Hyperglycemia and Hyperinsulinemia-Like Conditions Independently Induce Inflammatory Responses in Human Chondrocytes

To elucidate the mechanisms by which type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM2) constitutes a risk factor for the development and progression of osteoarthritis (OA), this work determined whether high glucose and/or high insulin, the hallmarks of DM2, are capable of activating the transcription factor, Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB), which plays a critical role in OA by inducing the expression of pro-inflammatory and catabolic genes. For this, we analyzed NF-κB activation by measuring the nuclear levels of p65 by western blot. As readouts of NF-κB activity, Interleukin-1β, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression were analyzed by real time RT-PCR and western blot. Culture of the human chondrocytic cell line, C28-I2, in high glucose (30 mM) increased nuclear NF-κB p65 levels in a time-dependent manner, relative to cells cultured in medium containing 10 mM glucose (regular culture medium). High glucose-induced NF-κB activation was inhibited by co-treatment with its specific inhibitor, Bay 11-7082, 5 µM. Culture of primary human chondrocytes under high glucose for 24 h increased IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA levels by 97% (p = 0.0066) and 85% (p = 0.0045), respectively, while iNOS mRNA and protein levels and NO production increased by 61% (p = 0.0017), 148% (p = 0.0089), and 70% (p = 0.049), respectively, relative to chondrocytes maintained in 10 mM glucose. Treatment of chondrocytic cells with 100 nM insulin was also sufficient to increase nuclear NF-κB p65 levels, independently of the glucose concentration in the culture medium. This study shows that hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia are independently sufficient to induce inflammatory responses in human chondrocytes, namely by activating NF-κB. This can be a relevant mechanism by which DM type 2 and other conditions associated with impaired glucose and insulin homeostasis, like obesity and the metabolic syndrome, contribute to the development and progression of OA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The influence of coastal processes on inner shelf sediment distribution : the Eastern Algarve Shelf (Southern Portugal)

This study examines sediment distribution patterns in the Southeastern Algarve inner shelf (southern Portugal), an area characterized by marked variations in its coastal environment and low continental supply of sediments. The specific goals of this study were to identify the principal sediment sources and the factors influencing sediment transport paths and deposition. A total of 199 samples, collected along the shelf from the Guadiana River mouth to Olhos de Água, were analyzed. Grain-size distribution and parameters were measured for all the samples. Terrigenous and biogenic components of sand were identified in 38 samples, and results analyzed using multivariate non-linear multidimension scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis. Patterns of sediment distribution in this area of the inner shelf vary according to water depth and exhibit significant longshore variation, related mainly to coastal processes (littoral drift and storm currents) and to a lower degree to sediment sources. Sand is dominant at all depths, reflecting the influence of littoral drift in the supply and redistribution of shelf sediments. Fine and gravelsized deposits are significant in specific areas and are usually associated with changes in sediment composition. Five sectors have been identified according to sedimentary dynamics. The results, based on geostatistical and multivariate analysis, have allowed detailed sediment distribution maps to be generated, which represent an update of the existing cartography and serve as a tool for the management of coastal and marine resources. They have been furthermore compared with inner shelf sediment dynamics in other regions worldwide, to distinguish between specific regional responses to forcing mechanisms and processes that are more generalized within this type of shelf environments. In this context, the results obtained results in the Algarve study area are of great interest for the understanding of sediment dynamics of sand dominated inner shelves with reduced continental suppl

Navigation Facility for High Accuracy Offline Trajectory and Attitude Estimation in Airborne Applications

The paper focuses on a navigation facility, relying on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, developed to generate high-accuracy attitude and trajectory measurements in postprocessing. Target performance is cm-level positioning with tenth of degree attitude accuracy. The facility is based on the concept of GPS-aided inertial navigation but comprises carrier-phase differential GPS (CDGPS) processing and attitude estimation based on multiantenna GPS configurations. Expected applications of the system include: (a) performance assessment of integrated navigation systems, developed for general aviation aircraft and medium size unmanned aircraft systems (UAS); (b) generation of reference measurements to evaluate the flight performance of airborne sensors (e.g., radar or laser); and (c) generation of reference trajectory and attitude for improving imaging quality of airborne remote sensing data. The paper describes system architecture, selected algorithms for data processing and integration, and theoretical performance evaluation. Experimental results are also presented confirming the effectiveness of the implemented approach

Goat milk production and quality on Tanzania-grass pastures, with supplementation.

