Insulin in Central Nervous System: More than Just a Peripheral Hormone

Insulin signaling in central nervous system (CNS) has emerged as a novel field of research since decreased brain insulin levels and/or signaling were associated to impaired learning, memory, and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, besides its well-known role in longevity, insulin may constitute a promising therapy against diabetes- and age-related neurodegenerative disorders. More interestingly, insulin has been also faced as the potential missing link between diabetes and aging in CNS, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) considered as the “brain-type diabetes.” In fact, brain insulin has been shown to regulate both peripheral and central glucose metabolism, neurotransmission, learning, and memory and to be neuroprotective. And a future challenge will be to unravel the complex interactions between aging and diabetes, which, we believe, will allow the development of efficient preventive and therapeutic strategies to overcome age-related diseases and to prolong human “healthy” longevity. Herewith, we aim to integrate the metabolic, neuromodulatory, and neuroprotective roles of insulin in two age-related pathologies: diabetes and AD, both in terms of intracellular signaling and potential therapeutic approach

Use of a modified Gompertz equation to model synthetic dye decolourization by yeasts in liquid media

Forty six yeast strains isolated from two wastewater treatment stations along with other 81 cheese isolates were compared on their ability to decolorize five textile dyes in solid media. After a screening methodology that included liquid culture decoulorisation ability evaluation, yeasts isolates, LIII S 36 and L III ST 7 presented the best performance in the decolourisation for the five dyes tested: Remazol Black BA, Remazol Yellow RR, Levafix Blue CA, Remazol Brilliant Blue R and Levafix® Red CA).A modified Gompertz equation was used to model the decolourisation in liquid media; the estimated parameters, which all have biological attribution, allow us to assess quantitatively the decolourisation and a more accurate comparison between the different behaviours of the strains for each dye.Molecular biology methodologies also allowed the identification and the confirmation of the differences between the strains previous selected to liquid decolourisation based on classic methodologies. For the isolates from the wastewater treatment stations, we had a variety of different species identifications, such as Candida ortopsilosis, Debaromyces hansenii and for a small group of strains it should be necessary explore other methodologies of identification to obtain a correct identification. For the two strains with the best performance (L III S 36 and strain L III ST 7) were performed spectral scanning, is possible observe that, depending on the dye, the strains exhibit different behaviours in the decolourisation process, can achieve it through mechanisms of adsorption or due true degradation. Both strains produce extracellular manganese peroxidase. After 36 hours of incubation for the strain L III ST 7 and L III S 36 an average of 2.30 and 2.06 IU. l-1 of manganese peroxidase activity were detected, respectively. Due to the obvious morphological differences between filamentous fungi and yeasts, the enzymatic activities detected for the yeasts are interesting. Based on the results obtained it is possible to postulate that the decolourisation may be related with the MnP enzymatic activity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biopolymeric matrices for structural and functional stabilization of bacteriophages

In the recent past years, bacteriophage research has experienced a renaissance due to their potential application in the pharmaceutical field, especially with the increase of bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the possibility to take part in new methods of early detection and diagnosis of bacterial infections. In that context, the structural and functional stabilization of bacteriophages using biopolymeric microporous hydrogels represents a promising research focus with a broad potential biomedical/ biopharmaceutical application. The scope of this work was to develop biopolymeric non-toxic phage-hydrogels of agar and sodium alginate, obtained at neutral pH and mild polymerization conditions, in order to offer adequate characteristics to the maintenance of phage’s lytic activity. Disc-like phage-hydrogels were prepared, with a phage and polymer concentration of 1.3x108 PFU/ml and 1.5% (w/v), respectively. Regarding the alginate hydrogels, CaCO3 (22.5 mM) and GDL (48 mM) were also included in the formulation. Agar hydrogels were prepared naturally by jellification, as a function of temperature lowering, and alginate hydrogels were prepared by internal gelation. The matrices were inoculated with a suspension of susceptible (host) bacteria and incubated at 37 ºC for 24h. Observation of bacterial lawn’s lysis demonstrated that bacteriophages kept their lytic activity, being the method of physical entrapment able to promote their stabilization. Cryo-SEM analysis revealed that both types of phage-hydrogels present interconnective microporous network, which guaranties a facilitated access of the phages to the bacteria, ensuring an efficient lysis of the host bacteria present in the surface of the hydrogels.The developed hydrogels also present appropriate physical and chemical properties for a wider variety of applications in the field of pharmaceutical sciences, such as controlled release of (macro)molecules, cell immobilization and 3D support for tissue regeneration

