| 1. |
- Branco, V, et al.
(author)
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Biomarkers of adverse response to mercury: histopathology versus thioredoxin reductase activity
- 2012
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In: Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7251 .- 1110-7243. ; 2012, s. 359879-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Exposure to mercury is normally assessed by measuring its accumulation in hair, blood or urine. Currently, the biomarkers of effect that have been proposed for mercurials, such as coproporphyrines or oxidative stress markers, are not sensitive enough and lack specificity. Selenium and selenoproteins are important targets for mercury and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) in particular was shown to be very sensitive to mercury compounds bothin vitroandin vivo. In this study we looked into the relation between the inhibition of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) activity and histopathological changes caused by exposure to mercurials. Juvenile zeabra-seabreams were exposed to Hg2+or MeHg for 28 days and histopathological changes were analyzed in the liver and kidney as well as TrxR activity. Both mercurials caused histopathological changes in liver and kidney, albeit Hg2+caused more extensive and severe lesions. Likewise, both mercurials decreased TrxR activity, being Hg2+a stronger inhibitor. Co-exposure to Hg2+and Se fully prevented TrxR inhibition in the liver and reduced the severity of lesions in the organ. These results show that upon exposure to mercurials, histopathological alterations correlate with the level of TrxR activity and point to the potential use of this enzyme as a biomarker of mercury toxicity.
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| 2. |
- Chase, P. Bryant, et al.
(author)
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Bionanotechnology and Nanomedicine
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7243 .- 1110-7251. ; 2012, s. Article ID 763967-
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 3. |
- Jin, J-P, et al.
(author)
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Muscle contractility and cell motility
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7243 .- 1110-7251. ; :Article ID 257812
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 4. |
- Lingström, Peter, 1960, et al.
(author)
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The anticaries effect of a food extract (shiitake) in a short-term clinical study.
- 2012
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In: Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7251 .- 1110-7243. ; 2012
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The main objective was to investigate whether low-molecular-weight fraction of edible mushroom shiitake extract (Lentinus edodes) possesses caries-preventive properties. The study was designed as a double-blind, three-leg, cross-over, randomized, controlled clinical trial carried out on two series of volunteers at the University of Gothenburg, and the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam. Volunteers rinsed twice daily with a solution containing low-molecular-weight fraction of edible mushroom, placebo (negative control without active ingredients), or Meridol (positive control, AmF-SnF(2)) for two weeks, with a two-week washout period between each rinsing period. Changes in the acidogenicity of dental plaque before and after a sucrose challenge, shifts in microbial composition, and plaque scores were determined. Frequent rinses with shiitake reduced the metabolic activity of dental plaque. No reduction of plaque scores and no inhibition of the production of organic acids in plaque was found. Minor differences in microbial composition between test sessions were found. To conclude, the results indicate that shiitake extract has anticariogenic potential, but not to the same extent as the positive control.
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| 5. |
- Månsson, Alf, et al.
(author)
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Self-organization of motor-propelled cytoskeletal filaments at topographically defined borders.
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7243 .- 1110-7251. ; 2012, s. Article ID: 647265-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Self-organization phenomena are of critical importance in living organisms and of great interest to exploit in nanotechnology. Here we describe in vitro self-organization of molecular motor-propelled actin filaments, manifested as a tendency of the filaments to accumulate in high density close to topographically defined edges on nano- and microstructured surfaces. We hypothesized that this "edge-tracing" effect either (1) results from increased motor density along the guiding edges or (2) is a direct consequence of the asymmetric constraints on stochastic changes in filament sliding direction imposed by the edges. The latter hypothesis is well captured by a model explicitly defining the constraints of motility on structured surfaces in combination with Monte-Carlo simulations [cf. Nitta et al. (2006)] of filament sliding. In support of hypothesis 2 we found that the model reproduced the edge tracing effect without the need to assume increased motor density at the edges. We then used model simulations to elucidate mechanistic details. The results are discussed in relation to nanotechnological applications and future experiments to test model predictions.
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| 6. |
- Nemeno-Guanzon, J. G., et al.
(author)
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Trends in Tissue Engineering for Blood Vessels
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7243 .- 1110-7251. ; 2012, s. article ID 956345-
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the years, cardiovascular diseases continue to increase and affect not only human health but also the economic stability worldwide. The advancement in tissue engineering is contributing a lot in dealing with this immediate need of alleviating human health. Blood vessel diseases are considered as major cardiovascular health problems. Although blood vessel transplantation is the most convenient treatment, it has been delimited due to scarcity of donors and the patient's conditions. However, tissue-engineered blood vessels are promising alternatives as mode of treatment for blood vessel defects. The purpose of this paper is to show the importance of the advancement on biofabrication technology for treatment of soft tissue defects particularly for vascular tissues. This will also provide an overview and update on the current status of tissue reconstruction especially from autologous stem cells, scaffolds, and scaffold-free cellular transplantable constructs. The discussion of this paper will be focused on the historical view of cardiovascular tissue engineering and stem cell biology. The representative studies featured in this paper are limited within the last decade in order to trace the trend and evolution of techniques for blood vessel tissue engineering.
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| 7. |
- Rocha, JBT, et al.
(author)
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Mercury toxicity
- 2012
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In: Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7251 .- 1110-7243. ; 2012, s. 831890-
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 8. |
- Spratt, D A, et al.
(author)
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Evaluation of plant and fungal extracts for their potential antigingivitis and anticaries activity.
- 2012
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In: Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7251 .- 1110-7243. ; 2012
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The link between diet and health has lead to the promotion of functional foods which can enhance health. In this study, the oral health benefits of a number of food homogenates and high molecular mass and low molecular mass fractions were investigated. A comprehensive range of assays were performed to assess the action of these foods on the development of gingivitis and caries using bacterial species associated with these diseases. Both antigingivitis and anticaries effects were investigated by assays examining the prevention of biofilm formation and coaggregation, disruption of preexisting biofilms, and the foods' antibacterial effects. Assays investigating interactions with gingival epithelial cells and cytokine production were carried out to assess the foods' anti- gingivitis properties. Anti-caries properties such as interactions with hydroxyapatite, disruption of signal transduction, and the inhibition of acid production were investigated. The mushroom and chicory homogenates and low molecular mass fractions show promise as anti-caries and anti-gingivitis agents, and further testing and clinical trials will need to be performed to evaluate their true effectiveness in humans.
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