Search Results (61)

Immunothrombosis can substantially affect the course and outcomes of severe infections and immune-mediated diseases. While inflammatory thrombi are neutrophil-rich, impact of neutrophils on clot contraction, a key modulator of thrombus stability and obstructiveness, was unknown. This study investigated how neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) affect the rate and extent of platelet-driven clot contraction. Isolated human neutrophils were stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) to induce NETosis, confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Thrombin-induced clots, formed from whole blood or platelet-rich plasma, were supplemented with non-activated or PMA-activated neutrophils. Clot contraction kinetics and viscoelasticity were analyzed. PMA-activated neutrophils significantly enhanced the rate and final extent of clot contraction compared to controls. This promoting effect was abolished by deoxyribonuclease (DNAse) I, confirming that it was mediated by NETs embedded in the fibrin network. The factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban also abrogated this effect, indicating a role for NET-induced endogenous thrombin generation and platelet hyperactivation. Thromboelastography revealed that NETs made clots softer and more deformable. We conclude that activated neutrophils promote clot contraction via NETs embedded in the fibrin network, which enhance platelet contractility via endogenous thrombin production and increase clot deformability, suggesting that inflammatory thrombosis may require treatments addressing this enhanced contractility. Full article

Allergen-free (AF) baked goods usually show inferior texture and mouth-feel due to lack of functional proteins. This study evaluated the quality characteristics of AF muffins incorporated with three different sources of chickpea protein isolate (CPI), including commercial CPI, laboratory CPI, and cold plasma-modified laboratory CPI at varying addition levels (5%, 10%, and 15%). Results indicate that commercially available CPI exhibits high viscoelasticity in whole wheat muffin batter due to mixed protein types and severe denaturation, but the finished muffins are excessively hard with insufficient elasticity. Adding 15% laboratory CPI treated with cold plasma significantly enhanced the viscoelasticity of the muffin batter. The final product achieved a volume of 99.43 cm³, representing a 20.1% increase compared to the protein-free control group. This resulted in a superior product with enhanced elasticity, moderate hardness, and improved color. This study confirms that cold plasma modification technology effectively unlocks the structural and functional potential of chickpea protein in AF baking systems, offering an innovative solution for developing high-quality, high-protein AF foods. Future research will focus on the industrial scalability of this technology, product sensory characteristics, and shelf-life evaluation. Full article

Background: Fibrinolytic impairment is one of the key factors involved in the pathogenesis of hemostasis disturbances in sepsis, significantly contributing to microthrombosis, organ dysfunction, and mortality rates. While hemostatic assessment in sepsis typically focuses on coagulation activation, evaluating fibrinolytic activity remains challenging due to methodological limitations and a lack of standardization of the currently available methods. Objectives: This comprehensive review examines current methods for assessing fibrinolytic activity in bacterial sepsis, their clinical applications, strengths and limitations, and future perspectives for improved diagnostic approaches. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search and identified 52 studies that investigated fibrinolysis assessment in adult patients with bacterial sepsis using biomarkers or global tests. Studies included mainly observational cohorts examining various fibrinolytic assessment methods. Results: Fibrinolytic shutdown, primarily mediated by the overproduction of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), occurs early in sepsis and correlates with disease severity and mortality. Current assessment methods include plasma biomarker measurements (PAI-1, plasmin-antiplasmin complexes, D-dimer), global plasma-based tests (clot lysis time, plasmin generation assays), and whole-blood viscoelastic testing (rotational thromboelastometry, ROTEM; thromboelastography, TEG). Modified viscoelastic tests incorporating tissue plasminogen activators demonstrate enhanced sensitivity for detecting fibrinolytic resistance. Despite efforts, standardization is still limited, and routine clinical implementation has not been achieved yet. Conclusions: Fibrinolytic assessment provides important prognostic information in sepsis, despite methodological challenges. The integration of point-of-care viscoelastic testing with modified protocols shows promise for real-time evaluation. Future research should focus on developing standardized, automated assays suitable for routine clinical practice, enabling personalized therapeutic interventions that target fibrinolytic dysfunction in sepsis. Full article

