Silk fibroin/vitreous humor hydrogel scaffold modified by a carbodiimide crosslinker for wound healing.

Natural-derived biomaterials can be used as substrates for the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of cells. In this study, bovine vitreous humor as a biological material was cross-linked to silk fibroin with different concentration ratios to design a suitable substrate for corneal tissue regeneration. The cross-linked samples were evaluated with different analyses such as structural, physical (optical, swelling, and degradation), mechanical, and biological (viability, cell adhesion) assays.

Thalamocortical interactions shape hierarchical neural variability during stimulus perception.

The brain is organized hierarchically to process sensory signals. But, how do functional connections within and across areas contribute to this hierarchical order? We addressed this problem in the thalamocortical network, while monkeys detected vibrotactile stimulus. During this task, we quantified neural variability and directed functional connectivity in simultaneously recorded neurons sharing the cutaneous receptive field within and across VPL and areas 3b and 1.

Fluorescent labeling of micro/nanoplastics for biological applications with a focus on "true-to-life" tracking.

The increased environmental presence of micro-/nanoplastics (MNPLs) and the potential health risks associated with their exposure classify them as environmental pollutants with special environmental and health concerns. Consequently, there is an urgent need to investigate the potential risks associated with secondary MNPLs. In this context, using "true-to-life" MNPLs, resulting from the laboratory degradation of plastic goods, may be a sound approach.

Stochastic computer experiments of the thermodynamic irreversibility of bulk nanobubbles in supersaturated and weak gas-liquid solutions.

Spontaneous gas-bubble nucleation in weak gas-liquid solutions has been a challenging topic in theory, experimentation, and computer simulations. In analogy with recent advances in crystallization and droplet formation studies, the diffusive-shielding stabilization and thermodynamic irreversibility of bulk nanobubble (bNB) mechanisms are revisited and deployed to characterize nucleation processes in a stochastic framework of computer experiments using the large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator code. Theoretical bases, assumptions, and limitations underlying the irreversibility hypothesis of bNBs, and their computational counterparts, are extensively described and illustrated.

Individualized time windows enhance TMS-EEG signal characterization and improve assessment of cortical function in schizophrenia.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) recordings are crucial to directly assess cortical excitability and inhibition in a non-invasive and task-free manner. TMS-EEG signals are characterized by TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs), which are employed to evaluate cortical function. Nonetheless, different time windows (TW) have been used to compute them over the years.

Revealing the nature of cardiovascular disease using DERGA, a novel data ensemble refinement greedy algorithm.

Background: The study aimed to determine the most crucial parameters associated with CVD and employ a novel data ensemble refinement procedure to uncover the optimal pattern of these parameters that can result in a high prediction accuracy.

Methods And Results: Data were collected from 369 patients in total, 281 patients with CVD or at risk of developing it, compared to 88 otherwise healthy individuals. Within the group of 281 CVD or at-risk patients, 53 were diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD), 16 with end-stage renal disease, 47 newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus 2 and 92 with chronic inflammatory disorders (21 rheumatoid arthritis, 41 psoriasis, 30 angiitis).

Modeling the impact of neuromorphological alterations in Down syndrome on fast neural oscillations.

Cognitive disorders, including Down syndrome (DS), present significant morphological alterations in neuron architectural complexity. However, the relationship between neuromorphological alterations and impaired brain function is not fully understood. To address this gap, we propose a novel computational model that accounts for the observed cell deformations in DS.

Non-mechanical steering of the optical beam in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

We demonstrate in a proof-of-concept experiment spectral-domain optical coherence tomography where steering of the optical beam that probes the sample in a transverse scan does not make use of any mechanical element. Steering is done with the help of a phase-only spatial light modulator, that introduces a spatially-dependent phase between the two orthogonal polarization components of an optical beam, and some optical elements that control the polarization of light. We demonstrate that making use of the non-mechanical beam steering system considered here, we can reproduce the main traits of imaging with standard OCT that makes use of mechanical-assisted optical beam steering.

Stimulating the biofilm formation of Bacillus populations to mitigate soil antibiotic resistome during insect fertilizer application.

Antibiotic resistance in soil introduced by organic fertilizer application pose a globally recognized threat to human health. Insect organic fertilizer may be a promising alternative due to its low antibiotic resistance. However, it is not yet clear how to regulate soil microbes to reduce antibiotic resistance in organic fertilizer agricultural application.

The Lipidomic Profile Is Associated with the Dietary Pattern in Subjects with and without Diabetes Mellitus from a Mediterranean Area.

Lipid functions can be influenced by genetics, age, disease states, and lifestyle factors, particularly dietary patterns, which are crucial in diabetes management. Lipidomics is an expanding field involving the comprehensive exploration of lipids from biological samples. In this cross-sectional study, 396 participants from a Mediterranean region, including individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and non-diabetic individuals, underwent lipidomic profiling and dietary assessment.

A Color Indicator Based on 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) and a Biodegradable Poly(ester amide) for Detecting Bacterial Contamination.

Bacterial contamination is a hazard in many industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare. The availability of a rapid and simple method for detecting this type of contamination in sterile areas enables immediate intervention to avoid or reduce detrimental effects. Among these methods, colorimetric indicators are becoming increasingly popular due to their affordability, ease of use, and quick visual interpretation of the signal.

A Study on the Robustness and Stability of Explainable Deep Learning in an Imbalanced Setting: The Exploration of the Conformational Space of G Protein-Coupled Receptors.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are transmembrane proteins that transmit signals from the extracellular environment to the inside of the cells. Their ability to adopt various conformational states, which influence their function, makes them crucial in pharmacoproteomic studies. While many drugs target specific GPCR states to exert their effects-thereby regulating the protein's activity-unraveling the activation pathway remains challenging due to the multitude of intermediate transformations occurring throughout this process, and intrinsically influencing the dynamics of the receptors.

Computational analysis of nasal airflow and its alteration by a nasal dilator.

Nasal airflow obstruction correlates with several ailments, such as higher patency, increased friction at the mucosal wall or the so-called Little's area, improper air conditioning, and snoring. Nasal dilators are frequently employed, mainly due to their ease of access and use, combined with their non-permanent and non-surgical nature. Their overall efficacy, however, has not been clearly demonstrated so far, with some studies reporting conflicting outcomes, mainly because being based on subjective evaluations.

Can viewing a 3D movie improve visual function in children with a history of amblyopia and neurotypical children?: A pilot study.

Purpose: The aim of this pilot study was to determine whether viewing an immersive 3D movie with large disparities in a cinema resulted in improved visual acuity (VA), stereoscopic depth perception (ST), and improved eye alignment in residual amblyopic children and children without amblyopia.

Methods: A total of 24 children aged between 5 and 12 years with a history of anisometropic and/or strabismic amblyopia, that had been previously treated and who currently have residual amblyopia (N = 14), and in children with typical development without amblyopia (N = 10) viewed the movie in 3D Sing 2 in a cinema for 110 minutes. Visual acuity, stereoacuity and ocular deviation were assessed before viewing the movie, and three months later.

Pressure boundary conditions for immersed-boundary methods.

Immersed boundary methods have seen an enormous increase in popularity over the past two decades, especially for problems involving complex moving/deforming boundaries. In most cases, the boundary conditions on the immersed body are enforced via forcing functions in the momentum equations, which in the case of fractional step methods may be problematic due to: i) creation of slip-errors resulting from the lack of explicitly enforcing boundary conditions on the (pseudo-)pressure on the immersed body; ii) coupling of the solution in the fluid and solid domains via the Poisson equation. Examples of fractional-step formulations that simultaneously enforce velocity and pressure boundary conditions have also been developed, but in most cases the standard Poisson equation is replaced by a more complex system which requires expensive iterative solvers.

Towards climate neutrality in the Spanish N-fertilizer sector: A study based on radiative forcing.

Agricultural systems in the 21st Century face the double challenge of achieving climate neutrality while maintaining food security. Synthetic fertilizers rich in nitrogen (N-fertilizers) boost agricultural production at the expense of increasing climate impact. Public policies, such as the Farm-to-Fork (F2F) Strategy, aim to reduce the extensive use of N-fertilizers with the ultimate goal of achieving a climate neutral European Union (EU).

Dual electro-/pH-responsive nanoparticle/hydrogel system for controlled delivery of anticancer peptide.

An electro-chemo-responsive carrier has been engineered for the controlled release of a highly hydrophilic anticancer peptide, CR(NMe)EKA (Cys-Arg- N-methyl-Glu-Lys-Ala). Remotely controlled on demand release of CR(NMe)EKA, loaded in electro-responsive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanoparticles, has been achieved by applying electrical stimuli consisting of constant positive (+0.50 V) or negative voltages (-0.

In-silico study of the biomechanical effects of proximal-fibular osteotomy on knee joint contact pressure in varus-valgus misalignment.

The aim of this work is to investigate in-silico the biomechanical effects of a proximal fibular osteotomy (PFO) on a knee joint with different varus/valgus deformities on the progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). A finite element analysis (FEA) of a human lower extremity consisting of the femoral, tibial and fibular bones and the cartilage connecting them was designed. The FEA was performed in a static standing primitive position to determine the contact pressure (CP) distribution and the location of the center of pressure (CoP).

Development of a low-cost robotized 3D-prototype for automated optical microscopy diagnosis: An open-source system.

In a clinical context, conventional optical microscopy is commonly used for the visualization of biological samples for diagnosis. However, the availability of molecular techniques and rapid diagnostic tests are reducing the use of conventional microscopy, and consequently the number of experienced professionals starts to decrease. Moreover, the continuous visualization during long periods of time through an optical microscope could affect the final diagnosis results due to induced human errors and fatigue.

Unlocking Novel Anticancer Strategies: Bioactive Hydrogels for Local Delivery of Plasma-Derived Oxidants in an In Ovo Cancer Model.

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a tool with the ability to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), which can induce therapeutic effects like disinfection, wound healing, and cancer treatment. In the plasma oncology field, CAP-treated hydrogels (PTHs) are being explored for the local administration of CAP-derived RONS as a novel anticancer approach. PTHs have shown anticancer effects in vitro, however, they have not yet been studied in more relevant cancer models.