Statins increase the frequency of circulating CD4+ FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in healthy individuals

RESUMEN: Las estatinas se han demostrado para modular el número y la función supresora de células T CD4 + FOXP3 (Treg) en condiciones inflamatorias. Sin embargo, no está bien establecido si estatinas también podría afectar Treg en ausencia de inflamación. Para abordar esta cuestión, dieciocho sujetos masculinos normocolesterolémicos fueron tratados con lovastatina o atorvastatina al día durante 45 días. La frecuencia y el fenotipo de circulación Treg se evaluaron en los días 0, 7, 30, y 45. Los niveles de ARNm de FOXP3, IDO, TGF-β, e IL-10 se midieron en las células T CD4 +. Se encontró que tanto los que aumenta significativamente los niveles de ARNm y de frecuencia de Treg FOXP3 en el día 30. En el día 45, los números de Treg volvieron a los valores basales; Sin embargo, el TGF-β y los niveles de ARNm de FOXP3 se mantuvo alta, acompañada por el aumento de los porcentajes de CTLA-4 y GITR que expresan Treg. Treg expresión de Ki-67 se redujo tras el tratamiento con estatinas. la frecuencia de Treg correlacionó positivamente con los niveles plasmáticos de colesterol de lipoproteínas de alta densidad (HDL-C), lo que sugiere un papel para el HDL-C en la homeostasis de Treg. Por lo tanto, las estatinas parecen tener efectos inmunomoduladores inflamación independiente. Por lo tanto, el aumento de la frecuencia de Treg células probablemente contribuye a inmunomoduladores efecto de las estatinas, incluso en individuos sanos.ABSTRACT: Statins have been shown to modulate the number and the suppressive function of CD4+FOXP3+ T cells (Treg) in inflammatory conditions. However, it is not well established whether statin could also affect Treg in absence of inflammation. To address this question, eighteen normocholesterolemic male subjects were treated with lovastatin or atorvastatin daily for 45 days. The frequency and phenotype of circulating Treg were evaluated at days 0, 7, 30, and 45. mRNA levels of FOXP3, IDO, TGF-β, and IL-10 were measured in CD4+ T cells. We found that both statins significantly increased Treg frequency and FOXP3 mRNA levels at day 30. At day 45, Treg numbers returned to baseline values; however, TGF-β and FOXP3 mRNA levels remained high, accompanied by increased percentages of CTLA-4- and GITR-expressing Treg. Treg Ki-67 expression was decreased upon statin treatment. Treg frequency positively correlated with plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), suggesting a role for HDL-c in Treg homeostasis. Therefore, statins appear to have inflammation-independent immune-modulatory effects. Thus, the increase in Treg cells frequency likely contributes to immunomodulatory effect of statins, even in healthy individual

Implementation of routine thromboplastin-plasma cell block technique in the evaluation of non-gynecologic specimens: A methodologic comparison with conventional cytology

AbstractThe cell block is an ancillary technique used in cytology to increase the diagnostic accuracy in the analysis of effusions and aspirations. In our laboratory, we implemented the routine use of the Thromboplastin-Plasma Cell-Block (TP-CB) technique because it is simple, reproducible and has low cost. The aim of this prospective study was to proof the utility of performing routine cell blocks in non-gynecologic cytology by comparing the diagnostic concordance, cellularity, and contribution to diagnosis from paired TP-CB and Conventional Cytological (CC) preparations. For this, all non-gynecologic specimens including effusions, body fluids and aspirations, were collected for an 8-month period. A total of 179 TP-CBs were prepared from the remaining fluid following CC preparations. Absolute concordance was found in 81.6% cases between both techniques (κ=0.56). The cell block aided the diagnosis in 28% of cases and ICC studies were done in 12%. The use of routine TP-CB complements and enhances the diagnostic accuracy of CC, allows the performance of ancillary studies and improves the diagnostic approach and treatment

Effect of Stakeholders-Oriented Behavior on the Performance of Sustainable Business

