Insectos y ambiente: el agrónomo en la secundaria : el rol de los adolescentes en demanda de hortalizas saludables y el cuidado del ambiente

Fil: Ricci, Mónica. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Vegetal. Zoología Agrícola; ArgentinaFil: Margaría, Cecilia Beatríz. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Lampugnani, Gladys. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Gallardo, Fabiana Edith. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentin

Anastrozole and celecoxib for endometriosis treatment, good to keep them apart?

Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and aromatase proteins have been shown to be overexpressed in eutopic endometrium from women suffering from this disease compared to disease-free women. Furthermore, inhibition of these molecules individually was demonstrated to have antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects both in vitro and in vivo in several models. In this study, the effect of combining celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, and anastrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, on the implantation and growth of endometriotic like lesions in a murine model of endometriosis was evaluated. Endometriosis was surgically induced in female BALB/c mice. After 28 days of treatment with celecoxib, anastrozole, or their combination, animals were killed and lesions were counted, measured, excised, and fixed. Immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen and CD34 was performed for assessment of cell proliferation and vascularization. TUNEL technique was performed for apoptosis evaluation. Celecoxib was the only treatment to significantly reduce the number of lesions established per mouse, their size and vascularized area. In addition, cell proliferation was significantly diminished and apoptosis was significantly enhanced by both individual treatments. When the therapies were combined, they reversed their effects. These results confirm that celecoxib and anastrozole separately decrease endometriotic growth, but when combined they might have antagonizing effects.Fil: Olivares, Carla Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Bilotas, Mariela Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Ricci, Analía Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Barañao, Rosa Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Meresman, Gabriela Fabiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentin

The inhibitory effect of celecoxib and rosiglitazone on experimental endometriosis

To evaluate the effects of celecoxib and rosiglitazone on the implantation and growth of endometriotic-like lesions in a murine model of endometriosis.Fil: Olivares, Carla Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Ricci, Analía Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Bilotas, Mariela Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Barañao, Rosa Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Meresman, Gabriela Fabiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Environmental complaint insights through text mining based on the driver, pressure, state, impact, and response (DPSIR) framework. Evidence from an Italian environmental agency

Individuals, local communities, environmental associations, private organizations, and public representatives and bodies may all be aggrieved by environmental problems concerning poor air quality, illegal waste disposal, water contamination, and general pollution. Environmental complaints represent the expressions of dissatisfaction with these issues. As the time-consuming of managing a large number of complaints, text mining may be useful for automatically extracting information on stakeholder priorities and concerns. The paper used text mining and semantic network analysis to crawl relevant keywords about environmental complaints from two online complaint submission systems: online claim submission system of Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy (Arpae) (“Contact Arpae”); and Arpae's internal platform for environmental pollution (“Environmental incident reporting portal”) in the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy. We evaluated the total of 2477 records and classified this information based on the claim topic (air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, waste, odor, soil, weather-climate, sea-coast, and electromagnetic radiation) and geographical distribution. Then, this paper used natural language processing to extract keywords from the dataset, and classified keywords ranking higher in Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) based on the driver, pressure, state, impact, and response (DPSIR) framework. This study provided a systemic approach to understanding the interaction between people and environment in different geographical contexts and builds sustainable and healthy communities. The results showed that most complaints are from the public and associated with air pollution and odor. Factories (particularly foundries and ceramic industries) and farms are identified as the drivers of environmental issues. Citizen believed that environmental issues mainly affect human well-being. Moreover, the keywords of “odor”, “report”, “request”, “presence”, “municipality”, and “hours” were the most influential and meaningful concepts, as demonstrated by their high degree and betweenness centrality values. Keywords connecting odor (classified as impacts) and air pollution (classified as state) were the most important (such as “odor-burnt plastic” and “odor-acrid”). Complainants perceived odor annoyance as a primary environmental concern, possibly related to two main drivers: “odor-factory” and “odors-farms”. The proposed approach has several theoretical and practical implications: text mining may quickly and efficiently address citizen needs, providing the basis toward automating (even partially) the complaint process; and the DPSIR framework might support the planning and organization of information and the identification of stakeholder concerns and priorities, as well as metrics and indicators for their assessment. Therefore, integration of the DPSIR framework with the text mining of environmental complaints might generate a comprehensive environmental knowledge base as a prerequisite for a wider exploitation of analysis to support decision-making processes and environmental management activities

