Nitric Oxide Regulates Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus following Seizures

Hippocampal neurogenesis is changed by brain injury. When neuroinflammation accompanies injury, activation of resident microglial cells promotes the release of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen/nitrogen species like nitric oxide (NO). In these conditions, NO promotes proliferation of neural stem cells (NSC) in the hippocampus. However, little is known about the role of NO in the survival and differentiation of newborn cells in the injured dentate gyrus. Here we investigated the role of NO following seizures in the regulation of proliferation, migration, differentiation, and survival of NSC in the hippocampus using the kainic acid (KA) induced seizuremouse model. We show that NO increased the proliferation of NSC and the number of neuroblasts following seizures but was detrimental to the survival of newborn neurons. NO was also required for the maintenance of long-term neuroinflammation. Taken together, our data show that NO positively contributes to the initial stages of neurogenesis following seizures but compromises survival of newborn neurons.Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal); COMPETE; FEDER [PTDC/SAU-NEU/102612/2008, PTDC/NEU-OSD/0473/2012, PEst-C/SAU/LA0001/2013-2014, PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013-2014]; FCT, Portugal [SFRH/BPD/78901/2011, SFRH/BD/77903/2011

Characterization of a dance movement using a Kinetic camera

Este trabalho foi financiado pelo Concurso Anual para Projetos de Investigação, Desenvolvimento, Inovação e Criação Artística (IDI&CA) 2017 do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa. Código de referência IPL/2017/EBME/ISELDance is an art form considered as a form of language since it can sometimes reflect a culture of a population or even a celebration that accompanies humanity from its earliest times and which requires of the dancer a high physical and emotional dexterity. However, it is expected that the dancer performs rigorous and repetitive technical movements that often lead to painful injuries. Due to the high number of injuries, it is essential to study and analyze base movements for this type of dance in order to prevent injuries and to optimize the dancer's choreography and productivity. These movements are precedents of more complex movements. In this work, the study of a basic jump, the Grand Jete, using biomechanical techniques is carried out by finding the kinematics of the movement. For the data collection, three dancers (2 females and 1 male) voluntarily participated and the movements were capture using a 2nd Generation Kinect camera that allows the capture of 3D movement. The biomechanical analysis was performed for the movement recorded and the results were presented to show the adequacy of the methodology proposed. By using this methodology, the aim is to characterize the movement and to be able to promote a better understanding of everything involved in the performance of the movement with the performers and teachers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Regulation of injury-induced neurogenesis by Nitric Oxide

The finding that neural stem cells (NSCs) are able to divide, migrate, and differentiate into several cellular types in the adult brain raised a new hope for restorative neurology. Nitric oxide (NO), a pleiotropic signaling molecule in the central nervous system (CNS), has been described to be able to modulate neurogenesis, acting as a pro-or antineurogenic agent. Some authors suggest that NO is a physiological inhibitor of neurogenesis, while others described NO to favor neurogenesis, particularly under inflammatory conditions. Thus, targeting the NO system may be a powerful strategy to control the formation of new neurons. However, the exact mechanisms by which NO regulates neural proliferation and differentiation are not yet completely clarified. In this paper we will discuss the potential interest of the modulation of the NO system for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases or other pathological conditions that may affect the CNS.Foundation for Science and Technology, (FCT, Portugal); COMPETE

Optical clearing mechanisms characterization in muscle

Optical immersion clearing is a technique that has been widely studied for more than two decades and that is used to originate a temporary transparency effect in biological tissues. If applied in cooperation with clinical methods it provides optimization of diagnosis and treatment procedures. This technique turns biological tissues more transparent through two main mechanisms — tissue dehydration and refractive index (RI) matching between tissue components. Such matching is obtained by partial replacement of interstitial water by a biocompatible agent that presents higher RI and it can be completely reversible by natural rehydration in vivo or by assisted rehydration in ex vivo tissues. Experimental data to characterize and discriminate between the two mechanisms and to find new ones are necessary. Using a simple method, based on collimated transmittance and thickness measurements made from muscle samples under treatment, we have estimated the diffusion properties of glucose, ethylene glycol (EG) and water that were used to perform such characterization and discrimination. Comparing these properties with data from literature that characterize their diffusion in water we have observed that muscle cell membrane permeability limits agent and water diffusion in the muscle. The same experimental data has allowed to calculate the optical clearing (OC) efficiency and make an interpretation of the internal changes that occurred in muscle during the treatments. The same methodology can now be used to perform similar studies with other agents and in other tissues in order to solve engineering problems at design of inexpensive and robust technologies for a considerable improvement of optical tomographic techniques with better contrast and in-depth imaging

Diffusion characteristics of ethylene glycol in skeletal muscle

Part of the optical clearing study in biological tissues concerns the determination of the diffusion characteristics of water and optical clearing agents in the subject tissue. Such information is sufficient to characterize the time dependence of the optical clearing mechanisms—tissue dehydration and refractive index (RI) matching. We have used a simple method based on collimated optical transmittance measurements made from muscle samples under treatment with aqueous solutions containing different concentrations of ethylene glycol (EG), to determine the diffusion time values of water and EG in skeletal muscle. By representing the estimated mean diffusion time values from each treatment as a function of agent concentration in solution, we could identify the real diffusion times for water and agent. These values allowed for the calculation of the correspondent diffusion coefficients for those fluids. With these results, we have demonstrated that the dehydration mechanism is the one that dominates optical clearing in the first minute of treatment, while the RI matching takes over the optical clearing operations after that and remains for a longer time of treatment up to about 10 min, as we could see for EG and thin tissue samples of 0.5 mm

Effect on Broiler Production Performance and Meat Quality of Feeding Ulva lactuca Supplemented with Carbohydrases

Macroalgae have been increasingly exploited worldwide for feed, food and biofuel applications, due to their nutritive and bioactive compounds. Green seaweeds belonging to the genus Ulva have high growth rates, which makes them suitable for being cultured in sustainable algae production, such as an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture system. This is expected to increase the use of Ulva sp. as an alternative source to conventional feedstuffs (e.g., cereals and soybean meal) for poultry. The objective of the current study was to assess if the incorporation of 15% Ulva lactuca in broiler chickens’ diet, combined or not with carbohydrate-active enzymes, would enhance meat nutritional quality without compromising animal growth performance. Overall, U. lactuca led to an accumulation of antioxidant carotenoids, n-3 PUFA and macrominerals, including magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, in the breast muscle, with likely health benefits, without significantly impairing growth performance. The supplementation of macroalgae with a recombinant ulvan lyase reduced ileal viscosity with possible beneficial effects on broiler digestibility. Although dietary U. lactuca showed potential to increase meat quality, it reduced meat overall acceptability, which suggests the use of a lower algae inclusion level to prevent a negative meat sensory perception for consumersinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Improving the performance of a SME in the cutlery sector using lean thinking and digital transformation

The main purpose of this paper is to show that if three specific contextual factors are present in a company, it is possible to achieve great performance improvements with a lean and industry 4.0 implementation. In terms of research methods, a case study was carried out of a project to implement digitalization and Lean practices in a cutlery company, which in fact encompassed a project of master’s degree in engineering and industrial management. Thus, the research question is: “It is possible to achieve major improvements in a lean and industry 4.0 implementation if three specific contextual factors are present in the company, namely (i) commitment of top management, (ii) knowledge on digitalization and lean, and (iii) very low Value-Added Ratio?”. Regarding the company project, action-research was adopted, and the project team began by mapping and diagnosing the production processes of the two product families (knives and spoons/forks). High levels of work in process, long throughput times, poor flow planning and control, and high stocks of finished products, quickly stood out in both families. Improvement proposals were developed and implemented, namely: (i) creation of a production scheduling and control system, (ii) improvement of the warehouse stock management system, and (iii) adoption of new routines, management tools, visual management, and kaizen meetings. The results achieved were excellent (e.g., throughput time reduced by 27.6% and productivity increased by 36.5%) and aligned with Sustainable Development Goals SDG 9 and 12. The findings of this study corroborate that exceptional results in the company performance can be achieved through a lean and industry 4.0 intervention, if the three referred contextual factors occur.This work has been supported by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020

Microbial consortium increases maize productivity and reduces grain phosphorus concentration under field conditions

Background:The use of microbes that improve plant phosphorus (P) use efficiency is an avenue to boostcrop yields while alleviating environmental impacts. We tested three microbial inoculants (Rhizoglomusirregularealone – designated AMF;Pseudomonas putidaalone – designated PSB; andR. irregulareandP. putidain consortium – designated AMF+PSB), combined with chemical fertilizers, in an intensive maizeagricultural system.Results:As hypothesized: (i) despite the native soil microbial community and the application of P fertil-izer, the microbial inoculants enhanced plant P uptake from the soil by 14–60%, and consequentlyimproved P acquisition efficiency; (ii) PSB and AMF+PSB plants produced ±50% more biomass per unitof P taken up, and consequently enhanced plant internal P use efficiency (i.e. the biomass producedper unit of P); and (iii) the combined inoculation of AMF and PSB provided the best results in terms ofproductivity and P use efficiency. Further, the microbial inoculants altered P allocation within the plant,reducing grain P concentration.Conclusion:By testing the microbial inoculants under field conditions, our study clearly shows that themicrobial consortium (AMF+PSB) increased maize productivity, and at the same time improved P use effi-ciency. Further, the use of these microbial inoculants was shown to be compatible with conventionalagricultural management practices.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio