The influence of the pectin structure on the properties of hydrogel dressings doped with octenidine-containing antiseptic.

This article presents a method for producing hydrogel dressings using high methylated pectin from apples or citrus, doped with the antiseptic agent, octenidine dihydrochloride. Octenidine was incorporated in-situ during the polymer crosslinking. The pectins were characterized by their varying molecular weight characteristics, monosaccharide composition, and degree of esterification (DE). The study assessed the feasibility of producing biologically active hydrogels with pectin and delved into how the polymer's characteristics affect the properties of the resulting dressings. The structure evaluation of hydrogel materials showed interactions between individual components of the system and their dependence on the type of used pectin. Both the antimicrobial properties and cytotoxicity of the dressings were evaluated. The results suggest that the primary determinants of the functional attributes of the hydrogels are the molecular weight characteristics and the DE of the pectin. As these values rise, there is an increase in polymer-polymer interactions, overshadowing polymer-additive interactions. This intensification strengthens the mechanical and thermal stability of the hydrogels and enhances the release of active components into the surrounding environment. Biological evaluations demonstrated the ability of octenidine to be released from the dressings and effectively inhibit the growth of microbial pathogens.

High yield and wide lateral size growth of α-Mo2C: exploring the boundaries of CVD growth of bare MXene analogues.

Synthesis of Mo2C bare MXenes, without surface terminations groups, via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on metal foils is scientifically a very intriguing crystal growth process, and there are still challenges and limited fundamental understanding to overcome to obtain high yield and wide crystal size lateral growth. Achieving large area coverage via direct growth is scientifically vital to utilize the full potential of their unique properties in different applications. In this study, we sought to expand the boundaries of the current CVD growth approach for Mo2C MXenes and gain insights into the possibilities and limitations of large area growth, with a particular focus on controlling Mo concentration. We report a facile modification of their typical CVD growth protocol and show its influence on the Mo2C synthesis, with growth times spanning up to 3 h. Specifically, prior to initiating the CVD growth process, we introduced a holding step in temperature at 1095 °C. This proved to be beneficial in increasing the Mo concentration on the liquid Cu growth surface. We achieved an average Mo2C crystals coverage of approximately 50% of the growth substrate area, increased tendency of coalescence and merging of individual flakes, and lateral flake sizes up to 170µm wide. To gain deeper understanding into their CVD growth behavior, we conducted a systematic investigation of the effect of several factors, including (i) a holding step time on Mo diffusion rate through molten Cu, (ii) the Cu foil thickness over the Mo foil, and (iii) the CVD growth time. Phase, chemical and microstructural characterization by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photon spectroscopy, SEM and scanning/transmission electron microscopy revealed that the grown crystals are single phaseα-Mo2C. Furthermore, insights gained from this study sheds light on crucial factors and inherent limitations that are essential to consider and may help guide future research progress in CVD growth of bare MXenes.

Detecting Road Obstacles by Erasing Them.

Vehicles can encounter a myriad of obstacles on the road, and it is impossible to record them all beforehand to train a detector. Instead, we select image patches and inpaint them with the surrounding road texture, which tends to remove obstacles from those patches. We then use a network trained to recognize discrepancies between the original patch and the inpainted one, which signals an erased obstacle.

Hypothermia differentially modulates the formation and decay of NBS1, γH2AX and 53BP1 foci in U2OS cells exposed to gamma radiation.

In studies on the mechanism of DNA damage response where ionizing radiation is used as the DNA damaging agent, cells are often exposed to ionizing radiation on melting ice (corresponding to 0.8 °C). The purpose of this procedure is to inhibit cellular processes i.e. DNA repair. Low temperature at exposure has been shown to act in a radioprotective manner at the level of cytogenetic damage, but its mechanisms of action are poorly understood. The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of hypothermia at the level of formation and decay of NBS1, γH2AX, and 53BP1 foci, micronuclei, survival, cell cycle progression and oxidative stress in U2OS cells. The results show that hypothermia alone induced oxidative stress and foci. When applied in combination with radiation but only during the exposure time, it potentiated the formation of γH2AX and 53BP1 but not of NBS1 foci. When applied during irradiation and subsequent repair time, 53BP1 and NBS1 foci formed and decayed, but the levels were markedly lower than when repair was carried out at 37 °C. The frequency of micronuclei was elevated in cells irradiated at 0.8 °C, but only when analysed 20 h after irradiation which is likely due to a reduced G2 cell cycle block. Hypothermia reduced cell survival, both with and without radiation exposure. The temperature effect should be considered when cooling cells on melting ice to inhibit DNA repair in the induction of DNA damage.

