Bio-based electrospun fibers for wound healing

Being designated to protect other tissues, skin is the first and largest human body organ to be injured and for this reason, it is accredited with a high capacity for self-repairing. However, in the case of profound lesions or large surface loss, the natural wound healing process may be ineffective or insufficient, leading to detrimental and painful conditions that require repair adjuvants and tissue substitutes. In addition to the conventional wound care options, biodegradable polymers, both synthetic and biologic origin, are gaining increased importance for their high biocompatibility, biodegradation, and bioactive properties, such as antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, cell proliferative, and angiogenic. To create a microenvironment suitable for the healing process, a key property is the ability of a polymer to be spun into submicrometric fibers (e.g., via electrospinning), since they mimic the fibrous extracellular matrix and can support neo- tissue growth. A number of biodegradable polymers used in the biomedical sector comply with the definition of bio-based polymers (known also as biopolymers), which are recently being used in other industrial sectors for reducing the material and energy impact on the environment, as they are derived from renewable biological resources. In this review, after a description of the fundamental concepts of wound healing, with emphasis on advanced wound dressings, the recent developments of bio-based natural and synthetic electrospun structures for efficient wound healing applications are highlighted and discussed. This review aims to improve awareness on the use of bio-based polymers in medical devices

Aportes de la huerta escolar agroecológica al aprendizaje de niñas y niños en escuelas de Montevideo, a través del Programa Huertas en Centros Educativos

Huertas escolares agroecológicas son herramientas que apuntan a generar múltiples aprendizajes. El Programa Huertas en Centros Educativos es una experiencia que desarrollan la Intendencia de Montevideo, la Administración Nacional de Enseñanza Pública y la Universidad de la República, desde el año 2005. Desarrolla huertas en 53 escuelas primarias. Trabajan en él, 32 orientadores de huerta, con 15.000 niños y 500 maestros, vinculando la huerta a las actividades curriculares. El objetivo general es promover un cambio cultural hacia una nueva forma de dignificar a la persona, en relación con la naturaleza. Busca facilitar aprendizajes curiculares, desarrollar hábitos de trabajo y de alimentación saludable, prácticas agroecológicas y que las mismas lleguen a los hogares. El presente trabajo sistematiza información publicada por el PHCE, tomando como eje los aprendizajes que facilita esta herramienta educativa. Se concluye que la huerta escolar agroecológica es una excelente herramienta pedagógica, facilitando el aprendizaje de contenidos curriculares, el desarrollo de valores y actitudes para la integración social y la educación alimentaria.Agroecological school gardens are tools aimed at generating multiple learning. The school gardening program (PHCE) is an experience that has been developing by Montevideo's local government, the National Administration of Public Education and the University of the Republic, since 2005. It develops orchards in 53 elementary schools. 32 orchard counselors work with 15.000 children and 500 teachers, linking the garden to their curricular activities. The overall objective is to promote a cultural change towards a new form of dignity to the person in connection with nature. The program seeks to facilitate learning, develop work and healthy eating habits, ecological practices and that they reach homes. This paper organizes information published by the PHCE, focusing on the teaching that this educational tool can leave. It is concluded that the agroecological school garden is an excellent educational tool, providing curricular content and development of values and attitudes toward social integration and food and nutrition education.Eje A5: Sistemas de conocimientoFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Aportes de la huerta escolar agroecológica al aprendizaje de niñas y niños en escuelas de Montevideo, a través del Programa Huertas en Centros Educativos

Huertas escolares agroecológicas son herramientas que apuntan a generar múltiples aprendizajes. El Programa Huertas en Centros Educativos es una experiencia que desarrollan la Intendencia de Montevideo, la Administración Nacional de Enseñanza Pública y la Universidad de la República, desde el año 2005. Desarrolla huertas en 53 escuelas primarias. Trabajan en él, 32 orientadores de huerta, con 15.000 niños y 500 maestros, vinculando la huerta a las actividades curriculares. El objetivo general es promover un cambio cultural hacia una nueva forma de dignificar a la persona, en relación con la naturaleza. Busca facilitar aprendizajes curiculares, desarrollar hábitos de trabajo y de alimentación saludable, prácticas agroecológicas y que las mismas lleguen a los hogares. El presente trabajo sistematiza información publicada por el PHCE, tomando como eje los aprendizajes que facilita esta herramienta educativa. Se concluye que la huerta escolar agroecológica es una excelente herramienta pedagógica, facilitando el aprendizaje de contenidos curriculares, el desarrollo de valores y actitudes para la integración social y la educación alimentaria.Agroecological school gardens are tools aimed at generating multiple learning. The school gardening program (PHCE) is an experience that has been developing by Montevideo's local government, the National Administration of Public Education and the University of the Republic, since 2005. It develops orchards in 53 elementary schools. 32 orchard counselors work with 15.000 children and 500 teachers, linking the garden to their curricular activities. The overall objective is to promote a cultural change towards a new form of dignity to the person in connection with nature. The program seeks to facilitate learning, develop work and healthy eating habits, ecological practices and that they reach homes. This paper organizes information published by the PHCE, focusing on the teaching that this educational tool can leave. It is concluded that the agroecological school garden is an excellent educational tool, providing curricular content and development of values and attitudes toward social integration and food and nutrition education.Eje A5: Sistemas de conocimientoFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Clinical relevance of DNA ploidy and proliferative activity in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma: a retrospective analysis of patients enrolled onto the Italian Cooperative Rhabdomyosarcoma Study RMS88.

