Rol comunicativo del cuidador en pacientes con accidente cerebrovascular, Sincelejo, Colombia / The communicative role of caregivers assisting stroke patients from Sincelejo, Colombia / Papel comunicativo do cuidador em pacientes com acidente vascular cerebral, Sincelejo, Colômbia

Introducción: Las enfermedades cerebrovasculares son consideradas un problema de salud pública que afectan muchas capacidades en el individuo, entre ellas la comunicación; de esta manera el cuidador cumple un papel fundamental en su recuperación. Objetivo: Describir el rol comunicativo del cuidador en la atención a pacientes con secuelas de accidente cerebrovascular en la ciudad de Sincelejo, Colombia. Materiales y métodos: Paradigma positivista, enfoque cuantitativo y estudio descriptivo de corte transversal realizado con 40 cuidadores, seleccionados según muestreo por criterios y reclutamiento en cadena. Se utilizó una encuesta sociodemográfica, una sobre favorecimiento y bienestar comunicativo y Escala Likert, se realizó análisis de fiabilidad y consistencia interna del instrumento. Resultados: Predominaron cuidadores de sexo femenino, sobresale el cuidador informal, con estudios de secundaria y estrato socioeconómico bajo. Se encontró una actitud favorable en la competencia del ser y saber hacer, prima el buen trato, justicia y respeto. La competencia del saber evidenció actitud desfavorable, caracterizada por un conocimiento limitado frente a la patología, insuficientes destrezas, técnicas y habilidades para cumplir sus funciones y estrategias empleadas. Conclusión: Es necesario cualificar al cuidador en la atención del paciente con accidente cerebrovascular, mediante programas de que dinamicen la competencia del ser, saber y saber hacer

Introduction: Cerebrovascular diseases are a public health problem affecting the different capabilities of patients, including communication. Thus, caregivers play a fundamental role in their recovery. Objective: To describe the communicative role of caregivers in the support of patients with stroke sequelae in the city of Sincelejo, Colombia. Materials and methods: A positivist paradigm, quantitative approach, and descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out with 40 caregivers, who were selected according to criteria sampling and chain recruitment. A sociodemographic survey about favorability and communicative well-being as well as the Likert Scale were applied. A reliability and internal consistency analysis was conducted. Results: The majority of caregivers were women. Informal caregivers, with high school education, and belonging to low socioeconomic status were also predominant. A positive attitude regarding competences such as being and knowing what to do; appropriate treatment of patients, with justice and respect, were observed as common features. The knowledge competence was considered unfavorable, which was characterized by limited understanding regarding pathology, strategies used, and insufficient skills, techniques, and abilities to fulfill their functions. Conclusions: Caregivers of stroke patients should be qualified through programs that improve the being, knowing, and knowing how to do competencies.

Introdução: As doenças cerebrovasculares são consideradas um problema de saúde pública que afeta diversas capacidades do indivíduo, incluindo a comunicação; desta forma, o cuidador desempenha um papel fundamental na sua recuperação. Objetivo: Descrever o papel comunicativo do cuidador no cuidado de pacientes com sequelas de acidente vascular cerebral na cidade de Sincelejo, Colômbia. Materiais e métodos: Paradigma positivista, abordagem quantitativa e estudo transversal descritivo realizado com 40 cuidadores, selecionados segundo critérios de amostragem e recrutamento em cadeia. Foi utilizado um inquérito sociodemográfico, um de favorabilidade e bem-estar comunicativo e uma Escala Likert, foi realizada uma análise da fiabilidade e consistência interna do instrumento. Resultados: Predominaram cuidadores do sexo feminino, destacando-se os cuidadores informais, com escolaridade média e baixo nível socioeconômico. Encontrou-se na competição uma atitude favorável por ser e saber fazer, prevalecendo o bom tratamento, a justiça e o respeito. A competência conhecimento apresentou atitude desfavorável, caracterizada por conhecimento limitado sobre a patologia, habilidades, técnicas e habilidades insuficientes para cumprir suas funções e estratégias utilizadas. Conclusões: É necessário qualificar o cuidador no cuidado ao paciente com AVC, por meio de programas que potencializem a competência de ser, saber e saber fazer.

