154 research outputs found

    Role of the AP-1 transcription factor FOSL1 in endothelial cells adhesion and migration.

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    Vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, the fundamental processes by which new blood vessels are formed, involve the proliferation, migration, and remodeling of endothelial cells. Dynamic adhesion of endothelial cells to extracellular matrix plays a fundamental role in all these events. Key regulators of endothelial cells adhesion and migration are the αvβ3 and uPA-uPAR complexes. The αvβ3 integrin heterodimer is the receptor for extracellular matrix components such as vitronectin and is overexpressed on the cell surface of angiogenic endothelial cells, but not quiescent cells lining normal vessels. The uPA-uPAR complex contributes to extracellular matrix remodeling by mediating proteolytic activity at the leading edge of migrating cells. We recently reported that the FOSL1 transcription factor of the AP-1 family plays a pivotal role in the regulation of the level of the αvβ3 and uPA-uPAR complexes on the surface of endothelial cells. In this commentary, we review the current knowledge of αv and β3 transcriptional regulation in endothelial cells and discuss the role of FOSL1 in angiogenesis

    Direito, transnacionalidade e sustentabilidade empática

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    O presente artigo científico possui como objetivo discutir alguns aspectos dos postulados da transnacionalidade jurídica e de suas teorias e práticas avaliadas e descritas em suas trajetórias evolutivas, seus paradigmas estruturais e relações com a sociedade e a história. E também a partir do espargimento da sustentabilidade como possível novo paradigma das ciências no mundo globalizado e suas possíveis repercussões no direito e na ciência jurídica. Na metodologia foi utilizado o método indutivo na fase de investigação; na fase de tratamento de dados o método cartesiano e no relatório da pesquisa foi empregada a base indutiva. Foram ainda acionadas as técnicas do referente, da categoria, dos conceitos operacionais, da pesquisa bibliográfica e do fichamento

    Can cooperation improve energy efficiency in ad hoc wireless networks?

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    To make an ad hoc network work properly, wireless nodes are usually requested to cooperate in routing operations. However, there is currently a lack of behavior-tracking mechanisms, so certain nodes can freely play a selfish role at the detriment of altruistic ones. In this paper we try to answer the question in the title, by showing how cooperation can definitely help reduce the overall energy consumed in an ad hoc network. By exploiting a behavior-tracking algorithm mutuated from game theory, we allow traffic to be forwarded only towards cooperative nodes. We hence prove that we can reduce power wastage at the same time maximizing the delivery rate. With the mentioned approach, selfish nodes are isolated from the network unless they decide to start cooperating. Our experimental tests aim at verifying the quick reaction time in response to variable nodes' behaviors as well as presenting a comparative analysis of the actual energy spent to successfully send traffic towards destinations

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    O presente artigo trata dos reflexos daatual crise financeira global nas estruturas do Estado de Bem-Estar europeu. A Europa que protege foi e é um lema da União Europeia. Todavia, o Estado de BemEstar vem sofrendo críticas na Europa desde as décadas de oitenta e noventa do século passado. A atual situação de crise intensa abre possibilidade para questionamentos dos modelos existentesde Estado de Bem-Estar sob diversos ângulos, colocando dúvidas sobre a atual oportunidade e viabilidade do mesmo. O objetivo deste artigo é incitar a discussão acerca dos limites e do destino próximo do Estado de Bem-Estar frente à crise financeira internacional

    INTERPRETAÇÃO DAS FONTES E PLURALISMO JURÍDICO NO DIREITO ISLÂMICO

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    O artigo aborda o pluralismo jurídico no direito islâmico e suas possíveis implicações para a teoria jurídica. Nesse sentido, apresenta o direito islâmico como ordem jurídica e discute suas fontes, que são o Corão, a tradição do profeta, o consenso dos es-tudiosos e a analogia. Em seguida, expõe o desenvolvimento das escolas arcaicas do rito sunita em quatro escolas do pensamento jurídico que se consolidaram no final do terceiro século da Hégira, mais ou menos no século X da era cristã, e discute a forma como elas se relacionavam entre si, a fim de explicar por que motivo e em que medida faz sentido dizer que o direito islâmico é carac-terizado pelo pluralismo jurídico. Por fim, especula algumas im-plicações teóricas, entre as quais se destacam o reconhecimento das variações locais do direito, o raciocínio tópico como forma conducente ao pluralismo e a necessidade de estudar a interpre-tação jurídica desde uma perspectiva histórica

    Protein Kinase CK2α′ Is Induced by Serum as a Delayed Early Gene and Cooperates with Ha-ras in Fibroblast Transformation

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    Protein kinase CK2 is an ubiquitous and pleiotropic Ser/Thr protein kinase composed of two catalytic (alpha and/or alpha') and two noncatalytic (beta) subunits forming a heterotetrameric holoenzyme involved in cell growth and differentiation. Here we report the identification, cloning, and oncogenic activity of the murine CK2alpha' subunit. Serum treatment of quiescent mouse fibroblasts induces CK2alpha' mRNA expression, which peaks at 4 h. The kinetics of CK2alpha' expression correlate with increased kinase activity toward a specific CK2 holoenzyme peptide substrate. The ectopic expression of CK2alpha' (or CK2alpha) cooperates with Ha-ras in foci formation of rat primary embryo fibroblasts. Moreover, we observed that BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts transformed with Ha-ras and CK2alpha' show a faster growth rate than cells transformed with Ha-ras alone. In these cells the higher growth rate correlates with an increase in calmodulin phosphorylation, a protein substrate specifically affected by isolated CK2 catalytic subunits but not by CK2 holoenzyme, suggesting that unbalanced expression of a CK2 catalytic subunit synergizes with Ha-ras in cell transformation

