Post-Traumatic Growth and Stress-Related Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a National Representative Sample: The Role of Positive Core Beliefs About the World and Others

Given the need to understand both the negative and positive psychological consequences of the current global COVID-19 pandemic (Brewin et al. in Perspectives in Public Health 10.1177/1757913920957365 2020), the aim of this study was to test a cognitive model of post-traumatic symptoms (PTS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) during confinement caused by the SARS-COV-2 epidemic. In line with cognitive models of trauma elaboration (Park in Psychological Bulletin 10.1037/a0018301), we included in our model some beliefs associated to the world (e.g., primal beliefs about a good world), to the self (e.g., death anxiety or orientation toward the future) and to others (e.g., suspiciousness or identification with humanity). To evaluate the explanatory model, a national representative sample of adults between the ages of 18 and 75 (N = 1951) was surveyed between 7th and 13th April, 2020, in the middle of a strict 7-week national confinement. Structural equation modelling yielded a very similar model to the one initially specified. The results highlight the role of both negative and positive core beliefs, which are pertinent to the current pandemic threat, in the appearance of PTS and PTG, respectively. In short, primal beliefs about a good world, openness to the future and identification with humanity were associated with PTG; while suspiciousness, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety about death and also identification with humanity were associated with PTS and consequent impairment. This is an innovative study of different pathways to traumatic responses and growth during a pandemic. Future research is needed to replicate its findings.

Neuroprotective and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of a Hydrophilic Saffron Extract in a Model of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). An increase in the intraocular pressure is the principal risk factor for such loss, but controlling this pressure does not always prevent glaucomatous damage. Activation of immune cells resident in the retina (microglia) may contribute to RGC death. Thus, a substance with anti-inflammatory activity may protect against RGC degeneration. This study investigated the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of a hydrophilic saffron extract standardized to 3% crocin content in a mouse model of unilateral, laser-induced ocular hypertension (OHT). Treatment with saffron extract decreased microglion numbers and morphological signs of their activation, including soma size and process retraction, both in OHT and in contralateral eyes. Saffron extract treatment also partially reversed OHT-induced down-regulation of P2RY12. In addition, the extract prevented retinal ganglion cell death in OHT eyes. Oral administration of saffron extract was able to decrease the neuroinflammation associated with increased intraocular pressure, preventing retinal ganglion cell death. Our findings indicate that saffron extract may exert a protective effect in glaucomatous pathology.

Physical activity practice and sports preferences in a group of Spanish schoolchildren depending on sex and parental care: a gender perspective

BACKGROUND

Physical activity plays an important role in the maintenance of health, and it is especially important during childhood. However, the lack of information about differences in physical activity practice and sports preferences of children considering gender differences can result in non-effective policies that enhance inequalities between sexes. The aim of this study is to identify the sports preferences of Spanish schoolchildren and their physical activity practice behaviors depending on their sex and their parental care, analyzing the possible differences from a gender perspective.

METHOD

Three hundred sixty-four Spanish schoolchildren (179 girls, 185 boys) participated in this cross-sectional study. A daily physical activity questionnaire was used to evaluate physical activity level (PAL), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sports preferences and a socio-health questionnaire were used to collect data about parental care. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and applying Student's T-test for normal variables, Mann-Whitney U-test for non-parametrical variables, and chi-square (χ2) test for categorical variables. Subsequently, odds ratios were used to analyze associations between the physical activity practice of the children and parental care.

RESULTS

PAL and time spent in MVPA was significantly lower for girls compared to boys (1.44 ± 0.07 vs. 1.46 ± 0.07, p < 0.001 and 0.74 ± 0.40 h/day vs. 0.90 ± 0.45 h/day; p < 0.001, respectively). Dancing, rhythmic gymnastics, skating, and water sports were practiced more by girls, while football, wrestling sports, handball, and racket sports were practiced more by boys (p < 0.05). Children cared for by their fathers had higher odds for physical activity practice (OR = 1.995 (1.202-3.310), p = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

Physical activity among girls was less frequent and less intense. Girls opted for individual sports with artistic connotations, while boys often practiced more team contact sports. Furthermore, children are more physically actives when their father is in charge of them.

