Mitochondria in endothelial cells: Sensors and integrators of environmental cues

The involvement of angiogenesis in disease and its potential as a therapeutic target have been firmly established over recent decades. Endothelial cells (ECs) are central elements in vessel homeostasis and regulate the passage of material and cells into and out of the bloodstream. EC proliferation and migration are modified by alterations to mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics resulting from several signals and environmental cues, such as oxygen, hemodynamics, and nutrients. As intermediary signals, mitochondrial ROS are released as important downstream modulators of the expression of angiogenesis-related genes. In this review, we discuss the physiological actions of these signals and aberrant responses during vascular disorders.We thank M. M. Munoz-Hernandez and Dr Concepcion Jimenez for technical assistance, Keren Lopez Fernandez for the artwork in Fig. 1 and Simon Bartlett for English editing. This study was supported by MINECO: SAF2015-65633-R MSCA-COFUND-DP Doctoral programmes 2014. The CNIC is supported by MINECO and Pro-CNIC Foundation, and is a SO-MINECO (award SEV-2015-0505).S

Pandemia de Covid-19 y efecto de medidas de contención en población Peruana: Un modelamiento matemático SIR

Introduction: The evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic varies in each population; it has been complicating health systems worldwide. Objective: to analyze the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic, estimating the effect of the containment measures practiced in Peru. Material and Method: The SIR epidemiological mathematical modeling was applied, estimating the COVID-19 evolution in our population. Data analysis was performed following the SIR mathematical model with defined ordinary differential equations to simulate epidemiological behavior; and it was executed in the RStudio programming language. Results: Containment measures decreased the propagation rate, reducing 30% of infected cases until the peak day of infection; however, it is still above the effective reproductive number to control the epidemic and it shows an erratic trend, the result of government actions being 61% in the practice of containment measures. Conclusions: Containment measures are necessary if strategies are considered to make their role effective in our population.Introducción: La evolución de la pandemia del COVID-19 varía en cada población; complicando los sistemas de salud a nivel mundial. Objetivo: analizar la evolución de la pandemia Covid-19 estimando el efecto de las medidas de contención realizadas en Perú. Material y Métodos: Se aplicó el modelamiento matemático epidemiológico SIR, estimando la evolución COVID-19 en nuestra población. Se realizó el análisis de datos siguiendo el modelo matemático SIR con ecuaciones diferenciales ordinarias definidas para simular el comportamiento epidemiológico; y fue ejecutado en el lenguaje de programación RStudio. Resultados: En el estudio las medidas de contención disminuyeron la tasa de propagación, redujeron el 30% de casos infectados hasta el día pico de infección; sin embargo, ésta aún se encuentra por encima del número reproductivo efectivo para control de la epidemia y presenta una tendencia errática, el resultado de las acciones gubernamentales es del 61% en la práctica de medidas de contención. Conclusiones: Las medidas de contención son necesarias; siempre que, se consideren estrategias que permitan hacer efectivo su rol en nuestra población

Riesgo quirúrgico tras resección pulmonar anatómica en cirugía torácica. Modelo predictivo a partir de una base de datos nacional multicéntrica

Introduction: the aim of this study was to develop a surgical risk prediction model in patients undergoing anatomic lung resections from the registry of the Spanish Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Group (GEVATS). Methods: data were collected from 3,533 patients undergoing anatomic lung resection for any diagnosis between December 20, 2016 and March 20, 2018. We defined a combined outcome variable: death or Clavien Dindo grade IV complication at 90 days after surgery. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed by logistic regression. Internal validation of the model was performed using resampling techniques. Results: the incidence of the outcome variable was 4.29% (95% CI 3.6-4.9). The variables remaining in the final logistic model were: age, sex, previous lung cancer resection, dyspnea (mMRC), right pneumonectomy, and ppo DLCO. The performance parameters of the model adjusted by resampling were: C-statistic 0.712 (95% CI 0.648-0.750), Brier score 0.042 and bootstrap shrinkage 0.854. Conclusions: the risk prediction model obtained from the GEVATS database is a simple, valid, and reliable model that is a useful tool for establishing the risk of a patient undergoing anatomic lung resection

Nuevos marcadores para la detección precoz de la enfermedad celiaca

La celiaquía es una intolerancia al gluten que conlleva una enteropatía severa asociada con una clínica compleja de difícil reconocimiento. Su diagnóstico es mediante el estudio de la mucosa digestiva y la concentración de anticuerpos. Esta detección identifica a los pacientes tras décadas de experimentar problemas graves de salud. Es necesario encontrar nuevos marcadores de reconocimiento precoz. Así encontramos mediante proteomica de suero de niños celiacos que no comían gluten, frente a celiacos que lo comían y otros grupos de controles, cuatro marcadores. Tres se encontraron alterados constitutivamente en celiacos cuando el gluten no está presente. ADAMTS-1 mostro valores ROC de más del 92%, siendo un excelente marcador de diagnostico precoz. La angiostatin se eleva durante la fase aguda siendo un marcador para el seguimiento de la dieta sin gluten. Estas proteínas se relacionan con los vasos sanguíneos demostrando su participación en la identificación y patogenia de la celiaquía.Celiac disease is a gluten intolerance characterize by a severe enteropathy associated to a complex symptoms which are difficult to recognize. The diagnosis is based in the study of intestinal mucosa and serum antibodies. Such screening identifies patients after decades of experiencing serious health problems. Therefore It is necessary to find new markers for early recognition. Using serum proteomics of celiac children who did not eat gluten, compared to celiacs in a gluten containing diet or controls we found four constitutively altered markers. Three of them were altered in patients when gluten was not present. ADAMTS-1, an excellent marker for disease early recognition, showed ROC values of more than 92%. Angiostatin was elevated during the acute phase and therefore was found useful to follow up a gluten-free diet. These proteins are related to blood vessels demonstrating their participation in the identification and pathogenesis of celiac disease

Síntesis, liberación y concentraciones de adipocinas en la rata a lo largo de la gestación: su modulación por las hormonas implicadas en la reproducción

Tesis de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal II), leída el 18-01-2008Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y MicrobiologíaFac. de Ciencias BiológicasTRUEpu

Percepción femenina del acoso callejero.

Street harassment is sanctioned in many Western countries. However, there are few studies examining street harassment in Spain. After surveying 1659 women of different ages about street harassment, we observed that 1% of the women did not feel harassed at any time, while 32% indicated that they had suffered it on specific occasions, 31% indicated monthly experiences of harassment, 25% weekly experiences and 12% suffer it on a daily basis. Significant relationships are found between the reaction of the victim and the reaction of the harasser, and the type of harassment and the situation in which the harassment occurs. After the analysis, we conclude that qualitative methods are needed to deepen the explanatory mechanisms of street harassment, since this study is exploratory.Pese a que hay países de nuestro entorno que han decidido sancionar el acoso callejero, en España son aún pocos los estudios al respecto. Tras encuestar a 1659 mujeres de diferentes edades sobre el acoso callejero, observamos que un 1% de las mujeres encuestadas no se han sentido acosadas en ningún momento, el 32% indicaban que lo habían sufrido en ocasiones puntuales, el 31% lo señalan como algo mensual, 25% de forma semanal y un 12% lo sufre a diario. Se encuentras relaciones significativas entre la reacción de la víctima y la reacción del acosador, y el tipo de acoso y la situación en la que se da dicho acoso. Tras el análisis concluimos que es necesario profundizar más mediante métodos cualitativos, ya que este estudio es meramente exploratorio.  Street harassment is sanctioned in many Western countries. However, there are few studies examining street harassment in Spain. After surveying 1659 women of different ages about street harassment, we observed that 1% of the women did not feel harassed at any time, while 32% indicated that they had suffered it on specific occasions, 31% indicated monthly experiences of harassment, 25% weekly experiences and 12% suffer it on a daily basis. Significant relationships are found between the reaction of the victim and the reaction of the harasser, and the type of harassment and the situation in which the harassment occurs. After the analysis, we conclude that qualitative methods are needed to deepen the explanatory mechanisms of street harassment, since this study is exploratory

Exosome-Based Cell-Cell Communication in the Tumor Microenvironment

Tumors are not isolated entities, but complex systemic networks involving cell-cell communication between transformed and non-transformed cells. The milieu created by tumor-associated cells may either support or halt tumor progression. In addition to cell-cell contact, cells communicate through secreted factors via a highly complex system involving characteristics such as ligand concentration, receptor expression and integration of diverse signaling pathways. Of these, extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, are emerging as novel cell-cell communication mediators in physiological and pathological scenarios. Exosomes, membrane vesicles of endocytic origin released by all cells (both healthy and diseased), ranging in size from 30 to 150 nm, transport all the main biomolecules, including lipids, proteins, DNAs, messenger RNAs and microRNA, and perform intercellular transfer of components, locally and systemically. By acting not only in tumor cells, but also in tumor-associated cells such as fibroblasts, endothelium, leukocytes and progenitor cells, tumor- and non-tumor cells-derived exosomes have emerged as new players in tumor growth and invasion, tumor-associated angiogenesis, tissue inflammation and immunologic remodeling. In addition, due to their property of carrying molecules from their cell of origin to the peripheral circulation, exosomes have been increasingly studied as sources of tumor biomarkers in liquid biopsies. Here we review the current literature on the participation of exosomes in the communication between tumor and tumor-associated cells, highlighting the role of this process in the setup of tumor microenvironments that modulate tumor initiation and metastasis