88 research outputs found
Size and number variation of adipocytes during the growth of Rasa Aragonesa lambs
The size and number of adipocytes of different fat depots was studied in 45 male lambs of the
Rasa Aragonesa breed, distributed in three groups of 15 lambs (G12, G24, G36), slaughtered respectively at
l 1.7 0.67,24.5 0.57 and 35.8 ? 1.74 kg live weight (LW) and at an age of 32 5, 89 8 and 123 & 8 days.
G12 lambs were slaughtered on the day of weaning, G24 and G36 lambs were weaned respectively at
16.2 & 1.32 and 18.3 r 2.46 kg LW and were fed from then onwards on concentrated fodder and barley straw
ad libitum until they were slaughtered. The results obtained show that there is a significant increase in the
amount of fat deposited in three internal (omental, mesenteric and kidney knob and channel) fat depots as the
LW at slaughter increases (P<O.Ol). A similar phenomenon occurs in the size of the adipocytes, hypertrophy
being more evident between 24 and 36 kg (Px0.01) than between 12 and 24 kg, except in the intermuscular fat
depot, where the differences were between the two most extreme weights (P<O.Ol). The number of adipocytes
in the omental and mesenteric fat depots increased significantly during the period of the study while
no variation occurred in the kidney knob and channel fat depot during the same period."Variation de la taille et
Aragonesa'! On a étudié la taille et le nombre des adipocytes de différents tissus adipeux chez 45 agneaux
3 groupes de 15 agneaux (G12, G24, G36), abattus
respectivement à 11,7 0,67; 24,5 0,57 et 35,8 1,74 kg de poids vif (PV) et 32 5; 89 8 y 123 2 8 jours
d'âge. Les agneaux du G12 ont été abattus le jour du sevrage; ceux du G24 et du G36 ont été sevrés
respectivementà 16,2 -+ 1,32 y 18,3 2 2,46 kg de PV, et ont eu à leur disposition de l'aliment concentré et de la
paille d'orge "ad libitum" jusqu'au le moment de l'abattage. Les résultats obtenus montrent une augmentation
significative de la quantité de graisse deposée dans les trois dépôts gras internes (omental, mésentérique,
pelvico-rénal) au fur età mesure de l'augmentation du PV d'abattage (P<O,OI). Des résultats semblables ont été
trouvés avec la taille des adipocytes car elle augmente avec le PL( l'hypertrophie étant plus marquée entre 24 et
36 kg (P<O,OI) qu' entre 12 et 24 kg, sauf dans le tissu intermusculaire dans lequel les différences ont été entre
les deux poids extrêmes (P<O,Ol). Le nombre des adipocytes dans les tissus omental et mésentérique a
augmenté significativement pendant la période étudiée (P<O,OI), tandis que dans le tissu pelvico-rénal il n'y a
pas eu de variation pendant cette période
Regional Genetic Structure in the Aquatic Macrophyte Ruppia cirrhosa Suggests Dispersal by Waterbirds
The evolutionary history of the genus Ruppia has been shaped by hybridization, polyploidisation and vicariance that have resulted in a problematic taxonomy. Recent studies provided insight into species circumscription, organelle takeover by hybridization, and revealed the importance of verifying species identification to avoid distorting effects of mixing different species, when estimating population connectivity. In the present study, we use microsatellite markers to determine population diversity and connectivity patterns in Ruppia cirrhosa including two spatial scales: (1) from the Atlantic Iberian coastline in Portugal to the Siculo-Tunisian Strait in Sicily and (2) within the Iberian Peninsula comprising the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition. The higher diversity in the Mediterranean Sea suggests that populations have had longer persistence there, suggesting a possible origin and/or refugial area for the species. The high genotypic diversities highlight the importance of sexual reproduction for survival and maintenance of populations. Results revealed a regional population structure matching a continent-island model, with strong genetic isolation and low gene flow between populations. This population structure could be maintained by waterbirds, acting as occasional dispersal vectors. This information elucidates ecological strategies of brackish plant species in coastal lagoons, suggesting mechanisms used by this species to colonize new isolated habitats and dominate brackish aquatic macrophyte systems, yet maintaining strong genetic structure suggestive of very low dispersal.Fundacao para a Cincia e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) [PTDC/MAR/119363/2010, BIODIVERSA/0004/2015, UID/Multi/04326/2013]Pew FoundationSENECA FoundationMurcia Government, Spain [11881/PI/09]FCT Investigator Programme-Career Development [IF/00998/2014]Spanish Ministry of Education [AP2008-01209]European Community [00399/2012]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