Caracterização do endométrio e do ambiente peritoneal de mulheres que padecem endometriose. Estudos in vivo e in vitro de novas alternativas terapêuticas para esta doença

El tema de estudio de nuestro laboratorio es la endometriosis, patología benigna que afecta alrededor de un 15% de las mujeres en edad reproductiva y que se caracteriza por la presencia de tejido endometrial fuera de la cavidad uterina, provocando fuertes dolores pélvicos, metrorragia y, en un 50% de los casos, infertilidad. Hemos realizado investigaciones básicas sobre el ambiente peritoneal de las mujeres con endometriosis y analizamos las características del tejido endometrial de estas pacientes. En la actualidad continuamos con nuestros estudios tendientes a esclarecer no sólo la posible etiología de la endometriosis sino también a mejorar su tratamiento. Nuestros estudios tienen como objetivo la evaluación del efecto in vitro e in vivo de nuevos mecanismos para tratar esta patología en la búsqueda de nuevas alternativas terapéuticas que ofrezcan tratamientos más simples, con medicamentos que actúen en forma más directa sobre los implantes, que inhiban los mecanismos involucrados en el desarrollo de la enfermedad, y que potencialmente sean más eficaces en su acción de erradicar las lesiones endometriósicas. Además, comenzamos a evaluar los posibles mecanismos involucrados en la tolerancia inmunológica hacia los implantes de tejido endometrial ectópico que se produciría durante el establecimiento de la endometriosis.The subject matter of our laboratory is endometriosis, a benign disease that affects around 15% of women of reproductive age, characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, causing severe pelvic pain, metrorrhagia, and infertility in 50% of the cases. Basic research on the peritoneal environment of women with endometriosis has been conducted and the characteristics of these patients’ endometrial tissue was analyzed. Currently, studies to clarify the etiology of the endometriosis but also to improve its treatment still continue. Said studies aim to assess the in vitro and in vivo effects of new mechanisms to treat the condition in the search for new therapeutic alternatives that provide simple treatments with drugs that act more directly on the implants, that inhibit the mechanisms involved in the development of the disease, and which are potentially more effective in their efforts to eradicate endometriotic lesions. Furthermore, the likely mechanisms involved in the immunological tolerance to ectopic endometrial tissue implants that would occur during the establishment of endometriosis started to be assessedO tema de estudo de nosso laboratório é a endometriose, patologia benigna que afeta aproximadamente 15% das mulheres em idade reprodutiva e que se caracteriza pela presença de tecido endometrial fora da cavidade uterina, provocando fortes dores pélvicas, metrorragia e, em 50% dos casos, infertilidade. Temos realizado pesquisas básicas sobre o ambiente peritoneal das mulheres com endometriose e analisamos as características do tecido endometrial destas pacientes. Na atualidade continuamos com nossos estudos tendentes a esclarecer não apenas a possível etiologia da endometriose, mas também a melhorar seu tratamento. Nossos estudos têm como objetivo a avaliação do efeito in vitro e in vivo de novos mecanismos para tratar esta patologia na busca de novas alternativas terapêuticas que ofereçam tratamentos mais simples, com medicamentos que atuem em forma mais direta sobre os implantes, que inibam os mecanismos envolvidos no desenvolvimento da doença, e que potencialmente sejam mais eficazes em sua ação de erradicar as lesões endometrióticas. Também começamos a avaliar os possíveis mecanismos envolvidos na tolerância imunológica para os implantes de tecido endometrial ectópico que se produziria durante o estabelecimento da endometrioseFil: Meresman, Gabriela Fabiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Bilotas, Mariela Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Olivares, Carla Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Ricci, Analía Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Baston, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Barañao, Rosa Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentin

Fast, sensitive and cost-effective detection of nerve agents in the gas phase using a portable instrument and an electrochemical biosensor

Abstract The nerve agents are chemical warfare agents known to be used during terrorist attacks. An inexpensive and portable system to be used by first responders and military personnel is of interest owing to the continuing threat of possible terrorist attacks. Amperometric biosensors based on cholinesterase inhibition show such potentialities. In this work butyrylcholinesterase was immobilized onto screen-printed electrodes modified with Prussian blue and the nerve agent detection was performed by measuring the residual activity of enzyme. The optimized biosensor was tested with sarin and VX standard solutions, showing detection limits of 12 and 14 ppb (10% of inhibition), respectively. The enzymatic inhibition was also obtained by exposing the biosensors to sarin in gas phase. Two different concentrations of sarin gas (0.1 and 0.5 mg m −3 ) at different incubation times (from 30 s up to 10 min) were tested. It is possible to detect sarin at a concentration of 0.1 mg m −3 with 30-s incubation time, with a degree of inhibition of 34%, which match the legal limits (immediate danger to life and health)

Dissecting the intracellular signalling and fate of a DNA nanosensor by super-resolution and quantitative microscopy

DNA nanodevices have been developed as platforms for the manipulation of gene expression, delivery of molecular payloads, and detection of various molecular targets within cells and in other complex biological settings. Despite efforts to translate DNA nanodevices from the test tube (in vitro) to living cells, their intracellular trafficking and functionality remain poorly understood. Herein, quantitative and super-resolution microscopy approaches were employed to track and visualise, with nanometric resolution, the molecular interactions between a synthetic DNA nanosensor and transcription factors in intracellular compartments. Specifically, fluorescence resonance energy transfer microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and multicolour single-molecule localisation microscopy were employed to probe the specific binding of the DNA nanosensor to the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappa B). We monitored the mobility, subcellular localisation and degradation of the DNA nanosensor inside living prostate cancer PC3 cells. Super-resolution imaging enabled the direct visualisation of the molecular interactions between the synthetic DNA nanosensors and the NF-kappa B molecules in cells. This study represents a significant advance in the effective detection as well as understanding of the intracellular dynamics of DNA nanosensors in a complex biological milieu

Human lung adenocarcinoma cell cultures derived from malignant pleural effusions as model system to predict patients chemosensitivity

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths and Malignant Pleural Effusion (MPE) is a frequent complication. Current therapies suffer from lack of efficacy in a great percentage of cases, especially when cancer is diagnosed at a late stage. Moreover patients' responses vary and the outcome is unpredictable. Therefore, the identification of patients who will benefit most of chemotherapy treatment is important for accurate prognostication and better outcome. In this study, using malignant pleural effusions (MPE) from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, we established a collection of patient-derived Adenocarcinoma cultures which were characterized for their sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs used in the clinical practice. METHODS: Tumor cells present in MPEs of patients with NSCLC were isolated by density gradient centrifugation, placed in culture and genotyped by next generation sequencing. In a subset of cases patient derived xenografts (PDX) were obtained upon tumor cell inoculation in rag2/IL2 knock-out mice. Isolated primary cultures were characterized and tested for drug sensitivity by in vitro proliferation assays. Additivity, antagonism or synergy for combinatorial treatments were determined by analysis with the Calcusyn software. RESULTS: We have optimized isolation procedures and culture conditions to expand in vitro primary cultures from Malignant Pleural Effusions (MPEs) of patients affected by lung adenocarcinomas, the most frequent form of non small cell lung cancer. Using this approach we have been able to establish 16 primary cultures from MPEs. Cells were banked at low passages and were characterized for their mutational pattern by next generation sequencing for most common driver mutations in lung cancer. Moreover, amplified cultures were shown to engraft with high efficiency when injected in immunocompromised mice. Cancer cell sensitivity to drugs used in standard chemotherapy regimens was assessed either individually or in combination. Differential chemosensitivity and different mutation profiles were observed which suggests that this isolation method could provide a platform for predicting the efficacy of chemotherapy in the clinical setting. Most importantly for six patients it was possible to establish a correlation between drug response in vitro and response to therapy in the clinic. CONCLUSIONS: Results obtained using primary cultured cells from MPEs underscore the heterogeneity of NSCLC in advanced stage as indicated by drug response and mutation profile. Comparison of data obtained from in vitro assays with patients' responses to therapy leads to the conclusion that this strategy may provide a potentially useful approach for evaluating individual chemosensitivity profile and tailor the therapy accordingly. Furthermore, combining MPE-derived primary cultures with their genomic testing allows to identify patients eligible to trials with novel targeted agents

