The mediterranean diet pattern and its main components are associated with lower plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor receptor 60 in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease

Adherence to aMediterranean diet (MD) is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. However, themolecular mechanisms involved are not fully understood. The aim of this studywas to compare the effects of 2MD with those of a lowfat- diet (LFD) on circulating inflammatory biomarkers related to atherogenesis. A total of 516 participants included in the PreventionwithMediterraneanDiet Studywere randomized into 3 intervention groups [MD supplementedwith virgin olive oil (MD-VOO); MD supplemented with mixed nuts (MD-Nuts); and LFD]. At baseline and after 1 y, participants completed FFQ and adherence to MD questionnaires, and plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers including intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), IL-6, and 2 TNF receptors (TNFR60 and TNFR80) were measured by ELISA. At 1 y, the MD groups had lower plasma concentrations of IL-6, TNFR60, and TNFR80 (P , 0.05), whereas ICAM-1, TNFR60, and TNFR80 concentrations increased in the LFD group (P , 0.002). Due to between-group differences, participants in the 2 MD groups had lower plasma concentrations of ICAM-1, IL-6, TNFR60, and TNFR80 compared to those in the LFD group (P # 0.028). When participants were categorized in tertiles of 1-y changes in the consumption of selected foods, those in the highest tertile of virgin olive oil (VOO) and vegetable consumption had a lower plasma TNFR60 concentration compared with those in tertile 1 (P,0.02).Moreover, the only changes in consumption thatwere associated with 1-y changes in the geometricmean TNFR60 concentrations were those of VOO and vegetables (P = 0.01). This study suggests that a MD reduces TNFR concentrations in patients at high cardiovascular risk.

Paper de la PAP en la resposta inflamatoria durant la pancreatitis aguda

Estudi elaborat a partir d’una estada al Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, França, entre setembre i octubre del 2006. La PAP va ser identificada inicialment com una proteïna de secreció, que apareixia al suc pancreàtic després de la inducció d’una pancreatitis aguda experimental. Per la PAP s’ha suggerit diferents funcions, algunes no relacionades en aparença, però les més interessants en el camp de la pancreatitis són les activitats antiapoptótiques, mitogéniques i, especialment, antiinflamatóries. Per aprofundir en aquests aspectes de la PAP, s’ha emprat un model de ratolí PAP-/- per observar els efectes de la deleció del gen de la PAP durant la pancreatitis aguda.Per induir la pancreatitis es va fer servir el model de administració de ceruleina a dosi supra-màximes. En aquestes condicions es va observar que en els animals PAP-/-, la severitat del procés era menor. Els marcadors de necrosi pancreàtica, lipasa i amilasa, van presentar nivells menors en els animals PAP-/- que en els corresponents wild type. Per contra, el nombre de PMN infiltrats i la producció de citoquines pro-inflamatories va ser major en el pàncreas dels animals PAP-/-. La intensitat de la resposta inflamatòria observada suggereix que en condicions fisiològiques, el paper anti-inflamatori de la PAP es prou rellevant. Això ja s’havia suggerit en estudis in vitro, en els que es va demostrar que l’activitat antiinflamatòria de la PAP depenia de la via de transducció de senyal Jak/STAT/SOCS3. Aquesta hipòtesi s’ha comprovat in vivo, monitoritzant el nivell d’activació de STAT3 en els pàncreas dels animals després de la inducció de la pancreatitis.Tot plegat confirma que les funcions antiinflamatòries descrites in vitro per la PAP també es poden observar in vivo, de manera que la PAP sembla ser un agent important en la resposta de les cèl•lules pancreàtiques durant la pancreatitis aguda.