Coralyne Radiosensitizes A549 Cells by Upregulation of CDKN1A Expression to Attenuate Radiation Induced G2/M Block of the Cell Cycle.

Coralyne is a synthetic analog of berberine related to protoberberine-isoquinoline alkaloids. Isoquinoline derivatives and analogs are renowned as potent radiosensitizers with potential medical application. In the present study, we investigated the effect of coralyne on the cell death, cytoskeletal changes and cell cycle progression of irradiated A549 cells. A clonogenic assay revealed that coralyne pretreatment decreased the viability of A549 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, exposure to coralyne and ionizing radiation (IR) markedly altered the filamentous actin cytoskeletal architecture and integrin-ß binding sites of A549 cells. Treatment with 1-25 µM coralyne in combination with 2 Gy of IR significantly reduced the percentage of cells in G2/M phase compared with 2 Gy IR alone. These results indicate that coralyne is a potent radiosensitizing agent that may find an application in medicine.

Inhibition of TNF reduces mechanical orofacial hyperalgesia induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant by a TRPV1-dependent mechanism in mice.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation in the orofacial region results in pain and is associated with many pathological states, including migraine, neuralgias and temporomandibular disorder. Although extensively studied, the mechanisms responsible for these conditions are not known and effective treatments are lacking. We reported earlier that the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays an important role in regulation of trigeminal ganglion (TG) neuron function in vitro. In the present study we investigated the role of TNF in mechanical hypersensitivity in mice. METHODS: We employed the Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced model of orofacial pain and evaluated the effect of blocking of soluble TNF activity by peripheral administration of the novel dominant negative TNF biologic, XPro1595. RESULTS: We show that CFA administration into the lower lip causes hyperalgesia and an increase in both expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1) mRNA and in the average intensity of TRPV1 protein immunoreactivity in TG neurons. We also show that intraperitoneal administration of XPro1595 prevents both CFA-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and, as shown in immunohistochemical staining - upregulation of TRPV1 protein expression in TG neurons. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that one of the possible regulatory mechanisms of TNF in pain involves upregulation of the nociceptor TRPV1, and that peripheral treatment with a selective anti-soluble TNF biologic can prevent hyperalgesia caused by inflammation in the orofacial region. Therefore, these new findings suggest that XPro1595 may serve as a novel treatment for orofacial pain disorders.

Targeting of calcitonin gene-related peptide action as a new strategy for migraine treatment.

Migraine is a chronic, recurrent disorder, characterized by attacks of severe pain, affecting around 1% of adult population. Many studies suggest, that trigeminovascular system plays a key role in pathogenesis of migraine and other primary headaches. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is an endogenous substance, which is regarded a key mediator released from trigeminovascular system after stimulation of sensory nerve endings, responsible for dilatation of peripheral vessels and sensory transmission. CGRP is and extensively studied peptide as one of the most promising targets in migraine drug research. In the article we focus on the role of CGRP in the pathophysiology of migraine and present current data on CGRP antagonists and CGRP monoclonal antibodies.

TNF inhibitors - Mechanisms of action, approved and off-label indications.

Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) belong to the group of biologic drugs, holding presently top positions on lists of most profitable products for pharmaceutical companies. Although current indications for TNFi include only selected diseases with an established role of immune dysfunction in their pathogenesis, studies on new indications are being carried out all over the world. The most important aspect of TNFi therapy is a targeted therapeutic approach, allowing to avoid a wide range of side effects associated with treatment with nonspecific immunosuppressive agents. Results of the trials on TNFi in the approved indications are widely accessible and analyzed elsewhere, both in primary publications as well as in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Here we aim to discuss their mechanisms of action, and approved, as well as off-label indications of TNFi. In addition, we present comprehensive evidence on TNFi in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); the first authorized and probably most extensively developed indication for the majority of TNFi.

Gender differences in the neurochemical response of trigeminal ganglion neurons to peripheral inflammation in mice.

It is well established that the majority of headache and other trigeminal nerve-associated disorders have higher prevalence in females than in males. However, the pathogenesis of many chronic trigeminal pain conditions, such as trigeminal neuralgia, migraine and temporo-mandibular disorders, is still not known. One of the proposed mechanisms involve calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which is considered the most important neuropeptide in the trigeminal system. In various animal models of trigeminal nerve-associated disorders concentration of CGRP has been shown to be increased in trigeminal ganglia (TG). Moreover, intraganglionic release of CGRP has been shown to modulate neuronal transmission of pain signals. In most of these models, pathological changes in the trigeminal system are accompanied by inflammation within peripheral endings of TG neurons. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between gender and neurochemical changes in trigeminal ganglia evoked by peripheral inflammation, induced by Complete Freund Adjuvant (CFA) administration. Our studies show significant increase in CGRP expression in female mice, comparing to male mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate, that activation of trigeminal nociceptors by peripheral inflammation causes significant increase in expression of IL-1B, IL-6, TNF and BDNF in male mice, comparing to female mice. This phenomenon may be involved in clinically observed gender-dependent differences in the frequency of both migraine and other trigeminal nerve-related facial pain disorders.

Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors - state of knowledge.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is considered a major proinflammatory cytokine, affecting various aspects of the immune reaction. All five TNF inhibitors currently available on the market (i.e., etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab and golimumab) are top sellers, although indicated only in autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis. This article briefly discusses the background and place for TNF inhibitors in modern therapy. The main safety aspects of TNF inhibitor administration are described in particular, with special consideration of the available meta-analyses. Finally, perspectives on the next-generation TNF inhibitors and their use in the clinic are given.

Pretreatment verification of dose calculation and delivery by means of measurements with PLEXITOM™ phantom.

AIM: To validate a pretreatment verification method of dose calculation and dose delivery based on measurements with Metaplex PTW phantom. BACKGROUND: The dose-response relationships for local tumor control and radiosensitive tissue complications are strong. It is widely accepted that an accuracy of dose delivery of about 3.5% (one standard deviation) is required in modern radiotherapy. This goal is difficult to achieve. This paper describes our experience with the control of dose delivery and calculations at the ICRU reference point. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The calculations of dose at the ICRU reference point performed with the treatment planning system CMS XiO were checked by measurements carried out in the PLEXITOM™ phantom. All measurements were performed with the ion chamber positioned in the phantom, at the central axis of the beam, at depth equivalent to the radiological depth (at gantry zero position). The source-to-phantom surface distance was always set to keep the source-to-detector distance equal to the reference point depth defined in the ICRU Report 50 (generally, 100 cm). The dose was measured according to IAEA TRS 398 report for measurements in solid phantoms. The measurement results were corrected with the actual accelerator's output factor and for the non-full scatter conditions. Measurements were made for 111 patients and 327 fields. RESULTS: The average differences between measurements and calculations were 0.03% (SD = 1.4%), 0.3% (SD = 1.0%), 0.1% (SD = 1.1%), 0.6% (SD = 1.8%), 0.3% (SD = 1.5%) for all measurements, for total dose, for pelvis, thorax and H&N patients, respectively. Only in 15 cases (4.6%), the difference between the measured and the calculated dose was greater than 3%. For these fields, a detailed analysis was undertaken. CONCLUSION: The verification method provides an instantaneous verification of dose calculations before the beginning of a patient's treatment. It allows to detect differences smaller than 3.5%.