Potential Role of Insulin Growth-Factor-Binding Protein 2 as Therapeutic Target for Obesity-Related Insulin Resistance

Evidence from observational and in vitro studies suggests that insulin growth-factor-binding protein type 2 (IGFBP2) is a promising protein in non-communicable diseases, such as obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, or type 2 diabetes. Accordingly, great efforts have been carried out to explore the role of IGFBP2 in obesity state and insulin-related diseases, which it is typically found decreased. However, the physiological pathways have not been explored yet, and the relevance of IGFBP2 as an important pathway integrator of metabolic disorders is still unknown. Here, we review and discuss the molecular structure of IGFBP2 as the first element of regulating the expression of IGFBP2. We highlight an update of the association between low serum IGFBP2 and an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and low insulin sensitivity. We hypothesize mechanisms of IGFBP2 on the development of obesity and insulin resistance in an insulin-independent manner, which meant that could be evaluated as a therapeutic target. Finally, we cover the most interesting lifestyle modifications that regulate IGFBP2, since lifestyle factors (diet and/or physical activity) are associated with important variations in serum IGFBP2

Design and implementation of synchronization and AGC for OFDM-based WLAN receivers

An efficient implementation of several tasks at the receiver becomes crucial in OFDM-based high-speed WLAN systems, such as automatic gain control, time and frequency synchronization and offset tracking. This paper deals with fixed point constraints and accuracy requirements for implementation of those algorithms. Also, a complete set of thresholds for the practical implementation of time and frequency synchronization sub-blocks is obtained. Moreover, a technique to mitigate the remaining frequency offset after coarse acquisition is proposed, yielding a good trade-off between performance and complexity. Finally, we propose the implementation of a simple and effective automatic gain control procedure.This work has been partially funded by Spanish government with project TIC 2002-03498 (ORISE), Telefonica I+D by the contract nº 25756, and the Chamber of Madrid Community and European Social Fund by a grant to the first author

Interaction between Calpain 5, Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta genes: a polygenic approach to obesity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Context</p> <p>Obesity is a multifactorial disorder, that is, a disease determined by the combined effect of genes and environment. In this context, polygenic approaches are needed.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To investigate the possibility of the existence of a crosstalk between the <it>CALPAIN 10 </it>homologue <it>CALPAIN 5 </it>and nuclear receptors of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors family.</p> <p>Design</p> <p>Cross-sectional, genetic association study and gene-gene interaction analysis.</p> <p>Subjects</p> <p>The study sample comprise 1953 individuals, 725 obese (defined as body mass index ≥ 30) and 1228 non obese subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the monogenic analysis, only the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (<it>PPARD</it>) gene was associated with obesity (OR = 1.43 [1.04–1.97], p = 0.027). In addition, we have found a significant interaction between <it>CAPN5 </it>and <it>PPARD </it>genes (p = 0.038) that reduces the risk for obesity in a 55%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that <it>CAPN5 </it>and <it>PPARD </it>gene products may also interact in vivo.</p

Physical exercise as a multimodal tool for COVID-19: Could it be used as a preventive strategy?

Producción CientíficaThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel coronavirus not previously recognized in humans until late 2019. On 31 December 2019, a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unspecified etiology was reported to the World Health Organization in China. The availability of adequate SARS-CoV-2 drugs is also limited, and the efficacy and safety of these drugs for COVID-2019 pneumonia patients need to be assessed by further clinical trials. For these reasons, there is a need for other strategies against COVID-19 that are capable of prevention and treatment. Physical exercise has proven to be an effective therapy for most chronic diseases and microbial infections with preventive/therapeutic benefits, considering that exercise involves primary immunological mediators and/or anti-inflammatory properties. This review aimed to provide an insight into how the implementation of a physical exercise program against COVID-19 may be a useful complementary tool for prevention, which can also enhance recovery, improve quality of life, and provide immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in the long term. In summary, physical exercise training exerts immunomodulatory effects, controls the viral gateway, modulates inflammation, stimulates nitric oxide synthesis pathways, and establishes control over oxidative stress

Brain structures identification based on feature descriptor

Traumatic Brain Injury -TBI- -1- is defined as an acute event that causes certain damage to areas of the brain. TBI may result in a significant impairment of an individuals physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning. The main consequence of TBI is a dramatic change in the individuals daily life involving a profound disruption of the family, a loss of future income capacity and an increase of lifetime cost. One of the main challenges of TBI Neuroimaging is to develop robust automated image analysis methods to detect signatures of TBI, such as: hyper-intensity areas, changes in image contrast and in brain shape. The final goal of this research is to develop a method to identify the altered brain structures by automatically detecting landmarks on the image where signal changes and to provide comprehensive information to the clinician about them. These landmarks identify injured structures by co-registering the patient?s image with an atlas where landmarks have been previously detected. The research work has been initiated by identifying brain structures on healthy subjects to validate the proposed method. Later, this method will be used to identify modified structures on TBI imaging studies

Métodos de segmentación y seguimiento de estructuras para vídeo laparoscópico.

