Statins Directly Influence the Polarization of Adipose Tissue Macrophages: A Role in Chronic Inflammation

Statins represent one of the most widely used classes of drugs in current medicine. In addition to a substantial decrease in atherogenic low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle concentrations, several large trials have documented their potent anti-inflammatory activity. Based on our preliminary data, we showed that statins are able to decrease the proportion of pro-inflammatory macrophages (CD14+16+CD36high) in visceral adipose tissue in humans. In the present study including 118 healthy individuals (living kidney donors), a very close relationship between the pro-inflammatory macrophage proportion and LDL cholesterol levels was found. This was confirmed after adjustment for the most important risk factors. The effect of statins on the proportion of pro-inflammatory macrophages was also confirmed in an experimental model of the Prague hereditary hypercholesterolemia rat. A direct anti-inflammatory effect of fluvastatin on human macrophage polarization in vitro was documented. Based on modifying the LDL cholesterol concentrations, statins are suggested to decrease the cholesterol inflow through the lipid raft of macrophages in adipose tissue and hypercholesterolemia to enhance the pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype polarization. On the contrary, due to their opposite effect, statins respond with anti-inflammatory activity, affecting the whole organism

Stem quality assessment in European National Forest Inventories: an opportunity for harmonised reporting?

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Stem quality assessment in European National Forest Inventories: an opportunity for harmonised reporting?

European forests was identified despite considerable differences in existing national approaches. Knowledge on stem quality and assortments structure in European forests is highly important for policy makers and the timber industry and also for carbon life cycle analysis due to the fact that different timber products have different end use and thus store carbon for different time periods. The study aim was to evaluate the potential of European National Forest Inventories (NFI) to objectively report on the stem quality in European forests in a harmonised manner. A comprehensive questionnaire was conducted as the first important step to evaluate the current status of stem quality assessment and assess the existing level of harmonisation. Direct stem quality assessment or classification is used in 19 out of 28 European NFIs. Only eight countries provide timber assortment estimates from their NFIs. In addition, different sampling strategies for stem quality assessment are used among NFIs. Tree parameters relevant for stem quality assessment on standing trees were identified for the purpose of harmonisation. Several methods towards harmonisation between European NFIs for the purpose of reporting on stem quality of European forests were suggested. Current European NFIs are not capable of reporting the stem quality of European forests in a harmonised manner at this stage and considerable efforts will need to be taken before the harmonised stem quality estimation can be prepared. However, the inquiry also revealed that there is a potential to develop the harmonised estimations in futureVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Globalização e exclusão: a dialética da mundialização do capital Globalization and exclusion

O propósito deste trabalho é repensar o processo de desenvolvimento do capitalismo, apontando para algumas das inúmeras contradições da sociedade global. São analisadas duas questões fundamentais: o crescente processo de exclusão social, de grande parte da população mundial, e o papel do Estado-Nação. Considera-se esta última questão extremamente relevante, pois diante de uma tendência intrínseca do sistema à concentração da riqueza, de um lado, e a expansão da pobreza, de outro, o Estado se apresenta como a única salvaguarda real dos interesses vitais dos excluídos em cada país. Discutem-se também alguns aspectos da crise atual do sistema capitalista e o impacto do modelo neoliberal no acirramento das contradições sociais e na polarização dos interesses de classe. Propõe-se uma reflexão sobre formas alternativas de organização social.<br>The purpose of this work is to rethink the process of capitalist development, pointing out to some of global society's numerous contradictions. Two central issues are examined: the growing process of social exclusion of a sizable part of the world population and the role of the nation-state. The latter is seen as extremely relevant in the light of the system's intrinsic trend to concentrate wealth while expanding poverty, when the state comes as the only real safeguard for vital interests of those excluded in each country. Some aspects of the current crisis in the capitalist system and the impact of the neoliberal model in deepening social contradictions and polarizing class interests are also discussed. A reflection on alternative forms of social organization is put forward