It was evaluated the production and quality of milk produced by goats grazing Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Tanzania (Guineagrass) and receiving four levels of concentrate supplementation. Eight Anglo Nubian goats, aged between two and four years, 43.6 kg in average body weight and between the 2nd and 4th lactation were distributed into two 4 x 4 balanced Latin square design. The supplementation levels were: 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of body weight. The concentrate was composed of corn and soybean meal. The intake of dry matter and nutrients, and the daily production of milk, 4% fat-corrected milk, fat, protein, lactose and total solids had increased (p < 0.05) with supplementation, whereas fat and total solids percentage were reduced (p < 0.05). The concentrate supplementation up to 1.5% of live weight in Tanzania-grass pasture raises the intake of dry matter and nutrients, resulting in a linear increase in milk production and of its components. [Produção e qualidade do leite de cabras em pasto cultivado de capim-Tanzânia suplementadas com concentrado]. Resumo: Avaliou-se a produção e qualidade do leite de cabras em pasto cultivado de Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Tanzânia sob níveis de suplementação com concentrado. Foram utilizadas oito cabras da raça Anglonubiana, com idade entre dois e quatro anos, peso médio de 43,6 kg, entre a 2ª e 4ª ordem de lactação, distribuídas em duplo quadrado latino balanceado 4 x 4. Os níveis de suplementação avaliados foram: 0,0; 0,5; 1,0 e 1,5% do peso vivo. O concentrado, foi composto por grão de milho e farelo de soja. O consumo de matéria seca e de nutrientes e as produções diárias de leite, de leite corrigido a 4% de gordura, gordura, proteína, lactose e sólidos totais aumentaram com a suplementação, enquanto que os teores de gordura e sólidos totais reduziram. A suplementação com concentrado em até 1,5% do peso vivo em pasto cultivado de capim-tanzânia promove aumento no consumo de matéria seca e de nutrientes da dieta, do que resulta o aumento linear na produção de leite e de seus constituintes

Sinking diatom assemblages as a key driver for deep carbon and silicon export in the Scotia Sea (Southern Ocean)

Physical and biogeochemical processes in the Southern Ocean are fundamental for modulating global climate. In this context, a process-based understanding of how Antarctic diatoms control primary production and carbon export, and hence global ocean carbon sequestration, has been identified as a scientific priority. Here we use novel sediment trap observations in combination with a data-assimilative ocean biogeochemistry model (ECCO-Darwin) to understand how environmental conditions trigger diatom ecology in the iron-fertilized southern Scotia Sea. We unravel the role of diatoms assemblage in controlling the biogeochemistry of sinking material escaping from the euphotic zone, and discuss the link between changes in upper-ocean environmental conditions and the composition of settling material exported from the surface to 1,000 m depth from March 2012 to January 2013. The combined analysis of in situ observations and model simulation suggests that an anomalous sea-ice episode in early summer 2012–2013 favored (via restratification due to sea-ice melt) an early massive bloom of Corethron pennatum that rapidly sank to depth. This event drove high biogenic silicon to organic carbon export ratios, while modulating the carbon and nitrogen isotopic signals of sinking organic matter reaching the deep ocean. Our findings highlight the role of diatom ecology in modulating silicon vs. carbon sequestration efficiency, a critical factor for determining the stoichiometric relationship of limiting nutrients in the Southern Ocean.CTM2009-08287-E/ANT, CTM2011-14056E/ANT, SGR 315 2017info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation antimicrobial and antiadhesive properties of the biosurfactant lunasan produced by candida sphaerica UCP 0995

Different groups of biosurfactants exhibit diverse properties and display a variety of physiological functions in producer microorganisms; these include enhancing the solubility of hydrophobic/water-insoluble compound, heave metal binding, bacterial pathogenesis, cell adhesion and aggregation, quorum sensing and biofilm formation. Candida sphaerica was grown in a low cost medium, consisting of distilled water supplemented with 9% refinery residue of soybean oil and 9% corn steep liquor, for 144 h at 28 C and 150 rpm. The cell-free supernatant obtained at the end of the experiments was submitted to extraction, and afterward the biosurfactant was isolated using methanol with a yield of 9 g l-1. The critical micelle concentration of the biosurfactant was found to be 0.25 mg ml-1 with a surface tension of 25 mN m-1. Several concentrations of the biosurfactant (0.625–10 mg ml-1) were used to evaluate its antimicrobial and antiadhesive activities against a variety of microorganisms. The biosurfactant showed antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus oralis (68%), Candida albicans (57%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis(57.6%) for the highest concentration tested. Furthermore, the biosurfactant at a concentration of 10 mg ml-1 inhibited the adhesion between 80 and 92% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus sanguis12. Inhibition of adhesion with percentages near 100% occurred for the higher concentrations of biosurfactant used. Results gathered in this study point to a potential use of the biosurfactant in biomedical applicationsThe authors acknowledge the funding agencies FACEPE, CNPq, FINEP, PRONEX, and UNICAMP for using their facilities and CAPES for sandwich doctorate scholarship

Overview of Phosphorus Effect in Molybdenum-Based Hydrotreating Catalysts Supported on Ordered Mesoporous Siliceous Materials

This chapter presents an overview of the literature on the effect of phosphorus modification of ordered mesoporous silica (OMS) such as MCM-41, HMS, SBA-15, and SBA-16 to be used as supports for hydrotreating catalysts based on transition metal sulfides (TMS). The influence of the support modification with variable quantities of phosphorus on the performance for hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) reactions is outlined and discussed considering the changes in the structural and textural properties (SBET), acidity, reducibility, etc., of the substrate brought about by phosphorus incorporation