Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) exhibits potent growth-inducing properties across various tissues, while epidermal growth factor (EGF) acts as a molecular integration point for diverse stimuli. HGF ...plays a crucial role in hepatic metabolism, tissue repair, and offers protective effects on epithelial and non-epithelial organs, in addition to its involvement in reducing apoptosis and inflammation, underscoring its anti-inflammatory capabilities. The HGF-Met system is instrumental in hepatic metabolism and enhancing insulin sensitivity in animal diabetes models. Similarly, the EGF and its receptor tyrosine kinase family (EGFR) are critical in regulating cell growth, proliferation, migration, and differentiation in both healthy and diseased states, with EGF also contributing to insulin sensitivity. In this observational study, we aimed to identify correlations between serum levels of HGF and EGF, insulin, glucagon, glucose, and primary serum lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), taking into account the impact of gender. We noted differences in the management of glucose, insulin, and glucagon between healthy men and women, potentially due to the distinct influences of sexual hormones on the development of type 2 DM. Additionally, metabolites such as glucose, albumin, direct bilirubin, nitrites, and ammonia might influence serum levels of growth factors and hormones. In summary, our results highlight the regulatory role of insulin and glucagon in serum glucose and lipids, along with variations in HGF and EGF levels, which are affected by gender. This link is especially significant in DM, where impaired cell proliferation or repair mechanisms lead to metabolic changes. The gender-based differences in growth factors point to their involvement in the pathophysiology of the disease.
Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in industrial waste and by-products are routinely used to mitigate the adverse environmental effects of, and lower the energy consumption associated with, ...ordinary Portland cement (OPC) manufacture. Many such SCMs, such as type F coal fly ash (FA), are naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs).
Ra,
Th and
K radionuclide activity concentration, information needed to determine what is known as the gamma-ray activity concentration index (ACI), is normally collected from ground cement samples. The present study aims to validate a new method for calculating the ACI from measurements made on unground 5 cm cubic specimens. Mechanical, mineralogical and radiological characterisation of 28-day OPC + FA pastes (bearing up to 30 wt % FA) were characterised to determine their mechanical, mineralogical and radiological properties. The activity concentrations found for
Ra,
Pb,
Th and
K in hardened, intact 5 cm cubic specimens were also statistically equal to the theoretically calculated values and to the same materials when ground to a powder. These findings consequently validated the new method. The possibility of determining the activity concentrations needed to establish the ACI for cement-based materials on unground samples introduces a new field of radiological research on actual cement, mortar and concrete materials.
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The use of pressure waves (PW) to disrupt the stratum corneum (SC) temporarily is an effective strategy to increase the deposition of drug molecules into the skin. However, given the ...rather modest outcomes when compared with ablation-assisted drug delivery, its potential has been underestimated. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to examine the impact of Resonant Amplitude Waves (RAWs) on increasing cutaneous delivery. RAW phenomena are triggered by focusing a high-peak-power pulsed laser onto an appropriate transducer structure, under space- and time-controlled resolution.
In order to determine the optimal conditions for the generation and use of RAWs, a screening of laser parameters setting and an analysis of different geometries of the impact pattern over diverse materials used as transducers was performed, analyzing the footprint of the RAW waves in an agarose gel. The results obtained were then checked and fine-tuned using human skin samples instead of agarose. Furthermore, ex vivo experiments were carried out to characterize the effect of the RAWs in the cutaneous delivery of diclofenac (DIC) and lidocaine (LID) administered in the form of gels. The application of RAWs resulted in an increased delivery of DIC and LID to the skin, whose intensity was dependent on the composition of the formulation. In fact, the maximum observed for DIC and LID in short-time experiments (39.1 ± 11.1 and 153 ± 16 µg/cm2, respectively) was comparable to those observed using ablation-assisted drug delivery under the same conditions.
In conclusion, the combination of RAWs with specific formulation strategies is a feasible alternative for the cutaneous delivery of drug candidates when short onset of action is required.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of administering photobiomodulation therapy (PBM) with bovine bone matrix on critical size defects in rats. Seventy-two adult male rats (albinus, Wistar), ...90 days old, were used. Defect of 5 mm in diameter was made in their calvaria. The animals were divided into 4 groups: C-blood clot, B-Bio-Oss®, L-PBM, B+L-Bio-Oss®+PBM. Each group has been subdivided into 07, 30, and 60 days of observation. For PBM, a low GaAlAs energy of 660 nm was irradiated, total energy density of 45 J/cm
2
. PBM was conducted in a trans-surgical form once only. For immunohistochemistry, a semi-quantitative analysis was made of expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG), nuclear kappa B-factor ligand receptor activator (RANKL), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). All histomorphometric data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey test, significance level of 5%. The groups that showed the highest proportion of neoformation were
L
(0.39% ± 0.13) and
C
(0.37% ± 0.97), but groups
B
and
B
+
L
had larger defect size (
C
-1.75 mm
2
± 0.40,
B
-3.02 mm
2
± 0.63,
L
-2.45 mm
2
± 0.53,
B
+
L
-3.23 mm
2
± 1.01). In immunohistochemistry, groups
B
and
B
+
L
had higher immunostaining scores for OPG and RANKL at 60 days, and TRAP immunostaining increased in all groups at 30 days, but group
L
was the only one to present specimens with score 0. Although, at 60 days, groups
L
and
C
presented the highest proportion of bone neoformation, at 30 days group
B
+
L
had more than twice as much bone neoformation as group
B
, the choice of treatment application should depend on the aim of the treatment.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) contain a cell fraction of mononuclear progenitor cells (MPCs), which own significant angiogenic potential. Autologous transplant of PBMC and/or ...platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) promotes endothelial cells differentiation in experimental lower limb ischemia, which is considered a safe and effective strategy to support revascularization, either in animal models or clinical trials. In addition, thrombin has been proposed to enrich biological scaffolds, hence increasing MPC viability after intramuscular administration, whereas proangiogenic mediators such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), inhibitor of the plasminogen activator‐1 (PAI‐1), and chemokine (CXCL1; GRO‐α) participate in the endothelial response to ischemia, through their proangiogenic effects over endothelial cells proliferation, survival, migration, endothelial integrity maintenance, and physiologic vascular response to injury. In the present study, we describe the effect of autologous PBMCs transplant and PRP, either with or without thrombin, over proangiogenic mediators (measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay) and revascularization response (angiographic vascular pattern at 30 days after vascular occlusion) in a rat model of lower limb ischemia. The group treated with PBMC + PRP significantly induced PAI‐1, an effect that was prevented by the addition of thrombin. Furthermore, treatment with PBMC + PRP + thrombin resulted in the induction of VEGF. GRO‐α showed a sensitive induction of all proangiogenic mediators. All treatments significantly stimulated revascularization, according to angiographic assessment, whereas higher effect was observed with PBMC + PRP treatment (p < .0001). In conclusion, autologous PBMC transplant stimulates revascularization during experimental ischemia of the lower limb, whereas particular effects over proangiogenic and fibrinolytic mediators may be attributed to PBMCs and its combination with PRP and thrombin.
Although primarily deemed to be an ornamental stone, granite may also be ground into fines for use in cement mortars, where it exhibits high strength and durability. Both the 40K present in the stone ...and the natural decay series of its uranium, thorium and actinium components exhibit high activity concentrations. An understanding is therefore needed of the correlation among the different particle sizes in granite aggregate to assess their contribution to a mortar's activity concentration index (ACI). This study analyses the variation in ACI with particle size in three types of granite based on the chemical, mineralogical and radiological characterisation of five size fractions. The activity concentrations of the thorium and uranium natural decay series were highest in the finest fractions. A correlation was observed between thorium and the MgO and Fe2O3 normally present in mica group phyllosilicates. In two of the three granites, the mortars prepared with the smallest size particles had ACI values >1.
Pregnancy process might be threaten by several complications. Affectations in the thyroid gland provoke that not enough thyroid hormone is produced, altering the heart rate, the body temperature and ...all the aspects of the metabolism. This research aims to develop a method that allows the estimation of complications generated by hypothyroidism during pregnancy. The method is based on the modeling of uncertainty using neutrosophic numbers under a multi-criteria approach. As the main result, a case study is carried out at the IESS Ambato Hospital in Ecuador, where the applicability of the proposed method is shown. Keywords: Pregnancy; hypothyroidism; multi-criteria method; neutrosophic numbers.
Purpose
The benefits of the minimally invasive approach for performing cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (L-CRS + HIPEC) have been described previously, associating ...an early recovery with similar oncologic outcomes in patients with limited peritoneal carcinomatosis. Currently, no studies are focusing on the learning curve for this emerging procedure. This study aimed to evaluate the L-CRS + HIPEC learning curve and its knock-on effect on the perioperative outcomes.
Methods
We identified all consecutive unselected patients who underwent L-CRS + HIPEC by a single surgeon between April 2016 and January 2022 (
n
= 51). Patients who underwent risk-reducing CRS + HIPEC (PCI = 0) or initial conversion due to an intraoperative PCI > 10 were excluded from the final analysis. To evaluate the learning curve, perioperative data were analysed using the cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis.
Results
Twenty-six patients were included in the final analysis. Major morbidity occurred in one patient (3.8%). The difficulty of the L-CRS + HIPEC procedures was categorised as low in 23.1% (
n
= 6), intermediate in 19.2% (
n
= 5), and advanced in 57.7% (
n
= 15). The mean length of hospital stay was 5.4 ± 1.5 days. No patient had a conversion to open surgery. The learning curve was divided into two distinct phases: the learning phase (1–14) and the consolidation phase (15–26). A significant decrease in the operative time (375 ± 103.1 vs 239.2 ± 63.6 min) was observed with no differences in complexity, the number of peritonectomy procedures, or morbidity.
Conclusion
L-CRS + HIPEC is a complex procedure that must be performed in a high-volume and experienced oncologic unit, requiring a learning curve to achieve the consolidation condition, which could be established after 14 procedures.
Venezuelan Haemorrhagic Fever is an endemic zoonosis exhibiting a high lethality. Discovered decades ago, it is still causing seasonal hemorrhagic fever outbreaks. With the ongoing migration crisis, ...transmission and spreading to other countries in Latin America remains a latent threat that should be monitored, particularly in light of recent cases.
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