Brainiac Caspases: Beyond the Wall of Apoptosis

For the last two decades, caspases, a family of cysteine-aspartic proteases, have evolved from being considered solely as regulators of apoptosis or inflammation to having a wider range of functions. In this mini review, we focus on the most recent "non-apoptotic" roles of caspases in the CNS, particularly in neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Non-apoptotic caspase functions in microglia have already been reviewed extensively elsewhere. Here we discuss the involvement of caspases in the activation of the inflammasome, autophagy, and non-apoptotic forms of cell death such as necroptosis and pyroptosis. Also, we review the involvement of caspases in synapses and the processing of aggregates key to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases. Likewise, we mention the recently described involvement of caspases in mitochondrial biogenesis, which is a function independent of the enzymatic activity. We conclude discussing the relevance that "new" functions of caspases have in the CNS and the future of this field of researchEspaña Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad SAF2015-64171- R (MINECO/FEDER, EU)España Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Programa Ramón y Cajal: RYC-2017-21804

Atmospheric emissions of volatile organic compounds from a mine soil treated with sewage sludge and tomato plants (Lycopersicum esculentum l.)

The study investigated the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a mining soil amended with sewage sludge and irrigated with wastewater with or without tomato plants. The aim is to find out whether amendment and irrigation change VOC emissions from the soil and whether tomato changes emissions compared to uncultivated soil. Soil and plant experiments were done in assembled pots. All pots were placed inside a closed glass chamber inside an isolated and windowless room. Experiments with soil without plants were done independently from experiments with soil and plants. An aspirating pump coupled with Tenax adsorbent tubes was used for sampling of VOCs emitted from pots. Volatile organic compounds trapped in the tubes were quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry detection. The study detected a total of nine VOCs emitted from the polluted soil: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, m-xylene, o-xylene, styrene, benzene-1,2,4-trimethyl and tetrachloroethylene, among which the most abundant were toluene, m-xylene and styrene. Differences between pots with or without amendments (C and A-pots) showed a general tendency to a decline of VOCs emissions in the mining soil amended with sewage sludge. Plants contributed to increase significantly the emissions of all VOCs in both A and C-pots. The soil amended with sewage sludge reduced the emission of VOCs: styrene in pots without plants and benzene and xylenes in pots with plants. Tomato plants contributed to increase significantly the emissions of all VOCs except styrene in both amended and non-amended soils. © 2022, The Author(s).Junta de Andalucía P10-RNM5814European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) P10-RNM581

EL PROCESO EDUCATIVO DE LA CONVERSACIÓN, DESDE UNA SITUACIÓN PEDAGÓGICA-HEURÍSTICA PARA LA INFANCIA TEMPRANA

El trabajo se refiere a las insuficiencias en el tratamiento a la conversación con enfoque comunicativo en la educación preescolar, puntualiza su vigencia en todos los subsistemas educacionales con énfasis en la infancia temprana. En él se sustenta el tratamiento a la estimulación de la conversación en esta etapa de la vida, de acuerdo con los procedimientos a seguir para su desarrollo en los tres niveles que se proponen: participar, iniciar y continuar una conversación. ABSTRACT This articles refers the insufficiencies in the treatment of conversation with a communicative approach in kindergarten education, it points out its actuality in all the educational subsystems with emphasis on early infantry. Here is supported the treatment to the stimulation of conversation in early stages of life, in accordance to the procedures to be followed for its development in the three levels that are proposed: participate, begin and continue the conversation. KEY WORDS: conversation of the stimulation, development of the communication

Relevance of chronic stress and the two faces of microglia in Parkinson’s disease

This review is aimed to highlight the importance of stress and glucocorticoids (GCs) in modulating the inflammatory response of brain microglia and hence its potential involvement in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The role of inflammation in PD has been reviewed extensively in the literature and it is supposed to play a key role in the course of the disease. Historically, GCs have been strongly associated as anti-inflammatory hormones. However, accumulating evidence from the peripheral and central nervous system have clearly revealed that, under specific conditions, GCs may promote brain inflammation including pro-inflammatory activation of microglia. We have summarized relevant data linking PD, neuroinflamamation and chronic stress. The timing and duration of stress response may be critical for delineating an immune response in the brain thus probably explain the dual role of GCs and/or chronic stress in different animal models of P

