Drug-induced stress granule formation protects sensory hair cells in mouse cochlear explants during ototoxicity

Stress granules regulate RNA translation during cellular stress, a mechanism that is generally presumed to be protective, since stress granule dysregulation caused by mutation or ageing is associated with neurodegenerative disease. Here, we investigate whether pharmacological manipulation of the stress granule pathway in the auditory organ, the cochlea, affects the survival of sensory hair cells during aminoglycoside ototoxicity, a common cause of acquired hearing loss. We show that hydroxamate (-)-9, a silvestrol analogue that inhibits eIF4A, induces stress granule formation in both an auditory cell line and ex-vivo cochlear cultures and that it prevents ototoxin-induced hair-cell death. In contrast, preventing stress granule formation using the small molecule inhibitor ISRIB increases hair-cell death. Furthermore, we provide the first evidence of stress granule formation in mammalian hair cells in-vivo triggered by aminoglycoside treatment. Our results demonstrate that pharmacological induction of stress granules enhances cell survival in native-tissue, in a clinically-relevant context. This establishes stress granules as a viable therapeutic target not only for hearing loss but also other neurodegenerative diseases.EI:595 - Action on Hearing Loss; 091092/Z/09/Z - Wellcome Trust (Wellcome); MR/N004329/1 - RCUK | Medical Research Council (MRC)Published versio

Literary tourism. Olhão through Joao Lucio's perspective

Este artigo aborda a relação entre turismo e literatura, sob o pressuposto de que a valorização turístico-literária de um destino pode contribuir para o reforço da sua identidade e geniusloci. Paralelamente, assenta no estudo da vida e obra do poeta algarvio João Lúcio e constitui-se como uma reflexão exploratória sobre a possibilidade de desenvolvimento do turismo literário em Olhão

Ensinar a aprender a decidir, a partir do do Mantle of the Expert

Projeto “Developing innovative teaching strategies to improve entrepreneurial skills and enhance performance of disadvantaged learners, and facilitate integration in schools” 2016-1-UK01-KA201-024591Ensinar a Aprender a Decidir, a partir do Mantle of the Expert (re) apresenta uma estratégia educativa diferenciadora, articulando desenvolvimento do currículo, dramatização e aprendizagem por pesquisa: a partir do problem solving, esta abordagem encoraja os alunos a assumir responsabilidades pela sua própria aprendizagem, comprometendo-os na mobilização de conhecimento de diversas áreas curriculares e estimulando diversas capacidades transversais. Nesta publicação, são apresentadas as ideias-chave desta abordagem pedagógico-didática, assim como sugestões e exemplos práticos que facilitarão a sua aplicação em sala de aula

Petrological and geochemical characteristics of the mafic–ultramafic Americano do Brasil Complex, central Brazil, and the implications for its genesis

The Americano do Brasil Complex occurs in the Neoproterozoic Goias Magmatic Arc, central Brazil. It is composed of two mafic–ultramafic cumulate sequences, intruded into granodioritic gneisses. Although deformed and partially recrystallized by a regional metamorphic overprint, the complex still preserves relict igneous features, such as adcumulate to heteradcumulate textures. The Northern sequence is mostly composed of olivine and olivine-clinopyroxene cumulates, whereas the Southern consists mainly of two-pyroxene cumulate rocks, with plagioclase and olivine cumulates occurring in lesser amounts. The complex has three main orebodies, with textures that range from disseminated to massive sulfide breccias with durchbewegung texture. Thermodynamic modeling using a single picrite parental magma composition can predict cumulate rock compositions and mineral modes similar to all of the observed cumulate rock compositions of the Americano do Brasil Complex. Equilibrium crystallization of the liquid and assimilation-batch-crystallization involving up to 45 % of the host gneisses in the upper crust produces solids similar to the cumulates described in the Northern and Southern sequences, respectively. Modeled pressure–temperature emplacement conditions of the magma were c.a. 2.5 kbar and 1310 °C. Both sequences have similar incompatible trace element patterns which, together with the results of the modeling, imply a broadly comagmatic origin

Shifts in the structure of a mine contaminated soil (Pb, Cu, As) following different organic and inorganic treatments

RAMIRAN International ConferenceSoil microbial community structure is increasingly being marketed as ecologically-relevant endpoint and it can realistically be incorporated for assessing the potential risks associated with anthropogenic disturbances and soil amendment strategies on sustainability of soil ecosystems. In Portugal, additional research is needed if technologies based on the combined action of plants and the microbial communities they support within the rhizosphere are to be adopted in large-scale remediation actions (Nabais et al., 2008). The information about this fact in mine soils is scarce and had focused on soil biochemical properties, producing no clear results. Furthermore, the effects of phytoremediation as soil remediation technique and metal contamination on microbial community structural would be achieved by PLFA studies. By phospholipid fatty acid analysis it is possible to examine broad scale patterns in microbial community structure (Bååth et al. 2005) and generally, after the application of multivariate statistical analyses, whole community fatty acids profiles indicate which communities are similar or different. Determination both microbial community composition and biomass size by this direct method gives results that very closely represent the in situ soil conditions and is currently used for soil monitoring purposes (Nielsen and Winding, 2002). The present investigation studies the medium-term response in the soil microbial community structure after the application of different remediation technologies including several organic and inorganic treatments

Pathway-dependent effects on the formation of bioreducible polycation-DNA polyplexes in saline media

This research is supported by Microfluidic Layer-by-layer Assembly of Cationic Liposome - Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles for Gene Delivery project (032520) co-funded by FCT and the ERDF through COMPETE2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Editorial: Protecting Our Crops - Approaches for Plant Parasitic Nematode Control

In agricultural history, the Green Revolution generated by the development of breeding technology, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides has enabled mass production of agricultural crops and solved many (but not all) hunger problems around the world (Pingali, 2012). Plants make up about 80% of the food we consume, while about 40% of food crops are lost by agricultural pests, including plant nematodes (FAO, 2019). The world population in 2021 is  7.8 billion and is estimated to reach 10 billion in 2050 (United Nations, 2019). The current proposition imposed on us is to develop methods to increase crop yield and quality while suppressing damage from pests and also reducing the impact on the natural environment. Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are one of the major constraints in agriculture. Damage caused by PPNs has been estimated from $US80 billion (Nicol et al., 2011) to$US157 billion per year (Abad et al., 2008). However, the full extent of nematode damage is likely underestimated as many growers, particularly in developing countries, are unaware of the presence of PPNs (Jones et al., 2013). This was assumed as nematodes are usually small-body-size, soil-borne pathogens, and the symptoms they cause are often non-specific (Jones et al., 2013). The damage caused by PPNs could be even worse in the future in the context of a growing world population under a Climate Change scenario and the removal or reduction in the use of some nematicides in many parts of the world. Set in the context of the 2020 International Year of Plant Health, this Research Topic “Protecting Our Crops - Approaches for Plant Parasitic Nematode Control” gives new insights into Integrative Approaches for Sustainable PPN Control. Many of the articles are excellent reviews of their specific topic, which could help in pointing out new research directions

Assessing customer satisfaction and loyalty in the retail sector

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio