Failure of dental implants treatment is frequently the result of bacterial colonization of implants followed by diseases like peri-implantitis. Recent studies have been made regarding the surface ...treatment of implants components, namely abutments that are in the interface of the living tissue with the implant. This work aimed at evaluating the antimicrobial profile of a silane-based coating with TiO2 adapted to an abutment screw, that was also developed as an anti-loosening agent, to prevent adhesion and migration of Gram + and Gram-bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, respectively.
Direct contact antimicrobial studies were conducted on coated and uncoated samples by resazurin fluorescent assay and cytotoxicity assessment was done via MTT indirect method on days 1 and 4. Sterilizations studies by FTIR analysis were also performed to understand the ideal balance between sterilization efficacy and coating functionality subjecting the samples to ethylene oxide, gamma irradiation, and autoclave sterilization, before antimicrobial testing. The implant system as a whole was also studied for its ability to block bacterial migration and preventing microleakage as well as an assessment of initial bacterial adhesion evaluated by scanning electron microscopy.
Direct contact studies performed on coated samples showed a very high antimicrobial activity, while cytotoxicity assays revealed the coating to be safe and non-leachable. Sterilizations studies showed that the antimicrobial features of the coating were preserved and interchangeable regardless of the sterilization method. The implant system migration studies demonstrated that the implant system works as an efficient barrier for the studied bacteria.
The acquired results clearly show that it is possible to obtain a highly functional coating with obvious and marked antimicrobial features that together with an abutment that prevents bacterial migration and versatility in sterilization methodology has a very high potential in the dental implant field.
Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is a promising technique to assess arterial stiffness conveniently. However, it is not known whether baPWV is associated with well-established indices of ...central arterial stiffness. We determined the relation of baPWV with aortic (carotid-femoral) PWV, leg (femoral-ankle) PWV, and carotid augmentation index (AI) by using both cross-sectional and interventional approaches. First, we studied 409 healthy adults aged 18-76 years. baPWV correlated significantly with aortic PWV (r = 0.76), leg PWV (r = 0.76), and carotid AI (r = 0.52). A stepwise regression analysis revealed that aortic PWV was the primary independent correlate of baPWV, explaining 58% of the total variance in baPWV. Additional 23% of the variance was explained by leg PWV. Second, 13 sedentary healthy men were studied before and after a 16-week moderate aerobic exercise intervention (brisk walking to jogging; 30-45 min/day; 4-5 days/week). Reductions in aortic PWV observed with the exercise intervention were significantly and positively associated with the corresponding changes in baPWV (r = 0.74). A stepwise regression analysis revealed that changes in aortic PWV were the only independent correlate of changes in baPWV (beta = 0.74), explaining 55% of the total variance. These results suggest that baPWV may provide qualitatively similar information to those derived from central arterial stiffness although some portions of baPWV may be determined by peripheral arterial stiffness.
Recent data have linked hypoxia, a classic feature of the tumor microenvironment, to the function of specific microRNAs (miRNAs); however, whether hypoxia affects other types of noncoding transcripts ...is currently unknown. Starting from a genome-wide expression profiling, we demonstrate for the first time a functional link between oxygen deprivation and the modulation of long noncoding transcripts from ultraconserved regions, termed transcribed-ultraconserved regions (T-UCRs). Interestingly, several hypoxia-upregulated T-UCRs, henceforth named 'hypoxia-induced noncoding ultraconserved transcripts' (HINCUTs), are also overexpressed in clinical samples from colon cancer patients. We show that these T-UCRs are predominantly nuclear and that the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is at least partly responsible for the induction of several members of this group. One specific HINCUT, uc.475 (or HINCUT-1) is part of a retained intron of the host protein-coding gene, O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase, which is overexpressed in epithelial cancer types. Consistent with the hypothesis that T-UCRs have important function in tumor formation, HINCUT-1 supports cell proliferation specifically under hypoxic conditions and may be critical for optimal O-GlcNAcylation of proteins when oxygen tension is limiting. Our data gives a first glimpse of a novel functional hypoxic network comprising protein-coding transcripts and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) from the T-UCRs category.
Currently, the world has been devastated by an unprecedented pandemic in this century. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent of coronavirus disease 2019 ...(COVID-19), has been causing disorders, dysfunction and morphophysiological alterations in multiple organs as the disease evolves. There is a great scientific community effort to obtain a therapy capable of reaching the multiple affected organs in order to contribute for tissue repair and regeneration. In this regard, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as potential candidates concerning the promotion of beneficial actions at different stages of COVID-19. MSCs are promising due to the observed therapeutic effects in respiratory preclinical models, as well as in cardiac, vascular, renal and nervous system models. Their immunomodulatory properties and secretion of paracrine mediators, such as cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and extracellular vesicles allow for long range tissue modulation and, particularly, blood-brain barrier crossing. This review focuses on SARS-CoV-2 impact to lungs, kidneys, heart, vasculature and central nervous system while discussing promising MSC's therapeutic mechanisms in each tissue. In addition, MSC's therapeutic effects in high-risk groups for COVID-19, such as obese, diabetic and hypertensive patients are also explored.
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•COVID-19 pathophysiology affects a miryad of organs and tissues. Even recovered patients have lingering tissue dysfunction•MSC have shown immunomodulatory, angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties in related pre-clinical models•MSC generally improves inflamation resulotion, enhances cell survival and promotes tissue remodeling•MSC therapy may be benefetial even in high-risk patients with obesity, hypertension and diabetes
LAND USE POLICY AREA (LUPA) CONCEPT MODEL Abante, A. M. R.; Abante, C. G. R.; Mascariñas, A. M. ...
International archives of the photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences.,
11/2021, Letnik:
XLVI-4/W6-2021
Journal Article, Conference Proceeding
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The paper presents a Land Use Policy Area (LUPA) Concept Model adding the three basic elements: (i) ecosystem-based land use regarded as the intersection of the ecosystem and land use elements, (ii) ...subwatershed-based land use as the intersection of the subwatershed and land use elements, and (iii) integrated environmental management is the intersection of the subwatershed and ecosystem elements regarded as the Integrated Ecosystem Development Planning Unit (IE-DPU). The basic (spatial) elements are mathematically expressed as the paired sets of the three main variables, namely: ecosystem (dependent), watershed (dependent) and land use (independent) variables. The challenging work in this study was the development of a geospatial information model for use in policy areas LUPA applying these variables. There are four steps applied to answer the research objective, these are: ecological zone assessment, ridge-to-reef watershed delineation, land and water use heads-up mapping, ecosystem-based land use overlay analysis, watershed-based land use overlay analysis, integrated environmental management overlay analysis, and LUPA overlay analysis. The concept model analysis steers the geospatial information modeling for LUPA which carried the intersections of the paired variables: ecosystem-based land use, subwatershed-based land use and integrated environmental management as variating inputs to process by extracting the science-based information (overlay output) which practically highlighted the LUPA classification: (i) Protection with 49.1% or 3858.2 Ha of mangrove forest reserve and water use, (ii) Production areas with 46.5% or 3631.7 Ha mostly agricultural and aquacultural areas, (iii) Settlement with 2.7% or 209.2 Ha of urban and urban uses, and (iv) Infrastructure with 1.5% or 116.7 Ha of development. The authors concluded that land use policy areas will relatively change as land use changes which is also seen reliant on the impacts of climate change.
The objective of this work was to prepare solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) based on the hot lipid dispersion method using a rotor–stator device in order to obtain a submicronic system and evaluate ...the effect of SLN-xanthan gum coatings on the guava shelf life. Candeuba® wax was used as a component of SLN. The coating was formulated with xanthan gum (4g/L) and polyethylene glycol (5g/L) in order to form a continuous film retaining the SLN. The SLN concentrations were varied from 60 to 80g/L and were compared with the control and xanthan gum. These were evaluated (n=3) every third day. The film-forming dispersion was applied by dipping the guavas and storing them under refrigeration at 10°C and 85% RH for 30days. Every 5days guava samples were transferred to room temperature (25°C) in order to assess the effect of maturation on the changes in weight loss, chemical quality, texture and color. It was established that Candeuba® wax as a SLN maintained the quality of guavas, and that the SLN concentration in the film formation depends on the characteristics of the fruits. The best results were obtained with SLN concentrations of 60 and 65g/L since at these concentrations, guavas showed the lowest range of weight loss and preserved the best quality compared to the fruits processed at concentrations above 70g/L. In addition high contents of SLN cause physiological damage and also delay the maturation which can be observed by the greenness color without changes.
► Solid lipid nanoparticles were prepared by a rotor-stator hot process. ► Solid lipid nanoparticles and xanthan gum were used to prepare the coatings. ► Coatings were evaluated on the preservation of guava. ► Solid lipid nanoparticles at 60 and 65 g/L showed the best results. ► High concentration of solid lipid nanoparticles caused physiological damage.
