University of Córdoba (Spain)

About: University of Córdoba (Spain) is a education organization based out in Cordova, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 12006 authors who have published 22998 publications receiving 537842 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Córdoba (Spain) & Universidad de Córdoba.

Synthesis and Characterization of Lignin Hydrogels for Potential Applications as Drug Eluting Antimicrobial Coatings for Medical Materials.

Abstract: Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer on the planet. It is a biocompatible, cheap, environmentally friendly and readily accessible material. It has been reported that these biomacromolecules have antimicrobial activities. Consequently, lignin (LIG) has the potential to be used for biomedical applications. In the present work, a simple method to prepare lignin-based hydrogels is described. The hydrogels were prepared by combining LIG with poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid) through an esterification reaction. The synthesis took place in the solid state and can be accelerated significantly (24 vs 1 h) by the use of microwave (MW) radiation. The prepared hydrogels were characterized by evaluation of their swelling capacities and with the use of infrared spectroscopy/solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. The prepared hydrogels showed LIG contents ranging between 40% and 24% and water uptake capabilities up to 500%. Furthermore, the hydrophobic nature of LIG facilitated ...

Low-Dose Dopamine Agonist Administration Blocks Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-Mediated Vascular Hyperpermeability without Altering VEGF Receptor 2-Dependent Luteal Angiogenesis in a Rat Ovarian Hyperstimulation Model

Abstract: No specific treatment is available for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), the most important complication in infertile women treated with gonadotropins. OHSS is caused by increased vascular permeability (VP) through ovarian hypersecretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)activating VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2). We previously demonstrated in an OHSS rodent model that increased VP was prevented by inactivating VEGFR-2 with a receptor antagonist(SU5416).However,duetoitstoxicity(thromboembolism) and disruption of VEGFR-2-dependent angiogenic processes critical for pregnancy, this kind of compound cannot be used clinically to prevent OHSS. Dopamine receptor 2 (Dp-r2) agonists, used in the treatment of human hyperprolactinemia including pregnancy, inhibit VEGFR-2-dependent VP and angiogenesis when administered at high doses in animal cancer models. To test whether VEGFR-2-dependent VP and angiogenesis could be segregated in a dose-dependent fashion with the Dp-r2 agonist cabergoline, a well-established OHSS rat model supplemented with prolactin was used. A 100 g/kg low-dose Dp-r2 agonist cabergoline reversed VEGFR-2-dependent VP without affecting luteal angiogenesis through partial inhibition of ovarian VEGFR-2 phosphorylation levels. No luteolytic effects (serum progesterone levels and luteal apoptosis unaffected) were observed. Cabergoline administration also did not affect VEGF/VEGFR-2 ovarian mRNA levels. Results in the animal model and the safe clinical profile of Dp-r2 agonists encouraged us to administer cabergoline to oocyte donorsathighriskfordevelopingthesyndrome.Prophylactic administration of cabergoline (5–10 g/kgd) decreased the occurrence of OHSS from 65% (controls) to 25% (treatment). Therefore, a specific, safe treatment for OHSS is now available. (Endocrinology 147: 5400–5411, 2006)