Luis Velasquez

• PhD
• Managing Director at Universidad SEK

White cement-based mortars in urban areas are usually discolored and altered their esthetic properties due to air pollutants. The addition of nanoparticles in these mortars can provide photocatalytic properties that can decompose pollution agents. Likewise, other hydrophobic agents have been individually studied to improve outdoor building construc...

Here, we attempt to design novel microporous framework materials, in this sense, such designs were carried out taking flavylium derivatives as corresponding linkers, which are assembled with the chosen well-known secondary building units SBUs such as Zn4O(CO2)6 and MIL-53 respectively. The linkers and SBUs are put together by means of topological s...

Lung cancer is a neoplasm associated with bacterial infections, main reason, to design a combined chemotherapy and antimicrobial treatment. Due to adverse drug reactions, we designed and synthetized polymer Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) nanoparticles loaded with clarithromycin and paclitaxel and Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Na...

In this contribution, we explore the potential of atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques for developing new semiconductor metal oxide composites. Specifically, we investigate the functionalization of multi-wall trititanate nanotubes, H2Ti3O7 NTs (sample T1) with zinc oxide employing two different ALD approaches: vapor phase metalation (VPM) using...

We attempt to describe obtaining a set of flavylium derivative molecules through quantum density functional methods, which lead to a better understanding of the physicochemical properties of these organic arrays. Consequently, such empirical and hypothetical flavylium compounds have a suitable route to obtaining of their molecular structures. The r...

NOD1 is an intracellular receptor that, when activated, induces gene expression of pro-inflammatory factors promoting macrophages and neutrophils recruitment at the infection site. However, iE-DAP, the dipeptide agonist that promotes this receptor's activation, cannot permeate cell membranes. To develop a nanocarrier capable of achieving a high and...

This study focuses on determining the mechanical compression properties of Guatemalan cement-based materials as a function of the carbon nanotubes chemical composition and loading. Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes oxidized (MWCNT-COOH) and Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes functionalized with thiazol (MWCNT-Thiazol) were synthesized in an environmentally friend...

Here we report the IR spectra of FeEnterobactin in catecholate conformations ([CatFeEB]3-) obtained by DFT calculations using PBE/QZVP and their correlation it with its experimental counterpart [SalH3FeEB]0. Fragments of FeEnterobactin and Enterobactin (H6EB) are elucidated from their MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and the dependence of the frontier...

Emerging and re-emerging epidemic diseases pose an ongoing threat to global health. Currently, Enterobactin and Enterobactin derivatives have gained interest, owing to their potential application in the pharmaceutical field. As it is known [J. Am. Chem. Soc (1979) 101, 20, 6097–6104], Enterobactin (H6EB) is an efficient iron carrier synthesized and...

Emerging and re-emerging epidemic diseases pose an ongoing threat to global health. Currently, Enterobactin and Enterobactin derivatives have gained interest, owing to their potential application in the pharmaceutical field. As it is known [J. Am. Chem. Soc (1979) 101, 20, 6097-6104], Enterobactin (H6EB) is an efficient iron carrier synthesized and...

Advances in the generation of suitable thermosensitive hydrogels for the delivery of cells in neural tissue engineering demonstrate a delicate relationship between physical properties and capabilities to promote cell proliferation and differentiation. To improve the properties of these materials, it is possible to add liposomes for the controlled r...

Background: Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo) is the etiological agent of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection that initially infects the female lower genital tract. In untreated women, the bacteria can ascend to the upper genital reproductive tract and infect the fallopian tube (FTs), which is associated with salpingitis and can lead to impaired...

Background: Intrathecal/intracisternal BDNF in rodents produces long-lasting hyperalgesia/allodynia, which implies BDNF plays a role in the establishment and maintenance of central sensitization. Both self-regeneration of endogenous BDNF and neuroplastic modifications of spinal NMDA receptors downstream TrkB signalling could be involved in such en...

Background: Nanotechnology is a science that involves imaging, measurement, modeling and a manipulation of matter at the nanometric scale. One application of this technology is drug delivery systems based on nanoparticles obtained from natural or synthetic sources. An example of these systems is synthetized from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxy...