Pesticide residues that contaminate the environment circulate within the hydrological cycle can accumulate within the food chain and cause problems to both environmental and human health. Microbes, ...however, are well known for their metabolic versatility and the ability to degrade chemically stable substances, including recalcitrant xenobiotics. The current study focused on bio-prospecting within Amazonian rainforest soils to find novel strains fungi capable of efficiently degrading the agriculturally and environmentally ubiquitous herbicide, glyphosate. Of 50 fungal strains isolated (using culture media supplemented with glyphosate as the sole carbon-substrate), the majority were Penicillium strains (60%) and the others were Aspergillus and Trichoderma strains (26 and 8%, respectively). All 50 fungal isolates could use glyphosate as a phosphorous source. Eight of these isolates grew better on glyphosate-supplemented media than on regular Czapek Dox medium. LC-MS revealed that glyphosate degradation by Penicillium 4A21 resulted in sarcosine and aminomethylphosphonic acid.
•We report a green chemistry approach for the synthesis of nanofibrous materials.•Nanofibrous materials were obtained from the electrospinning technique.•We electrospun nanofibrous materials from ...blends of CMC–AgNPs/PVA using weight ratios as high as 0.48.•Nanofibers diameter decreases from 153 to 103nm as CMC weight content reaches 32.3wt%.
In this contribution a novel green chemistry approach for the synthesis of nanofibrous materials based on blends of carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC)–silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) composite and polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) is proposed. These nanofibrous materials were obtained from the electrospinning of blends of aqueous solutions of CMC–AgNPs composite and PVA, which were prepared at different CMC/PVA weight ratios in order to electrospin nanofibers applying a constant tension of 15kV. The synthesized materials were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy; as well as Fourier-transform infrared, ultraviolet and Raman spectroscopic techniques. Experimental evidence suggests that the diameter of the nanofibers is thinner than any other reported in the literature regarding the electrospinning of CMC. This feature is related to the interactions of AgNPs with carboxyl functional groups of the CMC, which diminish those between the later and acetyl groups of PVA.
Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency, a disorder of GABA degradation with subsequent elevations in brain GABA and GHB, is a neurometabolic disorder with intellectual disability, ...epilepsy, hypotonia, ataxia, sleep disorders, and psychiatric disturbances. Neuroimaging reveals increased T2-weighted MRI signal usually affecting the globus pallidus, cerebellar dentate nucleus, and subthalamic nucleus, and often cerebral and cerebellar atrophy. EEG abnormalities are usually generalized spike-wave, consistent with a predilection for generalized epilepsy. The murine phenotype is characterized by failure-to-thrive, progressive ataxia, and a transition from generalized absence to tonic-clonic to ultimately fatal convulsive status epilepticus. Binding and electrophysiological studies demonstrate use-dependent downregulation of GABA(A) and (B) receptors in the mutant mouse. Translational human studies similarly reveal downregulation of GABAergic activity in patients, utilizing flumazenil-PET and transcranial magnetic stimulation for GABA(A) and (B) activity, respectively. Sleep studies reveal decreased stage REM with prolonged REM latencies and diminished percentage of stage REM. An ad libitum ketogenic diet was reported as effective in the mouse model, with unclear applicability to the human condition. Acute application of SGS-742, a GABA(B) antagonist, leads to improvement in epileptiform activity on electrocorticography. Promising mouse data using compounds available for clinical use, including taurine and SGS-742, form the framework for human trials.
Tetradenia riparia
(Lamiaceae) is native to Central Africa popularly known as myrrh, used in folk medicine to treat various diseases like malaria, gastroenteritis, and tropical skin disease. This ...research was to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the crude extract (CE) and fractions (FR) of the
T. riparia
by classical chromatography. The CE of
T. riparia
leaves was submitted to column chromatographic fractionation to obtain four fractions of the interest, which were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatograph coupled to mass spectrum: FR-I (abieta-7,9(11)-dien-13-β-ol), FR-II (Ibozol), FR-III (8 (14), 15-sandaracopimaradiene-2α, 18-diol and 8 (14), 15-sandaracopimaradiene-7α, 18-diol), and FR-IV (Astragalin, Boronolide and Luteolin). Total phenol content of CE and FR were measured, and antioxidant action by methods of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), β-carotene/linoleic acid system, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) and the antibacterial activity was evaluated by the broth microdilution method with the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The FR-IV presented antioxidant potential with 181.67 μg gallic acid/mg, IC
50
of 0.61 μg/mL by DPPH method, 55.61% oxidation protection by β-carotene/linoleic acid system and 4.59 µM ferrous sulfate/mg of sample by FRAP, and the FR-I showed higher antibacterial potential on the strain
Staphylococcus aureus
with MIC 0.98 μg/mL
, Enterococcus faecalis
and
Bacillus cereus
with MIC 31.2 μg/mL. Thus, the fractionation of CE was extremely important to detect fractions with potential activities, and investigations are necessary regarding the mechanism of action and action in vivo.
Graphical Abstract
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