Patient blood management (PBM) is a multidisciplinary approach aimed at improving patient outcomes through targeted anemia treatment that minimizes allogeneic blood transfusions, employs blood conservation techniques, and avoids inappropriate use of blood product transfusions. Viscoelastic testing (VET) techniques, such as thromboelastography (TEG) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM), have led to significant advancements in PBM. These techniques offer real-time whole-blood assessment of hemostatic function. This provides the clinician with a more complete hemostasis perspective compared to that provided by conventional coagulation tests (CCTs), such as the prothrombin time (PT) and the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), which only assess plasma-based coagulation. VET does this by mapping the complex processes of clot formation, stability, and breakdown (i.e., fibrinolysis). As a result of real-time whole-blood coagulation assessment during hemorrhage, hemostasis can be achieved through targeted transfusion therapy. This approach helps fulfill an objective of PBM by helping to reduce unnecessary transfusions. However, challenges remain that limit broader adoption of VET, particularly in hospital settings. Of these, standardization and the high cost of the devices are those that are faced the most. This discussion highlights the potential of VET application in PBM to guide blood-clotting therapies and improve outcomes in patients with coagulopathies from various causes that result in hemorrhage. Another aim of this discussion is to highlight the limitations of implementing these technologies so that appropriate measures can be taken toward their wider integration into clinical use. Full article

Perioperative blood management strategies include evidence-based guidelines to efficiently manage blood products and transfusions while minimizing blood loss and improving patient outcomes. Perioperative Medicine has made evident that anemia is often under-recognized and not appropriately addressed prior to surgery. Early recognition and correction of anemia is imperative for better surgical optimization, fewer transfusions perioperatively, and improved outcomes. Patient blood management utilize evidence-based guidelines for the establishment of a framework to promote treatment of the causes of anemia, reduce blood loss and coagulopathy as well as to improve patient safety and outcomes by efficiently managing blood products, decrease complications associated with blood transfusions and reduce overall costs. Both liberal and restrictive strategies for blood transfusions established thresholds for hemoglobin: restrictive transfusion threshold of hemoglobin 7–8 g/dL in stable patients, and a higher transfusion threshold of hemoglobin > 8 g/dL may be considered in patients with cardiac disease. Intraoperatively, tests such as viscoelastic testing, including rotational thromboelastometry and thrombelastography, offer real-time analysis of a patient’s clotting ability, allowing for targeted transfusions of fresh frozen plasma, platelets, cryoprecipitate or antifibrinolytic drugs. Complications associated with blood transfusions include allergic reactions, delayed hemolytic reactions, transfusion related acute lung injury, transfusion-associated circulatory overload, and the transmission of infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Human-immunodeficiency virus. This review will discuss the management of blood products for surgical patients in the entire perioperative setting, with specific considerations for the peri-, intra- and post-operative stages. Full article

Various high-throughput screening methods have been developed to explore plant phenotypes, primarily at the organ and whole plant levels. There is a need to develop phenomics methods at the cellular level to narrow down the genotype to phenotype gap. This study used double-resonator piezoelectric cytometry biosensors to capture the dynamic changes in mechanical phenotypes of living cells of two rice species, drought-resistant Lvhan No. 1 and drought-sensitive 6527, under PEG6000 drought stress. In rice cells of Lvhan No. 1 and 6527, mechanomics parameters, including cell-generated surface stress (ΔS) and viscoelastic parameters (G′, G″, G″/G′), were measured and compared under 5–25% PEG6000. Lvhan No. 1 showed larger viscoelastic but smaller surface stress changes with the same concentration of PEG6000. Moreover, Lvhan No. 1 cells showed better wall–plasma membrane–cytoskeleton continuum structure maintaining ability under drought stress, as proven by transient tension stress (ΔS > 0) and linear G′~ΔS, G″~ΔS relations at higher 15–25% PEG6000, but not for 6527 cells. Additionally, two distinct defense and drought resistance mechanisms were identified through dynamic G″/G′ responses: (i) transient hardening followed by softening recovery under weak drought, and (ii) transient softening followed by hardening recovery under strong drought. The abilities of Lvhan No. 1 cells to both recover from transient hardening to softening and to recover from transient softening to hardening are better than those of 6527 cells. Overall, the dynamic mechanomics phenotypic patterns (ΔS, G′, G″, G″/G′, G′~ΔS, G″~ΔS) verified that Lvhan No. 1 has better drought resistance than that of 6527, which is consistent with the field data. Full article

We start presenting an overview on recent applications of linear polymers and networks in condensed matter physics, chemistry and biology by briefly discussing selected papers (published within 2022–2024) in some detail. They are organized into three main subsections: polymers in physics (further subdivided into simulations of coarse-grained models and structural properties of materials), chemistry (quantum mechanical calculations, environmental issues and rheological properties of viscoelastic composites) and biology (macromolecules, proteins and biomedical applications). The core of the work is devoted to a review of theoretical aspects of linear polymers, with emphasis on self-avoiding walk (SAW) chains, in regular lattices and in both deterministic and random fractal structures. Values of critical exponents describing the structure of SAWs in different environments are updated whenever available. The case of random fractal structures is modeled by percolation clusters at criticality, and the issue of multifractality, which is typical of these complex systems, is illustrated. Applications of these models are suggested, and references to known results in the literature are provided. A detailed discussion of the reptation method and its many interesting applications are provided. The problem of protein folding and protein evolution are also considered, and the key issues and open questions are highlighted. We include an experimental section on polymers which introduces the most relevant aspects of linear polymers relevant to this work. The last two sections are dedicated to applications, one in materials science, such as fractal features of plasma-treated polymeric materials surfaces and the growth of polymer thin films, and a second one in biology, by considering among others long linear polymers, such as DNA, confined within a finite domain. Full article

Metal–elastomer assemblies, such as aluminum–NBR and stainless steel–FKM, widely used for sealing or damping functions in various fields, are currently prepared with highly toxic bonding agents. To substitute the use of these liquids, plasma technologies were applied. The chemical nature of the plasma polymerized adhesives is found to have no influence on the viscoelastic properties of the elastomer. Furthermore, cohesive assemblies were prepared with acetylene, acrylic acid or maleic anhydride as plasma polymerized layers. Their adhesive performances were evaluated thanks to a tack-like test. Their adhesion mechanisms, even if complex, are namely identified as the interdiffusion of elastomer chains within the plasma-based polymer film and the thermodynamic adhesion. Specifically, we propose that the adhesiveness of metal–rubber assemblies, correlated to the maximum stress at failure in the tack-like test, is proportional to an energy per unit volume. This new variable is determined as the ratio of the surface tension to the thinness of the plasma adhesive. Full article

Coagulopathy is common in equine critical illness, with its early recognition being crucial for patient management and prognosis. In vitro viscoelastic (VE) hypercoagulability with decreased RCM/PCV has been demonstrated in dogs but not horses. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of acepromazine-induced (0.1 mg/kg IV) decreased RCM on VE and plasma coagulation parameters using a prospective interventional study of eight adult horses. Complete blood count (CBC), fibrinogen, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), packed cell volume (PCV), total solids (TS), and VCM Vet™ VE testing performed at baseline (T0), 1 h (T1), and 12 h (T2) post acepromazine administration. Splenic volume was determined ultrasonographically. The results were analyzed using one-way repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc HSD test to determine the effect of time (sample). PCV decreased 13% points following acepromazine administration from T0 to T1 (p < 0.001), remaining decreased at T2 (p < 0.001). Splenic volume increased from T0 to T1 (p = 0.04) and was not different from baseline at T2. Maximal clot formation (MCF) increased from T0 (p = 0.03). PTT decreased from T0 to T1 and increased at T2 (p = 0.03). No other coagulation parameters were significantly altered. This study demonstrates a non-inflammatory acute model of anemia in horses that impacts VE and plasma-based testing. Full article

