CO-mediated cytoprotection is dependent on cell metabolism modulation

This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) grant UID/Multi/04462/2013, I&D 2015–2020 iNOVA4Health - Programme in Translacional Medicine. FCT provided individual financial support to CFP (SFRH/BD/106057/2015), DDP (PD/BD/128338/2017), NLS (PD/BD/127819/2016) and HLAV (IF/00185/2012).Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gasotransmitter endogenously produced by the activity of heme oxygenase, which is a stress-response enzyme. Endogenous CO or low concentrations of exogenous CO have been described to present several cytoprotective functions: anti-apoptosis, anti-inflammatory, vasomodulation, maintenance of homeostasis, stimulation of preconditioning and modulation of cell differentiation. The present review revises and discuss how CO regulates cell metabolism and how it is involved in the distinct cytoprotective roles of CO. The first found metabolic effect of CO was its increase on cellular ATP production, and since then much data have been generated. Mitochondria are the most described and studied cellular targets of CO. Mitochondria exposure to this gasotransmitter leads several consequences: ROS generation, stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis, increased oxidative phosphorylation or mild uncoupling effect. Likewise, CO negatively regulates glycolysis and improves pentose phosphate pathway. More recently, CO has also been disclosed as a regulating molecule for metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes with promising results.publishersversionpublishe

Produção De Biomassa E Conteúdo De Fenóis E Flavonoides De Schinus Terebinthifolius Cultivada Em Fileira Simples E Dupla Com Cama De Frango

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the addition of poultry litter on growth, biomass yield, flavonoid and phenol content, and antioxidant activity in leaves of pink pepper. The experiment was carried out at the Federal University of Grande Dourados, in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul state, from October 2009 to May 2010. Pink pepper was grown in single or double row in soil with incorporated poultry litter at doses of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 t ha-1. Treatments were arranged as 2 x 5 factorial in a randomized block design with four replications. There was a significant interaction between the doses of poultry litter and evaluation times for plant height and chlorophyll content. A linear increase in leaf area, fresh and dry weight of leaves and diameter of main stems with increasing doses of poultry litter was observed. Plants grown in single row showed higher fresh weight of stem with increasing doses of poultry litter. Poultry litter at 15 and 20 t ha-1 promoted an increase in flavonoid and phenolic contents in the leaves. No significant effect on the antioxidant activity was observed by the chemical method using DPPH. Therefore, it is recommended the cultivation of pink pepper plants with double row and 20 t ha-1 of poultry litter to higher growth, biomass yield, and flavonoid and phenol content. © 2016, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. All rights reserved.26378779

On Standard Reductions to Relative Gravity Measurements. A Case Study Through the Establishment of the New Local Gravity Net in the Province of Valencia (Spain)

