Blood microbiome: A new marker of gut microbial population in dogs?

The characterization of the microbial population in different compartments of the organism, such as the gastrointestinal tract, is now possible thanks to the use of high-throughput DNA sequencing technique. Several studies in the companion animals field have already investigated the fecal microbiome in healthy or sick subjects; however, the methodologies used in the different laboratories and the limited number of animals recruited in each experiment do not allow a straight comparison among published results. Previously, our research focused on the characterization of the microbial taxa variability in 340 fecal samples from 132 healthy dogs, collected serially from several in-house experiments. The results supported the responsiveness of microbiota to dietary and sex factors and allowed us to cluster dogs with high accuracy. For the present study, intestinal and blood microbiota of healthy dogs from different breeds, genders, ages and food habits were collected, with three principal aims: firstly, to confirm the results of our previous study regarding the fecal microbiome affected by the different type of diet; secondly, to investigate the existence of a blood microbial population, even in heathy subjects; and thirdly, to seek for a possible connection between the fecal and the blood microbiota. Limited researches have been published on blood microbiota in humans, and this is the first evidence of the presence of a bacterial population in the blood of dogs. Moreover, gut and blood microbiota can discriminate the animals by factors such as diet, suggesting some relationship between them. These preliminary results make us believe in the use of the blood microbiome for diagnostic purposes, such as researching and preventing gut inflammatory diseases

Tissue reconstruction of abdominal wall with butyric acid-based nets: preliminary in vitro test using tissue engineering strategies

OBJECTIVE: A hernia of the abdominal wall is an opening of the muscles in the abdominal wall, which is frequently treated via the application of a surgical mesh. The purpose of this research is to study how human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) interact with Phasix™ Mesh, a commercially available mesh for hernia repair. Studying how cells derived from the abdominal region behave with Phasix™ Mesh is crucial to improve the state of the art of current surgery and achieve effective tissue restoration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: hADSCs were seeded onto Phasix™ Mesh, a fully resorbable surgical mesh of poly (4-hydroxybutyric acid) (P4HB). Cell viability was assessed through MTT assay, and cell growth and adhesion were evaluated via multiple imaging techniques and gene imaging profiling. RESULTS: Results confirm that the nets support cells proliferation, extracellular matrix production and increasing of angiogenetic factor. CONCLUSIONS: Butyric acid-based nets are promising scaffolds for abdominal wall reconstruction

Capturing and communicating impact of citizen science for policy: A storytelling approach

In response to the need for approaches to understand how citizen science is currently influencing environmental policy and associated decision making, we devised the Citizen Science Impact StoryTelling Approach (CSISTA). We iteratively designed instruments to be used as tools primarily for citizen science practitioners seeking to understand or communicate policy impacts. We then trialled the CSISTA and associated instruments on four exemplary citizen science initiatives, using different forms of inquiry and collaboration with respective initiative leaders. In this paper, we present CSISTA, with details of the steps for implementing inquiry and storytelling instruments. Additionally, we reflect on insights gained and challenges encountered implementing the approach. Overall, we found the versatility and structure of CSISTA as a process with multiple guiding instruments useful. We envision the approach being helpful, particularly with regards to: 1) gaining an understanding of a citizen science initiative's policy and decision-making impacts; 2) creating short policy impact stories to communicate such impacts to broader audiences; or 3) fulfilling both goals to understand and communicate policy impacts with a unified approach. We encourage others to explore, adapt, and improve the approach. Additionally, we hope that explorations of CSISTA will foster broader discussions on how to understand and strengthen interactions between citizen science practitioners, policy makers, and decision makers at large, whether at local, national, or international scales

Lycopene Inhibits NF-kB-Mediated IL-8 Expression and Changes Redox and PPARγ Signalling in Cigarette Smoke–Stimulated Macrophages

Increasing evidence suggests that lycopene, the major carotenoid present in tomato, may be preventive against smoke-induced cell damage. However, the mechanisms of such a prevention are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of lycopene on the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 induced by cigarette smoke and the possible mechanisms implicated. Therefore, human THP-1 macrophages were exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE), alone and following a 6-h pre-treatment with lycopene (0.5–2 µM). CSE enhanced IL-8 production in a time- and a dose-dependent manner. Lycopene pre-treatment resulted in a significant inhibition of CSE-induced IL-8 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. NF-kB controlled the transcription of IL-8 induced by CSE, since PDTC prevented such a production. Lycopene suppressed CSE-induced NF-kB DNA binding, NF-kB/p65 nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of IKKα and IkBα. Such an inhibition was accompanied by a decrease in CSE-induced ROS production and NOX-4 expression. Lycopene further inhibited CSE-induced phosphorylation of the redox-sensitive ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAPKs. Moreover, the carotenoid increased PPARγ levels which, in turn, enhanced PTEN expression and decreased pAKT levels in CSE-exposed cells. Such effects were abolished by the PPARγ inhibitor GW9662. Taken together, our data indicate that lycopene prevented CSE-induced IL-8 production through a mechanism involving an inactivation of NF-kB. NF-kB inactivation was accompanied by an inhibition of redox signalling and an activation of PPARγ signalling. The ability of lycopene in inhibiting IL-8 production, NF-kB/p65 nuclear translocation, and redox signalling and in increasing PPARγ expression was also found in isolated rat alveolar macrophages exposed to CSE. These findings provide novel data on new molecular mechanisms by which lycopene regulates cigarette smoke-driven inflammation in human macrophages

Práticas artísticas no ensino básico e secundário

A educação pela arte faz-se através dos seus materiais, da sua operação, da transformação das matérias em ideias novas, em novas coisas. No seu sucesso está implicada uma literacia, uma capacidade interpretativa, ou crítica, sobre a semiosfera cada vez mais povoada, saturada de mensagens parasitárias. A educação implica uma leitura do mundo (Paulo Freire), que se projeta na interpretação de todas as camadas de expressão contemporânea, muitas vezes massificada, por vezes ainda identitária e significativa. Fala-se aqui de valorizar a identidade, exercer a pedagogia da diferença através de uma capacidade problematizadora. No seu contexto, podem exercer-se pedagogias que exploram a visão crítica do artista em interação com a escola, o artista em residência, no movimento A/ R/ Tography. Ou também exercer-se uma pedagogia triangular, centrando a arte, o contexto, a produção e a sua leitura como uma metodologia (Ana Mae Barbosa). O contexto contemporâneo é pós digital, os conteúdos não pesam nos suportes, e transmitem-se por “dentes azuis” ou redes com muitos Gs (G de Geração sem peso que sucede ao peso da aceleração gravítica). Neste campo pode delinear-se uma metodologia que alicerça o projeto ancorado nos estudos críticos sobre Cultura Visual (Fernando Hernández). Digamos que as práticas pedagógicas se cruzam em diversas direções, tacteando eficácias, expressões, capacidades, inovação. O contexto é cada vez mais voraz: a pele da cultura gosta de massagens (Kerkhove; McLuhan). A Matéria-Prima de que se fala nesta revista é aquela que devolve ao seu lugar um ponto crítico da pós modernidade: o do significante. Os sintagmas são sempre processos, e neles se formam as subjectividades, ou seja, as identidades: no desenrolar do ser, onde se produz verdadeiramente o sentido, bem junto do aqui-e-agora onde está a Matéria-Prima (Foucault).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio