Obese patients with a binge eating disorder have an unfavorable metabolic and inflammatory profile

To evaluate whether obese patients with a binge eating disorder (BED) have an altered metabolic and inflammatory profile related to their eating behaviors compared with non-BED obese.A total of 115 White obese patients consecutively recruited underwent biochemical, anthropometrical evaluation, and a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Patients answered the Binge Eating Scale and were interviewed by a psychiatrist. The patients were subsequently divided into 2 groups according to diagnosis: non-BED obese (n = 85) and BED obese (n = 30). Structural equation modeling analysis was performed to elucidate the relation between eating behaviors and metabolic and inflammatory profile.BED obese exhibited significantly higher percentages of altered eating behaviors, body mass index (P < 0.001), waist circumference (P < 0.01), fat mass (P < 0.001), and a lower lean mass (P < 0.001) when compared with non-BED obese. Binge eating disorder obese also had a worse metabolic and inflammatory profile, exhibiting significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P < 0.05), and higher levels of glycated hemoglobin (P < 0.01), uric acid (P < 0.05), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P < 0.001), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (P < 0.01), and white blood cell counts (P < 0.01). Higher fasting insulin (P < 0.01) and higher insulin resistance (P < 0.01), assessed by homeostasis model assessment index and visceral adiposity index (P < 0.001), were observed among BED obese. All differences remained significant after adjusting for body mass index. No significant differences in fasting plasma glucose or 2-hour postchallenge plasma glucose were found. Structural equation modeling analysis confirmed the relation between the altered eating behaviors of BED and the metabolic and inflammatory profile.Binge eating disorder obese exhibited an unfavorable metabolic and inflammatory profile, which is related to their characteristic eating habits

Determinación de los parámetros óptimos para el tratamiento de un efluente textil mediante coagulación-floculación química y electrocoagulación

Las actividades industriales generan aguas residuales que deben ser tratadas antes de su vertido final en cuerpos de agua como ríos o arroyos, o previo a su reutilización. En las industrias textiles se requieren elevados consumos de agua, energía y productos químicos auxiliares. Esto se traduce en la generación de una gran cantidad de agua residual, con elevadas concentraciones de colorantes, contaminantes orgánicos biodegradables, materia en suspensión, tensioactivos, sales y compuestos clorados. Dentro de estos colorantes se encuentra el Violeta de Metilo (VM), un colorante de triarilmetano ampliamente utilizado en la industria, el cual es el principal contaminante del efluente a tratar (ver Figura 1). El VM es de baja biodegradabilidad y se manifiesta en el agua a muy pequeñas concentraciones. La normativa vigente de descarga de efluentes en la Provincia de Buenos Aires no acepta efluentes muy coloreados ni que alteren el aspecto natural del cuerpo receptor. Debido a que el principal contaminante es un colorante con un importante aporte en el valor final de la demanda química de oxígeno (DQO), la reducción de este parámetro se tomó como criterio principal de calidad del tratamiento, junto con la turbidez final de la muestra. El objetivo de este trabajo fue la remoción del colorante VM de un efluente textil, comparando los procesos de coagulación-floculación química y electrocoagulación a escala laboratorio, por medio de ensayos de jarra, con los cuales se determinaron los parámetros más adecuados de tratamiento.Sección: Instituto Malvinas.Facultad de Ingenierí

Determinación de los parámetros óptimos para el tratamiento de un efluente textil mediante coagulación-floculación química y electrocoagulación

Las actividades industriales generan aguas residuales que deben ser tratadas antes de su vertido final en cuerpos de agua como ríos o arroyos, o previo a su reutilización. En las industrias textiles se requieren elevados consumos de agua, energía y productos químicos auxiliares. Esto se traduce en la generación de una gran cantidad de agua residual, con elevadas concentraciones de colorantes, contaminantes orgánicos biodegradables, materia en suspensión, tensioactivos, sales y compuestos clorados. Dentro de estos colorantes se encuentra el Violeta de Metilo (VM), un colorante de triarilmetano ampliamente utilizado en la industria, el cual es el principal contaminante del efluente a tratar (ver Figura 1). El VM es de baja biodegradabilidad y se manifiesta en el agua a muy pequeñas concentraciones. La normativa vigente de descarga de efluentes en la Provincia de Buenos Aires no acepta efluentes muy coloreados ni que alteren el aspecto natural del cuerpo receptor. Debido a que el principal contaminante es un colorante con un importante aporte en el valor final de la demanda química de oxígeno (DQO), la reducción de este parámetro se tomó como criterio principal de calidad del tratamiento, junto con la turbidez final de la muestra. El objetivo de este trabajo fue la remoción del colorante VM de un efluente textil, comparando los procesos de coagulación-floculación química y electrocoagulación a escala laboratorio, por medio de ensayos de jarra, con los cuales se determinaron los parámetros más adecuados de tratamiento.Sección: Instituto Malvinas.Facultad de Ingenierí

Recovery of NIS expression in thyroid cancer cells by overexpression of Pax8 gene

BACKGROUND: Recovery of iodide uptake in thyroid cancer cells by means of obtaining the functional expression of the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) represents an innovative strategy for the treatment of poorly differentiated thyroid cancer. However, the NIS gene expression alone is not always sufficient to restore radioiodine concentration ability in these tumour cells. METHODS: In this study, the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma ARO cells were stably transfected with a Pax8 gene expression vector. A quantitative RT-PCR was performed to assess the thyroid specific gene expression in selected clones. The presence of NIS protein was detected by Western blot and localized by immunofluorescence. A iodide uptake assay was also performed to verify the functional effect of NIS induction and differentiation switch. RESULTS: The clones overexpressing Pax8 showed the re-activation of several thyroid specific genes including NIS, Pendrin, Thyroglobulin, TPO and TTF1. In ARO-Pax8 clones NIS protein was also localized both in cell cytoplasm and membrane. Thus, the ability to uptake the radioiodine was partially restored, associated to a high rate of efflux. In addition, ARO cells expressing Pax8 presented a lower rate of cell growth. CONCLUSION: These finding demonstrate that induction of Pax8 expression may determine a re-differentiation of thyroid cancer cells, including a partial recovery of iodide uptake, fundamental requisite for a radioiodine-based therapeutic approach for thyroid tumours

Estrategy for yungas forest management in a climate change and less energy context

Fundación ProYungas busca desarrollar, en base a la Ley de Presupuestos Mínimos de Protección Ambiental de los Bosques Nativos (No. 26.331) y a los Planes de Ordenamiento Territorial de las Provincias de Salta y Jujuy, líneas de acción para generar una propuesta REDD y de bioenergía para la ecoregión de Yungas. Sus acciones se basan en tres proyectos que tienen como objetivos principales (i) generar información técnica de base sobre el manejo sustentable de los bosques nativos, (ii) analizar el uso de especies nativas y exóticas en plantaciones y enriquecimiento, y (iii) cuantificar la biomasa y la cantidad de carbono incluida en estos bosques nativos y su potencial energético. Los resultados principales se presentan en documentos técnicos de difusión que presentan (i) un protocolo piloto de manejo sustentable de los bosques nativos, (ii) un análisis del potencial productivo de las plantaciones, y (iii) una metodología de evaluación de la biomasa y del carbono incluido en los bosques nativos. Finalmente, se está desarrollando actualmente un proyecto piloto de evaluación del potencial energético de esta biomasa.Fundación ProYungas is developing, based on the Environmental Protection of Native Forests Act (No. 26331) and the Territorial Management Plans of the Salta and Jujuy Provinces, lines of action to generate a REDD and bio-energy proposal for the Yungas eco-region. Actions are based on three projects whose objectives are (i) to generate technical information about sustainable management of the native forests, (ii) to analyze the use of native and exotic species in plantations and forest enrichments, and (iii) to quantify biomass and carbon included in these native forests and their energetic potential. Main results appear in technical documents presenting (i) a pilot protocol for sustainable management of native forests, (ii) an analysis of the productive potential of plantations, and (iii) a methodology for the evaluation of the biomass and carbon included in the native forests. Finally, a pilot project is currently being developed to evaluate the bio-energetic potential of forest biomass.Laboratorio de Investigación de Sistemas Ecológicos y Ambientale

Liraglutide prevents cognitive decline in a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes independently from its peripheral metabolic effects

Diabetes has been identified as a risk factor for cognitive dysfunctions. Glucagone like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have neuroprotective effects in preclinical animal models. We evaluated the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonist, liraglutide (LIR), on cognitive decline associated with diabetes. Furthermore, we studied LIR effects against hippocampal neurodegeneration induced by streptozotocin (STZ), a well-validated animal model of diabetes and neurodegeneration associated with cognitive decline. Diabetes and/or cognitive decline were induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal or intracerebroventricular injection of STZ and then rats were treated with LIR (300μg/kg daily subcutaneously) for 6 weeks. Rats underwent behavioral tests: Morris water maze, passive avoidance, forced swimming (FST), open field, elevated plus maze, rotarod tests. Furthermore, LIR effects on hippocampal neurodegeneration and mTOR pathway (AKT, AMPK, ERK and p70S6K) were assessed. LIR improved learning and memory only in STZ-treated animals. Anxiolytic effects were observed in all LIR-treated groups but pro-depressant effects in CTRL rats were observed. At a cellular/molecular level, intracerebroventricular STZ induced hippocampal neurodegeneration accompanied by decreased phosphorylation of AMPK, AKT, ERK and p70S6K. LIR reduced hippocampal neuronal death and prevented the decreased phosphorylation of AKT and p70S6K; AMPK was hyper-phosphorylated in comparison to CTRL group, while LIR had no effects on ERK. LIR reduced animal endurance in the rotarod test and this effect might be also linked to a reduction in locomotor activity during only the last two minutes of the FST. LIR had protective effects on cognitive functions in addition to its effects on blood glucose levels. LIR effects in the brain also comprised anxiolytic and pro-depressant actions (although influenced by reduced endurance). Finally, LIR protected from diabetes-dependent hippocampal neurodegeneration likely through an effect on mTOR pathway

Induction of Sodium/Iodide Symporter (NIS) Expression and Radioiodine Uptake in Non-Thyroid Cancer Cells

Background: This study was designed to explore the therapeutic potential of suppressing MAP kinase and PI3K/Akt pathways and histone deacetylase (HDAC) to induce the expression of sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) and radioiodine uptake in non-thyroid cancer cells. Methods: We tested the effects of the MEK inhibitor RDEA119, the Akt inhibitor perifosine, and the HDAC inhibitor SAHA on NIS expression in thirteen human cancer cell lines derived from melanoma, hepatic carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, colon carcinoma, breast carcinoma, and brain cancers. We also examined radioiodine uptake and histone acetylation at the NIS promoter in selected cells. Results: Overall, the three inhibitors could induce NIS expression, to various extents, in melanoma and all the epithelial carcinoma-derived cells but not in brain cancer-derived cells. SAHA was most effective and its effect could be significantly enhanced by RDEA119 and perifosine. The expression of NIS, at both mRNA and protein levels, was most robust in the melanoma cell M14, hepatic carcinoma cell HepG2, and the gastric carcinoma cell MKN-7 cell. Radioiodine uptake was correspondingly induced, accompanied by robust increase in histone acetylation at the NIS promoter, in these cells when treated with the three inhibitors. Conclusions: This is the first demonstration that simultaneously suppressing the MAP kinase and PI3K/Akt pathways and HDAC could induce robust NIS expression and radioiodine uptake in certain non-thyroid human cancer cells, providing novel therapeutic implications for adjunct radioiodine treatment of these cancers