1,394 research outputs found

    Heat shock induced changes of adipokines gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

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    To study the effects of heat shock on adipokines gene expression 3T3-L1 adipocytes were used. Heat shock differently affected gene expression of leptin, adiponectin and acylation stimulating protein (ASP): exposure of cells to temperature higher than 39°C caused upregulation of leptin and downregulation of adiponectin and ASP genes. The present study provides the first evidence about the effects of heat shock on adipokines gene expression. Changes in gene expression of the three adipokines may help to explain the alteration of lipid metabolism and liver functionality occurring in animals exposed to hot conditions

    Partnering for sustainability in agri-food supply chains: the case of Barilla Sustainable Farming in the Po Valley

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    This is the final version. Available on open access from Springer via the DOI in this recordAvailability of data and materials: Not applicableThe objective of the paper is to understand the process of designing a multi-stakeholder partnership in the adoption of sustainable innovations in value chains. More specifically, the focus is on the design of feasible types of horizontal agreements and contractual formulas to be implemented in the agri-food supply chain in order to introduce sustainable agricultural practices. To this purpose, the Barilla Sustainable Farming initiative, which is currently in the first phase of designing an MSP, is used as a case study.European Union Horizon 202

    How Does SARS-CoV-2 Affect the Central Nervous System? A Working Hypothesis

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    Interstitial pneumonia was the first manifestation to be recognized as caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); however, in just a few weeks, it became clear that the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) overrun tissues and more body organs than just the lungs, so much so that it could be considered a systemic pathology. Several studies reported the involvement of the conjunctiva, the gut, the heart and its pace, and vascular injuries such as thromboembolic complications and Kawasaki disease in children and toddlers were also described. More recently, it was reported that in a sample of 214 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, 36.4% complained of neurological symptoms ranging from non-specific manifestations (dizziness, headache, and seizures), to more specific symptoms such hyposmia or hypogeusia, and stroke. Older individuals, especially males with comorbidities, appear to be at the highest risk of developing such severe complications related to the Central Nervous System (CNS) involvement. Neuropsychiatric manifestations in COVID-19 appear to develop in patients with and without pre-existing neurological disorders. Growing evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 binds to the human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) for the attachment and entrance inside host cells. By describing ACE2 and the whole Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) we may better understand whether specific cell types may be affected by SARS-CoV-2 and whether their functioning can be disrupted in case of an infection. Since clear evidences of neurological interest have already been shown, by clarifying the topographical distribution and density of ACE2, we will be able to speculate how SARS-CoV-2 may affect the CNS and what is the pathogenetic mechanism by which it contributes to the specific clinical manifestations of the disease. Based on such evidences, we finally hypothesize the process of SARS-CoV-2 invasion of the CNS and provide a possible explanation for the onset or the exacerbation of some common neuropsychiatric disorders in the elderly including cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease

    Local conditions vs regional context: variation in composition of bird communities along the Middle Paraná River, an extensive river-floodplain system of South America

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    We studied spatial changes in species composition (i.e., beta diversity) of local assemblages of birds along ∼450 km of the Middle Paraná River, an extensive fluvial system of South America. Point counts were used to survey birds at 60 plots located in shrub swamps and marshes of the floodplain within four sites (15 plots per site). Two sites were surrounded by each of the two upland ecoregions. Beta diversity of bird assemblages was high and was more important than alpha diversity in shaping regional diversity (i.e., gamma diversity) of the fluvial system. Compositional changes were related to species turnover among plots, while nestedness dissimilarity was not important for shaping diversity patterns. Variation-partitioning analysis showed that local conditions (i.e., landscape composition within a radius of 200 m from the center of each plot) accounted for more spatial variation in assemblage composition than did location along the fluvial system. Adjacent upland ecoregions did not account for spatial changes in bird composition within the fluvial system. In conclusion, environmental heterogeneity created by flood pulses is an important factor for sustaining regional diversity of birds within the fluvial system through effects on beta diversity

    Detection of Parechovirus (P) and Enterovirus (E) Among Infants Evaluated for Late-Onset Sepsis in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): The VIRIoN-P-E Study

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    Background: Limited data exist on the role of human parechoviruses (HPeV) and enteroviruses (EV) as causes of late-onset sepsis (LOS) in the NICU. Objective: To determine the frequency of detection of parechoviruses and enteroviruses among infants >72 hr of age who were evaluated for LOS in 2 academic NICUs (Parkland Memorial Hospital [PMH], Dallas -shared bays; Women & Infants Hospital [W&I], RI -single patient rooms) Design/Methods: Prospective cohort study of inborn infants hospitalized in the NICU at PMH and WIH from 1/2012 to 1/2013 and were enrolled in the Viral Respiratory Infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (VIRIoN-I; J Pediatr 2014:165:690). Eligible subjects were infants of all gestational ages (GA) and birth weights (BW) who were >72 hrs of age, remained in the NICU since birth, and underwent evaluation with initiation of antibiotic therapy for suspected LOS. Nasopharyngeal specimens were obtained within 72 hrs of the sepsis evaluation using flexible flocked nylon swabs that were placed in universal transport medium and frozen at -80\ub0C until tested for parechovirus and enterovirus RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (Virology Laboratory, Nationwide Children\u2019s Hospital, Columbus, OH). Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiographic data were obtained. Results: Of the 100 infants enrolled in the VIRIoN-I study, nasopharyngeal specimens were available from 65 (59, PMH; 6, WIH) for parechovirus and enterovirus PCR testing. These 65 infants (38, male; 27, female; 49, Hispanic; 6, white; 9, Black; 1, unknown) had a mean \ub1SD gestational age of 30 \ub1 5 wks and birth weight of 1619 \ub1 929 g, and received empirical antibiotics for possible LOS. Infants had a total of 94 sepsis evaluations (65, 1 evaluation; 16, 2; 8, 3; 4, 4) at a mean age of 20 days. Reasons for the sepsis evaluations included fever (9), hypothermia (65), apnea (50),feeding intolerance (51), seizure (1), irritabilitiy (5), emesis (20), diarrhea (1), bloody stool (5), rhinorrhea/congestion/cough (6), and lethargy (9). Four infants died. None of the infants had parechovirus or enterovirus detected in nasopharygeal specimens either at the first or subsequent sepsis evaluations. Conclusion(s): The burden of disease due to parechovirus and enteroviruses among inborn infants who remain in the NICU since birth appears to be low in those evaluated for LOS. Larger, prospective studies are needed to fully determine their contribution to \u201cculture-negative\u201d sepsis in the NICU. Publication Number: 3860.53
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