Genetic characterization of interleukins (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12A, IL-12B, IL-15 and IL-18) with relevant biological roles in lagomorphs

Disponível em: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/26395994/ILs, as essential innate immune modulators, are involved in an array of biological processes. In the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12A, IL-12B, IL-15 and IL-18 have been implicated in inflammatory processes and in the immune response against rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus and myxoma virus infections. In this study we characterized these ILs in six Lagomorpha species (European rabbit, pygmy rabbit, two cottontail rabbit species, European brown hare and American pika). Overall, these ILs are conserved between lagomorphs, including in their exon/intron structure. Most differences were observed between leporids and American pika. Indeed, when comparing both, some relevant differences were observed in American pika, such as the location of the stop codon in IL-1α and IL-2, the existence of a different transcript in IL8 and the number of cysteine residues in IL-1β. Changes at N-glycosylation motifs were also detected in IL-1, IL-10, IL-12B and IL-15. IL-1α is the protein that presents the highest evolutionary distances, which is in contrast to IL-12A where the distances between lagomorphs are the lowest. For all these ILs, sequences of human and European rabbit are more closely related than between human and mouse or European rabbit and mouse.Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Biology::Cell and molecular biology::ImmunologyResearch Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Biology::Cell and molecular biology::GeneticsFCT and North Portugal Regional Operational Programme 2007/2013 (ON.2) grants supported this work

Enterprise Collaboration Network for Transport and Logistics Services

Part 10: Collaboration Platforms; International audience; The development of the Single Window concept (unique access/contact point for composite services) for the multimodal door-to-door freight transport management is a complex endeavour that is being addressed by the European MIELE project. Led by port authorities, the project identified the need for a novel strategy to foster collaboration among stakeholders with a diversity of processes and technology. The multimodal perspective requires a convergence and thus collaboration of maritime, railway, road, and air transport facilities as it is the case for the need of traffic information for a real-time (re)planning if some accident is hindering the current route. This requires that traffic information from different operators is integrated into the freight transport routing planner. Furthermore, a unified coordination and operations management of the existing business processes is lacking. To integrate such contexts, an open enterprise collaboration network (ECoNet) infrastructure is presented and discussed. Document type: Part of book or chapter of boo

Should a Sentinel Node Biopsy Be Performed in Patients with High-Risk Breast Cancer?

A negative sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy spares many breast cancer patients the complications associated with lymph node irradiation or additional surgery. However, patients at high risk for nodal involvement based on clinical characteristics may remain at unacceptably high risk of axillary disease even after a negative SLN biopsy result. A Bayesian nomogram was designed to combine the probability of axillary disease prior to nodal biopsy with customized test characteristics for an SLN biopsy and provides the probability of axillary disease despite a negative SLN biopsy. Users may individualize the sensitivity of an SLN biopsy based on factors known to modify the sensitivity of the procedure. This tool may be useful in identifying patients who should have expanded upfront exploration of the axilla or comprehensive axillary irradiation

Nutrient regeneration susceptibility under contrasting sedimentary conditions from the Rio de Janeiro coast, Brazil

Dissolved silicate (DSi), NH4+, NO3− and PO43 − susceptibility to be exchanged between sediment pore waters and overlying waters was evaluated in Jurujuba Sound (JS station) and Coroa Grande Sound (CGS station), southeastern Brazil. Sedimentary elemental (C, N and P) and isotopic (δ13C and δ15N) compositions evidenced stronger anthropogenic fertilization in JS station. Net NO3− influxes from overlying waters occurred, which was two orders of magnitude higher under the more fertilized condition. This condition resulted in 6–13-times higher net effluxes of NH4+, DSi and PO43 − to overlying waters. Vertical alternation between production and consumption processes in pore waters contributed for a more limited regeneration in CGS station. This was associated with diagenetic responses to sedimentary grain size variability in deeper layers and biological disturbance in upper layers. Nearly continuous production of NH4+, DSi and PO43 − in pore waters implied in intensified susceptibility to remobilization under the eutrophic condition of JS station