Interactions of Adiponectin and Lipopolysaccharide from Porphyromonas gingivalis on Human Oral Epithelial Cells

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, and characterized by the destruction of the periodontium. Obese individuals have an increased risk for periodontitis and show decreased serum levels of adiponectin. This in-vitro study was established to examine whether adiponectin modulates critical effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from P. gingivalis on oral epithelial cells (OECs). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The presence of adiponectin and its receptors in human gingival tissue samples and OECs was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and PCR. Furthermore, OECs were treated with LPS and/or adiponectin for up to 72 h, and the gene expression and protein synthesis of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and growth factors were analyzed by real-time PCR and ELISA. Additionally, cell proliferation, differentiation and in-vitro wound healing were studied. The nuclear translocation of NFκB was investigated by immunofluorescence. Gingival tissue sections showed a strong synthesis of adiponectin and its receptors in the epithelial layer. In cell cultures, LPS induced a significant up-regulation of interleukin (IL) 1β, IL6, IL8, MMP1 and MMP3. Adiponectin abrogated significantly the stimulatory effects of LPS on these molecules. Similarly, adiponectin inhibited significantly the LPS-induced decrease in cell viability and increase in cell proliferation and differentiation. Adiponectin led to a time-dependent induction of the anti-inflammatory mediators IL10 and heme oxygenase 1, and blocked the LPS-stimulated NFκB nuclear translocation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Adiponectin may counteract critical actions of P. gingivalis on oral epithelial cells. Low levels of adiponectin, as observed in obese individuals, may increase the risk for periodontal inflammation and destruction

Assessment of the nursing care product (APROCENF): a reliability and construct validity study

Objetivo: verificar las estimativas de confiabilidad y validez de constructo de la escala "Evaluación del producto del cuidar en enfermería" (APROCENF) y su aplicabilidad. Métodos: este estudio de validación incluyó en su muestra 40 (confiabilidad inter-evaluadores) y 172 (validez de constructo) evaluaciones efectuadas por enfermeros al final del turno de trabajo en nueve unidades de internación de un hospital universitaria del sudeste brasileño. Los datos fueron recolectados entre febrero y septiembre de 2014 de forma interrumpida. Fueron calculados los coeficientes alfa de Cronbach y correlación de Spearman (consistencia interna), la correlación intraclase y Kappa ponderado (confiabilidad inter-evaluadores)y el análisis factorial exploratorio fue utilizado con extracción por componentes principales y rotación varimax (validación de constructo). Resultados: la consistencia interna reveló alfa de0,85,correlación entre ítems variando de 0,13 a 0,61 y ítem-total de 0,43 a 0,69. La equivalencia inter-evaluadores fue alcanzada y todos los ítems evidenciaron cargas factoriales significantes. Conclusión: esta investigación mostró evidencias de confiabilidad y validez del constructo del instrumento para evaluación del producto del cuidar en enfermería. Su aplicación en la práctica de enfermería posibilita identificar mejoras necesarias en el proceso productivo, contribuyendo para decisiones gerenciales y asistenciales.Objectives: to verify the reliability and construct validity estimates of the "Assessment of nursing care product" scale (APROCENF) and its applicability. Methods: this validation study included a sample of 40 (inter-rater reliability) and 172 (construct validity) assessments performed by nurses at the end of the work shift at nine inpatient services of a teaching hospital in the Brazilian Southeast. The data were collected between February and September/2014 with interruptions. Cronbach's alpha and Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated, as well as the intraclass correlation and the weighted kappa index (inter-rater reliability). Exploratory factor analysis was used with principal component extraction and varimax rotation (construct validity). Results: the internal consistency revealed an alpha coefficient of 0.85, item-item correlation ranging between 0.13 and 0.61 and item-total correlation between 0.43 and 0.69. Inter-rater equivalence was obtained and all items evidenced significant factor loadings. Conclusion: this research evidenced the reliability and construct validity of the scale to assess the nursing care product. Its application in nursing practice permits identifying improvements needed in the production process, contributing to management and care decisions.Objetivo: verificar as estimativas de confiabilidade e validade de construto da escala "Avaliação do produto do cuidar em enfermagem" (APROCENF) e sua aplicabilidade. Métodos: este estudo de validação incluiu em sua amostra 40 (confiabilidade interavaliadores) e 172 (validade de construto) avaliações realizadas por enfermeiros ao final do turno de trabalho em nove unidades de internação de um hospital universitário do sudeste brasileiro. A coleta de dados ocorreu entre fevereiro e setembro de 2014 de forma interrupta. Foram calculados os coeficientes alfa de Cronbach e correlação de Spearman (consistência interna), a correlação intraclasse e Kappa ponderado (confiabilidade interavaliadores) e a análise fatorial exploratória foi utilizada com extração por componentes principais e rotação varimax (validação do construto). Resultados: a consistência interna revelou alfa de 0,85, correlação entre itens variando de 0,13 a 0,61 e item-total de 0,43 a 0,69. A equivalência interavaliadores foi obtida e todos os itens evidenciaram cargas fatoriais significantes. Conclusão: esta investigação mostrou evidências de confiabilidade e validade do construto do instrumento para avaliação do produto do cuidar em enfermagem. Sua aplicação na prática de enfermagem possibilita identificar melhorias necessárias no processo produtivo contribuindo para decisões gerenciais e assistenciais

Adaptation and possible ancient interspecies introgression in pigs identified by whole-genome sequencing

Domestic pigs have evolved genetic adaptations to their local environmental conditions, such as cold and hot climates. We sequenced the genomes of 69 pigs from 15 geographically divergent locations in China and detected 41 million variants, of which 21 million were absent from the dbSNP database. In a genome-wide scan, we identified a set of loci that likely have a role in regional adaptations to high- and low-latitude environments within China. Intriguingly, we found an exceptionally large (14-Mb) region with a low recombination rate on the X chromosome that appears to have two distinct haplotypes in the high- and low-latitude populations, possibly underlying their adaptation to cold and hot environments, respectively. Surprisingly, the adaptive sweep in the high-latitude regions has acted on DNA that might have been introgressed from an extinct Sus species. Our findings provide new insights into the evolutionary history of pigs and the role of introgression in adaptation