Extracellular vesicles can be processed by electrospinning without loss of structure or function

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived bodies proven to have a wide range of therapeutic applications. To date, EVs have almost always been administered by direct injection, which is very likely to hinder their efficacy because of rapid clearance from the injection site. Here we show that EVs can be successfully processed into polymer-based fibres by electrospinning, with no loss of structure or function

The fourth wave of Portuguese emigration: Austerity policies, European peripheries and postcolonial continuities

Little is known about emigration in European countries. Migratory pressure and the recent refugee crisis have helped keep academic attention over the last few decades focused on immigration, asylum and integration in Europe. However, these dynamics promoting entries into European countries coexist with other fair-ly significant dynamics promoting departures from these countries. The sovereign debt crisis coupled with austerity policies that asymmetrically affected Europe’s peripheral countries have increased emigration in various European countries. Our book aims to counter the invisibility of emigration from European countries in the literature by examining the particularities of the Portuguese case. In methodological terms, the book compiles the work of authors from different academic backgrounds who have conducted empirical research using a wide vari-ety of extensive and intensive methods. It is argued that when analysing recent Portuguese emigration it is important to examine in further detail: i) the impact of the 2008 economic and financial crisis and the austerity policies that followed in its wake; ii) south-north emigration in Europe; iii) north-south emigration outside Europe and post-colonial continuities; iv) the importance of reassessing the exist-ing model of Southern European migration; v) highly skilled and less skilled mi-gration; and finally, vi) emigrants’ and their descendants’ identities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

AGO1 and AGO2 Act Redundantly in miR408-Mediated Plantacyanin Regulation

Background: In Arabidopsis, AGO1 and AGO2 associate with small RNAs that exhibit a Uridine and an Adenosine at their 59 end, respectively. Because most plant miRNAs have a 59U, AGO1 plays many essential roles in miRNA-mediated regulation of development and stress responses. In contrast, AGO2 has only been implicated in antibacterial defense in association with miR393*, which has a 59A. AGO2 also participates in antiviral defense in association with viral siRNAs. Principal Findings: This study reveals that miR408, which has a 59A, regulates its target Plantacyanin through either AGO1 or AGO2. Indeed, neither ago1 nor ago2 single mutations abolish miR408-mediated regulation of Plantacyanin. Only an ago1 ago2 double mutant appears compromised in miR408-mediated regulation of Plantacyanin, suggesting that AGO1 and AGO2 have redundant roles in this regulation. Moreover, the nature of the 59 nucleotide of miR408 does not appear essential for its regulatory role because both a wildtype 59A-MIR408 and a mutant 59U-MIR408 gene complement a mir408 mutant. Conclusions/Significance: These results suggest that miR408 associates with both AGO1 and AGO2 based on criteria that differ from the 59 end rule, reminiscent of miR390-AGO7 and miR165/166-AGO10 associations, which are not based on the nature of the 59 nucleotide

ST3Gal.I sialyltransferase relevance in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The T antigen is a tumor-associated structure whose sialylated form (the sialyl-T antigen) involves the altered expression of sialyltransferases and has been related with worse prognosis. Since little or no information is available on this subject, we investigated the regulation of the sialyltransferases, able to sialylate the T antigen, in bladder cancer progression.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Matched samples of urothelium and tumor tissue, and four bladder cancer cell lines were screened for: <it>ST3Gal.I</it>, <it>ST3Gal.II </it>and <it>ST3Gal.IV </it>mRNA level by real-time PCR. Sialyl-T antigen was detected by dot blot and flow cytometry using peanut lectin. Sialyltransferase activity was measured against the T antigen in the cell lines.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancers, <it>ST3Gal.I </it>mRNA levels were significantly higher than corresponding urothelium (p < 0.001) and this increase was twice more pronounced in cancers with tendency for recurrence. In muscle-invasive cancers and matching urothelium, <it>ST3Gal.I </it>mRNA levels were as elevated as nonmuscle-invasive cancers. Both non-malignant bladder tumors and corresponding urothelium showed <it>ST3Gal.I </it>mRNA levels lower than all the other specimen groups. A good correlation was observed in bladder cancer cell lines between the <it>ST3Gal.I </it>mRNA level, the ST activity (r = 0.99; p = 0.001) and sialyl-T antigen expression, demonstrating that sialylation of T antigen is attributable to ST3Gal.I. The expression of sialyl-T antigens was found in patients' bladder tumors and urothelium, although without a marked relationship with mRNA level. The two <it>ST3Gal.I </it>transcript variants were also equally expressed, independently of cell phenotype or malignancy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>ST3Gal.I plays the major role in the sialylation of the T antigen in bladder cancer. The overexpression of <it>ST3Gal.I </it>seems to be part of the initial oncogenic transformation of bladder and can be considered when predicting cancer progression and recurrence.</p

Epidemiological aspects of american cutaneous leishmaniasis and phlebotomine sandfly population, in the municipality of monte negro, state of Rondônia, Brazil

Introduction: This work was carried out on the purpose of identifying the species of phlebotomine sandflies in the municipality of Monte Negro, state of Rondonia, Brazil, that may have been transmitting the American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL), and concisely describe epidemiological aspects of disease. Methods: The epidemiologic and socioeconomical indicators were obtained from government institutions and the local Municipal Secretary of Health. Phlebotomine sandflies were captured using CDC light traps between July 2006 to July 2008. The total of 1,240 of female sandflies were examined by PCR method directed to k-DNA. Results: There has been a significant decrease in the incidence of ACL of about 50% over the last ten years in the municipality. A total of 1,935 specimens of 53 sandfly species were captured, three of the genus Brumptomyia genus and 50 of the genus Lutzomyia. The predominant species was Lutzomyia acanthopharynx, Lutzomyia whitmani, Lutzomyia geniculata and Lutzomyia davisi. None were positive for Leishmania sp. Conclusions: Four sandflies species were found in the State of Rondonia for the first time: Brumptomyia brumpti, Lutzomyia tarapacaensis, Lutzomyia melloi and Lutzomyia lenti. The presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis, was also captured. Socioeconomical improvement of Brazilian economy and the increase of environmental surveillance in the last 15 years collaborated in the decrease of people exposed to vectors, reducing the incidence of ACL

Traditional knowledge and cultural importance of Borassus aethiopum Mart. in Benin: interacting effects of socio-demographic attributes and multi-scale abundance

ResearchBackground: Eliciting factors affecting distribution of traditional knowledge (TK) and cultural importance of plant resources is central in ethnobiology. Socio-demographic attributes and ecological apparency hypothesis (EAH) have been widely documented as drivers of TK distribution, but their synergistic effect is poorly documented. Here, we focused on Borassus aethiopum, a socio-economic important agroforestry palm in Africa, analyzing relationships between the number of use-reports and cultural importance on one hand, and informant socio-demographic attributes (age category and gender) on the other hand, considering the EAH at multi-scale contexts. Our hypothesis is that effects of socio-demographic attributes on use-reports and cultural importance are shaped by both local (village level) and regional (chorological region level) apparency of study species. We expected so because distribution of knowledge on a resource in a community correlates to the versatility in the resource utilization but also connections among communities within a region. Methods: Nine hundred ninety-two face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews were conducted in six villages of low versus high local abundance of B. aethiopum spanning three chorological regions (humid, sub-humid and semiarid) also underlying a gradient of increasing distribution and abundance of B. aethiopum. Number of use-reports and score of importance of uses of B. aethiopum were recorded in six use-categories including medicine, food, handcraft, construction, firewood, and ceremonies and rituals. Data were analyzed using Poisson and ordered logistic modelsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The occurrence and dissemination of methicillin and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus in samples from patients and health professionals of a university hospital in Recife, State of Pernambuco, Brazil

Introduction Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains have been responsible for many nosocomial outbreaks. Within hospitals, colonized employees often act as reservoirs for the spread of this organism. This study collected clinical samples of 91 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), hemodialysis/nephrology service and surgical clinic, and biological samples from the nasal cavities of 120 professionals working in those environments, of a University Hospital in Recife, in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. The main objective of this study was to determine the occurrence and dissemination of methicillin- and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. Methods The isolates obtained were tested for susceptibility to oxacillin and vancomycin and detection of the mecA gene. In addition, the isolates were evaluated for the presence of clones by ribotyping-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results MRSA occurrence, as detected by the presence of the mecA gene, was more prevalent among nursing technicians; 48.1% (13/27) and 40.7% (11/27) of the isolates were from health professionals of the surgical clinic. In patients, the most frequent occurrence of mecA-positive isolates was among the samples from catheter tips (33.3%; 3/9), obtained mostly from the hemodialysis/nephrology service. Eight vancomycin-resistant strains were found among the MRSA isolates through vancomycin screening. Based on the amplification patterns, 17 ribotypes were identified, with some distributed between patients and professionals. Conclusions Despite the great diversity of clones, which makes it difficult to trace the source of the infection, knowledge of the molecular and phenotypic profiles of Staphylococcus samples can contribute towards guiding therapeutic approaches in the treatment and control of nosocomial infections