Secreted phospholipase A2-IIA modulates transdifferentiation of cardiac fibroblast through EGFR transactivation: An inflammation–fibrosis link

Producción CientíficaSecreted phospholipase A2-IIA (sPLA2-IIA) is a pro-inflammatory protein associated with cardiovascular disorders, whose functions and underlying mechanisms in cardiac remodelling are still under investigation. We herein study the role of sPLA2-IIA in cardiac fibroblast (CFs)-to-myofibroblast differentiation and fibrosis, two major features involved in cardiac remodelling, and also explore potential mechanisms involved. In a mice model of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) after autoimmune myocarditis, serum and cardiac sPLA2-IIA protein expression were found to be increased, together with elevated cardiac levels of the cross-linking enzyme lysyl oxidase (LOX) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Exogenous sPLA2-IIA treatment induced proliferation and differentiation of adult rat CFs. Molecular studies demonstrated that sPLA2-IIA promoted Src phosphorylation, shedding of the membrane-anchored heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) ectodomain and EGFR phosphorylation, which triggered phosphorylation of ERK, P70S6K and rS6. This was also accompanied by an up-regulated expression of the bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-1, LOX and collagen I. ROS accumulation were also found to be increased in sPLA2-IIA-treated CFs. The presence of inhibitors of the Src/ADAMs-dependent HB-EGF shedding/EGFR pathway abolished the CF phenotype induced by sPLA2-IIA. In conclusion, sPLA2-IIA may promote myofibroblast differentiation through its ability to modulate EGFR transactivation and signalling as key mechanisms that underlie its biological and pro-fibrotic effects.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (grants SAF2012-34460 and SAF2016-81063)Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant PI18/010257729

EL USO DE LA INFORMACIÓN Y EL DESARROLLO DEL TRABAJO INDEPENDIENTE: SU RELACIÓN CON LA CIENCIA Y LA TECNOLOGÍA / THE USE OF INFORMATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDEPENDENT WORK: ITS RELATION TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

El acceso y la utilización adecuada de la información para la realización de los trabajos independientes por parte de los estudiantes de carreras pedagógicas presenta dificultades. En este sentido, es necesario contribuir desde las relaciones entre la ciencia y la tecnología a perfeccionar el uso de la información para el desarrollo del trabajo independiente de los estudiantes de carreras pedagógicas. Por ello, en el presente trabajo se plantea como objetivo: perfeccionar el uso de la información para el desarrollo del trabajo independiente de los estudiantes de carreras pedagógicas mediante el Programa Gestión de la Información en el proceso educativo en la carrera de Ciencias Pedagógicas desde una perspectiva de la Ciencia, la Tecnología y Sociedad (CTS). Esta propuesta tuvo un impacto significativo, pues se obtuvieron mejores resultados en las evaluaciones de los trabajos independientes realizados por los estudiantes. Asimismo, se favoreció la preparación de los futuros maestros para ejercer el desempeño de su labor en la formación docente. Además, se evidenció que para el progreso de la ciencia se necesita la información, el conocimiento acumulado por la humanidad y la necesidad de la independencia cognoscitiva de los sujetos quienes utilizando tecnologías pueden impulsar el desarrollo de la sociedad

CIBERER : Spanish national network for research on rare diseases: A highly productive collaborative initiative

Altres ajuts: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.CIBER (Center for Biomedical Network Research; Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red) is a public national consortium created in 2006 under the umbrella of the Spanish National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII). This innovative research structure comprises 11 different specific areas dedicated to the main public health priorities in the National Health System. CIBERER, the thematic area of CIBER focused on rare diseases (RDs) currently consists of 75 research groups belonging to universities, research centers, and hospitals of the entire country. CIBERER's mission is to be a center prioritizing and favoring collaboration and cooperation between biomedical and clinical research groups, with special emphasis on the aspects of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cellular research of RDs. This research is the basis for providing new tools for the diagnosis and therapy of low-prevalence diseases, in line with the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) objectives, thus favoring translational research between the scientific environment of the laboratory and the clinical setting of health centers. In this article, we intend to review CIBERER's 15-year journey and summarize the main results obtained in terms of internationalization, scientific production, contributions toward the discovery of new therapies and novel genes associated to diseases, cooperation with patients' associations and many other topics related to RD research

Evaluación de la presencia de hongos micorrízico arbusculares en un bosque de pino-encino en Chiapas, México

ABSTRACT Micorrizical fungi are an importan organisms in forest rhizospere. They are non timber forest products whose sustainable use must have an ecological basis. Pinarization effect and abundance of litter was determined on the percentage of mycorrhizal infection in roots in a pine-oak forest located in Ecatepec hill. The infection rates were 17.7% due to the work developed in a cool, dry season (February). The structures found in pine roots was as hyphae and vesicles. No effect of pinarización on the percentage of mycorrhizal infection was observed, however the depth of litter showed a statistically significant effect on the variable of infection, which may be due to the presence of litter benefits the soil microbial activity and also humidity and temperature of the litter layer favors the development of mycorrhizal fungi.RESUMEN Los hongos endomicorícicos son organismos importantes en la rizosfera del suelo. Constituyen productos no maderables cuyo uso sustentable deben tener una base ecológica. En este trabajo se evaluó el efecto que tiene la pinarización y la abundancia de hojarasca sobre el porcentaje de infección micorrízica en raíces de pino-encino ubicado en un bosque del cerro Ecatepec. Los porcentajes de infección fueron, en promedio, de 17.7% debido a que el trabajo se desarrolló en una temporada fresca y seca (febrero) encontrándose estructuras como hifas y vesículas. No se observó ningún efecto de la pinarización sobre el porcentaje de infección micorrízica, sin embargo la profundidad de hojarasca presentó un efecto estadísticamente significativo sobre la variable de infección, lo cual puede deberse a que la presencia de hojarasca beneficia la actividad microbiológica del suelo y además la humedad y temperatura de la capa de hojarasca favorece el desarrollo de hongos micorrízicos

Improved Agricultural Products Drying Through a Novel Double Collector Solar Device

Backyard agricultural systems are frequently used for food production in rural tropical regions all over the world. The implementation of these systems has been used as a strategy to increase food security, to preserve the phyto and zoo diversity and to provide an alternative income for poorer rural families. Nevertheless, the absence of appropriate preservation mechanisms and nonrenewable energies can lead to significant production losses that could be prevented by the implementation of solar drying devices. The objective of this project was to design, build and validate a double collector solar device for improved drying performance. To evaluate the double collector solar device, four backyard products frequently used in the Mexico Southwest regional diet were used: carrots, chayote squash, tomatoes, and oyster mushrooms. The results showed that the solar device achieved drying efficiencies between 22.8 and 37.9% by reaching moisture values below the 12.30% threshold, which according to the international standards is considered as “Low Moisture Food”. The evaluation of the double collector solar drier is demonstrated to be an easy-to-apply and environmentally friendly method for food preservation in tropical rural regions by taking advantage of domestic renewable energy resources

Oleanolic acid protects against gastrointestinal disturbances in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model of multiple sclerosis

Resumen del trabajo presentado al 34th Congress of The European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), celebrado en Berlin (Alemania) del 10 al 12 de octubre de 2018.[Background]: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS, in which oxidative stress play important roles. Characteristic symptoms include motor and sensory deficits in addition to gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances which etiology is less understood. The triterpene, oleanolic acid (OA), has proven effective attenuating neurological signs and histopathological features of disease on a MS mice model (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, EAE) via anti-oxidant and immunomodulatory mechanisms. Herein, we investigate GI manifestations associated to EAE as potential therapeutic target of OA.[Aims]: To determine the efficacy of OA in the prevention of GI disturbances in EAE, with a focus on oxidative-stress.[Methods]: C57/BL6 mice were MOG35-55-inmunized and treated with OA (25 mg/kg/day, i.p). On day 21, in selected sample, we performed s: i) macroscopic intestinal analysis, ii) fecal and cecal evaluation, iii) GI hormone quantification: motilin, and iv) oxidant/antioxidant status analysis: TBARS, FRAP and sestrin-3, a ROS disruptor.[Results]: Histopathological analysis did not reveal significant differences in the relative colon length among mice of the different experimental groups (p>0.05). The fecal water content was lower in the EAE group (13% decrease, p< 0.001) than in the control group. Full caecum and cecal content were significantly increased in EAE mice in comparison with those of the control one. Low motilin levels were detected in serum from EAE mice, compared to healthy mice (161±18 and 538±45pg/ml, respectively; p<0.001); and a similar pattern was observed in colon samples. An inverse correlation was found between motilin and the clinical signs score (r=-0.6294, p<0.001). We found that OA treatment to EAE mice had a protective effect attenuating all these alterations. In addition, colon from OA-treated EAE mice showed 4.3 times more non-enzymatic antioxidants and 1.9 times more of the ROS disruptor sestrin-3, than untreated-EAE mice. Interestingly, in healthy mice, high levels of FRAP and sestrin-3 were observed in the OA-treated group, compared with untreated animals (p<0.001). These markers correlated with the lipid peroxidation levels (r=-0.694, p=0.0007; r=-0.696, p=0.0007; respectively) as well as with the clinical signs score.[Conclusion]: Our data contribute to the idea that GI dysfunction influences MS pathogenesis, and provides new findings regarding the beneficial activity of OA in EAE.Peer reviewe

