Stem cells in gynecology: from the basis of pathology to its therapeutic approach

Le cellule staminali mesenchimali derivate da liquido amniotico (AFMSC) sono ottime candidate per la terapia rigenerativa di patologie neurodegenerative grazie alle loro caratteristiche di facile isolabilità, staminalità e potenzialità immunomodulatrice. In questo studio sono state analizzate e indotte a differenziamento in senso neuronale AFMSC isolate da 9 campioni di liquido amniotico raccolto nel secondo trimestre di gravidanza. Le AFMSC sono state caratterizzate immunofenotipicamente e genotipicamente ed è stato valutato il loro potenziale differenziativo in senso osteogenico, condrogenico e adipogenico per definirne il carattere di staminalità. Le cellule isolate hanno soddisfatto tutti i criteri, dimostrando di essere cellule realmente staminali. Successivamente, è stato indotto il loro differenziamento in senso neuronale tramite co-coltura indiretta con cellule astrocitarie umane. Durante la co-coltura, le AFMSC hanno avuto un progressivo rallentamento del tasso di proliferazione cellulare e comparsa di morfologia neurite-like, significativa di una risposta ai fattori secreti dalle cellule gliali della co-coltura. L’analisi con RT-PCR (PCR Array) di AFMSC dopo co-coltura ha dimostrato notevoli variazioni di espressione dei geni regolatori del ciclo cellulare, della divisione simmetrica e asimmetrica, nei markers di autorinnovamento e di differenziazione cellulare, nelle citochine e nei fattori di crescita. Anche l’espressione dei geni coinvolti nella neurogenesi ha dimostrato notevoli variazioni dopo co-coltura con cellule della glia. I geni correlati all’autorinnovamento, invece, sono risultati inibiti. Le AFMSC dopo co-coltura presentano infine un aumento dell’espressione proteica di Nestina e β-Tubulina III, markers dei progenitori neurali, mentre non è stata riscontrata l’espressione dei markers di espressione gliale GFAP e S100. È possibile concludere che le AFMSCs sembrano rispondere al differenziamento neuronale, anche se ulteriori analisi di tipo elettrofisiologico saranno necessarie, ponendosi quindi come ottimi candidati per la terapia di patologie neurodegenerative.Amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (AFMSC) are great candidates for regenerative therapy of neurodegenerative diseases due to their extensive capability of self-renewal, differentiation in specialized cells, lack of ethical restriction and immunogenic potential. In this study, we analyzed and induced to neuronal differentiation AFMSC isolated from 9 samples of amniotic fluid collected in the second trimester of pregnancy. AFMSC have been characterized immunophenotypically and genotypically; to define AFMSC stemness characteristic osteogenic chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiative potential was assessed. The cells isolated from amniotic fluid matched all the stemness criteria, proving to be stem cells. Subsequently, their neuronal differentiation was induced with an indirect co-culture with human astrocyte cells. Co-cultured AFMSC had a gradual slowdown in cell proliferation rate and differentiate into neuron-like cells as a response to factors secreted by glial cells in co-culture. RT-PCR (PCR Array) analysis of co-cultured AFMSC showed significant changes in expression of cell cycle regulators genes, in symmetric and asymmetric division, in self-renewal and cell differentiation markers, in cytokines and growth factors. The expression of neurogenesis involved genes after co-culture with glial cells showed considerable variations too. The self renewal relates genes related were reduced. Co-cultured AFMSC showed an increased protein expression of Nestin and β-tubulin III, markers of neural progenitors and no expression of glial expression markers GFAP and S100. In conclusion, AFMSC seem to respond to neuronal differentiation, although further electrophysiological analysis will be necessary; therefore, AFMSC are excellent candidates for neurodegenerative diseases therapy

Plan de manejo ambiental para mitigar los impactos generados por explotacion minera en el municipio de Nechí en el Bajo Cauca - Región de La Mojana

Trabajo de InvestigaciónEsta investigación propone un Plan de Manejo Ambiental enfocado a la explotación minera, especialmente dirigido al municipio de Nechí – Antioquia (Colombia), lo anterior debido a los problemas y fuertes impactos ambientales y sociales, que se han visto con el pasar del tiempo debido al mal manejo de los procesos necesarios para tal fin.INTRODUCCIÓN 1. ANTECEDENTES 2. PLANTEAMIENTO Y FORMULACION DEL PROBLEMA 3. OBJETIVOS 4. MARCO DE REFERECIA TEORICO 5. MARCO DE REFERECIA CONCEPTUAL 6. CARACTERIZACION DEL TERRITORIO 7. ESTUDIO DE IMPACTO AMBIENTAL E IDENTIFICACION DE PROBLEMAS GENERADOS POR LA EXPLOTACION MINERA 8. DISEÑO PLAN DE MANEJO AMBIENTAL 9. CONCLUSIONES Y RECOMENDACIONES 10. BIBLIOGRAFIAPregradoIngeniero Civi