TREM-2 plays a protective role in cholestasis by acting as a negative regulator of inflammation
Background & Aims: Inflammation, particularly that mediated by bacterial components translocating from the gut to the liver and binding to toll-like receptors (TLRs), is central to cholestatic liver injury. The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM-2) inhibits TLR-mediated signaling and exerts a protective role in hepatocellular injury and carcinogenesis. This study aims to evaluate the role of TREM-2 in cholestasis.Methods: TREM-2 expression was analyzed in the livers of pa-tients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) or primary scle-rosing cholangitis (PSC), and in mouse models of cholestasis. Wild-type (WT) and Trem-2 deficient (Trem-2-/-) mice were subjected to experimental cholestasis and gut sterilization. Pri-mary cultured Kupffer cells were incubated with lipopolysac-charide and/or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and inflammatory responses were analyzed.Results: TREM-2 expression was upregulated in the livers of patients with PBC or PSC, and in murine models of cholestasis. Compared to WT, the response to bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced obstructive cholestasis or alpha-naphtylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestasis was exacerbated in Trem-2-/-mice. This was characterized by enhanced necroptotic cell death, in-flammatory responses and biliary expansion. Antibiotic treat-ment partially abrogated the effects observed in Trem-2-/-mice after BDL. Experimental overexpression of TREM-2 in the liver of WT mice downregulated ANIT-induced IL-33 expression and neutrophil recruitment. UDCA regulated Trem-1 and Trem-2 expression in primary cultured mouse Kupffer cells and damp-ened inflammatory gene transcription via a TREM-2-dependent mechanism.Conclusions: TREM-2 acts as a negative regulator of inflamma-tion during cholestasis, representing a novel potential thera-peutic target.Lay summary: Cholestasis (the reduction or cessation of bile flow) causes liver injury. This injury is exacerbated when gut-derived bacterial components interact with receptors (spe-cifically Toll-like receptors or TLRs) on liver-resident immune cells, promoting inflammation. Herein, we show that the anti-inflammatory receptor TREM-2 dampens TLR-mediated signaling and hence protects against cholestasis-induced liver injury. Thus, TREM-2 could be a potential therapeutic target in cholestasis.Spanish Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) [J.M. Banales (FIS PI18/01075, PI21/00922 and Miguel Servet Program CPII19/00008); M.J. Perugorria (FIS PI14/00399, PI17/00022 and PI20/00186); J.J.G. Marin (FIS PI16/00598 and PI19/00819); P.M. Rodrigues (Sara Borrell CD19/00254)] cofinanced by “Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional” (FEDER); “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” [CIBERehd: M.J. Monte, J.J.G. Marin, J.M. Banales, M.J. Perugorria, P. Aspichueta, P.M. Rodrigues and L. Bujanda], Spain; “Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa” (M.J. Perugorria: DFG18/114), Department of Health of the Basque Country (M.J. Perugorria: 2019111024, 2015111100 and J.M. Banales: 2021111021), “Euskadi RIS3” (J.M. Banales: 2019222054, 2020333010, 2021333003), and Department of Industry of the Basque Country (J.M. Banales: Elkartek: KK-2020/00008); “Junta de Castilla y Leon” (J.J.G. Marin: SA063P17). La Caixa Scientific Foundation (J.M. Banales: HR17-00601). “Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer” (AECC Scientific Foundation, to J.M. Banales and J.J.G. Marin); “Centro Internacional sobre el Envejecimiento” (J.J.G. Marin: OLD-HEPAMARKER, 0348_CIE_6_E); Fundació Marato TV3 (J.J.G. Marin: Ref. 201916-31). O Sharif was funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF-P35168). Work in the lab of T. Luedde was funded by the European Research Council (ERC) (Grant Agreement 771083), the German Research Foundation (DFG – LU 1360/3-2 (279874820), LU 1360/4-(1461704932) and SFB-CRC 1382-Project A01) and the German Ministry of Health (BMG – DEEP LIVER 2520DAT111). Contributions of M. Marzioni were funded by the Università Politecnica delle Marche PSA2017_UNIVPM grant. Contributions of DAM were supported by programme grants from CRUK (C18342/A23390) and MRC (MR/K0019494/1 and MR/R023026/1). MJ Perugorria was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO: “Ramón y Cajal” Programme RYC-2015-17755), I. Labiano, A. Agirre-Lizaso, P. Olaizola, A. Echebarria and F. González-Romero by the Basque Government (PRE_2016_1_0152, PRE_2018_1_0184, PRE_2016_1_0269 PRE_2020_1_0080, PRE_2018_1_0120, respectively), I. Olaizola by the Ministry of Universities (FPU 19/03327) and A. Esparza-Baquer by the University of the Basque Country (PIF2014/11). The funding sources had no involvement in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the article
