Role of PI3K in myocardial ischaemic preconditioning: mapping pro-survival cascades at the trigger phase and at reperfusion

The Reperfusion Injury Salvage Kinase (RISK) pathway is considered the main pro-survival kinase cascade mediating the ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) cardioprotective effect. To assess the role of PI3K-Akt, its negative regulator PTEN and other pro-survival proteins such as ERK and STAT3 in the context of IPC, C57BL/6 mouse hearts were retrogradely perfused in a Langendorff system and subjected to 4 cycles of 5 min. ischaemia and 5 min. reperfusion prior to 35 min. of global ischaemia and 120 min. of reperfusion. Wortmannin, a PI3K inhibitor, was administered either at the stabilization period or during reperfusion. Infarct size was assessed using triphenyl tetrazolium staining, and phosphorylation levels of Akt, PTEN, ERK, GSK3β and STAT3 were evaluated using Western blot analyses. IPC reduced infarct size in hearts subjected to lethal ischaemia and reperfusion, but this effect was lost in the presence of Wortmannin, whether it was present only during preconditioning or only during early reperfusion. IPC increased the levels of Akt phosphorylation during both phases and this effect was fully abrogated by PI3K, whilst its downstream GSK3β was phosphorylated only during the trigger phase after IPC. Both PTEN and STAT3 were phosphorylated during both phases after IPC, but this was PI3K independent. IPC increases ERK phosphorylation during both phases, being only PI3K-dependent during the IPC phase. In conclusion, PI3K-Akt plays a major role in IPC-induced cardioprotection. However, PTEN, ERK and STAT3 are also phosphorylated by IPC through a PI3K-independent pathway, suggesting that cardioprotection is mediated through more than one cell signalling cascade

FIWARE Open Source Standard Platform in Smart Farming - A Review

[EN] FIWARE is an open source platform for the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) applications, driven by European Union and managed by FIWARE Foundation. Recently, FIWARE Foundation has launched his new product Agricolus, which focus on Smart Farming and it uses FIWARE infrastructure. Agricolus manages to bring Hardware and Software together in a decision-making process that support farming activities and offers a "plug and play" interface for precision agriculture. This is encompassed by the phenomenon of Smart Farming, which is a development that take advantage of the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in the daily farm management. This review aims to gain insight into the state-of-the-art of FIWARE in Smart Farming and identify the components of Agricolus in comparison with essential FIWARE architecture.This research has been carried out in the framework of the project "Development of an integrated maturity model for agility, resilience and gender perspective in supply chains (MoMARGE). Application to the agricultural sector." Ref. GV/2017/025 funded by the Generalitat Valenciana.Rodríguez-Sánchez, MDLÁ.; Cuenca, L.; Ortiz Bas, Á. (2018). FIWARE Open Source Standard Platform in Smart Farming - A Review. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. 534:581-589. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99127-6_50S581589534Robert, P.C.: Precision agriculture: research needs and status in the USA. In: Stafford, J.V. (ed.) Proceedings of the 2nd European Conference on Precision Agriculture, Part 1, pp. 19–33. Academic Press, SCI/Sheffield (1999)Ge, Y., Thomasson, J.A., Sui, R.: Remote sensing of soil properties in precision agriculture: a review. Front. Earth Sci. 5(3), 229–238 (2011)Sundmaeker, H., Verdouw, C., Wolfert, S., Pérez Freire L.: Internet of food and farm 2020. In: Vermesan, O., Friess, P. (eds.) Digitising the Industry - Internet of Things Connecting Physical, Digital and Virtual Worlds, pp. 129–151. River Publishers, Gistrup/Delft (2016)Lin, J., Liu, C.: Monitoring system based on wireless sensor network and a SocC platform in precision agriculture. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Communication Technology (ICCT), Hangzhou, pp. 101–104 (2008)Kaewmard, N., Saiyod, S.: Sensor data collection and irrigation control on vegetable crop using smart phone and wireless sensor networks for smart farm. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Wireless Sensors (ICWiSE), pp. 106–112 (2014)FIWARE. https://www.fiware.org/Future Internet Private Public Partnership (FI-PPP). https://www.fi-ppp.eu/Agricolus. https://www.agricolus.comFIWARE Generic Enablers. http://edu.fiware.org/FIWARE Catalogue. https://catalogue.fiware.org/enablersKamilaris, A., Gao, F., Prenafeta-Boldu, F.X., Ali, M.I.: Agri-IoT: a semantic framework for Internet of Things-enabled smart farming applications. In: IEEE 3rd World Forum on Internet of Things, WF-IoT 2016, pp. 442–447 (2017)López-Riquelme, J.A., Pavón-Pulido, N., Navarro-Hellín, H., Soto-Valles, F., Torres-Sánchez, R.: A software architecture based on FIWARE cloud for precision agriculture. Agric. Water Manag. 183, 123–135 (2017)Martínez, R., Pastor, J.Á., Álvarez, B., Iborra, A.: A testbed to evaluate the FIWARE-based IoT platform in the domain of precision agriculture. Sensors (Switzerland), 16(11) (2016)Pesonen, L.A., et al.: Cropinfra - an internet-based service infrastructure to support crop production in future farms. Biosys. Eng. 120, 92–101 (2014)Barmpounakis, S., et al.: Management and control applications in agriculture domain via a future internet business-to-business platform. Inf. Process. Agric. 2(1), 51–63 (2015)Kaloxylos, A., et al.: Farm management systems and the future internet era. Comput. Electron. Agric. 89, 130–144 (2012)Kaloxylos, A., et al.: A cloud-based farm management system: architecture and implementation. Comput. Electron. Agric. 100, 168–179 (2014)Ryu, M., Yun, J., Miao, T., Ahn, I.Y., Choi, S.C., Kim, J.: Design and implementation of a connected farm for smart farming system. In: 2015 IEEE SENSORS Proceedings, pp. 1–4 (2015)Layton, A.W., Balmos, A.D., Sabpisal, S., Ault, A., Krogmeier, J.V., Buckmaster, D.: ISOBlue: an open source project to bring agricultural machinery data into the cloud, Montreal, 13 July–16 July 2014. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (2014)SmartAgriFood. http://smartagrifood.com/FIWARE MarketPlace. https://marketplace.fiware.orgFIWARE iHubs. https://www.fiware.org/community/fiware-ihubs/Agricolus in FIWARE MarketPlace. https://marketplace.fiware.org/pages/solutions/2ec3c741ef4dd8f83bab4e83Implementation example of Agricolus. http://www.libelium.com/increasing-tobacco-crops-quality-by-climatic-conditions-control/FIspace. https://www.fispace.eu/whatisfispace.htm

Cardioprotection mediated by exosomes is impaired in the setting of type II diabetes but can be rescued by the use of non-diabetic exosomes in vitro

Many patients with ischaemic heart disease also have diabetes. As myocardial infarction is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in these patients, treatments that increase cell survival in response to ischaemia and reperfusion are needed. Exosomes-nano-sized, lipid vesicles released from cells-can protect the hearts of non-diabetic rats. We previously showed that exosomal HSP70 activates a cardioprotective signalling pathway in cardiomyocytes culminating in ERK1/2 and HSP27 phosphorylation. Here, we investigated whether the exosomal cardioprotective pathway remains intact in the setting of type II diabetes. Exosomes were isolated by differential centrifugation from non-diabetic and type II diabetic patients, from non-diabetic and Goto Kakizaki type II diabetic rats, and from normoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic endothelial cells. Exosome size and number were not significantly altered by diabetes. CD81 and HSP70 exosome markers were increased in diabetic rat exosomes. However, exosomes from diabetic rats no longer activated the ERK1/2 and HSP27 cardioprotective pathway and were no longer protective in a primary rat cardiomyocytes model of hypoxia and reoxygenation injury. Hyperglycaemic culture conditions were sufficient to impair protection by endothelial exosomes. Importantly, however, exosomes from non-diabetic rats retained the ability to protect cardiomyocytes from diabetic rats. Exosomes from diabetic plasma have lost the ability to protect cardiomyocytes, but protection can be restored with exosomes from non-diabetic plasma. These results support the concept that exosomes may be used to protect cardiomyocytes against ischaemia and reperfusion injury, even in the setting of type II diabetes

IoT monitoring of water consumption for irrigation systems using SEMMA methodology

The efficient use of water is an issue that has captured the attention of scientists, technicians, and the community at large. The sustainability of water resources has been threatened by the current imbalance between water supply and demand. Intelligent consumption of water would contribute to the balance and reduce the waste in applications such as the agriculture. This paper shows the design of a water consumption monitoring system based on the Internet of Things (IoT). With the implementation of this system could be known in real time the consumption of water in a crop. In addition, the user of the system may take corrective actions that optimize their water consumption; this is achieved by applying the SEMMA methodology to evaluate the data obtained by the system using two cluster algorithms, Simple K-means and GenClus++. With the application of SEMMA it was possible to determine periods of water consumption that were considered as waste in the irrigation of crops, applying data analysis with both algorithms

The Potential Economic Value of a Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas Disease) Vaccine in Latin America

The substantial burden of Chagas disease, especially in Latin America, and the limitations of currently available treatment and control strategies have motivated the development of a Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) vaccine. Evaluating a vaccine's potential economic value early in its development can answer important questions while the vaccine's key characteristics (e.g., vaccine efficacy targets, price points, and target population) can still be altered. This can assist vaccine scientists, manufacturers, policy makers, and other decision makers in the development and implementation of the vaccine. We developed a computational economic model to determine the cost-effectiveness of introducing a T. cruzi vaccine in Latin America. Our results showed vaccination to be very cost-effective, in many cases providing both cost savings and health benefits, even at low infection risk and vaccine efficacy. Moreover, our study suggests that a vaccine may actually “pay for itself”, as even a relatively higher priced vaccine will generate net cost savings for a purchaser (e.g., a country's ministry of health). These findings support continued investments in and efforts toward the development of a human T. cruzi vaccine