Multifunctional Silica-Based Nanoparticles with Controlled Release of Organotin Metallodrug for Targeted Theranosis of Breast Cancer

Three different multifunctional nanosystems based on the tethering onto mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) of different fragments such as an organotin-based cytotoxic compound Ph3Sn{SCH2CH2CH2Si(OMe)3} (MSN-AP-Sn), a folate fragment (MSN-AP-FA-Sn), and an enzyme-responsive peptide able to release the metallodrug only inside cancer cells (MSN-AP-FA-PEP-S-Sn), have been synthesized and fully characterized by applying physico-chemical techniques. After that, an in vitro deep determination of the therapeutic potential of the achieved multifunctional nanovectors was carried out. The results showed a high cytotoxic potential of the MSN-AP-FA-PEP-S-Sn material against triple negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231). Moreover, a dose-dependent metallodrug-related inhibitory effect on the migration mechanism of MDA-MB-231 tumor cells was shown. Subsequently, the organotin-functionalized nanosystems have been further modified with the NIR imaging agent Alexa Fluor 647 to give three different theranostic silica-based nanoplatforms, namely, MSN-AP-Sn-AX (AX-1), MSN-AP-FA-Sn-AX (AX-2), and MSN-AP-FA-PEP-S-Sn-AX (AX-3). Their in vivo potential as theranostic markers was further evaluated in a xenograft mouse model of human breast adenocarcinoma. Owing to the combination of the receptor-mediated site targeting and the specific fine-tuned release mechanism of the organotin metallodrug, the nanotheranostic drug MSN-AP-FA-PEP-S-Sn-AX (AX-3) has shown targeted diagnostic ability in combination with enhanced therapeutic activity by promoting the inhibition of tumor growth with reduced hepatic and renal toxicity upon the repeated administration of the multifunctional nanodrug.

The Madrid Affective Database for Spanish (MADS): Ratings of Dominance, Familiarity, Subjective Age of Acquisition and Sensory Experience

The current study presents ratings by 540 Spanish native speakers for dominance, familiarity, subjective age of acquisition (AoA), and sensory experience (SER) for the 875 Spanish words included in the Madrid Affective Database for Spanish (MADS). The norms can be downloaded as supplementary materials for this manuscript from https://figshare.com/s/8e7b445b729527262c88 These ratings may be of potential relevance to researches who are interested in characterizing the interplay between language and emotion. Additionally, with the aim of investigating how the affective features interact with the lexicosemantic properties of words, we performed correlational analyses between norms for familiarity, subjective AoA and SER, and scores for those affective variables which are currently included in the MADs. A distinct pattern of significant correlations with affective features was found for different lexicosemantic variables. These results show that familiarity, subjective AoA and SERs may have independent effects on the processing of emotional words. They also suggest that these psycholinguistic variables should be fully considered when formulating theoretical approaches to the processing of affective language.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications in Drug Discovery and Drug Delivery: Revolutionizing Personalized Medicine

Artificial intelligence (AI) encompasses a broad spectrum of techniques that have been utilized by pharmaceutical companies for decades, including machine learning, deep learning, and other advanced computational methods. These innovations have unlocked unprecedented opportunities for the acceleration of drug discovery and delivery, the optimization of treatment regimens, and the improvement of patient outcomes. AI is swiftly transforming the pharmaceutical industry, revolutionizing everything from drug development and discovery to personalized medicine, including target identification and validation, selection of excipients, prediction of the synthetic route, supply chain optimization, monitoring during continuous manufacturing processes, or predictive maintenance, among others. While the integration of AI promises to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve both medicines and patient health, it also raises important questions from a regulatory point of view. In this review article, we will present a comprehensive overview of AI's applications in the pharmaceutical industry, covering areas such as drug discovery, target optimization, personalized medicine, drug safety, and more. By analyzing current research trends and case studies, we aim to shed light on AI's transformative impact on the pharmaceutical industry and its broader implications for healthcare.

Social stress during adolescence activates long-term microglia inflammation insult in reward processing nuclei

The experience of social stress during adolescence is associated with higher vulnerability to drug use. Increases in the acquisition of cocaine self-administration, in the escalation of cocaine-seeking behavior, and in the conditioned rewarding effects of cocaine have been observed in rodents exposed to repeated social defeat (RSD). In addition, prolonged or severe stress induces a proinflammatory state with microglial activation and increased cytokine production. The aim of the present work was to describe the long-term effects induced by RSD during adolescence on the neuroinflammatory response and synaptic structure by evaluating different glial and neuronal markers. In addition to an increase in the conditioned rewarding effects of cocaine, our results showed that RSD in adolescence produced inflammatory reactivity in microglia that is prolonged into adulthood, affecting astrocytes and neurons of two reward-processing areas of the brain (the prelimbic cortex, and the nucleus accumbens core). Considered as a whole these results suggest that social stress experience modulates vulnerability to suffer a loss of glia-supporting functions and neuronal functional synaptic density due to drug consumption in later life.

Machine learning algorithms to forecast air quality: a survey

Air pollution is a risk factor for many diseases that can lead to death. Therefore, it is important to develop forecasting mechanisms that can be used by the authorities, so that they can anticipate measures when high concentrations of certain pollutants are expected in the near future. Machine Learning models, in particular, Deep Learning models, have been widely used to forecast air quality. In this paper we present a comprehensive review of the main contributions in the field during the period 2011-2021. We have searched the main scientific publications databases and, after a careful selection, we have considered a total of 155 papers. The papers are classified in terms of geographical distribution, predicted values, predictor variables, evaluation metrics and Machine Learning model.

Early Neospora caninum infection dynamics in cattle after inoculation at mid-gestation with high (Nc-Spain7)- or low (Nc-Spain1H)-virulence isolates

Early Neospora caninum infection dynamics were investigated in pregnant heifers intravenously inoculated with PBS (G-Control) or 107 tachyzoites of high (G-NcSpain7)- or low (G-NcSpain1H)-virulence isolates at 110 days of gestation. Serial culling at 10 and 20 days post-infection (dpi) was performed. Fever was detected at 1 dpi in both infected groups (P < 0.0001), and a second peak was detected at 3 dpi only in G-NcSpain7 (P < 0.0001). At 10 dpi, Nc-Spain7 was detected in placental samples from one animal related to focal necrosis, and Nc-Spain7 transmission was observed, although no foetal lesions were associated with this finding. The presence of Nc-Spain1H in the placenta or foetuses, as well as lesions, were not detected at 10 dpi. At 20 dpi, G-NcSpain7 animals showed almost 100% positive placental tissues and severe focal necrosis as well as 100% transmission. Remarkably, foetal mortality was detected in two G-NcSpain7 heifers. Only one animal from G-NcSpain1H presented positive placental samples. No foetal mortality was detected, and lesions and parasite transmission to the foetus were not observed in this group. Finally, 100% of G-NcSpain7 heifers at 20 dpi presented specific antibodies, while only 60% of G-NcSpain1H animals presented specific antibodies at 20 dpi. In addition, earlier seroconversion in G-Nc-Spain7 was observed. In conclusion, tachyzoites from Nc-Spain7 reached the placenta earlier and multiplied, leading to lesion development, transmission to the foetus and foetal mortality, whereas Nc-Spain1H showed delayed infection of the placenta and no lesional development or transmission during early infection.

A Gemini Cationic Lipid with Histidine Residues as a Novel Lipid-Based Gene Nanocarrier: A Biophysical and Biochemical Study

This work reports the synthesis of a novel gemini cationic lipid that incorporates two histidine-type head groups (C₃(C16His)₂). Mixed with a helper lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidyl ethanol amine (DOPE), it was used to transfect three different types of plasmid DNA: one encoding the green fluorescence protein (pEGFP-C3), one encoding a luciferase (pCMV-Luc), and a therapeutic anti-tumoral agent encoding interleukin-12 (pCMV-IL12). Complementary biophysical experiments (zeta potential, gel electrophoresis, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and fluorescence anisotropy) and biological studies (FACS, luminometry, and cytotoxicity) of these C₃(C16His)₂/DOPE-pDNA lipoplexes provided vast insight into their outcomes as gene carriers. They were found to efficiently compact and protect pDNA against DNase I degradation by forming nanoaggregates of 120⁻290 nm in size, which were further characterized as very fluidic lamellar structures based in a sandwich-type phase, with alternating layers of mixed lipids and an aqueous monolayer where the pDNA and counterions are located. The optimum formulations of these nanoaggregates were able to transfect the pDNAs into COS-7 and HeLa cells with high cell viability, comparable or superior to that of the standard Lipo2000*. The vast amount of information collected from the in vitro studies points to this histidine-based lipid nanocarrier as a potentially interesting candidate for future in vivo studies investigating specific gene therapies.

A Non-Viral Plasmid DNA Delivery System Consisting on a Lysine-Derived Cationic Lipid Mixed with a Fusogenic Lipid

The insertion of biocompatible amino acid moieties in non-viral gene nanocarriers is an attractive approach that has been recently gaining interest. In this work, a cationic lipid, consisting of a lysine-derived moiety linked to a C12 chain (LYCl) was combined with a common fusogenic helper lipid (DOPE) and evaluated as a potential vehicle to transfect two plasmid DNAs (encoding green fluorescent protein GFP and luciferase) into COS-7 cells. A multidisciplinary approach has been followed: (i) biophysical characterization based on zeta potential, gel electrophoresis, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and cryo-transmission electronic microscopy (cryo-TEM); (ii) biological studies by fluorescence assisted cell sorting (FACS), luminometry, and cytotoxicity experiments; and (iii) a computational study of the formation of lipid bilayers and their subsequent stabilization with DNA. The results indicate that LYCl/DOPE nanocarriers are capable of compacting the pDNAs and protecting them efficiently against DNase I degradation, by forming Lα lyotropic liquid crystal phases, with an average size of ~200 nm and low polydispersity that facilitate the cellular uptake process. The computational results confirmed that the LYCl/DOPE lipid bilayers are stable and also capable of stabilizing DNA fragments via lipoplex formation, with dimensions consistent with experimental values. The optimum formulations (found at 20% of LYCl content) were able to complete the transfection process efficiently and with high cell viabilities, even improving the outcomes of the positive control Lipo2000*.

In-depth quantitative proteomics analysis revealed C1GALT1 depletion in ECC-1 cells mimics an aggressive endometrial cancer phenotype observed in cancer patients with low C1GALT1 expression

BACKGROUND

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs. Despite the good overall prognosis of most low-grade ECs, FIGO I and FIGO II patients might experience tumor recurrence and worse prognosis. The study of alterations related to EC pathogenesis might help to get insights into underlying mechanisms involved in EC development and progression.

METHODS

Core tumoral samples were used to investigate the role of C1GALT1 in EC by immunohistochemistry (IHC). ECC-1 cells were used as endometrioid EC model to investigate the effect of C1GALT1 depletion using C1GALT1 specific shRNAs. SILAC quantitative proteomics analyses and cell-based assays, PCR, qPCR, WB, dot-blot and IHC analyses were used to identify, quantify and validate dysregulation of proteins.

RESULTS

Low C1GALT1 protein expression levels associate to a more aggressive phenotype of EC. Out of 5208 proteins identified and quantified by LC-MS/MS, 100 proteins showed dysregulation (log2fold-change ≥ 0.58 or ≤-0.58) in the cell protein extracts and 144 in the secretome of C1GALT1 depleted ECC-1 cells. Nine dysregulated proteins were validated. Bioinformatics analyses pointed out to an increase in pathways associated with an aggressive phenotype. This finding was corroborated by loss-of-function cell-based assays demonstrating higher proliferation, invasion, migration, colony formation and angiogenesis capacity in C1GALT1 depleted cells. These effects were associated to the overexpression of ANXA1, as demonstrated by ANXA1 transient silencing cell-based assays, and thus, correlating C1GALT and ANXA1 protein expression and biological effects. Finally, the negative protein expression correlation found by proteomics between C1GALT1 and LGALS3 was confirmed by IHC.

CONCLUSION

C1GALT1 stably depleted ECC-1 cells mimic an EC aggressive phenotype observed in patients and might be useful for the identification and validation of EC markers of progression.

Invasive evaluation of coronary microvascular dysfunction

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is a prevalent cause of ischemic heart disease and is associated with poorer quality of life and worse patient outcomes. Both functional and structural abnormalities of the microcirculation can generate ischemia in the absence of epicardial stenosis or worsen concomitant obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). The invasive assessment of CMD allows for the evaluation of the entirety of the coronary vascular tree, from the large epicardial vessels to the microcirculation, and enables the study of vasomotor function through vasoreactivity testing. The standard evaluation of CMD includes vasomotor assessment with acetylcholine, as well as flow- and resistance-derived indices calculated with either thermodilution or Doppler guidewires. Tailored treatment based upon the information gathered from the invasive evaluation of CMD has been demonstrated to reduce the burden of angina; therefore, a thorough understanding of these procedures is warranted with the aim of improving the quality of life of the patient. This review summarizes the most widespread approaches for the invasive evaluation of CMD, with a focus on patients with ischemia and non-obstructive CAD.

Study of The Reaction Mechanism to Produce Nanocellulose-Graft-Chitosan Polymer

Cellulose and chitin are the most abundant polymeric materials in nature, capable of replacing conventional synthetic polymers. From them, cellulose nano/microfibers (CNFs/CMFs) and chitosan are obtained. Both polymers have been used separately in graft copolymerization but there are not many studies on the use of cellulose and chitosan together as copolymers and the reaction mechanism is unknown. In this work, the reaction mechanism to produce nano/microcellulose-graft-chitosan polymer has been studied. Recycled cellulose pulp was used, with and without a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl-radical (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation pretreatment, to produce CNFs and CMFs, respectively. For chitosan, a low-molecular weight product dissolved in an acetic acid solution was prepared. Grafted polymers were synthesized using a microwave digester. Results showed that TEMPO-mediated oxidation as the cellulose pretreatment is a key factor to obtain the grafted polymer CNF-g-CH. A reaction mechanism has been proposed where the amino group of chitosan attacks the carboxylic group of oxidized cellulose, since non-oxidized CMFs do not achieve the desired grafting. 13C NMR spectra, elemental analysis and SEM images validated the proposed mechanism. Finally, CNF-g-CH was used as a promising material to remove water-based inks and dyes from wastewater.

Fabrication of Robust Capsules by Sequential Assembly of Polyelectrolytes onto Charged Liposomes

This work presents a simple methodology for coating small unilamellar liposomes bearing different degrees of positive charge with polyelectrolyte multilayers using the sequential layer-by-layer deposition method. The liposomes were made of mixtures of 1,2-dioleyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocoline and dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DODAB) and coated by alternated layers of the sodium salt of poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and poly(allylamine) (PAH) as polyanions and polycations, respectively. The results show that the zeta potential of the liposomes was not very sensitive to the mole fraction of DODAB in the membrane, X_D, in the range 0.3 ≤ X_D ≤ 0.8. We were able to coat the liposomes with up to four polymer bilayers. The growth of the capsule size was followed by dynamic light scattering, and in some cases, by cryo-transmission electron microscopy, with good agreement between both techniques. The thickness of the layers, measured from the hydrodynamic radius of the coated liposome, depends on the polyelectrolyte used, so that the PSS layers adopt a much more packaged conformation than the PAH layers. An interesting finding is that the PSS amount needed to reach the isoelectric point of the capsules increases linearly with the charge density of the bare liposomes, whereas the amount of PAH does not depend on it. As expected, the preparation of the multilayers has to be done in such a way that when the system is close to the isoelectric point, the capsules do not aggregate. For this, we dropped the polyelectrolyte solution quickly, stirred it fast, and used dilute liposome suspensions. The method is very flexible and not limited to liposomes or polyelectrolyte multilayers; also, coatings containing charged nanoparticles can be easily made. Once the liposomes have been coated, lipids can be easily eliminated, giving rise to polyelectrolyte nanocapsules (polyelectrosomes) with potential applications as drug delivery platforms.