Calidad de vida relacionada con la salud y los estados de ánimo en estudiantes de instituciones educativas de Antioquia, Colombia / Quality of life related to the health and mood states of students in educational institutions from Antioquia, Colombia / Qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e ao humor em estudantes de instituições de ensino em Antioquia, Colômbia

Introducción: La calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) y los estados de ánimo son indicadores cruciales del bienestar en adolescentes, pero su relación con estudiantes de Antioquia, Colombia, no ha sido ampliamente estudiada. Objetivo: Determinar la CVRS y los estados de ánimo en escolares de Antioquia-Colombia. Materiales y métodos: Estudio transversal con 1957 escolares de 9 a 20 años. Se aplicaron mediciones de CVRS, ansiedad, depresión, hostilidad y alegría, actividad física, comportamiento sedentario, apoyo social de padres y nivel socioeconómico. Resultados: La calidad de vida alta (CVA) es más elevada en hombres, personas con alegría, estudiantes con apoyo de padres, activos físicamente y personas de nivel socioeconómico alto y medio. AL aumentar un año de edad, disminuye en un 15 % la CVA, y al aumentar la depresión, la ansiedad y el comportamiento sedentario disminuye la CVA. Además, los niveles de depresión y ansiedad son mayores en mujeres, estudiantes mayores, sin apoyo de los padres y personas sedentarias. Conclusiones: La CVRS se asocia con estados de ánimo, actividad física, comportamiento sedentario y apoyo de los padres; mientras que los estados de ánimo se asocian con el sexo, el apoyo de los padres, la CVS y el sedentarismo.

Introduction: Even though health-related quality of life (HRQL) and mood states are key indicators of the well-being of adolescents, their relationship has not been analyzed in students from Antioquia, Colombia. Objective: To determine HRQL and mood states in schoolchildren from Antioquia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,957 schoolchildren and adolescents aged between 9 and 20 years. Measurements of HRQL, anxiety, depression, hostility and happiness, physical activity, sedentary behavior, parental social support, and socioeconomic status were applied. Results: A high quality of life (HQL) was observed more frequently in male participants, students with parental support, physically active, and those belonging to medium and high socioeconomic status. HQL decreased 15% as their age increased by one year. Also, HQL was reduced when depression, anxiety, and sedentary behavior increased. Furthermore, depression and anxiety levels were higher in women, older students, as well as in those without parental control and with sedentary behavior. Conclusions: HRQL is associated with mood states, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and parental support. In contrast, mood states are related to gender, parental support, HQL, and sedentary lifestyle.

Introdução: A qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde (CVRS) e os estados de humor são indicadores cruciais de bem-estar em adolescentes, mas sua relação com estudantes de Antioquia, Colômbia, não foi amplamente estudada. Objetivo: Determinar a CVRS e os estados de humor em escolares de Antioquia-Colômbia. Materiais e métodos: Estudo transversal com 1.957 escolares de 9 a 20 anos. Foram aplicadas medidas de QVRS, ansiedade, depressão, hostilidade e felicidade, atividade física, comportamento sedentário, apoio social dos pais e nível socioeconômico. Resultados: A alta qualidade de vida (CVA) é maior em homens, pessoas com alegria, estudantes com apoio parental, fisicamente ativos e pessoas de nível socioeconômico alto e médio. À medida que a idade aumenta em um ano, diminui em 15% o CVA, e ao aumentar a depressão, a ansiedade e o comportamento sedentário aumentam, o CVA diminui. Além disso, os níveis de depressão e ansiedade são mais elevados nas mulheres, nos estudantes mais velhos, sem apoio dos pais e nas pessoas sedentárias. Conclusões: A QVRS está associada a estados de humor, atividade física, comportamento sedentário e apoio parental; enquanto os estados de humor estão associados ao sexo, apoio parental, CVS e estilo de vida sedentário.

Periodontal therapy for hopeless mandibular anterior teeth: a retrospective case report with a multidisciplinary approach and a 20-year follow-up

Introduction: This case report presents the intentional periodontal maintenance of two periodontal hopeless lower central incisors with a multidisciplinary approach and 20-year follow-up. Case presentation: A 36-year-old male, in 2001, was diagnosed with aggressive periodontitis, gingival swelling, bleeding, and mandibular central incisors with mobility and poor prognosis. Following periodontal therapy (phase I), root canal treatment, and occlusal adjustment, #31 and #41 were gently extracted to remove the granulation tissues, calculus, and infected cementum from the root surface. Then, tetracycline-HCl was applied for 5 minutes on the root surfaces. The teeth were repositioned into the sockets and splinted with a lingual bar. At 3 months, the bar was removed, and a free gingival autogenous graft was done to improve the local keratinized tissue width. Mobility scores, pocket depths, and clinical attachment levels were recorded, and radiographs were taken at 1, 5, and 20 years. The 5-year follow-up showed that the teeth were clinically and radiographically in function. There was a reduction in probing depth and a gain in clinical attachment and radiographic alveolar bone levels. After 20 years, #41 was stable, but #31 had external root resorption, leading to a new treatment plan (dental implants) and extraction. Conclusion: The clinical result of this case was satisfactory for 20 years. Intentional periodontal maintenance of the teeth may be an alternative treatment, even considering the high level of complexity.