Assessing Hyperactivation and Deactivation Strategies of the Caregiving Behavioral System: Psychometric Studies of the Portuguese Version of the Caregiving System Scale

According to attachment theory, the main goal of the caregiving behavioral system is to relieve others' distress and promote their health and welfare. This is accomplished through a set of caregiving behaviors that are the primary strategy of this system. However, some individuals develop nonoptimal or secondary strategies (hyperactivation or deactivation). The Caregiving System Scale (CSS) is a self-report measure that assesses these nonoptimal caregiving strategies. This study examined the factor structure of the Portuguese version of the CSS using a bifactor model and a 2-factor correlated model; it also examined validity evidence for CSS scores in relation to other relevant variables. The sample comprised 417 women from the general population who completed the CSS, with a subsample of 124 women completing additional measures of attachment, mental representations of caregiving, compassion, and difficulties in emotional regulation. The bifactor model showed the best fit to the data, supporting an orthogonal and reliable 2-factor structure (Hyperactivation and Deactivation). This model also suggested that the Hyperactivation scale is multidimensional. With regard to the validity evidence for the CSS, the results showed that individuals engaged in volunteering activities presented lower levels of deactivation than those who were not engaged in these activities. The CSS scores also correlated as expected with the other measures. In conclusion, this study supports the utilization of Deactivation and Hyperactivation subscales as 2 statistically distinct constructs and demonstrates that the Portuguese version is an adequate measure of nonoptimal caregiving strategies. (PsycINFO Database Recor

Uma causa rara de tumefação axilar

Axillary swelling is a common condition in pediatric age. The most common diagnosis is lymph node swelling, but it can also be caused by soft tissue tumors, vascular lesions, or inflammation of sweat glands. In rare cases, it can be due to ectopic breast tissue (EBT). A 14-year-old female presented with right axillary pain with one year of evolution and swelling for the past two months, gradually increasing in size, especially during menstruation. Sonography revealed EBT in both axillae, and further study showed duplication of the excretory system in both kidneys. The tissue on the right axilla was excised. EBT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of axillary swelling in adolescents and young females. When the diagnosis is established, the presence of associated urologic anomalies should be investigated. Clinicians should be aware that EBT can undergo the same pathological changes as normally located breast tissue. Surgical removal should be considered for cosmetic and prophylactic treatment.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessment of drying conditions of a yeast-based solution for application on textile industrial wastewater treatment plants

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Erratum: Moreira, J., et al., Spin-Coated Polysaccharide-Based Multilayered Freestanding Films with Adhesive and Bioactive Moieties. Molecules 2020, 25, 840

Erratum: Moreira, J., et al., Spin-Coated Polysaccharide-Based Multilayered Freestanding Films with Adhesive and Bioactive Moieties. Molecules 2020, 25, 840. DOI: 10.3390/molecules25040840The authors wish to make changes to the published paper 11 j. 1. UV-Vis Analysis of Catechol-Modified Polymers In the original manuscript theie is a mistake concerning the word "Wavenumber" in the X-Coordinate in Figure 1. Tile corrected word is "Wavelength". Tlx- A uthors also wish to change mg«mL-l to mg ml-1 in the legend of Figure l;see corrected Figure 1 below. (Figure Presented).(undefined

Microbacterium luticocti sp. nov., isolated from sewage sludge compost

Strain SC-087BT, isolated from sewage sludge compost during a study of bacterial diversity in composts, was characterized. The isolate was a Gram-positive, short rod that was motile, catalase- and oxidase-negative and able to grow at 27–45 6C, pH 5.5–9.7 and in up to 10% NaCl. The peptidoglycan was of the B2b type, containing the characteristic amino acids ornithine, homoserine and hydroxyglutamic acid. The muramic acid residues of the peptidoglycan were partially glycolylated. The major cell-wall sugar was mannose; traces of xylose were also detected. The predominant fatty acids, comprising more than 70% of the total, were anteiso-C17 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0, the major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-12 (MK-12) and the G+C content of the genomic DNA was 72 mol%. Based on analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, the closest phylogenetic neighbours of strain SC-087BT were members of the family Microbacteriaceae, showing sequence similarity values of around 96% with members of the species Microbacterium barkeri (96.0 %), Microbacterium gubbeenense (95.6 %) and Microbacterium indicum (95.7 %). The chemotaxonomic and phenotypic traits analysed supported the inclusion of this strain within the genus Microbacterium and the proposal of a novel species. The name Microbacterium luticocti sp. nov. is proposed and the type strain is SC-087BT (5DSM 19459T5CCUG 54537T)