Experimental Type 2 Diabetes Induces Enzymatic Changes in Isolated Rat Enterocytes

Diabetes in humans and in experimental animals produces changes in the function and structure of the small intestine. The authors determined the activity of intestinal disaccharidases (maltase and sucrase) and of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase (PFK-1) in enterocytes isolated from the small intestine of male Wistar rats (2.5 to 3 months old) with experimental nonobese type 2 diabetes, induced by streptozotocin (STZ) injection on the day of birth (n0-STZ) or on the 5th day of life (n5-STZ), with different degrees of hyperglycemia and insulinemia (n0-STZ and n5-STZ models). The glycemia (mmol/L) of the diabetic rats (n0-STZ: 8.77 ± 0.47; n5-STZ: 20.83 ± 0.63) was higher (P < .01) than that of the nondiabetic (ND) rats (5.99 ± 0.63); on the contrary, the insulinemia (ng/mL) was significantly lower in both n0-STZ (1.74 ± 0.53; P < .05) and n5-STZ (1.12 ± 0.44; P < .01) diabetic rats than in normal rats (3.77 ± 0.22). The sucrase and maltase activities (U/g protein) in diabetic rats (n0-STZ: 89 ± 9 and 266 ± 12; n5-STZ: 142 ± 23 and 451 ± 57) were significantly higher than those in the ND group (66 ± 5 and 228 ± 22). The PFK-1 activities (mU/mg protein) in the diabetic models (n0-STZ: 14.89 ± 1.51; n5-STZ: 13.35 ± 3.12) were significantly lower (P < .05) than in ND rats (20.54 ± 2.83). The data demonstrated enzymatic alterations in enterocytes isolated fromthe small intestine of n0-STZ rats that are greater (P < .05) than in the more hyperglycemic and hypoinsulinemic n5-STZ animals. The results also show that nonobese type 2–like diabetes in the rat produces modifications that favor an increase in glucose absorption rates

Conditioned Media from Adipose-Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Downregulate Degradative Mediators Induced by Interleukin-1β in Osteoarthritic Chondrocytes

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most frequent joint disorder and an important cause of disability. Recent studies have shown the potential of adipose-tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSC) for cartilage repair. We have investigated whether conditioned medium from AD-MSC (CM) may regulate in OA chondrocytes a number of key mediators involved in cartilage degeneration. CM enhanced type II collagen expression in OA chondrocytes while decreasing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in cell supernatants as well as the levels of MMP-3 and MMP-13 proteins and mRNA in OA chondrocytes stimulated with interleukin- (IL-) 1β. In addition, CM increased IL-10 levels and counteracted the stimulating effects of IL-1β on the production of tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, prostaglandin E2, and NO measured as nitrite and the mRNA expression of these cytokines, CCL-2, CCL-3, CCL-4, CCL-5, CCL-8, CCL-19, CCL-20, CXCL-1, CXCL-2, CXCL-3, CXCL-5, CXCL-8, cyclooxygenase-2, microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1, and inducible NO synthase. These effects may be dependent on the inhibition of nuclear factor-κB activation by CM. Our data demonstrate the chondroprotective actions of CM and provide support for further studies of this approach in joint disease

Enhanced Antibacterial Activity through Silver Nanoparticles Deposited onto Carboxylated Graphene Oxide Surface

[EN] The strong bactericidal action of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is usually limited by their degree of aggregation. Deposition of AgNPs onto a graphene oxide (GO) surface to generate GO-Ag hybrids has been shown to be an effective method of controlling these aggregation problems. In this sense, a novel carboxylated graphene oxide-silver nanoparticle (GOCOOH-Ag) material has been synthesized, and their antibacterial and biofilm formation inhibitions have been studied. AgNPs decorating the GOCOOH surface achieved an average size of 6.74 +/- 0.25 nm, which was smaller than that of AgNPs deposited onto the GO surface. In addition, better distribution of AgNPs was achieved using carboxylated material. It is important to highlight the main role of the carboxylic groups in the nucleation and growth of the AgNPs that decorate the GO-based material surface. In vitro antibacterial activity and antibiofilm-forming action were tested against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli). Both GO-Ag and GOCOOH-Ag reduced bacterial growth, analyzed by time-kill curves. However, the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration of GOCOOH-Ag were lower than those of GO-Ag for all strains studied, indicating that GOCOOH-Ag has better antibacterial activity. In addition, both nanomaterials prevent biofilm formation, with a higher reduction of biofilm mass and cell viability in the presence of GOCOOH-Ag. The carboxylation functionalization in GO-based materials can be applied to improve the bactericidal and antibiofilm-forming action of the AgNPs.This research was funded by Agencia Valenciana de la Innovacio (Valencian Regional Government) under the project INNEST00/19/002 and the Spanish Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad (project SAF2017-82251-R) and co-financed with ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) "A way for Europe".Barjola, A.; Tormo-Mas, MÁ.; Sahuquillo, O.; Bernabé-Quispe, P.; Pérez, JM.; Giménez Torres, E. (2022). Enhanced Antibacterial Activity through Silver Nanoparticles Deposited onto Carboxylated Graphene Oxide Surface. Nanomaterials. 12(12):1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12121949115121

An Assessment of the Effect of Human Herpesvirus-6 Replication on Active Cytomegalovirus Infection after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) may enhance cytomegalovirus (CMV) replication in allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT) recipients either through direct or indirect mechanisms. Definitive evidence supporting this hypothesis are lacking. We investigated the effect of HHV-6 replication on active CMV infection in 68 allo-SCT recipients. Analysis of plasma HHV-6 and CMV DNAemia was performed by real-time PCR. Enumeration of pp65 and IE-1 CMV-specific IFNγ CD8+ and CD4+T cells was performed by intracellular cytokine staining. HHV-6 DNAemia occurred in 39.8% of patients, and was significantly associated with subsequent CMV DNAemia in univariate (P=.01), but not in multivariate analysis (P=.65). The peak of HHV-6 DNAemia was not predictive of the development of CMV DNAemia. Timing and kinetics of active CMV infection were comparable in patients either with or without a preceding episode of HHV-6 DNAemia. The occurrence of HHV-6 DNAemia had no impact on CMV-specific T cell immunity reconstitution early after transplant. The receipt of a graft from an HLA-mismatched donor was independently associated with HHV-6 (P=.009) and CMV reactivation (P=.04). The data favor the hypothesis that a state of severe immunosuppression leads to HHV-6 and CMV coactivation, but argue against a role of HHV-6 in predisposing to the development of CMV DNAemia or influencing the course of active CMV infection

The ERICE-score: the new native cardiovascular score for the low-risk and aged mediterranean population of Spain

[Abstract] Introduction and objectives. In Spain, data based on large population-based cohorts adequate to provide an accurate prediction of cardiovascular risk have been scarce. Thus, calibration of the EuroSCORE and Framingham scores has been proposed and done for our population. The aim was to develop a native risk prediction score to accurately estimate the individual cardiovascular risk in the Spanish population. Methods. Seven Spanish population-based cohorts including middle-aged and elderly participants were assembled. There were 11 800 people (6387 women) representing 107 915 person-years of follow-up. A total of 1214 cardiovascular events were identified, of which 633 were fatal. Cox regression analyses were conducted to examine the contributions of the different variables to the 10-year total cardiovascular risk. Results. Age was the strongest cardiovascular risk factor. High systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and smoking were strong predictive factors. The contribution of serum total cholesterol was small. Antihypertensive treatment also had a significant impact on cardiovascular risk, greater in men than in women. The model showed a good discriminative power (C-statistic = 0.789 in men and C = 0.816 in women). Ten-year risk estimations are displayed graphically in risk charts separately for men and women. Conclusions. The ERICE is a new native cardiovascular risk score for the Spanish population derived from the background and contemporaneous risk of several Spanish cohorts. The ERICE score offers the direct and reliable estimation of total cardiovascular risk, taking in consideration the effect of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular risk factor management. The ERICE score is a practical and useful tool for clinicians to estimate the total individual cardiovascular risk in Spain.[Resumen] Introducción y objetivos. En España no existen unas cohortes poblacionales suficientemente grandes para hacer predicciones precisas del riesgo cardiovascular. Las ecuaciones de Framingham y EuroSCORE calibradas son las más utilizadas en España. El objetivo es desarrollar la primera ecuación de predicción autóctona para estimar con precisión el riesgo cardiovascular individual en España. Métodos. Análisis conjunto de siete cohortes españolas de población de mediana edad y anciana. La población del estudio —11.800 personas (6.387 mujeres)— aportó un total de 107.915 personas-año de seguimiento y 1.214 eventos cardiovasculares (633 de ellos, mortales). Se efectuó un análisis de regresión de Cox para examinar la contribución de los diferentes factores al riesgo de cualquier evento cardiovascular (mortal y no mortal). Resultados. La edad fue el principal factor de riesgo de eventos cardiovasculares. La presión arterial sistólica, la diabetes mellitus, el tabaquismo y el tratamiento antihipertensivo fueron factores predictivos fuertemente asociados con el riesgo cardiovascular. En cambio, la contribución del colesterol total sérico fue pequeña, especialmente en los mayores de 70 años. El modelo final de riesgo mostró un buen poder discriminatorio (estadístico C = 0,789 en varones y C = 0,816 en mujeres). Conclusiones. ERICE es una nueva ecuación de riesgo cardiovascular genuinamente española obtenida a partir del riesgo concurrente individual de los participantes en varias cohortes. La ecuación ERICE ofrece una estimación directa y fiable del riesgo cardiovascular total teniendo en cuenta factores como la diabetes mellitus y el tratamiento farmacológico de los factores de riesgo cardiovascular, habitualmente no incluidos en otras ecuaciones.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; G03/065Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI05/1464Instituto de Salud Carlos III; RD06/0014/001

Castillejo of Monteagudo (Murcia, Spain). Comprehensive analysis for Islamic structures conservation in seismic regions

[EN] The Castillejo of Monteagudo, which was built on second half of the twelfth century, is a fortified palace situated on rural suburbs of Murcia. It is 4 km to the northeast from the historic center of the city. This monument was part of a big almunia constitued by several emblematic buildings and some important hydraulic and agricultural infrastructures. It is unique in the Iberian Peninsula so its study and conservation are important to understand a not so well known historical period. The walls of this building were constructed in rammed earth and they contained one of the most important cruised patio of hispanic-muslim architecture. In spite of been listed as a Cultural Interest property its conservation state is awful. Its abandonment hinders its preservation for future generations. The Region of Murcia is an area with seismic activity. So, considering the place where the Castillejo is located, a seismic-structural study from a virtual model is executed to check its behavior in front of an earthquake. The results supply relevant information of both its current structural conservation state and its behavior or damages in case of a seismic event. That allow us to assess how urgent an intervention is and also it assures the correct way of conservation, restoration and maintenance.Serrano Latorre, MJ.; Alonso Durá, A.; Collado Espejo, PE.; Tormo Esteve, S. (2020). Castillejo de Monteagudo (Murcia, España). Análisis integral para la conservación de estructuras islámicas en regiones sísmicas. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 205-212. https://doi.org/10.4995/FORTMED2020.2020.1143020521

Anti-inflammatory activity in selected Antarctic benthic organisms

Antarctic benthos was prospected in search for anti-inflammatory activity in polar benthic invertebrates, in two different geographical areas: deep-bottoms of the Eastern Weddell Sea and shallow-waters of the South Shetland Islands. A total of 36 benthic algae and invertebrate species were selected to perform solubility tests in order to obtain extracts that were soluble at an innocuous ethanol concentration (0.2%) for cell culture, and further test them for anti-inflammatory activity. From these, ethanol extracts of ten species from five different phyla resulted suitable to be studied in cell macrophage cultures (RAW 264.7). Cytotoxicity (MTT method) and production of inflammatory mediators (prostaglandin E2, leukotriene B4, interleukin-1β) were determined at three extract concentrations (50, 125, 250 μg/mL). Bioassays resulted in four different species showing anti-inflammatory activity corresponding to three sponges: Mycale (Oxymycale) acerata, Isodictya erinacea, and I. toxophila; and one hemichordate: Cephalodiscus sp. These results show that Antarctic sessile invertebrates may have great value as a source of lead compounds with potential pharmaceutical applications

Microwave cooking of ready-to-eat cauliflower: Packaging design and quality parameters evaluation

[SPA] Se ha estudiado la conservación de coliflor mínimamente procesada en un envase apto para la cocción posterior en microondas. Para ello, se ha realizado un diseño del envase, adecuando la permeabilidad del film a las necesidades del producto. Se han realizado dos tratamientos a las muestras, el primero consistía en un tratamiento higienizante y el segundo incluía un tratamiento antioxidante adicional. Los resultados indican un mejor comportamiento de los floretes que únicamente habían recibido el baño desinfectante. Los recuentos de aerobios mesófilos fueron siempre inferiores a 107 UFC/g, y fueron la apariencia y la aparición de sabores extraños las características que determinaron la vida útil de este producto. La cocción al microondas del producto, permitió mantener los niveles de vitamina C próximos a los valores del producto antes de cocinarlo. [ENG] Shelf-life of a ready-to-eat cauliflower in a plastic package that allows a further microwave cooking has been studied. The first part of this work consisted in the design of the packaging, adapting the film permeability to the particular needs of this product. Two different preservation treatments have been applied. The first one consisted in an sanitizing dip and the second one included an additional antioxidant treatment after the sanitation. Results obtained showed a better shelf-life evolution in those cauliflower florets in which only sanitizing treatment has been applied. Aerobic mesophilic counts in all the studied conditions were lower than 107 UFC/g. External appearance and off-flavours have been shown as the limiting factors of cauliflower shelf-life. Microwave cooking of cauliflower in the designed package maintains vitamin C contents of the cooked product at levels similar to those found before cooking.Esta investigación ha sido financiada por el proyecto titulado “Aseguramiento de la calidad en Coliflor en Navarra: caracterización y conservación”, del Departamento de Educación del Gobierno de Navarra