Development of specific ITS markers for plant DNA identification within herbivorous insects

DNA based techniques have proved to be very useful methods to study trophic relationships 17 between pests and their natural enemies. However, most predators are best defined as omnivores, 18 and the identification of plant-specific DNA should also allow the identification of the plant 19 species the predators have been feeding on. In this study, a PCR approach based on the 20 development of specific primers was developed as a self-marking technique to detect plant DNA 21 within the gut of one heteropteran omnivorous predator (Macrolophus pygmaeus) and two 22 lepidopteran pest species (Helicoverpa armigera and Tuta absoluta). Specific tomato primers 23 were designed from the ITS 1-2 region, which allowed the amplification of a tomato DNA 24 fragment of 332 bp within the three insect species tested in all cases (100% of detection at t = 0) 25 and did not detect DNA of other plants nor of the starved insects. Plant DNA half-lives at 25ºC 26 ranged from 5.8h, to 27.7h and 28.7h within M. pygmaeus, H. armigera and T. absoluta, 27 respectively. Tomato DNA detection within field collected M. pygmaeus suggests dietary mixing 28 in this omnivorous predator and showed a higher detection of tomato DNA in females and 29 nymphs than males. This study provides a useful tool to detect and to identify plant food sources 30 of arthropods and to evaluate crop colonization from surrounding vegetation in conservation 31 biological control programs.

Defectos paradójicos en regiones con necrosis miocárdica. análisis mediante gated-spect de perfusión miocárdica.

Objectius: Valorar el significat dels defectes paradoxals (DP) segmentaris (captació en esforç més gran que en repòs) a la gated-SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography) de perfusió miocàrdica amb compostos tecneciats en regions amb necrosi miocàrdica. Material i mètodes: Es van revisar 1764 SPECT de perfusió miocàrdica estrès-repòs consecutives de pacients amb infart (IM) previ i es van identificar 117 pacients (6,6%) en els quals els DPs corresponien a una regió amb necrosi miocàrdica. Es van valorar els criteris gammagràfics de viabilitat (intensitat del defecte, valor d'aquesta intensitat ponderat pel nombre de segments compromesos-VIP-, la motilitat i l'engrossiment miocàrdic sistòlic) en els segments d'aquestes regions i les característiques de l'artèria responsable en els 96 pacients en els quals s'havia practicat una coronariografia. Resultats: Es van analitzar 160 necrosis, 125 (75%) paradoxals (67 (54%) en regió AnteroSeptoApical i 58 (46%) en regió InferoLateral) i 35 (25%) no paradoxals (19 (54%) ASA i 16 ( 46%) IL). Els valors de severitat de la necrosi i del VIP van ser inferiors en l'estudi d'estrès respecte al repòs i la diferència d'aquests va ser sempre negativa, evidenciant un comportament gammagràfic paradoxal. Per contra, aquests valors van ser inferiors al repòs respecte a l'estrès en les necrosi no paradoxals posant de manifest un comportament gammagràfic de mínima o nul reversibilitat. Així mateix, es van trobar alteracions lleus en la motilitat i engrossiment de les necrosi paradoxals i moderats en les necrosi no paradoxals. Es van trobar 102 necrosis amb DP i coronariografia dels quals, 84 (88%) tenien permeabilitat a l'artèria responsable de la necrosi i 12 pacients (12%) tenien circulació colateral per compensar l'oclusió de l'artèria responsable. Conclusions: Tots els segments amb DP en regions amb necrosi complien criteris gammagràfics de viabilitat en les imatges d'estrès, considerant aquestes imatges millors per a l'avaluació d'aquest tipus de lesions. El vas responsable de la regió amb DP es trobava permeable o bé presentava circulació colateral evident en els casos en què la coronària es trobava closa.

Variables asociadas a necrosis pancreática en pacientes con Pancreatitis Aguda Grave.

Hem fet un estudi retrospectiu de 73 adults amb pancreatitis aguda greu recollint variables analítiques i radiològiques a l'ingrés i a les 48h i relacionant-les amb l'existència de necrosi pancreàtica a la TC. Les variables relacionades amb la necrosi van ser: edat, leucòcits, VSG, TP, INR, glucèmia, urea, creatinina, proteïnes, albúmina, LDH, calci, PCR i presència de vessament pleural a la Rx. D'aquestes, el vessament pleural a l'ingrés i la hipoalbuminemia, les xifres altes de LDH i PCR a les 48 hores es van relacionar significativament, la qual cosa permet identificar pacients amb major risc en els quals instaurar mesures precoces

