Advanced Materials for Biomedical Applications, Editorial Article.

Advanced materials (AMs) encompass materials that feature improved properties compared to common counterparts [...].

ATF3 is a neuron-specific biomarker for spinal cord injury and ischaemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Although many molecules have been investigated as biomarkers for spinal cord injury (SCI) or ischemic stroke, none of them are specifically induced in central nervous system (CNS) neurons following injuries with low baseline expression. However, neuronal injury constitutes a major pathology associated with SCI or stroke and strongly correlates with neurological outcomes. Biomarkers characterized by low baseline expression and specific induction in neurons post-injury are likely to better correlate with injury severity and recovery, demonstrating higher sensitivity and specificity for CNS injuries compared to non-neuronal markers or pan-neuronal markers with constitutive expressions. METHODS: In animal studies, young adult wildtype and global Atf3 knockout mice underwent unilateral cervical 5 (C5) SCI or permanent distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO). Gene expression was assessed using RNA-sequencing and qRT-PCR, while protein expression was detected through immunostaining. Serum ATF3 levels in animal models and clinical human samples were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) kits. RESULTS: Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), a molecular marker for injured dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons in the peripheral nervous system, was not expressed in spinal cord or cortex of naïve mice but was induced specifically in neurons of the spinal cord or cortex within 1 day after SCI or ischemic stroke, respectively. Additionally, ATF3 protein levels in mouse blood significantly increased 1 day after SCI or ischemic stroke. Importantly, ATF3 protein levels in human serum were elevated in clinical patients within 24 hours after SCI or ischemic stroke. Moreover, Atf3 knockout mice, compared to the wildtype mice, exhibited worse neurological outcomes and larger damage regions after SCI or ischemic stroke, indicating that ATF3 has a neuroprotective function. CONCLUSIONS: ATF3 is an easily measurable, neuron-specific biomarker for clinical SCI and ischemic stroke, with neuroprotective properties. HIGHLIGHTS: ATF3 was induced specifically in neurons of the spinal cord or cortex within 1 day after SCI or ischemic stroke, respectively. Serum ATF3 protein levels are elevated in clinical patients within 24 hours after SCI or ischemic stroke. ATF3 exhibits neuroprotective properties, as evidenced by the worse neurological outcomes and larger damage regions observed in Atf3 knockout mice compared to wildtype mice following SCI or ischemic stroke.

Highly efficient visible-LED-driven photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline and rhodamine B over Bi2WO6/BiVO4 heterostructures decorated with silver and graphene synthesized by a novel green method.

Visible-light-driven Bi2WO6/BiVO4 (BWO/BVO) heterostructures were obtained by joining BWO and BVO n-type semiconductors. A novel and green metathesis-assisted molten salt route was applied to synthesize BWO/BVO. This route is straightforward, high-yield, intermediate temperature, and was successful for obtaining BWO/BVO heterostructures with several ratios (1:1, 1:2, 2:1 w/w). Besides, the 1BWO/1BVO was decorated with Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs, 6 wt.%) and graphene (G, 3 wt.%), applying simple and environmentally responsible procedures. The heterostructures were characterized by XRD, Raman, UV-Vis DRS, TEM/HRTEM, PL, and Zeta potential techniques. Ag-NPs and G effectively boosted the photocatalytic activity of 1BWO/1BVO for degrading tetracycline (TC) and rhodamine B (RhB) pollutants. A lab-made 19-W blue LED photoreactor was designed, constructed, and operated to induce the photoactivity of BWO/BVO heterostructures. The low-rated power consumption of the photoreactor (0.01-0.04 kWh) vs. the percent degradation of TC or RhB (%XTC = 73, %XRhB = 100%) is one of the outstanding features of this study. Besides, scavenger tests determined that holes and superoxides are the main oxidative species that produced TC and RhB oxidation. Ag/1BWO/1BVO exhibited high stability in reuse photocatalytic cycles.

Single adsorption of diclofenac and ronidazole from aqueous solution on commercial activated carbons: effect of chemical and textural properties.

The importance of the textural and physicochemical characteristics upon the adsorption capacity of the commercial activated carbons (ACs) Coconut, Wood, Merck, Darco, and Norit towards ronidazole (RNZ) and diclofenac (DCF) from water solution was investigated thoroughly in this work. At pH = 7, Coconut AC and Wood AC presented the highest adsorption capacity towards RNZ (444 mg/g) and DCF (405 mg/g). The maximum mass of RNZ adsorbed onto Coconut AC was higher in this study than those outlined previously in other works. Besides, the maximum capacity of Wood AC for adsorbing DCF was comparable to those found for other ACs. The adsorption capacity of all the ACs was increased by surface area and was favored by incrementing the acidic site concentration. The π-π stacking interactions were the predominant adsorption mechanism for the RNZ and DCF adsorption on ACs, and the acidic sites favored the adsorption capacity by activating the π-π stacking. Electrostatic interactions did not influence the adsorption of RNZ on Coconut AC, but electrostatic repulsion decreased that of DCF on Wood AC. The adsorption of DCF on Wood AC was reversible but not that of RNZ on Coconut AC. Besides, the adsorption of RNZ and DCF on the Coconut and Wood ACs was endothermic in the range of 15-25 °C.

