The extracellular matrix is fundamental in order to maintain normal function in many organs such as the blood vessels, heart, liver, or bones. When organs fail or experience injury, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine elicit the production of constructs resembling the native extracellular matrix, supporting organ restoration and function. In this regard, is it possible to optimize structural characteristics of nanofiber scaffolds obtained by the electrospinning technique? This study aimed to produce partially degraded collagen (gelatin) nanofiber scaffolds, using the electrospinning technique, with optimized parameters rendering different morphological characteristics of nanofibers, as well as assessing whether the resulting scaffolds are suitable to integrate primary human endothelial progenitor cells, obtained from peripheral blood with further in vitro cell expansion. After different assay conditions, the best nanofiber morphology was obtained with the following electrospinning parameters: 15 kV, 0.06 mL/h, 1000 rpm and 12 cm needle-to-collector distance, yielding an average nanofiber thickness of 333 ± 130 nm. Nanofiber scaffolds rendered through such electrospinning conditions were suitable for the integration and proliferation of human endothelial progenitor cells.

Background: Critical limb ischemia represents an advanced stage of peripheral arterial disease. Angioplasty improves blood flow to the limb; however, some patients progress irreversibly to lower limb amputation. Few studies have explored the predictive potential of biomarkers during postangioplasty outcomes. Aim: To evaluate the behavior of endothelial progenitor cells in patients with critical limb ischemia, in relation to their postangioplasty outcome. Methods: Twenty patients with critical limb ischemia, candidates for angioplasty, were enrolled. Flow-mediated dilation, as well as endothelial progenitor cells (subpopulations CD45+/CD34+/CD133+/CD184+ and CD45+/CD/34+/KDR[VEGFR-2]+ estimated by flow cytometry) from blood flow close to vascular damage, were evaluated before and after angioplasty. Association with lower limb amputation during a 30-day follow-up was analyzed. Results: Endothelial progenitor cells were related with flow-mediated dilation. A higher number of baseline EPCs CD45⁺CD34⁺KDR⁺, as well as an impaired reactivity of endothelial progenitor cells CD45⁺CD34⁺CD133⁺CD184⁺ after angioplasty, were observed in cases further undergoing major limb amputation, with a significant discrimination ability and risk (0.75, specificity 0.83 and RR 4.5 p < 0.05). Conclusions: Endothelial progenitor cells were related with endothelial dysfunction, whereas a higher baseline number of the subpopulation CD45⁺CD34⁺KDR⁺, as well as an impaired reactivity of subpopulation CD45⁺CD34⁺CD133⁺CD184⁺ after angioplasty, showed a predictive ability for major limb amputation in patients with critical limb ischemia.

Background/Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease characterized by demyelination and axonal damage of the central nervous system. Despite the observed benefits, highly effective treatment (HET)-based therapy has adverse effects, which include an increased risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Additionally, the risk grows if the patient has antibodies for the John Cunningham virus (JCV). The appearance of PML is rare, and only one report has been found in Mexico. The objective of this research was to determine and analyze the immunological memory for JCV in a population of Mexican patients with MS under treatment. Methods: All participants underwent a complete medical history and neurological evaluation. Once they signed their informed consent, a blood sample was taken to determine if antibodies against JCV were present in their serum. Results: In total, 121 MS patients were analyzed, and the population consisted of 62.8% women and 37.2% men with an average age of 42.28. The three most common HETs received by the participants were natalizumab (67.76%), followed by teriflunomide and fingolimod. Conclusions: The seropositivity was 62.8%, and in this group, the average duration of disease evolution was 152.33 ± 93.37 months. Natalizumab was the most used HET, and despite this, only a positive association between a positive JCV antibody index with duration of fingolimod and history of depression was found. Also, a positive correlation of the JCV Ab index within the forms of SPMS and PPMS compared to RRMS was observed. No differences were observed between populations, type, and duration of MS.

