The amniotic membrane (AM) is considered as a natural cell culture substrate and has occasionally been exploited in regenerative medicine especially for ocular surface reconstruction and dermal wound healing applications. However, its use is limited by its relatively weak mechanical strength, difficulty during manual handling and susceptibility to proteolytic degradation in vivo. Therefore, in ...

AIM To assess nutritional recovery, particularly regarding feeding jejunostomy tube (FJT) utilization, following upper gastrointestinal resection for malignancy. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of a prospectively-maintained database of adult patients who underwent esophagectomy or gastrectomy (subtotal or total) for cancer with curative intent, from January 2001 to June 2014. Pat...

Dyslipidemia is a metabolic condition linked to increased morbidity. This study aimed evaluate the effect of two new nutraceuticals derived from annatto (Bixa orellana), açaí (Euterpe oleracea), and soybean germ or red clover isoflavones (Trifolium pratense) against high-fat-induced dyslipidemia in female Wistar rats. The formulations were assessed through GC-MS HPLC-UV/Vis. Next, rats received...

In a recent Letter tathe Editor (Clin. Chem. 27:505, 1981) we evaluated a new Ferritin Radioimmunoassay kit from Diagnostic Products Corp., Los Angeles, CA. In that letter we stated that a serum ferritin cutoff of 20 g/L appeared to separate normal values from those measured in iron-deficiency anemia. The manufacturer has recalibrated the standards in the assay, resulting in a shift in the gene...

Ion channels in the degenerin-epithelial sodium channel (DEG-ENaC) family perform diverse functions, including mechanosensation. Here we explored the role of the vertebrate DEG-ENaC protein, acid-sensing ion channel 2 (ASIC2), in auditory transduction. Contributions of ASIC2 to hearing were examined by comparing hearing threshold and noise sensitivity of wild-type and ASIC2 null mice. ASIC2 nul...

In this study, we evaluated the expression of the Zenk protein within the nucleus taeniae of the pigeon's amygdala (TnA) after training in a classical aversive conditioning, in order to improve our understanding of its functional role in birds. Thirty-two 18-month-old adult male pigeons (Columba livia), weighing on average 350 g, were trained under different conditions: with tone-shock associat...

In the framework of development green analytical chemistry, a silica gel (SG) coated with semi-penetrating network based on partially biosourced poly(ethersulfone) is studied for greener extraction process aromatic organic pollutants. An optimized composition (80% linear polymer (LP): isosorbide-based and 20% cross-linking agent (XP) type bismaleimide) leads to total adsorption selected polluta...

The effect of clay and chemical cross-linking on the dynamic mechanical properties polyurethane reinforced with different concentrations organically modified montmorillonite is investigated in this study. matrix constituted polytetrahydrofuran soft segment 4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) hard segment. Glycerin was used as crosslinking agent, while Cloisite 30B reinforcing filler. nanocompo...