Background/purpose
Following intradermal injection, hyaluronic acid (HA)‐based fillers tend to spread within the reticular dermis and to distribute between the dermal fibers. This biointegration is ...commonly measured qualitatively using histological methods. We developed a “toolbox” consisting of a visual scoring and a semi‐automatic image analysis method using internal developed algorithm to quantitate the biointegration of Restylane® in histological sections.
Methods
Restylane® was injected intradermally in the abdominal skin of 10 healthy human subjects scheduled for abdominoplasty. The injections were performed either in vivo before surgery or ex vivo on samples taken post‐surgery at different time points. The samples were processed for histology by visual scoring and image analysis using algorithms developed in Definiens to assess biointegration.
Results
The image analysis segmentation was accurate with <5% manual changes. Furthermore, the results calculated with the semi‐automatic method were consistent with the visual scores obtained on injected human skin samples by means of a 5‐grade photographic scale. A modified hematoxylin‐eosin staining was found adequate to visualize both, the filler and the general morphology, on the same section. An excellent correlation was observed between the integration results obtained with PAS/Alcian Blue and HE‐stained slides, allowing for a single staining in future studies.
Conclusion
We developed a modified HE staining histological method and a new histomorphometric image analysis tool to quantitate biointegration of HA‐based fillers in human skin. The results obtained in this study confirmed the known intermediate biointegration properties of Restylane®, thus validating these innovative methods.
El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la frecuencia de accidentes por mordedura de canes y conocimiento de rabia urbana en pobladores de los departamentos de Madre de Dios y Puno. La población ...objetivo fueron los hogares de estudiantes de instituciones educativas públicas, a quienes se les hizo llegar una encuesta a través del cuaderno control del estudiante. Se recolectó información demográfica de las personas, reportes de accidentes por mordedura de canes y conocimientos acerca de la rabia. La información se resumió en cuadros de frecuencias y la asociación entre variables de clasificación y presencia de accidentes por mordedura se realizó mediante la prueba de Chi cuadrado. Se recolectaron 2005 encuestas válidas en Madre de Dios y 883 en Puno. El 69.5% de los encuestados en Madre de Dios y 57.0% en Puno indicaron poseer canes (p<0.001). El 31.8% de los encuestados en Madre de Dios y el 24.1% en Puno indicó que un miembro de la familia había sufrido un accidente por mordedura de canes, habiendo asociación con el género (p=0.0007) y edad (p<0.0001) de los agraviados. La mayoría mencionó que los canes agresores fueron conocidos y de tamaño mediano y grande. En ambos lugares predominaba mordeduras sorpresivas, en la vía pública, únicas, en pierna-pie y con atención en casa. Más del 80% refirieron haber oído/leído acerca de la rabia y que la televisión fue el principal medio donde obtuvieron información. La medida preventiva que incluía la triada preventiva de la rabia era solo conocida por el 51.7% en Madre de Dios y el 56.5% en Puno (p=0.0070). Se necesita campañas educativas a fin de sensibilizar acerca de la importancia de la rabia en zonas endémicas.
In this paper, perovskite type La
0.6Ca
0.4CoO
3 as a catalyst of oxygen reduction was prepared, and the structure and performance of the catalysts was examined by means of IR, X-ray diffraction ...(XRD), and thermogravimetric (TG). Mixed catalysts doped, some metal oxides were put also used. The cathodic polarization curves for oxygen reduction on various catalytic electrodes were measured by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). A Zn–air battery was made with various catalysts for oxygen reduction, and the performance of the battery was measured with a BS-9300SM rechargeable battery charge/discharge device. The results showed that the perovskite type catalyst (La
0.6Ca
0.4CoO
3) doped with metal oxide is an excellent catalyst for the zinc–air battery, and can effectively stimulate the reduction of oxygen and improve the properties of zinc–air batteries, such as discharge capacity, etc.
Macroalgae host a dense bacterial epibiome forming surface biofilms, which act as a biological defense by protecting the surface from macrofoulers. During experimental cultivation of
Halymenia ...floresii
(
Rhodophyta, Halymeniales
) under Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA), the culture tanks remained clean of any exogenous algal colonization, and the surface of the
H. floresii
thalli was remarkably free from any fouling organisms. The presence of
Halymenia
also appeared to restrict the establishment of opportunist green algae and the colonization of barnacles usually impairing the cultures. To date, nothing is known about the diversity and biological potential of
H. floresii
epibionts. Hence, to better understand their epiphytic bacterial community, surface-associated bacteria from distinct
H. floresii
samples, beach-cast, integrated multi trophic aquaculture cultivar, and cultivar cylinders, were isolated. Thirty-one axenic bacterial strains belonging to 3 phyla, 20 genera, and 25 species were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Following isolation, they were screened for the production of quorum sensing (QS) signals, since these communication signals play a vital role in biofilm formation. All, except one, isolates were identified as gram-negative; hence, acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) were focused upon. Using the reporter strain
Escherichia coli
pSB406, the isolates were screened for their ability to induce luminescence. Of 31 isolates screened, 17 strains, including
Pseudoalteromonas arabiensis, Pseudoalteromonas
sp. (B5BC and B6.1BC),
Pseudoalteromonas mariniglutinosa, Vibrio owensii, Tenacibaculum
sp.,
Maribacter
sp
., Spongiimicrobium salis, Aquimarina
sp.,
Kordiimonas
sp.
