Cardiac tissue engineering for myocardial infarction treatment

Myocardial infarction is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current treatments can relieve the symptoms of myocardial ischemia but cannot repair the necrotic myocardial tissue. Novel therapeutic strategies based on cellular therapy, extracellular vesicles, non-coding RNAs and growth factors have been designed to restore cardiac function while inducing cardiomyocyte cycle re-entry, ensuring angiogenesis and cardioprotection, and preventing ventricular remodeling. However, they face low stability, cell engraftment issues or enzymatic degradation in vivo, and it is thus essential to combine them with biomaterial-based delivery systems. Microcarriers, nanocarriers, cardiac patches and injectable hydrogels have yielded promising results in preclinical studies, some of which are currently being tested in clinical trials. In this review, we cover the recent advances made in cellular and acellular therapies used for cardiac repair after MI. We present current trends in cardiac tissue engineering related to the use of microcarriers, nanocarriers, cardiac patches and injectable hydrogels as biomaterial-based delivery systems for biologics. Finally, we discuss some of the most crucial aspects that should be addressed in order to advance towards the clinical translation of cardiac tissue engineering approaches

An analysis of the similarities in the ATR-FTIR spectra from Argania spinosa, Rosa rubiginosa and Elaeis guineensis oils

The attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectra of the essential oil from Rosa rubiginosa L. seeds and the vegetable oils from Argania spinosa L. kernel and Elaeis guineensis Jacq. pulp show important similitudes that hamper their identification by vibrational spectroscopy techniques if they are not complemented with well-established methods such as gas chromatography. Nevertheless, the observed similarities in structure-composition-traditional uses between Argania spinosa and Rosa rubiginosa oils suggest that they could be interchangeable when skin physicians, dermatologic-surgeons or cosmetologists perceive in their practice that one of the oils produces an allergic reaction or other side effects, although further activity studies are needed

Vibrational analysis and thermal behavior of Salvia hispanica, Nigella sativa and Papaver somniferum seeds

Producción CientíficaIntroduction: Salvia hispanica L., Nigella sativa L. and Papaver somniferum L. are involved in opiate-dependent behavior. It is known that the seeds of these three herbs contain high amounts of antioxidants, which are helpful in disease prevention, but further research is needed on some of their other phytochemical components (terpene alkaloids, benzoquinones and others), which are claimed to affect human opioid receptors. Methods: Seeds from the three afore mentioned plants have been studied by ATR-FTIR vibrational spectroscopy and thermo analytical techniques (TG/DTG, DTA and DSC). Results: The infrared spectrum has confirmed the presence of the ester carbonyl of terpenoid alkaloids (such as nigellamine) and the fully conjugated cyclic dione structure of quinones (e.g., thymoquinone). As regards the thermal stability of these seeds, small differences have been observed in their thermal profiles (endothermic effects at around 333ºC for chia, 268ºC for black cumin and 319ºC for poppy seeds), which can be ascribed to their different content in carbohydrates. Conclusions: The functional groups of the main active constituents and the thermal behavior of these three seeds have been elucidated

Crude and refined oils from Elaeis guineensis: Facile characterization by FTIR and thermal analysis techniques

From an industrial perspective, fast characterization of raw materials provides an important tool for preventing manufacturing problems and contributes to assure the quality of the final products. In this work, several fast, cheap, and simple methods (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and various thermoanalytical techniques) were used for screening and characterization of crude and refined palm oils and other palm-derived products. The FTIR spectra allowed for ready distinction between mesocarp-derived products and those obtained from the kernel. The same applied to high-temperature differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) thermograms and the low-temperature DSC curves, in which the peak values and the presence or absence of certain peaks also permitted to differentiate among the various oils and fractions. Correspondences of mesocarp-derived oils with olein and kernel-derived oils with stearin were confirmed by both analytical methods and from the crystallization study. The relationship between the triglyceride composition and the FTIR and thermal profiles of the various palm-derived products has potential to be utilized as a facile quality control method in mill plants and laboratories