    Vespa crabro immunotherapy versus Vespula-venom immunotherapy in Vespa crabro allergy: a comparison study in field re-stings

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    Background: In ascertained allergic sensitization to Vespa crabro (VC) venom, the European guidelines still consider venom immunotherapy (VIT) with Vespula (VE) venom sufficient to achieve an adequate protection against VC. However, antigen 5 immunoblotting studies showed that a genuine sensitization to VC venom may exist. In such cases, a specific VC venom would be preferable for VIT treatment. Since in the last few years, VC venom extracts became available for diagnosis and desensitization, we assessed the efficacy and safety of VIT with a VC-VIT, compared to VE extract. Methods: Patients stung by VC, and carefully diagnosed for specific sensitization and indication to VIT underwent a 5-year course of immunotherapy with either VE or VC extracts. The severity of reactions at the first sting (pre-VIT) and after field re-stings (during VIT) were compared. Results: Eighty-three patients, treated with VE extract and 130 patients treated with VC extract completed the 5-year course of VIT. Only a fraction of those patients (43,8%) were field-re-stung by VC: 64 patients on VC VIT and 69 on VE VIT. In the VC VIT group, reactions at re-sting were: 50 negative, 12 large local reactions, 4 systemic reactions (Muller grade I). In this group the VC VIT efficacy was 93,8%. In the VE VIT treated group the reactions at VC re-sting were: 51 negative, 10 large local reactions and 9 systemic reactions (5 Muller I, 3 Mueller III, 1 Muller IV). In this group the overall efficacy of VIT was 87,0%. The difference in efficacy between the two groups was not statistically significant, as previously reported in literature. Nonetheless, field sting systemic reactions Muller III and IV were recorded only in those patients receiving VE VIT. Conclusion: This observation suggests that in patients with ascertained VC-induced allergic reactions a specific VC VIT, where available, would be more adequate, at least concerning the safety profile

    Direito, transnacionalidade e sustentabilidade empática

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    O presente artigo científico possui como objetivo discutir alguns aspectos dos postulados da transnacionalidade jurídica e de suas teorias e práticas avaliadas e descritas em suas trajetórias evolutivas, seus paradigmas estruturais e relações com a sociedade e a história. E também a partir do espargimento da sustentabilidade como possível novo paradigma das ciências no mundo globalizado e suas possíveis repercussões no direito e na ciência jurídica. Na metodologia foi utilizado o método indutivo na fase de investigação; na fase de tratamento de dados o método cartesiano e no relatório da pesquisa foi empregada a base indutiva. Foram ainda acionadas as técnicas do referente, da categoria, dos conceitos operacionais, da pesquisa bibliográfica e do fichamento

    An apical actin-rich domain drives the establishment of cell polarity during cell adhesion.

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    One of the most important questions in cell biology concerns how cells reorganize after sensing polarity cues. In the present study, we describe the formation of an actin-rich domain on the apical surface of human primary endothelial cells adhering to the substrate and investigate its role in cell polarity. We used confocal immunofluorescence procedures to follow the redistribution of proteins required for endothelial cell polarity during spreading initiation. Activated Moesin, vascular endothelial cadherin and partitioning defective 3 were found to be localized in the apical domain, whereas podocalyxin and caveolin-1 were distributed along the microtubule cytoskeleton axis, oriented from the centrosome to the cortical actin-rich domain. Moreover, activated signaling molecules were localized in the core of the apical domain in tight association with filamentous actin. During cell attachment, loss of the apical domain by Moesin silencing or drug disruption of the actin cytoskeleton caused irregular cell spreading and mislocalization of polarity markers. In conclusion, our results suggest that the apical domain that forms during the spreading process is a structural organizer of cell polarity by regulating trafficking and activation of signaling proteins

    Acaricidal activity of bufadienolides Isolated from Drimia pancration against Tetranychus urticae, and structural elucidation of arenobufagin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside

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    Chemical characterization of the bulbs of Drimia pancration was conducted to isolate four steroidal saponins (1–4). Earlier, we focused on the structural elucidation of compounds 1–3. Herein, by means of 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, Nuclear Overhauser Effects (NOE), and 2D-NMR spectra, the full stereochemical structure of 4 is reported, and all the 1H and 13C signals are assigned. Com- pounds 1–4 were tested for their acaricidal properties against the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Our results showed excellent activity of compound 1, with an LD50 (μg/cm2) of 0.29 and a LD90 (μg/cm2) of 0.96, whereas compounds 2, 3, and 4 showed moderate activity. Fur- thermore, the acaricidal and cytotoxic properties of the crude extract were also investigated. Of note, after 96 h of exposure, the acaricidal activity of compound 1 was higher than that of the positive control, hexythiazox. Indeed, for compound 1, LD50 and LD90 were 0.29 and 0.96 μg/cm2, respec- tively, while hexythiazox LD50(90) was 18.7 (132.5) μg/cm2. Additionally, D. pancration extract, after 72 h, induced a high cytotoxic effect in HaCaT and THP-1 cell lines, with an IC50 of 7.37 ± 0.5 μg/mL and 3.50 ± 0.15 μg/mL, respectively. Overall, D. pancration can be considered as a green source of novel acaricides effective against mites of agricultural importance, such as T. urticae, pending proper field validation and the assessment of non-target effects on other invertebrate species
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