La renovación de la palabra en el bicentenario de la Argentina : los colores de la mirada lingüística

El libro reúne trabajos en los que se exponen resultados de investigaciones presentadas por investigadores de Argentina, Chile, Brasil, España, Italia y Alemania en el XII Congreso de la Sociedad Argentina de Lingüística (SAL), Bicentenario: la renovación de la palabra, realizado en Mendoza, Argentina, entre el 6 y el 9 de abril de 2010. Las temáticas abordadas en los 167 capítulos muestran las grandes líneas de investigación que se desarrollan fundamentalmente en nuestro país, pero también en los otros países mencionados arriba, y señalan además las áreas que recién se inician, con poca tradición en nuestro país y que deberían fomentarse. Los trabajos aquí publicados se enmarcan dentro de las siguientes disciplinas y/o campos de investigación: Fonología, Sintaxis, Semántica y Pragmática, Lingüística Cognitiva, Análisis del Discurso, Psicolingüística, Adquisición de la Lengua, Sociolingüística y Dialectología, Didáctica de la lengua, Lingüística Aplicada, Lingüística Computacional, Historia de la Lengua y la Lingüística, Lenguas Aborígenes, Filosofía del Lenguaje, Lexicología y Terminología

Comparative performance of traps for the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae) baited with female-targeted or male-targeted lures

Results of trapping trials in Italy confirmed that the non-sticky CSALOMON® VARs+ funnel trap was highly efficient for the capture of Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), when baited with either male-targeted (trimedlure), or synthetic female-targeted (ammonium carbonate, ammonium acetate, trimethylamine, putrescine) baits. Trimedlure-baited traps caught ten times more flies (all males), than traps with synthetic female-targeted lures (which cauught predominantly females). Although less efficient, traps with the female-targeted lures had the significant advantage over trimedlure that they attracted predominantly females, so in cases when for control or experimental purposes the capture of female flies is more informative (i.e. timing of egg-laying, fertility and fecundity studies, etc.), these lures would be the best choice. The present results suggested that putrescine could be left out from female-targeted lure combinations without dramatic change in activity

Comparative performance of traps for the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae) baited with female-targeted or male-targeted lures

Results of trapping trials in Italy confirmed that the non-sticky CSALOMON® VARs+ funnel trap was highly efficient for the capture of Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), when baited with either male-targeted (trimedlure), or synthetic female-targeted (ammonium carbonate, ammonium acetate, trimethylamine, putrescine) baits. Trimedlure-baited traps caught ten times more flies (all males), than traps with synthetic female-targeted lures (which cauught predominantly females). Although less efficient, traps with the female-targeted lures had the significant advantage over trimedlure that they attracted predominantly females, so in cases when for control or experimental purposes the capture of female flies is more informative (i.e. timing of egg-laying, fertility and fecundity studies, etc.), these lures would be the best choice. The present results suggested that putrescine could be left out from female-targeted lure combinations without dramatic change in activity

Vitamin K2 and Bone: Focus on Osteogenesis

Vitamin K2 (VitK2) is a lipid-soluble vitamin that regulates calcium homeostasis in “bone vascular cross talk” acting as cofactor for the enzyme γ-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX). Recently, it has been shown that it plays a main role in this crosstalk by reducing the calcium deposit in the arteries and increasing it in the bone tissue (“calcium paradox”) through carboxylation and then activation of specific Gla proteins, Matrix Gla protein and osteocalcin (OC) respectively. This evidence made VitK2 a potential osteoinductive factor for bone tissue regeneration. Since little is known about the potential effect of VitK2 in the osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells, aim of our study was to investigate the possible role of VitK2 in the modulation of osteogenesis in a model of human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (hAFMSCs) both in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) in vitro culture systems. In 2D culture system, using Alizarin Red S staining, we observed that VitK2 significantly enhanced hAFMSCs osteogenic differentiation compared to cells treated with osteogenic medium alone. These data were confirmed by VitK2 increased expression of specific osteogenic markers such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), OC, alpha-1type I collagen (COL1A1) and osteopontin (OPN) (real time PCR and immunocytochemistry). Notably, the GGCX downregulation (by RNA interference) reverted the osteoinductive effects of VitK2, confirming the relevant role of this vitamin as cofactor for the enzymatic activity of GGCX. hAFMSCs were also cultured in 3D dynamic model represented by RCCS™ (Rotary Cell Culture System), generating sizeable aggregates that exhibited the same improvement in osteogenic markers following VitK2 treatment. Finally, to reproduce in vitro the “bone remodeling unit” we co-cultured hAFMSCs and human monocyte (hMCs) osteoclast precursors in RCCS™. Our preliminary data suggest that: 1. the cells are able to form viable aggregates with a well organized architecture characterized by the ability of hAFMSCs to sustain osteoclastogenic differentiation; 2. the presence of VitK2 significantly supports osteogenic process (monitored by immunohistochemical analysis of typical osteogenic markers and by Alizarin Red staining of mineralized matrix); 3. osteoclastogenic process, the number and the functionality of mature osteoclasts are negatively affected by Vitk2, as demonstrated by TRAP and Cathepsin K assays. The development of this 3D coculture system i. validates the positive role of Vitk2 in the anabolic process sustained by the osteoblastic cellular component, and ii. offers the possibility to improve the knowledge on the molecular mechanisms supporting the response of osteoblasts and osteoclasts to VitK2. These evidences suggest a possible employment of VitK2 in cell – based therapy for bone regenerative medicine. Moreover, our study support the use of VitK2 as food supplement in order to prevent bone related diseases

