95 research outputs found

    Protective effect of microbiota-derived short chain fatty acids on vascular dysfunction in mice with systemic lupus erythematosus induced by toll like receptor 7 activation

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    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37972724/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661823003535?via%3DihubOur objective was to investigate whether short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), specifically acetate and butyrate, could prevent vascular dysfunction and elevated blood pressure (BP) in mice with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) induced by TLR7 activation using imiquimod (IMQ). Treatment with both SCFAs and dietary fibers rich in resistant starch (RS) or inulin-type fructans (ITF) effectively prevented the development of hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. Additionally, these treatments improved aortic relaxation induced by acetylcholine and mitigated vascular oxidative stress. Acetate and butyrate treatments also contributed to the maintenance of colonic integrity, reduced endotoxemia, and decreased the proportion of helper T (Th)17 cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), blood, and aorta in TLR7-induced SLE mice. The observed changes in MLNs were correlated with increased levels of GPR43 mRNA in mice treated with acetate and increased GPR41 levels along with decreased histone deacetylase (HDAC)- 3 levels in mice treated with butyrate. Notably, the effects attributed to acetate, but not butyrate, were nullified when co-administered with the GPR43 antagonist GLPG-0974. T cell priming and differentiation into Th17 cells in MLNs, as well as increased Th17 cell infiltration, were linked to aortic endothelial dysfunction and hypertension subsequent to the transfer of faecal microbiota from IMQ-treated mice to germ-free (GF) mice. These effects were counteracted in GF mice through treatment with either acetate or butyrate. To conclude, these findings underscore the potential of SCFA consumption in averting hypertension by restoring balance to the interplay between the gut, immune system, and vascular wall in SLE induced by TLR7 activation.This work was supported by Grants from Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain (MCIN) (Ref. PID2020-116347RB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033) co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund FEDER, Consejería de Universidad, Investigación e Innovación de la Junta de Andalucía (Ref. CTS 164, P20_00193, and A-CTS-318-UGR20) with funds from the European Union, and by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI22/01046, CIBER-CV). IR-V is postdoctoral funded by MINECO (FJC2021-048099-I). J.M. is a predoctoral fellow of MINECO (FPU18/02561), and C.G.-C. and S.M. are predoctoral fellow of Junta de Andalucía. The cost of this publication was paid in part with funds from the European Union (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional, FEDER, “FEDER una manera de hacer Europa”). The authors thank N. Rodríguez and V. Plaza for technical assistance

    Variación en pequeña escala de la estructura horizontal y vertical de comunidades macrobentónicas en una laguna costera del Atlántico Sudoccidental = Small-scale variation of the horizontal and vertical structure of macrobenthic communities in a coastal lagoon of the southwestern Atlantic

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    La Laguna de Rocha forma parte de la cadena de lagunas costeras que se extienden por la costa atlántica uruguaya y se continúa por el sur de Brasil. Presenta una dinámica ecológica compleja debido al gradiente marino-salobre. La macrofauna bentónica es un componente importante de estos ambientes estuariales que se ve afectada por la compleja dinámica del mismo. Analizamos cómo afectan las lenguas de arena (acumulaciones de arena perpendiculares a la barra) a la fauna macrobentónica. Se buscó establecer la relación del macrobentos con variables ambientales, a una escala vertical (estratos dentro del sedimento), y horizontal (a un lado y al otro de las lenguas), además de evaluar la influencia de la distancia a la intrusión marina. En todos los puntos de muestreo los parámetros ambientales (materia orgánica, fósforo total, oxígeno disuelto, clorofila-ay feopigmentos) presentaron una tendencia vertical (disminución hacia el fondo) y el macrobentos se relacionó con estos cambios. Se observó la dominancia de Heleobia australis, Nephtys fluviatilisy Heteromastus similisen diferentes estaciones y estratos. Existe una partición espacial de los recursos reflejada por estos cambios de dominancia, mientras quela distribución vertical de la comunidad macrobentónica responde tanto a las condiciones bióticas como a las ambientales

    Small-scale variation of the horizontal and vertical structure of macrobenthic communities in a coastal lagoon of the southwestern Atlantic

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    La Laguna de Rocha forma parte de la cadena de lagunas costeras que se extienden por la costa atlántica uruguaya y se continúa por el sur de Brasil. Presenta una dinámica ecológica compleja debido al gradiente marino-salobre. La macrofauna bentónica es un componente importante de estos ambientes estuariales que se ve afectada por la compleja dinámica del mismo. Analizamos cómo afectan las lenguas de arena (acumulaciones de arena perpendiculares a la barra) a la fauna macrobentónica. Se buscó establecer la relación del macrobentos con variables ambientales, a una escala vertical (estratos dentro del sedimento), y horizontal (a un lado y al otro de las lenguas), además de evaluar la influencia de la distancia a la intrusión marina. En todos los puntos de muestreo los parámetros ambientales (materia orgánica, fósforo total, oxígeno disuelto, clorofila-ay feopigmentos) presentaron una tendencia vertical (disminución hacia el fondo) y el macrobentos se relacionó con estos cambios. Se observó la dominancia de Heleobia australis, Nephtys fluviatilisy Heteromastus similisen diferentes estaciones y estratos. Existe una partición espacial de los recursos reflejada por estos cambios de dominancia, mientras quela distribución vertical de la comunidad macrobentónica responde tanto a las condiciones bióticas como a las ambientales.Rocha Lagoon is Part of the chain of coastal lagoons extended along Uruguayan Atlantic coast, which continues through southern Brazil. It presents a complex ecological dynamic due to the marine-brackish gradient. The benthic macrofauna is an important component of these estuarine environments which is affected by its complex dynamics. In this work, we analysed how sand-tongues (sand accumulation perpendicular to the sandbar) affect the macrobenthic fauna. We stablished the relationship between macrobenthos and environmental variables on a vertical (different depths within the sediment) and horizontal (both sides of the sand-tongues) scales, as well as evaluating the influence of the distance to the marine intrusion. In all the sampling points, the environmental parameters (organic matter, total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a and phaeopigments) showed a vertical trend (decreasing towards the bottom), and the macrobenthos responded to these changes. The dominance of Heleobia australis, Nephtys fluviatilis and Heteromastus similis was observed in different sampling points and sediment depths. There is a spatial partition of resources reflected by these changes in dominance, while the vertical distribution of the macrobenthic community responds to both biotic and environmental conditions

    Agreement between rebound (Icare ic200) and applanation tonometry (Perkins) in patients with primary congenital glaucoma

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    Purpose: To examine agreement between intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements made using the rebound tonometer Icare ic200 (RT200) and the Perkins handheld applanation tonometer (PAT) in patients with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). The impacts of several covariables on measurements using the two devices were also assessed. Materials and Methods: Intraocular pressure measurements were made in a single session in 86 eyes of 86 patients with PCG (46 under anaesthesia, 40 in the office). The order was RT200 then PAT. The variables age, central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal state and anaesthesia were recorded in each patient. Data were compared by determining interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for each tonometer and representing the differences detected as Bland–Altman plots. Effects of covariables were assessed through univariate and multivariate regression. Results: Mean IOP difference between tonometers (RT200 minus PAT) was 1.26 mmHg (95%: 0.22–2.31). Absolute agreement (ICC) was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.62–0.82). Lower and upper limits of agreement (95%) were −8.06 mmHg (95% CI: −9.87 to −6.25) and 10.59 mmHg (95% CI: 8.77–12.40), respectively. The tonometers showed systematic differences (a = −4.63 mmHg; 95% CI: −9.11 to −1.44) and proportional differences; for each mmHg increase in PAT‐IOP, the RT200 reading increased by 1.28 mmHg (b = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.12–1.53). None of the variables tested as predictors were able to explain differences between the tonometers. Conclusions: Despite the good overall agreement between both tonometers, caution should be taken in high values of IOP, considering the interchangeability of its readings as systematic and proportional differences appear to exist between both methods

