Summary
Women who conceive at 35 years of age or older, commonly known as advanced maternal age, have a higher risk of facing parturition complications and their children have an increased risk of ...developing diseases later in life. However, the immunological mechanisms underlying these pathological processes have yet to be established. To fill this gap in knowledge, using a murine model and immunophenotyping, we determined the effect of advanced maternal age on the main cellular branch of adaptive immunity, T cells, at the maternal–fetal interface and in the offspring. We report that advanced maternal age impaired the process of labor at term, inducing dystocia and delaying the timing of delivery. Advanced maternal age diminished the number of specific proinflammatory T‐cell subsets T helper type 1 (Th1): CD4+IFN‐γ+, CD8+IFN‐γ+ and Th9: CD4+IL‐9+, as well as CD4+ regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T cells), at the maternal–fetal interface prior to term labor. Advanced maternal age also altered fetal growth and survival of the offspring in early life. In addition, infants born to advanced‐age mothers had alterations in the T‐cell repertoire but not in CD71+ erythroid cells (CD3−CD71+TER119+ cells). This study provides insight into the immune alterations observed at the maternal–fetal interface of advanced‐age mothers and their offspring.
Advanced maternal age alters the T‐cell repertoire at the maternal–fetal interface prior to term labor. Importantly, infants born to advance aged dams also display an impaired T‐cell repertoire.
Chicken fat and fructose are added into food-processing to reduce costs and enhance acceptability; however, these additives turn food into unhealthy and hypercaloric meals. Herein we ...have hypothesized that chronic feeding with chicken fat and fructose, together or by separate, can cause pulmonary redox and inflammatory changes. These changes are particularly related to neutrophils and myeloperoxidase, with consequent changes in the organ histophysiology. To test this hypothesis, we fed mice for 16 weeks with either control food (low-fat diet, LFD) or control food supplemented with 22% chicken fat and with or without 10% fructose in the drinking water. At the end of the feeding regimen, we measured redox and inflammatory changes in the lung with particular emphasis on neutrophil accumulation/activation and molecular-histological markers of fibrosis. Our results suggest that a diet supplemented with chicken fat and fructose causes additive effects on pulmonary oxidative stress, inflammation, and a pro-fibrotic status. Neutrophilic inflammation may play a critical role in pulmonary pathology associated with metabolic syndrome.
Li4Ti5O12 microspheres and the equivalent iron doped materials, with 0.1 and 0.2 mol of Fe per unit formula, were synthesized by a solvothermal method. The presence of the dopant was verified by ...X-Ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement and XPS experiments. It was found that the dopant is included in the lattice structure as Fe (III), at lower concentration the dopant is found primarily on Ti (IV) sites while at higher concentration it occupies both Ti and Li sites. Conductivity measurements indicate that the higher iron concentration increases the material intrinsic electronic conductivity; however, the effect of Fe doping at lower concentration on the conductivity is almost null. Because of the Fe doping, the charge/discharge plateaus are obtained at higher/lower voltages, which might be correlated to lower charge transfer resistance, even though the electrochemical measurements show slightly lower capacities and very similar rate capabilities. Additionally, EIS experiments indicate that the presence of the dopant causes lower charge transfer resistance and enhanced finite lithium diffusion. However, as the size of the particles is still very large, the improved Li+ intercalation properties do not influence the rate capability since this property should be more related to shortened diffusion paths.
•Microspheres composed of Fe-doped Li4Ti5O12 were synthesized via solvothermal.•The introduction of Fe (III) improves the bulk electrical conductivity.•Fe-doping diminishes charge transfer resistance for Li insertion/de-insertion.
Increased chicken-derived fat and fructose consumption in the human diet is paralleled by an increasing prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS). Herein, we aimed at developing and ...characterizing a mouse model of diet-induced obesity (DIO) resembling most of the key features of the human MS. To accomplish this, we fed male C57BL/6J mice for 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks with either a low-fat diet (LFD) or a high-chicken-fat diet (HFD) and tap water with or without 10% fructose (F). This experimental design resulted in the following four experimental groups: LFD, LFD + F, HFD, and HFD + F. Over the feeding period, and on a weekly basis, the HFD + F group had more caloric intake and gained more weight than the other experimental groups. Compared to the other groups, and at the end of the feeding period, the HFD + F group had a higher adipogenic index, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting basal glycemia, insulin resistance, hypertension, and atherogenic index and showed steatohepatitis and systemic oxidative stress/inflammation. A mouse model of DIO that will allow us to study the effect of MS in different organs and systems has been developed and characterized.