Divergent Effects of Metformin on an Inflammatory Model of Parkinson’s Disease

The oral antidiabetic drug metformin is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties through activation of AMP kinase, thus protecting various brain tissues as cortical neurons, for example. However, the effect of metformin on the substantia nigra (SN), the main structure affected in Parkinson’s disease (PD), has not yet been studied in depth. Inflammation is a key feature of PD and it may play a central role in the neurodegeneration that takes place in this disorder. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of metformin on the microglial activation of the SN of rats using the animal model of PD based on the injection of the pro-inflammogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to study the activation of microglia at both the cellular and molecular levels. Our results indicate that metformin overall inhibits microglia activation measured by OX-6 (MHCII marker), IKKβ (pro-inflammatory marker) and arginase (anti-inflammatory marker) immunoreactivity. In addition, qPCR experiments reveal that metformin treatment minimizes the expression levels of several pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Mechanistically, the drug decreases the phosphorylated forms of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as well as ROS generation through the inhibition of the NADPH oxidase enzyme. However, metformin treatment fails to protect the dopaminergic neurons of SN in response to intranigral LPS. These findings suggest that metformin could have both beneficial and harmful pharmacological effects and raise the question about the potential use of metformin for the prevention and treatment of PD.España MINECO SAF2015-64171-

Las Prácticas Preprofesionales: espacio para ratificar la apropiación de saberes integrados (Original).

The preprofesional practices constitute the moment where students reach the formation of habits, abilities, moral values, social and labor rules of conduct and are trained in the solution of the various professional problems of his specialty. For this purpose, the need to seek and apply ways and new forms where the limits between the subjects and their contends are   eliminated from the complexity in which we are submerged is evident. The elaboration of a methodology is proposed, to contribute to the appropriation of integrated knowledge in the Veterinary Zootechny specialty, it´s a descriptive investigation that is carried out in the specialty of the same name at the Carmelo Noa Gil Mixed Center of the Bayamo municipality, Granma province. We work with a population made up four professors who attend Preprofessional Practices and 30 students.The appropriation of integrated knowledges is achieved to the extent that students solve  professional teaching problems of a higher level of complexity in the polytechnic school and in the jobs of the labor entity .  Las Prácticas Preprofesionales constituyen el momento en que los estudiantes alcanzan la formación de hábitos, habilidades, valores, normas de conducta social y laboral y se adiestran en la solución de los diversos problemas profesionales de su especialidad. Para este propósito se  evidencia la necesidad de buscar y aplicar vías y nuevas formas en las que se eliminen los límites entre las asignaturas y  sus contenidos a partir de la complejidad en que están sumergidos. Se propone la elaboración de una metodología para contribuir a la apropiación de saberes integrados en la especialidad Zootecnia Veterinaria; la investigación es de tipo descriptiva y se lleva a cabo en la especialidad de igual nombre en el Centro Mixto “Carmelo Noa Gil” del municipio Bayamo, provincia Granma. Se trabaja con una población constituida por 12 profesores que imparten asignaturas de base zootécnica y 126 estudiantes, y la muestra está conformada por cuatro profesores que atienden las Prácticas Preprofesionales y 30 estudiantes. La apropiación de saberes integrados se logra en  la medida en que los estudiantes resuelven problemas docentes profesionales de mayor nivel de complejidad en la escuela politécnica y en los puestos de trabajo de la entidad laboral.&nbsp

Volatile organic compounds removal by means of a felt-based living wall to improve indoor air quality

Currently, the population spends most of the time in indoor environments, which makes Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) very important for health and comfort. As vegetation can act as a biofilter capturing air pollutants, this study aims to assess the effectiveness of a living wall module in the removal of the Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) for IAQ improvement. An airtight glass chamber was used to release contaminants, monitoring the TVOCs both with the chamber empty (control) and with a small Fytotextile® living wall module planted with Nephrolepis exaltata L. A substantial reduction of TVOCs was observed when the living wall was inside the chamber. In few hours, TVOCs levels were reduced below the recommended limit (following Spanish regulations). More tests are recommended considering different plant species and other variables related to the IAQ.Junta de Andalucía - P18-TP-165