, Alteromonas
sp. (B12CC and B16CC),
Roseobacter
sp.,
Erythrobacter
sp.,
Ruegeria lacuscaerulensis,
and
Epibacterium
sp., exhibited the presence of extracellular QS signals. Thus, the presence of QS bacteria on the surface of
H. floresii
was demonstrated for the first time. Our results may open a new direction to investigate the host—QS bacteria interactions.
A group of stallions with different reproductive indexes were used to study seasonal variations in sperm quality (Equus caballus). Semen samples were collected from late September to July and ...analyzed according to four seasonal periods: late September–December, January–March, late March–May, and June–July. Parameters monitored included sperm concentration, sperm motility, sperm morphology, sperm viability, acrosomal status, plasma membrane stability, and sperm mitochondrial membrane potential. Overall, seminal parameters monitored are affected mostly by time period, followed by animal and lastly by fertility, stressing the importance of individual variations in out-bred animal models. The analysis of multiple ejaculates from the same animals showed clear seasonal-based differences (P
<
0.05) with poor semen quality in winter and a noticeable improvement in sperm quality with increasing photoperiod. Better semen quality was observed between late March and May. Interactions between month period, animal, and fertility were evident (P
<
0.05) for sperm concentration, head and tail sperm anomalies, and acrosomal integrity. Thus, it may be advisable to adjust the use of stallion semen according to seasonal variations.
Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF), an acute disease caused by Junin virus (JUNV, Arenaviridae), has been an important issue to public health in Argentina since the early 1950s. The field rodent ...Calomys musculinus is JUNV natural reservoir and human disease is a consequence of contact with infected rodents. A steady extention of AHF endemic area is being observed since the first reports of the disease. Important achievements have been made in: (a) improvement of methods for the etiological diagnosis; (b) implementation and validation of therapeutical measures; (c) development of vaccines to protect against AHF. Reference is made to different research strategies used to obtain anti-AHF vaccines in the past and anti-arenaviral diseases in the present. Information is updated on features and field performance of Candid #1 vaccine, a live attenuted vaccine currently used to prevent AHF. This vaccine was developed through a joint international effort that envisioned it as an orphan drug. With transferred technology, Argentine government was committed to be Candid #1 manufacturer and to register this vaccine as a novel medical product under the Argentine regulatory authority. Candid #1 vaccine is the first one used to control an arenaviral hemorrhagic fever, the first live viral vaccine to be manufactured and registered in Argentina, reaching its target population through governmental effort.
Protecting groundwater in karst aquifers is extremely important. Vulnerability maps can greatly help proper decision making based on physical environmental attributes that influence how easily a ...contaminant applied to the land surface can reach groundwater due to anthropogenic activities, and the properties of the contaminants. Methods for determining vulnerability based on the COST Action 620 Approach, when applied in the study area, may lead to contradictory results. The main purpose of this study is to provide an overview of academic research on intrinsic karst aquifer vulnerability methodologies applied in South American and Caribbean countries. Secondly, it describes studies related to karst aquifers that, in some cases, lack specific information on intrinsic vulnerability. The objective is to encourage and to help develop specific methods for determining karst vulnerability in these regions. To achieve these purposes, a systematic literature review was conducted including studies conducted at institutions such as universities, national water institutes, and by geological services. Several methods have been used in the region such as COP, DRASTIC, RISK, EPIK, PI, PaPRIka, and the Slovene Approach. And some attempts have been made to develop a specific methodology that best suits the specificities of the region’s karst aquifers. South America and the Caribbean have almost 5 % of the world´s carbonate rocks. Some countries have large extensions of their territory covered by karst rocks, such as Peru, 15.4 %; Cuba, 67 %; and Mexico 25.29 %. Estimates indicate that more than 10 million people use water from karst systems in Mexico. In Cuba, 33 % of all available water volume originates from groundwater, and 91.51 % from karst aquifers. In Mexico, 13 studies have been conducted on the importance of karst aquifers, which mostly address the Yucatan Peninsula, followed by Brazil (9 studies), Cuba (5), Colombia (1) and Peru (1). Information about the theme is scarce in most of the other countries in the region. Some studies have incongruent results given the regional characteristics of tropical karst.
In this work is investigated the hydrogen evolution reaction on Ag-LaCO3OH based ceramic electrode in an alkaline medium. The ceramic material was prepared by partial auto-decomposition of lanthanum ...carbonate. The structural characterization based on XRD and FTIR confirmed the existence of a crystalline phase of LaCO3OH. During the hydrogen evolution reaction, the Ni-mesh/Ag/LaCO3OH electrode showed similar electrocatalytic characteristics than Ni-mesh. The hydrogen production in the ceramic electrode was 80.87% of the product obtained by the Ni-mesh electrode. The electrochemical results showed that Ag-LaCO3OH promotes the first electron transfer at the lowest overpotential. The crystalline (002) plane of LaCO3OH and the La-Ag interface could contribute to the electrode electrochemical response. The Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism is appropriate to describe the hydrogen evolution reaction at the ceramic electrode.
PDF