Intra-Abdominal Fat Adipocyte Hypertrophy through a Progressive Alteration of Lipolysis and Lipogenesis in Metabolic Syndrome Rats

This study evaluates the progressive participation of enzymes involved in lipolysis and lipogenesis, leading to adipocyte hypertrophy in a metabolic syndrome (MS) rat model caused by chronic consumption of 30% sucrose in drinking water. A total of 70 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: C and MS. Each of these groups were then subdivided into five groups which were sacrificed as paired groups every month from the beginning of the treatment until 5 months. The intra-abdominal fat was dissected, and the adipocytes were extracted. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), protein kinases A (PKA), and perilipin A expressions were determined. The LPL and HSL activities were evaluated by spectrophotometry. Histological staining was performed in adipose tissue. Significant increases were observed in blood pressure, HOMA-IR, leptin, triglycerides, insulin, intra-abdominal fat, and number of fat cells per field (p = 0.001) and in advanced glycosylation products, adipocyte area, LPL, HSL activities and/or expression (p &le; 0.01) in the MS groups progressively from the third month onward. Lipogenesis and lipolysis were increased by LPL activity and HSL activity and/or expression. This was associated with hyperinsulinemia and release of non-esterified fatty acids causing a positive feedback loop that contributes to the development of adipocyte hypertrophy

Riesgo de alcoholismo en estudiantes de medicina de Medellín, Colombia, 2000

&lt;p&gt;Desde hace varios años ha habido una mayor preocupación acerca del consumo de sustancias adictivas en los jóvenes, entre ellas el alcohol. Se considera al alcohol como una de las sustancias legales con mayor permisividad social al punto que se ha convertido en un problema de salud pública en algunos países. Se ha expresado preocupación por el alto consumo de alcohol que hay en las facultades de medicina . El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar&lt;br /&gt;la proporción de estudiantes en la facultad de medicina con riesgo de&lt;br /&gt;alcoholismo.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt

Treatment with the Olive Secoiridoid Oleacein Protects against the Intestinal Alterations Associated with EAE

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a CNS inflammatory demyelinating disease. Recent investigations highlight the gut-brain axis as a communication network with crucial implications in neurological diseases. Thus, disrupted intestinal integrity allows the translocation of luminal molecules into systemic circulation, promoting systemic/brain immune-inflammatory responses. In both, MS and its preclinical model, the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) gastrointestinal symptoms including “leaky gut” have been reported. Oleacein (OLE), a phenolic compound from extra virgin olive oil or olive leaves, harbors a wide range of therapeutic properties. Previously, we showed OLE effectiveness preventing motor defects and inflammatory damage of CNS tissues on EAE mice. The current studies examine its potential protective effects on intestinal barrier dysfunction using MOG35-55-induced EAE in C57BL/6 mice. OLE decreased EAE-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in the intestine, preventing tissue injury and permeability alterations. OLE protected from EAE-induced superoxide anion and accumulation of protein and lipid oxidation products in colon, also enhancing its antioxidant capacity. These effects were accompanied by reduced colonic IL-1β and TNFα levels in OLE-treated EAE mice, whereas the immunoregulatory cytokines IL-25 and IL-33 remained unchanged. Moreover, OLE protected the mucin-containing goblet cells in colon and the serum levels of iFABP and sCD14, markers that reflect loss of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and low-grade systemic inflammation, were significantly reduced. These effects on intestinal permeability did not draw significant differences on the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota. However, OLE induced an EAE-independent raise in the abundance of Akkermansiaceae family. Consistently, using Caco-2 cells as an in vitro model, we confirmed that OLE protected against intestinal barrier dysfunction induced by harmful mediators present in both EAE and MS. This study proves that the protective effect of OLE in EAE also involves normalizing the gut alterations associated to the disease.This work was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF SAF2016-81063 and PID2019-111788RB-I00). B.G. and I.G. were funded by the FPI Program from the Government of Castilla y León (co-funded by FSE). M.L.N.’s institution is founded by the Project “Programa Estratégico IBGM, grant CLU-2019-02-IBGM Unit of Excellence” from the Junta de Castilla y León (co-funded by FEDER, “Europe drives our growth”)