This study focuses on stakeholder-oriented behavior, throughout organizational culture and organizational behavior, and its effects on the performance of sustainable organizations managed according to Corporative Social Responsibility (CSR) criteria. The investigation demonstrates that the sustainability efforts of a wide range of stakeholders exert various effects on business performance. This investigation tests two integrated conceptual models: (a) Stakeholder Orientation Model estimates the relationships among organizational culture components and their effects on stakeholder-oriented organizational behavior. That is, it estimates the influence of values on norms and artifacts, and their effects on stakeholder-oriented organizational behavior; (b) Performance model estimates the association between stakeholder-oriented organizational behavior and financial and market performance, reputation, and commitment. Using Structural Equation Modelling, both models were estimated from primary data collected from large- and medium-sized multi-sector Colombian companies involved in business sustainability practices. The findings reveal that values are antecedents of norms, but neither values nor norms are predictors of artifacts. Furthermore, norms and artifacts exert direct effects on stakeholder-oriented organizational behavior. In turn, stakeholder-oriented organizational behaviors are predictors of both market performance and commitment. Nevertheless, stakeholder-oriented organizational behaviors are not direct antecedents of both financial performance and reputation.S

BROA: An agent-based model to recommend relevant Learning Objects from Repository Federations adapted to learner profile

Learning Objects (LOs) are distinguished from traditional educational resources for their easy and quickly availability through Web-based repositories, from which they are accessed through their metadata. In addition, having a user profile allows an educational recommender system to help the learner to find the most relevant LOs based on their needs and preferences. The aim of this paper is to propose an agent-based model so-called BROA to recommend relevant LOs recovered from Repository Federations as well as LOs adapted to learner profile. The model proposed uses both role and service models of GAIA methodology, and the analysis models of the MAS-CommonKADS methodology. A prototype was built based on this model and validated to obtain some assessing results that are finally presented

Well-being of suckling calves under two different rearing systems: case study in the central milk basin of Argentina

En el presente trabajo se llevo a cabo un estudio de caso con enfoque cuantitativo. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el bienestar en teneros lechales durante la época invernal bajo dos diferentes sistemas de crianza, que se utilizan en la zona. Los terneros, se alojaron en dos sistemas: en estaca los machos y en jaula las hembras. Los animales recibieron dos tomas diarias de leche (4 l/día), balanceado iniciador y agua ad libitum. Se registraron pesos iníciales y finales. La ganancia de peso se analizó mediante técnicas estadísticas descriptivas. Se tomaron muestra de saliva para determinar cortisol (CS) en cuatro momentos del día. Los datos fueron analizados para detectar variaciones horarias. El CS no mostró fluctuaciones diarias. Durante quince días y día por medio, se registraron las conductas: parado, echado, comiendo y otras. La metodología de observación y registro utilizada fue el muestreo de barrido a intervalos regulares. Los datos de analizaron con la prueba del c2. El efecto tratamiento fue significativo sobre el comportamiento (p<0,01). Los animales de los dos sistemas gastaron el 50% del tiempo en la conducta de reposo.Well-being of suckling calves under two different rearing systems. Case study in the central milk basin of Argentina. In this paper we conducted a case study with quantitative approach. The aim of this study was to assess welfare in suckling calves during the winter season under two different rearing systems, which are used in the area. Calves were housed in two systems: a stake in males and females cage. All animals received 4 L milk per day, in two servings. Water and a commercial starter were offered ad libitum. Initial and final weights were recorded, weight gain was analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. Saliva samples were taken at four times over the day, to analyze saliva cortisol (SC). Data were analyzed for time variations. Neither daily fluctuations in SC concentrations nor system effects were detected in SC concentrations. Different behaviors: standing, lying, eating and "others" were observed every other day over a fortnight. Scan sampling at regular intervals was utilized. Data were analyzed by a c2 test. Systems effects were observed on behavioral conducts (p<0.01). Animals in both systems spent 50% of their time lying.Fil: Leva, Paula Edit. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: García, M. S.. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Toffoli Arnaudo, Guillermo Daniel. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, A. G.. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Rey, Florencia. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Essential oils and their application on active packaging systems: a review

