Circulating anti-galectin-1 antibodies are associated with the severity of ocular disease in autoimmune and infectious uveitis

Galectin (Gal)-1, an endogenous lectin found at sites of immune privilege, plays a critical role in the regulation of the immune response. Therapeutic administration of Gal-1 or its genetic delivery suppresses chronic inflammation in experimental models of autoimmunity. The purpose of this work was to investigate the occurrence of circulating anti-Gal-1 antibodies in patients with autoimmune and infectious uveitis as potential determinant factors of disease progression.Fil: Romero, Marta D.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; Argentina. Fundación Ver; Argentina. Laboratorio Inmunopatología Investigación y Docencia LIIDO; ArgentinaFil: Muiño, Juan Carlos. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Fundación Ver; ArgentinaFil: Bianco, German Ariel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Ferrero, Mercedes. Laboratorio Inmunopatología Investigación y Docencia LIIDO; Argentina. Fundación Ver; ArgentinaFil: Juarez, Claudio P.. Fundación Ver; ArgentinaFil: Luna, José Domingo. Fundación Ver; ArgentinaFil: Rabinovich, Gabriel A.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin

The pseudopregnancy model in mice for the in situ study of the uterine Natural Killer cells

Orientador: Aureo Tatsumi YamadaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo: Durante o período peri-implantacional na gestação de humanos e roedores, ocorre no estroma da mucosa uterina um conjunto de fenômenos que envolvem modificações dos componentes celulares e da matriz extracelular. Este conjunto de modificações é conhecido como decidualização ou reação decidual. Concomitante a este processo ocorre a migração de leucócitos provenientes de órgão hematopoéticos para este estroma. Dentre estes leucócitos predominam as subpopulações de linfócitos denominados de células ¿uterine Natural Killer¿ (uNK), que atuam na gestação reconhecendo o embrião alogeneico, modulando a reação decidual e o crescimento placentário. Porém, a sua participação nos casos de aborto e o possível desencadeamento do potencial lítico e citotóxico relacionado com a resposta imune inata, não foi ainda totalmente elucidado. O presente trabalho buscou desenvolver estratégias para o estudo in situ das células uNK, sem a influência de fatores oriundos do embrião, empregando o modelo da pseudogestação em camundongos. Foram utilizados fêmeas pseudogestantes obtidos através do acasalamento com machos vasectomizados e inoculação intraluminal do óleo vegetal (arachis) ou mineral (nujol) no útero de 4° dia de pseudogestação (dpg). Estes animais pseudogestantes foram subdivididos em grupos submetidos ou não a ovarectomia e com suplementação hormonal de estrógeno e/ou progesterona ou hormônio gonadotrófico coriônico (hCG). Foram coletados o útero e ovário e processados para análise em microscopia de luz e eletrônica de transmissão no 9°, 12° e 14° dpg. Fêmeas em gestação normal foram utilizados como grupo controle. As análises histológicas, citoquímicas e ultra-estruturais efetuadas demonstraram que a indução da pseudogestação com emprego tanto de óleo vegetal (arachis) quanto de óleo mineral resultam na reação decidual e presença de células uNK lectina DBA (Dolichos biflorus) positivas. A reação decidual resultante e mais exuberante com o óleo de arachis, porém, o período de manutenção do deciduoma é menor, mesmo com a suplementação hormonal de progesterona, se comparado ao grupo de animais induzidos com o óleo mineral e suplementada com HCG. As características morfológicas das células uNK foram melhor preservadas nos animais pseudogestantes induzidos com o óleo mineral, não ovarectomizados e suplementados com o HCG.Nestes, as células uNK foram encontradas aém do 12° dpg em meio ao endométrio que mantinha o deciduoma, enquanto nos demais grupos o deciduoma era destituído antes do 12º dpg. Porém, , à semelhança dos demais grupos experimentais, houve predominância de formas menos diferenciadas de células uNK (subtipos I e II), sendo raras as formas plenamente diferenciadas (subtipo III). Em nenhum dos grupos foi encontrado o subtipo IV, correspondentes à forma de degeneração destas células. Estes resultados demonstram que as características do endométrio e o comportamento das células uNK na pseudogestação, apresentam diferenças influenciadas pelos meios de indução utilizados e regimes hormonais adotados.Além disso, a ausência do concepto parece ser o fator limitante na continuidade da manutenção do utero seudogestante. Por conseguinte, a pseudogestação induzida com óleo mineral e mantida sob a regência ovariana supra-controlado pelo HCG poderia ser adotada como modelo experimental para estudo das células uNK sem a interferência do embrião. Este modelo deverá permitir novas estratégias para investigação dos diversos fatores de origem embrionário/fetal que possam afetar as atividades destas e/ou outras células de forma controlada in situ no ambiente uterino que simule a gestaçãoAbstract: During the period of pre-implantation in humans and rodents gestations, a set of phenomenon, involving, modifications of cellular components and extracellular matrix occur in the stroma of the uterus. These modifications, are known as decidualization or decidual reaction. During this processes a migration of leukocytes that came from the heamatopoetic organs occur into the uterine stroma. Among these leukocytes, there is a predominance of a subpopulation of leukocytes known as uterine Natural Killers (uNK) that play important roles during gestation by recognizing the allogeneic embryos and modulating the decidual reaction and the placental growth. However, the uNK participations in miss carriage and triggering of lytic and citotoxic potential related to innate immune response during pregnancy have not elucidated yet. The present work aimed to develop a strategy for uNK study without the influence of embryonaryfactors by using the pseudopregnancy model in mice. It was used the pseudopregnant females mice obtained by matting with vasectomized males and intra-luminal injection of arachis or mineral oil in the uterus on 4th day of pseudopregnancy (dpp). These animals were grouped according to treatment submitted of ovarectomy or not and with exogenous supplement of progesterone and/or estradiol or chorionic gonadotrophin hormone (HCG). The uteri and ovary were collected and processes for light and electron microscope on the 9th, 12thand 14thdpp. Normal pregnant females were used as controls. Histological analysis, cytochemistry and ultrastructure demonstrated that the induction of pseudopregnancy by using both arachis oil and mineral oil resulted in decidual reaction and presence of the DBA (Dolichos biflorus) lectin positive uNK cells. The decidual reactions induced by arachis oil were more intensive and exuberant, but the deciduomas were not sustained longer even under progesterone treatment, if compared to those, in the uterus induced with mineral oil, and supplemented with HCG. The morphological characteristics of the uNK cells were better preserved in the pseudopregnant animals induced with mineral oils, not ovarectomized and supplement with HCG. In these animals, the uNK cells were found over the 12th dpp in the endometrium preserving the deciduoma while it failed before 12th dpp in the other groups However, similarly to other experimental groups, there was predominance immature forms of uNK cells (subtypes I and II), being rare the fully differentiated forms (subtype III). No groups did not show the uNK sub type IV, corresponding to the degeneration form of this cellMestradoHistologiaMestre em Biologia Celular e Estrutura

Towards a P Systems Pseudomonas Quorum Sensing Model

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterium that exploits quorum sensing communication to synchronize individuals in a colony and this leads to an increase in the effectiveness of its virulence. In this paper we derived a mechanistic P systems model to describe the behavior of a single bacterium and we discuss a possible approach, based on an evolutionary algorithm, to tune its parameters that will allow a quantitative simulation of the system.Kingdom's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EP/D021847/

AUDITORY BRAINSTEM RESPONSES: STIMULUS VARIATIONS

Introduction: Auditory brainstem response is a response to external stimulation that represents the neural electrophysiological activity of the auditory system at the brainstem level. Variations due to the change in the presentation of stimuli help in the diagnosis of clinical conditions that affect the auditory nervous system. Objective: To characterize and compare the different polarity variations stimuli and presentation rates in adults with normal hearing. Methods: We investigated 20 students from a Center for Diagnosis and Rehabilitation, with no hearing impairment, all female aged 15-30 years old, who were screened for brainstem auditory evoked potential, which presented stimuli in different polarities ranges, including condensation and rarefaction in different presentation rates of 21.7, 27.7 and 47.7 stimuli per second. Results: We observed lower values of latencies of wave I in the three rates of stimulus presentation and wave V at the rate of 21.7/sec. rarefact when used, and also on the right ear and the same polarity , the gap interpeak I - III also had lower values for rates of introduction, as in the IR range the rate of 21.7/s. In overall comparison of groups in different polarities of stimulation, there was a significant difference only in rarefact. Conclusion: The understanding of the behavior of the electrophysiological response to variations of the stimulus is important and may serve as a reference for normal use of these measures in clinical practice

Potenciais evocados auditivos de longa latência na síndrome de Asperger: estudo de dois casos

