Efecto de la esterilización con métodos físicos en suelo, sobre la flora micorrícica y en el cultivo del yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius) en Horco Molle, Tucumán

Smallanthus sonchifolius (Yacón) es un cultivo andino de gran interés debido a sus propiedades dietéticas y medicinales. Presenta un sistema radical con dos tipos morfológicos de raíces; unas fibrosas y delgadas, que están intensamente micorrizadas y otras tuberosas, que acumulan fructooligosacáridos (FOS). La micorriza es una asociación simbiótica que se produce entre una planta y hongos de la comunidad edáfica que incrementan la superficie radical para la absorción de agua y nutrientes. La planta, a su vez, provee al hongo de fotosintatos, fitohormonas, y un hábitat para su crecimiento. En algunos casos la simbiosis es muy estrecha, siendo la planta totalmente dependiente de la misma, incapaz de sobrevivir en ausencia de micorriza o con longevidad notablemente reducida. Con el objetivo de evaluar el grado real de dependencia en la simbiosis del Yacón, se diseñó un experimento de crecimiento en invernáculo. Se seleccionaron 10 rizomas de peso similar y se plantaron en el mes de Octubre de 2012, en 10 macetas de 12 litros de capacidad con una mezcla de tierra de campo y arena (2:1). El sustrato de 5 macetas fue esterilizado en autoclave, a 120°C y 1 atm. de presión, durante 20 minutos. El riego se hizo con agua estéril. Se realizaron diversos estudios fisiológicos a lo largo del ciclo de cultivo: altura de las plantas, número de vástagos, hojas y entrenudos, peso fresco y seco de partes aéreas y subterráneas. También se determinó el área foliar de las hojas de plantas crecidas en ambos tipos de sustratos, y se evaluó la producción de lactonas sesquiterpénicas a partir de las mismas hojas.Se realizaron tres colecciones de raicillas absorbentes, la primera en diciembre de 2012, la segunda en febrero del 2013 y la última en abril del mismo año. Se decoloraron y tiñeron según Phillips y Hayman (1970). Se estimó el porcentaje de colonización por el método de intersección de líneas de Giovanetti y Mosse (1980). También se extrajeron esporas micorrícicas de ambas muestras de sustratos (estéril y no estéril) siguiendo el protocolo de tamizado húmedo de Nicholson y Gerdemann (1963). Los resultados revelaron un crecimiento superior en las plantas desarrolladas en sustrato esterilizado, aunque no comparables al crecimiento de las plantas a campo; en los parámetros estudiados de altura, número de hojas y vástagos; y área foliar. Asimismo, los rendimientos de peso fresco y seco de partes aéreas y subterráneas fueron superiores para estas plantas, aunque no presentaron tuberización. Por el contrario, el rendimiento de las plantas crecidas en sustrato sin esterilizar fue inferior. En cuanto a la producción de lactonas sesquiterpénicas, no se observó ninguna diferencia entre ambos tratamientos, en los cuales se obtuvo un rendimiento aproximado del 1% por gramo de hoja seca.Con respecto a la colonización micorrícica, se identificaron dos tipos de simbiontes: vesículo-arbusculares (VAM) y endófitos septados oscuros (DS). Las raicillas provenientes de sustrato no estéril presentaron un alto grado de colonización en la primera y segunda colección (72% y 86% respectivamente) y un descenso brusco en la tercera (22%). Los mismos simbiontes se detectaron en las raicillas del tratamiento con suelo estéril, pero en porcentajes significativamente menores: 32, 40 y 2% respectivamente. Por último, en las raicillas de ambos tratamientos se observaron canales secretores de ácido kaurenoico de gran diámetro, que se volvieron más conspicuos hacia el final del ensayo. Se infiere que los bajos rendimientos obtenidos en este estudio, tanto en partes aéreas como subterráneas, fueron debido al estrés causado por el tamaño de la maceta, que limitaba el crecimiento. Sin embargo, el rendimiento superior de las plantas crecidas en sustrato estéril en comparación con aquellas crecidas en sustrato no estéril podría haberse debido al efecto de autoclavado del sustrato, que produjo un aumento del fósforo disponible, y una reducción de los microorganismos patógenos presentes en el suelo, lo que se comprobó lleva a un mayor desarrollo de los vegetales cultivados. Por otro lado, la presencia de hongos micorrícicos en raicillas provenientes de sustrato estéril, podría indicar una asociación simbiótica presente en el rizoma.Fil: Giampaoli, Javier. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Brandan, Celia Ines. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Enrico, Roxana Judith. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Coll Araoz, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiologicos; ArgentinaFil: Lencina, Viviana Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Facultad de Cs.económicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Estadísticas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Stem cells labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in a preclinical model of cerebral ischemia: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Introduction: Although there is an increase in clinical trials assessing the efficacy of cell therapy in structural and functional regeneration after stroke, there are not enough data in the literature describing the best cell type to be used, the best route, and also the best nanoparticle to analyze these stem cells in vivo. This review analyzed published data on superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION)-labeled stem cells used for ischemic stroke therapy.Method: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of data from experiments testing the efficacy of cellular treatment with SPION versus no treatment to improve behavioral or modified neural scale outcomes in animal models of stroke by the Cochrane Collaboration and indexed in EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science since 2000. To test the impact of study quality and design characteristics, we used random-effects meta-regression. in addition, trim and fill were used to assess publication bias.Results: the search retrieved 258 articles. After application of the inclusion criteria, 24 reports published between January 2000 and October 2014 were selected. These 24 articles were analyzed for nanoparticle characteristics, stem cell types, and efficacy in animal models.Conclusion: This study highlights the therapeutic role of stem cells in stroke and emphasizes nanotechnology as an important tool for monitoring stem cell migration to the affected neurological locus.Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert EinsteinCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPEGHosp Israelita Albert Einstein, BR-05651901 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, BR-04021001 São Paulo, SP, BrazilSanta Casa Misericordia São Paulo, BR-01221020 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Inst Matemat & Estat, BR-05508090 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv São Paulo, LIM44, BR-05403000 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, BR-04021001 São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Stem cells labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in a preclinical model of cerebral ischemia: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Abstract\ud \ud Introduction\ud Although there is an increase in clinical trials assessing the efficacy of cell therapy in structural and functional regeneration after stroke, there are not enough data in the literature describing the best cell type to be used, the best route, and also the best nanoparticle to analyze these stem cells in vivo. This review analyzed published data on superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION)-labeled stem cells used for ischemic stroke therapy.\ud \ud \ud Method\ud We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of data from experiments testing the efficacy of cellular treatment with SPION versus no treatment to improve behavioral or modified neural scale outcomes in animal models of stroke by the Cochrane Collaboration and indexed in EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science since 2000. To test the impact of study quality and design characteristics, we used random-effects meta-regression. In addition, trim and fill were used to assess publication bias.\ud \ud \ud Results\ud The search retrieved 258 articles. After application of the inclusion criteria, 24 reports published between January 2000 and October 2014 were selected. These 24 articles were analyzed for nanoparticle characteristics, stem cell types, and efficacy in animal models.\ud \ud \ud Conclusion\ud This study highlights the therapeutic role of stem cells in stroke and emphasizes nanotechnology as an important tool for monitoring stem cell migration to the affected neurological locus.Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein (IIEPAE)FINEPCAPESFAPESPFAPE