The food industry is continuously evolving through the application of innovative tools and ingredients towards more effective, safe, natural and ecofriendly solutions to satisfy the demands of the costumers. In this context, natural sources (i.e., leaves, seeds, peels or unused pulp) can entail a valuable source of compounds, such as essential oils (EOs), with recognized antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that can be used as natural additives in packaging applications. The current trend is the incorporation of EOs into diverse kinds of biodegradable materials, such as edible films, thus developing active packaging systems with improved preservation properties that can offer benefits to both the food and packaging industry by reducing food waste and improving the management of packaging waste. EOs may be added into the packaging material as free or encapsulated molecules, where, especially this last option, has been revealed as very promising. The addition of these lipophilic compounds provides to the end-product various bioactivities of interest, which can eventually extend the shelf-life of the product by preventing food spoilage. Pairing biodegradable packaging with EOs extracted from natural agro-industrial by-products can lead to a more sustainable food industry. Recent knowledge and advances on this issue will be reviewed in the present work.MICINN supporting the Ramón and Cajal grant for M.A. Prieto (RYC-2017- 22891); to EcoChestnut Project for supporting the grant of M. Carpena; to Xunta de Galicia and University of Vigo for supporting the pre-doctoral grant of P. García-Oliveira (ED481A-2019/295). The project SYSTEMIC “an integrated approach to the challenge of sustainable food systems: adaptive and mitigatory strategies to address climate change and malnutrition”, Knowledge hub on Nutrition and Food Security has received funding from national research funding parties in Belgium (FWO), France (INRA), Germany (BLE), Italy (MIPAAF), Latvia (IZM), Norway (RCN), Portugal (FCT), and Spain (AEI) in a joint action of JPI HDHL, JPI-OCEANS and FACCE-JPI launched in 2019 under the ERA-NET ERA-HDHL (nº 696295).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Expression of Novel Opsins and Intrinsic Light Responses in the Mammalian Retinal Ganglion Cell Line RGC-5. Presence of OPN5 in the Rat Retina

The vertebrate retina is known to contain three classes of photoreceptor cells: cones and rods responsible for vision, and intrinsically photoresponsive retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) involved in diverse non-visual functions such as photic entrainment of daily rhythms and pupillary light responses. In this paper we investigated the potential intrinsic photoresponsiveness of the rat RGC line, RGC-5, by testing for the presence of visual and non-visual opsins and assessing expression of the immediate-early gene protein c-Fos and changes in intracellular Ca2+mobilization in response to brief light pulses. Cultured RGC-5 cells express a number of photopigment mRNAs such as retinal G protein coupled receptor (RGR), encephalopsin/panopsin (Opn3), neuropsin (Opn5) and cone opsin (Opn1mw) but not melanopsin (Opn4) or rhodopsin. Opn5 immunoreactivity was observed in RGC-5 cells and in the inner retina of rat, mainly localized in the ganglion cell layer (GCL). Furthermore, white light pulses of different intensities and durations elicited changes both in intracellular Ca2+ levels and in the induction of c-Fos protein in RGC-5 cell cultures. The results demonstrate that RGC-5 cells expressing diverse putative functional photopigments display intrinsic photosensitivity which accounts for the photic induction of c-Fos protein and changes in intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. The presence of Opn5 in the GCL of the rat retina suggests the existence of a novel type of photoreceptor cell

Predicción del diámetro máximo sobre muñón en árboles podados de Pinus taeda L. origen Marion en el NE de Corrientes, Argentina

El diámetro máximo sobre muñones (dmsm) de ejemplares de Pinus taeda L. origen Marion en el NE de Corrientes, Argentina, puede ser estimado con precisión en rodales aplicando de uno a cuatro levantes de poda, hasta una altura de 8,7 m. Las variables de los arboles empleadas en el modelo ajustado para estimar el dmsm para un número de levantes de poda dado fueron el diámetro a la altura del pecho (dap), la altura total (H) y la altura de la base de copa verde previo a la poda (bcvpp). El mejor modelo ajustado y validado contra una muestra independiente fue: dmsm (cm) = 2,66941 + 0,374445*dap + 0,50723* DAPO Donde DAPO = dap * ((H - bcvpp) / (H – 1,3)) dmsm y dap son expresados en centímetros y tanto H como bcvpp en metros. Cotejada la bondad del ajuste contra una muestra independiente el error promedio fue 0,04 cm y el error absoluto promedio alcanzo 0,91 cm.The maximum diameter over stub (dos) in trees of Pinus taeda L. origin Marion in the Northeast of the Province of Corrientes, Argentina, can be predicted with accuracy tor any pruning lift up to a maximum of four, and a dos height of 8.7 m above the ground. Tree variables employed for maximum dos prediction were diameter at breast height (D.B.H.), total height (Ht) and height above ground of the base of green crown before pruning (gcbbp) The best fitting and validated model against an independent database was: dos (cm) = 2.66941 + 0.374445* D.B.H. + 0.50723* DAPO Where DAPO = D.B.H. * ((H - bcvpp) / (H – 1,3)) D.B.H and dos are expressed in centimeters, Ht and gcbbp are in meters In the validation of the model, a mean error of 0.04 cm and an absolute mean error of 0.91 cm was obtained.EEA MontecarloFil: Fassola, Hugo Enrique. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Montecarlo; ArgentinaFil: Ferrere, Paula. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Montecarlo; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez A., Francisco. Papelera del Plata S.A.; Argentin

