114 research outputs found

    ANALISIS JENIS KERANG (PELECYPODA/BIVALVIA) DI KAMPUNG AMBAI DISTRIK KEPULAUAN AMBAI KABUPATEN KEPULAUAN YAPEN

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    ABSTRACTThis study aims to determite the types of shells contained in Ambai village, Ambai Island District, Yapen Island Regency, to know what kind of shellfis is utilized by the community of Ambai village, to know the diversity of species of shell found on the beaches of Ambai village, Ambai Island District, Yapen Island Regency, and to know how the habitat charteristics for the type of shell (Pelecypoda/Bivalvia) in the village of Ambai. This research was conducted on three stations. The method used in this reseach is line tansect method white data analysis is done descriptively and quantitatively, and to know the diversity of type using Shnnon wiener diversity index. The resultas of study found eleven types of (Pelecypoda/Bivalvia) consist of six families located at the reseach location of the type Vepricardium sinense (Cardiidae), Polymesoda cauxaus, Polymesoda bengalensis (Corbiculidae), Hiatula chinensis (Psammobiidae), Meretrix meretrix, Gafrarium tumidum, Gafrarium pectinatum, Periglypta reticulata (Veneridae), Anadara antiquata, Barbatia decussata (Arcidae), Tellina virgata (Tellinade). The shellfish used by the community of Ambai village consist of four types namely type Polymesoda cauxaus, Polymesoda bengalensis, Anadara antiquata, and Meretrix meretrix. In transect I was fornd characteristic type of muddly sand substrate, transect II and III  type of substrate of muddly sand  fine sand, nested sand. With the diversity index of shellfish species located in the beach of Ambai village, Ambai Island District Yapen Island Regency is H’=1, Can be categorized as low. Key words : Shellfish (Pelecypoda/Bivalvia), Ambai village

    Interactions between Seagrass Complexity, Hydrodynamic Flow and Biomixing Alter Food Availability for Associated Filter-Feeding Organisms

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    Seagrass shoots interact with hydrodynamic forces and thereby a positively or negatively influence the survival of associated species. The modification of these forces indirectly alters the physical transport and flux of edible particles within seagrass meadows, which will influence the growth and survivorship of associated filter-feeding organisms. The present work contributes to gaining insight into the mechanisms controlling the availability of resources for filter feeders inhabiting seagrass canopies, both from physical (influenced by seagrass density and patchiness) and biological (regulated by filter feeder density) perspectives. A factorial experiment was conducted in a large racetrack flume, which combined changes in hydrodynamic conditions, chlorophyll a concentration in the water and food intake rate (FIR) in a model active filter-feeding organism (the cockle). Results showed that seagrass density and patchiness modified both hydrodynamic forces and availability of resources for filter feeders. Chlorophyll a water content decreased to 50% of the initial value when densities of both seagrass shoots and cockles were high. Also, filter feeder density controlled resource availability within seagrass patches, depending on its spatial position within the racetrack flume. Under high density of filter-feeding organisms, chlorophyll a levels were lower between patches. This suggests that the pumping activity of cockles (i.e. biomixing) is an emergent key factor affecting both resource availability and FIR for filter feeders in dense canopies. Applying our results to natural conditions, we suggest the existence of a direct correlation between habitat complexity (i.e. shoot density and degree of patchiness) and filter feeders density. Fragmented and low-density patches seem to offer both greater protection from hydrodynamic forces and higher resource availability. In denser patches, however, resources are allocated mostly within the canopy, which would benefit filter feeders if they occurred at low densities, but would be limiting when filter feeder were at high densities

    Augmented β-cell function and mass in glucocorticoid-treated rodents are associated with increased islet ir-β /AKT/mTOR and decreased AMPK/ACC and AS160 signaling