Epithelial shedding and scarring of Fallopian tube mucosa are the main consequences of sexually transmitted Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection and likely involves an imbalance of host extracellular matrix components (ECM) and their regulators such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In this brief report, primary human Fallopian tube epithelial cells...

Poly(amidoamine) dendrimers are the most recognized class of dendrimer. Amino-terminated (PAMAM-NH 2 ) and hydroxyl-terminated (PAMAM-OH) dendrimers of generation 4 are widely used, since they are commercially available. Both have different properties, mainly based on their different overall charges at physiological pH. Currently, an important func...

Millions of children across the world are exposed to multiple sources of indoor and outdoor air pollutants, including high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3). The established link between exposure to PM2.5, brain structural, volumetric and metabolic changes, severe cognitive deficits (1.5-2 SD from average IQ) in APOE...

Progesterone regulates uterine function during the luteal phase and is essential for the acquisition of endometrial receptivity. The objective of the present study was to identify endometrial transcripts whose expression is altered during the window of implantation after the administration of 200mg of the antiprogestin mifepristone, 48 hours after...

Progresses in microstructured materials have developed original strategies that allow the creation of new specific devices aimed at the field of research for controlled drug release. The use of microstructured polymers could facilitate the process of controlled release for different type of drugs over time. It is well-known that these processes dep...

Advances in nanostructure materials are leading to novel strategies for drug delivery and targeting, contrast media for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), agents for hyperthermia and nanocarriers. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are useful for all of these applications, and in drug-release systems, SPIONs allow for the localizati...

Drug delivery systems based on polymeric microparticles represent an interesting field of development for the treatment of several infectious diseases for humans and animals. In this work, we developed PLGA microparticles loaded with ceftiofur (PLGA-cef), a third- generation cephalosporin that is used exclusively used in animals. PLGA-cef was prepa...

Despite the high number of antibiotics used for the treatment of infectious disease in animals, the development of slow release formulations presents a significant challenge, particularly in using novel biomaterials with low cost. In this report, we studied the pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and therapeutic activity of ceftiofur-PHBV (ceftiofur-poly(3...

Image showing morphological signs of liver regeneration, without microparticle waste in the ceftiofur–PHBV group. Notes: Liver sections were stained with H&E. Original magnification 40×. Abbreviations: H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; PHBV, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate).

Increment of weight of rats obtained in the toxicological evaluation at high doses of microparticles. Abbreviations: PHBV, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate); PHBV–Ø, empty microparticles.

Increment of weight of rats obtained in the toxicological evaluation at the therapeutic dose. Abbreviations: PHBV, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate); PHBV–Ø, empty microparticles.

Despite the high number of antibiotics used for the treatment of infectious disease in animals, the development of slow release formulations presents a significant challenge, particularly in using novel biomaterials with low cost. In this report, we studied the pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and therapeutic activity of ceftiofur–PHBV (ceftiofur–poly(3...

The pathogenesis of systemic inflammatory diseases, including endotoxemia-derived sepsis syndrome, is characterized by endothelial dysfunction. It has been demonstrated that the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces the conversion of endothelial cells (ECs) into activated fibroblasts through endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition mechanism. Fib...

Since its discovery, cAMP has been proposed as one of the most versatile second messengers. The remarkable feature of cAMP to tightly control highly diverse physiologic processes, including metabolism, homeostasis, secretion, muscle contraction, cell proliferation and migration, immune response and gene transcription, is reflected by millions of di...

Introduction: The ADP-ribosyltransferase toxin (ADPRT) NarE of Neisseria meningitidis has been characterised (1,2,3). In addition to its enzymatic activity, meningococcal NarE is able to bind a single iron or zinc through an iron/zinc-sulfur center (Fe/Zn-S), a unique feature not previously described in other bacterial ADP-ribosyltransferases (2,4,...

