proposed to study the effect of their simultaneous incorporation. Different concentrations of AgNO and Ga(NO) are evaluated, and the obtained surfaces are completely characterized.

Injury-induced activation of the endocannabinoid system promotes axon regeneration.

Regeneration after a peripheral nerve injury still remains a challenge, due to the limited regenerative potential of axons after injury. While the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been widely studied for its neuroprotective and analgesic effects, its role in axonal regeneration and during the conditioning lesion remains unexplored. In this study, we observed that a peripheral nerve injury induces axonal regeneration through an increase in the endocannabinoid tone.

Mechanical Properties of Smart Polypropylene Meshes: Effects of Mesh Architecture, Plasma Treatment, Thermosensitive Coating, and Sterilization Process.

Smart polypropylene (PP) hernia meshes were proposed to detect surgical infections and to regulate cell attachment-modulated properties. For this purpose, lightweight and midweight meshes were modified by applying a plasma treatment for subsequent grafting of a thermosensitive hydrogel, poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm). However, both the physical treatment with plasma and the chemical processes required for the covalent incorporation of PNIPAAm can modify the mechanical properties of the mesh and thus have an influence in hernia repair procedures.

Chlorine resistance property improvement of polyamide reverse osmosis membranes through cross-linking degree increment.

Highly permeable polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are desirable for reducing the energy burden and ensuring future water resources in arid and semiarid regions. One notable drawback of thin film composite (TFC) polyamide RO/NF membranes is the polyamide's sensitivity to degradation by free chlorine, the most used biocide in water purification trains. This investigation demonstrated a significant increase in the crosslinking-degree parameter by the m-phenylenediamine (MPD) chemical structure extending in the thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane without adding extra MPD monomers to enhance the chlorine resistance and performance.

Functionalization of 3D printed polymeric bioresorbable stents with a dual cell-adhesive peptidic platform combining RGDS and YIGSR sequences.

Biomimetic surface modification with cell-adhesive peptides is a promising approach to improve endothelialization of current bioresorbable stents (BRS). Among them, RGDS and YIGSR sequences have been reported to mediate adhesion and migration of endothelial cells (ECs) while preventing platelet activation. This work presents the functionalization of novel 3D-printed poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and poly(L-lactic--ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) BRS with linear RGDS and YIGSR sequences, as well as a dual platform (PF) containing both motifs within a single biomolecule.

Lung Micrometastases Display ECM Depletion and Softening While Macrometastases Are 30-Fold Stiffer and Enriched in Fibronectin.

Mechanical changes in tumors have long been linked to increased malignancy and therapy resistance and attributed to mechanical changes in the tumor extracellular matrix (ECM). However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no mechanical studies on decellularized tumors. Here, we studied the biochemical and mechanical progression of the tumor ECM in two models of lung metastases: lung carcinoma (CAR) and melanoma (MEL).

Collagen-Tannic Acid Spheroids for β-Cell Encapsulation Fabricated Using a 3D Bioprinter.

Type 1 Diabetes results from autoimmune response elicited against β-cell antigens. Nowadays, insulin injections remain the leading therapeutic option. However, injection treatment fails to emulate the highly dynamic insulin release that β-cells provide.

Chimera states in multiplex networks: Chameleon-like across-layer synchronization.

Different across-layer synchronization types of chimera states in multilayer networks have been discovered recently. We investigate possible relations between them, for example, if the onset of some synchronization type implies the onset of some other type. For this purpose, we use a two-layer network with multiplex inter-layer coupling.

Smart Design of Sensor-Coated Surgical Sutures for Bacterial Infection Monitoring.

Virtually, all implantable medical devices are susceptible to infection. As the main healthcare issue concerning implantable devices is the elevated risk of infection, different strategies based on the coating or functionalization of biomedical devices with antiseptic agents or antibiotics are proposed. In this work, an alternative approach is presented, which consists of the functionalization of implantable medical devices with sensors capable of detecting infection at very early stages through continuous monitoring of the bacteria metabolism.

