RNA-sequencing reveals that STRN, ZNF484 and WNK1 add to the value of mitochondrial MT-COI and COX10 as markers of unstable coronary artery disease

Markers in monocytes, precursors of macrophages, which are related to CAD, are largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to identify genes in monocytes predictive of a new ischemic event in patients with CAD and/or discriminate between stable CAD and acute coronary syn- drome. We included 66 patients with stable CAD, of which 24 developed a new ischemic event, and 19 patients with ACS. Circulating CD14+ monocytes were isolated with magnetic beads. RNA sequencing analysis in monocytes of patients with (n = 13) versus without (n = 11) ischemic event at follow-up and in patients with ACS (n = 12) was validated with qPCR (n = 85). MT-COI, STRN and COX10 predicted new ischemic events in CAD patients (power for separation at 1% error rate of 0.97, 0.90 and 0.77 respectively). Low MT-COI and high STRN were also related to shorter time between blood sampling and event. COX10 and ZNF484 together with MT-COI, STRN and WNK1 separated ACS completely from sta- ble CAD patients. RNA expressions in monocytes of MT-COI, COX10, STRN, WNK1 and ZNF484 were independent of cholesterol lowering and antiplatelet treatment. They were independent of troponin T, a marker of myocardial injury. But, COX10 and ZNF484 in human plaques correlated to plaque markers of M1 macrophage polarization, reflecting vas- cular injury. Expression of MT-COI, COX10, STRN and WNK1, but not that of ZNF484, PBMCs paired with that in monocytes. The prospective study of relation of MT-COI, COX10, STRN, WNK1 and ZNF484 with unstable CAD is warranted

O ciclo dos imóveis e o crescimento econômico nos Estados Unidos 2002-2008

Since the 1980's and from then on, the American finances had passed through deep changes that reinforced the role of the capital markets in the wealth and credit management in the U. S. In this new finance structure the household and corporation's decision expenses suffered important influence of theirs assets price cycles, resulting in economic cycles finance-led. The article assesses the last two economic cycles in the United States, in which period the value of the residential property replaced the role previously fulfilled by the shareholder value to stimulate the aggregates expenditure and investment.A partir dos anos 1980, as finanças americanas passaram por profundas transformações reforçando o papel dos mercados de capitais na gestão da riqueza e do crédito nos Estados Unidos. Nessa nova estrutura financeira, as decisões de gasto das famílias e das empresas sofrem influências importantes dos ciclos de preço de seus ativos, dando origem a ciclos econômicos finance-led. O artigo discute os dois últimos ciclos econômicos dos Estados Unidos, período em que a valorização dos imóveis residenciais substituiu o papel desempenhado pela valorização da riqueza no estímulo ao consumo e ao investimento agregados

Gene expression changes of single skeletal muscle fibers in response to modulation of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU)

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) gene codifies for the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) channel responsible for mitochondrial Ca2 + uptake. Cytosolic Ca2 + transients are involved in sarcomere contraction through cycles of release and storage in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. In addition cytosolic Ca2 + regulates various signaling cascades that eventually lead to gene expression reprogramming. Mitochondria are strategically placed in close contact with the ER/SR, thus cytosolic Ca2 + transients elicit large increases in the [Ca2 +] of the mitochondrial matrix ([Ca2 +]mt). Mitochondrial Ca2 + uptake regulates energy production and cell survival. In addition, we recently showed that MCU-dependent mitochondrial Ca2 + uptake controls skeletal muscle trophism. In the same report, we dissected the effects of MCU-dependent mitochondrial Ca2 + uptake on gene expression through microarray gene expression analysis upon modulation of MCU expression by in vivo AAV infection. Analyses were performed on single skeletal muscle fibers at two time points (7 and 14 days post-AAV injection). Raw and normalized data are available on the GEO database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/) (GSE60931)

Production of bioethanol from multiple waste streams of rice milling

This work describes the feasibility of using rice milling by-products as feedstock for bioethanol. Starch-rich residues (rice bran, broken, unripe and discolored rice) were individually fermented (20% w/v) through Consolidated Bioprocessing by two industrial engineered yeast secreting fungal amylases. Rice husk (20% w/v), mainly composed by lignocellulose, was pre-treated at 55 degrees C with alkaline peroxide, saccharified through optimized dosages of commercial enzymes (Cellic (R) CTec2) and fermented by the recombinant strains. Finally, a blend of all the rice by-products, formulated as a mixture (20% w/v) according to their proportions at milling plants, were co-processed to ethanol by optimized pre-treatment, saccharification and fermentation by amylolytic strains. Fermenting efficiency for each by-product was high (above 88% of the theoretical) and further confirmed on the blend of residues (nearly 52 g/L ethanol). These results demonstrated for the first time that the co-conversion of multiple waste streams is a promising option for second generation ethanol production

Utilisation of wheat bran as a substrate for bioethanol production using recombinant cellulases and amylolytic yeast

Wheat bran, generated from the milling of wheat, represents a promising feedstock for the production of bioethanol. This substrate consists of three main components: starch, hemicellulose and cellulose. The optimal conditions for wheat bran hydrolysis have been determined using a recombinant cellulase cocktail (RCC), which contains two cellobiohydrolases, an endoglucanase and a beta-glucosidase. The 10% (w/v, expressed in terms of dry matter) substrate loading yielded the most glucose, while the 2% loading gave the best hydrolysis efficiency (degree of saccharification) using unmilled wheat bran. The ethanol production of two industrial amylolytic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, MEL2[TLG1-SFA1] and M2n [TLG1-SFA1], were compared in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) for 10% wheat bran loading with or without the supplementation of optimised RCC. The recombinant yeasts. cerevisiae MEL2[TLG1-SFA1] and M2n[TLG1-SFA1] completely hydrolysed wheat bran's starch producing similar amounts of ethanol (5.3 +/- 0.14 g/L and 5.0 +/- 0.09 g/L, respectively). Supplementing SSF with RCC resulted in additional ethanol production of about 2.0 g/L. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the effectiveness of both RCC and engineered amylolytic strains in terms of cellulose and starch depolymerisatio

Smart Specialisation, an innovation bridge between the EU and Latin America: Evidence and lessons from the International Urban Cooperation Programme

Since 2016, the International Urban Cooperation Programme has been a vehicle for cooperation between the European Union and Latin America on the topic of innovation for local and regional development. In this endeavour, the Smart Specialisation approach originally deployed in the EU, and its potential to foster localised, innovation-driven sustainable territorial development, have been a great source of inspiration. Building on the 20 regional pairings between regions from the EU and Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Peru), this Science for Policy Report analyses the outcomes and the lessons generated by transcontinental cooperation and examines the potential to enshrine the EU touch on Smart Specialisation in the innovation landscape of Latin America.JRC.B.3-Territorial Developmen

Eurashe - Conferência do 10º Aniversário "Pan Metro Ariston"

Foi nos passados dias 26 e 27 de Maio, em Chania (Creta, Grécia), no âmbito da 10ª Conferência da Eurashe (European Association for Higher Education – uma associação europeia de instituições de ensino superior não universitário), que tive o prazer de, pela primeira vez, ouvir Sócrates Kaplanis, uma figura sui generis, de quem tinha já ouvido falar por diversas vezes, conhecida pela sua saudável irreverência e perturbante personalidade. Professor no Technological Educational Institute de Patras (Grécia), e membro fundador da Eurashe, Sócrates tem sido uma presença constante nas conferências anuais desta Associação e um elemento indispensável no reavivamento dos ensinamentos clássicos (ao mesmo tempo tão contemporâneos), não fosse ele um verdadeiro grego, até mesmo de semblante. Assim, só poderia ter iniciado a sua intervenção (tarde mas não tardia) com alguns diálogos de Platão e tê-la intitulado PAN METRON ARISTON

Structural and Functional Neuroimaging of Visual Hallucinations in Lewy Body Disease: A Systematic Literature Review.

Patients with Lewy body disease (LBD) frequently experience visual hallucinations (VH), well-formed images perceived without the presence of real stimuli. The structural and functional brain mechanisms underlying VH in LBD are still unclear. The present review summarises the current literature on the neural correlates of VH in LBD, namely Parkinson's disease (PD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Following a systematic literature search, 56 neuroimaging studies of VH in PD and DLB were critically reviewed and evaluated for quality assessment. The main structural neuroimaging results on VH in LBD revealed grey matter loss in frontal areas in patients with dementia, and parietal and occipito-temporal regions in PD without dementia. Parietal and temporal hypometabolism was also reported in hallucinating PD patients. Disrupted functional connectivity was detected especially in the default mode network and fronto-parietal regions. However, evidence on structural and functional connectivity is still limited and requires further investigation. The current literature is in line with integrative models of VH suggesting a role of attention and perception deficits in the development of VH. However, despite the close relationship between VH and cognitive impairment, its associations with brain structure and function have been explored only by a limited number of studies

Frontal and subcortical contribution to visual hallucinations in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease

Objectives. Visual hallucinations (VH) are common in Lewy body disease (LBD), and have been associated with cognitive and structural brain alterations. Evidence so far concerns mainly Parkinson’s disease (PD), but little is known about symptom-specific pathophysiological mechanisms across the LBD spectrum, especially related to the presence of dementia. The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate the neuroanatomical, and neuropsychological characteristics related to VH in two forms of LBD, namely dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and PD without dementia. Methods. Whole brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses on 3D MRI acquired structural brain scans, and neuropsychological testing were performed on 28 clinically diagnosed DLB (11 with VH, 17 NVH), and 24 PD (9 with VH, and 15 NVH) patients. In order to assess differences in grey matter (GM) regional volumes, and cognitive performance, hallucinating patients for each group were compared with corresponding non-hallucinating ones. Results. DLB patients with VH presented significantly worse visual attention deficits compared to those without, which persisted even when controlling for visual perception. Whole brain VBM analysis revealed decreased GM volume in DLB with VH in the right superior and medial frontal gyri, putamen, caudate nucleus and insula. Subcortical regional volumes were also significantly associated with visual attention performance. Hallucinating PD patients, instead, presented more severe executive dysfunction, but VBM showed no volumetric differences between the two PD subgroups. Post hoc region of interest analyses revealed striatal GM loss in PD with VH. Conclusion. Frontal and striatal GM atrophy may contribute to the emergence of VH in DLB, which may be fostered by the more severe attention deficits. Striatal GM loss and executive dysfunction, instead, appeared to underlie VH in PD without dementia

Sviluppo e caratterizzazione di nanocompositi polimerici elettricamente conduttivi a base PC-ABS additivati con grafene, nanotubi di carbonio e nerofumo

Una proprietà che caratterizza i polimeri è quella di essere dei buoni isolanti elettrici. Potrebbe essere utile però, per alcune applicazioni, coniugare le caratteristiche di leggerezza, resistenza a corrosione e lavorabilità di questi materiali, con la possibilità di condurre la corrente elettrica. La tesi ha come scopo la produzione di compositi polimerici conduttivi aventi come matrice un blend termoplastico, il PC-ABS, e come cariche il grafene, i nanotubi di carbonio, e il nerofumoope