Search results for "5(49)"
showing 10 items of 376 documents
Biocompatibility, hemocompatibility and antimicrobial properties of xyloglucan-based hydrogel film for wound healing application.
2018
Crosslinked xyloglucan-poly(vinyl alcohol) based hydrogel films are interesting materials for wound healing applications. This work focuses on the hydrolytic degradation and consequent morphological modification of a XG-PVA film and on its interaction with cells, blood, bacteria. Biocompatibility of the film was assessed in vitro by investigating different aspects, such as cell viability, oxidative stress level, mitochondrial dysfunction and specific stress biomarkers. Partial adhesiveness was demonstrated by performing different attaching assays and phalloidin staining. Hemocompatibility of XG-PVA film after interaction with blood was evaluated by using a multi-parametric approach, includi…
Genetic relationships between sympatric and allopatric Coregonus ciscoes in North and Central Europe
2021
Abstract Background Sympatric speciation along ecological gradients has been studied repeatedly, in particular in freshwater fishes. Rapid post-glacial ecological divergence has resulted in numerous endemic species or ecologically distinct populations in lakes of the temperate zones. Here, we focus on the Baltic cisco (Coregonus albula) complex, to study the genetic similarity among two pairs of sympatric autumn- and spring-spawning populations from post-glacial German Lakes Stechlin and Breiter Luzin. For comparison, we included a similar pair of sympatric populations from the Swedish Lake Fegen. We wanted to explore potential genetic similarities between the three sympatric cisco populati…
N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) inhibit mucin synthesis and pro-inflammatory mediators in alveolar type II epithelial cells infected with influenza virus A…
2011
64% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are caused by respiratory infections including influenza (strains A and B) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). They affect the airway epithelium increasing inflammatory and apoptosis events through mechanisms involving ROS generation, and induce the release of mucins from epithelial cells that are involved in the deterioration of the patient's health during the course of the disease. The antioxidant NAC has proved useful in the management of COPD reducing symptoms, exacerbations and accelerated lung function decline. It has been shown to inhibit influenza virus replication and to diminish the release of inflammatory and ap…
Contrasting Effects of Chronic Anthropogenic Disturbance on Activity and Species Richness of Insectivorous Bats in Neotropical Dry Forest
2022
For prioritizing conservation actions, it is vital to understand how ecologically diverse species respond to environmental change caused by human activity. This is particularly necessary considering that chronic human disturbance is a threat to biodiversity worldwide. Depending on how species tolerate and adapt to such disturbance, ecological integrity and ecosystem services will be more or less affected. Bats are a species-rich and functionally diverse group, with important roles in ecosystems, and are therefore recognized as a good model group for assessing the impact of environmental change. Their populations have decreased in several regions, especially in the tropics, and are threatene…
Drivers of peat accumulation rate in a raised bog: impact of drainage, climate, and local vegetation composition
2017
We used variation partitioning to assess the relative importance of drainage, climate and local vegetation composition for the development of a raised bog. As a case study we selected Teici (Teici) Bog in Latvia (north-east Europe). Explanatory variables together explained 74 % of the variation in peat accumulation and only the residue of 26 % remained unexplained. Our study showed that the local vegetation composition and dominant Sphagnum species significantly influence peat accumulation rates. The results of linear models revealed that, under natural conditions, minor drainage and even strong drainage of the peat is associated with a positive growth balance of the system. However, draina…
Presence of the Transmembrane Protein Neuropilin in Cytokine-induced Killer Cells
2020
Background/aim Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are a heterogenous population of immune cells showing promising applications in immunotherapeutic cancer treatment. Neuropilin (NRP) proteins have been proven to play an important role in cancer development and prognosis. In this study, CIK cells were tested for expression of NRPs, transmembrane proteins playing a role in the proliferation and survival of cancer cells. Materials and methods CIK cells were analyzed at different time points via flow cytometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for neuropilin expression. Results Phenotyping results showed CIK cells having developed properly, and low levels of NRP2 were detect…
Changes in gene expression linked with adult reproductive diapause in a northern malt fly species: a candidate gene microarray study
2010
Abstract Background Insect diapause is an important biological process which involves many life-history parameters important for survival and reproductive fitness at both individual and population level. Drosophila montana, a species of D. virilis group, has a profound photoperiodic reproductive diapause that enables the adult flies to survive through the harsh winter conditions of high latitudes and altitudes. We created a custom-made microarray for D. montana with 101 genes known to affect traits important in diapause, photoperiodism, reproductive behaviour, circadian clock and stress tolerance in model Drosophila species. This array gave us a chance to filter out genes showing expression…
Coñece-lo mundo baixomedieval hispánico a través dos seus refráns: Los refranes que dizen las viejas tras el fuego
2011
O obxectivo do presente artigo é destacar brevemente algúns aspectos socioculturais, políticos e económicos da baixa Idade Media do reino de Castela (e, por extensión, nalgúns casos, dos restantes reinos cristiáns peninsulares), extraíbles da fosilización formal de enunciados pluriverbais que coñecemos como refráns. Baséase, primeiro, na consideración do refrán como reflexo, en maior ou menor medida, da sociedade do seu tempo (e tamén de épocas anteriores) e, segundo, como depositario non só do saber tradicional que se transmite de xeración en xeración, senón tamén da cultura socioeconómica, material e ambiental de épocas pretéritas. Para iso emprégase como corpus textual os Refranes que di…
In vitro impact preliminary assessment of airborne particulate from metalworking and woodworking industries.
2020
Abstract BackgroundInhalation is the main route of exposure to airborne pollutants. To evaluate the safety and assess the risks of occupational hazards different testing approaches are used. 3D airway epithelial tissues allow to mimic exposure conditions in vitro, generates human-relevant toxicology data, allows to elucidate mode of action of pollutants. ResultsGilian 3500 pumps equipped with Standard Midget Impingers were used to collect the airborne particulate from woodworking and metalworking environments. EpiAirway™ tissues were used to model half working day (4 h), full working day (8 h), and 3 working day exposures to occupational pollutants. Tissue viability was assessed using MTT a…
Role of Seroalbumin in the Cytotoxicity of cis-Dichloro Pt(II) Complexes with (N^N)-Donor Ligands Bearing Functionalized Tails
2018
Given the potent anticancer properties of cisdiamminedichloroplatinum( II) and knowing its mode of action, we synthesized four new cis-[PtCl2(N^N)] organoplatinum complexes, two with N-substituted pbi ligands (pbiR = 1-R-2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole) (namely, 1 and 2) and two more with 4,4′-disubstituted bpy ligands (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) (namely, 3 and 4). We explored their cytotoxicity and ability to bind to deoxyguanosine monophosphate (dGMP), DNA, and albumin models. By 1H NMR and UV−vis spectroscopies, circular dichroism, agarose gel electrophoresis, differential scanning calorimetry measurements, and density functional theory calculations, we verified that only 3 can form aquacomplex s…