In silicoAnalysis of the Structural Properties of PSMA and its Energetic Relationship with Zn as Cofactor

The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a 100 kDa type II transmembrane glycoprotein with enzymatic activity similar to the family of zinc-dependent exopeptidases. This protein is of great medical and pharmacological interest as overexpression in prostate cells is related to the progression of prostate cancer; therefore, it represents an important target for the design of radiopharmaceuticals. The presence of two Zn2+ ions in the active site is crucial to the enzymatic activity and the design of high-affinity inhibitors. The amino acid residues coordinating these ions are highly conserved in PSMA orthologs from plants to mammals, and site-mutagenesis assays of these residues show a loss of enzymatic function or reduction of the kinetic parameters. In the present work, we performed molecular dynamics simulation of PSMA with the purpose of characterizing it energetically and structurally. We elucidated the differences of PSMA with its two Zn+2 ions as cofactors and without them in the free energy profile, and in four structural parameters: root mean square deviations and root mean square fluctuations by atom and amino acid residue, radius of gyration, and solvent accessible surface area

Seafood Consumption, Omega-3 Fatty Acids Intake, and Life-Time Prevalence of Depression in the PREDIMED-Plus Trial

Background: The aim of this analysis was to ascertain the type of relationship between fish and seafood consumption, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) intake, and depression prevalence. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Fish and seafood consumption and ω-3 PUFA intake were assessed through a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Self-reported life-time medical diagnosis of depression or use of antidepressants was considered as outcome. Depressive symptoms were collected by the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between seafood products and ω-3 PUFA consumption and depression. Multiple linear regression models were fitted to assess the association between fish and long-chain (LC) ω-3 PUFA intake and depressive symptoms. Results: Out of 6587 participants, there were 1367 cases of depression. Total seafood consumption was not associated with depression. The odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quintiles of consumption of fatty fish were 0.77 (0.63–0.94), 0.71 (0.58–0.87), and 0.78 (0.64–0.96), respectively, and p for trend = 0.759. Moderate intake of total LC ω-3 PUFA (approximately 0.5–1 g/day) was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of depression. Conclusion: In our study, moderate fish and LC ω-3 PUFA intake, but not high intake, was associated with lower odds of depression suggesting a U-shaped relationship

From Tthe “Quincallería” to the late antiquity burial at 6 Selgas Street, Lorca (Murcia)

©. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This document is the Published, version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in [Alberca]La excavación del solar de la calle Selgas núm. 6 ha permitido aportar más indicios al devenir histórico del lugar de la ciudad de Lorca. Por un lado, ha corroborado la información que se tenía en los archivos de este lugar, además de dejar a la vista que los vertederos de los alfares almohades del barrio de alfareros llegaban hasta la misma ladera de la medina, al exterior de la muralla. Además, se ha constatado la presencia de enterramientos posiblemente de un momento tardoantiguo que con un estudio antropológico completo podrían acercarnos más a la vida cotidiana de los antiguos pobladores de Eliocroca.The excavation of the lot at 6 Selgas St. has allowed providing more indications of the historical evolution of Lorca city. On the one hand, it has corroborated the information that was located in the Archives of this specific place, in addition to showing that the dumps of the Almohad potteries of the Potters Quarter reached the very slope of the Medina, outside the city wall. Furthermore, the presence of burials, possibly from the Late Roman period, has been confirmed, that with a complete anthropological study could bring us closer to the daily life of some of the ancient inhabitants of Eliocroca

Hydrological and depositional processes associated with recent glacier recession in Yanamarey catchment, Cordillera Blanca (Peru)