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles are used in various disorders for the controlled or sustained release of drugs, with the management of salivary gland pathologies possible using this technology. There is no record of the response to such microparticles in the glandular parenchyma. The purpose of this study was to assess the morph...

Background: The progress in material science and the recent advances in biodegradable/biocompatible polymers and magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have led to develop innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for diseases based on multifunctional nanoparticles, which include contrast medium for magnetic resonance imaging, agent for hyperther...

This report is an integrated study to include the molecular simulation, physicochemical characterization and biological analysis of a paclitaxel-loaded PHBV nanoparticle that demonstrates uptake, release and cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines. Taking this nanoparticle one step closer to its use in a clinical setting, we demonstrate that it causes si...

Estradiol is a steroid hormone that regulates the structure and function of the female reproductive system. In addition to its genomic effects, which are mediated by activated nuclear receptors, estradiol elicits a variety of rapid signaling events independently of transcriptional or genomic regulation. These nongenomic actions influence the milieu...

Rapid effects of estradiol in target tissues. Additional File 1 shows different rapid effects of estradiol reported in the literature. The file identifies the physiological effects, the related signaling pathway and the criteria of inclusion in the nongenomic action of estradiol.

Health literacy was examined in Chile to assess whether it is homogenous enough to allow the use of "templates" for informed consent, and to identity subgroups that may need special consideration when recruited for research because of their low health literacy abbreviated SAHLSA test of health literacy was used. Results were expressed as percent of...

Mating shut down a 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME) nongenomic action necessary to accelerate egg transport in the rat oviduct. Herein we investigated whether TNF-α participates in this mating effect. In unmated and mated rats, we determined the concentration of TNF-α in the oviductal fluid and the level of the mRNA for Tnfa and their receptors Tnfrsf1a an...

The extracellular matrix (ECM) layer that covers the mucosal surface of the human Fallopian tube (FT) is regulated by ovarian steroids and a complex network of paracrine mediators such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue extracellular matrix inhibitors (TIMPs). In addition, the MMPs/TIMPs system is involved in bacterial infection of FT b...

The NarE protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is uncharacterised. The homologue in meningococci is an ADP-ribosiltransferase toxin (ADPRT), which is also able to bind a single iron or zinc through an iron/zinc-sulfur center (Fe/Zn-S). In N. gonorrhoeae strain FA1090, narE gene was annotated as an open reading frame encoding a hypothetical protein (NGO5...

Background One of the unique characteristics of the female genital tract is the extensive tissue remodeling observed throughout the menstrual cycle. Multiple components of the extracellular matrix take part in this tissue rebuilding; however, the individual components involved have not been identified. Methods In the present study, the expression...

Table S1. Gene expression levels of 84 genes related with extracellular matrix and adhesion proteins. The expresión levels in the diferentes phases of the menstrual cycle were expressed using 2-ΔCT formula (Columns B to D). The fold of changes in each phase is indicated in the columns E, F, G and was calculated with the 2-ΔΔCT algorism.

The infectious diseases in the livestock breeding industry represent a significant drawback that generates substantial economic loss and have led to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics. The formulation of polymeric microparticles loaded with antibiotics for veterinary use can: reduce the number of required doses; protect the drug from inactivatio...

The role of mycoplasmas on the development and sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease remains controversial. The objective of the present study is to correlate directly the presence of Mycoplasmateceae through polimerase chain reaction (PCR) determinations in cervix and Fallopian tubes of infertile patients with tubo-peritoneal factor diagnosed th...

BACKGROUND: The role of mycoplasmas on the development and sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease remains controversial. The objective of the present study is to correlate directly the presence of Mycoplasmateceae through polimerase chain reaction (PCR) determinations in cervix and Fallopian tubes of infertile patients with tubo-peritoneal factor...

The development of the field of materials science, the ability to perform multidisciplinary scientific work, and the need for novel administration technologies that maximize therapeutic effects and minimize adverse reactions to readily available drugs have led to the development of delivery systems based on microencapsulation, which has taken one s...