Abstract: Purpose: Evaluation of the possible clinical relevance of DNA ploidy and proliferative activity assessed as S-phase fraction (SPF) in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on 59 RMS patients enrolled onto the ICS-RMS88 protocol (seven botryoid, 35 embryonal, and 17 alveolar RMS), for which formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue was available. Nuclear suspensions for cytometric investigation were obtained using a mechanical disaggregation, Tumors were distinguished according to their DNA index (DI) value as follows: diploid (0.9 < DI < 1.1), hyperdiploid (1.1 less than or equal to DI < 1.8 or DI greater than or equal to 2.2), and tetraploid (1.8 less than or equal to DI < 2.2); for analysis of SPF, a cutoff value of 14% was used. Results: DNA histograms were diploid in 19 (33%) cases, hyperdiploid in 29 (49%), and tetraploid in 10 (32%). One patient showed both a hyperdiploid and a tetraploid peek. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate by ploidy status was 73% in hyperdiploid patients as compared with 33% and 25% in diploid and tetraploid patients, respectively (P = .0012), A striking difference emerged when the 5-year OS for the combined diploid and tetraploid RMS groups was compared with survival of the hyperdiploid RMS group: 30% versus 73%, respectively (P = .0006). In addition, the SPF was prognostically relevant: 5-year OS by SPF less than or greater than 14% was 70% and 36%, respectively (P = .009). Multivariate analysis confirmed the importance of DNA content (P = .0006) and SPF (P = .034) in predicting survival. Conclusion: These findings confirm that ploidy and SPF are important new prognostic factors that are able to identify selected groups of patients at high risk of treatment failure, even if the tumor's presentation is favorable according to standard criteria. (C) 1997 by American Society of Clinical Oncology

Electrosprayed shrimp and mushroom nanochitins on cellulose tissue for skin contact application

Cosmetics has recently focused on biobased skin-compatible materials. Materials from natural sources can be used to produce more sustainable skin contact products with enhanced bioactivity. Surface functionalization using natural-based nano/microparticles is thus a subject of study, aimed at better understanding the skin compatibility of many biopolymers also deriving from biowaste. This research investigated electrospray as a method for surface modification of cellulose tissues with chitin nanofibrils (CNs) using two different sources—namely, vegetable (i.e., from fungi), and animal (from crustaceans)—and different solvent systems to obtain a biobased and skin-compatible product. The surface of cellulose tissues was uniformly decorated with electrosprayed CNs. Biological analysis revealed that all treated samples were suitable for skin applications since human dermal keratinocytes (i.e., HaCaT cells) successfully adhered to the processed tissues and were viable after being in contact with released substances in culture media. These results indicate that the use of solvents did not affect the final cytocompatibility due to their effective evaporation during the electrospray process. Such treatments did not also affect the characteristics of cellulose; in addition, they showed promising anti-inflammatory and indirect antimicrobial activity toward dermal keratinocytes in vitro. Specifically, cellulosic substrates decorated with nanochitins from shrimp showed strong immunomodulatory activity by first upregulating then downregulating the pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas nanochitins from mushrooms displayed an overall anti-inflammatory activity via a slight decrement of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and increment of the anti-inflammatory marker. Electrospray could represent a green method for surface modification of sustainable and biofunctional skincare products

C-KIT IS EXPRESSED IN SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA OF NEUROECTODERMIC ORIGIN AND ITS LIGAND PREVENTS APOPTOSIS OF NEOPLASTIC CELLS

During development, mice with mutations of stem cell factor (SCF) or its receptor c-kit exhibit defects in melanogenesis, as well as hematopoiesis and gonadogenesis. Consequently, accumulating evidence suggests that the c-kit/SCF system plays a crucial role in all of these processes and in tumors which derive from them. Especially in neuroblastoma (infant tumors of neuroectoderm crest derivation such as melano-cytes) it would appear that an autocrine loop exists between c-kit and SCF, and that the functional block of the c-kit receptors with monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) results in a significant decrease in cellular proliferation. We studied the expression and role of c-kit and SCF in cell lines of soft tissue sarcoma of neuroectodermic origin, such as Ewing’s sar-coma (ES) and peripheral neuro-ectodermal tumors (PNET). Using flow cytometry with MoAb CD117 PE, c-kit expressio

Parkinson's disease in Gaucher disease patients: What's changing in the counseling and management of patients and their relatives?

Background: How to address the counseling of lifetime risk of developing Parkinson's disease in patients with Gaucher disease and their family members carrying a single variant of the GBA1 gene is not yet clearly defined. In addition, there is no set way of managing Gaucher disease patients, taking into account the possibility that they may show features of Parkinson's disease. Methods: Starting from an overview on what has recently changed in our knowledge on this issue and grouping the experiences of healthcare providers of Gaucher disease patients, we outline a path of counseling and management of Parkinson's disease risk in Gaucher disease patients and their relatives. Conclusion: The approach proposed here will help healthcare providers to communicate Parkinson's disease risk to their patients and will reduce the possibility of patients receiving inaccurate information from inadequate sources. Furthermore, this resource will help to empower healthcare providers to identify early signs and/or symptoms of Parkinson's disease and decide when to refer these patients to the neurologist for appropriate specific therapy and follow-up