Health benefits attributed to 17α-estradiol, a lifespan-extending compound, are mediated through estrogen receptor α.

Metabolic dysfunction underlies several chronic diseases, many of which are exacerbated by obesity. Dietary interventions can reverse metabolic declines and slow aging, although compliance issues remain paramount. 17α-estradiol treatment improves metabolic parameters and slows aging in male mice. The mechanisms by which 17α-estradiol elicits these benefits remain unresolved. Herein, we show that 17α-estradiol elicits similar genomic binding and transcriptional activation through estrogen receptor α (ERα) to that of 17β-estradiol. In addition, we show that the ablation of ERα completely attenuates the beneficial metabolic effects of 17α-E2 in male mice. Our findings suggest that 17α-E2 may act through the liver and hypothalamus to improve metabolic parameters in male mice. Lastly, we also determined that 17α-E2 improves metabolic parameters in male rats, thereby proving that the beneficial effects of 17α-E2 are not limited to mice. Collectively, these studies suggest ERα may be a drug target for mitigating chronic diseases in male mammals

Measurement of the t(t)over-bar production cross section, the top quark mass, and the strong coupling constant using dilepton events in pp collisions at root s=13TeV

A measurement of the top quark-antiquark pair production cross section sigma(t (t) over bar) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV is presented. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2016. Dilepton events (e(+/-) mu(-/+), mu(+) mu(-), e(+) e(-)) are selected and the cross section is measured from a likelihood fit. For a top quark mass parameter in the simulation of m(t)(MC) = 172.5 GeV the fit yields a measured cross section sigma(t (t) over bar) = 803 +/- 2 (stat) +/- 25 (syst) +/- 20 (lumi) pb, in agreement with the expectation from the standard model calculation at next-to-next-to-leading order. A simultaneous fit of the cross section and the top quark mass parameter in the POWHEG simulation is performed. The measured value of m(t)(MC) = 172.33 +/- 0.14 (stat)(-0.72)(+0.66) (syst) GeV is in good agreement with previous measurements. The resulting cross section is used, together with the theoretical prediction, to determine the top quark mass and to extract a value of the strong coupling constant with different sets of parton distribution functions.Peer reviewe

Discutindo a educação ambiental no cotidiano escolar: desenvolvimento de projetos na escola formação inicial e continuada de professores

A presente pesquisa buscou discutir como a Educação Ambiental (EA) vem sendo trabalhada, no Ensino Fundamental e como os docentes desta escola compreendem e vem inserindo a EA no cotidiano escolar., em uma escola estadual do município de Tangará da Serra/MT, Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se entrevistas com os professores que fazem parte de um projeto interdisciplinar de EA na escola pesquisada. Verificou-se que o projeto da escola não vem conseguindo alcançar os objetivos propostos por: desconhecimento do mesmo, pelos professores; formação deficiente dos professores, não entendimento da EA como processo de ensino-aprendizagem, falta de recursos didáticos, planejamento inadequado das atividades. A partir dessa constatação, procurou-se debater a impossibilidade de tratar do tema fora do trabalho interdisciplinar, bem como, e principalmente, a importância de um estudo mais aprofundado de EA, vinculando teoria e prática, tanto na formação docente, como em projetos escolares, a fim de fugir do tradicional vínculo “EA e ecologia, lixo e horta”.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Vitamin D supplementation reduces thyroid peroxidase antibody levels in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease: An open-labeled randomized controlled trial

Background and Aims: Although Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD), the impact of Vitamin D supplementation on thyroid autoimmunity is not known. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Vitamin D supplementation on thyroid autoimmunity (thyroid peroxidase antibody [TPO-Ab] titers) in patients with newly diagnosed AITD in a randomized controlled trial. Materials and Methods: One hundred two patients with newly diagnosed AITD (TPO-Ab > 34 kIU/L and/or sonographic evidence of thyroiditis) patients were randomized into Group-1 (intervention group) and Group-2 (control group). Group-1 received cholecalciferol 60,000 IU weekly and calcium 500 mg/day for 8 weeks; Group-2 received calcium 500 mg/day for 8 weeks. Responders were defined as ≥25% fall in TPO-Ab titers. Individuals with at least 3-month follow-up were analyzed. Trial is registered at ctri.nic.in (CTRI/2015/04/005713). Results: Data from 100 AITD patients (68 with thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH] ≤10 mIU/L, 32 with TSH > 10 mIU/L), 93% having Vitamin D insufficiency, were analyzed. TPO-Ab titers were highest among patients in the lowest 25-hydroxyvitamin D quartile (P = 0.084). At 3 months follow-up, there was significant fall in TPO-Ab in Group-1 (−46.73%) as compared to Group-2 (−16.6%) (P = 0.028). Sixty-eight percentage patients in Group-1 were responders compared to 44% in Group-2 (P = 0.015). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed significantly higher response rate in Group-1 (P = 0.012). Significantly greater reduction in TPO-Ab titers was observed in AITD with TSH ≤ 10 mIU/L compared to TSH > 10 mIU/L. Cox regression revealed Group-1 followed by TPO-Ab and free tetraiodothyronine levels to be a good predictor of response to therapy (P = 0.042, 0.069, and 0.074, respectively). Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation in AITD may have a beneficial effect on autoimmunity as evidence by significant reductions in TPO-Ab titers

Neck circumference to height ratio is a reliable predictor of liver stiffness and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in prediabetes

Background and Objectives: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and dysglycemia are public health challenges. There is urgent need for anthropometric surrogates for NAFLD screening. This study evaluated role of neck circumference (NC) and neck-height ratio (NHtR) as predictors of liver stiffness measure (LSM) in individuals with prediabetes (IPD). Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 188 IPD from 1130 screened individuals underwent anthropometry, ultrasonography, Fibroscan® for LSM, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance (IR), and fetuin-A assessment. Results: Hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), metabolic syndrome (MetS), NAFLD, and significant liver stiffness (SLS) (LSM >8.5kPa) were observed in 53.7%, 31.4%, 71.3%, 73.9%, 24.5%, and 11.2% prediabetes individuals, respectively. Prediabetes with NAFLD had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), NC, NHtR, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, fatty liver index (FLI), and LSM. Prediabetes in highest NHtR quartile had significantly higher BMI, hypertension, MetS, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, homeostatic model assessment-IR, NAFLD, LSM, SLS, and lower HDL-C. Stepwise forward linear regression revealed that NHtR, FLI, and LDL-C were best predictors of LSM, at baseline (Model-1), after adjusting for age and sex (Model-2), and adjusting model-2 plus systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Model-3). NHtR and NC (in females) and NHtR and BMI (in males) had largest area under the curves for predicting LSM, NAFLD, and MetS. NHtR ≥21.54 cm/m (sensitivity: 90%; specificity: 52.5%; females) and ≥21.62 cm/m (sensitivity: 80%; specificity: 49.4%; males) was best predictor of SLS. Interpretation and Conclusion: NHtR is a reliable tool for community screening of NAFLD and liver stiffness in prediabetes

Thyroid status in patients with Type 2 diabetes attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Eastern India

Objective: Type 2 diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction (TD) are two major public health endocrine problem, but the prevalence of TD and iodine status in patients with T2 DM in India is less studied. The study objective was to explore the prevalence of TD and to evaluate iodine health in type 2 diabetes patients attending a tertiary care center in Eastern India. Methods: Consecutive 100 patients with diabetes attending outpatient department were evaluated clinically and biochemically (thyrotropin [TSH], free thyroxine, anti-TPO antibody, and urinary iodine). We excluded pregnant women or patients taking drugs that can alter thyroid function. Subclinical hypothyroid and overt hypothyroidism were diagnosed as per standard definitions. Results: Out of 100 patients were analyzed, 51 (51%) were male. Mean (±standard deviation) age was 45.4 ± 11.2 years, body mass index 24.1 ± 4.28 kg/m2, and duration of diabetes 7.76 ± 5.77 years. The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and overt hypothyroidism was 23/100 (23%) and 3/100 (3%), respectively. Thyroid autoantibody was positive in 13 (13.1%) patients. All patients were iodine sufficient. A trend toward increased neuropathy (r = 0.45) and nephropathy (r = −0.29) was associated with rising TSH. Conclusion: Almost one in four people living with diabetes are suffering from TD. Thus, routine screening should be implemented. Salt iodination program is a huge success in this part of the country

Carbazole-driven ratiometric fluorescence turn on for dual ion recognition of Zn²⁺ and Hg²⁺ by thiophene-pyridyl conjugate in HEPES buffer medium: spectroscopy, computational, microscopy and cellular studies

<p>Carbazole-based thiophene-pyridyl conjugate (<b>L</b>) was synthesised and characterised. The complexation between <b>L</b> with Zn²⁺ and Hg²⁺ was studied in HEPES buffer medium by fluorescence, absorption and visual colour change with the detection limit of ~3.7 and ~4.8 μM, respectively. The <b>L</b> detects Zn²⁺ by bringing ratiometric change in the fluorescence signals at 418 and 515 nm, but in the case of Hg²⁺, the signals are observed at 418 and 365 nm, while no new band is observed at 515 nm. The structure of <b>L</b> has been established by single-crystal XRD and that of complexes <b>[ZnL]</b> and <b>[HgL]</b> by density functional theory calculations. TDDFT calculations were performed in order to demonstrate the electronic properties of receptors and their zinc and mercury complexes. The isolated fluorescent complexes <b>[ZnL]</b> and <b>[HgL]</b> were found to be sensitive and selective towards phosphate-bearing ions and sulfide ions, respectively, among the other anions studied. The nanostructural features such as shape and size obtained using atomic force microscopy distinguish <b>L</b> from its complexes formed between <b>L</b> and Zn²⁺ from that formed with Hg²⁺. Moreover, the utility of the conjugate <b>L</b> in showing the zinc recognition in live cells has also been demonstrated using RAW cells as monitored by fluorescence imaging.</p

Simple Bisthiocarbonohydrazone as a Sensitive, Selective, Colorimetric, and Ratiometric Fluorescent Chemosensor for Picric Acids

A bisthiocarbonohydrazone-based chemosensor molecule (<b>R1</b>) containing a tetrahydro-8-hydroxyquinolizine-9-carboxaldehyde moiety has been synthesized and characterized as a new ratiometric fluorescent probe for picric acid (PA). The ratiometric probe <b>R1</b> is a highly selective and sensitive colorimetric chemosensor for PA. The association between the chemosensor and PA and the ratiometric performance enabled by the key role of excited state intramolecular proton transfer in the detection process are demonstrated. Selectivity experiments proved that <b>R1</b> has excellent selectivity to PA over other nitroaromatic chemicals. Importantly, the ratiometric probe exhibited a noteworthy change in both colorimetric and emission color, and this key feature enables <b>R1</b> to be employed for detection of PA by simple visual inspection in silica-gel-coated thin-layer chromatography plates. Probe <b>R1</b> has been shown to detect PA up to 3.2 nM at pH 7.4. Microstructural features of <b>R1</b> and its PA complex have been measured by a field emission scanning electron microscope, and it clearly proves that their morphological features differ dramatically both in shape and size. Density function theory and time-dependent density function theory calculations were performed to establish the sensing mechanism and the electronic properties of probe <b>R1</b>. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the utility of probe <b>R1</b> for the detection of PA in live Vero cells for ratiometric fluorescence imaging