Expression of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 Receptors as Leptin-Breast Cancer regulation mechanisms

: La obesidad es considerada como uno de los principales factores de riesgo implicados en el desarrollo del cáncer de mama y se ha documentado el papel que juega el tejido adiposo a través de Leptina y Adiponectina. El estudio de estas proteínas ha determinado su importancia en el desarrollo y progreso del cáncer de mama, pero muy pocos son los que han estudiado a AdipoR1 y AdipoR2 y la influencia de la Leptina sobre ellos. Se planteó el analizó la expresión de AdipoR1 y AdipoR2 modulada por concentraciones diferenciales de Leptina en un modelo de obesidad asociado a cáncer de mama en líneas celulares, utilizando sondas TaqMan®, mediado por concentraciones diferenciales de Leptina en líneas celulares. Seguido se llevó a cabo la extracción de RNA, obtención de cDNA (Retrotranscripción) y PCR en tiempo real. Se caracterizó cada línea celular por medio de Inmunohistoquímica. Concluyendo con base en los resultados que la concentración de normo-peso (10ng/mL) de leptina generó un incremento de la expresión de ambos receptores de adiponectina.The development of breast cancer is influenced by the adipose tissue through the proteins leptin and adiponectin. However, there is little research concerning AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 receptors and the influence of leptin over them. The objective of this work was to analyze the expression of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, modulated by differential concentrations of leptin in an obesity model (10ng/mL, 100ng/mL, and 1000ng/mL) associated with breast cancer in MCF-7 and HCC1937 cell lines. Each cell was characterized through immunohistochemistry, and the expression of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 was analyzed by PCR in real time using TaqMan® probes. Leptin induced an increase in cell population of MCF-7 (23.8%, 10ng/m, 48 h) and HCC1937 (17.24%, 1000ng/mL, 72 h). In MCF-7, the expression of AdipoR1 decreased (3.81%, 1000ng/Ml) and the expression of AdipoR2 increased by 13.74 times (10ng/mL) with regard to the control. In HCC1937, the expression of AdipoR1 decreases by 86.28% (10ng/mL), as well as the expression of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 mRNA

Hyperleptinemia as a prognostic factor for preeclampsia: a cohort study

Summary: Introduction: Leptin is an adipokine which has a direct relationship to obesity. Our aim was to measure this hormone in pregnant women at three months intervals throughout their pregnancies to determine the serum value of those who developed preeclampsia. Material and Methods: We followed 19 women (median age 24.8 ± 5.7 years) with pre-gestational Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 25 kg/m2, 21 (median age 26.1 ± 4.6 years) with BMI higher than 25 kg/m2 and 16 (median age 30.9 ± 5.8 years) with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) (median age 30.9 ± 5.8 years), recruited in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Serum levels of leptin were measured with radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. Results: In the first trimester of pregnancy leptin levels showed statistically significant differences between normal weight and overweight-obese women (p < 0.001), diabetic women (p < 0.05) and the subgroup of preeclamptic women (p < 0.001). For those women with PGBMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 and leptin ≥ 40 ng/ml in the second trimester, the Odds Ratio (OR) to develop preeclampsia was of 47.95% CI (4.1–527.2). Analyzing leptin values with ROC curves, the greatest area under the curve (AUC) was for leptin in the second trimester (0.773, CI: 0.634–0.911). Conclusion: Women with morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) had significantly higher levels of serum leptin (p < 0.01) and a value of 40 ng/ml of this hormone seems to be predictive of developing preeclampsia in this group of patients

Bone-repair properties of biodegradable hydroxyapatite nano-rod superstructures

Nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HAp) materials show an analogous chemical composition to the biogenic mineral components of calcified tissues and depending on their topography they may mimic the specific arrangement of the crystals in bone. In this work, we have evaluated the potential of four synthesized nano-HAp superstructures for the in vitro conditions of bone-repair. Experiments are underway to investigate the effects of the material microstructure, surface roughness and hydrophilicity on their osseo-integration, osteo-conduction and osteo-induction abilities. Materials were tested in the presence of both, rat primary osteoblasts and rabbit mesenchymal stem cells. The following aspects are discussed: (i) cytotoxicity and material degradation; (ii) rat osteoblast spreading, proliferation and differentiation; and (iii) rabbit mesenchymal stem cell adhesion on nano-HAp and nano-HAp/collagen type I coatings. We effectively prepared a material based on biomimetic HAp nano-rods displaying the appropriate surface topography, hydrophilicity and degradation properties to induce the in vitro desired cellular responses for bone bonding and healing. Cells seeded on the selected material readily attached, proliferated and differentiated, as confirmed by cell viability, mitochondrial metabolic activity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and cytoskeletal integrity analysis by immunofluorescence localization of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) protein. These results highlight the influence of material´s surface characteristics to determine their tissue regeneration potential and their future use in engineering osteogenic scaffolds for orthopedic implants.Fil: D'elía, Noelia Laura. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Mathieu, Colleen. École Polytechnique. Institute of Biomedical Engineering; CanadáFil: Hoemann, Caroline D.. École Polytechnique. Institute of Biomedical Engineering; Canadá. Groupe de Recherche en Sciences et Technologies Biomédicales; Canadá. École Polytechnique. Department of Chemical Engineering; CanadáFil: Laiuppa, Juan Andrés. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Santillan, Graciela Edith. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Messina, Paula Veronica. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur; Argentin

Informe final sobre las implicaciones del reglamento orgánico (UE) 2018/848 en Ecuador

Report on the findings of a consultancy "training and technical support on the new EU organic regulation 2018/848 and its key implications for the organic sector in Ecuador. The new EU Organic Regulation 2018/848 aims at improving the organic rules to correspond better to the high expectations of consumers and guaranteeing sufficient clarity for those to whom they are addressed. Organic trade between Ecuador and the EU will be highly affected by the new rules as the principle of equivalence for imports will be replaced by a compliance system. Ecuador is EU’s N°1 supplier of organic products. The well-established organic supply chains of organic products to the EU need to change profoundly to meet the new EU requirements. Some changes will affect all actors of the export supply chains, but the most severe impacts are expected for the more than 8800 small and medium size farms who are organized in producer groups. The report summarizes key new requirements and their implications for organic production in Ecuador with a focus on smallholder producer groups and highlights key challenges and opportunities to support the adapation to the new requirements

Manipulating the bioactivity of hydroxyapatite nano-rods structured networks: Effects on mineral coating morphology and growth kinetic

Background: Nano-hydroxyapatite particles have better bioactivity than the coarse crystals. So, they can be utilized for engineered tissue implants with improved efficiency over other materials. The development of materials with specific bioactive characteristics is still under investigation. Methods: The surface properties of four hydroxyapatitematerials templated by differentmicelle-polymer structured network are studied. The synergistic interaction of each block copolymer in contact with CTAB rod-like micelles results in crystalline HAp nano-rods of 25-50 nm length organized in hierarchical structures with different micro-rough characteristics. Results: It was observed that the material in vitro bioactivity strongly depends on the surface structure while in a minor extent on their Ca/P ratio. So, MIII and MIV materials with Skewness parameter Rsk N 2.62 favored the formation on their surfaces of net-like phase with a high growth kinetic constant; while MI and MII (Rsk = 2.62) induced the appearance of spherulitic-like structures and a growth rate 1.75 times inferior. Material biocompatibility was confirmed by interaction with rat calvarial osteoblasts. Conclusions: The different structures growth is attributed to a dissimilar matching of crystal planes in the material and the apatite layer formed. In specific synthesis conditions, a biocompatible material with a Ca/P ratio close to that for the trabecular bone and a morphology that are considered essential for bone-bonding was obtained. General significance: The creation of implantable devices with a specific bioactive characteristic may be useful to manipulate the attachment of cells on mineral coating directly affecting the stability and life of the implant. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein trafficking & Secretion.Fil: D'elía, Noelia Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Gravina, Noel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Ruso, Juan M.. Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Facultad de Fisica; EspañaFil: Laiuppa, Juan Andrés. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Santillan, Graciela Edith. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Messina, Paula Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentin

Perros callejeros y su relación con la contaminación de las vías públicas en la ciudad de Huaraz, Ancash-Perú-2017

Currently, irresponsible dog ownership is perceived, we observe a lot of these wandering on publicroads in cities, Huaraz is no stranger to this problem, the dogs cause discomfort, forming packs thatattack people, spread garbage, litter the streets , parks and gardens with urine and feces, which aresprayed and dispersed in the air causing diseases. The objective was to determine the relationship betweenstray dogs and pollution of public roads in the city of Huaraz, Ancash - Peru 2017. Correlationstudies, doing: Counting of dogs, being the population and sample all dogs; survey to family heads,population and sample 7460 and 366 dwellings respectively; coprological analysis, population all fecesand sample 153 fresh feces for convenience in the six neighborhoods. In addition, municipal andhealth authorities were interviewed. A total of 1239 stray dogs were determined; 76, 0 % of all surveyedraised dogs with a p value of 0, 000 indicating a signicant relationship between stray dogs andpollution of public roads, it was found that 15, 7 % of Ancylostoma spp, 3, 3 % of Diphilidiun caninumand 1, 3 % of Giardia spp by the method of direct observation andWillisActualmente, se percibe tenencia irresponsable de perros y se observa una gran cantidad deambulando en las vías públicas de las ciudades, Huaraz no es ajena a esta problemática. Los perros ocasionan malestar, formando jaurías que atacan a las personas, diseminan la basura, ensucian calles, parques y jardines con orina y heces; las cuales se pulverizan y se dispersan en el aíre causando enfermedades. El objetivo fue determinar la relación entre los perros callejeros y la contaminación de las vías públicas en la ciudad de Huaraz, Ancash-Perú 2017.Estudio correlacional, se realizo una encuesta a los 366 jefes de familia de una población de 7460 viviendas; para el análisis coprológico, se uso una muestra 153 heces frescas por conveniencia en los seis barrios. Asimismo, entrevistas a autoridades municipales y de salud. Se determinaron 1239 perros callejeros; el 76, 0 % del total de encuestados cría perros, con un p valor de 0, 000 indicando una relación significativa entre perros callejeros y la contaminación de las vías públicas, se encontró 15, 7 % de Ancylostoma spp 3, 3 % de Diphilidiun caninum y 1, 3 % de Giardia spp por el método de observación directa y deWillis

Perros callejeros y su relación con la contaminación de las vías públicas en la ciudad de Huaraz, Ancash-Perú-2017

Currently, irresponsible dog ownership is perceived, we observe a lot of these wandering on publicroads in cities, Huaraz is no stranger to this problem, the dogs cause discomfort, forming packs thatattack people, spread garbage, litter the streets , parks and gardens with urine and feces, which aresprayed and dispersed in the air causing diseases. The objective was to determine the relationship betweenstray dogs and pollution of public roads in the city of Huaraz, Ancash - Peru 2017. Correlationstudies, doing: Counting of dogs, being the population and sample all dogs; survey to family heads,population and sample 7460 and 366 dwellings respectively; coprological analysis, population all fecesand sample 153 fresh feces for convenience in the six neighborhoods. In addition, municipal andhealth authorities were interviewed. A total of 1239 stray dogs were determined; 76, 0 % of all surveyedraised dogs with a p value of 0, 000 indicating a signicant relationship between stray dogs andpollution of public roads, it was found that 15, 7 % of Ancylostoma spp, 3, 3 % of Diphilidiun caninumand 1, 3 % of Giardia spp by the method of direct observation andWillisActualmente, se percibe tenencia irresponsable de perros y se observa una gran cantidad deambulando en las vías públicas de las ciudades, Huaraz no es ajena a esta problemática. Los perros ocasionan malestar, formando jaurías que atacan a las personas, diseminan la basura, ensucian calles, parques y jardines con orina y heces; las cuales se pulverizan y se dispersan en el aíre causando enfermedades. El objetivo fue determinar la relación entre los perros callejeros y la contaminación de las vías públicas en la ciudad de Huaraz, Ancash-Perú 2017.Estudio correlacional, se realizo una encuesta a los 366 jefes de familia de una población de 7460 viviendas; para el análisis coprológico, se uso una muestra 153 heces frescas por conveniencia en los seis barrios. Asimismo, entrevistas a autoridades municipales y de salud. Se determinaron 1239 perros callejeros; el 76, 0 % del total de encuestados cría perros, con un p valor de 0, 000 indicando una relación significativa entre perros callejeros y la contaminación de las vías públicas, se encontró 15, 7 % de Ancylostoma spp 3, 3 % de Diphilidiun caninum y 1, 3 % de Giardia spp por el método de observación directa y deWillis

The influence of haiku composition tasks on the development of academic writing skills: a qualitative analysis

The inclusion of literary texts, particularly poetry, is not a common practice in the language classroom. However, the available empirical evidence, albeit relatively scarce, does suggest that poetry, when correctly employed, is likely to be beneficial for second and foreign language learners. This teaching material has been used to teach and develop areas such as vocabulary acquisition, grammar practice, and even motivation as well as the four macro-skills in language, namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The use of poetry in language instruction emphasizes the predominant role of learners in authentic literary production. As such, this research paper focuses on the qualitative aspect of a mixed-methods study about the effects of haiku composition tasks on the development of academic writing skills. The participants of the study were 30 English as a foreign language (EFL) pre-service teachers. As part of the data collection process, the participating students were asked to write short argumentative essays at the beginning and at the end of a six-week intervention that promoted the composition of haiku. After the intervention, an open-ended questionnaire was administered to identify and describe the participants’ perceptions regarding how haiku composition influenced their academic writing skills. The results of the study show that the great majority of the participants agreed that haiku composition furthered the development of their academic writing skills and vocabulary acquisition. The findings of the study corroborate the existing experimental findings as to the value of poetry-based tasks for second and foreign language learning. Thus, we conclude that the inclusion of poetry in the language classroom ought to be promoted through activities that, while being personal and meaningful to the students, allow for the development of language proficiency

Development of a New LAMP Assay for the Detection of Ancylostoma caninum DNA (Copro-LAMPAc) in Dog Fecal Samples

Ancylostoma caninum is a zoonotic nematode which is able to affect animals and humans. Diagnosis in the definitive host and environmental detection are key to prevent its dissemination and achieve control. Herein, a new coprological LAMP method for the detection of A. caninum (Copro-LAMPAc) DNA was developed. DNA extraction was performed using a low-cost method and a fragment of the cox-1 gene was used for primer design. The analytical sensitivity, evaluated with serial dilutions of genomic DNA from A. caninum adult worms, was 100 fg. A specificity of 100% was obtained using genomic DNA from the host and other pathogens. The Copro-LAMPAc was evaluated using environmental canine fecal samples. When compared with gold standard optical microscopy in epidemiological studies, it proved to be more sensitive. This new LAMP assay can provide an alternative protocol for screening and identification of A. caninum for epidemiological studies in endemic areas.Fil: Avila, Héctor Gabriel. Gobierno de la Provincia de San Juan. Ministerio de Salud Pública. Dirección de Epidemiología. Laboratorio Provincial de Zoonosis; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Tecnológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Risso, Marikena Guadalupe. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Departamento de Microbiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica; ArgentinaFil: Cabrera, Marta. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud "Dr. C. G. Malbran". Departamento de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Ruybal, Paula. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Departamento de Microbiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica; ArgentinaFil: Repetto, Silvia Analía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Departamento de Microbiología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica; ArgentinaFil: Butti, Marcos Javier. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Microbiología. Laboratorio de Parasitosis Humanas y Zoonosis Parasitarias; ArgentinaFil: Trangoni, Marcos David. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Santillan, Graciela Ines. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud "Dr. C. G. Malbran". Departamento de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Perez, Veronica Mirtha. Gobierno de la Provincia de San Juan. Ministerio de Salud Pública. Dirección de Epidemiología. Laboratorio Provincial de Zoonosis; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Periago, Maria Victoria. Fundación Mundo Sano; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin