AMPK in the central nervous system: physiological roles and pathological implications

5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is considered the master metabolic regulator in all eukaryotes, as it maintains cellular energy homeostasis in a variety of tissues, including the brain. In humans, alterations in AMPK activity can lead to a wide spectrum of metabolic disorders. The relevance of this protein kinase in the pathogenesis of diabetes and metabolic syndrome is now well established. On the contrary, correlations between AMPK and brain physiopathology are still poorly characterized. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the current knowledge about the prospective involvement of AMPK in the onset and the progression of different neurological diseases

Aerosol-Assisted Atmospheric Cold Plasma Deposition and Characterization of Superhydrophobic Organic–Inorganic Nanocomposite Thin Films

A facile atmospheric pressure cold plasma process is presented to deposit a novel organic–inorganic hydrocarbon polymer/ZnO nanoparticles nanocomposite coating. Specifically, this method involves the utilization of an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) fed with helium and the aerosol of a dispersion of oleate-capped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in n-octane. As assessed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, the deposited nanocomposite coating combines the chemical features of both the oleate-capped ZnO NPs and the polyethylene-like organic component originated from the plasma polymerization of n-octane. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission scanning electron microscopy (TSEM) confirm the synthesis of hierarchical micro/nanostructured coatings containing quasi-spherical NPs agglomerates. The polyethylene-like polymer covers the NPs agglomerates to different extents and contributes to their immobilization in the three-dimensional network of the coating. The increase of both the deposition time (1–10 min) and the NPs concentration in the dispersion (0.5–5 wt %) has a significant effect on the chemical and morphological structure of the thin films and, in fact, results in the increase the ZnO NPs content, which ultimately leads to superhydrophobic surfaces (advancing and receding water contact angles higher than 160°) with low hysteresis due to the hierarchical multiscale roughness of the coating

Altered expression of antioxidant enzymes and autophagic proteins in transglutaminase 2 knockout mice

""Background. Transglutaminases (TGs) are ubiquitous calcium-dependent acyl-transferases, catalysing post-translational protein modifications. Among the family members, TG2 (or "tissue" transglutaminase) acts as a multifunctional protein regulating cell processes, including autophagy [1,2]. . TG2 is highly expressed in the nervous tissue and reportedly involved in neurodegenerative disorders [3]. Indeed, the pathophysiology of these diseases includes insoluble aggregate formation, and covalent cross-linking of pathogenic proteins by TG2 has been suggested. Another hallmark of neurodegeneration is dysregulated autophagy, thus making the role played by TG2 in this cellular process especially relevant. Interestingly, conditions promoting TG2 activity, such as low GTP and high calcium levels, associated with oxidative stress, occur in neurodegeneration. . The present study aims to clarify the role of TG2 in redox balance and autophagy. To this purpose, the expression levels of antioxidant enzymes and pro-autophagic proteins were investigated in various brain regions and liver of TG2-\\\/- mice. . . Materials and methods. Expression of antioxidant enzymes, namely superoxide dismutase 1 and 2 (SOD1, SOD2), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), and autophagic proteins (Beclin1, LC3 and AMBRA1) were evaluated by Western blotting (WB) and immunohistochemistry in selected brain areas (neocortex, hippocampus, brainstem, and cerebellum) and liver of 12-month-old TG2-\\\/- and wild-type mice.. . Results. WB and immunohistochemical data reveal altered expression patterns of antioxidant enzymes in both liver and brain tissues. Of particular interest is the statistically significant decrease of CAT and SOD2 in the cerebellum and hippocampus of TG2-\\\/- mice, while unchanged levels of these proteins are detected in the neocortex and brainstem. In the knockout liver, even more dramatic reduction of CAT and SOD2 expression is found, while SOD1 is intriguingly upregulated. Concerning the effect of TG2 deletion on autophagy, Beclin1 is down-regulated in the neocortex and hippocampus of knockout mice.. . Conclusions. Overall, our data on TG2-\\\/- mice support the involvement of the transamidating enzyme in controlling redox balance of different organs, and in regulating autophagic flux [1-3]. The specific decrease in the peroxisomal enzyme CAT and in the mitochondrial protein SOD2 emphasizes the role of these organelles in oxidative stress management and their interplay in cell metabolism. Moreover, region-based differences in the effect of TG2 deletion may reflect multiple functions related to the organ, tissue and cell type.. "

Safety of percutaneous ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of adrenal lesions in dogs: Perception of the procedure by radiologists and presentation of 50 cases

Background Percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of adrenal gland lesions is controversial in veterinary medicine. Objective To evaluate the frequency and radiologists' perception of the risk of the procedure as well as determining the incidence of complications. Methods Retrospective study. A first survey was submitted by e-mail to all board-certified radiologists of the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR) and European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging (ECVDI). A second survey was sent to radiologists who declared having performed the procedure at least once in their career (observational cross-sectional case study). Results The first survey was sent to 977 diplomates and answered by 138. Of 138 diplomates, 40 currently performed the procedure and 98 did not; 44 of the 98 gave the hypertensive crisis risk in pheochromocytoma as a reason. To the second survey, 12 of 65 responded positively; 50 dogs with 58 lesions were recruited, including 23 pheochromocytomas. Complications were reported in 4 of 50 dogs; 3 hemorrhages (1 mild and 1 moderate) and 1 death from acute respiratory distress syndrome (possibly related to laryngeal paralysis). No hypertensive crisis was reported. There was no relationship between the method of FNA/type of needle used and occurrence of complications. Based on the recollection of these 65 radiologists, who performed approximately 200 FNA of adrenal lesions, a death rate of approximately 1% was estimated. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Percutaneous US-guided FNA of adrenal lesions can be considered a minimally risky procedure, despite the negative perception by radiologists

Development of a Nomogram Predicting the Risk of Persistence/Recurrence of Cervical Dysplasia

Background: Cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence has a great impact on women's health and quality of life. In this study, we investigated whether a prognostic nomogram may improve risk assessment after primary conization. Methods: This is a retrospective multi-institutional study based on charts of consecutive patients undergoing conization between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. A nomogram assessing the importance of different variables was built. A cohort of patients treated between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2016 was used to validate the nomogram. Results: A total of 2966 patients undergoing primary conization were analyzed. The median (range) patient age was 40 (18-89) years. At 5-year of follow-up, 6% of patients (175/2966) had developed a persistent/recurrent cervical dysplasia. Median (range) recurrence-free survival was 18 (5-52) months. Diagnosis of CIN3, presence of HR-HPV types, positive endocervical margins, HPV persistence, and the omission of HPV vaccination after conization increased significantly and independently of the risk of developing cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence. A nomogram weighting the impact of all variables was built with a C-Index of 0.809. A dataset of 549 patients was used to validate the nomogram, with a C-index of 0.809. Conclusions: The present nomogram represents a useful tool for counseling women about their risk of persistence/recurrence after primary conization. HPV vaccination after conization is associated with a reduced risk of CIN2+

Acute mountain sickness.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a clinical syndrome occurring in otherwise healthy normal individuals who ascend rapidly to high altitude. Symptoms develop over a period ofa few hours or days. The usual symptoms include headache, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, unsteadiness of gait, undue dyspnoea on moderate exertion and interrupted sleep. AMS is unrelated to physical fitness, sex or age except that young children over two years of age are unduly susceptible. One of the striking features ofAMS is the wide variation in individual susceptibility which is to some extent consistent. Some subjects never experience symptoms at any altitude while others have repeated attacks on ascending to quite modest altitudes. Rapid ascent to altitudes of 2500 to 3000m will produce symptoms in some subjects while after ascent over 23 days to 5000m most subjects will be affected, some to a marked degree. In general, the more rapid the ascent, the higher the altitude reached and the greater the physical exertion involved, the more severe AMS will be. Ifthe subjects stay at the altitude reached there is a tendency for acclimatization to occur and symptoms to remit over 1-7 days

Small worlds and board interlocking in Brazil: a longitudinal study of corporate networks, 1997-2007

Social Network Analysis (SNA) is an emerging research field in finance, above all in Brazil. This work is pioneering in that it is supported by reference to different areas of knowledge: social network analysis and corporate governance, for dealing with a similarly emerging topic in finance; interlocking boards, the purpose being to check the validity of the small-world model in the Brazilian capital market, and the existence of associations between the positioning of the firm in the network of corporate relationships and its worth. To do so official data relating to more than 400 companies listed in Brazil between 1997 and 2007 were used. The main results obtained suggest that the configuration of the networks of relationships between board members and companies reflects the small-world model. Furthermore, there seems to be a significant relationship between the firm’s centrality and its worth, described according to an “inverted U” curve, which suggests the existence of optimum values of social prominence in the corporate network

Clinical features of idiopathic inflammatory polymyopathy in the Hungarian Vizsla

Background A retrospective study of the clinicopathological features of presumed and confirmed cases of idiopathic inflammatory polymyopathy in the Hungarian Vizsla dog and guidelines for breeding. Results 369 medical records were reviewed (1992–2013) and 77 Hungarian Vizslas were identified with a case history consistent with idiopathic inflammatory polymyopathy. Inclusion criteria were: group 1 (confirmed diagnosis); histopathology and clinical findings compatible with an inflammatory polymyopathy and group 2 (probable diagnosis); clinical findings compatible with a polymyopathy including dysphagia, sialorrhea, temporal muscle atrophy, elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) activity, and sufficient clinical history to suggest that other neuromuscular disorders could be ruled out. Some group 2 dogs had muscle biopsy, which suggested muscle disease but did not reveal an inflammatory process. The mean age of onset was 2.4 years; male dogs were slightly overrepresented. Common presenting signs were dysphagia, sialorrhea, masticatory muscle atrophy, and regurgitation. Common muscle histopathological findings included degenerative and regenerative changes, with multifocal mononuclear cell infiltration with lymphoplasmacytic myositis of variable severity. A positive response to immunosuppressive treatment supported an immune-mediated aetiology. The mean age at death and survival time were 6.4 and 3.9 years, respectively. Recurrence of clinical signs and aspiration pneumonia were common reasons for euthanasia. Conclusions Diagnosis of Vizsla idiopathic inflammatory polymyopathy can be challenging due to lack of specific tests, however the presence of dysphagia, regurgitation and masticatory muscle atrophy in this breed with negative serological tests for masticatory muscle myositis and myasthenia gravis, along with muscle biopsies suggesting an inflammatory process, support the diagnosis. However, there is an urgent need for a more specific diagnostic test. The average of inbreeding coefficient (CoI) of 16.3% suggests an increased expression of a Dog Leukocyte Antigen Class II haplotype, leading to an increased disease risk. The prognosis remains guarded, as treatment can only manage the disease. Recurrence of clinical signs and perceived poor quality of life are the most common reasons for humane euthanasia.</p