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AbstractWe analyzed the effect of mercury (Hg) on the hepato-nephrocitic system (HNS) of Bombus atratusworkers exposed to an estimated concentration similar to that found in honey stores of neotropical bees (110 ppb). The bees were divided into control and experimental groups. A solid mixture of honey, pollen and organic soy was offered to both experimental groups, ad libitum.The control group received distilled water and the exposed group received a 110 µg.L−1(110 ppb) Hg solution. After 48 h of exposure, the bees were cryo-anesthetized, and the dorsal vessel was dissected directly in 4% paraformaldehyde. The samples were prepared for routine morphological analysis (HE), fluorescent histochemical staining (Acridine Orange and F-actin + DAPI), and in situimmunohistochemical labeling (Hsp70 and Hsp90). Our results showed that both the trophocytes and oenocytes of bees exposed to mercury exhibited chromatin damages. The Hg exposure also induced trophocytes deactivation of the nucleus-cytoplasm exchange as a result of branched contour loss of the nuclei. The pericardial cells were predominantly found at stage IV with pyknotic nuclei. Although the fluorescence intensity of both Hsp70 and Hsp90 was reduced in the exposed group compared to the control group, there was an indication of misfolded proteins. In conclusion, our results showed that the concentration of 110 µg.L−1Hg, which can be found in the honey stores of B. atratuscolonies, has severely damaged the HNS of B. atratusworkers. These effects can trigger major damage to their populations, contributing to bee declines in natural environments worldwide.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a multicomponent exercise programme on perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and depressive symptomatology in older people living in a long-term nursing home (LTNH).

Objectives.This study evaluated the effects of wearing the Laevo v2.56 exoskeleton (Laevo, The Netherlands) on physiological parameters related to working load and metabolic cost (MC) during a lifting task, explored the variability in exoskeleton performance among users and determined whether perceived discomfort negatively correlates with a reduction in MC. Methods.Twenty participants completed a 4-min repetitive lifting task with/without the exoskeleton. Respiratory gases, heart rate, blood lactate and ratings of perceived exertion and experienced discomfort were collected, and MC was calculated. Results. Wearing the exoskeleton significantly reduced MC and oxygen uptake during the lifting task by 4.8 and 3.8%, respectively. Workload reduction occurred in 65% of the participants. Conclusion. The Laevo v2.56 exoskeleton reduced MC and workload in a repetitive lifting task in a subject-dependent manner. Future studies should focus on identifying factors that could cause performance variability such as user–robot interaction forces.

Background: Pregnant women with low cobalamin concentrations are unable to provide the necessary amount of cobalamin to their fetuses. The effect of low maternal cobalamin concentrations on transmethylation metabolism in pregnant women and their newborns is unknown. Objective: We investigated the relation between maternal and neonatal cobalamin concentrations and changes in total homocysteine (tHcy), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). Design: Hematologic data and concentrations of cobalamin, red blood cell folate, serum folate, tHcy, methylmalonic acid, SAM, SAH, and other metabolites were measured in 119 serum specimens from pregnant Brazilian women (gestational age: 37-42 wk) and their newborns' placental veins at the time of delivery. Results: The tHcy concentrations were higher in placental vein serum from newborns whose mothers had low cobalamin. Serum SAH concentrations were elevated and serum SAM and methionine concentrations were decreased in pregnant women with lower cobalamin concentrations. SAM:SAH was significantly decreased in both cobalamin-deficient pregnant women and their newborns. Conclusions: Lower maternal cobalamin concentrations are associated with higher tHcy and lower SAM:SAH in newborns. Because SAM:SAH is closely linked with the activity of numerous enzymatic methylation reactions, these results suggest that methylation could be impaired in cobalamin-deficient pregnant women and their newborns. KEY WORDS Cobalamin, folate, homocysteine, methylmaIonic acid, S-adenosylhomocysteine. S-adenosylmethionine, pregnant women, newborns

Los objetivos del estudio fueron determinar las tasas de prevalencia brutas y ajustadas por edad y sexo de diabetes mellitus (DM), DM tipo 1 (DM1) y DM tipo 2 (DM2), y comparar la asociación de factores de riesgo cardiovascular, enfermedades cardiovasculares, enfermedad renal crónica y enfermedades metabólicas entre las poblaciones con y sin DM.

Duñabeitia, I, Arrieta, H, Rodriguez-Larrad, A, Gil, J, Esain, I, Gil, SM, Irazusta, J, and Bidaurrazaga-Letona, I. Effects of massage and cold water immersion after an exhaustive run on running economy and biomechanics: A randomized controlled trial. J Strength Cond Res36(1): 149–155, 2022—This study compares the effects of 2 common recovery interventions performed shortly after an exhausting interval running session on running economy (RE) and biomechanics. Forty-eight well-trained male runners performed an exhaustive interval running protocol and an incremental treadmill test 24 hours later at 3 speeds: 12, 14, and 16 km·h−1. Subjects randomly received either massage, cold water immersion (CWI), or passive rest (control). Runners repeated the treadmill test 48 hours after the first test. A two-way mixed analysis of variance was performed comparing groups and testing times. The massage group had significantly better recovery than the control group at 14 km·h−1in RE (p< 0.05; η2= 0.176) and greater stride height and angle changes at 16 km·h−1(p< 0.05; η2= 0.166 and p< 0.05; η2= 0.208, respectively). No differences were observed between the CWI and control groups. The massage group had greater stride height and angle changes at 16 km·h−1than the CWI group (p< 0.05; η2= 0.139 and p< 0.05; η2= 0.168, respectively). Moreover, differences in magnitude suggested moderate effects on RE (η2= 0.076) and swing time (η2= 0.110). These results suggest that massage intervention promotes faster recovery of RE and running biomechanics than CWI or passive rest.

L’insuline est un médicament à risque (MAR) pourvoyeur d’effets indésirables graves (EIG). Les professionnels de santé doivent être vigilants du stockage à l’administration de l’insuline. Dans le cadre de la préparation de la certification, la réalisation de traceurs ciblés sur le circuit d’utilisation des stylos à insuline a mis en évidence un non-respect des bonnes pratiques.

We analyzed the morphological changes on the hepato-nephrocitic system (HNS) of Africanized honey bees exposed to thiamethoxam (TMX) and to Nosema ceranae(NOS) in isolation and co-exposure. We also analyzed the relative amount of hemocytes in TMX and/or Nosema-exposed bees. Newly emerged bees were exposed individually per osto TMX, at doses of 0.0856 ng/bee or 0.00856 ng/bee, or to TMX doses and 60,000 spores of N. ceranaeper bee. Eight days after the single exposure, the results showed that TMX was extremely deleterious to the HNS at 0.00856 ng/bee, dramatically inducing morphological changes in HNS cells (trophocytes and oenocytes) and increasing hemocyte number. However, the treatment to TMX at 0.00856 ng/bee with additional NOS inoculation provoked the highest critical damage observed on HNS, collapsing the trophocytes, reducing the surface area of oenocytes, and inducing cell death in pericardial cells. Therefore, a sublethal dose of TMX, applied alone or simultaneously with NOS inoculation, triggered the disruption of the HNS and induced progressive damage on worker bees. The results demonstrated an interaction between biotic and abiotic agents in Africanized bees at individual level, whose impact at the colonial level remains to be assessed under field conditions.

Under the current conditions of the financial markets, funds of private equity funds are attracting the attention of private equity firms for its distribution among their clients. These funds may be marketed to non-professional investors under certain legal requirements. This article analyzes the main features of this type of funds, from the regulatory and internal functioning perspectives, by identifying its main specificities in comparison with other private equity funds. Moreover, this article analyzes, from a tax perspective, the main aspects to take into account at the level of the funds of private equity funds and in relation to the income received by its investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Chia (Salvia hispanica L.), a nutrient-rich crop with potential application in different industries, is sensitive to salinity. Halotolerant plant-growth promoting bacteria could be a biotechnological strategy to increase chia’s salinity tolerance. Aims The aim of this study was to determine the morphological and physiological response of chia plants inoculated with free-living halotolerant plant-growth promoting bacteria and grown in saline soils under greenhouse conditions. Methods A total of 15 bacterial treatments were inoculated to plants potted in soils with three electrical conductivity levels: 0.5, 4, and 6dSm−1. Mortality and morphological and physiological parameters were evaluated. The measured variables were used to calculate a relative growth index. Key results Bacterial inoculation had a positive effect on plants at 4dSm−1. Plants inoculated with Pseudomonas sp. AN23, Kushneria sp. T3.7, and C6 (Halomonas sp. 3R12+Micrococcus luteus SA211) exhibited the best morphological and physiological performance (51% longer shoots, up to 90% heavier roots and up to 400% higher photosynthetic rate than control plants). Moreover, plants inoculated with Kushneria sp. T3.7 and C5 (Halomonas sp. 3R12+Pseudomonas sp. AN23) showed significant increase in stomatal conductance and transpiration rate (up to 12times) and in proline production (up to 345μgg−1 leaf fresh weight) with respect to control plants (8μgg−1 leaf fresh weight) under saline conditions. Conclusions The analysed extremophilic plant-growth promoting bacteria enhanced growth and stress tolerance in chia, a salt-sensitive crop. Implications Free-living plant-growth promoting bacteria isolated from hypersaline environments have potential for bioinoculant formulation for salinity-sensitive crops.

Few studies conducted in primary care setting report about age-adjusted prevalence rates of erectile dysfunction (ED). Aims of SIMETAP-ED study were to determine crude and age-adjusted prevalence rates of ED diagnosis, to compare these rates with other similar studies, and to compare prevalence rates of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), metabolic diseases and chronic kidney disease (CKD) between populations with and without ED.

The phosphoproteome downstream KOR has been studied in human spermatozoa by applying quantitative MS-based proteomics. This studies have been combined with functional approaches to analyze the role of the receptor in the sperm physiology. Results reported phosphorylation changes in sperm-specific proteins as well as the inhibition of sperm motility and acrosome after the addition of U50488H, the specific ligand.

Sudden cardiac arrest survivors continue to be a challenge for cardiologists. An appropriate initial diagnostic approach is crucial for planning a successful therapeutic strategy. We report the case of a 62-year-old woman who suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. Despite suspected acute coronary syndrome, the coronary angiogram proved inconclusive, while cardiac magnetic resonance imaging ruled out other differential diagnoses such as acute myocarditis. The reversible nature of the AV block rendered permanent pacing unnecessary.

Recent studies have concluded that type of language teaching programs such as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) may have an effect on the use of previously known languages. Most of the studies that have tackled the use of previously known languages in the CLIL literature have compared CLIL to non-CLIL learners. However, few (pseudo)longitudinal studies have been conducted in this respect. This paper will try to fill this gap by examining the use of previously known languages (L1 Spanish/L2 Basque) in an oral narration task in two different age/proficiency CLIL groups. Participants are Basque/Spanish bilinguals learning English as a third language (L3) in a CLIL setting. Both groups started learning English at the age of 3 but differ in length and amount of exposure. Results show that both groups behave in the same way in terms of the use of previously known languages except for the production of foreignizings, which were more frequent in the younger group. The examination of the results also revealed that discourse markers was the most common manifestation of use of previous linguistic experience when compared to the rest of the categories.

•Two Streptomycesstrains showed great capacity to remove boric acid in liquid media.•Specific boric acid removal rate increased with boric acid concentrations.•A boron bio-precipitate produced in the presence of boric acid was detected by SEM.•Different proteins were synthetized as an adaptive response to boric acid exposure.•Bio-precipitate formation strategy in boric acid presence, may be useful in remediation.

To save time and cost in development process of new customized product-service systems, engineers need methodological guidelines and generic knowledge that help constructing specific solutions for new customers’ requirements and business opportunities. Despite the specific character of every PSS due to several customization issues, many characteristics are shared between PSS from the same product and/or service family. This paper proposes a knowledge-based methodology to support the PSS design process, extending the concepts of pattern and instance as main knowledge fragments. The main idea is to encapsulate in the pattern a conceptual definition of a collection of potential verified solutions, able to achieve a product-service with certain performance value with regard to a set of working conditions. These solutions are then filtered and refined by means of the PSS instance when answering one specific PSS demand.

