Localization of osteocalcin (BGP) during fish (Sparus aurata) development by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry: comparison between gene expression/protein distribution and skeletal mineralization

Osteocalcin (Bone Gla protein, BGP) is a small noncollagenous protein which is synthesized by osteoblasts and odontoblasts and is found exlusively in mineralized bony tissues. Although isolated for the first time in 1978, only recently has a function for this protein been suggested, specifically in controlling hydroxyapatite crystal growth. Appearance of osteocalcin could be linked to the presence of an hydroxyapatite-containing bony skeleton, since the protein was never found in cartilaginous fishes. Furthermore, within its primary sequence the amino acid residues known to be essential for its function are present in fish as well as in mammals, suggesting that function has been conserved over 400 million years of evolution. Taken totgether, these findings prompted us to study in detail the localization of osteocalcin gene expression in fish

Il monastero benedettino di S. Giorgio in Braida a Verona: nuove prospettive di ricerca sulla rifabbrica romanica (sec. XII)

L’attuale aspetto rinascimentale della chiesa di San Giorgio in Braida è frutto di una serie di interventi promossi dai canonici veneziani di San Giorgio in Alga a partire dalla fine del XV secolo. Il monastero benedettino, tuttavia, fu fondato nella metà dell’XI secolo e completamente ricostruito fra il terzo e il quarto decennio del secolo successivo per volere del vescovo Bernardo. L’articolo ripercorre le vicende storiche dell’istituzione in età medievale e rende nota l’esistenza di alcune parti della compagine romanica tuttora inedite, che permettono d’inserire il cantiere di San Giorgio in Braida nel contesto delle coeve manifestazioni architettoniche veronesi

A dual role for GRP in cardiovascular disease

Management and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents one of the major health challenges worldwide. CVD is the leading cause of death globally despite all research efforts on last decades regarding the molecular mechanisms and processes involved on its development and progression. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor and promotor of CVD events, representing a considerable economic cost for the health system. CVD is the leading cause of death in all CKD stages, accounting for half the number of deaths in this population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Economía, Sociedad y Procesos Hegemónicos en la Provincia de Misiones (ESOHE). 16H328

Actividades desarrolladas durante el período: Desde mediados de año se ha instalado un Taller Continuo que funciona los días viernes destinado a la puesta en común de información y la discusión de la marcha general del proyecto. El taller, se ha constituido en caja de resonancia de los avances y dificultades que se presentan y como el espacio donde se distribuyen tareas y responsabilices, se analizan las actividades y los aportes personales o de los integrantes de cada grupo responsable de alguna línea de investigación y se incorporan ideas y señalamientos. En este marco, se ha programado también un Ciclo de Lecturas teóricas y metodológicas que colaboran en la construcción de un lenguaje y una mirada común, necesaria para armonizar la labor de investigadores y becarios de postgrado con trayectorias disciplinares y experiencias muy disímiles; En la investigación sobre la historia económica de Misiones se ha avanzado en los siguientes puntos: Construcción de una periodización basada en ciclos económicos. Se trabaja en el reconocimiento y exploración de repositorios y fuentes escritas existentes a nivel local. exhaustivo relevamiento de las tesis de grado y postgrado, tanto en historia como en Antropología, existentes en las bibliotecas de la UNaM, referidas a temas empresariales y o al funcionamiento de las elites del poder. Se ha tomado contacto y accedido a ámbitos empresariales como las cámaras de la construcción, que en Misiones son 5, de PyMES y la Delegación Provincial de la Cámara Argentina de la Construcción que reúne a grandes empresas; Un grupo de investigadores y auxiliares del ESOHE está investigando los procesos de transformación del sistema educativo provincial (incluyendo tanto la componente pública como la privada), entendiendo que el sistema escolar es una de las instancias donde se socializa ideológicamente a la población y se promueven “sentidos de la realidad”; Entre las tareas en ejecución cabe mencionar: Lectura y fichaje de materia bibliográfico destinado a la actualización reajuste del encuadre teórico-metodológico. Identificación y caracterización de diferentes actores: funcionarios gubernamentales, empresas constructoras, e inmobiliarias, medios de comunicación, asociaciones civiles y otras organizaciones, grupos de interés y afectados por las obras que intervienen en la producción, disputa, apropiación y uso del espacio urbano en las ciudades de Encarnación y Posadas, Garupá y Candelaria. Elección y contacto de informantes calificados. Relevamiento de políticas y/o programas de intervención urbana a ambos lados de la frontera y sus procesos resultantes. Geo-referenciamiento de áreas de revalorización urbana, comerciales, de relegación y desplazamiento, así como de asentamientos precarios y zonas residenciales para sectores de alto poder adquisitivo. El trabajo realizado en esta primera etapa ha permitido avanzar en: Revisión bibliográfica; Redefinición del marco teórico de la investigación; Análisis de algunas relaciones concretas establecidas entre el estado y el sector civil organizado, en particular en el campo de las actividades económicas del tercer sector y en el marco de la implementación de planes y programas públicos; Análisis de las tensiones entre prácticas políticas y económicas que se desatan en el proceso de generación y funcionamiento de los emprendimientos productivos auto-gestionados y cooperativas de trabajo

