Astaxanthin is a natural C40 carotenoid with numerous reported biological functions, most of them associated with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, standing out from other antioxidants ...as it has shown the highest oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 100–500 times higher than ⍺-tocopherol and a 10 times higher free radical inhibitory activity than related antioxidants (α-tocopherol, α-carotene, β -carotene, lutein and lycopene). In vitro and in vivo studies have associated astaxanthin's unique molecular features with several health benefits, including neuroprotective, cardioprotective and antitumoral properties, suggesting its therapeutic potential for the prevention or co-treatment of dementia, Alzheimer, Parkinson, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Benefits on skin and eye health promotion have also been reported, highlighting its potential for the prevention of skin photo-aging and the treatment of eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts and uveitis. In this review, we summarize and discuss the currently available evidence on astaxanthin benefits, with a particular focus on human clinical trials, including a brief description of the potential mechanisms of action responsible for its biological activities.
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Emitters of N -photon bundles Muñoz, C Sánchez; Del Valle, E; Tudela, A González ...
Nature photonics,
07/2014, Letnik:
8, Številka:
7
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Controlling the ouput of a light emitter is one of the basic tasks of photonics, with landmarks such as the laser and single-photon sources. The development of quantum applications makes it ...increasingly important to diversify the available quantum sources. Here, we propose a cavity QED scheme to realize emitters that release their energy in groups, or "bundles" of
photons, for integer
. Close to 100% of two-photon emission and 90% of three-photon emission is shown to be within reach of state of the art samples. The emission can be tuned with system parameters so that the device behaves as a laser or as a
-photon gun. The theoretical formalism to characterize such emitters is developed, with the bundle statistics arising as an extension of the fundamental correlation functions of quantum optics. These emitters will be useful for quantum information processing and for medical applications.
Post-acute pancreatitis diabetes (PAPD) is the second most common type of diabetes below type 2 diabetes mellitus. Due to the boom in research on this entity carried out during the last decade, its ...recognition has increased. However, much of the medical community still does not recognize it as a medium and long-term complication of acute pancreatitis (AP). Recent prospective cohort studies show that its incidence is about 23% globally and 34.5% in patients with severe AP. With the overall increase in the incidence of AP this complication will be certainly seen more frequently. Due to its high morbidity, mortality and difficult control, early detection and treatment are essential. However, its risk factors and pathophysiological mechanisms are not clearly defined. Its diagnosis should be made excluding pre-existing diabetes and applying the criteria of the American Diabetes Association after 90 d of resolution of one or more AP episodes. This review will show the evidence published so far on the incidence and prevalence, risk factors, possible pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical outcomes, clinical characteristics and preventive and corrective management of PAPD. Some important gaps needing to be clarified in forthcoming studies will also be discussed.
The development of highly sensitive and selective enantiomeric platforms towards the rapid screening of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is nowadays a crucial challenge in several fields ...related to pharmacology, biomedicine, biotechnology and (bio)sensors. Herein, it is presented a novel, facile and generic methodology focused on exploiting the synergistically and electrocatalytic properties of chiral magnetic-nanobiofluids (mNBFs) with electrochemical enantiobiosensing at a magneto nanocomposite graphene paste electrode (mNC–GPE). The feasibility of this approach has been validated by chirally recognizing tryptophan (TRP) enantiomers as a proof-of-concept. For this aim, a specific chiral mNBF based on an aqueous dispersion of cobalt ferrite loaded with gold nanoparticles carrying a thiolated β-cyclodextrin (β–CD-SH/Au/CoFe2O4–NPs) has been synthesized and used towards the supramolecular discrimination of TRP enantiomers at an advanced graphene-paste transducer via cyclic voltammetry. This strategy, which is the first demonstration of applicability of chiral mNBFs for electrochemical enantiorecognition, opens up new approaches into enantio(bio)sensing.
•mNBFs carrying a β–CD as recognition element were synthesized for chiral discrimination of TRP;•An optimized mNC-GPE has been fabricated as sensitive electrochemical transducer.•The present enantiobiosensing approach combines the synergistic and electrocatalytic properties of chiral mNBFs and mNC-GPEs.•Potentiality of the recognition platform for a rapid screening of the pure API compound (L–TRP).
Skeletal muscle regeneration depends on the correct expansion of resident quiescent stem cells (satellite cells), a process that becomes less efficient with aging. Here, we show that mitochondrial ...dynamics are essential for the successful regenerative capacity of satellite cells. The loss of mitochondrial fission in satellite cells—due to aging or genetic impairment—deregulates the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), leading to inefficient oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) metabolism and mitophagy and increased oxidative stress. This state results in muscle regenerative failure, which is caused by the reduced proliferation and functional loss of satellite cells. Regenerative functions can be restored in fission-impaired or aged satellite cells by the re-establishment of mitochondrial dynamics (by activating fission or preventing fusion), OXPHOS, or mitophagy. Thus, mitochondrial shape and physical networking controls stem cell regenerative functions by regulating metabolism and proteostasis. As mitochondrial fission occurs less frequently in the satellite cells in older humans, our findings have implications for regeneration therapies in sarcopenia.
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•Mitochondrial fission increases in satellite cells (SCs) after muscle injury•Mitochondrial fission boosts SC proliferation by inducing OXPHOS and proteostasis•DRP1 loss in SCs (genetically or during aging) impairs muscle regeneration•Normalizing mitochondrial dynamics in aged SCs restores muscle regeneration
Hong et al. illustrate that mitochondrial dynamics are required for tissue regeneration. Mitochondrial fission facilitates stem cell function via OXPHOS and mitophagy regulation. The genetic (or aging-related) loss of the mitochondrial fission regulator DRP1 in muscle stem cells blunts their proliferation and regenerative capacity, whereas DRP1 re-establishment rescues these defects.
Introduction: The literature shows an optimistic landscape for the effectiveness of games in medical education. Nevertheless, games are not considered mainstream material in medical teaching. Two ...research questions that arise are the following: What pedagogical strategies do developers use when creating games for medical education? And what is the quality of the evidence on the effectiveness of games?
Methods: A systematic review was made by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers following the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. We included peer-reviewed journal articles which described or assessed the use of serious games or gamified apps in medical education. We used the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) to assess the quality of evidence in the use of games. We also evaluated the pedagogical perspectives of such articles.
Results: Even though game developers claim that games are useful pedagogical tools, the evidence on their effectiveness is moderate, as assessed by the MERSQI score. Behaviourism and cognitivism continue to be the predominant pedagogical strategies, and games are complementary devices that do not replace traditional medical teaching tools. Medical educators prefer simulations and quizzes focused on knowledge retention and skill development through repetition and do not demand the use of sophisticated games in their classrooms. Moreover, public access to medical games is limited.
Discussion: Our aim was to put the pedagogical strategy into dialogue with the evidence on the effectiveness of the use of medical games. This makes sense since the practical use of games depends on the quality of the evidence about their effectiveness. Moreover, recognition of said pedagogical strategy would allow game developers to design more robust games which would greatly contribute to the learning process.
Abstract
Background
The development of effective vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 is a global priority. CoronaVac is an inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ...(SARS-CoV-2) vaccine with promising safety and immunogenicity profiles. This article reports safety and immunogenicity results obtained for healthy Chilean adults aged ≥18 years in a phase 3 clinical trial.
Methods
Volunteers randomly received 2 doses of CoronaVac or placebo, separated by 2 weeks. A total of 434 volunteers were enrolled, 397 aged 18–59 years and 37 aged ≥60 years. Solicited and unsolicited adverse reactions were registered from all volunteers. Blood samples were obtained from a subset of volunteers and analyzed for humoral and cellular measures of immunogenicity.
Results
The primary adverse reaction in the 434 volunteers was pain at the injection site, with a higher incidence in the vaccine than in the placebo arm. Adverse reactions observed were mostly mild and local. No severe adverse events were reported. The humoral evaluation was performed on 81 volunteers. Seroconversion rates for specific anti-S1-receptor binding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin G (IgG) were 82.22% and 84.44% in the 18–59 year age group and 62.69% and 70.37% in the ≥60 year age group, 2 and 4 weeks after the second dose, respectively. A significant increase in circulating neutralizing antibodies was detected 2 and 4 weeks after the second dose. The cellular evaluation was performed on 47 volunteers. We detected a significant induction of T-cell responses characterized by the secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) upon stimulation with Mega Pools of peptides from SARS-CoV-2.
Conclusions
Immunization with CoronaVac in a 0–14 schedule in Chilean adults aged ≥18 years is safe, induces anti-S1-RBD IgG with neutralizing capacity, activates T cells, and promotes the secretion of IFN-γ upon stimulation with SARS-CoV-2 antigens.
Vaccination of Chilean adults ≥18 years old with CoronaVac (Sinovac Life Sciences) in a 0–14 immunization schedule is safe and immunogenic, inducing anti-S1-RBD antibodies with neutralizing capacity and the activation of T cells secreting IFN-γ upon recognition of SARS-CoV-2 peptides.
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•Heterogeneity of composting process hinds the establishment of bioindicators.•Biodiversity and respirometric index affect phytostimulant power of compost.•Phenolic content and ...nitrification index could impact compost biodiversity.•Compost biodiversity is greater the lower the activity of xylanase.•Different raw materials evolve similar products by different bioestrategies.
Currently, the metagenomic study of the composting process has gained great importance since it has allowed the identification of the existence of microorganisms that, until now, had not been isolated during the process by traditional techniques. However, it is still complex to determine which bioindicators could reveal the degree of maturity and stability of a particular compost. Thereby, the main objective of this work was to demonstrate the possible correlation between traditional parameters of maturity and stability of compost, with other indicators of biodiversity in products highly heterogeneous from composting processes on an industrial scale.
The results demonstrated the enormous influence of the raw materials in characterizing the products obtained. Even so, important relationships were established between the Chao1 and Shannon indexes, and certain parameters related to the maturity, stability and toxicity of the samples, such as nitrification index, humification rate, phenolic content, germination index or oxygen consumption.
Highlights • There is a close bidirectional communication between the neuroendocrine and immune systems. • Alterations in the levels of THs can significantly affect the function of the immune system. ...• Thyroid hormones can exert responses in various immune cells, e.g., monocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, and lymphocytes. • Thyroid Hormones have an important role in Inflammation, Autoimmunity and Pathogen Clearance.
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