Alternative Method to Detect Neuronal Degeneration and Amyloid β Accumulation in Free-Floating Brain Sections With Fluoro-Jade

Fluoro-Jade is a fluorescein-derived fluorochrome which specifically binds to damaged neurons. Due to this characteristic, it is commonly used for the histochemical detection and quantification of neurodegeneration in mounted brain sections. Here, we describe an alternative and simpler histochemistry protocol based on the use of free-floating brain sections. For this purpose, we have used brain slices from wild-type and 5xFAD mice as well as from mice that received an intracerebral injection of oligomeric amyloid beta peptides. We observed that our histochemistry staining procedure allows for a well-defined labeling of degenerating neurons providing a better signal-to-noise ratio staining than the commonly used one. In addition, our modified protocol demonstrates the ability of Fluoro-Jade C to also fluorescently label amyloid beta plaques.

Protein Expression Knockdown in Cancer Cells Induced by a Gemini Cationic Lipid Nanovector with Histidine-Based Polar Heads

A histidine-based gemini cationic lipid, which had already demonstrated its efficiency as a plasmid DNA (pDNA) nanocarrier, has been used in this work to transfect a small interfering RNA (siRNA) into cancer cells. In combination with the helper lipid monoolein glycerol (MOG), the cationic lipid was used as an antiGFP-siRNA nanovector in a multidisciplinary study. Initially, a biophysical characterization by zeta potential (ζ) and agarose gel electrophoresis experiments was performed to determine the lipid effective charge and confirm siRNA compaction. The lipoplexes formed were arranged in Lα lamellar lyotropic liquid crystal phases with a cluster-type morphology, as cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies revealed. Additionally, in vitro experiments confirmed the high gene knockdown efficiency of the lipid-based nanovehicle as detected by flow cytometry (FC) and epifluorescence microscopy, even better than that of Lipofectamine2000*, the transfecting reagent commonly used as a positive control. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that the nanovector is non-toxic to cells. Finally, using nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS), apolipoprotein A-I and A-II followed by serum albumin were identified as the proteins with higher affinity for the surface of the lipoplexes. This fact could be beyond the remarkable silencing activity of the histidine-based lipid nanocarrier herein presented.

Urban Birds as Antimicrobial Resistance Sentinels: White Storks Showed Higher Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Levels Than Seagulls in Central Spain

The presence of AMR bacteria in the human-animal-environmental interface is a clear example of the One Health medicine. Several studies evidence the presence of resistant bacteria in wildlife, which can be used as a good indicator of anthropization level on the ecosystem. The fast increase in AMR in the environment in the last decade has been led by several factors as globalization and migration. Migratory birds can travel hundreds of kilometers and disseminate pathogens and AMR through different regions or even continents. The aim of this study was to compare the level of AMR in three migratory bird species: Ciconia ciconia, Larus fuscus and Chroicocephalus ridibundus. For this purpose, commensal Escherichia coli has been considered a useful indicator for AMR studies. After E. coli isolation from individual cloacal swabs, antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by the disk-diffusion method, including 17 different antibiotics. A total of 63.2% of gulls had resistant strains, in contrast to 31.6% of white storks. Out of all the resistant strains, 38.9% were considered multi-drug resistant (50% of white storks and 30% of seagulls). The antibiotic classes with the highest rate of AMR were betalactamics, quinolones and tetracyclines, the most commonly used antibiotic in human and veterinary medicine in Spain.