LED Light Applied to the Feeder: Impact on Growth Performances of Chickens under Productive Conditions

This study assessed the use of feeders equipped with light‐emitting diodes and their effects on the productivity of broiler chickens under productive conditions. A total of 87,200 ROSS 308 chickens, 1‐day old, were housed in two poultry houses (CONTROL, F‐LED). In CONTROL, 20,000 females (mean body weight 41.12 ± 3 g) and 25,000 males (mean body weight 41.56 ± 3 g) were housed, while 19,200 females and 23,000 males of the same genetic make‐up and mean body weight were housed in F‐LED under the same environmental conditions. In F‐LED, to encourage chickens to feed and to redistribute more feed down the feeding line, a feeder equipped with a LED light has been installed at the end of each line. In CONTROL, no light was located on the feeders. At the end of the cycle, the average body weight never showed significant differences both for females (1345 g in CONTROL; 1359 g in F‐LED) and for males (2771 g in CONTROL; 2793 g in FLED). Uniformity improved in F‐LED, at 75.2% in females and 54.1% in males, compared to CONTROL, at 65.7% and 48.5%, respectively, for females and males. The feed conversion ratio followed the same trend, being more favorable in chickens reared in F‐LED (1.567) compared to those raised in CONTROL (1.608). The application of a single F‐LED at the end of each feeding line demonstrated its utility in improving size uniformity and feed conversion

Modulation of Morphology and Glycan Composition of Mucins in Farmed Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) Intestine by the Multi-Strain Probiotic Slab51®

Probiotics have become highly recognized as supplements for poultry.Since gut health can be considered synonymous withanimal health, the effects of probiotic Slab51® on the morphology and the glycan composition of guineafowlintestine were examined. The probiotics were added in drinking water (2 x 1011 UFC/L) throughout the grow-out cycle.Birds were individually weighed andslaughtered after four months. Samples from the duodenum, ileum and caecum were collected and processed for morphological, morphometric, conventional and lectin glycohistochemical studies. The results were analyzed for statistical significance by Student’s t test. Compared with control samples, probiotic group revealed (1) significant increase in villus height (p < 0.001 in duodenum and ileum; p < 0.05 in caecum), crypt depth (p < 0.001 in duodenum and caecum; p < 0.05 in ileum) and goblet cells (GCs) per villus (p < 0.001) in all investigated tracts; (2) increase in galactosel,3Nacetylgalacyosamine( Gall,3GalNAc)terminating O-glycans and l,2-fucosylated glycans secretory GCs in the duodenum; (3) increase in 2,6-sialoglycans and high-mannose N-linked glycans secretory GCs but reduction in GCs-secreting sulfoglycans in the ileum; (4) increase in Gall,3GalNAc and high-mannose N-linked glycans secretory GCs and decrease in GCs-producing sulfomucins in the caecum; (5) increase in the numbers of crypt cells containing sulfate and non-sulfated acidic glycans. Overall, dietary Slab51® induces morphological and region-specific changes in glycoprotein composition of guinea fowl intestine, promoting gut health

Antithrombotic Management during Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair with the Mitraclip System in a Patient with Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia

Interventional cardiology procedures require full anticoagulation to prevent thrombus formation on catheters and devices with potential development of embolic complications. Bivalirudin, a short half-life direct thrombin inhibitor, has been largely used during percutaneous coronary interventions and represents the preferred alternative to heparin in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). However, few data are available about intraprocedural use of bivalirudin during transcatheter structural heart disease interventions. Activated clotting time (ACT) monitoring during bivalirudin infusion pre- sents some limitations and it is not mandatory. We report a case of bivalirudin use in a patient with type-2 HIT during percutaneous mitral valve repair with the Mitraclip system (Abbott, Abbott Park, Illinois, United States). Despite use of standard bivalirudin dose (0.75 mg/kg bolus and 1.4 mg/kg/min infusion—reduced infusion rate was motivated by a glomerular filtration rate of 37 mL/min), the patient developed a large thrombus on the second clip during its orientation toward the mitral orifice. ACT was measured at that time and was suboptimal (240 seconds). The case was successfully managed with clip and thrombus retrieval, adjunctive 0.3 mg/kg bivalirudin bolus and increased infusion rate, and clip repositioning with ACT monitoring. This report makes the case for mandatory ACT checking and drug titration during high-risk catheter–based structural heart disease interventions, even when thromboprophylaxis is performed with bivalirudin. Additional coagulation tests may be useful to monitor bivalirudin response in similar cases

