Sirtuins 1–7 expression in human adipose-derived stem cells from subcutaneous and visceral fat depots: influence of obesity and hypoxia

The sirtuin family comprises seven NAD+-dependent deacetylases which control the overall health of organisms through the regulation of pleiotropic metabolic pathways. Sirtuins are important modulators of adipose tissue metabolism and their expression is higher in lean than obese subjects. At present, the role of sirtuins in adipose-derived stem cells has not been investigated yet. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the expression of the complete panel of sirtuins in adipose-derived stem cells isolated from both subcutaneous and visceral fat of non-obese and obese subjects. We aimed at investigating the influence of obesity on sirtuins' levels, their role in obesity-associated inflammation, and the relationship with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta, which also plays functions in adipose tissue metabolism. The mRNA levels in the four types of adipose-derived stem cells were evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, in untreated cells and also after 8 h of hypoxia exposure. Correlations among sirtuins' expression and clinical and molecular parameters were also analyzed. We found that sirtuin1-6 exhibited significant higher mRNA expression in visceral adipose-derived stem cells compared to subcutaneous adipose-derived stem cells of non-obese subjects. Sirtuin1-6 levels were markedly reduced in visceral adipose-derived stem cells of obese patients. Sirtuins' expression in visceral adipose-derived stem cells correlated negatively with body mass index and C-reactive protein and positively with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta. Finally, only in the visceral adipose-derived stem cells of obese patients hypoxia-induced mRNA expression of all of the sirtuins. Our results highlight that sirtuins' levels in adipose-derived stem cells are consistent with protective effects against visceral obesity and inflammation, and suggest a transcriptional mechanism through which acute hypoxia up-regulates sirtuins in the visceral adipose-derived stem cells of obese patients

Projeto em tecnologia assistiva para o fortalecimento das línguas de sinais

A linguagem é um meio de comunicação social, de enunciação e de compreensão que surgiu da necessidade de entendimento nas relações de trabalho. Por muitos anos, foi negado às pessoas com deficiência auditiva o direito de fazer uso das línguas gestuais para comunicação, o que acarretou em graves consequências que refletem no entendimento sobre as pessoas surdas até hoje. Atualmente, as Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação vêm suprindo as necessidades de autonomia e comunicação remota dessas pessoas, porém não contribuem para o fortalecimento da cultura surda e da sua produção textual. Este trabalho visa contribuir para a maior visibilidade e inclusão das pessoas surdas na nossa sociedade através da criação de um teclado combinado com um software que auxilie na utilização da Escrita da Língua de Sinais, que aparece como potencial solução para estes problemas. Através da visão Sócio-Antropológica da surdez, utilizou-se a metodologia de design na qual o problema em questão é analisado a partir da conversa com as pessoas consideradas público alvo do projeto e, em seguida, foram geradas alternativas de soluções que atendam às suas necessidades e sejam compatíveis com o mercado.It is known that language is a mean of social communication, enunciation and understanding that arose from the need for understanding in work relations. For many years, hearing impaired people have been denied the use of Sign Language for communication, which has had serious consequences that reflect the understanding of deaf people to this day. Nowadays, Information and Communication Technologies are supplying the autonomy and remote communication needs of these people, but they do not contribute to the strengthening of the deaf culture and its textual production. This work aims to contribute to the greater visibility and inclusion of deaf people in our society through the creation of a keyboard combined with a software that assists people in the use of Sign Language Writing, which appears as a potential solution to these problems. Through the Socio-Anthropological view of deafness, it was use the design methodology in which the problem in question was analise from the research with people considered as the project's target audience and, after that, alternative solutions were create that meet their needs and are compatible with the market

Introducción al dossier “Espacios de memoria en Latinoamérica: conflictos, dilemas y desafíos en tiempo presente”

Presentación de los trabajos que forman parte del Dossier del presente número.Dossier: Espacios de memoria en Latinoamérica: conflictos, dilemas y desafíos en tiempo presenteFacultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Introducción al dossier “Espacios de memoria en Latinoamérica: conflictos, dilemas y desafíos en tiempo presente”

Presentación de los trabajos que forman parte del Dossier del presente número.Dossier: Espacios de memoria en Latinoamérica: conflictos, dilemas y desafíos en tiempo presenteFacultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Germination, root elongation, and photosynthetic performance of plants exposed to sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES). An emerging contaminant

The anionic surfactant SLES (sodium lauryl ether sulfate) is an emerging contaminant, being the main component of foaming agents that are increasingly used by the tunnel construction industry. To fill the gap of knowledge about the potential SLES toxicity on plants, acute and chronic effects were assessed under controlled conditions. The acute ecotoxicological test was performed on Lepidum sativum L. (cress) and Zea mays L. (maize). Germination of both species was not affected by SLES in soil, even at concentrations (1200 mg kg−1) more than twice higher than the maximum realistic values found in contaminated debris, thus confirming the low acute SLES toxicity on terrestrial plants. The root elongation of the more sensitive species (cress) was instead reduced at the highest SLES concentration. In the chronic phytotoxicity experiment, photosynthesis of maize was downregulated, and the photosynthetic performance (PITOT) significantly reduced already under realistic exposures (360 mg kg−1), owing to the SLES ability to interfere with water and/or nutrients uptake by roots. However, such reduction was transient, likely due to the rapid biodegradation of the surfactant by the soil microbial community. Indeed, SLES amount decreased in soil more than 90% of the initial concentration in only 11 days. A significant reduction of the maximum photosynthetic capacity (Pnmax) was still evident at the end of the experiment, suggesting the persistence of negative SLES effects on plant growth and productivity. Overall results, although confirming the low phytotoxicity and high biodegradability of SLES in natural soils, highlight the importance of considering both acute and nonlethal stress effects to evaluate the environmental compatibility of soil containing SLES residues

A randomized, double-blind study comparing the efficacy and safety of trazodone once-a-day and venlafaxine extended-release for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder

This double-blind, randomized study evaluated the efficacy and safety of trazodone OAD (once-a-day) in comparison with venlafaxine XR (extended-release) in 324 patients (166 trazodone and 158 venlafaxine) with major depressive disorder (MDD). The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean change from baseline in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) at week 8. Both treatments were effective in reducing the HAM-D-17 total score at week 8 vs. baseline (intent-to-treat: trazodone -12.9, venlafaxine -14.7; per protocol: trazodone -15.4, venlafaxine -16.4). Patients in the venlafaxine group achieved better results after 8 weeks, whereas the trazodone group achieved a statistically significant reduction in HAM-D-17 following only 7 days of treatment. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were dizziness and somnolence in the trazodone group, and nausea and headache in the venlafaxine group. Most AEs were mild-to-moderate in severity. This study confirmed that both venlafaxine XR and trazodone OAD may represent a valid treatment option for patients with MDD

LIVESTOCK GUARDING DOGS TODAY: POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS

Exchanging experience and finding solutions to problems facing the use of livestock guarding dogs (LGDs) in modern societies were among the goals of a meeting organized in Portugal from 20th to 21st October 2015 within the scope of the LIFE MedWolf Project (www.medwolf.eu). The meeting was attended by 16 specialists from around Europe (Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Slovakia and Bulgaria), as well as from Australia and the USA. In this article we outline constraints on the use of LGDs identified during the meeting and summarize the main solutions proposed. We have grouped the issues into 10 main topics ranging from a lack of quality dogs to personal, social, cultural, economic, time, management, technical, legal and political constraints. Guidelines on the proper raising and caring of LGDs are not the focus of this article, since a great deal of information is already available, including on specific solutions to common problems

Highly specific memory B cells generation after the 2nd dose of BNT162b2 vaccine compensate for the decline of serum antibodies and absence of mucosal IgA