Mitochondrial peptide humanin facilitates chemoresistance in glioblastoma cells

Humanin (HN) is a mitochondrial-derived peptide with robust cytoprotective effects in many cell types. Although the administration of HN analogs has been proposed to treat degenerative diseases, its role in the pathogenesis of cancer is poorly understood. Here, we evaluated whether HN affects the chemosensitivity of glioblastoma (GBM) cells. We found that chemotherapy upregulated HN expression in GBM cell lines and primary cultures derived from GBM biopsies. An HN analog (HNGF6A) boosted chemoresistance, increased the migration of GBM cells and improved their capacity to induce endothelial cell migration and proliferation. Chemotherapy also upregulated FPR2 expression, an HN membrane-bound receptor, and the HNGF6A cytoprotective effects were inhibited by an FPR2 receptor antagonist (WRW4). These effects were observed in glioma cells with heterogeneous genetic backgrounds, i.e., glioma cells with wild-type (wtIDH) and mutated (mIDH) isocitrate dehydrogenase. HN silencing using a baculoviral vector that encodes for a specific shRNA for HN (BV.shHN) reduced chemoresistance, and impaired the migration and proangiogenic capacity of GBM cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that HN boosts the hallmark characteristics of GBM, i.e., chemoresistance, migration and endothelial cell proliferation. Thus, strategies that inhibit the HN/FPR2 pathway may improve the response of GBM to standard therapyInstituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecula

Cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes mortality burden of cardiometabolic risk factors from 1980 to 2010: A comparative risk assessment