On the probable composition of ‘Jamaican stone’ aphrodisiac

Producción CientíficaA dangerous aphrodisiac, commonly known as ‘Jamaican stone’, banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been studied by vibrational spectroscopy in order to solve the controversy on its composition. The results of the ATR-FTIR analysis revealed the presence of the a-pyrone ring, which is characteristic of bufadienolides from toad venom and bulbs of squill (Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn). This conclusion was reached after a comparative study with the spectra for phytochemicals derived from gambir and cat’s claw, two Uncaria species also preconized as aphrodisiacs and deemed as possible constituents of the ‘stone’. Owing to their physiologic similarities to digoxin, bufadienolides have been shown to produce a toxic profile similar to that of digoxin, although the lack one of the side chains found on digoxin should allow the use of hemodialysis to treat ‘Jamaican stone’ overdose

Heart regeneration after miocardial infarction using synthetic biomaterials

Myocardial infarction causes almost 7.3 million deaths each year worldwide. However, current treatments are more palliative than curative. Presently, cell and protein therapies are considered the most promising alternative treatments. Clinical trials performed until now have demonstrated that these therapies are limited by protein short half‐life and by low transplanted cell survival rate, prompting the development of novel cell and protein delivery systems able to overcome such limitations. In this review we discuss the advances made in the last 10 years in the emerging field of cardiac repair using biomaterial‐based delivery systems with focus on the progress made on preclinical in vivo studies. Then, we focus in cardiac tissue engineering approaches, and how the incorporation of both cells and proteins together into biomaterials has opened new horizons in the myocardial infarction treatment. Finally, the ongoing challenges and the perspectives for future work in cardiac tissue engineering will also be discussed

Gestão das políticas de atendimento aos alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais em municípios paulistas

O presente artigo tem como objeto a gestão das políticas de atendimento aos alunos com deficiência, transtornos globais do desenvolvimento e altas habilidades/superdotação. São apresentados alguns dos referenciais teóricos concernentes às temáticas relacionadas à gestão de políticas públicas, ao financiamento da educação e à educação especial que possibilitam uma aproximação da realidade.  discorre-se ainda sobre alguns resultados de pesquisa realizada sobre o tema e destaca-se que abordar arranjos institucionais públicos municipais da educação especial, focalizando gestão e financiamento, caracterizase como aspecto original desta investigação

Biomass-modulated fire dynamics during the last glacial-interglacial transition at the central pyrenees (Spain)

Understanding long-term fire ecology is essential for current day interpretation of ecosystem fire responses. However palaeoecology of fire is still poorly understood, especially at high-altitude mountain environments, despite the fact that these are fire-sensitive ecosystems and their resilience might be affected by changing fire regimes. We reconstruct wildfire occurrence since the Lateglacial (14.7. cal. ka BP) to the Mid-Holocene (6. cal. ka BP) and investigate the climate-fuel-fire relationships in a sedimentary sequence located at the treeline in the Central Spanish Pyrenees. Pollen, macro- and micro-charcoal were analysed for the identification of fire events (FE) in order to detect vegetation post-fire response and to define biomass-fire interactions. mean fire intervals (mfi) reduced since the Lateglacial, peaking at 9-7.7. cal. ka BP while from 7.7 to 6. cal. ka BP no fire is recorded. We hypothesise that Early Holocene maximum summer insolation, as climate forcing, and mesophyte forest expansion, as a fuel-creating factor, were responsible for accelerating fire occurrence in the Central Pyrenees treeline. We also found that fire had long-lasting negative effects on most of the treeline plant communities and that forest contraction from 7.7. cal. ka BP is likely linked to the ecosystem's threshold response to high fire frequencies.This research has been funded by the projects DINAMO (CGL2009-07992) (funding EGPF — grant ref. BES-2010-038593 and MSC), DINAMO2 (CGL2012-33063), ARAFIRE (2012 GA LC 064), GRACCIE-CONSOLIDER (CSD2007-00067). GGR was funded by the Juan de la Cierva Program (grant ref. JCI2009-04345) and JAE-Doc CSIC Program, LLM was supported by a postdoctoral MINT fellowship funded by the Institute for the Environment (Brunel University), AMC is a Ramón y Cajal fellow (ref: RYC-2008-02431), APS holds a grant funded by the Aragon Government (ref. 17030G/5423/480072/14003) and JAE holds a grant funded by the Basque Country Government (BFI-2010-5)