En este artículo se presenta el diseño, implementación y evaluación de tres métodos que permiten realizar la detección y el seguimiento de estructuras de interés seleccionadas por el usuario a lo largo de un conjunto de fotogramas de vídeo quirúrgico. El objetivo de estos métodos es la extracción de la información relativa a las estructuras presentes en una determinada escena quirúrgica en entornos de formación o durante los procedimientos de mínima invasión. Los resultados muestran su directa aplicabilidad a entornos didácticos, por ser técnicas semiautomáticas en las que se requiere interacción del usuario

Effect of the presence of the plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) Chryseobacterium balustinum Aur9 and salt stress in the pattern of flavonoids exuded by soybean roots

In this work we studied how biotic and abiotic stresses can alter the pattern of flavonoids exuded by Osumi soybean roots. A routine method was developed for the detection and characterization of the flavonoids present in soybean root exudates using HPLC-MS/MS. Then, a systematic screening of the flavonoids exuded under biotic stress, the presence of a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, and salt stress was carried out. Results obtained indicate that the presence of Chryseobacterium balustinum Aur9 or 50 mM NaCl changes qualitatively the pattern of flavonoids exuded when compared to control conditions. Thus, in the presence of C. balustinum Aur9, soybean roots did not exude quercetin and naringenin and, under salt stress, flavonoids daidzein and naringenin could not be detected. Soybean root exudates obtained under saline conditions showed a diminished capacity to induce the expression of the nodA gene in comparison to the exudates obtained in the absence of salt. Moreover, lipochitooligosaccharides (LCOs) were not detected or weakly detected when Sinorhizobium fredii SMH12 was grown in the exudates obtained under salt stress conditions or under salt stress in the presence of C. balustinum Au9, respectively.Fil: Dardanelli, Marta Susana. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; España. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular. Sección Química Biológica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Manyani, Hamid. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; EspañaFil: González Barroso, Sergio. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; EspañaFil: Rodríguez Carvajal, Miguel A.. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; EspañaFil: Gil Serrano, Antonio M.. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; EspañaFil: Espuny, Maria R.. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; EspañaFil: López Baena, Francisco Javier. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; EspañaFil: Bellogín, Ramon A.. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; EspañaFil: Megías, Manuel. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; EspañaFil: Ollero, Francisco J.. Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Farmacia; Españ

Valorization of wastewater from table olives: NMR identification of antioxidant phenolic fraction and microwave single-phase reaction of sugary fraction

The table olive industry is producing a huge amount of wastewater, which is a post-processing cost and an environmental concern. The present study aims to valorize this processing by-product to obtain a value-added product, thereby enhancing resource efficiency and contributing to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). In this sense, a chemical reaction-based platform was developed to obtain valuable components, such as levulinic acid (LA) and 5-hydromethylfurfural (HMF). The products were then analyzed using NMR identification of the antioxidant phenolic fraction and microwave single-phase reaction of the sugary fraction. According to the results, the highest concentration of phenolic compounds does not correspond to the sample directly obtained from NaOH treatment (S1), indicating that water washing steps (S2-S5) are fundamental to recover phenolic substances. Moreover, glucose was presented in the sugary fraction that can be transformed into levulinic acid by a single-phase reaction under microwave irradiation. The information provided in this manuscript suggests that the wastewater from the olive processing industry can be valorized to obtain valuable products

Table olive wastewater as a potential source of biophenols for valorization : a mini review

The table olive industry generates high amounts of wastewater annually during the alkaline treatment, fermentation, and washing steps of olives. High conductivity and salt content, as well as the high organic and biophenol contents of these waters, is a worldwide problem, especially in the Mediterranean region, which is the major table olive producing area. There is a wide variety of bioactives found in wastewater derived from table olive processing. The main compounds of table olive wastewater, such as those derived from phenolic, hydrocarbon, and sugar fractions, can be recovered and reused. In this review, the table olive manufacturing processes and the volumes and composition of wastewater generated from the different methods of table olive processing are discussed. In addition, biophenols of table olive water and their biological activities are also introduced. The high concentrations of valuable biophenols, such as tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, show promising potential for valorizing table olive wastewater; however, more research is needed in this area