Enriched environment reduces glioma growth through immune and non-immune mechanisms in mice

Mice exposed to standard (SE) or enriched environment (EE) were transplanted with murine or human glioma cells and differences in tumour development were evaluated. We report that EE exposure affects: (i) tumour size, increasing mice survival; (ii) glioma establishment, proliferation and invasion; (iii) microglia/macrophage (M/Mφ) activation; (iv) natural killer (NK) cell infiltration and activation; and (v) cerebral levels of IL-15 and BDNF. Direct infusion of IL-15 or BDNF in the brain of mice transplanted with glioma significantly reduces tumour growth. We demonstrate that brain infusion of IL-15 increases the frequency of NK cell infiltrating the tumour and that NK cell depletion reduces the efficacy of EE and IL-15 on tumour size and of EE on mice survival. BDNF infusion reduces M/Mφ infiltration and CD68 immunoreactivity in tumour mass and reduces glioma migration inhibiting the small G protein RhoA through the truncated TrkB.T1 receptor. These results suggest alternative approaches for glioma treatment

MicroRNAs show a wide diversity of expression profiles in the developing and mature central nervous system

A comprehensive analysis of the neuroanatomical expression profiles of 38 abundant conserved miRNAs in developing and adult zebrafish brain was performed

The plant-specific DDR factor SOG1 increases chromatin mobility in response to DNA damage

Homologous recombination (HR) is a conservative DNA repair pathway in which intact homologous sequences are used as a template for repair. How the homology search happens in the crowded space of the cell nucleus is, however, still poorly understood. Here, we measure chromosome and double-strand break (DSB) site mobility in Arabidopsis thaliana, using lacO/LacI lines and two GFP-tagged HR reporters. We observe an increase in chromatin mobility upon the induction of DNA damage, specifically at the S/G2 phases of the cell cycle. This increase in mobility is lost in the sog1-1 mutant, a central transcription factor of the DNA damage response in plants. Also, DSB sites show particularly high mobility levels and their enhanced mobility requires the HR factor RAD54. Our data suggest that repair mechanisms promote chromatin mobility upon DNA damage, implying a role of this process in the early steps of the DNA damage response

Fabrication of W-band TWT for 5G small cells backhaul

The W-band (92 - 95 GHz) Traveling Wave Tube enabling the first Point to multipoint millimeter wave backhaul wireless network is in final phase of fabrication. The challenge is to build a TWT suitable for large volume fabrication to satisfy the cost constraints of network operators. Performances are targeted to provide coverage on sectors up to 90° with 1 km range. Simulations demonstrate a bandwidth of operation in excess of 5 GHz with a saturated output power of 40 W. The TWT is directly connected to a sector horn antenna

Fabrication of W-band TWT for 5G small cells backhaul

The W-band (92 - 95 GHz) Traveling Wave Tube enabling the first Point to multipoint millimeter wave backhaul wireless network is in final phase of fabrication. The challenge is to build a TWT suitable for large volume fabrication to satisfy the cost constraints of network operators. Performances are targeted to provide coverage on sectors up to 90° with 1 km range. Simulations demonstrate a bandwidth of operation in excess of 5 GHz with a saturated output power of 40 W. The TWT is directly connected to a sector horn antenna

Millimeter wave wireless system based on point to multipoint transmissions

The continuously growing traffic demand has motivated the exploration of underutilized millimeter wave frequency spectrum for future mobile broadband communication networks. Research activities focus mainly on the use of the V-band (59 - 64 GHz) and E-band (71 - 76 & 81 - 84 GHz) to offer multi-gigabit point to point transmissions. This paper describes an innovative W-band (92-95 GHz) point to multipoint wireless network for high capacity access and backhaul applications. Point to multipoint wireless networks suffer from limited RF power available. The proposed network is based on a high power, wide band traveling wave tube of new generation and an affordable high performance transceiver. These new devices enable a new transmission paradigm and overcome the relevant technological challenges imposed by the high atmosphere attenuation and the presently lack of power amplification required to provide adequate coverage at millimeter waves

Technology, Assembly, and Test of a W-Band Traveling Wave Tube for New 5G High-Capacity Networks

The folded waveguide (FWG) traveling wave tube (TWT) developed in the frame of the Horizon 2020 TWEETHER project for enabling a novel W-band (92-95 GHz) high capacity wireless network for 5G is presented. The FWG TWT was designed by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. The technology and the results in terms of measured RF losses and beam transmission from the realized beam tester are presented. Amplification on the first TWT breadboard has been observed but with a poor multireflection pattern resulting from spurious burrs inside the FWG. It indicates, however, that the FWG technology offers great manufacturing simplification compared to conventional helix TWTs, thus enabling a low-cost device with large series production suitable for the wide market of wireless communications

11β-HSD2 SUMOylation Modulates Cortisol-induced Mineralocorticoid Receptor Nuclear Translocation Independently of Effects on Transactivation

The enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) has an essential role in aldosterone target tissues, conferring aldosterone selectivity for the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) by converting 11β-hydroxyglucocorticoids to inactive 11-ketosteroids. Congenital deficiency of 11β-HSD2 causes a form of salt-sensitive hypertension known as the syndrome of apparent mineralocorticoid excess. The disease phenotype, which ranges from mild to severe, correlates well with reduction in enzyme activity. Furthermore, polymorphisms in the 11β-HSD2 coding gene (HSD11B2) have been linked to high blood pressure and salt sensitivity, major cardiovascular risk factors. 11β-HSD2 expression is controlled by different factors such as cytokines, sex steroids, or vasopressin, but posttranslational modulation of its activity has not been explored. Analysis of 11β-HSD2 sequence revealed a consensus site for conjugation of small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) peptide, a major posttranslational regulatory event in several cellular processes. Our results demonstrate that 11β-HSD2 is SUMOylated at lysine 266. Non-SUMOylatable mutant K266R showed slightly higher substrate affinity and decreased Vmax, but no effects on protein stability or subcellular localization. Despite mild changes in enzyme activity, mutant K266R was unable to prevent cortisol-dependent MR nuclear translocation. The same effect was achieved by coexpression of wild-type 11β-HSD2 with sentrin-specific protease 1, a protease that catalyzes SUMO deconjugation. In the presence of 11β-HSD2-K266R, increased nuclear MR localization did not correlate with increased response to cortisol or increased recruitment of transcriptional coregulators. Taken together, our data suggests that SUMOylation of 11β-HSD2 at residue K266 modulates cortisol-mediated MR nuclear translocation independently of effects on transactivation

Diversity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated of the spontaneous fermentation of cachaça from northeastern Brazil / Diversidade de linhagens de Saccharomyces cerevisiae isoladas de fermentações espontâneas de cachaça do nordeste Brasileiro

Cachaça is a beverage obtained by distilling fermented sugar cane juice. The state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil is the second-largest producer of traditional cachaça, and this region has the potential to improve the quality and quantity of its beverage production. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations isolated from must in six distilleries in Bahia using mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (mtDNA-RFLP). Among the three hundred and thirty S. cerevisiae strains isolated, mtDNA-RFLP analysis identified a total of 30 molecular patterns. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the greatest genetic variation was found among, rather than within, the populations. Population structure analyses showed the presence of three distinct gene pools, thereby corroborating the AMOVA results. This study represents an important contribution to better understanding the molecular characterization and genetic variability of S. cerevisiae strains during the fermentation of cachaça. The dominant molecular patterns identified here may be used to select S. cerevisiae strains that could improve the quality and volume of traditional cachaça production in Bahia.