Severity of COVID-19: The importance of being hypertensive

The novel respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a cluster of pneumonia cases in China at the end of 2019. After few months, it led to a pandemic that has spread throughout most countries of the world (https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html)

Positive Influence of a Probiotic Mixture on the Intestinal Morphology and Microbiota of Farmed Guinea Fowls (Numida meleagris)

To understand the effectiveness of a probiotic mixture on intestinal morphology, mucus layer composition, and cecal microbiota diversity, 40 10-day-old Guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) were assigned to two groups: the control group (C), receiving drinking water, and the treated group (P), receiving water plus a commercial multi-strain probiotic (Slab51®, 2 × 1011 CFU/L). Birds were slaughtered after 4 months, and the intestines were collected. Samples from the duodenum, ileum, and cecum were processed for morphological and morphometric studies, and conventional glycohistochemistry. Cecal samples were also used to assess the microbiota by 16S metataxonomic approach. Group P showed significant increase in the villus height (p < 0.001 in the duodenum and p < 0.05 in the ileum and cecum), villus width (p < 0.05 in all investigated tracts), depth of crypts (p < 0.001 in the duodenum and cecum; p < 0.05 in the ileum), and goblet cells per villus (p < 0.001 in all investigated tracts) compared with group C. Cecal microbiota of the birds varied considerably and comparing the relative abundance of the main observational taxonomic units (OTUs), a positive enrichment of several beneficial taxa, such as Oscillospira, Eubacterium, Prevotella, and members of the Ruminococcaceae, was observed. The enrichment of those taxa can improve microbiota stability and resilience facing environmental stresses, enhancing its resistance against invading pathogens. Ruminococcaceae, which represent the most important taxon in both groups, and Prevotella have a key role in the gut physiology due to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are a vital energy source for enterocytes, improve glucose metabolism, and exert an overall anti-inflammatory effect. Probiotic administration enriches the presence of Coprococcus, Oscillospira, and Eubacterium taxa that produce butyrate, which exerts a beneficial effect on growth performance, structure of villi, and pathogen control and has anti-inflammatory properties too. This study indicates that Slab51® supplementation positively affects the morphology and microbiota diversity of the guinea fowl intestine

Differences in cardiac phenotype and natural history of laminopathies with and without neuromuscular onset

Objective: To investigate differences in cardiac manifestations of patients affected by laminopathy, according to the presence or absence of neuromuscular involvement at presentation.Methods: We prospectively analyzed 40 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of laminopathy followed at a single centre between 1998 and 2017. Additionally, reports of clinical evaluations and tests prior to referral at our centre were retrospectively evaluated.Results: Clinical onset was cardiac in 26 cases and neuromuscular in 14. Patients with neuromuscular presentation experienced first symptoms earlier in life (11 vs 39 years; p < 0.0001) and developed atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF) and required pacemaker implantation at a younger age (28 vs 41 years [p = 0.013] and 30 vs 44 years [p = 0.086] respectively), despite a similar overall prevalence of AF (57% vs 65%; p = 0.735) and atrio-ventricular (A-V) block (50% vs 65%; p = 0.500). Those with a neuromuscular presentation developed a cardiomyopathy less frequently (43% vs 73%; p = 0.089) and had a lower rate of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias (7% vs 23%; p = 0.387). In patients with neuromuscular onset rhythm disturbances occurred usually before evidence of cardiomyopathy. Despite these differences, the need for heart transplantation and median age at intervention were similar in the two groups (29% vs 23% [p = 0.717] and 43 vs 46 years [p = 0.593] respectively).Conclusions: In patients with laminopathy, the type of disease onset was a marker for a different natural history. Specifically, patients with neuromuscular presentation had an earlier cardiac involvement, characterized by a linear and progressive evolution from rhythm disorders (AF and/or A-V block) to cardiomyopathy