In this study, we investigate changes in the glaciated surface and the formation of lakes in the headwater of the Querococha watershed in Cordillera Blanca (Peru) using 24 Landsat images from 1975 to 2014. Information of glacier retreat was integrated with available climate data, the first survey of recent depositional dynamics in proglacial Yanamarey Lake (4600m a.s.l.), and a relatively short hydrological record (2002-2014) at the outlet of Yanamarey Lake. A statistically significant temperature warming (0.21°C decade-1 for mean annual temperature) has been detected in the region, and it caused a reduction of the glacierized area since 1975 from 3.5 to 1.4km-2. New small lakes formed in the deglaciated areas, increasing the flooded area from1.8ha in 1976 to 2.8ha in 2014. A positive correlation between annual rates of glacier recession and runoff was found. Sediment cores revealed a high sedimentation rate (>1cmyr-1) and two contrasted facies, suggesting a shift toward a reduction of meltwater inputs and higher hydrological variability likely due to an increasing role of precipitation on runoff during the last decades. Despite the age control uncertainties, the main transition likely occurred around 1998-2000, correlating with the end of the phase with maximum warming rates and glacier retreat during the 1980s and 1990s, and the slowing down of expansion of surface lake-covered surface. With this hydrological - paleolimnological approach we have documented the association between recent climate variability and glacier recession and the rapid transfer of hydroclimate signal to depositional and geochemical processes in high elevation Andean environments. This, study also alerts about water quality risks as proglacial lakes act as secondary reservoirs that trap trace and minor elements in high altitude basins

Daily intake of fruit and vegetable soups processed in different ways increases human serum beta-carotene and lycopene concentrations and reduces levels of several oxidative stress markers in healthy subjects

The effect of daily intakes of two differently processed fruit and vegetable soups on beta-carotene and lycopene bioavailability, oxidative stress and cardiovascular risk biomarkers was investigated. An optimised soup produced using heat treatments and high pressure homogenisation for high nutrient retention, and a traditionally produced reference soup were tested. Serum beta-carotene concentration was significantly higher with the optimised than with the reference soup after the supplementation (0.41 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.24 +/- 0.03 mu M, respectively), whereas the serum lycopene concentration was higher in subjects consuming the reference (0.06 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.16 +/- 0.02 mu M). The change in serum homocysteine levels tended to be greater in the optimised group (-1.67 +/- 0.63 vs. 0.02 +/- 0.17 mu M, p = 0.06). Serum antioxidant enzyme activity decreased significantly with consumption of both soups, but to a greater extent with the optimised soup. The consumption of the fruit and vegetable soups increased serum beta-carotene and lycopene concentrations and reduced the levels of several oxidative stress makers, particularly in subjects consuming the optimised soup

Effect of early trauma on the sleep quality of euthymic bipolar patients

International audienceOBJECTIVE:Poor quality of sleep is frequent in euthymic bipolar patients and conveys worse clinical outcomes. We investigated the features of euthymic bipolar patients associated with poor sleep quality, with a focus on the effect of childhood trauma.METHOD:493 euthymic patients with DSM-IV-defined bipolar disorders were recruited in FondaMental Advanced Centers of Expertize for Bipolar Disorders (FACE-BD) between 2009 and 2014. Clinical variables were recorded. Subjective sleep quality and history of childhood trauma were respectively measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ).RESULTS:Poor sleepers were older, less professionally active, had significantly higher anxiety levels, took more anxiolytic drugs and did endorse more suicide attempts and suicidal ideas than good sleepers after adjusting for anxiety levels and age. Emotional abuse was associated with poor sleep quality after adjustment for BMI, age, professional activity, and bipolar disorders (BD) type (OR=1.83; 95% CI [1.30; 3.10]; p=0.02). However, this association was lost after adjustment for anxiety levels, anxiolytic treatment and suicide ideation/attempts.LIMITATIONS:The main limitation was the type of sleep assessment, which only measured the subjective part of sleep complaints.CONCLUSION:A history of emotional abuse might underlie sleep problems in many bipolar patients but anxiety seems to act as a confounding factor in this relationship. New studies are needed to elucidate the role of childhood maltreatment on poor sleep among bipolar patients