Virtual planning as a resource for correcting severe facial asymmetry ­ case report / Planejamento virtual como recurso para correção de assimetria facial severa ­ relato de caso

A hiperplasia hemimandibular é responsável por prejuízos estéticos, funcionais, motores e psicossociais. Com etiologia incerta, ocorre frente ao desequilíbrio de fatores regulatórios de crescimento presentes na camada cartilaginosa do côndilo. O relato objetiva descrever a tomada de decisões baseada em exames complementares específicos aliados à adequada intervenção cirúrgica da lesão. Paciente gênero feminino, 33 anos de idade, compareceu à clínica particular com queixa principal de "face assimétrica", foi requerido uma avaliação cintilográfica objetivando e confirmando a interrupção do crescimento condilar, descartando a hipótese de Osteocondroma e condilectomia. Após preparo ortodôntico prévio, os exames tomográficos foram utilizados na criação de um protótipo que foi impresso após a realização dos movimentos ósseos planejados. Mediante à reconstrução, foi concluído que a assimetria presente não seria totalmente corrigida somente através da intervenção ortognática, sendo necessária também uma osteotomia removendo parte da base do corpo e ângulo mandibular, através da confecção de um guia de corte, promovendo à reanatomização sem a necessidade de acesso extra oral submandibular, evitando uma cicatriz em face feminina. Paciente encontra-se em pós-operatório de 60 meses, sem queixas e satisfeita. Portanto, é evidenciado cada vez mais a influência positiva que o planejamento virtual pode trazer aos profissionais na otimização dos resultados cirúrgicos.

Hemimandibular hyperplasia is responsible for aesthetic, functional, motor, and psychosocial impairments. With an uncertain etiology, it occurs due to the imbalance of regulatory growth factors present in the cartilaginous layer of the condyle. The report aims to describe decision-making based on specific complementary exams combined with the appropriate surgical intervention for the condition. A 33-year-old female patient presented at a private clinic with the main complaint of "asymmetric face." A scintigraphic evaluation was requested to objectively confirm the interruption of condylar growth, ruling out the hypothesis of Osteochondroma and condylectomy. After prior orthodontic preparation, tomographic exams were used to create a prototype that was printed after planned bone movements. Through the reconstruction, it was concluded that the existing asymmetry would not be entirely corrected through orthognathic intervention alone, necessitating also an osteotomy to remove part of the base of the body and mandibular angle. This was done through the creation of a cutting guide, allowing for reanatomization without the need for submandibular extraoral access, thus avoiding a scar on the female face. The patient is 60 months postoperative, with no complaints and satisfied. Therefore, the increasingly positive influence of virtual planning on optimizing surgical outcomes for professionals is evident.

Percepção profissional sobre tratamento endodôntico em sessão única e múltiplas sessões / Professional perception of single and multi-session endodontic treatment

Na odontologia a decisão do tratamento é exclusiva dos cirurgiões dentistas e suas percepções, incluindo filosofia de tratamento, fazendo com que a prática de novos conceitos, tratamentos ou técnicas dependam não apenas de sua lógica ou eficácia biológica. Sendo assim, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os parâmetros envolvidos na tomada de decisão de cirurgiões dentistas clínicos e especialistas para a realização do tratamento endodôntico em sessão única ou múltiplas sessões. Para tanto, este estudo contou com uma coleta de dados através de um questionário online, aplicado cirurgiões dentistas clínicos gerais e especialistas em endodontia. As respostas foram tabuladas e analisadas por meio de estatística descritiva. Os resultados revelaram que a maioria dos endodontistas e dos clínicos gerais prefere realizar tratamento endodôntico em sessão única, devido ao menor desperdício de material, além do melhor domínio da anatomia e tratamento em um único momento. O motivo mais comum para os endodontistas e clínicos gerais escolherem o tratamento com múltiplas visitas é para dentes com prognóstico duvidoso e os casos em que o profissional aguarda a remissão dos sintomas antes da obturação. Em conclusão, a maioria dos endodontistas e dos clínicos gerais preferiu realizar tratamento endodôntico em sessão única.

In dentistry, treatment decisions are made exclusively by dental surgeons and their perceptions, including treatment philosophy, which means that the practice of new concepts, treatments or techniques depends not only on their logic or biological efficacy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the parameters involved in clinical and specialist dental surgeons' decision to carry out endodontic treatment in single or multiple sessions. To this end, data was collected using an online questionnaire administered to general dental surgeons and endodontic specialists. The answers were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that the majority of endodontists and general practitioners prefer to carry out endodontic treatment in a single session, due to less wastage of material, as well as better mastery of the anatomy and treatment at a single time. The most common reason for endodontists and general practitioners to choose treatment with multiple visits is for teeth with a doubtful prognosis and cases in which the professional is waiting for symptoms to remit before filling. In conclusion, the majority of endodontists and general practitioners preferred to carry out endodontic treatment in a single session.

Exploring near-infrared autofluorescence properties in parathyroid tissue: an analysis of fresh and paraffin-embedded thyroidectomy specimens.

Significance: Near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) utilizes the natural autofluorescence of parathyroid glands (PGs) to improve their identification during thyroid surgeries, reducing the risk of inadvertent removal and subsequent complications such as hypoparathyroidism. This study evaluates NIRAF's effectiveness in real-world surgical settings, highlighting its potential to enhance surgical outcomes and patient safety. Aim: We evaluate the effectiveness of NIRAF in detecting PGs during thyroidectomy and central neck dissection and investigate autofluorescence characteristics in both fresh and paraffin-embedded tissues. Approach: We included 101 patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer who underwent surgeries in 2022 and 2023. We assessed NIRAF's ability to locate PGs, confirmed via parathyroid hormone assays, and involved both junior and senior surgeons. We measured the accuracy, speed, and agreement levels of each method and analyzed autofluorescence persistence and variation over 10 years, alongside the expression of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and vitamin D. Results: NIRAF demonstrated a sensitivity of 89.5% and a negative predictive value of 89.1%. However, its specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) were 61.2% and 62.3%, respectively, which are considered lower. The kappa statistic indicated moderate to substantial agreement (kappa = 0.478; P < 0.001 ). Senior surgeons achieved high specificity (86.2%) and PPV (85.3%), with substantial agreement (kappa = 0.847; P < 0.001 ). In contrast, junior surgeons displayed the lowest kappa statistic among the groups, indicating minimal agreement (kappa = 0.381; P < 0.001 ). Common errors in NIRAF included interference from brown fat and eschar. In addition, paraffin-embedded samples retained stable autofluorescence over 10 years, showing no significant correlation with CaSR and vitamin D levels. Conclusions: NIRAF is useful for PG identification in thyroid and neck surgeries, enhancing efficiency and reducing inadvertent PG removals. The stability of autofluorescence in paraffin samples suggests its long-term viability, with false positives providing insights for further improvements in NIRAF technology.

Roles of serum uric acid on the association between arsenic exposure and incident metabolic syndrome in an older Chinese population.

Growing evidences showed that heavy metals exposure may be associated with metabolic diseases. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying arsenic (As) exposure and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk has not been fully elucidated. So we aimed to prospectively investigate the role of serum uric acid (SUA) on the association between blood As exposure and incident MetS. A sample of 1045 older participants in a community in China was analyzed. We determined As at baseline and SUA concentration at follow-up in the Yiwu Elderly Cohort. MetS events were defined according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Generalized linear model with log-binominal regression model was applied to estimate the association of As with incident MetS. To investigate the role of SUA in the association between As and MetS, a mediation analysis was conducted. In the fully adjusted log-binominal model, per interquartile range increment of As, the risk of MetS increased 1.25-fold. Compared with the lowest quartile of As, the adjusted relative risk (RR) of MetS in the highest quartile was 1.42 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.03, 2.00). Additionally, blood As was positively associated with SUA, while SUA had significant association with MetS risk. Further mediation analysis demonstrated that the association of As and MetS risk was mediated by SUA, with the proportion of 15.7%. Our study found higher As was remarkably associated with the elevated risk of MetS in the Chinese older adults population. Mediation analysis indicated that SUA might be a mediator in the association between As exposure and MetS.

Arsenic exposure and oxidative damage to lipid, DNA, and protein among general Chinese adults: A repeated-measures cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

Arsenic-related oxidative stress and resultant diseases have attracted global concern, while longitudinal studies are scarce. To assess the relationship between arsenic exposure and systemic oxidative damage, we performed two repeated measures among 5236 observations (4067 participants) in the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort at the baseline and follow-up after 3 years. Urinary total arsenic, biomarkers of DNA oxidative damage (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)), lipid peroxidation (8-isoprostaglandin F2alpha (8-isoPGF2α)), and protein oxidative damage (protein carbonyls (PCO)) were detected for all observations. Here we used linear mixed models to estimate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between arsenic exposure and oxidative damage. Exposure-response curves were constructed by utilizing the generalized additive mixed models with thin plate regressions. After adjusting for potential confounders, arsenic level was significantly and positively related to the levels of global oxidative damage and their annual increased rates in dose-response manners. In cross-sectional analyses, each 1% increase in arsenic level was associated with a 0.406% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.379% to 0.433%), 0.360% (0.301% to 0.420%), and 0.079% (0.055% to 0.103%) increase in 8-isoPGF2α, 8-OHdG, and PCO, respectively. More importantly, arsenic was further found to be associated with increased annual change rates of 8-isoPGF2α (ß: 0.147; 95% CI: 0.130 to 0.164), 8-OHdG (0.155; 0.118 to 0.192), and PCO (0.050; 0.035 to 0.064) in the longitudinal analyses. Our study suggested that arsenic exposure was not only positively related with global oxidative damage to lipid, DNA, and protein in cross-sectional analyses, but also associated with annual increased rates of these biomarkers in dose-dependent manners.

The association of isocarbophos and isofenphos with different types of glucose metabolism: The role of inflammatory cells.

To investigate the associations between isocarbophos and isofenphos with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to assess the mediation roles of inflammation cells. There were 2701 participants in the case-control study, including 896 patients with T2DM, 900 patients with IFG, 905 subjects with NGT. Plasma isocarbophos and isofenphos concentrations were measured using gas chromatography and triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. Generalized linear models were used to calculate the relationships between plasma isofenphos and isocarbophos levels with inflammatory factor levels and T2DM. Inflammatory cell was used as mediators to estimate the mediating effects on the above associations. Isocarbophos and isofenphos were positively related with T2DM after adjusting for other factors. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) (OR (95%CI)) for T2DM was 1.041 (1.015, 1.068) and for IFG was 1.066 (1.009, 1.127) per unit rise in ln-isocarbophos. The prevalence of T2DM increased by 6.4% for every 1 unit more of ln-isofenphos (OR (95% CI): 1.064 (1.041, 1.087)). Additionally, a 100% rise in ln-isocarbophos was linked to 3.3% higher ln-HOMA2IR and a 0.029 mmol/L higher glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (95% CI: 0.007, 0.051). While a 100% rise in ln-isofenphos was linked to increase in ln-HOMA2 and ln-HOMA2IR of 5.8% and 3.4%, respectively. Furthermore, white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophilic (NE) were found to be mediators in the relationship between isocarbophos and T2DM, and the corresponding proportions were 17.12% and 17.67%, respectively. Isofenphos and isocarbophos are associated with IFG and T2DM in the rural Chinese population, WBC and NE have a significant role in this relationship.

Bioaccessibility and health risk assessment of hydrophobic organic pollutants in soils from four typical industrial contaminated sites in China.

There have been reports of potential health risks for people from hydrophobic organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated hydrocarbons (PCHs), and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). When a contaminated site is used for residential housing or public utility and recreation areas, the soil-bound organic pollutants might pose a threat to human health. In this study, we investigated the contamination profiles and potential risks to human health of 15 PAHs, 6 PCHs, and 12 OPFRs in soils from four contaminated sites in China. We used an in vitro method to determine the oral bioaccessibility of soil pollutants. Total PAHs were found at concentrations ranging from 26.4 ng/g to 987 ng/g. PCHs (0.27‒14.3 ng/g) and OPFRs (6.30‒310 ng/g) were detected, but at low levels compared to earlier reports. The levels of PAHs, PCHs, and OPFRs released from contaminated soils into simulated gastrointestinal fluids ranged from 1.74% to 91.0%, 2.51% to 39.6%, and 1.37% to 96.9%, respectively. Based on both spiked and unspiked samples, we found that the oral bioaccessibility of pollutants was correlated with their logKow and molecular weight, and the total organic carbon content and pH of soils. PAHs in 13 out of 38 contaminated soil samples posed potential high risks to children. When considering oral bioaccessibility, nine soils still posed potential risks, while the risks in the remaining soils became negligible. The contribution of this paper is that it corrects the health risk of soil-bound organic pollutants by detecting bioaccessibility in actual soils from different contaminated sites.

The impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on stem cells: Mechanisms and implications for human health.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are compounds, either natural or man-made, that interfere with the normal functioning of the endocrine system. There is increasing evidence that exposure to EDCs can have profound adverse effects on reproduction, metabolic disorders, neurological alterations, and increased risk of hormone-dependent cancer. Stem cells (SCs) are integral to these pathological processes, and it is therefore crucial to understand how EDCs may influence SC functionality. This review examines the literature on different types of EDCs and their effects on various types of SCs, including embryonic, adult, and cancer SCs. Possible molecular mechanisms through which EDCs may influence the phenotype of SCs are also evaluated. Finally, the possible implications of these effects on human health are discussed. The available literature demonstrates that EDCs can influence the biology of SCs in a variety of ways, including by altering hormonal pathways, DNA damage, epigenetic changes, reactive oxygen species production and alterations in the gene expression patterns. These disruptions may lead to a variety of cell fates and diseases later in adulthood including increased risk of endocrine disorders, obesity, infertility, reproductive abnormalities, and cancer. Therefore, the review emphasizes the importance of raising broader awareness regarding the intricate impact of EDCs on human health.

Profiles, exposure assessment and expanded screening of PAHs and their derivatives in one petroleum refinery facility of China.

This study investigated environmental distribution and human exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives in one Chinese petroleum refinery facility. It was found that, following with high concentrations of 16 EPA PAHs (∑Parent-PAHs) in smelting subarea of studied petroleum refinery facility, total derivatives of PAHs [named as XPAHs, including nitro PAHs (NPAHs), chlorinated PAHs (Cl-PAHs), and brominated PAHs (Br-PAHs)] in gas (mean= 1.57 × 104 ng/m3), total suspended particulate (TSP) (mean= 4.33 × 103 ng/m3) and soil (mean= 4.37 × 103 ng/g) in this subarea had 1.76-6.19 times higher levels than those from other subareas of this facility, surrounding residential areas and reference areas, indicating that petroleum refining processes would lead apparent derivation of PAHs. Especially, compared with those in residential and reference areas, gas samples in the petrochemical areas had higher ∑NPAH/∑PAHs (mean=2.18), but lower ∑Cl-PAH/∑PAHs (mean=1.43 × 10-1) and ∑Br-PAH/∑PAHs ratios (mean=7.49 × 10-2), indicating the richer nitrification of PAHs than chlorination during petrochemical process. The occupational exposure to PAHs and XPAHs in this petroleum refinery facility were 24-343 times higher than non-occupational exposure, and the ILCR (1.04 × 10-4) for petrochemical workers was considered to be potential high risk. Furthermore, one expanded high-resolution screening through GC Orbitrap/MS was performed for soils from petrochemical area, and another 35 PAHs were found, including alkyl-PAHs, phenyl-PAHs and other species, indicating that profiles and risks of PAHs analogs in petrochemical areas deserve further expanded investigation.

Assessment of internal exposure risk from metals pollution of occupational and non-occupational populations around a non-ferrous metal smelting plant.

Non-ferrous metal smelting poses significant risks to public health. Specifically, the copper smelting process releases arsenic, a semi-volatile metalloid, which poses an emerging exposure risk to both workers and nearby residents. To comprehensively understand the internal exposure risks of metal(loid)s from copper smelting, we explored eighteen metal(loid)s and arsenic metabolites in the urine of both occupational and non-occupational populations using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with high-performance liquid chromatography and compared their health risks. Results showed that zinc and copper (485.38 and 14.00 µg/L), and arsenic, lead, cadmium, vanadium, tin and antimony (46.80, 6.82, 2.17, 0.40, 0.44 and 0.23 µg/L, respectively) in workers (n=179) were significantly higher compared to controls (n=168), while Zinc, tin and antimony (412.10, 0.51 and 0.15 µg/L, respectively) of residents were significantly higher than controls. Additionally, workers had a higher monomethyl arsenic percentage (MMA%), showing lower arsenic methylation capacity. Source appointment analysis identified arsenic, lead, cadmium, antimony, tin and thallium as co-exposure metal(loid)s from copper smelting, positively relating to the age of workers. The hazard index (HI) of workers exceeded 1.0, while residents and control were approximately at 1.0. Besides, all three populations had accumulated cancer risks exceeding 1.0 × 10-4, and arsenite (AsIII) was the main contributor to the variation of workers and residents. Furthermore, residents living closer to the smelting plant had higher health risks. This study reveals arsenic exposure metabolites and multiple metals as emerging contaminants for copper smelting exposure populations, providing valuable insights for pollution control in non-ferrous metal smelting.

Bioactive nanocomposite hydrogel enhances postoperative immunotherapy and bone reconstruction for osteosarcoma treatment.