This is an author's accepted manuscript of an article published in: “Survey Review"; Volume 43, Issue 319, 2011; copyright Taylor & Francis; available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/003962610X12747001420825Standard reductions to gravity readings due to Earth tides, ocean loading and attraction, polar motion, instrumental height and air pressure variations and loading of atmospheric masses are studied in this paper from a practical point of view, that is, taking into account their numerical values and their influence on gravimetric readings and relative gravimetric observations. The study was carried out using the observations and definition of a new local gravimetric net. This new local gravimetric net has been established in the province of Valencia (Eastern Spain) to meet the increasing requirements of geophysics, geology, geodesy and geodynamics. The net comprises 21 sites, which are an average of 45 km apart and was measured using Lacoste & Romberg D203 and G301 gravimeters. Gravity values were determined using one fixed station in relation to an absolute one and 202 relative gravimetric observables. Reductions are applied for Earth tides (with real accurate amplitude and phase-difference for the principal tidal waves analysed from 301 digitally recorded days of gravity readings) where oceanic attraction and loading has been considered. In addition, reductions for polar motion, vertical gradient to instrument height and air pressure and loading of atmospheric masses have been applied. The net was established using least square adjustment where the weights of each relative gravimetric observable were determined by iterative estimation in accordance with the Huber robust estimation procedure. Obtained standard deviations of the final gravity values have an average value of 18x10-8 ms-2 (18 µGal), minimum value of 10x10-8 ms-2 and maximum value of 26x10-8 ms-2 . The statistical analysis of the results concludes with a precision and reliability determination. Discussion of the numerical values obtained in the standard gravimetric reductions shows the importance of each one in the final solution, bearing in mind that the relative gravimetric observables have been obtained using Lacoste & Romberg instruments and the geographical location of the net. The main conclusion is that only Earth tides reduction (with approximate amplitude and phase-difference numbers for the principal tidal waves) have to be taken into accountMartín Furones, ÁE.; Anquela Julián, AB.; Padin Devesa, J.; Berné Valero, JL. (2011). On Standard Reductions to Relative Gravity Measurements. A Case Study Through the Establishment of the New Local Gravity Net in the Province of Valencia (Spain). Survey Review. 43(319):16-29. doi:10.1179/003962610X12747001420825S162943319Boedecker, G., & Richter, B. (1981). The new gravity base net 1976 of the Federal Republic of Germany (DSGN 76). Bulletin Géodésique, 55(3), 250-266. doi:10.1007/bf02530865Cartwright, D. E., & Tayler, R. J. (2007). New Computations of the Tide-generating Potential. Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, 23(1), 45-73. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246x.1971.tb01803.xCharles, K. and Hipkin, R.G. 1994. British precise gravity net 1993. Joint symposium of the International Gravity Comission and the International Geoid Comission, Symposium 113: 39–45, Graz, Austria. Ed. Springer-Verlag.Farrell, W. E. (1972). Deformation of the Earth by surface loads. Reviews of Geophysics, 10(3), 761. doi:10.1029/rg010i003p00761Jentzsch, G. (s. f.). Earth tides and ocean tidal loading. Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences, 145-171. doi:10.1007/bfb0011461Torge, W. 1989. Gravimetry. Ed. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin-New York. 465 pages.Wahr, J. M. (1985). Deformation induced by polar motion. Journal of Geophysical Research, 90(B11), 9363. doi:10.1029/jb090ib11p09363Wenzel, G. 1998. Format and structure for the exchange of high precision tidal data, http://www.ife.uni-hannover.de/∼Wenzel/format/format.html, acceded on February 1999

The mito-QC reporter for quantitative mitophagy assessment in primary retinal ganglion cells and experimental glaucoma models

This research was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIU), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) PGC2018-098557-B-I00 and European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 765912. BVZ is a recipient of PhD contract from the Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno (Spain), PT from H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017, NRM a Juan de la Cierva Grant from Ministerio Ciencia e Innovación (Spain) and KB from DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Germany, 6619/1-1).Mitochondrial damage plays a prominent role in glaucoma. The only way cells can degrade whole mitochondria is via autophagy, in a process called mitophagy. Thus, studying mitophagy in the context of glaucoma is essential to understand the disease. Up to date limited tools are available for analyzing mitophagy in vivo. We have taken advantage of the mito-QC reporter, a recently generated mouse model that allows an accurate mitophagy assessment to fill this gap. We used primary RGCs and retinal explants derived from mito-QC mice to quantify mitophagy activation in vitro and ex vivo. We also analyzed mitophagy in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), in vivo, using different mitophagy inducers, as well as after optic nerve crush (ONC) in mice, a commonly used surgical procedure to model glaucoma. Using mito-QC reporter we quantified mitophagy induced by several known inducers in primary RGCs in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. We also found that RGCs were rescued from some glaucoma relevant stress factors by incubation with the iron chelator deferiprone (DFP). Thus, the mito-QC reporter-based model is a valuable tool for accurately analyzing mitophagy in the context of glaucoma.publishersversionpublishe

Produção orgânica de calêndula: um estudo de caso.

Apresenta-se caracterização do processo de produção agrícola orgânica de Calendula officinalis L. no Estado de Santa Catarina, evidenciando particularidades e discrepâncias frente aos modelos já descritos na literatura especializada, a partir de visitas a campo, observação participante e entrevistas com um produtor de plantas medicinais. Identificaram-se como principais particularidades a saúde na agricultura familiar, demonstrada pela prática da cultura orgânica, além do controle de pragas e manuseio da produção. Os principais problemas ou divergências evidenciados foram: características do solo; época de plantio da calêndula e suas etapas posteriores, como transplante e floração. Aspectos da colheita foram discrepantes quanto ao período do dia indicado para o procedimento, bem como a ausência de informações do produtor quanto à existência de outros incentivos governamentais ao setor agrícola. Recomenda-se aos extensionistas rurais e/ou instituições competentes que busquem orientar os produtores orgânicos de calêndula para promover a adequação das práticas de cultivo dessa espécie medicinal