Specific memory B cells and antibodies are a reliable read-out of vaccine efficacy. We analysed these biomarkers after one and two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine. The second dose significantly increases the level of highly specific memory B cells and antibodies. Two months after the second dose, specific antibody levels decline, but highly specific memory B cells continue to increase, thus predicting a sustained protection from COVID-19. We show that although mucosal IgA is not induced by the vaccination, memory B cells migrate in response to inflammation and secrete IgA at mucosal sites. We show that the first vaccine dose may lead to an insufficient number of highly specific memory B cells and low concentration of serum antibodies, thus leaving vaccinees without the immune robustness needed to ensure viral elimination and herd immunity. We also clarify that the reduction of serum antibodies does not diminish the force and duration of the immune protection induced by vaccination. The vaccine does not induce sterilizing immunity. Infection after vaccination may be caused by the lack of local preventive immunity because of the absence of mucosal IgA

Identification of Marine Biotechnology Value Chains with High Potential in the Northern Mediterranean Region

© 2023. The authors. This document is made available under the CC-BY 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by /4.0/ This document is the Accepted version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Marine Drugs. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.3390/md21070416Marine (blue) biotechnology is an emerging field enabling the valorization of new products and processes with massive potential for innovation and economic growth. In the Mediterranean region, this innovation potential is not exploited as well as in other European regions due to a lack of a clear identification of the different value chains and the high fragmentation of business innovation initiatives. As a result, several opportunities to create an innovative society are being missed. To address this problem, eight Northern Mediterranean countries (Croatia, France, Greece, Mar. Drugs 2023, 21, 416. https://doi.org/10.3390/md21070416 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/marinedrugs Mar. Drugs 2023, 21, 416 2 of 26 Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain) established five national blue biotechnology hubs to identify and address the bottlenecks that prevent the development of marine biotechnology in the region. Following a three-step approach (1. Analysis: setting the scene; 2. Transfer: identification of promising value chains; 3. Capitalization: community creation), we identified the three value chains that are most promising for the Northern Mediterranean region: algae production for added-value compounds, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) and valorization aquaculture/fisheries/processing by-products, unavoidable/unwanted catches and discards. The potential for the development and the technical and non-technical skills that are necessary to advance in this exciting field were identified through several stakeholder events which provided valuable insight and feedback that should be addressed for marine biotechnology in the Northern Mediterranean region to reach its full potential

Cell-to-Cell Signaling Influences the Fate of Prostate Cancer Stem Cells and Their Potential to Generate More Aggressive Tumors

An increasing number of malignancies has been shown to be initiated and propelled by small subpopulations of cancer stem cells (CSC). However, whether tumor aggressiveness is driven by CSC and by what extent this property may be relevant within the tumor mass is still unsettled. To address this issue, we isolated a rare tumor cell population on the basis of its CD44+CD24− phenotype from the human androgen-independent prostate carcinoma cell line DU145 and established its CSC properties. The behavior of selected CSC was investigated with respect to the bulk DU145 cells. The injection of CSC in nude mice generated highly vascularized tumors infiltrating the adjacent tissues, showing high density of neuroendocrine cells and expressing low levels of E-cadherin and β-catenin as well as high levels of vimentin. On the contrary, when a comparable number of unsorted DU145 cells were injected the resulting tumors were less aggressive. To investigate the different features of tumors in vivo, the influence of differentiated tumor cells on CSC was examined in vitro by growing CSC in the absence or presence of conditioned medium from DU145 cells. CSC grown in permissive conditions differentiated into cell populations with features similar to those of cells held in aggressive tumors generated from CSC injection. Differently, conditioned medium induced CSC to differentiate into a cell phenotype comparable to cells of scarcely aggressive tumors originated from bulk DU145 cell injection. These findings show for the first time that CSC are able to generate differentiated cells expressing either highly or scarcely aggressive phenotype, thus influencing prostate cancer progression. The fate of CSC was determined by signals released from tumor environment. Moreover, using microarray analysis we selected some molecules which could be involved in this cell-to-cell signaling, hypothesizing their potential value for prognostic or therapeutic applications