Natural therapies assessment for the treatment of endometriosis

STUDY QUESTION: Can resveratrol and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) inhibit the growth and survival of endometriotic-like lesions in vivo in a BALB/c model of endometriosis, and in vitro in primary cultures of human endometrial epithelial cells (EECs)? SUMMARY ANSWER: Resveratrol and EGCG exerted a potent inhibitory effect on the development of endometriosis in a BALB/c murine model and on the survival of EECs. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Endometriosis is a common condition associated with infertility and pelvic pain in women of reproductive age. Resveratrol and EGCG are two polyphenols with anticarcinogenic and antioxidant properties that have been proposed as natural therapies to treat endometriosis. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Fifty-six 2-month-old female BALB/c mice underwent surgical induction of endometriosis. Treatments with resveratrol or EGCG started 15 days post-surgery and continued for 4 weeks. Human biopsies were taken with a metal Novak curette from the posterior uterine wall from 16 patients with untreated endometriosis and 15 controls who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy for infertility. MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: After the treatments, animals were sacrificed and lesions were counted, measured, excised and fixed. Immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen and CD34 was performed for cell proliferation and vascularization assessment in the lesions. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) technique was performed for apoptosis evaluation. Peritoneal fluid was collected to analyze vascular endothelial growth factor levels. Human EECs were purified from proliferative-phase endometrial biopsies and cultured. The effect of both polyphenols on cell proliferation was determined by a colorimetric assay using the CellTiter 96®AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay kit and on apoptosis by the TUNEL technique, using an In Situ Cell Death Detection Kit with Fluorescein. MAIN RESULTS: In the mouse model, both treatments significantly reduced the mean number (P < 0.05 versus control) and the volume of established lesions (P < 0.05 versus control). Treatments consistently statistically significantly diminished cell proliferation (resveratrol P < 0.01 and EGCG P < 0.05, versus control), reduced vascular density (resveratrol P < 0.01 and EGCG P < 0.001, versus control) and increased apoptosis within the lesions (resveratrol P < 0.01 and EGCG P < 0.05, versus control). Both compounds induced reduction in human EEC proliferation (P < 0.05 versus basal) and increased apoptosis (P < 0.05 versus basal) in primary cultures. LIMITATIONS: In vitro studies were only carried out in epithelial cells from human eutopic endometrium. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The present findings are promising and will assist the development of novel natural treatments for endometriosis. STUDY FUNDING: This study was supported by ANPCYT (PICT 6384 BID 1201 OC-AR) and CONICET (PIP 5471), Argentina. None of the authors has any conflict of interest to declare.Fil: Ricci, Analía Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Olivares, Carla Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Bilotas, Mariela Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Baston, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Singla, J. J.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; ArgentinaFil: Meresman, Gabriela Fabiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Barañao, Rosa Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Diversidad de parasitoides primarios y secundarios del pulgón Myzus persicae (Hemiptera, Aphididae) en el duraznero Prunus persica (Rosales, Rosaceae) en la provincia de Mendoza, Argentina

Diversity of primary and secondary parasitoids of the aphid Myzus persicae (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in peach Punus persica (Rosales, Rosaceae) in the province of Mendoza, Argentina. Mendoza is the highest stone fruit producer and the main industrial peach producer for Argentina. Myzus persicae, known as the green peach aphid or the peach–potato aphid, is one of the main pests that affect this crop. Hymenoptera parasitoids of the Braconidae family stand out as one of the most efficient groups of natural enemies of this pest. The objectives of this study were to determine the natural parasitoidism of this peach aphid and to know the diversity of parasitoids associated with this pest. During the years 2015/2016, weekly collections were made from September to December of shoots with aphids that might or might not show signs of parasitoidism. The percentage of parasitoidism and the frequency and relative abundance of the parasitoids were calculated. The percentage of average parasitoidism per shoot was close to 20%. About the peach–M. persicae association nine species of primary parasitoids and four species of secondary parasitoids were recorded. Aphidius colemani was the dominant species within the primary parasitoids.Fil: Mazitelli, Emilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Aquino, Daniel Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Gallardo, Fabiana Edith. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Recce, Vanina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Ricci, Mónica. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin