Tissue engineering a fetal membrane

The aim of this study was to construct an artificial fetal membrane (FM) by combination of human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) and a mechanically enhanced collagen scaffold containing encapsulated human amniotic stromal fibroblasts (hASFs). Such a tissue-engineered FM may have the potential to plug structural defects in the amniotic sac after antenatal interventions, or to prevent preterm premature rupture of the FM. The hAESCs and hASFs were isolated from human fetal amniotic membrane (AM). Magnetic cell sorting was used to enrich the hAESCs by positive ATP-binding cassette G2 selection. We investigated the use of a laminin/fibronectin (1:1)-coated compressed collagen gel as a novel scaffold to support the growth of hAESCs. A type I collagen gel was dehydrated to form a material mimicking the mechanical properties and ultra-structure of human AM. hAESCs successfully adhered to and formed a monolayer upon the biomimetic collagen scaffold. The resulting artificial membrane shared a high degree of similarity in cell morphology, protein expression profiles, and structure to normal fetal AM. This study provides the first line of evidence that a compacted collagen gel containing hASFs could adequately support hAESCs adhesion and differentiation to a degree that is comparable to the normal human fetal AM in terms of structure and maintenance of cell phenotype

SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses and clinical outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with immune-suppressive disease

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immune responses and infection outcomes were evaluated in 2,686 patients with varying immune-suppressive disease states after administration of two Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. Overall, 255 of 2,204 (12%) patients failed to develop anti-spike antibodies, with an additional 600 of 2,204 (27%) patients generating low levels (<380 AU ml−1). Vaccine failure rates were highest in ANCA-associated vasculitis on rituximab (21/29, 72%), hemodialysis on immunosuppressive therapy (6/30, 20%) and solid organ transplant recipients (20/81, 25% and 141/458, 31%). SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses were detected in 513 of 580 (88%) patients, with lower T cell magnitude or proportion in hemodialysis, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and liver transplant recipients (versus healthy controls). Humoral responses against Omicron (BA.1) were reduced, although cross-reactive T cell responses were sustained in all participants for whom these data were available. BNT162b2 was associated with higher antibody but lower cellular responses compared to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination. We report 474 SARS-CoV-2 infection episodes, including 48 individuals with hospitalization or death from COVID-19. Decreased magnitude of both the serological and the T cell response was associated with severe COVID-19. Overall, we identified clinical phenotypes that may benefit from targeted COVID-19 therapeutic strategies

The Cholecystectomy As A Day Case (CAAD) Score: A Validated Score of Preoperative Predictors of Successful Day-Case Cholecystectomy Using the CholeS Data Set

Background Day-case surgery is associated with significant patient and cost benefits. However, only 43% of cholecystectomy patients are discharged home the same day. One hypothesis is day-case cholecystectomy rates, defined as patients discharged the same day as their operation, may be improved by better assessment of patients using standard preoperative variables. Methods Data were extracted from a prospectively collected data set of cholecystectomy patients from 166 UK and Irish hospitals (CholeS). Cholecystectomies performed as elective procedures were divided into main (75%) and validation (25%) data sets. Preoperative predictors were identified, and a risk score of failed day case was devised using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to validate the score in the validation data set. Results Of the 7426 elective cholecystectomies performed, 49% of these were discharged home the same day. Same-day discharge following cholecystectomy was less likely with older patients (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), higher ASA scores (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), complicated cholelithiasis (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.48), male gender (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.74), previous acute gallstone-related admissions (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.48–0.60) and preoperative endoscopic intervention (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.34–0.47). The CAAD score was developed using these variables. When applied to the validation subgroup, a CAAD score of ≤5 was associated with 80.8% successful day-case cholecystectomy compared with 19.2% associated with a CAAD score >5 (p < 0.001). Conclusions The CAAD score which utilises data readily available from clinic letters and electronic sources can predict same-day discharges following cholecystectomy

Arroz e trigo: tolerância à salinidade em solução nutritiva Tolerance of rice and wheat cultivars to salinity

O estresse hídrico é uma das principais causas da baixa produtividade de grãos nas culturas de arroz e trigo-de-sequeiro no Brasil. Um programa de melhoramento genético usando um método para selecionar plantas tolerantes ao estresse hídrico diminuiria bastante esses efeitos negativos: por isso, tentou-se verificar os comportamentos de cultivares de arroz (sequeiro e irrigado) e trigo sob estresse salino considerando que estes se correlacionassem. Realizaram-se dois experimentos no laboratório da Seção de Arroz e Cereais de Inverno do Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, empregando soluções nutritivas. Os cultivares estudados foram os seguintes: arroz-de-sequeiro: IAC-25, IAC-47, IAC-164, IAC-165, IAC-1246, Batatais, Pérola, Pratão Precoce e Dourado Precoce; de arroz irrigado: IAC-120, IAC-435, IAC-899, IR-841, IAC-1278 e IAC-4440; de trigo: IAC-5, IAS-55, Siete Cerros e Paraguay-281. Tanto o arejamento das soluções como a iluminação das plântulas foram contínuos. Usaram-se as concentrações de cloreto de sódio: 0,0; 0,1; 0,2; 0,3; 0,4; e 0,8 molal (p/m) ou potenciais osmóticos de 0,00; -0,47; -0,93; -1,39; -1,85 e -3,75 MPa. As plântulas de arroz cresceram doze dias em solução-tratamento contendo diferentes concentrações de cloreto de sódio em pH 6,0 e com temperatura de raízes 30 &plusmn; 1&deg;C. As plântulas de trigo cresceram em dez dias em solução-tratamento em pH 6,0 e temperatura de raízes 25 &plusmn; 1&deg;C. Mediu-se o comprimento da maior raiz seminal, comprimento da parte aérea (bainha da terceira folha madura) e pesou-se a matéria seca das partes aéreas e raízes, das plantas dos diferentes cultivares estudados. A avaliação da diminuição do diâmetro das raízes e da cor verde foi visual, tanto para o arroz como para o trigo. Os resultados mostraram que o parâmetro da raiz seminal variou mais do que os outros, sendo, portanto, melhor para avaliar a tolerância à salinidade, visando ao melhoramento genético. Assim, com base nas variações das porcentagens diárias médias do comprimento das raízes seminais ao cloreto de sódio, os cultivares de arroz foram classificados em tolerantes: IAC-165, Pratão Precoce, Dourado Precoce, IAC-1 64 e IAC-1 20; moderadamente tolerantes: IAC-1246, Pérola, IAC-25, Batatais e IAC-47; moderadamente sensíveis: IAC-899, IAC-435, IAC-4440 e IR-841, e sensível: IAC-1278. Para o trigo foram considerados como os mais tolerantes os cultivares IAS-55 e Siete Cerros.<br>The water stress and the salinity in the soil are the most important causes of low grain yield of rice and wheat in Brazil, when cultivated on upland conditions. Selection for new cultivars showing tolerance to salt effects seems to be one of the methods to solve this problem. The osmotic agent usually used to this purpose is sodium chloride. One experiment was conducted in laboratory conditions using nutrient solutions. The rice genotypes utilized were: upland cultivars IAC-25, IAC-47, IAC-164, IAC-165, IAC-1246, Batatais, Dourado Precoce, Pérola and Pratão Precoce; and irrigated cultivars IAC-120, IAC-435, IAC-899, IAC-1278, IAC-4440 and IR-841. The wheat genotypes utilizated were: upland cultivars IAC-5, IAS-55, Siete Cerros and Paraguay-281. Nutrient solutions aeration and light for the seedlings were provided continuously. Six levels of sodium chloride (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.8 molal) or osmotic potentials of 0.00, -0.47, -0.93, -1.39, -1.85 and -3.75 MPa were applied int the nutrient solutions. The plastic pots containing the treatment solutions were placed in waterbath with temperature of 30 &plusmn; 1&deg;C, for rice, and 25 &plusmn; 1&deg;C, for wheat. The rice and wheat seedlings were cultivated during 48 hours in distilled water and after this period -they were changed to pots, containing nutrient solutions with different sodium chloride concentrations and pH = 6.0. The rice plants were cultivated during twelve days and the wheat plants, ten days. The longest seminal root lengths, the aereal part heights and dry weights of plants were determined. Visual evaluations of root diameter and leaf color were done for all plants in the different treatments. The length of the longest seminal root was the best parameter in relation to the others to evaluate the tolerance to salinity for a breeding program. According to the variations in percentage of the longest seminal root length, as the sodium chloride concentration increased in the solutions, the rice cultivars IAC-165, Pratão Precoce, Dourado Precoce, IAC-164 and IAC-120 were considered tolerant; IAC-1246, Pérola, IAC-25, Batatais and IAC-47, moderately tolerant; IAC-899, IAC-435, IAC-4440 and IR-841, moderately sensitive and the cultivar IAC-1278, sensitive. The wheat cultivars IAS-55 and Siete Cerros were considered more tolerant than the cultivars IAC-5 and Paraguay-281 up to the concentration of 0.2 molal of sodium chloride. The developed technique was useful to select plants more tolerant to sodium chloride

Antimony contamination and its risk management in complex environmental settings:A review

Antimony (Sb) is introduced into soils, sediments, and aquatic environments from various sources such as weathering of sulfide ores, leaching of mining wastes, and anthropogenic activities. High Sb concentrations are toxic to ecosystems and potentially to public health via the accumulation in food chain. Although Sb is poisonous and carcinogenic to humans, the exact mechanisms causing toxicity still remain unclear. Most studies concerning the remediation of soils and aquatic environments contaminated with Sb have evaluated various amendments that reduce Sb bioavailability and toxicity. However, there is no comprehensive review on the biogeochemistry and transformation of Sb related to its remediation. Therefore, the present review summarizes: (1) the sources of Sb and its geochemical distribution and speciation in soils and aquatic environments, (2) the biogeochemical processes that govern Sb mobilization, bioavailability, toxicity in soils and aquatic environments, and possible threats to human and ecosystem health, and (3) the approaches used to remediate Sb-contaminated soils and water and mitigate potential environmental and health risks. Knowledge gaps and future research needs also are discussed. The review presents up-to-date knowledge about the fate of Sb in soils and aquatic environments and contributes to an important insight into the environmental hazards of Sb. The findings from the review should help to develop innovative and appropriate technologies for controlling Sb bioavailability and toxicity and sustainably managing Sb-polluted soils and water, subsequently minimizing its environmental and human health risks