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•A coaxial electrospinning process to synthesize core–shell PEDOT:PSS—PVP nanofibers is described.•Well dispersed PbS nanoparticles were introduced in the PEDOT:PSS core.•The ...composite material exhibits a clear photoresponse and a higher conductivity than the one observed in the case for the material without the PbS nanoparticles.
Coaxial electrospinning was used to fabricate core–shell nanofibers of PEDOT:PSS, located in the core, with PbS nanoparticles homogeneously distributed within it, and a PVP shell. This morphology was confirmed by HAADF-STEM results, while the composition and nature of the different phases was corroborated by EDXS and FTIR studies. Moreover, optoelectronic properties of the composite material based on the synthesized core–shell nanofibres were studied, showing an increment in the conductivity of the material by the addition of the PbS nanoparticles and also the appearance of photoresponse, effect not observed in either of the polymeric materials, but displayed by the PbS nanoparticles.
Histamine has a key role in the regulation of inflammatory and innate immune responses in vertebrates. Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.), a marine hermaphrodite teleost of great commercial value, ...was the first fish species shown to possess histamine-containing mast cells (MCs) at mucosal tissues. MCs are highly abundant in the peritoneal exudate of gilthead seabream and compound 48/80 (Co 48/80), often used to promote MC activation and histamine release, is able to promote histamine release from gilthead seabream MCs in vitro and in vivo. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of histamine and Co 48/80 on the immune responses of gilthead seabream. For this purpose, histamine and Co 48/80 were intraperitoneally injected alone or combined with 109 heat-killed Vibrio anguillarum cells and their effects on head kidney and peritoneal exudate were analyzed. The results indicated that although histamine and Co 48/80 were both able to alter the percentage of peritoneal exudate and head kidney immune cell types, only Co 48/80 increased reactive oxygen species production by peritoneal leukocytes. In addition, histamine, but not Co 48/80, was able to slightly impair the humoral adaptive immune response, i.e. production of specific IgM to V. anguillarum. Notably, both histamine and Co 48/80 reduced the expression of the gene encoding histamine receptor H2 in peritoneal exudate leukocytes. These results show for the first time in fish that although systemic administration of histamine and Co 48/80 is safe, neither compound can be regarded as an efficient adjuvant for gilthead seabream vaccination.
•Systemic administration of histamine or Co 48/80 alters the immune response of gilthead seabream.•Co 48/80 increases reactive oxygen species production by peritoneal leukocytes.•Both histamine and Co 48/80 reduced the expression of the histamine receptor H2 gene in peritoneal leukocytes.•Histamine impairs the humoral adaptive immune response.•Both histamine and Co 48/80 are not efficient adjuvant for gilthead seabream vaccination.
Biocompatible smart interfaces play a crucial role in biomedical or tissue engineering applications, where their ability to actively change their conformation or physico-chemical properties permits ...finely tuning their surface attributes. Polyelectrolytes, such as acrylic acid, are a particular type of smart polymers that present pH responsiveness. This work aims to fabricate stable hydrogel films with reversible pH responsiveness that could spontaneously form wrinkled surface patterns. For this purpose, the photosensitive reaction mixtures were deposited via spin-coating over functionalized glasses. Following vacuum, UV, or either plasma treatments, it is possible to spontaneously form wrinkles, which could increase cell adherence. The pH responsiveness of the material was evaluated, observing an abrupt variation in the film thickness as a function of the environmental pH. Moreover, the presence of the carboxylic acid functional groups at the interface was evidenced by analyzing the adsorption/desorption capacity using methylene blue as a cationic dye model. The results demonstrated that increasing the acrylic acid in the microwrinkled hydrogel effectively improved the adsorption and release capacity and the ability of the carboxylic groups to establish ionic interactions with methylene blue. Finally, the role of the acrylic acid groups and the surface topography (smooth or wrinkled) on the final antibacterial properties were investigated, demonstrating their efficacy against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria model strains (
and
). According to our findings, microwrinkled hydrogels presented excellent antibacterial properties improving the results obtained for planar (smooth) hydrogels.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESIt is necessary to expand the knowledge in the use of apremilast in clinical practice. The APPRECIATE study (NCT02740218) aims to describe the characteristics of patients ...with psoriasis treated with apremilast, to evaluate their perspectives and those of dermatologists, as well as the outcomes obtained in clinical practice in Spain. METHODSObservational, retrospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study of patients with chronic plaque psoriasis who could be contacted 6 (±1) months after apremilast initiation. The data were obtained from medical records and questionnaires from patients and physicians. RESULTSA total of 80 patients were evaluated; at apremilast onset, they showed mean (standard deviation, SD) Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) = 8.3 (5.3), mean (SD) Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) = 8.9 (6.6). At six months, 58.8% (n=47) of patients continued apremilast treatment (discontinuations due to lack of efficacy 16.3%, safety/tolerability 20.0%). In patients continuing treatment, PASI75 was achieved by 36.7% of patients; mean (95% CI) DLQI score was 2.2 (0.7-3.6) and mean (SD) Patient Benefit Index score was 2.8 (0.8). Compliance with physicians' expectations was correlated with benefits reported by patients (r=0.636). Adverse events were reported by 56.3% of patients (the most common were diarrhoea and nausea). CONCLUSIONSPatients receiving apremilast for 6 months in Spanish clinical practice, reported substantial improvements in their quality of life (mean DLQI reduced by more than 6 points) and disease severity (PASI75 achieved by over one-third of patients), despite less skin involvement than patients who enrolled in clinical trials.
In this work, nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) were synthesized by pulsed laser ablation in liquid using Nd:YAG laser (532 nm). Graphite target was ablated in dimethylformamide, as ...solvent and nitrogen source, and the microstructure as well as optical properties of N-GQDs were studied. The N-GQDs structure consists of a graphitic core with oxygen and nitrogen functionalities and particle size about 3 nm, as demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The as-prepared N-GQDs structure was modified by solvothermal treatment at 65, 90 and 120 °C reducing the oxygen functional groups, adding nitrogen and restoring the π-conjugated structure of N-GQD. The N-GQDs exhibit UV–Vis absorption spectrum with the characteristic π-π* and n – π* electronic transitions of the GQDs with a large amount of oxygen and nitrogen functionalities. These N-GQDs exhibited a visible light photoluminescence centered at 486 nm upon an excitation of 410 nm and the photoluminescence intensity enhanced up to 4.05% of quantum yield after solvothermal treatment. The N-GQDs dispersion was used for selective detection of ascorbic acid, through a signal-off and signal-on system. The results show the use of N-GQDs as a competent photoluminescence sensor for metal ions and ascorbic acid.
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2SPD-003 Errors detected in the telepharmacy procedure Sánchez Ruiz, A; Muñoz Cid, C; Garcia Gomez, N ...
European journal of hospital pharmacy. Science and practice,
03/2023, Letnik:
30, Številka:
Suppl 1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Background and ImportanceAfter the rise of telemedicine with the COVID-19 pandemic, a telepharmacy consultation has been implemented in our hospital in the pharmacy outpatient area, sending medicines ...to community pharmacies within a population area of 600,000 inhabitants.Aim and ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to analyse the medication errors (ME) that have occurred during a specific period of time, throughout the process of medication delivery. The aim is finding causes and possible improvements.Material and MethodsWe carried out a retrospective descriptive study. The errors that occurred between January 2021 and August 2022 (20 months) in the telepharmacy process were analysed, taking into account everything from the preparation in the hospital pharmacy to the collection of the medication by the patient in the community pharmacy. The MEs were collected in a local database. We described date, personal data of the patient, codes assigned to the single shipping route and destination community pharmacy, type of error and step in which the ME was detected.ResultsIn the period studied, a total of 69 MEs were recorded. We break them down into the following types: 20 cases with a quantitative lack of medication (28.99%), 19 cases in which a different medication was sent (27.54%), 15 with another patient‘s medication (21.74%), 10 with medicine with wrong dose (14.49%), 2 cases in which the medicine was not sent (2.90%) and another 2 in which the medicine was sent badly packaged (2.90%), 1 case in which the one in which the misidentified medicine was sent (1.45%) and 1 case in which a larger quantity was sent (1.45%). 48 MEs were detected by the patient (69.56%), 15 were detected in the community pharmacy (21.74%), 4 were detected in the hospital pharmacy (5.80%) and 2 cases were detected during the transportation of the medication (2.90%). None of the errors detected had consequences for the patient to our knowledge.Conclusion and RelevanceAmong the MEs detected, the most common were those related to a quantity defect or lack of a medication and those in which a different medication was sent. In general, they are errors that could be avoided by automating processes that are currently carried out manually.References and/or AcknowledgementsConflict of InterestNo conflict of interest
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