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    FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOGlucocorticoid (GC) therapies may adversely cause insulin resistance (IR) that lead to a compensatory hyperinsulinemia due to insulin hypersecretion. The increased β-cell function is associated with increased insulin signaling that has the protein kinase B (AKT) substrate with 160 kDa (AS160) as an important downstream AKT effector. In muscle, both insulin and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling phosphorylate and inactivate AS160, which favors the glucose transporter (GLUT)-4 translocation to plasma membrane. Whether AS160 phosphorylation is modulated in islets from GC-treated subjects is unknown. For this, two animal models, Swiss mice and Wistar rats, were treated with dexamethasone (DEX) (1 mg/kg body weight) for 5 consecutive days. DEX treatment induced IR, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia in both species, but glucose intolerance and hyperglycemia only in rats. DEX treatment caused increased insulin secretion in response to glucose and augmented β-cell mass in both species that were associated with increased islet content and increased phosphorylation of the AS160 protein. Protein AKT phosphorylation, but not AMPK phosphorylation, was found significantly enhanced in islets from DEX-treated animals. We conclude that the augmented β-cell function developed in response to the GC-induced IR involves inhibition of the islet AS160 protein activity.Glucocorticoid (GC) therapies may adversely cause insulin resistance (IR) that lead to a compensatory hyperinsulinemia due to insulin hypersecretion. The increased β-cell function is associated with increased insulin signaling that has the protein kinase2014114FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOsem informaçãosem informaçã

    Cytokines Interleukin-1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor-ι Regulate Different Transcriptional and Alternative Splicing Networks in Primary β-Cells

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    OBJECTIVE: Cytokines contribute to pancreatic beta-cell death in type 1 diabetes. This effect is mediated by complex gene networks that remain to be characterized. We presently utilized array analysis to define the global expression pattern of genes, including spliced variants, modified by the cytokines interleukin (IL)-1beta + interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha + IFN-gamma in primary rat beta-cells. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Fluorescence-activated cell sorter-purified rat beta-cells were exposed to IL-1beta + IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha + IFN-gamma for 6 or 24 h, and global gene expression was analyzed by microarray. Key results were confirmed by RT-PCR, and small-interfering RNAs were used to investigate the mechanistic role of novel and relevant transcription factors identified by pathway analysis. RESULTS Nearly 16,000 transcripts were detected as present in beta-cells, with temporal differences in the number of genes modulated by IL-1beta + IFNgamma or TNF-alpha + IFN-gamma. These cytokine combinations induced differential expression of inflammatory response genes, which is related to differential induction of IFN regulatory factor-7. Both treatments decreased the expression of genes involved in the maintenance of beta-cell phenotype and growth/regeneration. Cytokines induced hypoxia-inducible factor-alpha, which in this context has a proapoptotic role. Cytokines also modified the expression of >20 genes involved in RNA splicing, and exon array analysis showed cytokine-induced changes in alternative splicing of >50% of the cytokine-modified genes. CONCLUSIONS: The present study doubles the number of known genes expressed in primary beta-cells, modified or not by cytokines, and indicates the biological role for several novel cytokine-modified pathways in beta-cells. It also shows that cytokines modify alternative splicing in beta-cells, opening a new avenue of research for the field.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

    Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery and Physico-Chemical Properties of Nanosystems: Analysis and Correlation Studies of Data from Scientific Literature

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    Angela Bonaccorso,1,2,* Alessandro Ortis,3,* Teresa Musumeci,1,2 Claudia Carbone,1,2 Mazhar Hussain,3 Valentina Di Salvatore,1 Sebastiano Battiato,3 Francesco Pappalardo,1,2 Rosario Pignatello1,2 1Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; 2NANOMED–Research Centre for Nanomedicine and Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, University of Catania, Catania, 95125, Italy; 3Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Catania, Catania, Italy*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Teresa Musumeci, Email [email protected]: In the last few decades, nose-to-brain delivery has been investigated as an alternative route to deliver molecules to the Central Nervous System (CNS), bypassing the Blood–Brain Barrier. The use of nanotechnological carriers to promote drug transfer via this route has been widely explored. The exact mechanisms of transport remain unclear because different pathways (systemic or axonal) may be involved. Despite the large number of studies in this field, various aspects still need to be addressed. For example, what physicochemical properties should a suitable carrier possess in order to achieve this goal? To determine the correlation between carrier features (eg, particle size and surface charge) and drug targeting efficiency percentage (DTE%) and direct transport percentage (DTP%), correlation studies were performed using machine learning.Methods: Detailed analysis of the literature from 2010 to 2021 was performed on Pubmed in order to build “NANOSE” database. Regression analyses have been applied to exploit machine-learning technology.Results: A total of 64 research articles were considered for building the NANOSE database (102 formulations). Particle-based formulations were characterized by an average size between 150– 200 nm and presented a negative zeta potential (ZP) from − 10 to − 25 mV. The most general-purpose model for the regression of DTP/DTE values is represented by Decision Tree regression, followed by K-Nearest Neighbors Regressor (KNeighbor regression).Conclusion: A literature review revealed that nose-to-brain delivery has been widely investigated in neurodegenerative diseases. Correlation studies between the physicochemical properties of nanosystems (mean size and ZP) and DTE/DTP parameters suggest that ZP may be more significant than particle size for DTP/DTE predictability.Keywords: nanomedicine, intranasal administration, pharmacokinetic, DTE, DTP, machine learnin

    Zinc transporter gene expression is regulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines: a potential role for zinc transporters in beta-cell apoptosis?

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>β-cells are extremely rich in zinc and zinc homeostasis is regulated by zinc transporter proteins. β-cells are sensitive to cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) has been associated with β-cell dysfunction and -death in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This study explores the regulation of zinc transporters following cytokine exposure.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The effects of cytokines IL-1β, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-ι (TNF-ι) on zinc transporter gene expression were measured in INS-1-cells and rat pancreatic islets. Being the more sensitive transporter, we further explored ZnT8 (Slc30A8): the effect of ZnT8 over expression on cytokine induced apoptosis was investigated as well as expression of the insulin gene and two apoptosis associated genes, BAX and BCL2.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results showed a dynamic response of genes responsible for β-cell zinc homeostasis to cytokines: IL-1β down regulated a number of zinc-transporters, most strikingly ZnT8 in both islets and INS-1 cells. The effect was even more pronounced when mixing the cytokines. TNF-ι had little effect on zinc transporter expression. IFN-γ down regulated a number of zinc transporters. Insulin expression was down regulated by all cytokines. ZnT8 over expressing cells were more sensitive to IL-1β induced apoptosis whereas no differences were observed with IFN-γ, TNF-ι, or a mixture of cytokines.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The zinc transporting system in β-cells is influenced by the exposure to cytokines. Particularly ZnT8, which has been associated with the development of diabetes, seems to be cytokine sensitive.</p

    JunB Inhibits ER Stress and Apoptosis in Pancreatic Beta Cells

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    Cytokines contribute to pancreatic β-cell apoptosis in type 1 diabetes (T1D) by modulation of β-cell gene expression networks. The transcription factor Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) is a key regulator of inflammation and apoptosis. We presently evaluated the function of the AP-1 subunit JunB in cytokine-mediated β-cell dysfunction and death. The cytokines IL-1β+IFN-γ induced an early and transitory upregulation of JunB by NF-κB activation. Knockdown of JunB by RNA interference increased cytokine-mediated expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, leading to increased apoptosis in an insulin-producing cell line (INS-1E) and in purified rat primary β-cells. JunB knockdown β-cells and junB−/− fibroblasts were also more sensitive to the chemical ER stressor cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). Conversely, adenoviral-mediated overexpression of JunB diminished iNOS and ER markers expression and protected β-cells from cytokine-induced cell death. These findings demonstrate a novel and unexpected role for JunB as a regulator of defense mechanisms against cytokine- and ER stress-mediated apoptosis
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