Amphibian peptides for skin protection and healing

BACKGROUND: Amphibians are currently suffering a dramatic decline worldwide, mainly due to chytridiomycosis, a skin infection caused by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). An important natural defense of amphibian skin is the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) by granular glands in the dermis. AMPs collected from several species of frogs successfully inhibit the growth of Bd in vitro. Besides their anti-microbial and anti-fungal activities, AMPs have been shown to exert other biological effects such as anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, immunomodulating and wound healing. AIM: We intended to test the efficacy of AMPs as cutaneous defenses in frog species either resistant or susceptible to Bd. METHODS: 3 frog species (Gastrotheca nebulanastes (GN), G. excubitor (GE) and Hypsiboas gladiator (HG), were collected in montane scrub, cloud forest and high elevation grassland habitats near Manu National Park in southeastern Peru. AMP secretion was stimulated by injection of norepinephrine into the dorsal lymph sacks. AMPs were then purified by chromatographic techniques. The human endothelial cell line HECV was treated with AMP concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 50 \ub5g/mL. Cell viability was verified by MTT test. Wound healing properties were analyzed by scratch wound assay. AMP inhibition strength against Bd growth was measured in vitro by incubating Bd zoospores with different concentrations of AMPs. RESULTS: Treatment with AMPs secreted from GN, GE and HG did not affect HECV cell viability at any concentration tested. No significant differences in cell migration rate were observed in HECV cells scratched and treated with GN and GE AMPs. Only HG peptides showed wound healing properties as well as strong Bd growth inhibiting ability. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulation of wound healing mechanisms and inhibition of Bd growth by skin AMPs might both contribute to HG resistance to chytridiomycosis. Understanding the role of skin defenses may lead to the development of novel Bd mitigation strategies. Possible applications of amphibian AMPs in skin medicine deserve attention and further studies. This work was funded by the European Commission (Tender ENV.B.3/SER/2016/0028, Mitigating a new infectious disease in salamanders to counteract the loss of European biodiversity) and by Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre

Using Stories in Coach Education

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how storied representations of research can be used as an effective pedagogical tool in coach education. During a series of continuing professional development seminars for professional golf coaches, we presented our research in the form of stories and poems which were created in an effort to evoke and communicate the lived experiences of elite professional golfers. Following these presentations, we obtained written responses to the stories from 53 experienced coaches who attended the seminars. Analysis of this data revealed three ways in which coaches responded to the stories: (i) questioning; (ii) summarising; and (iii) incorporating. We conclude that these responses illustrate the potential of storied forms of representation to enhance professional development through stimulating reflective practice and increasing understanding of holistic, person-centred approaches to coaching athletes in high-performance sport

Tumor-Experienced Human NK Cells Express High Levels of PD-L1 and Inhibit CD8+ T Cell Proliferation

Natural Killer (NK) cells play a key role in cancer immunosurveillance. However, NK cells from cancer patients display an altered phenotype and impaired effector functions. In addition, evidence of a regulatory role for NK cells is emerging in diverse models of viral infection, transplantation, and autoimmunity. Here, we analyzed clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and observed that a higher expression of NK cell signature genes is associated with reduced survival. Analysis of fresh tumor samples from ccRCC patients unraveled the presence of a high frequency of tumor-infiltrating PD-L1+ NK cells, suggesting that these NK cells might exhibit immunoregulatory functions. In vitro, PD-L1 expression was induced on NK cells from healthy donors (HD) upon direct tumor cell recognition through NKG2D and was further up-regulated by monocyte-derived IL-18. Moreover, in vitro generated PD-L1hi NK cells displayed an activated phenotype and enhanced effector functions compared to PD-L1- NK cells, but simultaneously, they directly inhibited CD8+ T cell proliferation in a PD-L1-dependent manner. Our results suggest that tumors might drive the development of PD-L1-expressing NK cells that acquire immunoregulatory functions in humans. Hence, rational manipulation of these regulatory cells emerges as a possibility that may lead to improved anti-tumor immunity in cancer patients.Fil: Sierra, Jessica Mariel. 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: Secchiari, Florencia. 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: Nuñez, Sol Yanel. 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: Raffo Iraolagoitia, Ximena Lucía. 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: Ziblat, 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: Friedrich, Adrián David. 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; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Cátedra de Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Regge, María Victoria. 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: Santilli, Maria Cecilia. 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: Torres, Nicolás. 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: Gantov, Mariana. 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: Trotta, Aldana. 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: Ameri, Carlos Enrique. Hospital Alemán; ArgentinaFil: Vitagliano, Gonzalo. Hospital Alemán; ArgentinaFil: Ríos Pita, Hernando. Hospital Alemán; ArgentinaFil: Rico, Luis. Hospital Alemán; ArgentinaFil: Rovegno, Agustín. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Richards, Nicolás. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Domaica, Carolina 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: Zwirner, Norberto Walter. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; Argentina. 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: Fuertes, Mercedes Beatriz. 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

A little less conversation; a little more (relational) action please. A fictional dialogue of integrating theory into coaching practice

This paper presents a fictional dialogue that supports the application of theory in coaching pedagogy. The “constraints led approach” (CLA) is promoted throughout in conversation form, providing pedagogic solutions in response to the decaying performance levels of a fictitious football team. This deterioration is linked to “poor” coaching and the merits of a more innovative pedagogy through a discussion between “manager” and “coach” are presented. Recommendations are made with particular reference to developing games players, who are skilful, perceptive and intelligent, through being able to initiate and modify actions in dynamic contexts. Through substantiating a platform for both changing perceptions about coaching practice and challenging assumptions about learning, such accessibility to unfamiliar knowledge(s) can allow coaches to clearly consider possibilities for change. It is further suggested that through embracing the use of novel methodologies to consider unfamiliar theoretical territory, this demonstrates a responsibility to close and not widen a theory-practice gap. By presenting Mark (coach) as “theoretical negotiator”, this paper emphasises the potency of experimenting with nuanced methods that can be part of an academic process to help shape more theoretically literate coaches

Synthesis, Photoisomerization, Antioxidant Activity, and Lipid-Lowering Effect of Ferulic Acid and Feruloyl Amides

The Ugi four-component reaction employing naturally occurred ferulic acid (FA) is proposed as a convenient method to synthesize feruloyl tertiary amides. Applying this strategy, a peptoid-like derivative of ferulic acid (FEF77) containing 2 additional hydroxy-substituted aryl groups, has been synthesized. The influence of the configuration of the double bond of ferulic acid and feruloyl amide on the antioxidant activity has been investigated thanks to light-mediated isomerization studies. At the cellular level, both FA, trans and cis isomers of FEF77 were able to protect human endothelial cord vein (HECV) cells from the oxidative damage induced by exposure to hydrogen peroxide, as measured by cell viability and ROS production assays. Moreover, in steatotic FaO rat hepatoma cells, an in vitro model resembling non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the molecules exhibited a lipid-lowering effect, which, along with the antioxidant properties, points to consider feruloyl amides for further investigations in a therapeutic perspective