Hyaluronic acid, in the form of a gel or viscoelastic colloidal solution, is currently used for the viscosupplementation of joints affected by osteoarthritis, but its effectiveness is under debate in relation to newer alternatives. Based on meta-analytical arguments, the present article reinforces the opinion that there are still no decisive arguments for its complete replacement but for its use adapted to the peculiarities of the disease manifestation and of the patients. A “broad” comparison is first made with almost all alternatives studied in the last decade, and then a meta-regression study is performed to compare and predict the effect size induced by viscosupplementation therapy and its main challenger of clinical interest, the platelet-rich plasma treatment. If they are computerized, the developed models can represent tools for clinicians in determining the appropriateness of the option or not for viscosupplementation in a manner adapted to the pain felt by the patients, to their age, or to other clinical circumstances. The models were generated using algorithms implemented in the R language and assembled in different R packages. All primary data and necessary R scripts are provided in accordance with the philosophy of reproducible research. Finally, we adhere in a documented way to the opinion that HA-based products, currently under circumspection, are still clinically useful. Full article

Fractional calculus with symmetric kernels is a fast-growing field of mathematics with many applications in all branches of science and engineering, notably electromagnetic, biology, optics, viscoelasticity, fluid mechanics, electrochemistry, and signals processing. With the use of the Sardar sub-equation and the Bernoulli sub-ODE methods, new trigonometric and hyperbolic solutions to the time-fractional Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Sawada–Kotera equation have been constructed in this paper. Notably, the definition of our fractional derivative is based on the Jumarie’s modified Riemann–Liouville derivative, which offers a strong basis for our mathematical explorations. This equation is widely utilized to report a variety of fascinating physical events in the domains of classical mechanics, plasma physics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and acoustics. It is presumed that the acquired outcomes have not been documented in earlier research. Numerous standard wave profiles, such as kink, smooth bell-shaped and anti-bell-shaped soliton, W-shaped, M-shaped, multi-wave, periodic, bright singular and dark singular soliton, and combined dark and bright soliton, are illustrated in order to thoroughly analyze the wave nature of the solutions. Painlevé analysis of the proposed study is also part of this work. To illustrate how the fractional derivative affects the precise solutions of the equation via 2D and 3D plots. Full article

Biophysical factors play a fundamental role in human embryonic development. Traditional in vitro models of organogenesis focused on the biochemical environment and did not consider the effects of mechanical forces on developing tissue. While most human tissue has a Young’s modulus in the low kilopascal range, the standard cell culture substrate, plasma-treated polystyrene, has a Young’s modulus of 3 gigapascals, making it 10,000–100,000 times stiffer than native tissues. Modern in vitro approaches attempt to recapitulate the biophysical niche of native organs and have yielded more clinically relevant models of human tissues. Since Clevers’ conception of intestinal organoids in 2009, the field has expanded rapidly, generating stem-cell derived structures, which are transcriptionally similar to fetal tissues, for nearly every organ system in the human body. For this reason, we conjecture that organoids will make their first clinical impact in fetal regenerative medicine as the structures generated ex vivo will better match native fetal tissues. Moreover, autologously sourced transplanted tissues would be able to grow with the developing embryo in a dynamic, fetal environment. As organoid technologies evolve, the resultant tissues will approach the structure and function of adult human organs and may help bridge the gap between preclinical drug candidates and clinically approved therapeutics. In this review, we discuss roles of tissue stiffness, viscoelasticity, and shear forces in organ formation and disease development, suggesting that these physical parameters should be further integrated into organoid models to improve their physiological relevance and therapeutic applicability. It also points to the mechanotransductive Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling pathway as a key player in the interplay between extracellular matrix stiffness, cellular mechanics, and biochemical pathways. We conclude by highlighting how frontiers in physics can be applied to biology, for example, how quantum entanglement may be applied to better predict spontaneous DNA mutations. In the future, contemporary physical theories may be leveraged to better understand seemingly stochastic events during organogenesis. Full article