BlockmiR AONs as Site-Specific Therapeutic MBNL Modulation in Myotonic Dystrophy 2D and 3D Muscle Cells and HSA Mice.

The symptoms of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) are multi-systemic and life-threatening. The neuromuscular disorder is rooted in a non-coding CTG microsatellite expansion in the DM1 protein kinase () gene that, upon transcription, physically sequesters the Muscleblind-like (MBNL) family of splicing regulator proteins. The high-affinity binding occurring between the proteins and the repetitions disallow MBNL proteins from performing their post-transcriptional splicing regulation leading to downstream molecular effects directly related to disease symptoms such as myotonia and muscle weakness.

Guiding Fibroblast Activation Using an RGD-Mutated Heparin Binding II Fragment of Fibronectin for Gingival Titanium Integration.

The formation of a biological seal around the neck of titanium (Ti) implants is critical for ensuring integration at the gingival site and for preventing bacterial colonization that may lead to periimplantitis. This process is guided by activated fibroblasts, named myofibroblasts, which secrete extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and ECM-degrading enzymes resolving the wound. However, in some cases, Ti is not able to attract and activate fibroblasts to a sufficient extent, which may compromise the success of the implant.

Multimodal Biomedical Implant with Plasmonic and Simulated Body Temperature Responses.

This work presents a novel nanoparticle-based thermosensor implant able to reveal the precise temperature variations along the polymer filaments, as it contracts and expands due to changes in the macroscale local temperature. The multimodal device is able to trace the position and the temperature of a polypropylene mesh, employed in abdominal hernia repair, by combining plasmon resonance and Raman spectroscopy with hydrogel responsive system. The novelty relies on the attachment of the biocompatible nanoparticles, based on gold stabilized by a chitosan-shell, already charged with the Raman reporter (RaR) molecules, to the robust prosthesis, without the need of chemical linkers.

ReViTA: A novel in vitro transcription system to study gene regulation.

ReViTA (Reverse in VitroTranscription Assay) is a novel in vitro transcription-based method to study gene expression under the regulation of specific transcription factors. The ReViTA system uses a plasmid with a control sequence, the promoter region of the studied gene, the transcription factor of interest, and an RNA polymerase saturated with σ. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the method; thus, as a proof of concept, two different transcription factors were used, a transcriptional inducer, AlgR, and a repressor, LexA, from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Ferulic acid-loaded polymeric nanoparticles prepared from nano-emulsion templates facilitate internalisation across the blood-brain barrier in model membranes.

A hydroxycinnamic acid derivative, namely ferulic acid (FA) has been successfully encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) based on poly(lactic--glycolic acid) (PLGA). FA-loaded polymeric NPs were prepared from O/W nano-emulsion templates using the phase inversion composition (PIC) low-energy emulsification method. The obtained PLGA NPs exhibited high colloidal stability, good drug-loading capacity, and particle hydrodynamic diameters in the range of 74 to 117 nm, depending on the FA concentration used.

Ratiometric Nanothermometer Based on a Radical Excimer for In Vivo Sensing.

Ratiometric fluorescent nanothermometers with near-infrared emission play an important role in in vivo sensing since they can be used as intracellular thermal sensing probes with high spatial resolution and high sensitivity, to investigate cellular functions of interest in diagnosis and therapy, where current approaches are not effective. Herein, the temperature-dependent fluorescence of organic nanoparticles is designed, synthesized, and studied based on the dual emission, generated by monomer and excimer species, of the tris(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methyl radical (TTM) doping organic nanoparticles (TTMd-ONPs), made of optically neutral tris(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methane (TTM-αH), acting as a matrix. The excimer emission intensity of TTMd-ONPs decreases with increasing temperatures whereas the monomer emission is almost independent and can be used as an internal reference.