Background: High blood pressure, blood glucose, serum cholesterol, and BMI are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and some of these factors also increase the risk of chronic kidney disease and diabetes. We estimated mortality from cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes that was attributable to these four cardiometabolic risk factors for all countries and regions from 1980 to 2010. Methods: We used data for exposure to risk factors by country, age group, and sex from pooled analyses of population-based health surveys. We obtained relative risks for the effects of risk factors on cause-specific mortality from meta-analyses of large prospective studies. We calculated the population attributable fractions for each risk factor alone, and for the combination of all risk factors, accounting for multicausality and for mediation of the effects of BMI by the other three risks. We calculated attributable deaths by multiplying the cause-specific population attributable fractions by the number of disease-specific deaths. We obtained cause-specific mortality from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2010 Study. We propagated the uncertainties of all the inputs to the final estimates. Findings: In 2010, high blood pressure was the leading risk factor for deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes in every region, causing more than 40% of worldwide deaths from these diseases; high BMI and glucose were each responsible for about 15% of deaths, and high cholesterol for more than 10%. After accounting for multicausality, 63% (10·8 million deaths, 95% CI 10·1-11·5) of deaths from these diseases in 2010 were attributable to the combined effect of these four metabolic risk factors, compared with 67% (7·1 million deaths, 6·6-7·6) in 1980. The mortality burden of high BMI and glucose nearly doubled from 1980 to 2010. At the country level, age-standardised death rates from these diseases attributable to the combined effects of these four risk factors surpassed 925 deaths per 100 000 for men in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, but were less than 130 deaths per 100 000 for women and less than 200 for men in some high-income countries including Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, and Spain. Interpretation: The salient features of the cardiometabolic disease and risk factor epidemic at the beginning of the 21st century are high blood pressure and an increasing effect of obesity and diabetes. The mortality burden of cardiometabolic risk factors has shifted from high-income to low-income and middle-income countries. Lowering cardiometabolic risks through dietary, behavioural, and pharmacological interventions should be a part of the global response to non-communicable diseases. Funding: UK Medical Research Council, US National Institutes of Health. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Escurrimientos superficiales, caminos y estructuras de drenaje en áreas rurales

Escurrimientos superficiales, caminos y estructuras de drenaje en áreas ruralesFil: Berardi, José. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentin

National, regional, and global trends in adult overweight and obesity prevalences

Background: Overweight and obesity prevalence are commonly used for public and policy communication of the extent of the obesity epidemic, yet comparable estimates of trends in overweight and obesity prevalence by country are not available.Methods: We estimated trends between 1980 and 2008 in overweight and obesity prevalence and their uncertainty for adults 20 years of age and older in 199 countries and territories. Data were from a previous study, which used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate mean body mass index (BMI) based on published and unpublished health examination surveys and epidemiologic studies. Here, we used the estimated mean BMIs in a regression model to predict overweight and obesity prevalence by age, country, year, and sex. The uncertainty of the estimates included both those of the Bayesian hierarchical model and the uncertainty due to cross-walking from mean BMI to overweight and obesity prevalence.Results: The global age-standardized prevalence of obesity nearly doubled from 6.4% (95% uncertainty interval 5.7-7.2%) in 1980 to 12.0% (11.5-12.5%) in 2008. Half of this rise occurred in the 20 years between 1980 and 2000, and half occurred in the 8 years between 2000 and 2008. The age-standardized prevalence of overweight increased from 24.6% (22.7-26.7%) to 34.4% (33.2-35.5%) during the same 28-year period. In 2008, female obesity prevalence ranged from 1.4% (0.7-2.2%) in Bangladesh and 1.5% (0.9-2.4%) in Madagascar to 70.4% (61.9-78.9%) in Tonga and 74.8% (66.7-82.1%) in Nauru. Male obesity was below 1% in Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ethiopia, and was highest in Cook Islands (60.1%, 52.6-67.6%) and Nauru (67.9%, 60.5-75.0%).Conclusions: Globally, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased since 1980, and the increase has accelerated. Although obesity increased in most countries, levels and trends varied substantially. These data on trends in overweight and obesity may be used to set targets for obesity prevalence as requested at the United Nations high-level meeting on Prevention and Control of NCDs. © 2012 Stevens et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

The Global Cardiovascular Risk Transition Associations of Four Metabolic Risk Factors with National Income, Urbanization, and Western Diet in 1980 and 2008

Background-It is commonly assumed that cardiovascular disease risk factors are associated with affluence and Westernization. We investigated the associations of body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure, and serum total cholesterol with national income, Western diet, and, for BMI, urbanization in 1980 and 2008