Targeting in situ and imaging multiple inflammatory biomarkers with quantum dots in DSS model of colitis

Poster presented at Biomedical Technology Showcase 2006, Philadelphia, PA. Retrieved 18 Aug 2006 from http://www.biomed.drexel.edu/new04/Content/Biomed_Tech_Showcase/Poster_Presentations/Papazoglou_6.pdf.Inflammatory Bowel Disease affects nearly 1.5 million people. Currently, there are no efficient and reliable methods to quantify the degree of inflammation in these patients. The objective here was to image and quantify in an experimental model of colitis, MPO, IL1_ and TNF_ (proinflammatory cytokines) using Quantum Dots (QDs) conjugated with specific antibodies. The resulting fluorescence intensity was then used as a measure of concentration of MPO and in turn inflammation. The fluorescent images obtained from animals showed sequential increase in fluorescence intensity of MPO correlating (R = 0.96) with clinical disease. Fluorescent images also showed co-localization of all the three markers in both acute as well as chronic inflammation. These observations suggest that QD bioconjugates can be used nanotools to image biomarkers of inflammation

Ofeleein i mi Vlaptin-Volume II: Immunity Following Infection or mRNA Vaccination, Drug Therapies and Non-Pharmacological Management at Post-Two Years SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.

The persistence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered research into limiting transmission, morbidity and mortality, thus warranting a comprehensive approach to guide balanced healthcare policies with respect to people's physical and mental health. The mainstay priority during COVID-19 is to achieve widespread immunity, which could be established through natural contact or vaccination. Deep knowledge of the immune response combined with recent specific data indicates the potential inferiority of induced immunity against infection. Moreover, the prevention of transmission has been founded on general non-pharmacological measures of protection, albeit debate exists considering their efficacy and, among other issues, their socio-psychological burden. The second line of defense is engaged after infection and is supported by a plethora of studied agents, such as antibiotics, steroids and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, antiviral medications and other biological agents that have been proposed, though variability in terms of benefits and adverse events has not allowed distinct solutions, albeit certain treatments might have a role in prevention and/or treatment of the disease. This narrative review summarizes the existing literature on the advantages and weaknesses of current COVID-19 management measures, thus underlining the necessity of acting based on the classical principle of "ofeleein i mi vlaptin", that is, to help or not to harm

Bionanotechnology

This book aims to provide vital information about the growing field of bionanotechnology for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as working professionals in various fields. The fundamentals of nanotechnology are covered along with several specific bionanotechnology applications, including nanobioimaging and drug delivery which is a growing 100 billions industry. The uniqueness of the field has been brought out with unparalleled lucidity; a balance between important insight into the synthetic methods of preparing stable nano-structures and medical applications driven focus educates an

What the user wants: Drexel engineering perspectives

Presented at "What’s Next? - Embracing Change" PALINET Workshop, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA, April 10th & 11th, 2007. Retrieved June 19, 2007 from http://www.biomed.drexel.edu/new04/Content/academics/student_alumni_center/User_Needs.pdf

Optical diagnosis and treatment optimization in chronic diabetic wound

Progress report presented at Biomedical Technology Showcase 2006, Philadelphia, PA. Retrieved 18 Aug 2006 from http://www.biomed.drexel.edu/new04/Content/Biomed_Tech_Showcase/ProgrReport_Presentations/Papazoglou_NIR_Wounds.pdf

An introduction to Bionanotechnology: an interdisciplinary educational program

Poster presented at Biomedical Technology Showcase 2006, Philadelphia, PA. Retrieved 18 Aug 2006 from http://www.biomed.drexel.edu/new04/Content/Biomed_Tech_Showcase/Poster_Presentations/Barbee_3.pdf.Nanotechnology is evolving into a powerful tool and education at the college level is necessary to transform the opportunities into useful biomedical applications. Also appropriate policy decisions regarding safety and use of Bionanotechnology can occur only when thorough research results are disseminated to the public. Drexel Biomed is leading in creating novel lecture, book and lab materials for Bionanotechnology. Thus evolved the program Bionanotechnology, providing scientific knowledge to students via courses and reaching the research scholars through an introductory book

A new methodology for natech (Natural-technological) risk assessment

Natural-technological accidents, or NATECHs, reveal a particular exposure and vulnerability of industrial facilities to extreme, intense or localised natural hazards. This has been confirmed, in a recent past, by events such as the 1999 Izmit earthquake, the 2002 floods in Southeast France, and the 2004 hurricane Katrina in the U.S. In a way, NATECHs can be considered as an invitation to revisit fields of expertise usually featured in accidental risk analysis. Likewise, efforts devoted to risk reduction and emergency response should also benefit from a NATECH-specific look at industrial facilities. Despite a growing body of regulation for industry operation in hazard-prone areas, mitigation efforts still often address NATECH risks with stand-alone actions and mono-disciplinary approach. This paper advocates for a more integrated approach that features several disciplines. These include: engineering science (for risk analysis; structural resistance etc.); organisation sciences and sociology; geosciences and geography; and risk communication. It will present the progress made in ERRA-NATECH on the development of a new risk Analysis Method. This risk analysis method is supposed to answer the following emerging risk issue: how to cope Industry development in areas exposed to natural hazards or disasters: higher hazard potential, higher frequency of accidents

The Ca-V 2.3 R-Type Voltage-Gated Ca2+ Channel in Mouse Sleep Architecture

Study Objectives: Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) are key elements in mediating thalamocortical rhythmicity. Low-voltage activated (LVA) Ca(V)3 T-type Ca2+ channels have been related to thalamic rebound burst firing and to generation of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. High-voltage activated (HVA) Ca(V)1 L-type Ca2+ channels, on the opposite, favor the tonic mode of action associated with higher levels of vigilance. However, the role of the HVA Non-L-type Ca(V)2.3 Ca2+ channels, which are predominantly expressed in the reticular thalamic nucleus (RTN), still remains unclear. Recently, Ca(V)2.3(-/-) mice were reported to exhibit altered spike-wave discharge (SWD)/absence seizure susceptibility supported by the observation that Ca(V)2.3 mediated Ca2+ influx into RTN neurons can trigger small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+-channel type 2 (SK2) currents capable of maintaining thalamic burst activity. Based on these studies we investigated the role of Ca(V)2.3 R-type Ca2+ channels in rodent sleep. Methods: The role of Ca(V)2.3 Ca2+ channels was analyzed in Ca(V)2.3(-/-) mice and controls in both spontaneous and artificial urethane-induced sleep, using implantable video-EEG radiotelemetry. Data were analyzed for alterations in sleep architecture using sleep staging software and time-frequency analysis. Results: Ca(V)2.3 deficient mice exhibited reduced wake duration and increased slow-wave sleep (SWS). Whereas mean sleep stage durations remained unchanged, the total number of SWS epochs was increased in Ca(V)2.3(-/-) mice. Additional changes were observed for sleep stage transitions and EEG amplitudes. Furthermore, urethane-induced SWS mimicked spontaneous sleep results obtained from Ca(V)2.3 deficient mice. Quantitative Real-time PCR did not reveal changes in thalamic Ca(V)3 T-type Ca2+ channel expression. The detailed mechanisms of SWS increase in Ca(V)2.3(-/-) mice remain to be determined. Conclusions: Low-voltage activated Ca(V)2.3 R-type Ca2+ channels in the thalamocortical loop and extra-thalamocortical circuitries substantially regulate rodent sleep architecture thus representing a novel potential target for pharmacological treatment of sleep disorders in the future