Introduction: Auditory Late Responses (ALR) assess central auditory processing by neuroelectric activity of the auditory pathway and analyse the activities involved in cortical abilities of discrimination, attention and integration of the brain. Individuals withAsperger Syndromeexperience changesinthese skills, so it is importanttoresearchthesepotentialthis population. The objective of this paper was to describe the auditory late responses of two patients with Asperger Syndrome. Methods: The study included two male patients with Asperger Syndrome, of 7 and 12 years of age, treated in a study centre. The patients did not present any auditory complaint detected by anamnesis. The external auditory canal was inspected and audiological and auditory late responses assessed. After evaluation the components P2, N2 and P3 were analysed. Results: In both patients, the latency of the components P2, N2 and P3 were elongated in both ears. Regarding the amplitude of the P2 component, reduced values were found for the left ear of patient 1 and the right ear of patient 2. The N2 amplitude was reduced for both ears of patient 1 and only the right ear of patient 2. The two patients showed a decrease in the amplitude of the P3 only in the right ear. Conclusion:This study concludes that there were changes in the ALR results in both patients with Asperger Syndrome, suggesting alteration of the auditory function at the cortex level.Introdução: Os Potenciais Evocados Auditivos de Longa Latência avaliam o processamento auditivo central através da atividade neuroelétrica da via auditiva, analisando as atividades corticais envolvidas nas habilidades de discriminação, integração e atenção do cérebro. Indivíduos com Síndrome de Asperger apresentam alterações em tais habilidades, sendo importante a investigação desses potenciais nessa população. O objetivo do trabalho foi descrever os achados dos Potenciais Evocados Auditivos de Longa Latência de dois pacientes com Síndrome de Asperger. Método: Participaram do estudo dois pacientes com Síndrome de Asperger do sexo masculino, com idade de 7 e 12 anos, atendidos em um centro de estudos, isentos de alterações auditivas,detectadas por meio de anamnese, inspeção do conduto auditivo externo e avaliação audiológica. Foi aplicado o potencial evocado auditivo de longa latência e analisado os componentes P2, N2 e P3. Resultados: A latência dos componentes P2, N2 e P3 mostrou-se alongada nas duas orelhas nos dois pacientes. Quanto à amplitude, o componente P2 estava com valores reduzidosapenas para a orelha esquerda do paciente 1 e direita do paciente 2. O N2 estava com amplitude reduzida nas duas orelhas do paciente 1 e apenas na orelha direita do paciente 2, e o P3 apresentou diminuição de amplitude apenas na orelha direita nos dois pacientes. Conclusão: Pode-se concluir que há alteração no funcionamento da informação auditiva ao nível do córtex nas duas crianças com Síndrome de Asperger atendidas neste centro

A Multiscale Modeling Framework Based on P Systems

Cellular systems present a highly complex organization at different scales including the molecular, cellular and colony levels. The complexity at each one of these levels is tightly interrelated. Integrative systems biology aims to obtain a deeper understanding of cellular systems by focusing on the systemic and systematic integration of the different levels of organization in cellular systems. The different approaches in cellular modeling within systems biology have been classified into mathematical and computational frameworks. Specifically, the methodology to develop computational models has been recently called executable biology since it produces executable algorithms whose computations resemble the evolution of cellular systems. In this work we present P systems as a multiscale modeling framework within executable biology. P system models explicitly specify the molecular, cellular and colony levels in cellular systems in a relevant and understandable manner. Molecular species and their structure are represented by objects or strings, compartmentalization is described using membrane structures and finally cellular colonies and tissues are modeled as a collection of interacting individual P systems. The interactions between the components of cellular systems are described using rewriting rules. These rules can in turn be grouped together into modules to characterize specific cellular processes. One of our current research lines focuses on the design of cell systems biology models exhibiting a prefixed behavior through the automatic assembly of these cellular modules. Our approach is equally applicable to synthetic as well as systems biology.Kingdom's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EP/ E017215/1Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom BB/F01855X/1Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom BB/D019613/

Genomic and phenotypic insight into Xanthomonas vesicatoria strains with different aggressiveness on tomato

