419 research outputs found
Towards a Conceptualization of Sociomaterial Entanglement
In knowledge representation, socio-technical systems can be modeled
as multiagent systems in which the local knowledge of each individual agent can
be seen as a context. In this paper we propose formal ontologies as a means to
describe the assumptions driving the construction of contexts as local theories and
to enable interoperability among them. In particular, we present two alternative
conceptualizations of the notion of sociomateriality (and entanglement), which
is central in the recent debates on socio-technical systems in the social sciences,
namely critical and agential realism.
We thus start by providing a model of entanglement according to the critical realist
view, representing it as a property of objects that are essentially dependent on
different modules of an already given ontology. We refine then our treatment by
proposing a taxonomy of sociomaterial entanglements that distinguishes between
ontological and epistemological entanglement. In the final section, we discuss the
second perspective, which is more challenging form the point of view of knowledge
representation, and we show that the very distinction of information into
modules can be at least in principle built out of the assumption of an entangled
reality
Relationships and events: towards a general theory of reification and truthmaking.
We propose a novel ontological analysis of relations and relationships based on a re-visitation of a classic problem in the practice of knowledge repre- sentation and conceptual modeling, namely relationship reification. Our idea is that a relation holds in virtue of a relationship's existence. Relationships are therefore truthmakers of relations. In this paper we present a general theory or reification and truthmaking, and discuss the interplay between events and rela- tionships, suggesting that relationships are the focus of events, which emerge from the context (the scene) they occur in
Antenatal Microbial Colonization of Mammalian Gut
The widely accepted dogma of intrauterine sterility and initial colonization of the newborn during birth has been blurred by recent observations of microbial presence in meconium, placenta, and amniotic fluid. Given the importance of a maternal-derived in utero infant seeding, it is crucial to exclude potential environmental or procedural contaminations and to assess fetal colonization before parturition. To this end, we analyzed sterilely collected intestinal tissues, placenta, and amniotic fluid from rodent fetuses and tissues from autoptic human fetuses. Total bacterial DNA was extracted from collected samples and analyzed by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques using hypervariable 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) regions (V3-V4). Colonizing microbes were visualized in situ, using labeled probes targeting 16S ribosomal DNA by fluorescent in situ hybridization. The NGS analysis showed the presence of pioneer microbes in both rat and human intestines as well as in rodent placentas and amniotic fluids. Microbial communities showed fetus- and dam-dependent clustering, confirming the high interindividual variability of commensal microbiota even in the antenatal period. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis confirmed the microbes' presence in the lumen of the developing gut. These findings suggest a possible antenatal colonization of the developing mammalian gut
Cocoa Powder as Delivery Medium for Probiotic Lactobacillus Strains
Three Lactobacillus strains previously isolated from artisanal Italian cheeses and identified by species-spe-
cific PCR as L. helveticus, L. paracasei and L. rhamnosus, were evaluated for the presence of functional
traits, such as acidifying activity, cell surface hydrophobicity, antibiotic resistance, survival in low pH and in
presence of bile salts, in comparison with two commercially available probiotic strains (Lactobacillus aci-
dophilus La-5 and L. rhamnosus GG). Subsequently, with the aim to develop a new non-dairy functional
product, cocoa powder was used as a medium for incorporating freeze-dried cultures of each tested strain and
survival at different time/temperature conditions was investigated. The results obtained demonstrated that
artisanal dairy products are interesting sources of new probiotic strains; in particular, the dairy origin strain L.
