Lysophosphatidylcholine induces NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated foam cell formation and pyroptosis in human monocytes and endothelial cells

Foam cells are specialized lipid-loaded macrophages derived from monocytes and are a key pathological feature of atherosclerotic lesions. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is a major lipid component of the plasma membrane with a broad spectrum of proinflammatory activities and plays a key role in atherosclerosis. However, the role of LPC in lipid droplet (LD) biogenesis and the modulation of inflammasome activation is still poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated whether LPC can induce foam cell formation through an analysis of LD biogenesis and determined whether the cell signaling involved in this process is mediated by the inflammasome activation pathway in human endothelial cells and monocytes. Our results showed that LPC induced foam cell formation in both types of cells by increasing LD biogenesis via a NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent pathway. Furthermore, LPC induced pyroptosis in both cells and the activation of the inflammasome with IL-1β secretion, which was dependent on potassium efflux and lysosomal damage in human monocytes. The present study described the IL-1β secretion and foam cell formation triggered by LPC via an inflammasome-mediated pathway in human monocytes and endothelial cells. Our results will help improve our understanding of the relationships among LPC, LD biogenesis, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis

Perspectivas atuais sobre o uso de psilocibina no manejo da depressão resistente: revisão sistemática

A depressão resistente ao tratamento é um desafio global, impactando negativamente a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Nesse contexto, a psilocibina, um composto psicodélico presente em certos cogumelos, desperta interesse como possível intervenção terapêutica. Seu potencial para influenciar positivamente o humor e a cognição, através da ativação dos receptores de serotonina no cérebro, sugere uma nova abordagem no tratamento da depressão resistente. Este estudo busca analisar as perspectivas atuais sobre o uso da psilocibina nesse contexto, destacando a necessidade de mais pesquisas sobre seus efeitos e segurança para sua integração clínica. Este estudo, baseado em uma revisão sistemática da literatura científica, abrange o período de 2016 a 2024, utilizando as bases de dados PubMed (Medline), Cochrane Library e Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO). No primeiro estudo, os efeitos agudos da psilocibina foram detectáveis de 30 a 60 minutos após a administração, atingindo o pico em 2 a 3 horas e diminuindo após pelo menos 6 horas. A substância foi bem tolerada, com eventos adversos leves e transitórios. Houve uma redução significativa nos sintomas depressivos, ansiedade e anedonia após o tratamento com doses altas. O segundo estudo envolveu 233 participantes distribuídos em grupos de doses diferentes. Houve uma redução significativa nos sintomas depressivos após o tratamento, com doses mais altas apresentando uma diferença estatisticamente maior em comparação com a dose mais baixa e o grupo de controle. Eventos adversos, como dor de cabeça e náusea, foram comuns entre os participantes. O terceiro estudo abordou as perspectivas futuras para o tratamento com psilocibina para depressão resistente. Recomendações incluíram equilibrar o tempo dos pacientes e terapeutas, aumentar gradualmente a intensidade das sessões e integrar a terapia sustentada ao tratamento. O envolvimento de pacientes experientes e estudos naturalísticos adicionais foi destacado como importante para abordagens mais personalizadas. Em resumo, a psilocibina mostra potencial como tratamento para a depressão resistente, com redução significativa dos sintomas depressivos e boa tolerabilidade. No entanto, são necessárias mais pesquisas para confirmar sua eficácia e segurança, destacando a importância de estudos adicionais e ensaios clínicos controlados

Butyrate Protects Mice from Clostridium difficile-Induced Colitis through an HIF-1-Dependent Mechanism

Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis is a key factor predisposing intestinal infection by Clostridium difficile. Here, we show that interventions that restore butyrate intestinal levels mitigate clinical and pathological features of C. difficile-induced colitis. Butyrate has no effect on C. difficile colonization or toxin production. However, it attenuates intestinal inflammation and improves intestinal barrier function in infected mice, as shown by reduced intestinal epithelial permeability and bacterial translocation, effects associated with the increased expression of components of intestinal epithelial cell tight junctions. Activation of the transcription factor HIF-1 in intestinal epithelial cells exerts a protective effect in C. difficile-induced colitis, and it is required for butyrate effects. We conclude that butyrate protects intestinal epithelial cells from damage caused by C. difficile toxins via the stabilization of HIF-1, mitigating local inflammatory response and systemic consequences of the infection

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

COMPLICAÇÕES DA DERIVAÇÃO VENTRÍCULO-PERITONEAL EM PACIENTES PEDIÁTRICOS: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA

Introduction: Hydrocephalus is characterized by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the cerebral ventricular system, leading to increased intracranial pressure and dilatation of the ventricles. In children, it is manifested by irritability, accelerated growth of the head circumference, and signs of intracranial hypertension. Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (PVD) is a common surgical technique for CSF drainage. Objective: To analyze the complications associated with PVD in pediatric patients, identifying risk factors, patterns of occurrence, and clinical outcomes, to improve care and clinical outcomes. Methodology: An integrative review was carried out in consultation with PubMed and SciELO. Descriptors such as "ventriculoperitoneal shunt," "complications," "hydrocephalus," "infection," and "malfunction" were used. Articles from the last five years, in Portuguese and English, addressing complications of PVD were included. Out-of-scope, full-text, and duplicate studies were excluded. A total of 11 articles were selected for analysis. Results: We included 11 articles that highlighted complications such as infections, device malfunctions, obstructions, and abdominal complications. Shunt infections occur in up to 15% of pediatric cases, often within the first 6 to 12 months postoperatively. Distal catheter malfunction is common and requires frequent surgical revisions. Rare complications include abdominal pseudocysts, distal catheter extrusion, and gram-negative bacterial infections, with high rates in the first few days after shunt insertion. Frequent revisions increase the risk of complications. Conclusions: PVD, although effective, has several complications that impact the quality of life of pediatric patients. Infections and system malfunctions are the most common complications. Multidisciplinary management and preventive strategies are essential to optimize clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients.Introducción: La hidrocefalia se caracteriza por la acumulación de líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) en el sistema ventricular cerebral, lo que conduce a un aumento de la presión intracraneal y a la dilatación de los ventrículos. En los niños, se manifiesta por irritabilidad, crecimiento acelerado de la circunferencia cefálica y signos de hipertensión intracraneal. La derivación ventriculoperitoneal (PVD, por sus siglas en inglés) es una técnica quirúrgica común para el drenaje del LCR. Objetivo: Analizar las complicaciones asociadas a la EVP en pacientes pediátricos, identificando factores de riesgo, patrones de ocurrencia y resultados clínicos, para mejorar la atención y los resultados clínicos. Metodología: Se realizó una revisión integradora en consulta con PubMed y SciELO. Se utilizaron descriptores como "derivación ventriculoperitoneal", "complicaciones", "hidrocefalia", "infección" y "disfunción". Se incluyeron artículos de los últimos cinco años, en portugués e inglés, que abordaron las complicaciones de la EVP. Se excluyeron los estudios fuera de alcance, de texto completo y duplicados. Se seleccionaron un total de 11 artículos para el análisis. Resultados: Se incluyeron 11 artículos que destacaron complicaciones como infecciones, mal funcionamiento del dispositivo, obstrucciones y complicaciones abdominales. Las infecciones por derivación ocurren hasta en el 15% de los casos pediátricos, a menudo dentro de los primeros 6 a 12 meses después de la operación. El mal funcionamiento del catéter distal es común y requiere revisiones quirúrgicas frecuentes. Las complicaciones raras incluyen pseudoquistes abdominales, extrusión de catéter distal e infecciones bacterianas gramnegativas, con tasas altas en los primeros días después de la inserción de la derivación. Las revisiones frecuentes aumentan el riesgo de complicaciones. Conclusiones: La EVP, aunque efectiva, tiene varias complicaciones que impactan en la calidad de vida de los pacientes pediátricos. Las infecciones y el mal funcionamiento del sistema son las complicaciones más comunes. El manejo multidisciplinario y las estrategias preventivas son esenciales para optimizar los resultados clínicos y la calidad de vida de los pacientes.Introdução: A hidrocefalia é caracterizada pelo acúmulo de líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR) no sistema ventricular cerebral, levando ao aumento da pressão intracraniana e dilatação dos ventrículos. Em crianças, manifesta-se por irritabilidade, crescimento acelerado do perímetro cefálico e sinais de hipertensão intracraniana. A derivação ventrículo-peritoneal (DVP) é uma técnica cirúrgica comum para drenagem do LCR. Objetivo: Analisar as complicações associadas à DVP em pacientes pediátricos, identificando fatores de risco, padrões de ocorrência e desfechos clínicos, para melhorar os cuidados e resultados clínicos. Metodologia: Realizou-se uma revisão integrativa consultando PubMed e SciELO. Utilizaram-se descritores como "ventriculoperitoneal shunt," "complications," "hydrocephalus," "infection," e "malfunction". Foram incluídos artigos dos últimos cinco anos, em português e inglês, abordando complicações da DVP. Excluíram-se estudos fora do escopo, não disponíveis em texto completo e duplicados. Selecionaram-se 11 artigos para análise. Resultados: Foram integrados 11 artigos que destacaram complicações como infecções, mau funcionamento do dispositivo, obstruções e complicações abdominais. Infecções de shunt ocorrem em até 15% dos casos pediátricos, frequentemente nos primeiros 6 a 12 meses pós-cirurgia. O mau funcionamento do cateter distal é comum e requer revisões cirúrgicas frequentes. Complicações raras incluem pseudocistos abdominais, extrusão distal do cateter e infecções bacterianas gram-negativas, com altas taxas nos primeiros dias após a inserção do shunt. Revisões frequentes aumentam o risco de complicações. Conclusões: A DVP, embora eficaz, apresenta várias complicações que impactam a qualidade de vida dos pacientes pediátricos. Infecções e mau funcionamento do sistema são as complicações mais comuns. A gestão multidisciplinar e estratégias preventivas são essenciais para otimizar os resultados clínicos e a qualidade de vida dos pacientes

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost