Encapsulation of gold nanostructures and oil-in-water nanocarriers in microgels with biomedical potential

Indexación: Scopus.Funding: This research was funded by FONDECYT 1161450, 1150744, 11130494 and 1170929, FONDEQUIP EQM160157, EQM170111, CONICYT-FONDAP 15130011, and CONICYT PhD Scholarship 21141137.Here we report the incorporation of gold nanostructures (nanospheres or nanorods, functionalized with carboxylate-end PEG) and curcumin oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions (CurNem) into alginate microgels using the dripping technique. While gold nanostructures are promising nanomaterials for photothermal therapy applications, CurNem possess important pharmacological activities as reported here. In this sense, we evaluated the effect of CurNem on cell viability of both cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines (AGS and HEK293T, respectively), demonstrating preferential toxicity in cancer cells and safety for the non-cancerous cells. After incorporating gold nanostructures and CurNem together into the microgels, microstructures with diameters of 220 and 540 µm were obtained. When stimulating microgels with a laser, the plasmon effect promoted a significant rise in the temperature of the medium; the temperature increase was higher for those containing gold nanorods (11–12 ◦ C) than nanospheres (1–2 ◦ C). Interestingly, the incorporation of both nanosystems in the microgels maintains the photothermal properties of the gold nanostructures unmodified and retains with high efficiency the curcumin nanocarriers. We conclude that these results will be of interest to design hydrogel formulations with therapeutic applications. © 2018 by the authors.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/5/120

Variations of the Vocal Fold Epithelium in a Menopause Induced Model

During menopause, changes occur in the laryngeal structures that have implications for the voice. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of induced menopause on the morphological parameters of the vocal fold mucosa in rats. Ten adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were used as samples and divided into two groups: 5 were surgically oophorectomized (OVX), and 5 underwent a surgical procedure similar to oophorectomy but without removal of the ovaries (SHAM). After 30 days surgery, the characteristics of the epithelium that forms the vocal fold mucosa in terms of cellular arrangement and organization of the epithelium were observed. Through the Morphometrics XS software, the epithelial height and the number and density of cellular layers were determined. Our results indicate that there were alterations in the number of cell layers that constitute the epithelium, as well as features, such as cellular cohesion and increased extracellular matrix. The number of cell layers was significantly higher (p<0.01) in the SHAM group with 6.66 (SD 1.07), whereas in the OVX was 3.2 (SD 0.83). The average thickness of the epithelium was 534.71 mm (SD 119.89), whereas in the SHAM group was 486.84 mm (SD 82.95); these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.112). Changes in the characteristics of the epithelium covering the vocal folds can be related to clinical abnormalities, such as reduced voice quality and degeneration of the vocal folds in postmenopausal women

Changes in symptoms of asthma and rhinitis by sensitization status over ten years in a cohort of young Chilean adults

BACKGROUND: We investigated the net changes in prevalence of symptoms of asthma and rhinitis over 10 years in a cohort of young by baseline sensitization status. METHODS: One thousand one hundred ninety three Chilean adults subjects aged 22-28 living in a semi-rural area of central Chile answered a lifestyle and the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaires. Bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) and skin prick test (SPT) to eight allergens were measured at baseline in 2001. Ten years later, 772 participants completed the questionnaires again. Estimates of adjusted net changes in prevalence of symptoms by sensitization status at baseline and association between sensitization status at baseline and respiratory symptoms ten years later were assessed. RESULTS: A quarter of the participants were sensitized to at least one allergen in 2001. Prevalence of wheeze had a net change per year of -0.37 % (95 % Confidence Interval -0.71 to 0.02 %; p = 0.067). Self-reported nasal allergies in the last 12 months increased by 0.83 % per year (95 % CI 0.49 to 1.17 %; p < 0.001). Those sensitized to either cat fur (OR 1.76; CI 1.01 to 3.05), cockroach, (OR 2.09; 1.13 to 3.86) blend of grass and pollens (1.78; 95 % CI 1.08 to 2.92), or weeds (OR 1.77; 95 % CI 1.01 to 3.12) in 2001 were more likely to have wheeze in the last 12 months 10 years later. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of asthma remained stable or slightly changed over 10 years in adults, whilst rhinitis and nasal allergies greatly increased. Being sensitized to at least one allergen is a risk factor for persistent symptoms of asthma and rhinitis, but not for determining net changes of symptoms over time. The underlying causes for the contrasting trends between asthma and nasal allergy are unknow

The Mazarrón basin, SE Spain: a study of mineralization processes, evolving magmatic series, and geothermal activity

The Miocene to Present Mazarrón basin provides a window on the metallogenic role of an evolving magmatic series. High-K calc–alkaline magmas gave rise to an important cluster of Pb–Zn–Ag–Cu vein and stockwork deposits emplaced in dacitic to rhyodacitic domes, part of a complex volcanic–metallogenic province (Au, Hg, Pb–Zn–Cu–Ag, Sn) stretching for ∼150 km along the Mediterranean coast of SE Spain. By Pliocene time the former magmatic series had been replaced by intraplate alkaline basaltic volcanism, thus becoming the southern branch of the Western/Central Europe alkaline province. In terms of base metal sulphide deposits, this European province is barren, although it triggered widespread, CO2-rich geothermal activity. Modern geothermal activity at El Saladillo (Mazarrón) resulted in the deposition of carbonate sinter deposits and formation of microbial mats. Proximal facies consist of millimetric to centimetric multicoloured layers of microbial mats, including yellow-orange thin bands of calcified bacteria and mineral growths of aragonite and calcite; green layers of live thermophilic Lyngbya-type cyanobacteria; black, degraded organic matter; and pyrite as the sole sulphide phase. Except for arsenic (37–63 μg g−1), all of the studied trace elements (Ag, Ba, Bi, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Se, and Sn) appear in remarkably low concentrations in the geothermal sinters. This is consistent with compositional data for the El Saladillo waters, with no significant metal concentrations. We present the first conceptual model (Miocene to Present) for the ore-forming processes, magmatism, CO2 degasification, and geothermal activity for this realm. We argue that the time- and space-limited character of this volcanism (small, scattered outcrops), the deep magma emplacement level, the metal sulphide behaviour in alkaline basaltic magmatic chambers, and the dry character of these magmas prevented any metallogenic interaction between the chambers and the much shallower meteoric waters that drove the El Saladillo geothermal system and others of the same kind in Spain and elsewhere in Europe

Burdigalian deposits of the Santa Cruz formation in the Sierra Baguales, austral (magallanes) basin: Age, depositional environment and vertebrate fossils

A succession of marine and continental strata on the southern flank of Cerro Cono in the Sierra Baguales, northeast of Torres del Paine, can be correlated with stratigraphic units exposed along the southern border of the Lago Argentino region in Santa Cr

Spin-pumping into surface states of topological insulator {\alpha}-Sn, spin to charge conversion at room temperature

We present experimental results on the conversion of a spin current into a charge current by spin pumping into the Dirac cone with helical spin polarization of the elemental topological insulator (TI) {\alpha}-Sn[1-3]. By angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) we first confirm that the Dirac cone at the surface of {\alpha}-Sn (0 0 1) layers subsists after covering with Ag. Then we show that resonant spin pumping at room temperature from Fe through Ag into {\alpha}-Sn layers induces a lateral charge current that can be ascribed to the Inverse Edelstein Effect[4-5]. Our observation of an Inverse Edelstein Effect length[5-6] much longer than for Rashba interfaces[5-10] demonstrates the potential of the TI for conversion between spin and charge in spintronic devices. By comparing our results with data on the relaxation time of TI free surface states from time-resolved ARPES, we can anticipate the ultimate potential of TI for spin to charge conversion and the conditions to reach it.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

A comparative evaluation of dried activated sludge and mixed dried activated sludge with rice husk silica to remove hydrogen sulfide.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of dried activated sludge (DAS) and mixed dried activated sludge with rice husk silica (DAS & RHS) for removal of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Two laboratory-scale filter columns (packed one litter) were operated. Both systems were operated under different conditions of two parameters, namely different inlet gas concentrations and different inlet flow rates. The DAS & RHS packed filter showed more than 99.96% removal efficiency (RE) with empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 45 to 90 s and 300 mg/L inlet concentration of H2S. However, the RE decreased to 96.87% with the EBRT of 30 s. In the same condition, the DAS packed filter showed 99.37% RE. Nonetheless, the RE was shown to have dropped to 82.09% with the EBRT of 30 s. The maximum elimination capacity (EC) was obtained in the DAS & RHS packed filter up to 52.32 g/m3h, with the RE of 96.87% and H2S mass loading rate of 54 g/m3h. The maximum EC in the DAS packed filter was obtained up to 44.33 g/m3h with the RE of 82.09% and the H2S mass loading rate of 54 g/m3h. After 53 days of operating time and 54 g/m3h of loading rates, the maximum pressure drop reached to 3.0 and 8.0 (mm H2O) for the DAS & RHS packed and DAS packed filters, respectively. Based on the findings of this study, the DAS & RHS could be considered as a more suitable packing material to remove H2S