Descriptors of Posidonia oceanica meadows: Use and application
The conservation of the coastal marine environment requires the possession of information that enables the global quality of the environment to be evaluated reliably and relatively quickly. The use of biological indicators is often an appropriate method. Seagrasses in general, and Posidonia oceanica meadows in particular, are considered to be appropriate for biomonitoring because of their wide distribution, reasonable size, sedentary habit, easy collection and abundance and sensitivity to modifications of littoral zone. Reasoned management, on the scale of the whole Mediterranean basin, requires standardized methods of study, to be applied by both researchers and administrators, enabling comparable results to be obtained. This paper synthesises the existing methods applied to monitor P. oceanica meadows, identifies the most suitable techniques and suggests future research directions. From the results of a questionnaire, distributed to all the identified laboratories working on this topic, a list of the most commonly used descriptors was drawn up, together with the related research techniques (e.g. standardization, interest and limits, valuation of the results). It seems that the techniques used to study meadows are rather similar, but rarely identical, even though the various teams often refer to previously published works. This paper shows the interest of a practical guide that describes, in a standardized way, the most useful techniques enabling P. oceanica meadows to be used as an environmental descriptor. Indeed, it constitutes the first stage in the process. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe
Climate Change Impacts on West African Agriculture: An Integrated Regional Assessment (CIWARA)
The West African Sub-Saharan region (Fig. 1) is home to some 300 million people,
with at least 60% engaged in agricultural activity. Climate change is now recognized
as a major constraint to development worldwide. While climate change primarily
relates to the future, historical trends give evidence of climate change already occurring.
Temperature increases of 1 to 1.5◦C have been observed over the last 30 years
in West Africa (EPA Ghana, 2001; IPCC, 2007) and there are projections of further
warming of the West African region in the foreseeable future (2040–2069; Fig. 2a).
The impact of climate change on West African rainfall is less clear. The analysis of
historical data over the last 30 years shows that, whereas some zones experienced
increased rainfall by as much as 20% to 40%, other locations experienced a decline
in annual rainfall by about 15%. Future projections suggest a drier western Sahel
(e.g., Senegal) but a wetter eastern Sahel (e.g., Mali, Niger; Fig. 2b). The southern
locations of WestAfrica (e.g., Ghana) are projected to experience no change or slight
increases in annual rainfall (Hulme et al., 2001).
Irrespective of whether these zones will be dryer or not, there is historical evidence
of shifts in rainfall patterns with extreme events (i.e., droughts and floods)
becoming more frequent (Adiku and Stone, 1995) and it is probable that this trend
may persist into the future..
Gata2 as a Crucial Regulator of Stem Cells in Adult Hematopoiesis and Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Subversion of transcription factor (TF) activity in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) leads to the development of therapy-resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs) that drive fulminant acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using a conditional mouse model where zinc-finger TF Gata2 was deleted specifically in hematopoietic cells, we show that knockout of Gata2 leads to rapid and complete cell-autonomous loss of adult hematopoietic stem cells. By using short hairpin RNAi to target GATA2, we also identify a requirement for GATA2 in human HSPCs. In Meis1a/Hoxa9-driven AML, deletion of Gata2 impedes maintenance and self-renewal of LSCs. Ablation of Gata2 enforces an LSC-specific program of enhanced apoptosis, exemplified by attenuation of anti-apoptotic factor BCL2, and re-instigation of myeloid differentiation––which is characteristically blocked in AML. Thus, GATA2 acts as a critical regulator of normal and leukemic stem cells and mediates transcriptional networks that may be exploited therapeutically to target key facets of LSC behavior in AML
Integration of MODIS LAI and vegetation index products with the CSM–CERES–Maize model for corn yield estimation
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