Osteosarcoma, a malignant bone tumor often characterized by high hedgehog signaling activity, residual tumor cells, and substantial bone defects, poses significant challenges to both treatment response and postsurgical recovery. Here, we developed a nanocomposite hydrogel for the sustained co-delivery of bioactive magnesium ions, anti-PD-L1 antibody (αPD-L1), and hedgehog pathway antagonist vismodegib, to eradicate residual tumor cells while promoting bone regeneration post-surgery. In a mouse model of tibia osteosarcoma, this hydrogel-mediated combination therapy led to remarkable tumor growth inhibition and hence increased animal survival by enhancing the activity of tumor-suppressed CD8+ T cells. Meanwhile, the implanted hydrogel improved the microenvironment of osteogenesis through long-term sustained release of Mg2+, facilitating bone defect repair by upregulating the expression of osteogenic genes. After 21 days, the expression levels of ALP, COL1, RUNX2, and BGLAP in the Vis-αPD-L1-Gel group were approximately 4.1, 5.1, 5.5, and 3.4 times higher than those of the control, respectively. We believe that this hydrogel-based combination therapy offers a potentially valuable strategy for treating osteosarcoma and addressing the tumor-related complex bone diseases.

Transcriptomic profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells using a pulsed electromagnetic-wave motion bioreactor system for enhanced osteogenic commitment and therapeutic potentials.

Traditional bioreactor systems involve the use of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds or stem cell aggregates, limiting the accessibility to the production of cell-secreted biomolecules. Herein, we present the use a pulse electromagnetic fields (pEMFs)-assisted wave-motion bioreactor system for the dynamic and scalable culture of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) with enhanced the secretion of various soluble factors with massive therapeutic potential. The present study investigated the influence of dynamic pEMF (D-pEMF) on the kinetic of hBMSCs. A 30-min exposure of pEMF (10V-1Hz, 5.82 G) with 35 oscillations per minute (OPM) rocking speed can induce the proliferation (1 × 105 â†’ 4.5 × 105) of hBMSCs than static culture. Furthermore, the culture of hBMSCs in osteo-induction media revealed a greater enhancement of osteogenic transcription factors under the D-pEMF condition, suggesting that D-pEMF addition significantly boosted hBMSCs osteogenesis. Additionally, the RNA sequencing data revealed a significant shift in various osteogenic and signaling genes in the D-pEMF group, further suggesting their osteogenic capabilities. In this research, we demonstrated that the combined effect of wave and pEMF stimulation on hBMSCs allows rapid proliferation and induces osteogenic properties in the cells. Moreover, our study revealed that D-pEMF stimuli also induce ROS-scavenging properties in the cultured cells. This study also revealed a bioactive and cost-effective approach that enables the use of cells without using any expensive materials and avoids the possible risks associated with them post-implantation.

Biomedical applications of functional hydrogels: Innovative developments, relevant clinical trials and advanced products.

Functional hydrogels are used for numerous biomedical applications such as tissue engineering, wound dressings, lubricants, contact lenses and advanced drug delivery systems. Most of them are based on synthetic or natural polymers forming a three-dimensional network that contains aqueous media. Among synthetic polymers, poly(meth)acrylates, polyethyleneglycols, poly(vinylalcohols), poly(vinylpyrrolidones), PLGA and poly(urethanes) are of high relevance, whereas natural polymers are mainly polysaccharides such as hyaluronic acid, alginate or chitosan and proteins such as albumin, collagen or elastin. In contrast to most synthetic polymers, natural polymers are biodegradable. Both synthetic and natural polymers are often chemically modified in order to improve or induce favorable properties and functions like high mechanical strength, stiffness, elasticity, high porosity, adhesive properties, in situ gelling properties, high water binding capacity or drug release controlling properties. Within this review we provide an overview about the broad spectrum of biomedical applications of functional hydrogels, summarize innovative approaches, discuss the concept of relevant functional hydrogels that are in clinical trials and highlight advanced products as examples for successful developments.

Efficiently directing differentiation and homing of mesenchymal stem cells to boost cartilage repair in osteoarthritis via a nanoparticle and peptide dual-engineering strategy.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are expected to be useful therapeutics in osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disorder characterized by cartilage degradation. However, evidence is limited with regard to cartilage repair in clinical trials because of the uncontrolled differentiation and weak cartilage-targeting ability of MSCs after injection. To overcome these drawbacks, here we synthesized CuO@MSN nanoparticles (NPs) to deliver Sox9 plasmid DNA (favoring chondrogenesis) and recombinant protein Bmp7 (inhibiting hypertrophy). After taking up CuO@MSN/Sox9/Bmp7 (CSB NPs), the expressions of chondrogenic markers were enhanced while hypertrophic markers were decreased in response to these CSB-engineered MSCs. Moreover, a cartilage-targeted peptide (designated as peptide W) was conjugated onto the surface of MSCs via a click chemistry reaction, thereby prolonging the residence time of MSCs in both the knee joint cavity of mice and human-derived cartilage. In a surgery-induced OA mouse model, the NP and peptide dual-modified W-CSB-MSCs showed an enhancing therapeutic effect on cartilage repair in knee joints compared with other engineered MSCs after intra-articular injection. Most importantly, W-CSB-MSCs accelerated cartilage regeneration in damaged cartilage explants derived from OA patients. Thus, this new peptide and NPs dual engineering strategy shows potential for clinical applications to boost cartilage repair in OA using MSC therapy.

Microenvironment matters: In vitro 3D bone marrow niches differentially modulate survival, phenotype and drug responses of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a deadly form of leukemia with ineffective traditional treatment and frequent chemoresistance-associated relapse. Personalized drug screening holds promise in identifying optimal regimen, nevertheless, primary AML cells undergo spontaneous apoptosis during cultures, invalidating the drug screening results. Here, we reconstitute a 3D osteogenic niche (3DON) mimicking that in bone marrow to support primary AML cell survival and phenotype maintenance in cultures. Specifically, 3DON derived from osteogenically differentiated mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from healthy and AML donors are co-cultured with primary AML cells. The AML cells under the AML_3DON niche showed enhanced viability, reduced apoptosis and maintained CD33+ CD34-phenotype, associating with elevated secretion of anti-apoptotic cytokines in the AML_3DON niche. Moreover, AML cells under the AML_3DON niche exhibited low sensitivity to two FDA-approved chemotherapeutic drugs, further suggesting the physiological resemblance of the AML_3DON niche. Most interestingly, AML cells co-cultured with the healthy_3DON niche are highly sensitive to the same sample drugs. This study demonstrates the differential responses of AML cells towards leukemic and healthy bone marrow niches, suggesting the impact of native cancer cell niche in drug screening, and the potential of re-engineering healthy bone marrow niche in AML patients as chemotherapeutic adjuvants overcoming chemoresistance, respectively.

Oxygen-defect bismuth oxychloride nanosheets for ultrasonic cavitation effect enhanced sonodynamic and second near-infrared photo-induced therapy of breast cancer.

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) relies heavily on the presence of oxygen to induce cell death. Its effectiveness is thus diminished in the hypoxic regions of tumor tissue. To address this issue, the exploration of ultrasound-based synergistic treatment modalities has become a significant research focus. Here, we report an ultrasonic cavitation effect enhanced sonodynamic and 1208 nm photo-induced cancer treatment strategy based on thermoelectric/piezoelectric oxygen-defect bismuth oxychloride nanosheets (BNs) to realize the high-performance eradication of tumors. Upon ultrasonic irradiation, the local high temperature and high pressure generated by the ultrasonic cavitation effect combined with the thermoelectric and piezoelectric effects of BNs create a built-in electric field. This facilitates the separation of carriers, increasing their mobility and extending their lifetimes, thereby greatly improving the effectiveness of SDT and NIR-Ⅱ phototherapy on hypoxia. The Tween-20 modified BNs (TBNs) demonstrate ∼88.6 % elimination rate against deep-seated tumor cells under hypoxic conditions. In vivo experiments confirm the excellent antitumor efficacy of TBNs, achieving complete tumor elimination within 10 days with no recurrences. Furthermore, due to the high X-ray attenuation of Bi and excellent NIR-Ⅱ absorption, TBNs enable precise cancer diagnosis through photoacoustic (PA) imaging and computed tomography (CT).

Stiff extracellular matrix drives the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells toward osteogenesis by the multiscale 3D genome reorganization.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness is a major driver of stem cell fate. However, the involvement of the three-dimensional (3D) genomic reorganization in response to ECM stiffness remains unclear. Here, we generated comprehensive 3D chromatin landscapes of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exposed to various ECM stiffness. We found that there were more long-range chromatin interactions, but less compartment A in MSCs cultured on stiff ECM than those cultured on soft ECM. However, the switch from compartment B in MSCs cultured on soft ECM to compartment A in MSCs cultured on stiff ECM included genes encoding proteins primarily enriched in cytoskeleton organization. At the topologically associating domains (TADs) level, stiff ECM tends to have merged TADs on soft ECM. These merged TADs on stiff ECM include upregulated genes encoding proteins enriched in osteogenesis, such as SP1, ETS1, and DCHS1, which were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and found to be consistent with the increase of alkaline phosphatase staining. Knockdown of SP1 or ETS1 led to the downregulation of osteogenic marker genes, including COL1A1, RUNX2, ALP, and OCN in MSCs cultured on stiff ECM. Our study provides an important insight into the stiff ECM-mediated promotion of MSC differentiation towards osteogenesis, emphasizing the influence of mechanical cues on the reorganization of 3D genome architecture and stem cell fate.