Melatonin influences arterial biomechanics, and its absence could cause remodeling of the arterial wall, leading to increased stiffness. Direct effects of fentanyl on the aortic wall have also been observed previously. This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the effects of fentanyl on aortic viscoelasticity in a rat model of melatonin deficiency and to test the hypothesis that melatonin deficiency leads to increased arterial wall stiffness. The viscoelasticity was estimated in strip preparations from pinealectomized (pin, melatonin deficiency) and sham-operated (sham, normal melatonin) adult rats using the forced oscillations method. In the untreated aortic wall pin, the viscoelasticity was not significantly altered. However, combined with 10⁻⁹ M fentanyl, the pin increased the natural frequency (f₀) and modulus of elasticity (E’) compared to the sham-operated. Independently, fentanyl treatment decreased f₀ and E’ compared separately to untreated sham and pin preparations. The effects of fentanyl were neither dose-dependent nor affected by naloxone, suggesting a non-opioid mechanism. Furthermore, an independent effect of naloxone was also detected in the normal rat aortic wall, resulting in reduced E’. Additional studies are needed that may improve the clinical decisions for pain management and anesthesia for certain patients with co-occurring chronic low levels of blood plasma melatonin and some diseases. Full article

For years, cold plasma processing has been used as a non-thermal technology in industries such as food. As interfacial properties of protein play a remarkable role in many processes, this study investigates the effect of cold plasma on the foaming and interfacial behavior of WPI. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of different gases (air, 1:1 argon–air mixture, and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)) used in low-pressure cold plasma (VCP) treatments of whey protein isolate (WPI) on the surface and foaming behavior of aqueous WPI solutions. Dynamic surface dilational elasticity, surface tension isotherms, surface layer thickness, and the foamability and foam stability were investigated in this study. VCP treatment did not significantly affect the adsorption layer thickness. However, an increase in induction time, surface pressure equilibrium value, and aggregated size is observed after SF₆VCP treatment, which can be attributed to the reaction of WPI with the reactive SF₆ species of the cold plasma. The surface dilational elastic modulus increased after VCP treatment, which can be related to the increased mechanical strength of the protein layer via sulfonation and aggregate formation. VCP treatment of WPI increases the foam stability, while the average diameter of foam bubbles and liquid drainage in the foam depends on the gas used for the cold plasma. Full article

Background: Blood viscoelasticity and plasma protein levels can play an important role in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. However, the role of histones and DNA in modulating blood clot properties remains to be investigated. This study investigates the differences in blood viscoelasticity and plasma protein levels among cancer patients, individuals with other diseases, and healthy individuals. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 101 participants, including 45 cancer patients, 22 healthy individuals, and 34 individuals with other diseases. Rheological properties of clots formed in vitro by reconstituted elements of fibrinogen or plasma were analyzed with an Anton Paar Rheometer, USA. Plasma protein levels of D-dimer, TPA, EPCR, fibrinogen, and histone H3 were measured through ELISA. Blood clots were formed with or without DNA and histones (H3) by adding thrombin and calcium to plasma samples, and were evaluated for viscoelasticity, permeability, and degradation. Results: Cancer patients show higher blood viscoelasticity and plasma D-dimer levels compared to healthy individuals and individuals with other diseases. Our in vitro analysis showed that the addition of histone to the plasma results in a significant decrease in viscoelasticity and mean fiber thickness of the clot formed thereafter. In parallel studies, using plasma from patients, DNA and histones were detected in fibrin clots and were associated with less degradation by t-PA. Moreover, our results show that the presence of DNA and histones not only increases clots’ permeability, but also makes them more prone to degradation. Conclusions: Plasma histones and DNA affect the structure of the clot formed and induce defective fibrinolysis. Moreover, the increased viscoelastic properties of plasma from cancer patients can be used as potential biomarkers in cancer prognosis. Full article