Plasma exosomes protect the myocardium from ischemia-reperfusion injury

BACKGROUND: Exosomes are nanometer-sized vesicles released from cells into the blood, where they can transmit signals throughout the body. Shown to act on the heart, exosomes' composition and the signaling pathways they activate have not been explored. We hypothesized that endogenous plasma exosomes can communicate signals to the heart and provide protection against ischemia and reperfusion injury. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to isolate and characterize exosomes from rats and healthy volunteers, evaluate their cardioprotective actions, and identify the molecular mechanisms involved. METHODS: The exosome-rich fraction was isolated from the blood of adult rats and human volunteers and was analyzed by protein marker expression, transmission electron microscopy, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. This was then used in ex vivo, in vivo, and in vitro settings of ischemia-reperfusion, with the protective signaling pathways activated on cardiomyocytes identified using Western blot analyses and chemical inhibitors. RESULTS: Exosomes exhibited the expected size and expressed marker proteins CD63, CD81, and heat shock protein (HSP) 70. The exosome-rich fraction was powerfully cardioprotective in all tested models of cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury. We identified a pro-survival signaling pathway activated in cardiomyocytes involving toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and various kinases, leading to activation of the cardioprotective HSP27. Cardioprotection was prevented by a neutralizing antibody against a conserved HSP70 epitope expressed on the exosome surface and by blocking TLR4 in cardiomyocytes, identifying the HSP70/TLR4 communication axis as a critical component in exosome-mediated cardioprotection. CONCLUSIONS: Exosomes deliver endogenous protective signals to the myocardium by a pathway involving TLR4 and classic cardioprotective HSPs

Molecular and Electrophysiological Characterization of a Novel Cation Channel of Trypanosoma cruzi

We report the identification, functional expression, purification, reconstitution and electrophysiological characterization of a novel cation channel (TcCat) from Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. This channel is potassium permeable and shows inward rectification in the presence of magnesium. Western blot analyses with specific antibodies indicated that the protein is expressed in the three main life cycle stages of the parasite. Surprisingly, the parasites have the unprecedented ability to rapidly change the localization of the channel when they are exposed to different environmental stresses. TcCat rapidly translocates to the tip of the flagellum when trypomastigotes are submitted to acidic pH, to the plasma membrane when epimastigotes are submitted to hyperosmotic stress, and to the cell surface when amastigotes are released to the extracellular medium. Pharmacological block of TcCat activity also resulted in alterations in the trypomastigotes ability to respond to hyperosmotic stress. We also demonstrate the feasibility of purifying and reconstituting a functional ion channel from T. cruzi after recombinant expression in bacteria. The peculiar characteristics of TcCat could be important for the development of specific inhibitors with therapeutic potential against trypanosomes

Ecology of the Scorpion, Microtityus jaumei in Sierra de Canasta, Cuba

An assessment of the population dynamics of Microtityus jaumei Armas (Scorpiones: Buthidae) on the slopes south of Sierra de Canasta, Guantánamo Province, Cuba show an increase in activity over the year (≤ 0.05). The activity peak is related to the reproductive period from June to November. The abundance of scorpions was significantly related to density of the canopy and thickness of the substrate

Antipsychotic drug use and community-acquired pneumonia

Antipsychotics are generally distinguished as atypical and typical agents, which are indicated in the treatment of acute and chronic psychoses and other psy

Automatic Mapping of Discontinuity Persistence on Rock Masses Using 3D Point Clouds

Finding new ways to quantify discontinuity persistence values in rock masses in an automatic or semi-automatic manner is a considerable challenge, as an alternative to the use of traditional methods based on measuring patches or traces with tapes. Remote sensing techniques potentially provide new ways of analysing visible data from the rock mass. This work presents a methodology for the automatic mapping of discontinuity persistence on rock masses, using 3D point clouds. The method proposed herein starts by clustering points that belong to patches of a given discontinuity. Coplanar clusters are then merged into a single group of points. Persistence is measured in the directions of the dip and strike for each coplanar set of points, resulting in the extraction of the length of the maximum chord and the area of the convex hull. The proposed approach is implemented in a graphic interface with open source software. Three case studies are utilized to illustrate the methodology: (1) small-scale laboratory setup consisting of a regular distribution of cubes with similar dimensions, (2) more complex geometry consisting of a real rock mass surface in an excavated cavern and (3) slope with persistent sub-vertical discontinuities. Results presented good agreement with field measurements, validating the methodology. Complexities and difficulties related to the method (e.g. natural discontinuity waviness) are reported and discussed. An assessment on the applicability of the method to the 3D point cloud is also presented. Utilization of remote sensing data for a more objective characterization of the persistence of planar discontinuities affecting rock masses is highlighted herein