Programming Skeletal Muscle Metabolic Flexibility in Offspring of Male Rats in Response to Maternal Consumption of Slow Digesting Carbohydrates during Pregnancy

Skeletal muscle plays a relevant role in metabolic flexibility and fuel usage and the associated muscle metabolic inflexibility due to high-fat diets contributing to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Previous research from our group indicates that a high-fat and rapid-digesting carbohydrate diet during pregnancy promotes an excessive adipogenesis and also increases the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the offspring. This effect can be counteracted by diets containing carbohydrates with similar glycemic load but lower digestion rates. To address the role of the skeletal muscle in these experimental settings, pregnant rats were fed high-fat diets containing carbohydrates with similar glycemic load but different digestion rates, a high fat containing rapid-digesting carbohydrates diet (HF/RD diet) or a high fat containing slow-digesting carbohydrates diet (HF/SD diet). After weaning, male offspring were fed a standard diet for 3 weeks (weaning) or 10 weeks (adolescence) and the impact of the maternal HF/RD and HF/SD diets on the metabolism, signaling pathways and muscle transcriptome was analyzed. The HF/SD offspring displayed better muscle features compared with the HF/RD group, showing a higher muscle mass, myosin content and differentiation markers that translated into a greater grip strength. In the HF/SD group, metabolic changes such as a higher expression of fatty acids (FAT/CD36) and glucose (GLUT4) transporters, an enhanced glycogen content, as well as changes in regulatory enzymes such as muscle pyruvate kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 were found, supporting an increased muscle metabolic flexibility and improved muscle performance. The analysis of signaling pathways was consistent with a better insulin sensitivity in the muscle of the HF/SD group.This research was funded by European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013): project Early Nutrition, under grant agreement no. 289346

A serum microRNA signature associated with complete remission and progression after autologous stem-cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma

We have examined serum microRNA expression in multiple myeloma (MM) patients at diagnosis and at complete response (CR) after autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT), in patients with stable monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, and in healthy controls. MicroRNAs were first profiled using TaqMan Human MicroRNA Arrays. Differentially expressed microRNAs were then validated by individual TaqMan MicroRNA assays and correlated with CR and progression-free survival (PFS) after ASCT. Supervised analysis identified a differentially expressed 14-microRNA signature. The differential expression of miR-16 (P = 0.028), miR-17 (P = 0.016), miR-19b (P = 0.009), miR-20a (P = 0.017) and miR-660 (P = 0.048) at diagnosis and CR was then confirmed by individual assays. In addition, high levels of miR-25 were related to the presence of oligoclonal bands (P = 0.002). Longer PFS after ASCT was observed in patients with high levels of miR-19b (6 vs. 1.8 years; P < 0.001) or miR-331 (8.6 vs. 2.9 years; P = 0.001). Low expression of both miR-19b and miR-331 in combination was a marker of shorter PFS (HR 5.3; P = 0.033). We have identified a serum microRNA signature with potential as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in MM

Utilización de dibujos, imágenes y otros elementos multimedia en el diseño de recursos para la docencia virtual

Se presentan una serie de recursos hipermedia, que el grupo de autores han desarrollado con el ánimo de facilitar el aprendizaje de los alumnos en disciplinas de alto contenido descriptivo. En este caso concreto se refieren a la anatomía microscópica animal y vegetal, aunque las aplicaciones informáticas y procedimientos empleados son aplicables también a otras disciplinas, siempre con dicho carácter descriptivo en común. Fundamentalmente se trata de módulos interactivos de autoaprendizaje en formato SCORM, que incorporan como principal elemento dibujos descriptivos sobre las estructuras histológicas estudiadas. Tales dibujos se presentan al usuario como archivos tipo flash, con visualización interactiva y secuencial, para facilitar su comprensión. A la vez, incorporan enlaces con otra aplicación, diseñada previamente por los autores, bajo el aspecto de atlas histológico, en el que se recogen ejemplos de la realidad en forma de microfotografías, algunas de ellas navegables (microscopía virtual). Incluyen igualmente pruebas de autoevaluación y la posibilidad, dado su formato compatible, de que el profesor pueda realizar un completo seguimiento de su utilización a través de diferentes Plataformas de Docencia Virtual (LMSs). Por otro lado se han desarrollado otros recursos hipermedia en formato AVI de contenidos relacionados con el manejo de dispositivos y técnicas de uso habitual en histología. Incluyen, además de las grabaciones en video, imágenes fijas, texto, títulos de crédito y comentarios hablados ilustrando los contenidos expuestos. El acceso a este material se hace a través de una página web índice, con hipervínculos a cada archivo. Todos los recursos presentados se encuentran actualmente disponibles a través del servidor y la LMS de la Universidad de Jaén, pudiéndose acceder a los mismos desde la URL: http://virtual.ujaen.es/atlas/.This work is addressed to introduce a number of hypermedia resources aimed to facilitate the learning of students in descriptive disciplines. We have focused on animal and vegetal microscopic anatomy, although the applications and procedures described can be also applicable to other descriptive disciplines. In this way, self-study interactive modules in SCORM format were designed, incorporating descriptive drawings of the histological structures. These drawings are presented as flash-type files to the users, which can observe them in an interactive and sequential way to facilitate understanding. At the same time, they incorporate links to an interactive histological atlas, previously designed by the authors, in which are collected real photomicrographs, some of them available as “virtual microscopy” (a section that allows examining images as real observations using the microscope). The drawings also include self-evaluation tests, as well as the possibility that the teacher can conduct an exhaustive monitoring of the use of this teaching tool through different Learning Management Systems (LMSs). On the other hand, other hypermedia resources in AVI format have been developed. Such tools are related to the management of devices and techniques commonly used in Histology. They also include video recordings, images, text, credit, and spoken comments illustrating the contents. The access to this material can be achieved through an index web page with hyperlinks to each file. These tools are currently available through the server and LMS of the University of Jaén (Spain) in http://virtual.ujaen.es/atlas/

Detección de secuencias tipo (ST) por multilocus sequence typing (MLST) en <i>enterococcus faecalis</i> aislados de pacientes hospitalizados en Argentina

Enterococcus spp. es reconocido en la actualidad como un patógeno hospitalario cuya frecuencia de aislamiento es cada vez mayor a nivel mundial. Este género se caracteriza por poseer multirresistencia (MR) antimicrobiana que puede ser intrínseca ó adquirida por mecanismos de transferencia horizontal de genes. E. faecalis es la especie mas frecuentemente recuperada de infecciones asociadas al cuidado de la salud (IACS) y extrahospitalarias. Las infecciones que produce pueden ser endógenas o exógenas, siendo esta última de importancia en el origen y agravamiento de las IACS, debido a la diseminación de clones evolucionados de E. faecalis con MR y con capacidad de invasión. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) es un método molecular basado en la identificación de alelos de secuencias de genes del metabolismo bacteriano (genes housekeeping). Permite identificar clones y/o líneas clonales, permitiendo investigar los linajes genéticos fundamentalmente en poblaciones bacterianas. Es una herramienta de gran utilidad para determinar la epidemiología bacteriana local y global, la estructura poblacional de cepas circulantes intrahospitalarias, para caracterizar brotes y para conocer líneas clonales hipervirulentas, entre otras cosas.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Study of the effect of instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) treatment on IgE-reactive legume-protein patterns by electrophoresis and immunoblot

Détente Instantanée Contrôlée (DIC) technology was used to reduce immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivity of legume proteins. Soybean, roasted peanut, chickpea and lentil seeds were treated at three or six bars for 60 or 180s. The effect of this treatment on the IgE-binding pattern of the legume proteins - separated by sodium-dodecyl-sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - was monitored by five individual paediatric legume allergic and - two individual negative control human sera. A highly cross-reactive legume positive serum was selected for the two-dimensional electrophoreses immunoblots to compare the IgE reactive protein patterns, before and after the DIC treatment. The number of the identified IgE reactive spots was highly reduced for soybean (0/7) and chickpea (2/7), and moderately reduced for lentil (4/7) when the seeds were treated at a higher pressure (6 bar) and for a longer time (180 s), but this treatment was not effective for roasted peanut (6/8) where the intensity of the IgE reactive resistant spots were even stronger. © 2013 Taylor & Francis

