Structured Resistance Training Improves Self-Esteem and Strength in Previously Untrained College Females

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The Tilapia-Prawn Polyculture: Its Development in Mexico

Objective: Analyze the productive development performed by two aquatic species of recent introduction in our country, the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), arguing their potential under mono and polyculture systems. Design/methodology/approximation: The bibliographic meta-analysis was developed searching information on the internet, and is presented in a chronological manner with the analysis of the technological, social and political dimensions, visualizing the benefits and advantages of applying the polyculture production system. Results: A data base on the development of the tilapia-freshwater prawn polyculture in our country was obtained. Mexico presents the required physical characteristics for both species production. Thus, polyculture allows the use of the same infrastructure, resulting in a better productivity and income. Limitations of the study/implications: Polyculture information registered on electronic media was scarce. Findings/conclusions: The polyculture production of the Malaysian prawn and tilapia is a profitable option for the aquaculture producer in tropical areas of Mexico.Objective: Analyze the productive development performed by two aquatic species of recent introduction in our country, the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), arguing their potential under mono and polyculture systems. Design/methodology/approximation: The bibliographic meta-analysis was developed searching information on the internet, and is presented in a chronological manner with the analysis of the technological, social and political dimensions, visualizing the benefits and advantages of applying the polyculture production system. Results: A data base on the development of the tilapia-freshwater prawn polyculture in our country was obtained. Mexico presents the required physical characteristics for both species production. Thus, polyculture allows the use of the same infrastructure, resulting in a better productivity and income. Limitations of the study/implications: Polyculture information registered on electronic media was scarce. Findings/conclusions: The polyculture production of the Malaysian prawn and tilapia is a profitable option for the aquaculture producer in tropical areas of Mexic

Transcription factor NRF2 uses the Hippo pathway effector TAZ to induce tumorigenesis in glioblastomas

Transcription factor NRF2 orchestrates a cellular defense against oxidative stress and, so far, has been involved in tumor progression by providing a metabolic adaptation to tumorigenic demands and resistance to chemotherapeutics. In this study, we discover that NRF2 also propels tumorigenesis in gliomas and glioblastomas by inducing the expression of the transcriptional co-activator TAZ, a protein of the Hippo signaling pathway that promotes tumor growth. The expression of the genes encoding NRF2 (NFE2L2) and TAZ (WWTR1) showed a positive correlation in 721 gliomas from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Moreover, NRF2 and TAZ protein levels also correlated in immunohistochemical tissue arrays of glioblastomas. Genetic knock-down of NRF2 decreased, while NRF2 overexpression or chemical activation with sulforaphane, increased TAZ transcript and protein levels. Mechanistically, we identified several NRF2-regulated functional enhancers in the regulatory region of WWTR1. The relevance of the new NRF2/TAZ axis in tumorigenesis was demonstrated in subcutaneous and intracranial grafts. Thus, intracranial inoculation of NRF2-depleted glioma stem cells did not develop tumors as determined by magnetic resonance imaging. Forced TAZ overexpression partly rescued both stem cell growth in neurospheres and tumorigenicity. Hence, NRF2 not only enables tumor cells to be competent to proliferate but it also propels tumorigenesis by activating the TAZ-mediated Hippo transcriptional program.This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) under the grant SAF2016-76520-R. ME is recipient of a postdoctoral contract Juan de la Cierva; DL and NRA of a FPU contract of MINECO; MP and RFG of a FPI contracts of Autonomous University of Madrid. RG has been funded by the AECC Scientific Foundation

Implications of a RAD54L polymorphism (2290C/T) in human meningiomas as a risk factor and/or a genetic marker

BACKGROUND: RAD54L (OMIM 603615, Locus Link 8438) has been proposed as a candidate oncosupressor in tumours bearing a non-random deletion of 1p32, such as breast or colon carcinomas, lymphomas and meningiomas. In a search for RAD54L mutations in 29 menigiomas with allelic deletions in 1p, the only genetic change observed was a silent C/T transition at nucleotide 2290 in exon 18. In this communication the possible association of the 2290C/T polymorphism with the risk of meningiomas was examined. In addition, the usefulness of this polymorphism as a genetic marker within the meningioma consensus deletion region in 1p32 was also verified. The present study comprises 287 blood control samples and 70 meningiomas from Spain and Ecuador. Matched blood samples were only available from Spanish patients. RESULTS: The frequency of the rare allele-T and heterozygotes for the 2290C/T polymorphism in the blood of Spanish meningioma patients and in the Ecuadorian meningioma tumours was higher than in the control population (P < 0.05). Four other rare variants (2290C/G, 2299C/G, 2313G/A, 2344A/G) were found within 50 bp at the 3' end of RAD54L. Frequent loss of heterozygosity for the 2290C/T SNP in meningiomas allowed to further narrow the 1p32 consensus region of deletion in meningiomas to either 2.08 Mbp – within D1S2713 (44.35 Mbp) and RAD54L (46.43 Mbp) – or to 1.47 Mbp – within RAD54L and D1S2134 (47.90 Mbp) – according to recent gene mapping results. CONCLUSION: The statistical analysis of genotypes at the 2290C/T polymorphism suggest an association between the rare T allele and the development of meningeal tumours. This polymorphism can be used as a genetic marker inside the consensus deletion region at 1p32 in meningiomas

Pathogen sensing device based on 2D MoS2/graphene heterostructure

In this work we propose a new methodology for selective and sensitive pathogen detection based on a 2D layered heterostructured biosensing platform. As a proof of concept, we have chosen SARS-CoV-2 virus because the availability of new methods to detect this virus is still a great deal of interest. The prepared platform is based on the covalent immobilization of molybdenum disulphide functionalized with a diazonium salt (f-MoS2) onto graphene screen-printed electrodes (GPH SPE) by electrografting of the diazonium salt. This chemistry-based method generates an improved heterostructured biosensing platform for aptamer immobilization and aptasensor development. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is used to obtain the signal response of the device, proving the ability of the sensor platform to detect the virus. SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD recombinant protein (SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein) has been detected and quantified with a low detection limit of 2.10 fg/mL. The selectivity of the developed biosensor has been confirmed after detecting the S1 protein even in presence of other interfering proteins. Moreover, the ability of the device to detect SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein has been also tested in nasopharyngeal swab samplesThis work has been financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (PID2020-116728RB-I00, PID2020- 116661RB-I00, CTQ2015-71955-REDT (ELECTROBIONET)) and Community of Madrid (TRANSNANOAVANSENS, S2018/NMT-4349, and PhotoArt P2018/NMT-4367). E. Enebral thank the financial support of “Nanotecnología para detección del SARS-CoV-2 y sus variantes. NANOCOV” project. IMDEA Nanociencia receives support from the “Severo Ochoa” Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (MINECO, Grant CEX2020-001039-S). We also thank the Spanish Ministry of Universities for supporting Laura Gutiérrez-Galvez with the Formación del Profesorado Universitario (FPU) grant (FPU19/06309

Health-care guidelines and policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: a case of health-inequalities

Background Heterogeneous government responses have been reported in reaction to COVID-19. The aim of this study is to generate an exploratory review of healthcare policies published during COVID-19 by health-care institutions in Mexico. Analyzing policies within different health sub-systems becomes imperative in the Mexican case due to the longstanding fragmentation of the health-care system and health inequalities. Data and Methods Policies purposely included in the analysis were published by four public health institutions (IMSS, ISSSTE, SSA and PEMEX) during the COVID-19 epidemic in Mexico (from February 29th to June 15th, 2020) on official institutional websites. Researchers reviewed each document and classified them into seven policy categories set by the Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL): public health response, health-care delivery, human resources, health-system infrastructure and supplies, clinical response, health-care management, and epidemiological surveillance. Results Policy types varied by health institution. The largest number of policies were aimed at public health responses followed by health-care delivery and human resources. Policies were mainly published during the community transmission phase. Conclusions The pandemic exposed underlying health-care system inequalities and a reactive rather than prepared response to the outbreak. Additionally, this study outlines potential policy gaps and delays in the response that could be avoided in the future

Relationships between heavy metal concentrations in three different body fluids and male reproductive parameters: a pilot study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Animal studies have shown the reproductive toxicity of a number of heavy metals. Very few human observational studies have analyzed the relationship between male reproductive function and heavy metal concentrations in diverse biological fluids.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The current study assessed the associations between seminal and hormonal parameters and the concentration of the 3 most frequent heavy metal toxicants (lead, cadmium and mercury) in three different body fluids. Sixty one men attending infertility clinics that participated in a case-control study to explore the role of environmental toxins and lifestyles on male infertility were analyzed. Concentration of lead, cadmium and mercury were measured in blood and seminal plasma and whole blood using anodic stripping voltammetry and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Serum samples were analyzed for follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and testosterone. Semen analyses were performed according to World Health Organization criteria. Mann-Whitney test and Spearman's rank correlations were used for unadjusted analyses. Multiple linear regression models were performed controlling for age, body mass index and number of cigarettes per day.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were no significant differences between cases and controls in the concentrations of heavy metals in any of the three body fluids. In multivariate analyses using all subjects no significant associations were found between serum hormone levels and metal concentrations. However there was a significant positive association between the percentage of immotile sperms and seminal plasma levels of lead and cadmium.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that the presence of lead and cadmium in the reproductive tract of men may be related to a moderate alteration of their seminal parameters.</p