PREPARATION, IDENTIFICATION AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF NEW FLUORIDE NANOCOMPOUNDS

Indexación: Web of Science; Scopus.Nanoparticles (NPs) of new fluoride (SrF2 and MgF2) nanocompounds were synthesized by the simple chemical method of precipitation in ethanol. Synthesis of the strontium fluoride (SrF2)-magnesium oxide (MgO) nanocomposite was achieved through the ultrasonic method. These prepared nanopowders were characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). FT-IR confirmed the purity of the synthesized fluoride NPs by evaluation of the vibrations, and UV-Visible showed the intense absorption peaks of NPs. PXRD analysis indicated the average of particle size, and SEM demonstrated a nearly spherical morphology of the NPs. The antibacterical properties of the nanopowders on Staphylococcus Aureus, Bacillus Subtilis and E. Aklay bacteria were studied, with the strongest effect by the magnesium fluoride (MgF2) NPs and the SrF2-MgO nanocomposite.http://ref.scielo.org/yfr3f

Interventional radiology in the management of post-partum hemorrhage

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Delivery in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2: A fast review

Background: Few case reports and clinical series exist on pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 who delivered. Objective: To review the available information on mode of delivery, vertical/peripartum transmission, and neonatal outcome in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2. Search strategy: Combination of the following key words: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and pregnancy in Embase and PubMed databases. Selection criteria: Papers reporting cases of women infected with SARS-CoV-2 who delivered. Data collection and analysis: The following was extracted: author; country; number of women; study design; gestational age at delivery; selected clinical maternal data; mode of delivery; selected neonatal outcomes. Main results: In the 13 studies included, vaginal delivery was reported in 6 cases (9.4%; 95% CI, 3.5\u201319.3). Indication for cesarean delivery was worsening of maternal conditions in 31 cases (48.4%; 95% CI, 35.8\u201361.3). Two newborns testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time RT-PCR assay were reported. In three neonates, SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM levels were elevated but the RT-PCR test was negative. Conclusions: The rate of vertical or peripartum transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is low, if any, for cesarean delivery; no data are available for vaginal delivery. Low frequency of spontaneous preterm birth and general favorable immediate neonatal outcome are reassuring

Edge-Illumination X-Ray Dark-Field Tomography

Dark-field imaging is an x-ray technique used to highlight subpixel, typically micrometer-scale, density fluctuations. It is often used alongside standard attenuation-based and also phase-contrast x-ray imaging, which both see regular use in tomography. We present x-ray dark-field computed tomography (CT) with a laboratory edge-illumination setup. The dark-field contrast is shown to increase linearly with the x-ray path length through the imaged object, a prerequisite for the use of standard tomographic reconstruction approaches. A multimaterial, custom-built phantom is used to show how dark-field contrast CT can complement attenuation contrast CT for the separation of materials based on their microstructure. As an example of a more complex, biological sample, we present a model rat heart. We show, by comparison with attenuation contrast tomography, that dark-field enables the identification of additional structures undetected through the attenuation contrast channel, as well as offering a consistently sharper reconstructed image

Telocytes in minor salivary glands of primary Sjogren’s syndrome: association with the extent of inflammation and ectopic lymphoid neogenesis

It has been recently reported that telocytes, a stromal (interstitial) cell subset involved in the control of local tissue homeostasis, are hampered in the target organs of inflammatory/autoimmune disorders. Since no data concerning telocytes in minor salivary glands (MSGs) are currently available, aim of the study was to evaluate telocyte distribution in MSGs with normal architecture, non-specific chronic sialadenitis (NSCS) and primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS)-focal lymphocytic sialadenitis. Twelve patients with pSS and 16 sicca non-pSS subjects were enrolled in the study. MSGs were evaluated by haematoxylin and eosin staining and immunofluorescence for CD3/CD20 and CD21 to assess focus score, Tarpley biopsy score, T/B cell segregation and germinal center (GC)-like structures. Telocytes were identified by immunoperoxidase-based immunohistochemistry for CD34 and CD34/platelet-derived growth factor receptor α double immunofluorescence. Telocytes were numerous in the stromal compartment of normal MSGs, where their long cytoplasmic processes surrounded vessels and encircled both the excretory ducts and the secretory units. In NSCS, despite the presence of a certain degree of inflammation, telocytes were normally represented. Conversely, telocytes were markedly reduced in MSGs from pSS patients compared to normal and NSCS MSGs. Such a decrease was associated with both worsening of glandular inflammation and progression of ectopic lymphoid neogenesis, periductal telocytes being reduced in the presence of smaller inflammatory foci and completely absent in the presence of GC-like structures. Our findings suggest that a loss of MSG telocytes might have important pathophysiological implications in pSS. The specific pro-inflammatory cytokine milieu of pSS MSGs might be one of the causes of telocyte loss

Testing the performance of an innovative markerless technique for quantitative and qualitative gait analysis

Gait abnormalities such as high stride and step frequency/cadence (SF-stride/second, CAD-step/second), stride variability (SV) and low harmony may increase the risk of injuries and be a sentinel of medical conditions. This research aims to present a new markerless video-based technology for quantitative and qualitative gait analysis. 86 healthy individuals (mead age 32 years) performed a 90 s test on treadmill at self-selected walking speed. We measured SF and CAD by a photoelectric sensors system; then, we calculated average \ub1 standard deviation (SD) and within-subject coefficient of variation (CV) of SF as an index of SV. We also recorded a 60 fps video of the patient. With a custom-designed web-based video analysis software, we performed a spectral analysis of the brightness over time for each pixel of the image, that reinstituted the frequency contents of the videos. The two main frequency contents (F1 and F2) from this analysis should reflect the forcing/dominant variables, i.e., SF and CAD. Then, a harmony index (HI) was calculated, that should reflect the proportion of the pixels of the image that move consistently with F1 or its supraharmonics. The higher the HI value, the less variable the gait. The correspondence SF-F1 and CAD-F2 was evaluated with both paired t-Test and correlation and the relationship between SV and HI with correlation. SF and CAD were not significantly different from and highly correlated with F1 (0.893 \ub1 0.080 Hz vs. 0.895 \ub1 0.084 Hz, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.99) and F2 (1.787 \ub1 0.163 Hz vs. 1.791 \ub1 0.165 Hz, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.97). The SV was 1.84% \ub1 0.66% and it was significantly and moderately correlated with HI (0.082 \ub1 0.028, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.13). The innovative video-based technique of global, markerless gait analysis proposed in our study accurately identifies the main frequency contents and the variability of gait in healthy individuals, thus providing a time-efficient, low-cost means to quantitatively and qualitatively study human locomotion

Thrombolysis in stroke patients with elevated inflammatory markers

Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of white blood cell count (WBC) on functional outcome, mortality and bleeding risk in stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Methods: In this prospective multicenter study from the TRISP registry, we assessed the association between WBC on admission and 3-month poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale 3-6), mortality and occurrence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH; ECASS-II-criteria) in IVT-treated stroke patients. WBC was used as continuous and categorical variable distinguishing leukocytosis (WBC > 10 × 109/l) and leukopenia (WBC 10 mg/l) on outcomes. Results: Of 10,813 IVT-treated patients, 2527 had leukocytosis, 112 leukopenia and 8174 normal WBC. Increasing WBC (by 1 × 109/l) predicted poor outcome (ORadjusted 1.04[1.02-1.06]) but not mortality and sICH. Leukocytosis was independently associated with poor outcome (ORadjusted 1.48[1.29-1.69]) and mortality (ORadjusted 1.60[1.35-1.89]) but not with sICH (ORadjusted 1.17[0.94-1.45]). Leukopenia did not predict any outcome. In a subgroup, combined leukocytosis and elevated CRP had the strongest association with poor outcome (ORadjusted 2.26[1.76-2.91]) and mortality (ORadjusted 2.43[1.86-3.16]) when compared to combined normal WBC and CRP. Conclusion: In IVT-treated patients, leukocytosis independently predicted poor functional outcome and death. Bleeding complications after IVT were not independently associated with leukocytosis. Keywords: CRP; Inflammation; Stroke; Thrombolysis; White blood cell count

The RNA Helicase DDX6 Controls Cellular Plasticity by Modulating P-Body Homeostasis

Post-transcriptional mechanisms have the potential to influence complex changes in gene expression, yet their role in cell fate transitions remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that suppression of the RNA helicase DDX6 endows human and mouse primed embryonic stem cells (ESCs) with a differentiation-resistant, “hyper-pluripotent” state, which readily reprograms to a naive state resembling the preimplantation embryo. We further demonstrate that DDX6 plays a key role in adult progenitors where it controls the balance between self-renewal and differentiation in a context-dependent manner. Mechanistically, DDX6 mediates the translational suppression of target mRNAs in P-bodies. Upon loss of DDX6 activity, P-bodies dissolve and release mRNAs encoding fate-instructive transcription and chromatin factors that re-enter the ribosome pool. Increased translation of these targets impacts cell fate by rewiring the enhancer, heterochromatin, and DNA methylation landscapes of undifferentiated cell types. Collectively, our data establish a link between P-body homeostasis, chromatin organization, and stem cell potency

A DFT Study on the Efficacy of Linking Agents (Sulfur and Nitrogen) to Connect Trans-azobenzene Sandwiched Between Two Gold Electrodes

Electronic structure calculations were performed to analyze the effectiveness of linking agents (sulfur and nitrogen) in connecting the trans-azobenzene sandwiched between two gold surfaces (Au-atoms). It was analyzed the dynamics of the load carrier and the electronic structure of the molecular backbone by applying an external electric field (EF), also a detailed structural, frontier orbital and natural bond orbital analysis (NBO) were performed. From the NBO analysis, it was possible to predict the path of charge flow in the molecular system. Electrostatic potential mapping allowed us to visualize the charge redistribution in the molecular system caused by the EF application. Our results indicate that when the nitrogen atom is used as a linking agent, the azo group of molecules may enhance their conductivity. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License