Person: Crooke Álvarez, Almudena
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First Name
Almudena
Last Name
Crooke Álvarez
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Óptica y Optometría
Department
Bioquímica y Biología Molecular
Area
Bioquímica y Biología Molecular
Identifiers
4 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Item Dual-Mode Gold Nanoparticle-Based Method for Early Detection of Acanthamoeba(International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022) Pastrana Robles, Cristina; Guerreiro, Joana Rafaela L.; Elumalai, Monisha; Carpena Torres, Carlos; Crooke Álvarez, Almudena; Carracedo Rodríguez, Juan Gonzalo; Prado, Marta; Huete Toral, FernandoAcanthamoeba keratitis is an aggressive and rapidly progressing ocular pathology whose main risk factor is the use of contact lenses. An early and differential diagnosis is considered the main factor to prevent the progression and improve the prognosis of the pathology. However, current diagnosis techniques require time, complex and costly materials making an early diagnosis challenging. Thus, there is a need for fast, accessible, and accurate methods for Acanthamoeba detection by practitioners for timely and suitable treatment and even for contact lens user as preventive diagnosis. Here, we developed a dual-mode colorimetric-based method for fast, visual, and accurate detection of Acanthamoeba using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). For this strategy, AuNPs were functionalized with thiolated probes and the presence of target Acanthamoeba genomic sequences, produce a colorimetric change from red to purple. This approach allows the detection of 0.02 and 0.009 μM of the unamplified Acanthamoeba genome by the naked eye in less than 20 min and by color analysis using a smartphone. Additionally, real samples were successfully analyzed showing the potential of the technology considering the lack of point-of-care tools that are mostly needed.Item Contact Lenses Loaded with Melatonin Analogs: A Promising Therapeutic Tool against Dry Eye Disease(Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2022) Navarro Gil, Francisco Javier; Huete Toral, Fernando; Domínguez Godínez, Carmen Olalla; Carracedo Rodríguez, Juan Gonzalo; Crooke Álvarez, Almudena; Versura, Piera; Dogru, MuratMelatonin analogs topically administered evoke a potent tear secretagogue effect in rabbits. This route of drug administration requires high drug concentration and frequent dosing due to its reduced ocular surface retention. Therefore, contact lenses (CLs) have emerged as an alternative drug- delivery system that prolongs drug retention in the cornea, improving its therapeutic performance. This study explores the in vitro ability of five commercially available hydrogel CLs to act as a delivery system for melatonin analogs and the in vivo secretagogue effect of melatonin analog-loaded CLs. We soaked CLs with melatonin or melatonin analog solutions (1 mM) for 12 h. Spectroscopic assays showed that IIK7-loaded CLs led to the inadequate delivery of this compound. Conventional hydrogel lenses loaded with agomelatine released more agomelatine than silicone ones (16–33% more). In contrast, the CLs of silicone materials are more effective as a delivery system of 5-MCA-NAT than CLs of conventional materials (24–29%). The adaptation of CLs loaded with agomelatine or 5-MCA-NAT in rabbits triggered a higher tear secretion than the corresponding eye drops (78% and 59% more, respectively). These data suggest that CLs preloaded with melatonin analogs could be an adequate strategy to combat aqueous tear deficient dry eye disease.Item Optimization of a Rabbit Dry Eye Model Induced by Topical Instillation of Benzalkonium Chloride(Journal of Ophthalmology, 2020) Carpena Torres, Carlos; Pintor Just, Jesús Jerónimo; Pérez de Lara, María Jesús; Huete Toral, Fernando; Crooke Álvarez, Almudena; Pastrana Robles, Cristina; Carracedo Rodríguez, Juan GonzaloPurpose. To optimize a rabbit dry eye model induced by topical instillation of benzalkonium chloride (BAC), reduce the days of instillation of the original model by increasing the concentration of BAC from 0.1% to 0.2%. Materials and Methods. An experimental, prospective, and randomized study was performed on 10 male New Zealand white rabbits, divided into two groups, considering both eyes: 5 rabbits as control (n = 10) and 5 rabbits with 0.2% BAC treatment (n = 10). Saline solution (control) and 0.2% BAC were instilled for 5 consecutive days, twice daily. Tear secretion with and without anesthesia, tear breakup time, tear osmolarity, corneal staining, conjunctival hyperemia, density of goblet cells, height of mucin cloud, and transcript levels of IL-6 were measured before and after the treatment. Results. After the instillation of 0.2% BAC for 5 consecutive days, there was a significant increase in tear secretion without anesthesia (P < 0.001), corneal staining (P < 0.001), conjunctival hyperemia (P < 0.001), and levels of IL-6 mRNA (P = 0.005) compared to the control group. Conversely, there was a decrease in tear secretion with anesthesia (P < 0.001), tear breakup time (P = 0.007), tear osmolarity (P < 0.001), density of goblet cells (P < 0.001), and height of mucin cloud (P < 0.001). Conclusions. )e topical instillation of 0.2% BAC for 5 consecutive days, twice daily, was a proper procedure to induce a rabbit dry eye model, reducing the number of days of instillation compared to the original model (14 days).Item PhDAY 2020 -FOO (Facultad de Óptica y Optometría)(2020) Pintor Just, Jesús Jerónimo; Carpena Torres, Carlos; Peral Cerda, María Asunción; Pérez de Lara, María Jesús; Toral, Fernando; Crooke Álvarez, Almudena; Pastrana Robles, Cristina; Carracedo Rodríguez, Juan Gonzalo; Cayuela López, Ana; Sorzano Sánchez, Óscar; Charbel, Carla; Garzón Jiménez, Nuria; Carballo Álvarez, Jesús; Diz Arias, Elena; Fernández Jiménez, Elena; Lledó Mayans, Victoria Eugenia; Gómez Pedrero, José Antonio; Durán Prieto, Elena; López Alonso, José Manuel; Fernández Torres, Miguel Ángel; Guzmán Aránguez, Ana Isabel; Gómez Manzanares, Ángela; Vázquez Molini, Daniel; Martínez Antón, Juan Carlos; Bernárdez Vilaboa, Ricardo; Mayorga Pinilla, Santiago; Álvarez Fernández-Balbuena, Antonio; Benítez, AntoJ.; Igalla El-Youssfi, Asmae; León Álvarez, Alejandro; Palomo Álvarez, Catalina; Awad Alkozi, Hanan; Sánchez Naves, Juan; Martínez Alberquilla, Irene; García Montero, María; Ruiz Alcocer, Javier; Madrid Costa, David; Martínez Florentín, Gema; Papas, Eric B.; Medrano Muñoz, Sandra Milena; Molina, Nancy; Jurado, Sandra; Oliveiros López, Juan; Platero Alvarado, Nadiuska Cristine; Garrido Mercado, Rafaela; Pérez Garmendia, Carlos; Antona Peñalba, Beatriz; Barrio De Santos, Ana Rosa; González Pérez, Mariano; Pérez Garmendia, Carlos; Serramito Blanco, María; Privado Aroco, Ana; Almalki, Wael; Bodas Romero, Julia; Ouzzani, Mohamed; Paune, Jaume; Calderón García, Raquel; Pitarch Velasco, Aída; Cebrián, José Luis; Sánchez Pérez, María Isabel; García Rojo, Marta María; Bonnin Arias, Cristina Natalia; Sánchez Ramos, Celia; Gutiérrez Jorrín, Sara Carmen; Rodríguez Alonso, Xabier; Laucirica Sáenz, Gorka; Arranz Márquez, Esther; Alonso Castellanos, Miriam; Teus Guezala, Miguel Ángel; Hernández Verdejo, José Luis; Mármol Errasti, Esther; Martín García, Beatriz; Arriola Villalobos, Pedro; Gómez De Liaño Sánchez, María Rosario; Mínguez Caro, N; Orduña Azcona, Javier; Navarro Gil, Francisco Javier; Huete Toral, Fernando; Rodríguez Pomar, Candela; Martínez Águila, Alejandro; Martín Gil, Alba; Tomé de la Torre, Miguel ÁngelPor cuarto año consecutivo los doctorandos de la Facultad de Óptica y Optometría de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid cuentan con un congreso propio organizado por y para ellos, el 4º PhDAY- FOO. Se trata de un congreso gratuito abierto en la que estos jóvenes científicos podrán presentar sus investigaciones al resto de sus compañeros predoctorales y a toda la comunidad universitaria que quiera disfrutar de este evento. Apunta en tu agenda: el 15 de octubre de 2020. En esta ocasión será un Congreso On-line para evitar que la incertidumbre asociada a la pandemia Covid-19 pudiera condicionar su celebración.