Racial differences in lifestyle, demographic, and health factors associated with quality of life (QoL) in midlife women.

Previously, quality of life (Qol) has been defined as an individual's evaluation of a satisfactory life as a whole (i.e. physically, mentally, psychologically, and socially). Only a few studies have examined the racial differences between QoL and risk factors associated with health, demographics, and lifestyle in midlife women. Thus, the purpose of our study was to determine racial differences in QoL in menopausal women due to lifestyle, demographic, and health related risk factors. A stratified ordinal logistic regression model was applied to self-reported questionnaire data from the Midlife Women's Health Study (MWHS) to determine risk factors associated with QoL differences between White and Black women during the menopausal transition. In multivariable models, our results showed Black women who had 3 or 4 comorbidities were about 4 times as likely to have higher QoL compared to women who had 0 to 2 comorbidities (95% CI: 1.65,10.78). However, the number of comorbidities was not significantly associated with QoL in White women in univariate or multiple regression. Further, body mass index and income were not significant factors in QoL in Black women but were in White women. Overall, our results illustrate that differences in health, demographic, and lifestyle factors are associated with QoL during menopause. Also, we suggest that future studies evaluate stratified models between racial groups to determine race-specific risk factors related to quality of life.

Characterization, antibiofilm and biocompatibility properties of chitosan hydrogels loaded with silver nanoparticles and ampicillin: an alternative protection to central venous catheters.

The purpose of this study was to generate novel chitosan hydrogels (CHs) loaded with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and ampicillin (AMP) to prevent early formation of biofilms. AgNPs and CHs were characterized by UV-Vis, DLS, TEM, rheology, FT-IR, Raman, and SEM. The antibiofilm effect of the formulations was investigated against four multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant pathogens using a colony biofilm, a high cell density and gradients model. Also, their hemostatic properties and cytotoxic effect were evaluated. Rheology results showed that CHs with AgNPs and AMP are typical non-Newtonian pseudoplastic fluids. The CH with 25 ppm of AgNPs and 50 ppm AMP inhibited the formation of biofilms of Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecium and Staphylococcus epidermidis, while a ten-fold increase of the antimicrobial's concentration was needed to inhibit the biofilm of the ß-lactamase positive Enterobacter cloacae. Further, CH with 250 ppm of AgNPs and 500 ppm AMP showed anticoagulant effect, and it was shown that all formulations were biocompatible. Besides to previous reports that described the bioadhesion properties of chitosan, these results suggest that AgNPs and AMP CHs loaded could be used as prophylactic treatment in patients with central venous catheter (CVC), inhibiting the formation of biofilms in their early stages, in addition to their anticoagulant effect and biocompatibility, those properties could keep the functionality of CVC helping to prevent complications such as sepsis and thrombosis.

Adsorption capacity of different types of carbon nanotubes towards metronidazole and dimetridazole antibiotics from aqueous solutions: effect of morphology and surface chemistry.

The effect of surface chemistry and morphology of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on their adsorption capacity towards dimetridazole (DTZ) and metronidazole (MNZ) antibiotics from water solutions was investigated in this work. The CNTs studied were single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), CNTs doped with nitrogen (N-CNTs), multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs), and MWCNTs functionalized with carboxylic groups (MWCNT-COOH). The experimental adsorption equilibrium data were best interpreted with the Redlich-Peterson (R-P) isotherm model. At T of 25 °C and pH of 7, the capacities of adsorption decreased as follows: SWCNT > MWCNT > N-CNT ≈ MWCNT-COOH, and the maximum capacities of SWCNT towards MNZ and DTZ were 101 mg/g and 84 mg/g, correspondingly. The SWCNT had the highest adsorption capacity because SWCNT presented the largest surface area, and was the only nanomaterial with a basic surface. The adsorption of both antibiotics on the CNTs was predominantly ascribed to the π-π stacking. The basic groups promoted the π-π stacking interactions and favored the adsorption capacity towards MNZ and DTZ. The capacity of SWCNT for adsorbing MNZ was lessening substantially by reducing the pH from 11 to 2, and the electrostatic interactions caused this trend. The Sheindorf-Rebuhn-Sheintuch adsorption model interpreted the data for the competitive adsorption of DTZ and MNZ on SWCNT adequately.