Identification and characterization of Cardiac Glycosides as senolytic compounds

Compounds with specific cytotoxic activity in senescent cells, or senolytics, support the causal involvement of senescence in aging and offer therapeutic interventions. Here we report the identification of Cardiac Glycosides (CGs) as a family of compounds with senolytic activity. CGs, by targeting the Na+/K+ATPase pump, cause a disbalanced electrochemical gradient within the cell causing depolarization and acidification. Senescent cells present a slightly depolarized plasma membrane and higher concentrations of H+, making them more susceptible to the action of CGs. These vulnerabilities can be exploited for therapeutic purposes as evidenced by the in vivo eradication of tumors xenografted in mice after treatment with the combination of a senogenic and a senolytic drug. The senolytic effect of CGs is also effective in the elimination of senescence-induced lung fibrosis. This experimental approach allows the identification of compounds with senolytic activity that could potentially be used to develop effective treatments against age-related diseases.We thank Matthias Drosten, Alejo Efeyan and Sean Morrison for plasmids. F.T-M. is a postdoctoral fellow from CONACYT (cvu 268632); P.P. is a predoctoral fellow from Xunta de Galicia; M.C. is a "Miguel Servet II" investigator (CPII16/00015). P.P.-R. receives support from a program by the Deputacion de Coruna (BINV-CS/2019). Work in the laboratory of M.C. is funded by grant RTI2018-095818-B-100 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE). P.J.F.-M. is funded by the IMDEA Food Institute, the Ramon Areces Foundation, (CIVP18A3891), and a Ramon y Cajal Award (MICINN) (RYC-2017-22335). M.P.I. is funded by Talento Modalidad-1 Program Grant, Madrid Regional Government (#2018-T1/BIO-11262). F.P. was funded by a Long Term EMBO Fellowship (ALTF-358-2017) and F.H-G. was funded by the PhD4MD Programme of the IRB, Hospital Clinic and IDIBAPS. Work in the laboratory of M.S. was funded by the IRB and by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (SAF2013-48256-R), the European Research Council (ERC-2014-AdG/669622), and "laCaixa" Foundation.S

Extrusion Cooking Effect on Carbohydrate Fraction in Novel Gluten-Free Flours Based on Chickpea and Rice

Extrusion cooking allows the development of value-added products from pulses, such as gluten-free snacks with added functional properties. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the changes induced by the extrusion process on the carbohydrate fraction (total carbohydrates, soluble sugars and oligosaccharides, dietary fiber, and arabinoxylans) of novel flour formulations based on chickpeas and rice enriched with different dietary fiber sources. Moreover, the influence of the addition of fiber-rich ingredients, such as Fibersol® and passion fruit, on the analyzed compounds was also evaluated. Sucrose was the main soluble sugar found in analyzed formulations, and raffinose was the prevalent oligosaccharide, followed by stachyose. The content of total α-galactosides tended to be higher after extrusion cooking. As a consequence of the extrusion treatment, the content of total and soluble dietary fiber was statistically increased in most of the analyzed samples. In general, no significant changes were observed in total arabinoxylan content as a consequence of the extrusion process, while the content of water-soluble arabinoxylans was significantly increased in extruded formulations. It was observed that the content of total available carbohydrates, stachyose, and water-soluble arabinoxylans were significantly influenced by the addition of passion fruit, Fibersol®, and both. The incorporation of these ingredients in gluten-free formulations based on chickpeas and rice allows one to obtain suitable functional formulations for the development of innovative, gluten-free, extruded snack-type products, which could be an interesting alternative for people with celiac disease

Consensus-based technical recommendations for clinical translation of renal ASL MRI

Objectives: To develop technical recommendations for the acquisition, processing and analysis of renal ASL data in the human kidney at 1.5T and 3T field strengths that can promote standardization of renal perfusion measurements and facilitate the comparability of results across scanners and in multi-center clinical studies.Methods: An international panel of 23 renal ASL experts followed a modified Delphi process, including on-line surveys and two in-person meetings, to formulate a series of consensus statements regarding patient preparation, hardware, acquisition protocol, analysis steps and data reporting.Results: Fifty-nine statements achieved consensus, while agreement could not be reached on two statements related to patient preparation. As a default protocol, the panel recommends pseudo-continuous (PCASL) or flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) labeling with a single-slice spin-echo EPI readout with background suppression, and a simple but robust quantification model.Discussion: This approach is considered robust and reproducible and can provide renal perfusion images of adequate quality and SNR for most applications. If extended kidney coverage is desirable, a 2D multislice readout is recommended. These recommendations are based on current available evidence and expert opinion. Nonetheless they are expected to be updated as more data becomes available, since the renal ASL literature is rapidly expanding

Deep Sea Sedimentation

This article offers an overview of the main sedimentary systems defining the geomorphology of deep sea environments from low to high latitudes. Mass-transport deposits, turbidite systems, contourites, volcaniclastic aprons, glacial trough mouth systems, carbonate mounds and other bathyal systems, such as pelagites, hemipelagites, mid-ocean channels and polymetallic mineral deposits, are presented with special attention to their morphology, sediments, processes and controlling factors. The integration of the main systems on the continental margins and adjacent abyssal plains in the North Atlantic and westernmost Mediterranean allows to characterize different sedimentation models.En prens