Menaquinone-4 enhances osteogenic potential of human Amniotic Fluid Mesenchymal Stem Cells cultured in 2D and 3D dynamic culture system

enaquinones, also known as Vitamin K2 family, regulate calcium homeostasis in a 'bone-vascular cross-talk' and recently received particular attention for their positive effect on bone formation. Given that the correlation between menaquinones and bone metabolism to date is still unclear, the objective of our study was to investigate the possible role of menaquinone-4 (MK-4), an isoform of the menaquinones family, in the modulation of osteogenesis. For this reason, we used a model of human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (hAFMSCs) cultured both in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D; RCCS™bioreactor) in vitro culture systems. Furthermore, to mimic the 'bone remodelling unit' in vitro, hAFMSCs were co-cultured in the 3D system with human monocyte cells (hMCs) as osteoclast precursors. The results showed that in a conventional 2D culture system, hAFMSCs were responsive to the MK-4, which significantly improved the osteogenic process through γ-glutamyl carboxylase-dependent pathway. The same results were obtained in the 3D dynamic system where MK-4 treatment supported the osteoblast-like formation promoting the extracellular bone matrix deposition and the expression of the osteogenic-related proteins (alkaline phosphatase, osteopontin, collagen type-1 and osteocalcin). Notably, when the hAFMSCs were co-cultured in a 3D dynamic system with the hMCs, the presence of MK-4 supported the cellular aggregate formation as well as the osteogenic function of hAFMSCs, but negatively affected the osteoclastogenic process. Taken together, our results demonstrate that MK-4 supported the aggregate formation of hAFMSCs and increased the osteogenic functions. Specifically, our data could help to optimize bone regenerative medicine combining cell-based approaches with MK-4 treatment

Calcium Sensing Receptor activation by calcimimetic R-568 in human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells: Correlation with osteogenic differentiation.

Human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (hAFMSCs) are promising for therapeutic applications in bone damage. Calcium sensing receptor (CaSR), a G protein-coupled receptor, plays a physiological role in the regulation of bone metabolism. Thus, the bone CaSR could be targeted by calcimimetic agonists, which may be potentially helpful in treating bone diseases. The aim of our study was to characterize CaSR expression in hAFMSCs and to assess the activity of calcimimetic R-568 during in vitro osteogenesis. Using western blotting, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry, we consistently observed constitutive CaSR in osteo-differentiating hAFMSCs. Notably, both R-568 and calcium significantly enhanced hAFMSC osteogenic differentiation after exposure to osteogenic medium. To provide further evidence of the involvement of CaSR in osteogenesis, we correlated its expression with that of established osteogenic markers, that is, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and osteopontin (OPN), and novel, not yet completely defined regulators of osteogenesis. Among these are β-catenin and Slug, which are mediators of Wnt signaling, and nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1), which plays a critical role in calcium/calcineurin signaling. Taken together, our results demonstrate that CaSR is expressed in hAFMSCs, positively correlates with osteogenic markers, and is activated by R-568. Notably, downregulation of CaSR by RNA interference supports the conclusion that CaSR activation plays a central role in hAFMSC osteogenesis. Thus, this study provides significant information on the mechanisms of hAFMSC osteogenesis, which could provide additional molecular basis for the use of calcimimetics in bone regenerative medicine