Hydrogels are polymeric networks with a three-dimensional structure that promise a therapeutic revolution in tissue engineering, especially in the cardiovascular field. All due to its properties, probably the most important of them, its capacity to retain a big level of water and another substance. These smart biomaterials can be made of: proteins, peptides, polysaccharides or synthetic polymer. The present paper focusses on the most promising advances with hydrogels in the cardiovascular field in the last 5 years: The birth to a new generation of implants, Innovation of myocardial patches, Disclosure of injectable delivery system for vasculogenesis and cardiac repair, Modernization of cardiac repair using peptide hydrogels from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell derived exosomes, Novel result with the injection of a recombinant human collagen hydrogel to improve cardiac function and reduce pathological remodeling after an acute myocardial infarction.

DPP-IV enzyme is one of the important targets for the anti-diabetic drugs. Natural products like Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) had been reported to have antidiabetic action vide multiple mechanisms which also includes inhibition of DPP-IV enzyme. However, its mechanism and site of action on DPP-IV enzyme was not thoroughly explored. Thus, the current study was aimed to perform docking studies of EGCG with the DPP-IV enzyme, (PDB ID: 2P8S) using VLife MDS 4.6. Results indicated that EGCG was successfully docked in the DPP-IV enzyme with dock score of -87.584 when compared with standard and co-crystallized drug (cyclohexalamine inhibitor) which has dock score of -84.0564. Further interaction analysis suggested that Epigallocatechin Gallate has aromatic interactions with Phe357A and hydrogen bonding with Arg125A, Glu206A and Arg358A. So based on the current study, Epigallocatechin Gallate can be further processed for tailoring and designing of novel DPP-IV inhibitors.

Buchholzia coriacea seed extracts were screened for possible anti-trypanosomal activity in mice. Whole Buchholzia coriacea seed was successively extracted with 80% ethanol (EtOH) and partitioned in petroleum ether and ethyl acetate to obtained crude extracts. The flavonoid was extracted from crude ethanol extract using column chromatography. The crude extracts and flavonoids obtained were screened for in vivo antitrypanosomal activity. In the in vivo study, both the crudes and flavonoids extracts were separately orally administered to Trypanosomal brucei brucei infected mice after the establishment of parasitaemia. The animals were grouped into 9 groups of 4 mice each and were treated with respective dose levels as follows: Group 1 (Crude 1000mg/kg), Group 2 (Residue 1000mg/kg), Group 3 (Petroleum ether 1000mg/kg), Group 4 (Ethyl acetate 1000mg/kg), Group 5 (Flavonoid 500mg/kg), Group 6 (Flavonoid 1000mg/kg), Group 7 (Positive control, uninfected, untreated), Group 8 (Negative control, infected untreated) and Group 9 (Infected and treated with Berenil®. The body weights of all the animals were determined at pre and post treatment. Both qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis of the crude plant extract was also carried out. The in vivo results showed that the flavonoid extract gave the highest prolongation of life by 9 days when compared to its crude counterparts by 6 days at 1000 mg/kg body weight (P<0.05). All the treated animals suffered less weight lost as compared to the infected untreated control. Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of flavonoid, alkaloid, tannins, glycosides, terpenes, and phenols with Tannins quantitatively being the highest followed by flavonoids. Consequently, flavonoid from B. coriacea is an antitrypanosomal potential and could further be exploited for drug development in the management of African trypanosomiasis.

LiDAR is one of the fast growing remote sensing techniques. Terrestrial laser Scanner (TLS) provides precise information about forest inventory in the form of 3D point cloud. An approach to extract tree parameters: diameter at breast height (dbh) tree height and stem length followed by volume estimation has been discussed here. The area selected for the study is Barkot Forest Range in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. The main tree species in this region are Shorea robusta (Sal), Tectona grandis (Teak), Mallotus philippensis (Indian Red Wood) and Terminalia alata (Saj). Scans were collected using Riegl vz- 400 laser scanner. Ground measurements were also recorded which included tree height and diameter at breast height (dbh). Both field measurements and TLS based computations showed excellent correlation. Forest Survey of India (FSI) in 1996 published site and species specific volumetric equations using dbh. However, three parameters: dbh, stem length and form factor have been considered in the present study. The comparative study shows excellent match between ground based measurements and TLS derived height and dbh parameters with R² value of 0.96 and 0.98 respectively. Moreover, in respect to volume estimation, excellent correlation of 0.98 and 0.97 was achieved between the two approaches for Sal and Teak respectively. However, for Indian Red Wood, one of the estimations using FSI equation showed negative value but the present approach produced no such anomalous outcome. The reason may be attributed to the fact that FSI based volumetric equation valid only for Assam was used due to the unavailability of Barkot specific equation. Finally, volumetric equation was developed for Terminalia alata (Saj) as there is no equation available for this particular species. The study also advocates an inverse relationship between Form Factor and dbh. This new approach may prove to be indispensable for species and site specific volume estimation in near future.

Neonatal diarrhea in suckling and weaned piglets is a prevalent disease within the pig farms. It generates considerable economic losses associated with mortality, treatments, productivity reduction and delayed growth. The mortality rates are high in piglets from 1 to 8 weeks of age, although frequently between the 1st and 4th week of age. The etiological agents involved include: Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV), rotavirus (RV), Mamastrovirus, among others. The aim of the present research is to analyze phylogenetically the PEDV and RV from fecal samples collected from pigs farms located in Cundinamarca, Colombia to study| the evolution and genetic diversity of the strains present in the country. Materials and methods. The methodology will include the identification of PEDV and RV in fecal specimens of piglets up to 6 weeks of age, through viral RNA extraction and reverse transcription-PCR amplification (RT-PCR). Confirming the presence of the viruses of interest, the genome will be sequenced using the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) platform from Miseq (Illumina®). Expectations: Providing information on the evolution and genetic diversity of PEDv and RV strains in Colombia, through the NGS sequencing of viral genomes identified with RT-PCR in young piglets with diarrhea.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of rare orphan disorders, caused by mutations in seven different enzymes that impair cortisol biosynthesis. The 17α-hydroxylase deficiency (17OHD) is one of the less common forms of CAH, corresponding to approximately 1% of the cases, with an estimated annual incidence of 1 in 50 000 newborns. Two phenotypically female Ecuadorian sisters, both with primary amenorrhea, absence of secondary sexual characteristics, and osteoporosis. High blood pressure was present in the older sister. Hypergonadotropic hypogonadism profile was observed: decreased cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), increased adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and normal levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, extremely high deoxycorticosterone (DOC) levels, and a tomography showed bilateral adrenal hyperplasia in both sisters. Consanguinity was evident in their ancestors. Both sisters had a 46,XX karyotype, discarding an initial clinical suspicion of mosaic Turner Syndrome. Sequencing of the CYP17A1 gene of both sisters detected homozygosis for the variant c.1216T>C in the exon 7. The variant is a missense mutation in the CYP17A1 gene that causes 17OHD in two sisters from Loja, Ecuador. This is the first time such deficiency and mutation are described in two members of the same family in Ecuador.

We pose the problem of the introduction of a biological species in an ecosystem in order to a future exploitation. For the first vivarium stage, we have obtained a simple method to determine the parameters of the logistic equation, which determines the growth of the species, from two experimental measures of the number of individuals. For the second phase of exploitation, we have obtained an expression for the maximum exploitation rate (number of individuals caught per unit time) for it to be sustainable, that is, the population does not become extinct. In the event that the exploitation rate is higher than the maximum that ensures sustainability, we provide an expression for the time of extinction. It has also obtained an expression for the minimum time that must have the vivarium stage to maximize sustainable harvest rate.

UNIVAR PHARMACY WEEK, reaches its 11th edition in the same year that the Pharmacy course is turning 10 years old. In celebration of this brand, this year we will have a great new, which is the UNIVAR SCIENTIFIC JOURNEY IN PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES 1st edition that will be happened together with the traditional PHARMACY WEEK. The event will take place in September 4th until 6th and will feature lectures, mini courses, workshops, technical visits and scientific presentations focused on researches and various areas of pharmacist practice.

The study was carried out to show how the Precautionary Principle is better applied with Machine Learning techniques. The development of Machine Learning techniques and the wider application for different disciplines, such as Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, and Science of Materials, has been increasing in recent years.Modelling and simulation techniques should be promoted for regulation assessment, taking into consideration the uncertainty of new compounds product of biotechnology and nanotechnology applications.

European institutions have decided since the Communication published on May 12, 2004 -COM (2004) 338-, the responsible development of nanotechnology referring to the ethical commitment regarding the risks for human health and safety. In this case, we use as reference the European Unión Regulation No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009, on cosmetic products. This Regulation has been presented as a reference for other nanotechnology regulations in the context of European Union. Although it presented the regulatory difference of nanomaterials over the rest of the chemicals for cosmetics, what has been the real impact of the standard after 10 years? It is concluded that this Regulation has encountered technical difficulties. This is the reason why objectives proposed by European Commission have not been fully accomplished. Many of the nanomaterials marketed in European Union nowadays have not been approved by European Commission.