Natural abundance of stable isotopes (15N and 13C) and isotopic fractionation of sea bream muscle as markers of food and culture conditions and its relationship with metabolic and proteomic analyses

Els isòtops estables com a traçadors de la cadena alimentària, s'han utilitzat per caracteritzar la relació entre els consumidors i els seus aliments, ja que el fraccionament isotòpic implica una discriminació en contra de certs isòtops. Però les anàlisis d'isòtops estables (SIA), també es poden dur a terme en peixos cultivats amb dietes artificials, com la orada (Sparus aurata), la especie más cultivada en el Mediterráneo. Canvis en l'abundància natural d'isòtops estables (13C i 15N) en els teixits i les seves reserves poden reflectir els canvis en l'ús i reciclatge dels nutrients ja que els enzims catabòlics implicats en els processos de descarboxilació i desaminació mostren una preferència pels isòtops més lleugers. Per tant, aquestes anàlisis ens poden proporcionar informació útil sobre l'estat nutricional i metabòlic dels peixos. L'objectiu d'aquest projecte va ser determinar la capacitat dels isòtops estables per ser utilitzats com a marcadors potencials de la capacitat de creixement i condicions de cria de l'orada. En aquest sentit, les anàlisis d'isòtops estables s'han combinat amb altres metabòlics (activitats citocrom-c-oxidasa, COX, i citrat sintasa, CS) i els paràmetres de creixement (ARN/ADN). El conjunt de resultats obtinguts en els diferents estudis realitzats en aquest projecte demostra que el SIA, en combinació amb altres paràmetres metabòlics, pot servir com una eina eficaç per discriminar els peixos amb millor potencial de creixement, així com a marcador sensible de l'estat nutricional i d'engreix. D'altra banda, la combinació de l'anàlisi d'isòtops estables amb les eines emergents, com ara tècniques de proteòmica (2D-PAGE), ens proporciona nous coneixements sobre els canvis metabòlics que ocorren en els músculs dels peixos durant l‟increment del creixement muscular induït per l'exercici.

Contrasting the form and use of reformulation markers

This paper deals with the form and use of reformulation markers in research papers written in English, Spanish and Catalan. Considering the form and frequency of themarkers, English papers tends to prefer simple fixed markers and includes less reformulators than Spanish and Catalan. On the contrary, formal Catalan and Spanish papers include more markers, some of which are complex and allow for some structural variability. As for use, reformulation markers establish dynamic relationships between portions of discourse which can be identified in our corpus with expansion, reduction, and permutation. The analysis of the corpus shows that English authors usually reformulate to add more information to the concept (expansion), whereas Catalan and Spanish authors reduce the contents or the implicatures of the previous formulation more frequently than English.

Species identification of two sympatric hakes by allozymic markers

Samples were collected from hake species Merluccius australis and M. hubbsi in the south west Atlantic Ocean. Enzyme electrophoretic analysis of the eye, liver and muscle revealed 5 out of 33 genetic loci with species-specific allelic frequencies. These five loci provide a set of genetic markers for individual classification

Development and Validation of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) Markers from Two Transcriptome 454-Runs of Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) Using High-Throughput Genotyping

The turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) is a commercially valuable flatfish and one of the most promising aquaculture species in Europe. Two transcriptome 454-pyrosequencing runs were used in order to detect Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in genesrelated to immune response and gonad differentiation. A total of 866 true SNPs were detected in 140 different contigs representing 262,093 bp as a whole. Only one true SNP was analyzed in each contig. One hundred and thirteen SNPs out of the 140 analyzed were feasible (genotyped), while Ш were polymorphic in a wild population. Transition/transversion ratio (1.354) was similar to that observed in other fish studies. Unbiased gene diversity (He) estimates ranged from 0.060 to 0.510 (mean = 0.351), minimum allele frequency (MAF) from 0.030 to 0.500 (mean = 0.259) and all loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction. A large number of SNPs (49) were located in the coding region, 33 representing synonymous and 16 non-synonymous changes. Most SNP-containing genes were related to immune response and gonad differentiation processes, and could be candidates for functional changes leading to phenotypic changes. These markers will be useful for population screening to look for adaptive variation in wild and domestic turbot