Deficiencies in the transfer and availability of clinical trials evidence: A review of existing systems and standards

Background: Decisions concerning drug safety and efficacy are generally based on pivotal evidence provided by clinical trials. Unfortunately, finding the relevant clinical trials is difficult and their results are only available in text-based reports. Systematic reviews aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence in a specific area, but may not provide the data required for decision making. Methods: We review and analyze the existing information systems and standards for aggregate level clinical trials information from the perspective of systematic review and evidence-based decision making. Results: The technology currently used has major shortcomings, which cause deficiencies in the transfer, traceability and availability of clinical trials information. Specifically, data available to decision makers is insufficiently structured, and consequently the decisions cannot be properly traced back to the underlying evidence. Regulatory submission, trial publication, trial registration, and systematic review produce unstructured datasets that are insufficient for supporting evidence-based decision making. Conclusions: The current situation is a hindrance to policy decision makers as it prevents fully transparent decision making and the development of more advanced decision support systems. Addressing the identified deficiencies would enable more efficient, informed, and transparent evidence-based medical decision making

Identification of Proteins with Potential Osteogenic Activity Present in the Water-Soluble Matrix Proteins from Crassostrea gigas Nacre Using a Proteomic Approach

Nacre, when implanted in vivo in bones of dogs, sheep, mice, and humans, induces a biological response that includes integration and osteogenic activity on the host tissue that seems to be activated by a set of proteins present in the nacre water-soluble matrix (WSM). We describe here an experimental approach that can accurately identify the proteins present in the WSM of shell mollusk nacre. Four proteins (three gigasin-2 isoforms and a cystatin A2) were for the first time identified in WSM of Crassostrea gigas nacre using 2DE and LC-MS/MS for protein identification. These proteins are thought to be involved in bone remodeling processes and could be responsible for the biocompatibility shown between bone and nacre grafts. These results represent a contribution to the study of shell biomineralization process and opens new perspectives for the development of new nacre biomaterials for orthopedic applications

The effects of exercise on pain, fatigue, insomnia, and health perceptions in patients with operable advanced stage rectal cancer prior to surgery: a pilot trial

Background: Promoting quality of life (QoL) is a key priority in cancer care. We investigated the hypothesis that, in comparison to usual care, exercise post-neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy/prior to surgical resection will reduce pain, fatigue, and insomnia, and will improve physical and mental health perceptions in patients with locally advanced stage rectal cancer. Methods: In this non-randomized controlled pilot trial, patients in the supervised exercise group (EG; Mage = 64 years; 64% male) and in the control group (CG; Mage = 72 years; 69% male) completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core Quality of Life questionnaire and the RAND 36-Item Health Survey three times: pre-neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (Time 1; nEC = 24; nCG = 11), post-neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy/pre-exercise intervention (Time 2; nEC = 23; nCG = 10), and post-exercise intervention (Time 3; nEC = 22; nCG = 10). The 6-week exercise intervention was delivered in hospital and comprised of interval aerobic training. Patients trained in pairs three times per week for 30 to 40 minutes. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney tests and by Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank tests. Results: No significant between-group differences in change were found for any of the outcomes. In both groups, fatigue levels decreased and physical health perceptions increased from pre- to post-exercise intervention. Pain levels also decreased from pre- to post-exercise intervention, albeit not significantly. Conclusions: The findings from this study can be used to guide a more definitive trial as they provide preliminary evidence regarding the potential effects of pre-operative exercise on self-reported pain, fatigue, insomnia, and health perceptions in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Trial registration: This study has been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01325909; March 29, 2011)

Effects of Aesthetic Chills on a Cardiac Signature of Emotionality

Previous studies have shown that a cardiac signature of emotionality (referred to as EK, which can be computed from the standard 12 lead electrocardiogram, ECG), predicts inter-individual differences in the tendency to experience and express positive emotion. Here, we investigated whether EK values can be transiently modulated during stimulation with participant-selected music pieces and film scenes that elicit strongly positive emotion. The phenomenon of aesthetic chills, as indicated by measurable piloerection on the forearm, was used to accurately locate moments of peak emotional responses during stimulation. From 58 healthy participants, continuous EK values, heart rate, and respiratory frequency were recorded during stimulation with film scenes and music pieces, and were related to the aesthetic chills. EK values, as well as heart rate, increased significantly during moments of peak positive emotion accompanied by piloerection. These results are the first to provide evidence for an influence of momentary psychological state on a cardiac signature of emotional personality (as reflected in EK values). The possibility to modulate ECG amplitude signatures via stimulation with emotionally significant music pieces and film scenes opens up new perspectives for the use of emotional peak experiences in the therapy of disorders characterized by flattened emotionality, such as depression or schizoid personality disorder