Las enfermedades transmitidas por el agua pueden tener diferente origen; las bacterias y los parásitos son los agentes causales más importantes. En este trabajo se monitorearon muestras de agua en tres puntos próximos a una zona recreativa en la provincia de Salta (Argentina): dos en un arroyo que rodea a un complejo termal, aguas arriba y aguas abajo de donde descargan las aguas de dicho complejo; el tercero, en la zona de salida del agua proveniente del complejo. Las muestras se tomaron en cuatro meses del año. Se realizó la caracterización fisicoquímica, bacteriológica y búsqueda de parásitos y amebas de vida libre (AVL) del agua en cada punto. Las muestras de agua a la salida del complejo termal presentaron características fisicoquímicas diferentes a las del arroyo. En todos los puntos se detectaron indicadores bacterianos de contaminación, pero el agua del arroyo tuvo una concentración significativamente mayor de Pseudomonassp. En las muestras del arroyo se encontraron, esporádicamente, huevos de Ascarisspp., quistes de Giardiasp. y huevos de ancilostomideos. En todas las muestras se encontraron AVL; se aislaron 15 AVL, que se identificaron como Acanthamoebasp., mayoritariamente pertenecientes al genotipo T4. La vigilancia de parásitos en ambientes acuáticos de uso recreativo es un complemento importante a la de los indicadores microbiológicos tradicionales para la evaluación de la calidad del agua. Los parásitos identificados representan un potencial riesgo para la salud de las personas que hacen uso de dichos ambientes.

AbstractWe have analyzed the activity of prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) in several areas of the rat brain (brain cortex, striatum, brain stem, cerebellum and hypothalamus) and in the pituitary gland during ontogeny. In all of these areas, we observed a reduction in PEP activity during development. However, the temporal profile of these alterations was found to be area specific and differences in the ontogeny of the soluble and particulate forms of PEP were observed. Thus, by postnatal day 20 (PD20), soluble PEP activity had began to decrease in the brain cortex and striatum, whereas decreased soluble PEP activity was observed earlier, at PD15, in the brain stem and cerebellum. Changes in the particulate fraction were even more pronounced. Senescence was associated with decreased soluble PEP activity in the striatum, but in contrast, particulate PEP activity was found to be increased in the senescent brain stem. The present results indicate that alterations in the levels of activity of PEP may represent an important event in the development and aging of the central nervous system.Copyright © 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

La levadura Candida fukuyamaensisRCL-3 presenta la capacidad de disminuir la concentración de cobre presente en un medio de cultivo. Observamos que la presencia de altas concentraciones de cobre cambia el color de las células de blanco/crema a marrón. La coloración desaparece cuando las células son tratadas KCN o cuando crecen en un medio sin adición de iones sulfato. Estos resultados se corresponden con la probable formación de biominerales de CuS sobre la superficie de las células. En este informe ponemos en evidencia que la mineralización sería un mecanismo utilizado por la levadura estudiada para biorremediar el cobre.

Background Aminopeptidase N (APN; EC 3.4.11.2) is a membrane dimeric metallopeptidase involved in differentiation, development, and proliferative processes of several tissues. Recent studies have demonstrated the increased expression and activity of this enzyme in several cancers. However, there are no available data about the impact of this peptidase in the biological aggressiveness and the survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.Methods The activity and mRNA expression of APN in tumor tissue (n = 81) and plasma (n = 40) of patients with CRC of low and high grades and stages were prospectively analyzed by fluorimetric and quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction methods. Data obtained in adenoma and CRC were compared with those from the surrounding normal mucosa. Classic clinical and pathological parameters were stratified following APN data and analyzed for 5-year survival.Results mRNA levels of APN (ANPEP) were lower in colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas than in the surrounding uninvolved mucosa (Kruskal-Wallis, P< 0.001). Aminopeptidase N activity in CRC tissue was higher in patients with better overall survival (log-rank P< 0.05, Cox analysis P< 0.05). By contrast, higher plasmatic APN activity correlated with worse overall survival (log-rank P< 0.01, Cox analysis P< 0.05).Conclusions Aminopeptidase N activity in tissue and plasma from CRC patients is an independent prognostic factor of 5-year survival. The determination of APN activity levels in the plasma may be a safe, minimally invasive, and inexpensive way to define the aggressiveness of CRC in daily practice.

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between formation and destruction of reactive oxygen species. Analysis of the reaction products of reactive oxygen species in biomolecules is an indirect way of determining the existence of oxidative stress. In this context, the formation of carbonyl groups in proteins has been one of the most studied oxidative stress markers because of its stability and easy detection. Various proteomic tools offer great potential for the discovery of new proteins susceptible to oxidative stress, determination of quantitative changes in the profile of these modifications under different biological conditions, and characterization of the type of modification a particular protein has suffered. This paper reviews the different approaches used for the detection of protein carbonyls and the proteomic tools that can be used to identify them.

Peptides play important roles in cell regulation and signaling in many tissues and are regulated by peptidases, most of which are highly expressed in the kidney. Several peptide convertases have a function in different tumor stages, and some have been clearly characterized as diagnostic and prognostic markers for solid tumors, including renal cancer; however, little is known about their in vivo role in kidney tumors. The present study compares the activity of a range of peptidases in human tumor samples and nontumor tissue obtained from clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) patients. To cover the complete spectrum and subcellular distribution of peptide-converting activity, acid, neutral, basic, and omega activities were selected. CCRCC displays a selective and restricted pattern of peptidase activities. Puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase activity in the tumor increases [tumor (t) = 10,775 vs. nontumor (n) = 7,635 units of peptidase (UP)/mg protein; P< 0.05], whereas aminopeptidase N decreases (t = 6,664 vs. n = 33,381 UP/mg protein; P< 0.001). Aminopeptidase B activity of the particulate fraction in tumors decreases (t = 2,399 vs. n = 13,536 UP/mg protein; P< 0.001) compared with nontumor tissues, and aspartyl-aminopeptidase activity decreases significantly in CCRCC (t = 137 vs. n = 223 UP/mg protein; P< 0.05). Soluble and particulate pyroglutamyl peptidase I activities, aminopeptidase A activity, and soluble aminopeptidase B activity do not vary in renal cancer. The relative expression for the aforementioned peptidases, assayed using quantitative RT-PCR, increases in CCRCC for aminopeptidases B (1.5-fold) and A (19-fold), aspartyl-aminopeptidase (3.9-fold), puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (2.5-fold), and pyroglutamyl peptidase I (7.6-fold). Only aminopeptidase N expression decreases in tumors (1.3-fold). This peptidase activity profile in the neoplastic kidney suggests a specific role for the studied convertases and the possible involvement of an intracrine renin-angiotensin system in the pathogenesis of CCRCC.

In this paper, we review our current understanding of the medicinal chemistry of the major peptide systems, which influence body fluid homeostasis. Electrolytes play pivotal roles in intra- and intercellular communication, acidbase equilibrium and, when bound to several macromolecules, they regulate a myriad of enzymatic proteins, receptors and transcription factors. Cell turgor influences the plasma membrane, which activates mechanically-gated ion channels or mechanoreceptors, and the expression of a number of genes which underlie long-term metabolic responses to hormones, substrates and reactive oxygen intermediates. The altered kinetics and enzymatic cleavage of peptides during waterelectrolyte imbalance can contribute to cardiac and renal damage associated with elevated blood pressure. Identification of the enzymes which are responsible for cleavage, together with emerging information about the mechanisms of action and structures of regulatory and effector peptides, has laid a foundation for the discovery of novel drugs, some of which are in use or are now undergoing evaluation in experimental trials. The development of models of hydrosaline challenge with relative efficiency to induce selective water-electrolyte imbalance has permitted the identification of kallikrein-kinin, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone, vasopressin-oxytocin, thyrotropin-releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone as susceptible substrates. At present, the angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitors are well-known efficacious, orally active, blood pressure-lowering agents which have been used in hypertensive patients. In addition to several new analogues of this class of drug, some selective dual inhibitors of angiotensin-I converting enzyme and neutral endopeptidase and inhibitors of aminopeptidases are now also being rationally assayed and their beneficial effects on hypertension and hydromineral balance indicate that this type of drug may have powerful therapeutic effects for disorders of body fluid homeostasis.

In an attempt to elucidate the cellular function of the soluble aminopeptidases, we have analysed their activity in several subcellular fractions (synaptosomal, mitochondrial, microsomal, nuclear and cytosolic fraction) and in different areas (amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, striatum, frontal cortex, occipital cortex and parietal cortex) of the human and the rat brain. The enzymes assayed in this study were five cytosolic aminopeptidases identified inmammalian brain tissues: alanyl-aminopeptidase, arginyl-aminopeptidase, leucyl-aminopeptidase, pyroglutamyl-peptidase I and aspartyl-aminopeptidase.The regional comparative study revealed significantly higher activities of alanyl-aminopeptidase activity in the human brain, with arginyl-aminopeptidase activities being higher in the rat brain. In the subcellular study, while the alanyl- and arginyl-aminopeptidase activities were quite homogeneous in all the subcellular fractions, the leucyl-aminopeptidase, pyroglutamyl-peptidase I and aspartyl-aminopeptidase activities were significantly higher in the synaptosomal fraction. The differential distribution of these enzymes could suggest that these activities have different functions in the distinct subcellular structures of the human and the rat brain.

It has been proposed that enkephalins play a role in stress phenomena. However, little is known concerning the effect of stress on the enzymes that may control the enkephalinergic activity. In the present paper we report the changes, after acute and chronic swimming-to-exhaustion stressor, of Tyr-amino-peptidase (which cleave the Tyr-Gly amide-bond) in discrete areas of the rat brain. After acute stress, only significant decreases in the striatum were observed. After chronic application, decreases in the striatum and increases in the hypothalamus and the medulla were seen

In this work, we have described decreases of pGlu-peptidase I activity, detected using pGlu-β-naphtylamide as substrate, from 9 to the 20 days after birth in five brain areas. In addition, we have found sexual differences in the enzyme activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in all ages investigated. pGlu-peptidase cleaves the pGlu-aminoacid bond of several neuropeptides such as thyroliberin, luliberin and neurotensin. The decrease in the activity of pGlu-peptidase coincidents with the increases observed in brain thyroliberin concentration and the decreases in His-Pro diketopiperazine. It is suggested that this enzyme could play a part in the normal development of the rat brain.

Gangliosides perform protective functions in the central nervous system. This paper describes a study of the effect of ganglioside administration on toluene neurotoxicity. Rat brain met-enkephalin immunostaining in the central amygdaloid nuclei showed changes in rats treated simultaneously with gangliosides and toluene with respect to rats treated with toluene alone. It is suggested that gangliosides prevent toluene neurotoxicity at this level, leading to hypothetical neurobehavioral changes.

Changes in Lys- and Leu-aminopeplidase activities in several brain regions of the rat, after acute toluene administration, are described in this research. Aminopeptidase activity has been suggested as a candidate regulator of the degradation of several neuroactive peptides. Lys-aminopeptidase activity was significantly decreased in the thalamus, amygdala, and medulla oblongata. Leu-aminopeptidase activity was significantly decreased in the thalamus and cerebellum. It is suggested that these aminopeptidase activities could play a part in the mechanism of toluene neurotoxicity.

It has been recently suggested that enkephalins might play a normal role in the regulation of cellular development in brain. Since the major pathway of enkephalin degradation seems to occur under the action of aminopeptidases, in the present paper we describe the changes in Tyr-aminopeptidase activities during several stages of the rat (male and female) brain development (9, 12, 15, 20 and 25 days postbirth). The enzyme activities (soluble and membrane-bound) were detected using Tyr-2-naphthylamide as substrate. No sexual differences were observed. However, significant rises from the 9th to the 15th postnatal day in the soluble peptidase activity were appreciated. Aminopeptidase M shows decreases in the activity with age. It is suggested that not only the enkephalins but also the enkephalin-degrading enzymes could play a part in the maturation of the rat brain.