Microsatellite markers reveal shallow genetic differentiation between cohorts of the common sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck) in northwest Mediterranean

Temporal variability was studied in the common sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus through the analysis of the genetic composition of three yearly cohorts sampled over two consecutive springs in a locality in northwestern Mediterranean. Individuals were aged using growth ring patterns observed in tests and samples were genotyped for five microsatellite loci. No reduction of genetic diversity was observed relative to a sample of the adult population from the same location or within cohorts across years. FST and amova results indicated that the differentiation between cohorts is rather shallow and not significant, as most variability is found within cohorts and within individuals. This mild differentiation translated into estimates of effective population size of 90100 individuals. When the observed excess of homozygotes was taken into account, the estimate of the average number of breeders increased to c. 300 individuals. Given our restricted sampling area and the known small-scale heterogeneity in recruitment in this species, our results suggest that at stretches of a few kilometres of shoreline, large numbers of progenitors are likely to contribute to the larval pool at each reproduction event. Intercohort variation in our samples is six times smaller than spatial variation between adults of four localities in the western Mediterranean. Our results indicate that, notwithstanding the stochastic events that take place during the long planktonic phase and during the settlement and recruitment processes, reproductive success in this species is high enough to produce cohorts genetically diverse and with little differentiation between them. Further research is needed before the link between genetic structure and underlying physical and biological processes can be well established.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha mediates changes in tissue protein turnover in a rat cancer cachexia model.

Rats bearing the Yoshida AH-130 ascites hepatoma showed enhanced fractional rates of protein degradation in gastrocnemius muscle, heart, and liver, while fractional synthesis rates were similar to those in non-tumor bearing rats. This hypercatabolic pattern was associated with marked perturbations of the hormonal homeostasis and presence of tumor necrosis factor in the circulation. The daily administration of a goat anti-murine TNF IgG to tumor-bearing rats decreased protein degradation rates in skeletal muscle, heart, and liver as compared with tumor-bearing rats receiving a nonimmune goat IgG. The anti-TNF treatment was also effective in attenuating early perturbations in insulin and corticosterone homeostasis. Although these results suggest that tumor necrosis factor plays a significant role in mediating the changes in protein turnover and hormone levels elicited by tumor growth, the inability of such treatment to prevent a reduction in body weight implies that other mediators or tumor-related events were also involved.

Evolutionary dynamics of molecular markers during local adaptation: a case study in Drosophila subobscura

Background: Natural selection and genetic drift are major forces responsible for temporal genetic changes in populations. Furthermore, these evolutionary forces may interact with each other. Here we study the impact of an ongoing adaptive process at the molecular genetic level by analyzing the temporal genetic changes throughout 40 generations of adaptation to a common laboratory environment. Specifically, genetic variability, population differentiation and demographic structure were compared in two replicated groups of Drosophila subobscura populations recently sampled from different wild sources. Results: We found evidence for a decline in genetic variability through time, along with an increase in genetic differentiation between all populations studied. The observed decline in genetic variability was higher during the first 14 generations of laboratory adaptation. The two groups of replicated populations showed overall similarity in variability patterns. Our results also revealed changing demographic structure of the populations during laboratory evolution, with lower effective population sizes in the early phase of the adaptive process. One of the ten microsatellites analyzed showed a clearly distinct temporal pattern of allele frequency change, suggesting the occurrence of positive selection affecting the region around that particular locus. Conclusion: Genetic drift was responsible for most of the divergence and loss of variability between and within replicates, with most changes occurring during the first generations of laboratory adaptation. We also found evidence suggesting a selective sweep, despite the low number of molecular markers analyzed. Overall, there was a similarity of evolutionary dynamics at the molecular level in our laboratory populations, despite distinct genetic backgrounds and some differences in phenotypic evolution.

Cellular and molecular evidence for a role of tumor necrosis factor alpha in the ovulatory mechanism of trout

Background: The relevance of immune-endocrine interactions to the regulation of ovarian function in teleosts is virtually unexplored. As part of the innate immune response during infection, a number of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and other immune factors, are produced and act on the reproductive system. However, TNF alpha is also an important physiological player in the ovulatory process in mammals. In the present study, we have examined for the first time the effects of TNF alpha in vitro in preovulatory ovarian follicles of a teleost fish, the brown trout (Salmo trutta). Methods: To determine the in vivo regulation of TNF alpha expression in the ovary, preovulatory brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were injected intraperitoneally with either saline or bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In control and recombinant trout TNF alpha (rtTNF alpha)-treated brown trout granulosa cells, we examined the percentage of apoptosis by flow cytometry analysis and cell viability by propidium iodide (PI) staining. Furthermore, we determined the in vitro effects of rtTNF alpha on follicle contraction and testosterone production in preovulatory brown trout ovarian follicles. In addition, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of control and rtTNF alpha-treated ovarian tissue by microarray and real-time PCR (qPCR) analyses. Results: LPS administration in vivo causes a significant induction of the ovarian expression of TNF alpha. Treatment with rtTNF alpha induces granulosa cell apoptosis, decreases granulosa cell viability and stimulates the expression of genes known to be involved in the normal ovulatory process in trout. In addition, rtTNF alpha causes a significant increase in follicle contraction and testosterone production. Also, using a salmonid-specific microarray platform (SFA2.0 immunochip) we observed that rtTNF alpha induces the expression of genes known to be involved in inflammation, proteolysis and tissue remodeling. Furthermore, the expression of kallikrein, TOP-2, serine protease 23 and ADAM 22, genes that have been postulated to be involved in proteolytic and tissue remodeling processes during ovulation in trout, increases in follicles incubated in the presence of rtTNF alpha. Conclusions In view of these results, we propose that TNF alpha could have an important role in the biomechanics of follicle weakening, ovarian rupture and oocyte expulsion during ovulation in trout, primarily through its stimulation of follicular cell apoptosis and the expression of genes involved in follicle wall proteolysis and contraction.

Dietary resveratrol prevents alzheimer's markers and increases life span in SAMP8

Resveratrol is a polyphenol that is mainly found in grapes and red wine and has been reported to be a caloric restriction (CR) mimetic driven by Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activation. Resveratrol increases metabolic rate, insulin sensitivity, mitochondrial biogenesis and physical endurance, and reduces fat accumulation in mice. In addition, resveratrol may be a powerful agent to prevent age-associated neurodegeneration and to improve cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, different findings support the view that longevity in mice could be promoted by CR. In this study, we examined the role of dietary resveratrol in SAMP8 mice, a model of age-related AD. We found that resveratrol supplements increased mean life expectancy and maximal life span in SAMP8 and in their control, the related strain SAMR1. In addition, we examined the resveratrol-mediated neuroprotective effects on several specific hallmarks of AD. We found that long-term dietary resveratrol activates AMPK pathways and pro-survival routes such as SIRT1 in vivo. It also reduces cognitive impairment and has a neuroprotective role, decreasing the amyloid burden and reducing tau hyperphosphorylation.

Dietary resveratrol prevents alzheimer's markers and increases life span in SAMP8

Resveratrol is a polyphenol that is mainly found in grapes and red wine and has been reported to be a caloric restriction (CR) mimetic driven by Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activation. Resveratrol increases metabolic rate, insulin sensitivity, mitochondrial biogenesis and physical endurance, and reduces fat accumulation in mice. In addition, resveratrol may be a powerful agent to prevent age-associated neurodegeneration and to improve cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, different findings support the view that longevity in mice could be promoted by CR. In this study, we examined the role of dietary resveratrol in SAMP8 mice, a model of age-related AD. We found that resveratrol supplements increased mean life expectancy and maximal life span in SAMP8 and in their control, the related strain SAMR1. In addition, we examined the resveratrol-mediated neuroprotective effects on several specific hallmarks of AD. We found that long-term dietary resveratrol activates AMPK pathways and pro-survival routes such as SIRT1 in vivo. It also reduces cognitive impairment and has a neuroprotective role, decreasing the amyloid burden and reducing tau hyperphosphorylation.