Secondary aroma: influence of wine microorganisms in their aroma profile

Aroma profile is one of the main features for the acceptance of wine. Yeasts and bacteria are the responsible organisms to carry out both, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation is in turn, responsible for transforming grape juice into wine and providing secondary aromas. Secondary aroma can be influenced by different factors; however, the influence of the microorganisms is one of the main agents affecting final wine aroma profile. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has historically been the most used yeast for winemaking process for its specific characteristics: high fermentative metabolism and kinetics, low acetic acid production, resistance to high levels of sugar, ethanol, sulfur dioxide and also, the production of pleasant aromatic compounds. Nevertheless, in the last years, the use of non-saccharomyces yeasts has been progressively growing according to their capacity to enhance aroma complexity and interact with S. cerevisiae, especially in mixed cultures. Hence, this review article is aimed at associating the main secondary aroma compounds present in wine with the microorganisms involved in the spontaneous and guided fermentations, as well as an approach to the strain variability of species, the genetic modifications that can occur and their relevance to wine aroma construction.The research leading to these results was supported by FEDER under the program Interreg V-A Spain-Portugal (POPTEC) 2014–2020 ref. 0377_IBERPHENOL_6_E and ref. 0181_NANOEATERS_ 01_E; by Xunta de Galicia supporting with the Axudas Conecta Peme the IN852A 2018/58 NeuroFood Project and the program EXCELENCIA-ED431F 2020/12; by EcoChestnut Project (Erasmus+ KA202) that supports the work of M. Carpena; by Ibero-American Program on Science and Technology (CYTED—AQUA-CIBUS, P317RT0003) and by the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 888003 UP4HEALTH Project (H2020-BBI-JTI-2019), the JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the Bio Based Industries Consortium. The research leading to these results was supported by MICINN with the Ramón&Cajal grant for M. A. Prieto (RYC-2017-22891) and the Juan de la Cierva_incorporación grant for P. Otero (IJCI-2016-27774); by Xunta de Galicia and University of Vigo supporting the postdoctoral grant of M. Fraga-Corral (ED481B-2019/096) and the pre-doctoral grant for P. García-Oliveira (ED481A-2019/295).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Protein-Based Films Functionalized with a Truncated Antimicrobial Peptide Sequence Display Broad Antimicrobial Activity

Producción CientíficaThe increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics is driving strong demand for new antimicrobial biomaterials. This work describes the fabrication of free-standing films exhibiting antimicrobial properties by combining, in the same polypeptide chain, an elastin-like recombinamer comprising 200 repetitions of the pentamer VPAVG (A200) and an 18-amino-acid truncated variant of the antimicrobial peptide BMAP-28, termed BMAP-18. The fusion protein BMAP-18A200 was overexpressed and conveniently purified by a simplified and scalable nonchromatographic process. Free-standing films of BMAP-18A200 demonstrated to be stable without requiring cross-linking agents and displayed high antimicrobial activity against skin pathogens including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as unicellular and filamentous fungi. The antimicrobial activity of the films was mediated by direct contact of cells with the film surface, resulting in compromised structural integrity of microbial cells. Furthermore, the BMAP-18A200 films showed no cytotoxicity on normal human cell lines (skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes). All of these results highlight the potential of these biotechnological multifunctional polymers as new drug-free materials to prevent and treat microbial infections.FCT I.P. (Fundaçao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, Portugal) and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through COMPETE2020Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (POCI, Portugal) in the framework of the Strategic Program UID/BIA/04050/2013 (POCI-01-0145FEDER-007569).program UID/BIA/04050/2019 funded by national funds through FCT I.P.Project EcoAgriFood (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000009), supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020