Atypical gaze patterns are consistently reported in autism, reflecting differences in social attention and interest. Gaze-tracking paradigms provide an objective way to quantify these differences and may serve as early indicators of autism. This diagnostic test accuracy systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the performance of eye-tracking-based gaze measures in children. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Diagnostic Test Accuracy (PRISMA-DTA) guidance, studies published between 2015 and 2025 that compared gaze-tracking paradigms with standardized autism diagnoses were synthesized. Pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), sensitivity, and specificity were estimated using random-effects and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic models. Risk of bias was assessed with QUADAS-2 and funnel plots. Seventeen studies ( n = 4,256) from six countries met the inclusion criteria. Tasks included social-geometric preference, motherese-nonsocial speech, and visual-orienting paradigms analyzed with rule-based or machine-learning methods. The pooled area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (HSROC AUC) was 0.845; DOR 15.03 (95% CI 8.00–28.50); sensitivity 0.77 (95% CI 0.65–0.85); and specificity 0.80 (95% CI 0.75–0.84). Although heterogeneity was high ( I ² = 87.78%), effect directions were consistent. Dynamic social stimuli and higher-frequency tracking systems achieved the best performance. Gaze-tracking tests distinguished autistic and nonautistic children across diverse settings, supporting their potential role as a quantitative, observer-independent adjunct for early identification and clinical decision support. Lay Autism is a form of neurodiversity characterized by differences in social communication, sensory processing, and patterns of attention and interest, which often shape how autistic people look at and interpret the world around them. Eye-tracking technology records where a person looks on a screen and how long their gaze remains on elements, such as people, faces, or objects. Because it is objective and does not rely on language or complex instructions, eye-tracking may support earlier identification of autism. This study reviewed 17 research papers published between 2015 and 2025 that explored how eye-tracking distinguishes autistic and nonautistic children. Together, these studies included over 4,000 participants and compared attention to social scenes, like people talking or playing, with attention to nonsocial or geometric patterns. On average, eye-tracking correctly identified autism about 77% of the time and nonautistic children about 80% of the time, with the best results achieved with dynamic social videos and high-quality tracking cameras. These findings suggest that gaze-based measures capture meaningful differences in social attention and could complement existing diagnostic approaches through earlier, more objective assessment.

Epidemiological data indicate that Mexico holds the 19th place in cumulative cases (5506.53 per 100,000 inhabitants) of COVID-19 and the 5th place in cumulative deaths (256.14 per 100,000 inhabitants) globally and holds the 4th and 3rd place in cumulative cases and deaths in the Americas region, respectively, with Mexico City being the most affected area. Several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors have been linked to a poor clinical outcome in COVID-19 infection; however, whether socioeconomic and welfare factors are associated with clinical outcome has been scanty addressed. This study tried to investigate the association of Social Welfare Index (SWI) with hospitalization and severity due to COVID-19. A retrospective analysis was conducted at the Centro Médico Nacional “20 de Noviembre”—ISSSTE, based in Mexico City, Mexico. A total of 3963 patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, registered from March to July 2020, were included, retrieved information from the Virology Analysis and Reference Unit Database. Demographic, symptoms and clinical data were analyzed, as well as the SWI, a multidimensional parameter based on living and household conditions. An adjusted binary logistic regression model was performed in order to compare the outcomes of hospitalization, mechanical ventilation requirement (MVR) and mortality between SWI categories: Very high (VHi), high (Hi), medium (M) and low (L). The main findings show that lower SWI were independently associated with higher probability for hospital entry: VHi vs. Hi vs. M vs. L-SWI (0 vs. +0.24 [OR = 1.24, CI_95% 1.01–1.53] vs. +0.90 [OR = 1.90, CI_95% 1.56–2.32] vs. 0.73 [OR = 1.73, CI_95% 1.36–2.19], respectively); Mechanical Ventilation Requirement: VHi vs. M vs. L-SWI (0 vs. +0.45 [OR = 1.45, CI_95% 1.11–1.87] vs. +0.35 [OR = 1.35, CI_95% 1.00–1.82]) and mortality: VHi vs. Hi vs. M (0 vs. +0.54 [OR = 1.54, CI_95% 1.22–1.94] vs. +0.41 [OR = 1.41, CI_95% 1.13–1.76]). We concluded that SWI was independently associated with the poor clinical outcomes in COVID-19, beyond demographic, epidemiological and clinical characteristics.