Mechanics, thermodynamics, and kinetics of ligand binding to biopolymers

Ligands binding to polymers regulate polymer functions by changing their physical and chemical properties. This ligand regulation plays a key role in many biological processes. We propose here a model to explain the mechanical, thermodynamic, and kinetic properties of the process of binding of small ligands to long biopolymers. These properties can now be measured at the single molecule level using force spectroscopy techniques. Our model performs an effective decomposition of the ligand-polymer system on its covered and uncovered regions, showing that the elastic properties of the ligand-polymer depend explicitly on the ligand coverage of the polymer (i.e., the fraction of the polymer covered by the ligand). The equilibrium coverage that minimizes the free energy of the ligand-polymer system is computed as a function of the applied force. We show how ligands tune the mechanical properties of a polymer, in particular its length and stiffness, in a force dependent manner. In addition, it is shown how ligand binding can be regulated applying mechanical tension on the polymer. Moreover, the binding kinetics study shows that, in the case where the ligand binds and organizes the polymer in different modes, the binding process can present transient shortening or lengthening of the polymer, caused by changes in the relative coverage by the different ligand modes. Our model will be useful to understand ligand-binding regulation of biological processes, such as the metabolism of nucleic acid. In particular, this model allows estimating the coverage fraction and the ligand mode characteristics from the force extension curves of a ligand-polymer system.

Abnormal Liver Function Test in Patients Infected with Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2): A Retrospective Single-Center Study from Spain

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has rapidly spread and still poses a serious threat to healthcare systems worldwide. In the present study, electronic medical records containing clinical indicators related to liver injury in 799 COVID-19-confirmed patients admitted to a hospital in Madrid (Spain) were extracted and analyzed. Correlation between liver injury and disease outcome was also evaluated. Serum levels of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and AST/ALT ratio were elevated above the Upper Limit of Normal (ULN) in 25.73%, 49.17%, 34.62%, 24.21%, 55.84% and 75% of patients, respectively. Interestingly, significant positive correlation between LDH levels and the AST/ALT ratio with disease outcome was found. Our data showed that SARS-CoV-2 virus infection leads to mild, but significant changes in serum markers of liver injury. The upregulated LDH levels as well as AST/ALT ratios upon admission may be used as additional diagnostic characteristic for COVID-19 patients.

Controlled Release of Highly Hydrophilic Drugs from Novel Poly(Magnesium Acrylate) Matrix Tablets

The potential of a new poly(magnesium acrylate) hydrogel (PAMgA) as a pharmaceutical excipient for the elaboration of matrix tablets for the extended release of highly hydrophilic drugs was evaluated. The polymer was synthetized with two different crosslinking degrees that were characterized by FTIR and DSC. Their acute oral toxicity was determined in a mouse model, showing no toxicity at doses up to 10 g/kg. Matrix tablets were prepared using metformin hydrochloride as a model drug and the mechanisms involved in drug release (swelling and/or erosion) were investigated using biorrelevant media. This new hydrogel effectively controlled the release of small and highly hydrophilic molecules as metformin, when formulated in matrix tablets for oral administration. The rate of metformin release from PAMgA matrices was mainly controlled by its diffusion through the gel layer (Fickian diffusion). The swelling capacity and the erosion of the matrix tablets influenced the metformin release rate, that was slower at pH 6.8, where polymer swelling is more intensive, than in gastric medium, where matrix erosion is slightly more rapid. The crosslinking degree of the polymer significantly influenced its swelling capacity in acid pH, where swelling is moderate, but not in intestinal fluid, where swelling is more intense.

Binary MoS2 nanostructures as nanocarriers for amplification in multiplexed electrochemical immunosensing: simultaneous determination of B cell activation factor and proliferation-induced signal immunity-related cytokines

A dual immunosensor is reported for the simultaneous determination of two important immunity-related cytokines: BAFF (B cell activation factor) and APRIL (a proliferation-induced signal). Sandwich-type immunoassays with specific antibodies (cAbs) and a strategy for signal amplification based on labelling the detection antibodies (dAbs) with binary MoS₂/MWCNTs nanostructures and using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were implemented. Amperometric detection was carried out at screen-printed dual carbon electrodes (SPdCEs) through the hydroquinone HQ/H₂O₂ system. The developed dual immunosensor provided limit of detection (LOD) of 0.08 and 0.06 ng mL⁻¹ for BAFF and APRIL, respectively, and proved to be useful for the determination of both cytokines in cancer cell lysates and serum samples from patients diagnosed with autoimmune diseases and cancer. The obtained results agreed with those found using ELISA methodologies.

The impact of nanomaterials on autophagy across health and disease conditions

Autophagy, a catabolic process integral to cellular homeostasis, is constitutively active under physiological and stress conditions. The role of autophagy as a cellular defense response becomes particularly evident upon exposure to nanomaterials (NMs), especially environmental nanoparticles (NPs) and nanoplastics (nPs). This has positioned autophagy modulation at the forefront of nanotechnology-based therapeutic interventions. While NMs can exploit autophagy to enhance therapeutic outcomes, they can also trigger it as a pro-survival response against NP-induced toxicity. Conversely, a heightened autophagy response may also lead to regulated cell death (RCD), in particular autophagic cell death, upon NP exposure. Thus, the relationship between NMs and autophagy exhibits a dual nature with therapeutic and environmental interventions. Recognizing and decoding these intricate patterns are essential for pioneering next-generation autophagy-regulating NMs. This review delves into the present-day therapeutic potential of autophagy-modulating NMs, shedding light on their status in clinical trials, intervention of autophagy in the therapeutic applications of NMs, discusses the potency of autophagy for application as early indicator of NM toxicity.

The complexity of protein interactions unravelled from structural disorder

The importance of unstructured biology has quickly grown during the last decades accompanying the explosion of the number of experimentally resolved protein structures. The idea that structural disorder might be a novel mechanism of protein interaction is widespread in the literature, although the number of statistically significant structural studies supporting this idea is surprisingly low. At variance with previous works, our conclusions rely exclusively on a large-scale analysis of all the 134337 X-ray crystallographic structures of the Protein Data Bank averaged over clusters of almost identical protein sequences. In this work, we explore the complexity of the organisation of all the interaction interfaces observed when a protein lies in alternative complexes, showing that interfaces progressively add up in a hierarchical way, which is reflected in a logarithmic law for the size of the union of the interface regions on the number of distinct interfaces. We further investigate the connection of this complexity with different measures of structural disorder: the standard missing residues and a new definition, called "soft disorder", that covers all the flexible and structurally amorphous residues of a protein. We show evidences that both the interaction interfaces and the soft disordered regions tend to involve roughly the same amino-acids of the protein, and preliminary results suggesting that soft disorder spots those surface regions where new interfaces are progressively accommodated by complex formation. In fact, our results suggest that structurally disordered regions not only carry crucial information about the location of alternative interfaces within complexes, but also about the order of the assembly. We verify these hypotheses in several examples, such as the DNA binding domains of P53 and P73, the C3 exoenzyme, and two known biological orders of assembly. We finally compare our measures of structural disorder with several disorder bioinformatics predictors, showing that these latter are optimised to predict the residues that are missing in all the alternative structures of a protein and they are not able to catch the progressive evolution of the disordered regions upon complex formation. Yet, the predicted residues, when not missing, tend to be characterised as soft disordered regions.

Effect of the use of platelet concentrates on new bone formation in alveolar ridge preservation: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the histomorphometric changes occurring in alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) based on the use of different plasma concentrates (PCs) in randomized clinical trials (RCT). There is controversy whether the placement of PCs in ARP is effective in the formation of new bone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Database to answer the PICO question: In patients undergoing tooth extraction followed by ARP, do PCs alone in the post-extraction socket in comparison with spontaneous healing improve new vital bone formation percentage in histomorphometric analysis after more than 10 weeks? The risk of bias was assessed and a meta-analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

Of 3809 results, 8 studies were considered suitable for inclusion. A total of 255 teeth were extracted in 250 patients. Regarding the PCs used, ARP was performed with platelet- and leukocyte-rich fibrin (L-PRF) in 120 sockets, and with pure platelet-rich plasma (P-PRP) in 31 sockets and 104 sockets were controlled. PCs improved new bone formation in ARP with respect to the spontaneous healing group (SMD = 1.77, 95%C.I. = 1.47-2.06, p-value < 000.1). There were no differences between the different PCs (L-PRF and P-PRP).

CONCLUSION

The results of this meta-analysis support the efficacy of the use of PCs in new bone formation in ARP. With respect to the different types of PCs studied, no differences were observed.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

When planning implant surgery after tooth extraction, treatment with PCs should be considered for ARP. Any PC increases new bone formation compared to spontaneous healing.