A role for pilus during attachment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to epithelia of the female reproductive tract is currently assumed. However, Pil⁻ gonococci have been observed during infection of the reproductive tract, which prompted us to examine the effect of pili on the dynamics of infection and the inflammatory responses of mucosal explants of the...

Background. A role for pilus during attachment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to epithelia of the female reproductive tract is currently assumed. However, Pil(-) gonococci have been observed during infection of the reproductive tract, which prompted us to examine the effect of pili on the dynamics of infection and the inflammatory responses of mucosal ex...

Health literacy was examined in Chile to assess whether it is homogenous enough to allow the use of "templates" for informed consent, and to identity subgroups that may need special consideration when recruited for research because of their low health literacy abbreviated SAHLSA test of health literacy was used. Results were expressed as percent of...

Establishment of endometrial receptivity is vital for successful embryo implantation; its failure causes infertility. Epithelial receptivity acquisition involves dramatic structural changes in the plasma membrane and cytoskeleton. Proprotein convertase 5/6 (PC6), a serine protease of the proprotein convertase (PC) family, is up-regulated in the hum...

The hypothesis that levonorgestrel (LNG) used as an emergency contraceptive interferes with endometrial receptivity remains unproven. We compared the endometrial gene expression profile during the receptive period after administering a single dose of LNG 1.5 mg or placebo on day 1 of the luteal phase. An endometrial biopsy was done on day LH+7 or L...

The administration of microencapsulated drug in a matrix acid poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) by intramuscular (IM) in humans has been approved by the FDA for various applications though it is not clear what effect they have on the morphological parameters of muscle tissue. The aim of this study was to analyze the morphological changes in the...

Mating changes the mechanism by which E2 regulates oviductal egg transport, from a non-genomic to a genomic mode. Previously, we found that E2 increased the expression of several genes in the oviduct of mated rats, but not in unmated rats. Among the transcripts that increased its level by E2 only in mated rats was the one coding for an s100 calcium...

Objective: The introduction of prostate specific antigen (PSA) as a screening tool for early detection of prostate cancer (CaP), seems to take a role in being responsible for the decreasing of mortality observed in the last time. Nevertheless, the APE has a low specificity like cancer marker, especially in the rank from 4 to 10 ng/ml where a high s...

Estradiol (E(2)) accelerates oviductal egg transport through intraoviductal non-genomic pathways in unmated rats and through genomic pathways in mated rats. This shift in pathways has been designated as intracellular path shifting (IPS), and represents a novel and hitherto unrecognized effect of mating on the female reproductive tract. We had repor...

In the present study, we investigated whether cellular damage, as demonstrated by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in the human fallopian tube (FT) infected by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo), correlated with high levels of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) mRNA and enzyme activity. Infection with Ngo induced a significant increase (~35-fold) in mRNA tran...

Mating changes the mode of action of 17beta-estradiol (E2) to accelerate oviductal egg transport from a nongenomic to a genomic mode, although in both pathways estrogen receptors (ER) are required. This change was designated as intracellular path shifting (IPS). Herein, we examined the subcellular distribution of ESR1 and ESR2 (formerly known as ER...

In the rat, administration of 2-metoxyestardiol (2ME) accelerates oviductal egg transport in cyclic but not in pregnant rats. This paradoxical effect is consequence of the silencing of a nongenomic pathway of E2 induced by mating in the oviduct. Since mating induces an inflammatory response in the female genital tract we propose that some cytokines...

Using a mouse embryo bioassay, we examined the embryotoxic properties of serum obtained from eight women who had ingested cocaine base paste (CBP) for a period of 1-3 years. Two-cell stage mouse embryos were cultured in the presence of serum extracted from eight CBP-smoking or control women. After 48h, embryos were evaluated to determine their deve...

Gene expression profiling of normal receptive endometrium has been characterized, but intrinsic defects in endometrial gene expression associated with implantation failure have not been reported. Women who had previously participated as recipients in oocyte donation cycles and repeatedly exhibited implantation failure (Group A, study group) or had...

Estradiol (E(2)) accelerates oviductal egg transport through intraoviductal nongenomic pathways in cyclic rats and through genomic pathways in pregnant rats. This shift in pathways, which we have provisionally designated as intracellular path shifting (IPS), is caused by mating-associated signals and represents a novel and hitherto unrecognized phe...

Infection of the Fallopian tubes (FT) by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo) can lead to acute salpingitis, an inflammatory condition resulting in damage primarily to the ciliated cells, with loss of ciliary activity and sloughing of the cells from the epithelium. Recently, we have shown that Ngo infection induced apoptosis in FT epithelium cells by a TNF-...

Estradiol (E2) accelerates oviductal egg transport through nongenomic pathways involving oviductal protein phosphorylation in non-mated rats, and through genomic pathways in mated rats. Here we investigated the ability of cervico-vaginal stimulation (CVS) to switch the mode of action of E2 in the absence of other male-associated components. Pro-est...

To compare mRNA and protein levels of proenkephalin A (PEA) and gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor pi subunit (piGABA-R) in human secretory endometrium before and during receptivity and to determine the cell phenotypes where they are expressed. Prospective and observational, comparing prereceptive vs. receptive stages of secretory endometrium withi...

Successful implantation depends both on the quality of the embryo and on the endometrial receptivity. The latter depends on progesterone-induced changes in gene expression, a process that has been characterized by microarray analysis. One of the genes whose transcription appears to be enhanced during the receptive period is monoamine oxidase A (MAO...

Following infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, bacteria may ascend into the Fallopian tubes (FT) and induce salpingitis, a major cause of infertility. In the FT, interactions between mucosal epithelial cells and gonococci are pivotal events in the pathogen's infection cycle and the inflammatory response. In the current study, primary FT epithelial...

The role of FasL in the reproductive tissues of the non-pregnant mouse may be the induction of apoptosis of activated T cells for the prevention of unwanted inflammatory responses secondary to infection. This study was undertaken to identify cell and tissue types that typically express FasL in the uterus and oviduct of the mouse and to establish wh...

The aim of this study was to assess the participation of carbohydrate residues in the adhesion of spermatozoa to the oviductal epithelium in the rat. We first examined, by lectin labeling, the distribution of glycoconjugates in rat oviducts obtained under various hormonal environments. Several classes of glycoconjugates were abundant in the epithel...

Infection of the Fallopian tubes (FT) by Neisseria gonorrhoeae can lead to acute salpingitis, an inflammatory condition, which is a major cause of infertility. Challenge of explants of human FT with gonococci induced mRNA expression and protein secretion for the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (...

Prostaglandin-E(2) and platelet-activating factor (PAF) are embryonic-derived signals that time embryo passage into the uterus in the mare and hamster respectively. PAF-like activity is detectable in the spent media of preimplantation human embryos and it has been suggested that PAF may be the embryonic signal that controls embryo transport to the...

Interaction of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with the oviductal epithelium in vitro was examined in 2 cm length segments obtained after surgical sterilization from users of copper T intrauterine device (IUD) or Norplant® and control women. Segments perfused with N.gonorrhoeae suspensions were incubated from 30 min up to 4 h, fixed, frozen and cut in 6–10 μ...

Estradiol accelerates oviductal embryo transport in the rat through changes of genomic expression in oviductal cells. However, the genes involved are unknown. We used a differential display by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to detect estradiol (E2)-dependent genes in the rat oviduct. Rats on day 2 of pregnancy were untreated or tre...

Interaction of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with the oviductal epithelium in vitro was examined in 2 cm length segments obtained after surgical sterilization from users of copper T intrauterine device (IUD) or Norplant and control women. Segments perfused with N.gonorrhoeae suspensions were incubated from 30 min up to 4 h, fixed, frozen and cut in 6--10 m...

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin-E 2 and platelet-activating factor (PAF) are embryonic-derived signals that time embryo passage into the uterus in the mare and hamster respectively. PAF-like activity is detectable in the spent media of preimplantation human embryos and it has been suggested that PAF may be the embryonic signal that controls embryo transp...