rhamnosus showed a good probiotic performance and the highest level of survival during storage. Finally,
we showed that cocoa powder represents a good delivery medium for lactobacilli: it could be considered a
novel functional food exhibiting high antioxidant power and presenting probiotic potentia
Genome sequences of two Lactococcus garvieae strains isolated from meat
Lactococcus garvieae is an important fish pathogen and an emerging opportunistic human pathogen, as well as a component of natural microbiota in dairy and meat products. We present the first report of genome sequences of L. garvieae I113 and Tac2 strains isolated from a meat source
GUT microbiota change and time of restore in intensive care therapy : a case report
Exposure of gut microbiota to antibiotics can promote antibiotic resistance and development of diseases caused by multi-drug-resistant organisms. Here we present a case of a 54-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis with significant biliary duct leakage, admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to a septic syndrome after surgery. Fecal microbial population was analyzed by DGGE and Real Time PCR during and after a combined antibiotic therapy and enteral nutritional feeding. Gut microbiota dysbiosis was demonstrated during ICU recovery. After antibiotic therapy discontinuation and the switch to normal diet, microbial gut population gradually increased up to values comparable with those of a healthy subject. Bifidobacterium spp. took longer to re-stabilize, reaching normal value after two weeks. Our case report corroborates the resilient nature of gut microbiota, but points out the long time needed to recover after antibiotic treatment, paving the way to supplementation with key probiotic species
Los estudios de público escolar y la comunicación de la arqueología
En este trabajo se analizan los intereses, hábitos y valoraciones del público escolar asistente a la exposición “Olavarría antes de Olavarría” realizada por un grupo de investigación. Esta clase de estudios, en general utilizada por museos, permite evaluar y (re)formular las prácticas de comunicación de la arqueología. Para ello se empleó una metodología cuali-cuantitativa y las variables seleccionadas fueron de tipo social, de opinión y valorativas, para lo que se requirió de encuestas, entrevistas, observaciones y registros durante las visitas guiadas de las escuelas. Entre los resultados más importantes del estudio se puede mencionar la buena recepción de la propuesta por parte de las docentes y los/as estudiantes, con la diferencia que el público adolescente es más crítico y exigente. Por su parte los/as docentes señalan dos aspectos positivos de la exhibición, primero su utilización como estrategia didáctica disparadora para continuar en el trabajo áulico y, en segundo lugar, la posibilidad de interiorizarse sobre conocimientos que no estaban accesibles. Por otro lado, esta exposición, al ser entendida en su rol educativo, social y comunicacional, también fue analizada dentro del marco de la llamada evaluación de exposiciones lo cual permitió remarcar sus aspectos positivos y algunas cuestiones que tuvieron que modificarse durante su marcha. Finalmente, se considera importante generar propuestas al amplio público como compromiso universitario de devolución social, sin embargo, no dejan de ser activaciones patrimoniales dirigidas que no implican necesariamente apropiación y/o valoración comunitaria
Microbiome and PCOS: State-of-art and future aspects
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex and heterogeneous endocrine disease. The hypothesis that alterations in the microbiome are involved in the genesis of PCOS has been postulated. Aim of this review is to summarize the available literature data about the relationship between microbiome and PCOS. A search on PubMed and Medline databases was performed from inception to November 20Most of evidence has focused on the connection of intestinal bacteria with sex hormones and insulin-resistance: while in the first case, a relationship with hyperandrogenism has been described, although it is still unclear, in the second one, chronic low-grade inflammation by activating the immune system, with increased production of proinflammatory cytokines which interfere with insulin receptor function, causing IR (Insulin Resistance)/hyperinsulinemia has been described, as well as the role of gastrointestinal hormones like Ghrelin and peptide YY (PYY), bile acids, interleukin-22 and Bacteroides vulgatus have been highlighted. The lower genital tract mi-crobiome would be affected by changes in PCOS patients too. The therapeutic opportunities include probiotic, prebiotics and synbiotics, as well as fecal microbiota transplantation and the use of IL-22, to date only in animal models, as a possible future drug. Current evidence has shown the involvement of the gut microbiome in PCOS, seen how humanized mice receiving a fecal transplant from women with PCOS develop ovarian dysfunction, immune changes and insulin resistance and how it is capable of disrupting the secondary bile acid biosynthesis. A future therapeutic approach for PCOS may involve the human administration of IL-22 and bile acid glycodeoxycholic acid
The effect of timing and composition of gestational weight gain in obese pregnant women on infant birth weight: A prospective cohort study.
Introduction: CK2 is a protein kinase implicated in several essential cellular
processes, over-expressed in cancer and described to regulate insulin
signaling cascade. Recently CK2 has been described to negatively regulate
thermogenesis (Shinoda K et al, 2015, Cell Metabolism) and to inhibit
insulin release (Rossi M et al, 2015, PNAS). Nevertheless, the role of CK2
in adipose tissue (AT) and its involvement in human obesity development
and therapy has been poorly investigated.
Methods: Our multi-disciplinary team performed biochemical analysis of
signaling pathways by WB and in vitro kinase activity assays, and glucose
handling studies using glucose uptake assay and IF in adipocyte cultures
and glucose and insulin tolerance test in mice. Moreover we quantify CK2
expression/activity in human AT specimens of 27 obese patients, clinically
characterized, in 12 obese patients underwent relevant weight loss and 11
normal-weight controls.
Results: We proved that CK2 amount and activity were not influenced
by insulin stimulation and that CK2 activity was efficiently inhibited by
specific inhibitors, structurally unrelated. We worked with CX-4945, a
CK2 inhibitor currently used in cancer clinical trials, using the minimal
concentration (2.5 \u192
dM) and pre-treatment time (1hr) able to efficiently
inhibit CK2 activity, avoiding any cytotoxic effect. Pharmacological
inhibition of CK2 did not significantly affect in vitro adipogenic differentiation
or expression profiling of mature adipocytes. Conversely, we
showed that in human and murine adipocytes CK2-inhibition decreases
the insulin-induced glucose uptake by counteracting Akt-signaling and
GLUT4-translocation to the plasma membrane. We compared CK2 expression
and activity in different mouse tissues highlighted that white
skeletal muscle fibres and liver contained the highest quantity of this kinase.
CK2 was expressed more in brown AT than in white AT depots. We
show that CK2 promotes insulin-signaling in mouse AT, liver and skeletal
muscle and that in vivo acute treatment with CX-4945 impairs glucose-
tolerance in mice. Studies in tissues of ob/ob and db/db mice highlights
an up-regulation of CK2 expression and activity only in WAT. CK2
hyper-activation is strongly evident also in SAT and VAT of obese patients
and weight loss obtained by bariatric surgery or hypocaloric diet reverts
CK2 up-regulation to normal level.
Conclusion: We show that CK2 is involved in insulin sensitivity, glucose
handling and remodeling of WAT. Moreover we identify CK2 hyper-activation
as a hallmark of human obesity, suggesting a new potential therapeutic
target for metabolic diseases
Surgical site infection after caesarean section. Space for post-discharge surveillance improvements and reliable comparisons
Surgical site infections (SSI) after caesarean section (CS) represent a substantial health system concern. Surveying SSI has been associated with a reduction in SSI incidence. We report the findings of three (2008, 2011 and 2013) regional active SSI surveillances after CS in community hospital of the Latium region determining the incidence of SSI. Each CS was surveyed for SSI occurrence by trained staff up to 30 post-operative days, and association of SSI with relevant characteristics was assessed using binomial logistic regression. A total of 3,685 CS were included in the study. A complete 30 day post-operation follow-up was achieved in over 94% of procedures. Overall 145 SSI were observed (3.9% cumulative incidence) of which 131 (90.3%) were superficial and 14 (9.7%) complex (deep or organ/space) SSI; overall 129 SSI (of which 89.9% superficial) were diagnosed post-discharge. Only higher NNIS score was significantly associated with SSI occurrence in the regression analysis. Our work provides the first regional data on CS-associated SSI incidence, highlighting the need for a post-discharge surveillance which should assure 30 days post-operation to not miss data on complex SSI, as well as being less labour intensive
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