    Investigación Formativa en Diseño de Moda a través del Proyecto Integrador de Semestre (PISE) 2018-3

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    Se toma como tema de investigación general “capital animal”; proyectos artísticos y culturales para la defensa de los derechos de los animales, en el cual el programa de Diseño de Modas desarrolló un proceso investigativo desde cada asignatura de diseño, que involucró las asignaturas técnicas; como son las Arquitecturas del Vestido (patronaje y confección); y las de Dibujo e Ilustración. Los semestres II y III orientaron su trabajo hacia la Línea de Investigación de Facultad y de Programa “Patrimonio y Cultura”, los semestres IV, V y VI lo hicieron hacia la Línea “Diseño e Innovación”, y el semestre VII, hacia la Línea “Comunicación Interactiva”. Los sub-temas para cada semestre se apoyaron en los núcleos problémicos de estas líneas, que van desde: saberes e identidad cultural, significados culturales, producción de artefactos hasta el lenguaje y comunicación visual; con el fin de generar un proceso creativo que diera como resultado una colección de moda, materializada en productos visuales e interactivos como un indumento, portafolio y página web

    Industrias audiovisuales: tendencias de producción y consumo

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    La digitalización de la creación cultural y su difusión online ha supuesto la entrada en los mercados de poderosos y novedosos agentes que se han convertido en los líderes no sólo de la industria tecnológica, sino de toda la producción cultural y de la economía. Dicha digitalización de los medios, además de la convergencia de las pantallas y la ruptura de la linealidad vertical y unidireccional de los medios convencionales ha conllevado un profundo cambio de paradigmas que atañe directamente a la creación audiovisual. Este volumen de la serie iniciada en el año 2012 a partir de las investigaciones de los estudiantes de la asignatura Estructura del mercado audiovisual del grado de Comunicación Audiovisual en la Universidad de Málaga nos lleva al análisis de la recepción y del consumo de diversas industrias del audiovisual, pero también al análisis de la producción condicionada por el contexto económico y por la demanda, así como a diversas cuestiones relacionadas con el marketing y los modelos de negocio de aquellas industrias. En una disciplina en la que no abundan los trabajos académicos actualizados, los autores y autoras de este volumen ofrecen con sus aportaciones estudios de casos significativos y paradigmáticos del estado de los diversos sectores de las industrias audiovisuales. Presentados aquí a modo de capítulos, estos textos suponen la iniciación en la investigación de estudiantes que combinan su formación académica e investigadora con su formación como profesionales en el área de la Comunicación Audiovisual. Ofrecemos aquí una selección de aquellas investigaciones que destacan por su interés, su capacidad analítica y crítica, su actualidad, su pertinencia y su disciplinada adecuación a una metodología de investigación apropiada para unos estudios que forman parte de las Ciencias Sociales. https://www.eumed.net/libros/1851/index.htm

    The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

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    Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

    Constraints on the structure and seasonal variations of Triton's atmosphere from the 5 October 2017 stellar occultation and previous observations

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    Context. A stellar occultation by Neptune's main satellite, Triton, was observed on 5 October 2017 from Europe, North Africa, and the USA. We derived 90 light curves from this event, 42 of which yielded a central flash detection. Aims. We aimed at constraining Triton's atmospheric structure and the seasonal variations of its atmospheric pressure since the Voyager 2 epoch (1989). We also derived the shape of the lower atmosphere from central flash analysis. Methods. We used Abel inversions and direct ray-tracing code to provide the density, pressure, and temperature profiles in the altitude range similar to 8 km to similar to 190 km, corresponding to pressure levels from 9 mu bar down to a few nanobars. Results. (i) A pressure of 1.18 +/- 0.03 mu bar is found at a reference radius of 1400 km (47 km altitude). (ii) A new analysis of the Voyager 2 radio science occultation shows that this is consistent with an extrapolation of pressure down to the surface pressure obtained in 1989. (iii) A survey of occultations obtained between 1989 and 2017 suggests that an enhancement in surface pressure as reported during the 1990s might be real, but debatable, due to very few high S/N light curves and data accessible for reanalysis. The volatile transport model analysed supports a moderate increase in surface pressure, with a maximum value around 2005-2015 no higher than 23 mu bar. The pressures observed in 1995-1997 and 2017 appear mutually inconsistent with the volatile transport model presented here. (iv) The central flash structure does not show evidence of an atmospheric distortion. We find an upper limit of 0.0011 for the apparent oblateness of the atmosphere near the 8 km altitude.J.M.O. acknowledges financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the European Social Fund (ESF) through the PhD grant SFRH/BD/131700/2017. The work leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community's H2020 2014-2021 ERC grant Agreement nffi 669416 "Lucky Star". We thank S. Para who supported some travels to observe the 5 October 2017 occultation. T.B. was supported for this research by an appointment to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Post-Doctoral Program at the Ames Research Center administered by Universities Space Research Association (USRA) through a contract with NASA. We acknowledge useful exchanges with Mark Gurwell on the ALMA CO observations. This work has made use of data from the European Space Agency (ESA) mission Gaia (https://www.cosmos.esa.int/gaia), processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC, https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/dpac/consortium).Funding for the DPAC has been provided by national institutions, in particular the institutions participating in the Gaia Multilateral Agreement. J.L.O., P.S.-S., N.M. and R.D. acknowledge financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through the "Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa" award to the Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (SEV-2017-0709), they also acknowledge the financial support by the Spanish grant AYA-2017-84637-R and the Proyecto de Excelencia de la Junta de Andalucia J.A. 2012-FQM1776. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under Grant Agreement no. 687378, as part of the project "Small Bodies Near and Far" (SBNAF). P.S.-S. acknowledges financial support by the Spanish grant AYA-RTI2018-098657-J-I00 "LEO-SBNAF". The work was partially based on observations made at the Laboratorio Nacional de Astrofisica (LNA), Itajuba-MG, Brazil. The following authors acknowledge the respective CNPq grants: F.B.-R. 309578/2017-5; R.V.-M. 304544/2017-5, 401903/2016-8; J.I.B.C. 308150/2016-3 and 305917/2019-6; M.A. 427700/20183, 310683/2017-3, 473002/2013-2. This study was financed in part by the Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior -Brasil (CAPES) -Finance Code 001 and the National Institute of Science and Technology of the e-Universe project (INCT do e-Universo, CNPq grant 465376/2014-2). G.B.R. acknowledges CAPES-FAPERJ/PAPDRJ grant E26/203.173/2016 and CAPES-PRINT/UNESP grant 88887.571156/2020-00, M.A. FAPERJ grant E26/111.488/2013 and A.R.G.Jr. FAPESP grant 2018/11239-8. B.E.M. thanks CNPq 150612/2020-6 and CAPES/Cofecub-394/2016-05 grants. Part of the photometric data used in this study were collected in the frame of the photometric observations with the robotic and remotely controlled telescope at the University of Athens Observatory (UOAO; Gazeas 2016). The 2.3 m Aristarchos telescope is operated on Helmos Observatory by the Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens. Observations with the 2.3 m Aristarchos telescope were carried out under OPTICON programme. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 730890. This material reflects only the authors views and the Commission is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. The 1. 2m Kryoneri telescope is operated by the Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens. The Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley (OAVdA) is managed by the Fondazione Clement Fillietroz-ONLUS, which is supported by the Regional Government of the Aosta Valley, the Town Municipality of Nus and the "Unite des Communes valdotaines Mont-Emilius". The 0.81 m Main Telescope at the OAVdA was upgraded thanks to a Shoemaker NEO Grant 2013 from The Planetary Society. D.C. and J.M.C. acknowledge funds from a 2017 'Research and Education' grant from Fondazione CRT-Cassa di Risparmio di Torino. P.M. acknowledges support from the Portuguese Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia ref. PTDC/FISAST/29942/2017 through national funds and by FEDER through COMPETE 2020 (ref. POCI010145 FEDER007672). F.J. acknowledges Jean Luc Plouvier for his help. S.J.F. and C.A. would like to thank the UCL student support observers: Helen Dai, Elise Darragh-Ford, Ross Dobson, Max Hipperson, Edward Kerr-Dineen, Isaac Langley, Emese Meder, Roman Gerasimov, Javier Sanjuan, and Manasvee Saraf. We are grateful to the CAHA, OSN and La Hita Observatory staffs. This research is partially based on observations collected at Centro Astronomico HispanoAleman (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated jointly by Junta de Andalucia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IAA-CSIC). This research was also partially based on observation carried out at the Observatorio de Sierra Nevada (OSN) operated by Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (CSIC). This article is also based on observations made with the Liverpool Telescope operated on the island of La Palma by Liverpool John Moores University in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias with financial support from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council. Partially based on observations made with the Tx40 and Excalibur telescopes at the Observatorio Astrofisico de Javalambre in Teruel, a Spanish Infraestructura Cientifico-Tecnica Singular (ICTS) owned, managed and operated by the Centro de Estudios de Fisica del Cosmos de Aragon (CEFCA). Tx40 and Excalibur are funded with the Fondos de Inversiones de Teruel (FITE). A.R.R. would like to thank Gustavo Roman for the mechanical adaptation of the camera to the telescope to allow for the observation to be recorded. R.H., J.F.R., S.P.H. and A.S.L. have been supported by the Spanish projects AYA2015-65041P and PID2019-109467GB-100 (MINECO/FEDER, UE) and Grupos Gobierno Vasco IT1366-19. Our great thanks to Omar Hila and their collaborators in Atlas Golf Marrakech Observatory for providing access to the T60cm telescope. TRAPPIST is a project funded by the Belgian Fonds (National) de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S.-FNRS) under grant PDR T.0120.21. TRAPPIST-North is a project funded by the University of Liege, and performed in collaboration with Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakesh. E.J. is a FNRS Senior Research Associate

    Regulation of Fn14 Receptor and NF-κB Underlies Inflammation in Meniere’s Disease

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    Meniere’s disease (MD) is a rare disorder characterized by episodic vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. It is associated with a fluid imbalance between the secretion of endolymph in the cochlear duct and its reabsorption into the subarachnoid space, leading to an accumulation of endolymph in the inner ear. Epidemiological evidence, including familial aggregation, indicates a genetic contribution and a consistent association with autoimmune diseases (AD). We conducted a case–control study in two phases using an immune genotyping array in a total of 420 patients with bilateral MD and 1,630 controls. We have identified the first locus, at 6p21.33, suggesting an association with bilateral MD [meta-analysis leading signal rs4947296, OR = 2.089 (1.661–2.627); p = 1.39 × 10−09]. Gene expression profiles of homozygous genotype-selected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) demonstrated that this region is a trans-expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) in PBMCs. Signaling analysis predicted several tumor necrosis factor-related pathways, the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway being the top candidate (p = 2.42 × 10−11). This pathway is involved in the modulation of inflammation in several human AD, including multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or rheumatoid arthritis. In vitro studies with genotype-selected lymphoblastoid cells from patients with MD suggest that this trans-eQTL may regulate cellular proliferation in lymphoid cells through the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway by increasing the translation of NF-κB. Taken together; these findings suggest that the carriers of the risk genotype may develop an NF-κB-mediated inflammatory response in MD
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