Xanthomonas vesicatoria is one of the causal agents of bacterial spot, a disease that seriously affects the production of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annum) worldwide. In Argentina, bacterial spot is found in all tomato producing areas, with X. vesicatoria being one of the main species detected in the fields. Previously, we isolated three X. vesicatoria strains BNM 208, BNM 214, and BNM 216 from tomato plants with bacterial spot, and found they differed in their ability to form biofilm and in their degree of aggressiveness. Here, the likely causes of those differences were explored through genotypic and phenotypic studies. The genomes of the three strains were sequenced and assembled, and then compared with each other and also with 12 other publicly available X. vesicatoria genomes. Phenotypic characteristics (mainly linked to biofilm formation and virulence) were studied in vitro. Our results show that the differences observed earlier between BNM 208, BNM 214, and BNM 216 may be related to the structural characteristics of the xanthan gum produced by each strain, their repertoire of type III effectors (T3Es), the presence of certain genes associated with c-di-GMP metabolism and type IV pili (T4P). These findings on the pathogenicity mechanisms of X. vesicatoria could be useful for developing bacterial spot control strategies aimed at interfering with the infection processes.Fil: Bianco, María Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein". Fundación Pablo Cassará. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein"; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigación En Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud.; ArgentinaFil: Ponso, María Agustina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigacion y Transferencia Agroalimentaria y Biotecnologica. - Universidad Nacional de Villa Maria. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigacion y Transferencia Agroalimentaria y Biotecnologica.; ArgentinaFil: Garita Cambronero, Jerson. Asociación Nacional de Obtentores Vegetales; EspañaFil: Conforte, Valeria Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein". Fundación Pablo Cassará. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein"; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigación En Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud.; ArgentinaFil: Galván, Tadeo E.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein". Fundación Pablo Cassará. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein"; ArgentinaFil: Dunger, Germán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; ArgentinaFil: Morales, Gustavo Marcelo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; ArgentinaFil: Vojnov, Adrián Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein". Fundación Pablo Cassará. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein"; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigación En Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud.; ArgentinaFil: Romero, Ana María. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Cubero, Jaime. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Yaryura, Pablo Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigacion y Transferencia Agroalimentaria y Biotecnologica. - Universidad Nacional de Villa Maria. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigacion y Transferencia Agroalimentaria y Biotecnologica.; Argentin

Health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023: A cross-sectional survey

The physical activity, exercise and wellness sector is rapidly growing and seems to be an exciting field for business and professional development with great potential globally. The purpose of this observational and cross-sectional study was to determine the most popular health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for the first time, including data from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus, and to investigate any potential differences in this area compared to the Pan-European and global fitness trends for 2023. A national online survey was conducted in five Southern European countries, using the methodology of similar regional and worldwide surveys conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine since 2007. In total, a web-based questionnaire was sent to 19,887 professionals who worked in the Southern European physical activity, exercise and wellness sector. A total of 2645 responses were collected from five national surveys with an overall mean response rate of 13.3%. The ten most important fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023 were personal training, licensure for fitness professionals, exercise is medicine, employing certified fitness professionals, functional fitness training, small group training, high -intensity interval training, fitness programs for older adults, post -rehabilitation classes and body weight training. The present findings are aligned with those reported for the European and worldwide fitness trends

Multicentre Surveillance of Candida Species from Blood Cultures during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Southern Europe (CANCoVEU Project)

Introduction: Surveillance of Candida species isolates from blood cultures (BCs) in Europe is considered fragmented, unable to allow the definition of targets of antifungal stewardship recommendations especially during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods: We performed a multicentric retrospective study including all consecutive BC Candida isolates from six Southern European tertiary hospitals (1st January 2020 to 31st December 2021). Etiology, antifungal susceptibility patterns, and clinical setting were analyzed and compared. Results: C. albicans was the dominant species (45.1%), while C. auris was undetected. Candida species positive BC events increased significantly in COVID-19 ICUs in 2021 but decreased in other ICUs. Resistance to azole increased significantly and remained very high in C. albicans (fluconazole from 0.7% to 4.5%, p = 0.03) and C. parapsilosis complex (fluconazole up to 24.5% and voriconazole up to 8.9%), respectively. Resistance to caspofungin was remarkable in C. tropicalis (10%) and C. krusei (20%), while resistance to at least one echinocandin increased in 2021, especially in C. parapsilosis complex (from 0.8% to 5.1%, p = 0.05). Although no significant differences were observed over the study period, fluconazole and echinocandin resistance increased in COVID-19 ICUs by up to 14% and 5.8%, respectively, but remained undetected in non-intensive COVID-19 wards. Conclusions: Antifungal stewardship activities aimed at monitoring resistance to echinocandin in C. tropicalis and C. krusei, and against the spread of fluconazole resistant C. parapsilosis complex isolates are highly desirable. In COVID-19 patients, antifungal resistance was mostly present when the illness had a critical course.publishersversionpublishe